Hello

I grew up in Moray, in the North-East of Scotland, where my fascination with trees and woodland contrasted with the ocean seascapes of my hometown. Woodland dens held a sense of mystery for me, and that curiosity led me to study Arboriculture and Urban Forestry in 2014 and to volunteer with Trees for Life, helping restore fragments of the Caledonian Forest. These experiences gave me a grounding in forest science, ecology, propagation, and conservation practice and opened my eyes to the wider world of plants and their interactions. 

 

In the years that followed, I balanced musical endeavours, landscape sketches, busking and travelling off the beaten track with small gardening jobs and work with larger maintenance companies. I picked up carpentry skills along the way, a craft I still return to, and gradually found myself drawn into horticulture in more sustained ways. 

 

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By 2020, in the wake of COVID-19, I launched my own gardening business focused on sustainability, no-dig methods, small-scale native woodland design, organically grown produce from my allotment. At first, with just a bicycle trailer in place of a van, it was a challenge but the business grew steadily. By 2024, I was managing a full schedule of maintenance and landscaping jobs. However, I realised I had become disconnected from what had inspired me in the first place: the fascination with plants themselves and the creative practice that runs alongside my interest in the botanic world. 

 

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That realisation led me to begin formal studies in Horticulture at Elmwood Campus in Cupar. This step reconnected me with botany, biodiversity, conservation, plant communities, and landscape design and ultimately led me to specialise in Plantsmanship with SRUC and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Since i began at Elmwood I've really immersed myself back into the horticultural community:​

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• At Hospitalfield House, I led the design and establishment of a grant funded one-hectare Pollination Corridor. Establishing MG5 meadow and woodland edge planting, designing biodiversity interpretation, and working with community volunteers. I left them with a comprehensive maintenance plan.

• At Elmwood, I developed a planting plan for the college golf course, drawing inspiration from naturalistic and prairie-style communities.

• I began work alongside David Pullar, a well known horticulturist and was lucky enough to work on his feature garden for the Scone Palace Garden Fair.

• I participated in the Young Horticulturist of the Year competition, reaching the regional finals and placing 4th in Scotland.

• I led presentations and a workshop at Dundee and Angus College's intro to agriculture class for habitat connectivity and biodiversity. 

• On the arboricultural side, I began professional training with CS30/31 chainsaw certification and early survey work, building towards a consultancy skill set.

 

Alongside these studies and projects, I’m continuing to develop my creative practice in painting and music as a way of exploring plant communities and landscapes from a different angle. Whether through science, design, or art, my aim is to understand and interpret the patterns of the natural world.