Head Gardener Profile

After leaving school Barry Holman became a full time trainee gardener at Wisley where he thrived under the influence of many internationally acclaimed horticulturalists. His formal qualifications were attained at Merrist Wood, although he remained actively involved at Wisley to assist with exhibits for the Chelsea Flower Show and for the Liverpool Garden Festival. Barry’s first appointment as a head gardener was at the Lyegrove Estate in South Gloucestershire. In 2001 he was offered the position of head gardener at Whatley Manor and was immediately excited by the opportunity to restore the gardens that had been neglected for the last thirty years. Work on the gardens and the grounds began two years before Whatley Manor officially opened its doors to guests to ensure that the gardens had matured. Barry and his team manage and maintain the 26 distinct areas of the gardens at Whatley Manor.