How horticulture can weather the future with Stuart Priest of Batsford Arboretum

HortWeek Podcast

Director of operations at The Batsford Foundation Stuart Priest has led a rich life in horticulture, starting with an apprenticeship with Blakedown Nurseries followed by a National Diploma in Hardy Nursery Stock at Pershore College. He joined Batsford Arboretum in 1986 after an opportunity came up to open a nursery at the Cotswolds attraction.

After developing a successful hardy fern production line, he decided to pivot away from the stresses of growing plants towards garden retail, installed a garden centre within the nursery site and built a garden visitors centre. Two years ago Batsford added a restaurant.

The arboretum houses collections of birch, maple, oak, ash, lime, magnolia, mountain ash, pine, fir, spruce and many other rare trees.

Priest discusses the origins of the arboretum through to current challenges including dealing with extreme weather events as well as strategies to attract visitors throughout the year.

A series of droughts prompted a decision to build a three million litre lake, which has also become an "absolute magnet" for wildlife.

He says extreme weather events have become more common but his reaction to losses is now more philosophical - as there are also gains.

In high winds "some of the veteran trees are dropping boughs, going over and it used to be really upsetting...now we've just assured ourselves that one big tree goes, it opens up a massive planting place.

"We're able to grow a vast amount of plants, different sorts of species now that 20-odd years ago we wouldn't dreamt of trying".

Batsford has invested hundreds of thousands of pounds in an extensive solar panel network in which generated £10,000 "in a dull year" to help offset Batsford's £60,000 electric bill. And he hopes to generate more when further solar panels set to adorn a new workshop facility and tractor shed are added to the network.

A passionate horticulturist, Priest ends the podcast with a heartfelt plea: "The comradeship is brilliant in horticulture and we've got to encourage the youngsters to come into it."

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