James Clapp, OGA Events

I started out in horticulture working as a field hand at Riverford near to where I was brought up, after a year, I was asked to become a supervisor in charge of a small crew; mainly picking strawberries. I had little idea when I started this work would become both a passion and my livelihood.

After working at Hill House, a local family run ornamental nursery for a season I decided to further broaden my knowledge of horticulture by taking an HNC at Lackham college specialising in organic crop production.

This gave me the confidence to set up a small business based at a Victorian walled garden at Ynyslas in West Wales in partnership growing glasshouse and specialist salad crops. This turned out to be a successful but short lived enterprise.

I spent last year working as a journeyman gardener for Lin and Tolly on the Hardwick Estate near Pangbourne, a wonderful (if a little wet) opportunity to work for one of the most inspiring and influential figures in the organic movement.

I’m currently waiting to start in my new role as head grower on the Penpont estate deep in the heart of the Brecon Beacons.

Alan Schofield | Scott Sneddon | Tim Deane | Roger Hitchings | Phil Sumption | Peter Richardson | James Clapp | Iain Tolhurst