Harewood House gardener 'best in country'
Not even an "Oscar" for his handiwork can dent the modesty of Harewood House head gardener Trevor Nicholson.
He has just returned from London where he won the Professional Gardener of the Year trophy.
And he said: "These awards are never totally individual. Nobody can do things all by themselves. I have a team of seven gardeners who support me.
"And Harewood House has made me the gardener that I am. I have had a privileged opportunity to be let loose in such a magnificent place.
"I have learned a tremendous amount here. Harewood has a very unusual charm which is difficult to define. It is a magical place.
"Very few gardens have such wonderful views. We have a formal garden and an increasingly important naturalistic garden and there are lots of opportunities in this setting to be creative and expressive."
Trevor said of his award: "I suppose you could call it a gardening Oscar. There isn't really anything bigger."
His was one of a number made to gardens, their owners, architects and managers, to celebrate the best projects in the last 18 months.
Trevor was competing against five other gardeners and his development of the Himalayan Garden - which will be reopened at a ceremony in Spring – won him special acclaim.
"It was this project that brought out his best," said the awards brochure.
"Plant-hunting visits to China and the Himalayas teased out his qualities so crucial to good leadership – energy, determination and resourcefulness.
"Funding was limited and time short, yet having sourced plant material, Trevor was flexing his creativity.
"Successful projects such as the Sino-Himalayan garden have helped elevate Trevor Nicholson to a leader, not just at Harewood House, but of the heritage gardens sector."
Durham-born Trevor, 47, said his next project was to write about about his 14 years developing the Harewood landscape.
"I often give talks to gardening societies and institutes and people say I should write a book about it. I would certainly like to give the gardens wider recognition and also the work we have done as a team."
Posted: Wednesday, October 08, 2008
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