Pro Landscaper Most Influential 2022

WELCOME

Five years ago, we revealed the 25 Most Influential people in the horticulture industry. But a lot can change in half a decade, and whilst some of the faces will be familiar from the list back in 2017, there are also a lot of new entries to Pro Landscaper’s Most Influential. Take rising star Tom Massey, who continues to make a name for himself at Chelsea, or Paul Lynch and Tony Benger whose companies have both received the title of Supreme Winner at the Pro Landscaper Business Awards.

Amongst this year’s Most Influential, you’ll see those who are leading our associations, those who have become household names after appearing on our TV screens, and those who are striving for more sustainability, diversity and inclusivity in our industry.

To decide who would appear on our list of influencers, we asked for our readers to put forward who they thought were their top three Most Influential people. This formed our list of 50 finalists, which we put out to a vote to reach the Top 25. Within these 25 names, we have highlighted Pro Landscaper’s Top Three Most Influential, but also our People’s Choice Top Three Most Influential. Eager to find out who they are, and who made the Top 25? It’s all in the next few pages, so enjoy!

The Most Influential Award is Pro Landscaper’s way of showcasing the individuals that are responsible for shaping the landscaping sector, whether that’s through the quality of their work, their ambassadorial work on behalf of the industry, or by being an inspiration to the rest of the market.

“We are delighted to sponsor Pro Landscaper’s Most Influential award at this year’s FutureScape exhibition. It is incredibly important, now more than ever, to recognise the individuals who are shaping the landscaping and horticulture industries. Whether that is through driving innovation, quality, and sustainability or being an ambassador and champion of the landscaping sector. We must celebrate and encourage their achievements to secure the future development and success of our industry. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners.”

DAVID HOOK, MANAGING DIRECTOR

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AWARD IS PRO LANDSCAPER’S WAY OF SHOWCASING THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SHAPING THE LANDSCAPING SECTOR

MARK GREGORY

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Mark Gregory are arguably synonymous with each other. He has been called the ‘King of Chelsea’, and it’s hardly surprising; Mark recently announced that the 2023 show will see him design his sixth garden but it will be the 108th which his company, Landform Consultants, has built, usually taking on multiple show gardens per year.

He regularly helps the RHS as a garden judge and assessor at its show – and with a string of Gold medals to his name, he’d

certainly know what it takes to create an award-winning garden.

And it’s not just show gardens where Mark has made himself a name. Landform is behind many high-end domestic gardens and high-profile commercial projects, including the Superbloom installation at the Tower of London.

He has served as a director of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and chairman of the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL), and proud vice president of The Yorkshire Society.

Urban greening has seemingly been transformed in totality thanks to Nigel Dunnett’s approach to planting. Together with his colleague James Hitchmough at the University of She eld, he has created ‘The She eld School’ of planting design, an approach to creating ‘plant communities’ and adopting a ‘high impact, low input’ approach to landscapes.

As Professor of Planting Design and Urban Horticulture in the Department of Landscape Architecture – recognised as one of the leading schools in this field –he has undoubtedly inspired many students to think outside the box and to

consider how to create more genuinely sustainable landscapes.

Nigel has also worked on some of the most prolific projects in London, including the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as planting designer and consultant alongside James Hitchmough, the podium landscape at The Barbican Centre, and Superbloom at the Tower of London. Closer to home, the She eld Grey to Green project is an awardwinning scheme creating a green corridor in the city, and he is an ambassador for the RHS’ Greening Grey Britain campaign. He has also written numerous books and regularly appears as a speaker at industry events.

SARAH EBERLE

GARDEN DESIGNER

Sarah Eberle needs no introduction. She is the most decorated designer across RHS shows, with 20 Gold medals to her name and an illustrious career in garden design which this year saw her being honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the SGD.

MOST

This year’s Chelsea saw Sarah win her final Gold medal, though, as she decided to retire from designing show gardens. The garden – ‘MEDITE SMARTPLY Building the Future’ – proved to be the most challenging yet. “It was ‘go big or go home’,” says Sarah. “It was physically challenging, design wise challenging – it even challenged Mark Gregory” – a fellow Most Influential and multi-medal winner from Chelsea. “It was a lot of hard work for everybody, but it was brilliant.” And the hard work paid o .

something di erent from what I’ve done before. Learning is a privilege and everything that I do that I haven’t done before makes the breadth of what I do better. I learn more, therefore I hopefully get better and have a broader knowledge.”

