30 years in Commercial Horticulture - 1st September - Forum

So 1st September 1980 is when my adventure began.My first task on Monday morning at my first Nursery, digging out a trench for a polytunnel. By the Wednesday of that week, I knew that I had found my career, Horticulture.I learnt my first plant, Buddliea Black Knight, not by what it looked like, but by where I put it on the Nursery. This way when a customer asked for a certain plant I knew where it was by where I put it, and then learnt, over time what the plant looked like, year round.So self taught, my first employer in the dark 1980's stated that he would not let me go to Merrist Wood College to learn, (only 3 miles away) as I would probably leave and take my skills with me (I stayed for 6 years). So I bought my own books, studied in my own time, and learnt shed loads. I did all of this as an employee.To think 20 odd years on, I would be taking Landscapers and Garden Designers around Italian Nurseries and showing them around seems quite unreal. I would have to identify every shrub/tree, pot size/girth and price, as Italian Nurseries do not label their stock on site.Tina calls me the walking plant encyclopedia, as she says that I know every Tree and Shrub.I disagree, for the great thing about our industry is nobody knows everything and I am still learning, everyday. Those that claim to know everything about our industry are liars. In our industry, unlike most others, we are all equal.I love my job, I love my industry, so here is to the next 30 years, as I will be happy work with plants until I die, and never want to just give up and retire. That's what old people do!

Replies

David Grimes August 31, 2010 at 7:55pm

Congratulations on your 30 years any may you enjoy many more
Manjit Yadav August 31, 2010 at 9:15pm

Many congrats ...:)
Manjit@www.hariomtradeint.co.uk
T & S Plants August 31, 2010 at 9:34pm

Cheers guys, thanks for your kind comments.

Here's to your 30 years
Kieran Ray August 31, 2010 at 9:57pm

Wow 30 years! Congratulations! I have been self employed 3 years as of tomorrow! I hope i can still remember my first job after 30 years of being in the industry!

It sounds as if the self taught method has worked very well too. Sounds like you have a great job now!