What does a horticulturist do?
A horticulturist works closely with plants and landscapes and is responsible for the cultivation, maintenance and overall care of various types of flora, from flowers, trees and shrubs to vegetables. Planting, pruning, irrigating, fertilising and ensuring proper pest and disease control are all part of the job.
What drew you to do this work?
I grew up in a household where we didn't have gender-assigned chores, and gardening was where my love for plants began.
In primary school, I was fortunate enough to have an incredible teacher who taught biology very effectively, and I absolutely adored it. Similarly, in high school, I had a teacher who had a great passion for nature, and this greatly influenced me to pursue horticulture.
As a child, my father and I had a tradition of visiting the graves of relatives every Sunday, where he taught me the importance of respecting and honouring those who have passed.
I’ve carried this with me throughout my life, and it’s a big part of why I am a horticulturist at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), maintaining the cemeteries and memorials for soldiers who lost their lives during service.
Tell me about the work you do at the commission as senior operations supervisor.
The commission’s mission is to ensure those who died in service, or as a result of conflict, are commemorated so that they and the human cost of war are remembered forever.
So as a horticulturist with such an important mandate, my role covers a lot of ground. I could find myself anywhere from a cemetery dressed in my PPE and workwear, to suited up in a boardroom or even giving a speech in Westminster Abbey.
That’s what I love the most about my work with the CWGC, every day is different.
In a nutshell, working with our regional director, I hold the responsibility for overseeing our Southern African team. This encompasses a wide range of tasks, such as tour planning, work scheduling and cycle maintenance, training, skills development, health and safety measures, and more.
Additionally, I supervise and provide training to our contractor base. This involves managing projects related to the Anglo-Boer War, or South African War (1899-1902), and World War 1 and World War 2 memorials, as well as horticulture planning and maintenance of military plot grave searches.
I am also responsible for updating records, managing assets, handling project management duties and participating in construction projects, including budget management.
Our CWGC team is currently working on an exciting memorial project in Cape Town, where more than 1, 700 predominantly black South Africans who served in the country’s military labour units across Africa during World War 1 and perished with no known grave, will be commemorated. The memorial is set to open to the public in 2024.
Have you found it challenging to be a woman in horticulture?
At times, yes. Horticulture is one of the most male-dominated jobs. I am passionate about my work, and gardeners today are united by a common interest and passion in plants.
It’s thanks to this pursuit that I've got a very interesting job at one of the most well-known commemoration leaders in the world. This gives me confidence in my abilities and proficiencies, and I hope to inspire other pioneering horticulturists.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face at work?
Safety is always of paramount importance. I’m grateful for my supportive team and allies — as we all rely on each other. More broadly, we are now painfully aware that we face a climate and biodiversity crisis, and every effort counts. We all have a part to play in helping address this in a positive way.
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