Sarah is hoping to pass this knowledge onto the next generation of show garden designers too. “I’m keen to help young designers, I love mentoring. If I can ever be of help to anybody – first timers at Chelsea, for example – then that’s something I’m very interested in doing.”

Two months later, Sarah finished her final show garden – an unjudged space –at Hampton Court. She became the fourth designer to be honoured by the RHS with an Iconic Horticultural Hero garden, for which she had the opportunity to showcase her signature style.

Building the Future’ – proved to be the hard work for everybody, but it was for which she had the opportunity to for Chelsea as a student. She began

It’s a fitting close for the designer, who was so eager to create a garden for Chelsea as a student. She began working with the team at Hillier to create its show gardens before tackling her first judged garden under her own name in the early 90s, which saw her achieve her first Gold medal.

Since, Sarah has created a garden in nearly all of the categories at Chelsea – but not as a box-ticking exercise.

“The reason I started doing the smaller gardens like Artisan is because I find small spaces a real challenge. In a bigger garden, you can make quite simple, powerful statements; but in a small garden, there’s got to be enough detail to engage you but not overwork it.”

The novelty of winning a Gold never wears o either.“Just because you win more medals, doesn’t mean it gets easier. You have a di erent sponsor, a di erent brief, and for me personally, I try to do

Passing on knowledge will be her legacy, says Sarah, so there may be books in the pipeline too. But arguably the biggest legacy will be the seven and a half garden Sarah has purchased in Normandy. “I am doing a real life, experimental, sustainable garden, and that’s my guilty pleasure. I’ll be doing a lot of training courses there and hopefully brainstorming events. It will

be a place where the industry can come together and learn from it and make suggestions. I’m 66 now, and I want to use my wisdom and experience where I can, because I get great pleasure from that as well.”

It’s easy to see why Sarah received the Lifetime Achievement Award, though there is plenty more still to come from the hugely influential designer.

LEARNING IS A PRIVILEGE AND EVERYTHING THAT I DO THAT I HAVEN’T DONE BEFORE MAKES THE BREADTH OF WHAT I DO BETTER

INF LUENTIAL

PRO LANDSCAPER’S

GARETH WILSON

TV PRESENTER AND GARDEN DESIGNER, MARK LANE DESIGNS

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Having already built a successful career in publishing, Mark was steered towards garden design after an accident nearly 20 years ago. He experienced the benefits of horticultural therapy and undertook a garden design course – a choice which has since led to Mark becoming the first Gardeners’ World presenter in a wheelchair and him wanting to show how horticulture can be more inclusive.

Mark’s TV career started after a BBC researcher came across an article he had written for Gardeners’ World magazine, and an audition soon led to him helping to present the coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. He presented at Hampton Court before joining the team on Gardeners’ World and has since been a regular presenter on BBC Morning Live. This summer, he was awarded for his e orts with an honorary doctorate from the University of Kent, which cited his ‘inspirational career in garden design and media’. He is also an ambassador for a number of charities including Greenfingers and Thrive.

MARK LANE JAMES SCOTT

EXPERT WITNESS MANAGING DIRECTOR, THE GARDEN COMPANY

With more than 30 years’ experience in the landscaping sector, Gareth Wilson has become a go-to for those seeking advice on their projects. He founded his own company, G.K. Wilson Landscape Services, based in Derbyshire, which created numerous domestic and commercial gardens. It also picked up 30 RHS medals, including a Gold at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and a number of additional accolades such as the Best Construction Award and Best in Show.

Just over 30 years ago, James founded one of the UK’s most well-known and reputable design and build companies. Throughout this time, the Hertfordshire-based company has grown steadily and organically, winning several awards from the Society of Garden Designers, British Association of Landscape Industries and the Pro Landscaper Business Awards.

James set up The Garden Company aged just 23 with a business partner who he amicably bought out seven years ago. It became the first to gain Practice status of the SGD when the association launched its new membership category in 2017, with James being an avid supporter of the industry’s trade bodies, having served on the SGD council and the committee for the British Association of Landscape Industries.

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Last year, The Garden Company created numerous apprenticeship training opportunities for new members to join the team to attract the next generation. In the same year, it updated its branding to celebrate three decades of creating high quality gardens.

Gareth is now passing on his knowledge to others in the industry, mentoring those within the landscape trade – be it on best practice, managing teams and building client relationships – but also those aspiring to compete in the show garden sector. He trained others at The Landscape Academy and now works as an expert witness having become an accredited mediator.

