A Royal Parks apprenticeship was the opening for Jay Rathod to change careers and explore his appreciation of nature. Portrait by Lisa Linder
Earliest garden memory Running through rows of trees in my grandfather’s mango orchard in Jamnagar, Gujarat, in India, when I was 12. My grandfather loved his garden and knew how important trees and plants are for our planet.
Who has inspired your career? My wife. She inspires me to take risks and venture out of my comfort zone. She supported me in my decision to leave my former career and apply for the Royal Parks apprenticeship scheme, which has opened up the world of horticulture to me. My wife showed me that nature is healing and forgiving, even if you make a mistake.
Worthwhile tips Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Use your hands to feel the earth, to feel what you’re planting, to feel the moisture or dryness and to realise that the plant is living and breathing. Don’t overcomplicate things: you don’t always need a lot of equipment. Sometimes a trowel and a pair of secateurs is all you need.
Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Use your hands to feel the earth, to feel what you’re planting
Favourite planting style As wild as possible; scattering bulbs, plants and seeds to boost biodiversity. It is great working in such rich and diverse spaces as the Royal Parks. Visitors often regard the parks as very manicured spaces, but a lot of work goes into the creation and maintenance of natural habitats for wildlife, including wildflower meadows, deep shrub borders and woodlands.
Favourite ‘weed’ you’re happy to have in your garden The pineappleweed, Matricaria discoidea, as it’s a great plant for pollinators and it also smells like my favourite fruit!
Biggest challenge facing gardeners today Adjusting our gardening practices and plant selections to accommodate the changing nature of our climate. In the parks, we ensure that we plant more drought-tolerant plants and a variety of plants that flower at different times to prolong the flowering season and boost the food supply for pollinators.
In what direction do you see horticulture heading? I hope to see more rewilding in parks, cities and gardens to increase biodiversity and protect wildlife. I think there will be more diversity in the community of gardeners in the UK, which will hopefully bring different heritages and practices to life in horticulture.
I think there will be more diversity in the community of gardeners in the UK, which will hopefully bring different heritages and practices to life in horticulture
Favourite gardening website, Instagram feed or book The Metamorphosis of Plants written in 1790 by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe; green roof and substrate growing expert John Little’s Instagram @grassroofco. Also, Growing Communties is important in getting communities thinking about their food sources, and London co-operative growers OrganicLea.
The next big project you’ll be tackling in the garden Re-establishing shrub beds in Bushy Park, as well as installing a sustainable irrigation system.
Aim in your gardening career To complete a sustainability management course and bring this knowledge and expertise into these wonderful green spaces of London.
Contact Follow Jay on Instagram @bluejgardener.
Find out more about the gardens managed by the Royal Parks at royalparks.org.uk