Creating and maintaining the spaces
where you enjoy the moments that matter
Creating and maintaining the spaces where you enjoy the moments that matter
Maintenance and Aftercare Team
Graham Nunns – Head of Horticulture
Qualifications: ND Horticulture, PA1, RHS Pruning courses, FAA Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work (RQF)
Drinks: Coffee am Tea pm – both white with one sugar thanks
Biscuits: Ooh, Chocolate Hobnob Thanks!
Now in his 13th year with Bushy Business, Graham, has become Head of Horticulture, overseeing all of our Maintenance and Aftercare and much of our Soft Landscaping work. Back in 2011 we nabbed him from Notcutts Garden Centre and in the intervening years he has worked hard to help us build up the maintenance and aftercare client base, providing hard work and attention to detail in every garden he has worked in or oversees. His personable manner, tenacity, and passion for all things horticultural has never wavered. Graham’s day to day tasks mean he finds himself working less in client’s gardens (much to his disappointment) but is always on hand to get stuck in and relishes the opportunity to whip his secateurs out and get pruning.
Graham’s background is well rooted in horticulture. Having keen gardening parents, he went on to Merrist Wood College to study Amenity Horticulture and Landscaping. Whilst there and for four years thereafter he worked at Notcutts Garden Centre in Cranleigh working up to Planteria Supervisor before joining us and becoming an invaluable member of the team.
In his spare time: Graham enjoys spending time in his own garden and with his wife, son and their dog, Monty (yes, he was named after Monty Don!)
Chris Shaw – Maintenance and Aftercare Manager
Qualifications: ROLO Health & Safety, FAA Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work (RQF), NPTC PA1 & PA6 Safe use of pesticides, Mental Health First Aider
Drinks: White tea with 2 sugars please
Biscuits: A crunch cream or a chocolate Hobnob, I can’t decide
Chris has joined us from another top-end landscaping business where he was their Maintenance Manager, responsible for well over a 100 sites across the South. Previous to this Chris was in a similar role and previous to that he was a nursery production manager for some 15 years, so he’s plenty of experience in horticulture! Although he hasn’t been with us that long Chris has ‘clicked’, he and Graham have developed quite the partnership and Graham’s ethos is shared by Chris.
In his spare time: Chris is also a Charlton AFC fan, who’d have thought we have about 50% of their fanbase here?! When he isn’t fantasising about the Addicks making it back to the big time, Chris is out on his mountain bike, reading or socialising.
Thomas Pady – Senior Head Gardener (Maintenance and Aftercare)
Qualifications: Level 2 Diploma Horticulture, ROLO Health, Safety & Awareness, FAA Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work (RQF)
Drinks: Black coffee, oat milk if you have it
Biscuits: Malted Milks
Within a short period of time it was clear that Thomas is a dedicated horticultural professional, passionate about the industry and always absorbing information, reading up and asking questions of his workmates. He soon progressed to become a team leader and has recently been promoted to Senior Head Gardener. Tom is always keen to understand how he can look after our clients better, never resting on his laurels.
In his spare time: Tom loves to spend time in the great outdoors, on his allotment, enjoying our beautiful countryside or you’ll find him pounding the pavement for his next half/full marathon / Tough Mudder or anything that involves putting himself through the ringer!.
Christian Brown – Head Gardener
Qualifications: NPTC PA1 & PA6 Safe use of pesticides
Drinks: White coffee please
Biscuits: Bourbons
Christian has been with us for a couple of years now, he joined us from Architectural Plants where he was on the planting team. He then, has been a superb addition to the team, he has slotted right in, loved by all, and he loves being in a garden. Rising from the ranks of Gardener to Head Gardener in no time tells you he’s a smart cookie, organised, knowledgeable and exacting in what he does.
In his spare time: Christian likes nothing more than sitting on a bank fishing, hitting the trails on his mountain (e!)bike and socializing.
Will Offer – Head Gardener
Qualifications: NPTC PA1 & PA6 Safe use of pesticides, NPORS N602 Chainsaw cross cutting and maintenance
Drinks: Black coffee
Biscuits: I love a Garibaldi
Will has spent the last few years working on commercial grounds care perfecting his lawn care knowledge, but it is his love of gardens that has brought him back to private gardens and to us. Will previously ran a maintenance team for a local company, looking after a team of gardeners and ensuring their clients got the care and attention they needed. Passionate about plants and hugely knowledgeable, Will is a great addition to the team, helping to support and improve all that work with him.
In his spare time: As a new dad he doesn’t have much spare time so when he’s not with his family you might find him out in his kayak, having a paddle.
James Freeland – Head Gardener
Qualifications:
Drinks: Coffee, white
Biscuits: Chocolate Leibniz
James had previously run his own garden maintenance business before joining Ramster Gardens, in Chiddingfold, and working directly under the head gardener for X years. Last year, James came and joined us here at Bushy Business and has fitted in very well indeed. He is an excellent gardener, very attentive and takes enormous pride in his work and as a bonus is a very happy and approachable person, he brightens up any garden he works in.
In his spare time: James enjoys hitting the trails, with his workmates, on his mountain bike, socialising.
Jack Barney – Senior Gardener
Qualifications: NVQ Level 2 Horticulture, ROLO Health & Safety, FAA Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work (RQF), NPTC PA1 & PA6 Safe use of pesticides
Drinks: Tea, one sugar please, or coffee, either, thanks
Biscuits: Ooh… Chocolate Digestive!
Jack joined us in 2018 and I don’t think he has ever stopped smiling! But don’t let his easy-going manner fool you, Jack is passionate and knowledgeable about plants and caring for our client’s gardens. He likes nothing better than improving the gardens he works in, not just content with keeping them looking amazing he wants to better them and always has Graham’s and Chris’s ears about what could be done. Not only that, but he also likes to lighten everyone else’s day and help them love what they do as much as he does.
In his spare time: You’ll find Jack hurtling down a trail on his bike, although he has started cheating recently and using an e-bike!
Josh Dore – Senior Gardener
Drinks: Tea, milk, and 2 sugars, please
Biscuits: Party Rings
In his spare time: Josh enjoys mountain biking, seeing live music and going rock climbing, he is also studying canine behaviour online.
Sam Buckley – Gardener
Drinks: Coffee with oat milk if you have it, please
Biscuits: Fruit shortbread for me
Since joining us from another garden maintenance company Sam has proven to be a great addition to the team, his job previous to that was as a chef. He finds the lure of nature, the ability to be creative and learn new skills greater than the pull of a noisy, steamy, hot kitchen.
In his spare time: Sam enjoys working in his own garden and expanding his horticultural knowledge: he is studying a planting course at Merrist Wood.
Sophie Smale – Gardener
Drinks: Tea, one sugar please
Biscuits: Fox’s Viennese milk chocolate
Sophie joined us after having several jobs that she just didn’t find fulfilling; horticulture though has really clicked with her. It certainly shows, Sophie loves it all, whether it’s mowing, planting, pruning, or weeding, she finds it all smile inducing.
In her spare time – Sophie enjoys being outside, walking her dog, and working on her van (she’s converting it into a camper), this doesn’t stop her going off exploring and getting away in it now though.