Gareth shares his experience in dispute resolution by writing regularly for Pro Landscaper and speaking at events such as FutureScape, to help those working within the industry to avoid mistakes and conflicts. He is also a judge for industry awards such as the Pro Landscaper Business Awards and the BALI National Landscape Awards.

TOM MASSEY

OWNER, TOM MASSEY STUDIO

Tom Massey is becoming a regular name at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It was announced this year that he would be returning in 2023 with his third garden, this one for the Royal Entomological Society (RES), whose garden will be relocated as a teaching garden and long-term opportunity for insect study as part of the RES’ planned UK network of gardens. His last show garden, the Yeo Valley Organic Garden, won not only a Gold medal but also the People’s Choice Award, so there are high expectations for the budding designer. Chelsea is not the only place where Tom is making a name for himself. From RHS shows to TV shows, Tom has appeared on the last two seasons of BB2’s Your Garden Made Perfect, competing with other garden designers for his design to be chosen by clients on the programme.

It’s an already illustrious career for the London-based designer, who retrained as a garden designer aged 28, having previously worked in animation. He graduated with distinction from the London College of Garden Design and became one of the inaugural winners of Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation.

ADAM WHITE

DIRECTOR, DAVIES WHITE

One of the biggest achievements which stands out from Adam’s two years as president of the Landscape Institute from 2018 is his work in raising the profile of the landscape profession. He launched the campaign #chooselandscape to inspire the next generation, but he also – alongside his business partner, Andrée Davies – co-designed the RHS Back to Nature Garden at Chelsea and Hampton Court. The RHS shows themselves are world renowned, but it got the word out about what a landscape architect is and the work that they do – plus the opportunities that they have.

The woodland garden included an impressive treehouse and sensory elements to help children learn. After all, playscapes are something which Adam and Andrée specialise in at their chartered landscape architect practice, Davies White Ltd.

During Adam’s presidency, he also shone brightly by launching the LI’s Climate and Biodiversity Action Plan and collaborating with the British Association of Landscape Industries, the APL and the SGD to create The Landscape Consultant’s Toolkit. And let’s not forget presenting Sir David Attenborough with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the LI Awards.

Adrian Wickham might have taken a two-year break from Glendale to work at a law firm, but he never really left the industry. In fact, he became a BALI board member during this time, and it wasn’t long before he was drawn back to the company where he spent a couple of decades previously. He’d been keeping in touch with Glendale throughout the two years and was even a green space commissioner for the Mayor of London.“I just couldn’t let go of my green background,” says Adrian, who was one of the first people to complete Glendale’s management development programme in the 90s.

He left Glendale soon after the passing of its founder, Tony Hewitt – a moment he counts as one of the lowest in his career as Tony was one of his biggest mentors. “We had an agreement. He said: ‘When are you leaving?’ And I said, ‘When you leave Tony.’ So, when he passed away, I wasn’t sure what to do and I thought I’d try something di erent. It’s really important to never burn bridges, and I’ve never done that –with Glendale or the law firm.”

ADRIAN WICKHAM

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, GLENDALE

Having returned to Glendale last year, Adrian is one of five board members shaping one of the bigger green service providers in the industry, and he says the company has grown significantly over the last 12 months. “Post-pandemic, we saw the opportunity to capitalise on some of the learnings from that di cult time. We think the marketplace has changed significantly, so my role was to fine tune and develop some elements of the business and explore new areas of work too.”

some brilliant panellists and people really spoke about diversity from their hearts; there were some really emotional stories. So, after that meeting, we were pleased that so many other membership organisations attended and together we agreed that everybody is involved in the charter, and everybody had input into it.”

Adrian continues in his role as a BALI board member as well, which he says is his opportunity to give something back to the industry. Towards the end of last year, he took part in a webinar called Access All Areas, organised by BALI, to discuss the lack of diversity and inclusivity in the industry. He has since spearheaded – though he humbly refuses to use this word himself –a charter, which leading associations and organisations across the industry have pledged to sign.

Towards the end of last year, he took part in a webinar called Access All in the industry. He has since and organisations across the

Now, those behind the charter are looking to set a date to sign it and confirm a plan of action. Adrian says: “We are keen to look at surveys to understand a baseline figure of diversity within the industry, with the intent of improving these figures. Recruitment has been an issue for years, possibly more so in the last couple of years, so it’s about attracting people into the industry – and not just one company promoting themselves, but actually as an industry. It’s about opening up the industry and making it more appealing and interesting.”

There’s the potential to tackle the skills shortage, as well as a lack of diversity –all whilst Adrian continues to help grow a company which has been awarded previously for its work in supporting apprentices.

