Gardeners’ Spotlight: Brian, Head of Gardens - Special plantings to commemorate the Coronation

It's a new month in the gardening calendar and a new year to join in with RHS's National Gardening Week (1st–7th May). And with the Coronation of His Majesty The King Charles III taking place on Saturday, 6th May, it seems fitting that this year's theme is 'Create your own Coronation container' to celebrate His Majesty's love of horticulture. His Majesty is known as a champion of the environment and a supporter of the nation's passion for gardening, so it only seems fitting that gardeners, whether well-experienced or new to the world of horticulture, produce jubilant planting schemes to mark the beginning of his reign.

Brian, Head of Gardens at Highgrove, explains the plans to mark the Coronation of The King's Foundation charity founder, His Majesty The King Charles III, through the creativity of gardening.

Meet Brian

Brian, who originates from Northern Ireland, is a very career-oriented, conscientious, and professional horticulturalist with more than 20 years of practical experience and extensive knowledge of managing the maintenance and development of historical and private estate gardens.

Highly qualified in horticulture, Brian holds awards ranging from the RHS certificate award and an NCH in Amenity Horticulture to a BSc Horticulture Honours Degree, a Post Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies, and a Certificate in Garden History from Oxford University. He is also a full-time member of the Professional Institute of Horticulture.

Having joined Highgrove from one of The King’s Foundation’s other sites, Dumfries House in Scotland, where he redeveloped the gardens and set up the ‘School of Gardening’, offering RHS-approved practical qualifications, Brian isn’t new to working amongst royal gardens. He also worked as Head Gardener at Balmoral, the Scottish country home of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, where the large vegetable garden is run on organic principles. Brian and his team employed organic pest control methods in the gardens to allow all forms of beneficial pollinators to thrive.

Brian has plenty of experience delivering landscape projects, having previously managed the restoration of the established Threave Garden belonging to the National Trust for Scotland and also managing the School of Gardening onsite.

Working at Highgrove

Brian began working at Highgrove Gardens in 2021 and is responsible for overseeing the maintenance and development of the gardens and bringing His Majesty The King Charles III’s vision to life.

“For me, the best thing about working at Highgrove Gardens is the diversity of the themed gardens,” explains Brian.

Brian manages a great team of gardeners: six full-time, two part-time, two seasonal, two students, and four volunteers, all of whom help maintain the 15-acre garden.

He also manages the designed landscape features and themed gardens, covering various jobs.

“From clipping topiary specimens and cloud pruned hedges to vegetable and cut flower production and maintaining the 4-acre Wildflower Meadow, every day can involve something new at Highgrove,” says Brian.

“Getting to work creatively outside in the fresh air with nature is a joy, and I always feel a sense of achievement when a task is completed.”

Reflecting on his work at Highgrove

As Brian reflects on his job as Head of Gardens, he can't help but feel grateful for the things that bring him the most joy. One of those things is the weekly sessions he has with the garden team to plan the work ahead for the enhancements of each garden area so that they are maintained to the highest standards.

"I enjoy the hands-on management of this established garden, which always needs constant and diligent attention."

"Thanks to my past management experience and current responsibilities, I can work alongside my team to enhance and develop the existing themed gardens and hopefully make a difference," explains Brian.

"I love the creative aspect of my job, and seeing our plans come to life is truly rewarding."

Another aspect of the job Brian enjoys is the opportunity to enhance the existing garden areas by adding new plants: "It's a pleasure to contribute to the beauty and diversity of the garden by planting new varieties of flowers and shrubs."

"There is a real joy and satisfaction in maintaining these beautifully designed landscapes," says Brian.

But above all, Brian gets excellent satisfaction from managing the garden.

"Knowing that I am making a difference and constantly improving and enhancing the gardens fills me with a sense of purpose that is hard to replicate in any other job," he says.

"Serving as Head of Gardens is a joy and a privilege."

Commemorating the Coronation year through planting

To commemorate the Coronation of His Majesty The King Charles III, Brian and the team of gardeners at Highgrove have put together an extensive plan of unique plantings and modifications throughout the gardens, visible to guests who visit on Garden Tours throughout the 2023 season and next season.

"In the Wildflower Meadow, 4000 Camassias have been planted, which will hopefully create an even brighter sea of purple in May when they come into bloom," says Brian.

"At least fifty other deciduous Azaleas and Rhododendrons have been planted throughout the Arboretum, which will be in flower during the Coronation week."

"In addition, thirty different Clematis montana have been planted around the Orchard Room garden walls, and 150 Hostas have been placed throughout the Stumpery to enhance the display of the National Collection of broadleaf and scented Hostas," says Brian.

Not only that, but an array of terracotta pots strategically placed around various focal points over the main parts of the garden are currently putting on a brilliant display of flowering tulips, followed by Alliums.

At the end of this month, Brian and his team will replant the terracotta pot displays and the extensive parterre borders with summer bedding plants in a silver and pink colour scheme to mark the Coronation.

The sale of highgrove products, garden tours and events support the charitable work of the kings foundation.