Julian de Bosdari

Julian was born in 1951 into a family of gardening addicts, and his relationship with plants began early. His first paid horticultural job came in the school holidays, at Keston Nurseries in Kent. When he left school in 1969, he trained as a scuba diver (later instructor).

His father then gave him advice for which he has been grateful ever since: "Stop diving and get a proper job". Julian took the hint, trained as a Chartered Accountant, qualified in 1976, and spent the next 25+ years in practice and commerce. But he always had a garden, always had a greenhouse, and never entirely lost the thread. At some stage in his accounting career, he also studied for the National Diploma in Horticulture in the evenings. 

In 2003, the opportunity arose to take on Ashridge Nurseries. What had been a traditional nursery with a modest range is now one of the UK's leading online plant specialists, with approaching 2,000 varieties in its online window. Julian has planted more trees and hedges than he can remember, and from his notes thinks he has propagated well over 500 varieties of plant. His wife, Frances, says it would be easier to take the greenhouse out of Julian than get Julian out of the greenhouse.  Virtually everything you read on this website — from growing guides to plant descriptions — was written or conceived by him. His greatest gardening influences were Percy Thrower, Geoff Hamilton and Christopher Lloyd