Joe went straight from school to gardening college at Capel Manor where he acquired a great knowledge of plants but also realised he did not want to spend his career sitting behind a desk designing! He worked at a nursery in Highgate for four years, then moved into garden maintenance for six years at another nursery before joining Alaster Anderson six years ago. He has been in gardening for 22 years … and from day one knew he had found a job he loved!

What is your role at Alaster Anderson?

I'm in charge of all the maintenance rounds to keep the gardens we have built up to a really high standard. I usually visit once a week or every fortnight and draw up detailed plans of what to do when to ensure we maintain every garden at its best. My remit includes monitoring plant health so we can identify quickly if something is wrong, as well as irrigation levels, cleanliness and when it is time to cut plants back.

My favourite part of the job is lawn care, because I love to change it up so the client comes home to find their lawn looking different! I will cut angles, squares, circles and semi circles into the lawn rather than just conventional straight lines. It seems a small thing but it can make a showstopping difference if done well. In a previous job my work at the Norwegian Embassy in London even earned the praise of the Queen of Norway, who said she loved seeing the lawn change every time she and the King visited.

Is there a garden that has inspired you?

Dunrobin Castle in the Scottish Highlands, which is where I would aspire to work when I’m older. I would love to look after those really fancy castle grounds, with their immaculately clipped hedges and views out over the sea!

What is your favourite plant and why?  

I have always really liked lupins, both for the way they catch water in their leaves and the way they come in such a wonderful palette of colours. I also love osteospermum, a bedding plant that flowers most of the year in London and again comes in a fabulous array of colours.

What is your favourite project?

I really enjoyed our project at Totteridge because it was on such a big scale and was totally different to anything I had done before. The mix of a formal and informal garden at the same time was fantastic.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned at Alaster Anderson?  

The way we cut our hedges so precisely! I’ve learned that with two people rather than one and the right tools you can make a hedge perfect if you give it the time it needs. Alaster Anderson definitely stands out from other companies in this way: we never settle for “just good enough.” We always give a job the hours needed so that with the right skills we can do something spectacular.

What do you love about your job?

I love being outside, I love the progress you make with gardening and I love the end result. As soon as little green shoots start to appear in spring you see the reward for all the horrible winter work you have put in, and you can look forward to a beautiful spring and summer garden that will be just glorious.

You can reach us on 0207 305 7183 or email at enquire@alasteranderson.com