Alan flourishes in an English country garden

IF YOU think cutting the grass in your back garden is a chore, spare a thought for a young Corkman.

Alan Power, 32, from Bishopstown, has just been appointed head gardener of one of Europe’s finest 18th century landscape gardens.

Mr Power is responsible for maintaining the magnificent garden in of Stourhead, near Mere in south Wiltshire, one of England’s most visited National Trust properties.

Set at the heart of a 1,000 hectare estate, the garden was designed in the mid-1700s by Henry Hoare II, a wealthy banker.

It features replicas of classical temples, a grotto and a unique collection of rare trees and plants, all set around a magnificent 20-acre man-made lake.

The estate home, Stourhead House, is one of the finest examples of a Palladian mansion, and contains art treasures, paintings and furniture by Chippendale the Younger.

The estate, handed over to the National Trust in 1946, welcomed 290,000 visitors last year.

Mr Power credits his parents for his interest in gardening.

“My mother, Elma, is a very keen gardener and our garden in Cork has won prizes in the city on more than one occasion,” he said.

“Of course, I was recruited to assist in the maintenance of the garden at home and that was the start of the addiction.

“My mother also has a huge interest in flower arranging and the foliage from our garden was used when she won the World Championship in Canada.”

It was this introduction to gardening that saw Alan leave Ireland after his leaving cert to study amenity horticulture in Writtle College, Essex, for three years.

He discovered a restoration project at a local arboretum, Marks Hall Arboretum, and became interested in historical horticulture.

“This provided me with the incentive to continue,” he said.

Mr Power went on to study arboriculture (the principles and practices of tree care) at Merrist Wood College.

To help pay for his education, he worked as a tree surgeon, but soon discovered that the Stourhead estate was looking for a gardener/arborist.

He landed the job and was soon promoted to assistant head gardener.

Five years later, he took over the position of head gardener at the Mount Stewart on the shores of Strangford Lough in Co Down.

“I knew this was a garden that would provide me with experience working with rare plants, intense herbaceous colour schemes and excellent design features,” he said.

Soon afterwards, he was recruited to help with the conservation planning at Cliveden estate, near London.

Within a few months, he had landed the job of head gardener at Stourhead.

“Stourhead is an experience and a garden all in one. I aim to contribute to the conservation of this special place and present it to our visitors as it should be seen.

“I want to manage the garden and enable the garden be enjoyed forever and by everyone,” he said.