Beatrice Vasey, horticulturist in County Durham
I'm Bea. I trained in horticulture at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and I now help people across County Durham and the North East understand their gardens, grow the right plants and enjoy looking after them.
At a glance
Trained at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Bachelor's degree in Horticultural Science, 2015.
Based near Peterlee
Visiting gardens across County Durham, Sunderland, Hartlepool and Stockton.
Plant propagation
Formerly affiliated with Durham Argus Plants CIC, a Peterlee plant propagation community interest company.
Wildlife-friendly
Sustainable, ecological approaches in every garden I work on.
My background
I studied at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, one of the world's leading centres for plant science and horticulture, and graduated in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in Horticultural Science. Training there means looking closely at plants: where they come from, what conditions they need and why they struggle when those needs aren't met.
Back in the North East, I was affiliated with Durham Argus Plants, a community interest company in Peterlee that propagated plants. Raising plants from seed, cuttings and division is still part of what I offer, and it shapes how I garden, with an eye on what will establish well.
How I work
| Right plant, right place | Most garden problems start with a plant in the wrong spot. I look at your soil, light, drainage and exposure first, then suggest plants that will thrive there with the care you're able to give. |
|---|---|
| Advice you can act on | I'd rather you leave with three things to do this month than a list of fifty. You'll know what to tackle first, what can wait and why. |
| Work with nature | Healthy soil, the right plants and a bit of tolerance cut down on watering, feeding and spraying. I favour wildlife-friendly choices that make a garden easier to look after. |
| Honest about what I do | I'm a horticulturist, not a landscaper, tree surgeon or ecologist. When a job needs one of them, I'll say so rather than take it on. |
What I do
Most of my work starts with a garden consultation: I visit, we walk round the garden together, and I give you clear advice on what's growing, what to change and what to plant. I also draw planting plans for gardens anywhere in the UK, take on planting-led garden design, help people create wildlife gardens and wildflower meadows, plan and plant native hedges, coach new veg growers and allotment holders and run gardening workshops and talks. Any of these can be given as a gardening gift voucher.
I visit gardens in Peterlee, Durham, Seaham, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Sedgefield and Stockton-on-Tees, and the villages around them.
When a job needs a specialist
Some work needs a licence, specialist insurance or heavy equipment that a horticulturist doesn't carry. For that, I run a partner network of vetted specialists across the UK, and introduce you to one business with your permission. Each partner pays me a referral fee, and I say so on every page where I offer an introduction.
Let's talk about your garden
Tell me what's going on in your garden and I'll reply personally. You can also find me on LinkedIn.