Arboriculture, Landscaping & Garden

Areas was a bit trailblazing. We had

The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Charter for the Horticulture, Arboriculture, Landscaping & Garden Media profession “benefits the whole industry,” says Adrian. “Access All Areas was a bit trailblazing. We had

PEOPLE REALLY SPOKE ABOUT DIVERSITY FROM THEIR HEARTS ; THERE WERE SOME REALLY EMOTIONAL STORIES . SO, AFTER THAT MEETING, WE SAID THAT IT SHOULDN’T STOP THERE

THOMAS O’MAHONY

MANAGING

DIRECTOR, MAYLIM

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An engineer by trade, Thomas became managing director of Maylim in 2009 when it was a groundswork and civil engineering contractor. Four years later, he and Gerard Purcell, who had come on board as commercial director, bought the business from its previous owner which kickstarted Maylim on its impressive growth trajectory. In 2021, turnover soared to an eyewatering £61m and Maylim became known as a leading external works and landscaping contractor, having worked on prolific projects such as Canada Water and Merchant Square – and those were right at the start of Thomas joining. Maylim’s work on One Tower Bridge saw it win BALI’s

Grand Award in 2017, which propelled the company into the spotlight in the industry.

This year, in its 20th anniversary year, it launched a new company focusing on soft landscaping too – Maylim Landscapes. Under Thomas’ guidance, Maylim is an incredibly forward-thinking business. It became an Employee-Owned Trust three years ago to ensure a succession plan but also provide the opportunity for employees to put their stamp on the business.

Thomas wants Maylim to be a company which drives change in the industry, by addressing the lack of diversity by attracting those from marginalised groups, for instance, and striving towards achieving bold net zero ambitions.

GRANT

Gardens by the Bay celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, and since it was created, the project has seen millions of visitors, has appeared on a variety of TV programmes including Blue Planet II, and has become an iconic image for Singapore. It was Andrew Grant’s practice, Grant Associates, which designed the 54ha Bay South Garden, the largest of three gardens to feature overall and where the famous Supertrees reside. And o the back of such a significant scheme, Grant Associates now has its own o ce in Singapore, allowing it to take on more

work in countries such as Malaysia, Australia and China.

It’s an incredible feat for someone who says pursuing landscape architecture was somewhat of a “fluke”. When Andrew graduated, his first role saw him spending three years in Qatar. When he returned, he spent around a decade at a Bath-based firm before deciding to pursue an interest in more sustainable design and setting up his own practicing in Bath, where he is a member of the Bath World Heritage Site Advisory Board and chair of the Bathscape Landscape Partnership.

PIET OUDOLF

GARDEN DESIGNER

Piet Oudolf is often cited as an inspiration for budding designers and was regularly the answer of Pro Landscaper’s Little Interview question of who in the industry people would most like to meet. His impact is global; the Dutch garden designer has worked on projects around the world, from countries such as Germany and Italy and his home country of the Netherlands to Canada and the US.

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Perhaps the most prolific is the High Line in New York, a 1.5-mile long elevated, linear public park along a disused railway line in Manhattan. The project has sparked other

countries, including the UK, to consider how disused spaces can be transformed into green areas, and the project has won multiple awards. Piet Oudolf designed it in collaboration with other practices and has, himself, collected numerous awards and accolades. There is nowhere near enough space to list them all here, but some highlights include an RHS Gold medal and Best in Show, the RHS’ Gold Veitch Memorial medal, an honorary fellowship from the Kew Guild and the RIBA, the SGD’s Lifetime Achievement Award and an honorary degree from the University of

She eld, where he is also a visiting lecturer.

She eld, where he is also a visiting lecturer. So great are Piet’s accolades that not one but two documentaries have been made about him and his work.

WAYNE GRILLS

CEO, BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF LANDSCAPE INDUSTRIES (BALI)

As soon as Wayne joined the British Association of Landscape Industries as chief operations o cer 11 years ago, he became integrated into the landscaping industry. He did it, firstly, by going out and visiting as many members as possible to find out what they wanted and needed from their association. He had been managing director of the Lantra Awards for five years previously, and so was not completely new to the sector, but he was tasked with improving the systems and processes of the association and with growing its membership, which had halted at around 650. Since, it has soared to 950, with plans to grow this figure further as

part of the association’s three-year strategy going forward.

