Mark Rice

Dip GD (Inst GD),Cert GD (H.C. College), RHS General Certificate

My interest in plants started at a very early age and brought with it a passion to bring out the best in every garden I have the pleasure to work with.

Working with my Grandad way back in my early years showed me how much passion a person can have for the garden. He nurtured his roses, standards and hybrid Ts. His Dahlias filled the borders down the right with colour, the Aubrietia which literally covered the paths each side of the garden and of course his beloved lawn.

I suppose he laid the foundations of where I would head later in life.

My dad didn't have quite the same passion for the garden, but his interest was still to help when needed. Being a carpenter he spent a couple of weekends putting up two greenhouses for me, I grew the tomatoes, he picked them.

My first job in gardening was at Bristol Zoological Gardens, I had the privilege from day one of being taught by experienced gardeners who had spent years (just like I would) in gaining knowledge and perfecting there own meticulous and successful way of actioning tasks. I learnt a huge amount from them, Fred Iles, Mike Lewis, Brian Palmer, Mike Jeffries, John Parks to name a few, and a lot of that knowledge you would never see written in a book.

My school teacher Mr Ron Rogers got me my first interview with Mr Gordon Bland ( Head Gardener @ Bristol Zoo ), he took me on to gain the experience listed above. I attended night school run by Mr Rogers in gardening ( picked up my RHS certificate ) and in Photography which has come through well in my photos on the website and I will be forever grateful of his help through school and my first years in work.

I covered many areas including the growing and propagation of fuchsias, geraniums, tropical plants in the animal enclosures, summer and spring bedding schemes and growing from seed to planting out, perennials, trees and shrubs.

After this I had a couple of stints with Bristol City Parks Department, and then gained a little experience in landscaping, but I was very much a plants person at heart.

In 1999 I decided I needed to go out on my own, refreshed some of my knowledge, with new fields such as Garden Design, obtained a Diploma from the Institute of Garden Design (commended) and a Certificate Of Garden Design (Distinction) from the Horticultural Correspondence College.

The pleasure I had from gardening back then still lives with me now, encouraging clients to be more active in the garden, enjoy it, understand it and most of all share it with others. No matter what type of art or crafts you have an interest in, the garden will play some part in it, and with the delicate architecture in its make-up motivate you to go that one step closer to perfection.

Relaxing time for me is out walking with my Springer Spaniel Fynne. ( Longest serving member of staff ) Just like him I enjoy the woodlands, exploring the outside world and seeing what wildlife it has to offer. If we really want to get away then its off to the Highlands of Scotland, too far away to be found, no mobile just relaxation.

I’ve been married to my wife Michelle for 34 years and we have a son Kerryn and daughter Jade who we have encouraged to search for their ideal future and progress on, but when we are all together its always a pleasure to see them happy.

A lot of this reflects in my work, sometimes I have to remember its a business not a hobby, but it never stops me putting the personal touch to all the gardens I am lucky to work in and the enthusiastic clients I meet.

Fynne - Working with me since 2010 as an apprentice at 10 weeks old

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So lets work with it, call me, if you don’t ask?