Swapping plant pots for pints
THE head gardener at Carmarthenshire’s Aberglasney Gardens is hanging up his gardening shears for the last time to start a new adventure.
Joseph Atkin, who has been at the Towy Valley attraction for more than 11 years, is set to start a new venture with his partner next month.
The couple have bought the Plough Inn in Felingwm, near Nantgaredig and will be the new landlords of the pub.
Joseph is looking forward to starting this new career path that awaits him and said: “It is exciting to be embarking on a new adventure with huge potential.
“It’s nice to feel like I am at the beginning again and I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me and helped me during my time at Aberglasney.
“I certainly won’t be leaving horticulture, just moving to a different and exciting area.
“Expect some very interesting hanging baskets outside the Plough Inn in Felingwm next season.”
Joseph and his partner Rachael intend to continue the tradition of the Plough Inn and run it as a food-orientated pub. Joseph will develop the garden and grow a lot of their own produce to be used in the pub’s kitchen.
Sustainability, Welsh produce and grow your own will be his main focus with his new venture.
During his years at Aberglasney, Joseph and his team have successfully achieved their long-term goal of improving Aberglasney’s colour schemes and planting succession while upholding its core values as a “heritage garden of excellence”.
To achieve this, around 20,000 plants and 30,000 bulbs are added to the gardens’ spring and summer displays each year and the team is actively encouraged to explore and identify new planting opportunities that will add even more garden interest to already abundant spaces.
Jim Stribling, director of operations at Aberglasney, said: “I know regular visitors to the gardens will be sad to see Joseph leaving for pastures new, but I hope they will join us in wishing him all the luck in his new venture.”
Work has begun to find Joseph’s replacement and Aberglasney is confident it will attract the very best of talented and highly skilled gardeners.
The new head gardener will build on the excellent work carried out by Joseph, and Graham Rankin before him, to further develop these wonderful heritage gardens for the continued enjoyment of members, visitors and future generations.