INTERVIEW
INDUSTRY PROFILE: LANDSCAPER
JACK ETHERIDGE ‘Landscaper and horticulturalist Jack Etheridge set up his firm, Auburn Gardens, following his return to Guernsey in 2014. Since then, he’s seen the demand for garden design and maintenance flourish in the island. He told us about his experience in the industry. For Jack Etheridge, gardening was in his blood. Despite initially studying art and design, he quickly decided to channel that creativity into the outside world. “I was brought up with gardening as a major influence in my life – my grandfather was a gardener and both my parents are keen gardeners so it felt very natural to follow that path. My father initially suggested the idea to me while I was still considering a career as an artist, and after that conversation I enrolled on a horticultural garden designer course that very evening.” Studying at a specialist college in London, Capel Manor College, Jack was exposed to a wide range of high-quality work, especially when he started working in the industry alongside his studies. “After the first year of studying, I was offered a job with a very skilled landscaper working in Kensington and Chelsea so I worked alongside my course for the second and third years. It was very high-quality work in tricky central London townhouse gardens, and I learned a huge amount from that time.” After working in London on his own contracts for a period, Jack decided to leave the city traffic behind and relocate home to Guernsey. It was a decision he’s never regretted. “I started Auburn Gardens here in 2014, mainly focused on garden maintenance. The company got a good reputation very quickly and the business blossomed from there. We now offer a complete service, with garden design as well as follow-up garden maintenance. The demand has meant that we have had to expand since we started, and there are now two teams of gardeners available for our clients.”
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Guernsey Property and Construction
