Peter Donegan chats with Neil Grant.

When Neil Grant asked his careers master about horticulture as a career during his O levels he was told not to waste his time. Being stubborn he applied to RHS wisely gardens to train he was also advised to go back to school and take his A levels and go to college. Destiny took him to Writtle College where he met his future (and still) wife Linda.

This romance led to the eventual title of Managing Director at Ferndale Garden Centre just south of Sheffield (or north Derbyshire if your allergic to northerners). Neil plays and active role in industry bodies such as the HTA, is BBC Radio Sheffields garden phone In expert every Sunday morning. Neil is the founder of National Children’s Gardening Week.

Neil’s long involvement in the Ornamental horticulture industry gives him a broad view of current issues and he’s quite happy to tell anyone who will listen. He’s known in the industry as ‘the one who always wears flowery shirts’

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