It’s just one of his many achievements at the British Association of Landscape Industries, which also include setting up vetting communities to improve the standard of those coming into the association, bringing its awards in-house to huge success, launching GoLandscape to attract the next generation to the industry, and updating the association’s branding last year which saw it move away the acronym ‘BALI’ amongst other changes. His vision now is for it to become the essential accreditation partner for all landscaping professionals.

JANE FINDLAY

DIRECTOR, FIRA & IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT, LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE

Endearingly nicknamed ‘the lockdown president’, Jane Findlay’s two years as president of the Landscape Institute were not quite as she’d envisaged when she successfully campaigned for the role. However, her manifesto – which she prefers to call a “statement” – was surprisingly relevant throughout the pandemic.

Jane first decided to stand for the presidency after being approached by members to do so, but also when she was sitting in the Landscape Institute boardroom for a meeting on the Trailblazer landscape apprenticeships. “On the wall was a list of all the past presidents over the last 90 years, and there were only four females on there, in a profession which is meant to be 50/50. It got me thinking that I can’t complain about the lack of female voices if I don’t stand up and do my bit.”

So, the focus of Jane’s statement was on the future and to be a modern profession. It outlined issues which Jane felt were important to the profession such as its relevance to wider issues, improving digital skills, encouraging young people to join, developing young leaders to champion the profession and supporting registered practices.

“But then we got hit by lockdowns, and it wasn’t the presidency I thought I was going to have. Having said that, it had a huge influence on my presidency; because I wanted to improve the LI’s influence and relevance, and COVID-19 gave us that inarguable proof of just how valuable green space and nature are to people. As a result, our work has become more import than ever.”

Adapting to new ways of working has also allowed the LI – board members, advisory council and registered practices –to move forward. So, whilst her presidency might not have been “as dramatic” as others, it helped the LI to become more visible and with more members able to attend events online, says Jane.

Lockdown also highlighted a topic which Jane has focused on throughout her career –the link between health and outdoor spaces. Her background is designing for healthcare, creating spaces for patients, but Jane wanted to take that one step further and apply the benefits this can o er to all landscape design. She’ll continue to promote this in her role as immediate past president of the LI and

therefore as an honorary trustee on the board until the end of June. Jane is also eager to continue raising the profile of the profession.

“We need to find our voice. American landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson once said that we are a shade-loving species, we quietly get on with it; but we need to shout a lot more about what we do.”

A two-year presidency at one of the toughest periods of recent UK history is one of the “hardest things I have ever done in my life,” says Jane. But it was also rewarding, and she hopes that it has laid the foundations for a modern institute and a more modern profession going forward, with a focus on the next generation.

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PAUL LYNCH KEN WHITE

MANAGING DIRECTOR, FROSTS LANDSCAPES

MANAGING DIRECTOR, ELMTREE GARDEN CONTRACTORS

Winning Supreme Winner once at the Pro Landscaper Business Awards is an impressive feat but winning it twice – as Paul’s company Elmtree Garden Contractors has done – is remarkable and a testament to the culture Paul has created. Elmtree first scooped the award in 2019, in the same year the company was celebrating its 50th anniversary, having been founded by Paul’s father, Keith. It continues to be recognised for its dedication to the industry, to upskilling sta and to corporate social responsibility, but also to the

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health and wellbeing of its employees, something which Paul has been outspoken about.

He has appeared on panels at FutureScape to discuss how Elmtree supports its sta with trained Mental Health First Aiders and an opendoor policy, as well as a suggestion box which allows sta to put forward suggestions which are always listened to and often acted on, something which Paul has found to have been genuinely beneficial to the business.

Ken White has undoubtedly become one of the biggest names in the landscaping industry, recognised for the work his company, Frosts Landscapes, has carried out in the commercial sector, but also for his personal dedication, such as serving as chairman of the Association of Professional Landscapers.

He joined Frosts in 2004 as operations manager for the commercial landscaping division before going on to become construction director after six years. In 2012, he took over as managing director, and six years later, he and the management team bought out the Frosts family from the landscaping company.

Frosts has become a hugely reputable company, having worked on some incredible projects, including 3 Merchant Square, The Garden at 120, the Magic Garden at Hampton Court Palace, Vauxhall Sky Garden and, of course, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. So, unsurprisingly, it has collected a number of awards such as those from the British Association of Landscape Industries, the APL and the RHS.

Outside of the industry, Ken has also co-founded charity Supershoes with his wife.

ANN-MARIE POWELL

PRINCIPAL, ANN-MARIE POWELL GARDENS

Multi-award-winning garden designer Ann-Marie Powell started her practice in 1998 and, in the last 20 or so years has designed a variety of projects including private and commercial schemes, roof terraces and show gardens. She has also appeared on numerous gardening TV programmes, such as Garden SOS, The Great Garden Challenge and the BBC’s coverage of Chelsea.

