About Me

Hi my name is Nick, I have a Honors degree in Marine Biology & Ecology with first class dissertation in developmental biology, and I am now studying for a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) level 3 qualification with Edinburgh Botanical Gardens. I am a horticulturalist & gardener with experience in biology, ecology, gardening, and design, able to draw on diverse knowledge and insight to provide consultation, and advice, working in multidisciplinary botanical/ horticultural projects.

Based in Wales, I am a lover of marine & botanical realms, time underwater, SCUBA diving, spearfishing, aquascaping, surfing and gardening. Croeso (welcome).

Expertise

• Horticultural/ Botanic consultation.
• Background in biology & ecology.
• 7 years experience as a gardener.
• Event organizer experience having run and managed a Botanic ‘Nature’ inspired event in a National Botanic Garden in 2022 (FOR THE LOVE OF NATURE).
• Two decades of experience in design and maintenance of aquascaping aquaria.
• Good knowledge of marine and freshwater fish, seaweed, and invertebrates in the UK.
• Foraging knowledge in west Wales
• 20 years experience spearfishing.
• A decade of experience using DSLR cameras.
• Laboratory & field work scientific research experience.
• Fluency in both Welsh & English.

What You Do

I am a horticulturalist offering garden installation, design, maintenance, and supplying plants for gardens. I have 7 years experience in the field, with training and development at Aberglansey heritage gardens in west Wales, local plant nurseries, self teaching, degree level science, and studying with the Royal Horticultural Society.

With a background in biology and ecology I can offer broad advice, with specialized insight and knowledge in gardening, ecology, and horticulture. I focus on installing traditional gardens for client, but also a passion for multifarious garden projects, including indoor gardening & the art of aquascaping, with two decades of experience. Drawing on a background in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial biology/ ecology, with additional botanical and horticultural training, I can apply these attributes to your project.

On my degree I carried out research and field-work across the globe, from Europe, to South Africa, and the Caribbean. My dissertation was carried out in the Plymouth university laboratory looking into the development of embryos throughout their ontogeny, when exposed to predation (The Ghost of Predation Future). Results were significant and I achieved a first class dissertation result, with a subsequent co-authored paper being submitted to the Royal Society for review in 2011. Overall achieving a upper 2:1 (Honours) Degree.

I ran an event in the Wales Botanic Gardens in 2022, achieving a public participation of a thousand people, raising £5,000 for mental health charities in Wales, with 35 stall holder and speakers, from Gardeners World TV presenter, to local gardeners and plantsmen. The event was a huge first year success.

I am a keen photographer, surfer, spearfisherman, and nature enthusiast, with a passion for life. Happiest when fishing on a boat out at sea, or out in the garden.