Jan 24, 2023

Trees and Shrubs for Smaller Gardens with Tony Russell

Thursday Feb 2nd 2023 at the Guild

Tony started his career in 1978 with the Forestry Commission in Snowdonia. Two years later he attended Newton Rigg, Cumbria to study forestry and horticulture. After qualifying in 1983 he took up post as Forester for the New Forest in Hampshire.

In 1989 he was appointed Head Forester of Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire, which has one of the finest collections of tree and shrubs in the temperate world. Tony left Westonbirt in 2003 and is now regarded as one of Britain's leading authorities on trees and shrubs.

Over the past fifteen years he has presented many gardening, horticultural and countryside programmes for both TV and radio. Including the 2006 documentary 'Save Lullingstone Castle', screened on BBC2.

Tony regularly writes for several magazines and newspapers - including The Daily Telegraph, BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, The Garden, Country Life, The English Garden, and Garden News, 

He has written 18 books. In 2019 he worked on a complete revision of The World Encyclopedia of Trees which was published in 2020. During the Covid19 lockdown, he worked on The Great Gardens of Wales, which was published in September 2020. Tony is also editor of the annual publication ‘Great Gardens to Visit’ and horticultural editor of Discover Britain’s Gardens magazine.

Tony also runs a thriving garden and forest consultancy business. He has been a garden consultant for the National Trust since 2009 including Bodnant Garden. In 2021 Tony is currently designing and creating a new arboretum for St Beuno's Jesuit Retreat in North Wales.

Since 2003 Tony has also lead garden & plant-based tours both in the UK and overseas.

Tony is married to Rosie and they have two sons Charles, an actor and Howie, an engineer. Tony & Rosie returned to Snowdonia, North Wales, in 2013, where they now live and garden on the flanks of the Moelwyn Mountains just inland from Portmeirion and within walking distance of Tan y Bwlch Station for the Ffestiniog Steam Railway.

In his spare time Tony volunteers
for the Glaslyn Osprey Project www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk and
Rosie runs their holiday cottage, which is available to rent throughout the
year www.seren-wib.com

Gardening Club 2022-23 (guildlifelonglearning.org)

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