Her practice strives to create bold and energetic gardens with sustainability as a fundamental value of its approach – which is hardly surprising considering AnnMarie’s own passion for environmentally friendly gardening and growing her own

ANDREW WILSON PETER FANE

DIRECTOR, LONDON COLLEGE OF GARDEN DESIGN (LCGD)

Andrew Wilson is one of Pro Landscaper’s longstanding contributors, bringing his expertise to each issue of the magazine – and this isn’t the only way he shares his experiences and knowledge with others. The multiaward-winning garden designer is one of the founding directors of the London College of Garden Design, attracting and educating the next generation as well as upskilling those in the industry with a variety of courses available. Graduates include fellow Most Influential Tom Massey and the winner of this year’s APL Designer of the Year, Adam Vetere.

Andrew is also a former RHS show garden judge, having exhibited at Chelsea himself as well as the Singapore International Garden Show. He was previously a partner at Wilson McWilliam Studio – now McWilliam Studio, which recently featured on House & Gardens’ Top 50 Garden Designers – where he continues to practise as a consultant. Andrew is on the adjudication committee for the Society of Garden Designers, where is a fellow and a former chairman. For the last two years, Andrew has been a fellow of the Landscape Institute.

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, THE NURTURE GROUP

fruit and vegetables. She designed one of three gardens for the new RHS Hilltop at Wisley – the World Food Garden. The project won two SGD awards this year, including the People’s Choice Award – and these are just two accolades which Ann-Marie has received throughout her career. Just this year, the Greenfingers charity patron was listed as one of the UK’s Top 20 Landscape Designers by Country and Town House magazine – as well as being one of Pro Landscaper’s Most Influential, of course.

The success and growth of Nurture is undoubtedly impressive. It started on April Fool’s Day in 2008 with just Peter and three others. It is now a nationwide group with three leading brands: Nurture Landscapes, Gavin Jones and its most recent addition Rokill, each o ering di erent services.

For more than a decade, with Peter at the helm, Nurture has become a multi-award-winning group, expanding through organic growth and a significant number of acquisitions. Earlier this year, the company was awarded Industry Trailblazer at the Living Wage Foundation’s annual Champion awards, having become a Real Living Wage employer last year.

At the start of this year, Peter took on the role of chairman and brought on board a new CEO. Not that Peter is stepping away from the company; he continues to be involved in its development, and there are exciting times ahead for Nurture.

Having already achieved carbon neutral, it is now working towards becoming B-Corp certified and is sponsoring a garden at next year’s Chelsea – designed by Sarah Price – which focuses on sustainability. Peter ultimately wanted a company that would nurture the environment, its clients and its sta – and it’s hard to argue against him having achieved that.

©RHS/Oliver

Dixon

STEVEN WALLEY

MANAGING DIRECTOR, LONDON STONE

From day one of launching London Stone, it was Steven Walley’s ambition to build a well-known brand in the industry – and that’s exactly what happened. The supplier has grown from one person in one location to a company of around 150 people, with seven showrooms – and two more to be completed by spring next year – as well as both a northern and a southern depot. It also recently purchased clay and brick paver specialist Chelmer Valley, as well as taking a 50% stake of the nursery, Form Plants. Needless to say, London Stone has experienced exponential growth since it was founded in 2008 and has become “the market leader” in its field, says Steven. “We’re not the biggest, but we genuinely believe that we’re regarded as the best by our customers.”

area of expertise. London Stone will be developing its e-commerce platform to make it “as easy to use as Amazon” and, alongside all of this, will be striving towards being carbon neutral – a goal which Steven says it will be achieving “sooner than anyone might think.”

BECAME

experienced exponential growth since on customer service, says Steven. There we were really well known in London known at the time because our focus was on says

At the heart of its growth is its focus on customer service, says Steven. There was a point though, after growing yearon-year, when London Stone had a “flat year” in 2017. “We realised that we were really well known in London and the Home Counties but were probably known as being quite expensive at the time because our focus was on high-end garden designers in those areas. To step further afield and grow, we had to change our model and our cost base.”

