Location
Covering both
Northumberland and Durham
Being based at the top end of
County Durham, close to
Gateshead and Newcastle
I am well situated for access to the A1 which allows for easy travel into Northumberland & the coast.
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More local roads lead into
Weardale & Teesdale.
Working in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural beauty is part of what makes the job so appealing.
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Over the hills I can get to the Tyne Valley for Prudhoe, Corbridge, Riding Mill, Hexham and surrounding villages.
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Qualifications
I studied horticulture at
Houghall College in Durham
from 1988 to 1989.
gaining extensive experience in plant knowledge. With skills in propagation, cultivation and identification.
After passing with distinction I went on to work in a variety of practical garden situations.
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From 2007 to 2012 I worked for the National Trust at Gibside.
The final three years of this were spent on the Careership Training programme in conservation management.
Experience
After studying horticulture I worked at several leading North East garden centres including Peter Barratt's, Cowell's and The Beamish Clematis Nursery.
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I have worked in horticulture since 1989 in various fields and then moved into conservation for the National Trust.
The first three years at Gibside was spent coordinating the
Grass Snake Habitat Enrichment Project.
Then during the
Careership Programme
learning a variety of conservation skills.
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I was the
Revealing Reptiles Project Officer
for Durham wildlife Trust
from 2016 to 2018. This involved recruiting and training volunteers to help me survey the whole of County Durham for reptiles.
I also gave talks to many local groups.
Services
Installation and maintenance of ponds
Installation and maintenance
of wild flower lawns and meadows.
Regular maintenance of existing gardens.
I offer an online consultation service as well as garden designs provided by a network of professional designers across the UK.
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Training in scythe use for meadow management, both for individuals and conservation groups.
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A range of talks on various wildlife friendly garden subjects.
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Training in reptile and amphibian survey techniques as well as ecology and habitat management.