.jpg)
Howard Drury is a horticultural broadcaster, speaker, lecturer, writer, adviser and consultant and has been working in the industry his entire life. From an early age he watched his father grow fruit and vegetables while his mother had numerous flower borders. He officially began his career at Jacksons of Allington before undertaking training at Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. His vast career has seen him gain hands-on experience using and acquiring an array of machinery – working for Birmingham council as a training officer, Edgbaston Cricket Ground, and as a TV presenter on Gardening Time.
He will be speaking on HortWeek's Tools of the trade: Navigating machinery, equipment and scams panel.
Join us on September 9 in the Landscape Zone in the HortWeek seminar area at GroundsFest at 1pm.
This essential panel is sponsored by Cramer, Makita UK LTD and STIGA.
You’re on the Tools of the trade: Navigating machinery, equipment and scams panel at GroundsFest this year – why should visitors come along to listen?
I've had a practical background over many years in different areas, and I think I've got experience on a wide range of using the tools, selecting the tools. Choosing the right tool for the right job is so, so important, whether you're purchasing it or just using one that's been supplied. Using it safely is so important, it can make the difference between doing a good job and an exceptional job just by choosing the right equipment.
I'm also very wary of the internet now – I think it's probably one of the worst tools there are when it comes to equipment. You see these glowing adverts, you see the use of AI, and do you really believe what that machine can do, or what that product can do? I found from bitter experience buying some cheaper bits and pieces, they're often not up to the job. I always believe, particularly with an expensive purchase, seeing it, getting a trial, getting my hands on it, and thinking what I could do with it, what the staff could do with it is the best way.
I've also seen lots of batteries that people have bought, thinking they're saving a few quid on well-known brands. They look like well-known brand batteries, but they turn out not to have the power that they should have. It's very hard to tell which are counterfeit batteries.
What was your journey into the horticulture industry?
I started growing lettuce and potatoes and then when I was 11 my dad built me a greenhouse from bricks from a disused railway station – and from there on I kept growing. I had a part time job aged 13 before joining full time at 16 at Jacksons of Allington. We used to supply Woolworths with bedding plants. At the same time, I took myself off to agricultural college one day a week.
I was offered a place at both Kew and Edinburgh and chose Edinburgh to undertake a three-year Dip course where I gained a Hons pass. Before joining university I asked a young lady who I had met when I was 10 to marry me – we got married at 11am, had the reception at 1pm, and at 3pm we were on the train to Edinburgh! Here I worked in all departments which has given me a good background – I worked on rock garden herbaceous one year, trees and turf the next year, where I learnt a lot about machinery, turf culture and tree climbing, and in the third year propagation and glasshouses.
When it came time to find a job, I took up a role as horticulturist training officer with Birmingham City Council. The role was primarily to teach all aspects of parks work, with special responsibility for teaching arboriculture. While working for Birmingham City Council I used to go down to Edgbaston cricket ground and was taught how to prepare a wicket.
During this time, I found out they were making a TV programme in the park where I was based. I got to know the team well and would provide props and ideas for them. My big break came in 1984 when after having the role of horticultural advisor to the programme was asked to try presenting and went on to research, present and help edit (making sure it was horticulturally correct). I enjoyed presenting on Gardening Time for 11 years before they brought in new presenters.
When Birmingham City Council’s parks department went to private contract there were massive redundancies and I volunteered to be one of them. I went self employed and started leading day trips and holidays in the UK, Europe and as far as New Zealand.
What would you say are your areas of expertise?
Areas of expertise include most areas of amenity horticulture – I could still mark out a running track and prepare most fine sports turf surfaces, cricket wickets, tennis courts. I can turf a crown green, which is not an easy one to do! My tree surgery stood me in good stead, and I still keep an interest in tree surgery and safety – being a safety officer has been useful as I had to write safety reports and investigate accidents. It was interesting to learn why things were going wrong and then try and stop them going wrong again. It is my all-round horticulture that seems to make me popular with the many gardening clubs I visit each year.
What about machinery?
I’ve worked with tree surgery machinery to chippers, to chainsaws, turf culture from big mowers to scarifiers, to hollow tine. Now, I sit on the boundary line between professional and amateur. A lot of my lectures are aimed at the amateur but they've got large gardens and they want better than the amateur kit. I also take a keen interest in what's going on professionally, and whether we are keeping the standards as high or even improving the standards with new equipment, with new chemicals, with new techniques. The old harness I used when I first started tree climbing is to blame for the back problems I still suffer with. The latest technology to make horticulture, arboriculture and turf culture safer is fantastic.
What are you most looking forward to at GroundsFest as a visitor?
I’m really excited for the show – there is that much to see I might have to cut some of my conversations off so I can get around to everything! I’m looking forward to seeing all the innovation at the show. I want to see the machinery in action and I’ll be taking lots of photographs.