So, that’s what it did. A wider range of products was stocked for di erent budgets, which proved to be popular. London Stone wanted to o er even better value, so Steve says the company built a culture of eradicating waste and improving the e ciency of its processes, which reduced its costs and made it more profitable. This then helped to fund the next three years – before COVID-19 hit – in which London Stone froze its prices, increased profits and increased sta wages. “That period laid the groundwork for this next five years of growth. ”

Steven says there are plans to open one or two showrooms each year over the next five years. London Stone will also be doubling down on its focus on the landscaping industry by removing garden furniture and interior tiles from its o ering and sticking to its

London Stone has also become widely known as an ethical supplier, which comes o the back of Steven’s first trip to India to visit suppliers. “We dropped into a village called Budhpura, where kids as young as five or six were working away making cobbles, and I was shocked to see that; it was distressing. So, we started to think about our supply chain, and our ethos became to always treat people further down the supply chain with the same respect, and o er the same conditions and opportunities, as we give to our sta . It’s a di cult to environment to operate in, so I’m not saying we always achieve this, but it is something that has guided our ethical direction. It’s not just from the goodness of our hearts though; we recognise that this is the right way to build a successful brand and that it’s in our interest too.”

This transparency is one of the ways in which Steven hopes he can leave his mark on the industry. “I like to think that we’ve come into the market and have innovated in a way that’s improved the customer’s ability to build better gardens – in terms of the products we supply, the service we give and our transparency. Most importantly, it’ about putting our customers first because without your customers, you have no business.”

OUR ETHOS

TO ALWAYS TREAT PEOPLE FURTHER DOWN THE SUPPLY CHAIN WITH THE SAME RESPECT AS WE GIVE TO OUR STAFF

JOHN PARKER MONTY DON

Arguably one of the most famous horticulturists of all time, Monty Don has been on our screens for more than 30 years. He first appeared as a gardening expert on This Morning in 1989 but is best known for his long-running stint on BBC Gardeners’ World. Since 2003, Monty Don has been the lead presenter, and he now hosts the show from his own garden, Longmeadow, in Herefordshire.

As well as Gardeners’ World, Monty Don has hosted various other programmes, including BBC2’s coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, The Secret History of the British Garden, Around the World in 80 Gardens and Big Dreams, Small Spaces.

The list of ways John Parker has dedicated himself to arboriculture and forestry seems endless. He is currently the chief executive o ce for the Arboricultural Association, a role he has held since last year, having previously served as the association’s first technical director for two years. Before this, he was a director of the National Association of Tree O cers as well as a member of the executive committee of the London Tree O cers Association, where he was chair for two years.

Prior to working at the Arboricultural Association, John was an arboriculture

CEO, ARBORICULTURAL ASSOCIATION TV PRESENTER AND HORTICULTURIST

and landscape specialist at Transport for London and in 2018 he was named as the Young European Urban Forester of the Year. The chartered forester and chartered environmentalist delivered a TED Talk in the same year called: ‘Why trees are better than people’.

John is now a member of the European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) International Steering Group. He also established the Stonehouse Community Arboretum, which includes all of the trees on public and private land in the Gloucestershire-based town.

He was gardening editor for the Observer for more than 10 years until 2006 and now contributes regularly to the Daily Mail and Gardeners’ World magazine. Monty has also authored a variety of books, including The Sunday Times Bestseller ‘My Garden World: the natural year’.

The organic gardener, who was president of the Soil Association, supports a number of causes, from being vice-president of Farms for City Children to being patron of charities such as Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and Bees for Development. In 2018, he was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to horticulture, broadcasting and charity.

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Since starting his career in the industry more than four decades ago, Alan Sargent has shown an impressive amount of dedication to its trade associations. He founded the Association of Professional Landscapers, of which he is now an honorary life member, and later founded the Professional Garden Consultants Association.

Alan has also served as regional chairman of the British Association of Landscape Industries and is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture. He is a member of the Professional

Gardeners Guild and the Garden Media Guild, amongst other organisations. Having been involved in more than 60 show gardens himself, Alan was a show garden judge and assessor, as well as sitting on the RHS Chelsea Flower Show gardens committee.

He began by building his own award-winning landscaping business. Since, he has constructed a plethora of gardens and was head gardener at the Goodwood Estate for six years until 2007, restoring the private gardens. Alan is now an expert witness, consultant and acclaimed author.

There is perhaps no better known or trusted soil scientist as Tim O’Hare. His consultancy has been involved in some of the most prolific projects in the UK and further afield, from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Battersea Power Station to Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay.

After gaining a Masters in Soil Science, Tim joined London-based consultancy Dr Augustus Voelcker & Cons Ltd, where he eventually worked his way up to head of soil science. He took on the same role at the newly formed Mayer Environmental before setting up his own consultancy with

George Longmuir and later forming Tim O’Hare Associates in 2006.

Since, Tim has been involved in updating the British Standards for Topsoil and the first British Standard for Subsoil. He has also sat on the British Standards Institute working group for Topsoil and other Growing Media and co-authored Defra’s Code of Practice for the Sustainable Use and Management of Soils on Construction Sites in 2009.

Tim has been a council member of the Institute of Professional Soil Scientists and in 2019 was awarded an honorary fellowship by the Kew Guild.

Garden Consultants Association.

TONY BENGER

MANAGING DIRECTOR, TONY BENGER LANDSCAPING

All you have to do is do a really good job,” says Tony Benger, who founded his own landscaping company nearly 40 years ago. This has become one of its mantras, and it stands true even though the company now boasts 125 employees. It’s not just quality of work, though, for which Tony Benger Landscaping has become renowned.

Last year, it scooped three Pro Landscaper Business Awards: Design and Build Company of the Year, Employer of the Year, and the top prize, Supreme Winner. This year, it added two more to its collection. Tony Benger Landscaping has been consistently recognised for its employer excellence.

“If you can keep sta happy and keep your customers happy, growth automatically comes from that,” says Tony, who says he learned early on how to manage people thanks to a course run by the Agricultural Training Board. Along with achieving ISO9001 this year, his company – which o ers design, build and maintenance services for domestic and commercial projects – has been recognised by Investors in People since 2016.

So, what amounts to an excellent –and influential – employer? “Fair pay, good conditions, listen to their needs, make sure the machinery is reliable and make sure they feel valued,” explains Tony. “It’s so important to look after your sta .” There’s a long list of ways in which Tony Benger

Landscaping meets this criterion, starting with having sta dedicated to upskilling employees, such as a full-time trainer. It’s not all about learning, though. ‘Employee of the month’ celebrates hard work and social days reward them. Mental health and wellbeing ambassadors are there to help sta feel supported. The company’s motto, “Tony Benger Landscaping –a good place to work”, is entirely embodied throughout each aspect of the business.

As Tony says, without happy sta the company can’t grow, and it has expanded impressively since it was founded, with more to come. It keeps growing geographically too, as word of mouth about the quality of its work spreads. The company now covers the whole south west, “nudging up into the Midlands and southern England,” says Tony, whose mother was a well-known horticulturist locally. When he started out on his own after a decade in farming, he says he had her expertise to back him up. It taught him that when you’re carrying out a task, “always stick to good horticultural practice and you can never be wrong.”

As his legacy, Tony wants Tony Benger Landscaping to be “renowned for good quality and reliable service”. His advice? “When you’re losing money on a job, it’s very tempting to cut corners – but don’t. Just do a really good job and you’ll get asked to do more and more.”

It’s worked for him, so it’s a lesson that can undoubtedly work for others.

IF YOU CAN KEEP STAFF HAPPY AND KEEP YOUR CUSTOMERS HAPPY , GROWTH AUTOMATICALLY COMES FROM THAT

Garden

Garden

Former

of Horticultural Ecology, University of She

Principal, Marian Boswall Landscape Architects

Garden designer

managing director, Willerby Landscapes CEO, Bowles & Wyer

designer and director, Andy Sturgeon Garden Design

designer and director, Tom Stuart-Smith Ltd ARABELLA LENNOX-BOYD

JAMES HITCHMOUGH

ALAN TITCHMARSH CLEVE WEST

HELEN ELKS-SMITH

MARIAN BOSWALL

JULIET SARGEANT

JOHN MELMOE

JOHN WYER

TOM STUART-SMITH

TAYSHAN HAYDEN-SMITH

TREMAYNE

DAN PEARSON

ARIT ANDERSON

CHARLOTTE HARRIS

General manager, Association of Professional Landscapers (APL)

PHIL

Garden design and director, Dan Pearson Ltd

Director, London College of Garden Design (LCGD)

ANDREW FISHER TOMLIN

Non-executive board member, Ground Control

Director, Urban Landscape Design Managing director, Willerby Landscapes

MARCUS WATSON

HOLLY YOUDE

RICK DAVIES

TV presenter, garden designer and director, Diamond Hill Garden Design

Former head of arboretum, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

TONY KIRKHAM

Founder, Grow2Know

JASON KNIGHTS

DAVID DODD

Garden designer and director, Harris Bugg Studio Managing director, Ground Control Managing director, The Outdoor Room

TONY WOODS Managing director, Garden Club London

ADAM FROST

TV presenter and garden designer

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