Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Currently working as a self-employed gardener, I work on projects around the South West and Wales. I am continuously developing as a professional, training in mechanical, botanical and theoretical aspects of the trade. I hope to integrate my development into a diverse professional background and look forward to every opportunity to learn more. I work with Greenfolk, a company based in Bristol, GB, and have formed part of a small team maintaining the grounds of Lackham House, a Georgian-era estate, and other sites at Wiltshire College and University Centre. Before this, I worked as a personal tutor and teaching assistant in Vienna, Austria, while I studied at and completed German language courses in the University of Vienna. It was during this period that my interest in horticulture became more focused, working on my own garden in the city, teaching myself and working with friends on horticultural projects. I have also studied and worked with organisations and journalists in Mexico, investigating food systems and the effect of free trade organisations on them and their wider socio-political spheres – specifically NAFTA (now USMCA) and the poultry industry in Mexico and the United States. I also worked on organic farms in Oaxaca, Mexico. Having studied an MSc at the University of Bristol – through which I explored philosophy, political theory and qualitative and quantitative research methods before completing a dissertation investigating community gardens and social policy in Bristol –, I am able to develop research projects independently and engage critically with findings, leading to insightful conclusions. With that, I am competent in statistical packages R and STATA, along with the Microsoft Office Suite. With fluency in Spanish and English, and capability in German and Portuguese, I am grateful for the opportunities these languages have given me to meet and make wonderful relationships with people from many parts of the world. I am a versatile and adaptable worker, having supported myself by working not only in the roles outlined above but also hospitality. My work is informed by the belief that social justice is a means towards creating positive environments – where opportunities should not only be available but also accessible. Through my time coordinating sessions at the community garden at St Paul's Learning Centre and volunteering at St.Werburgh's City Farm these principals were brought into my horticultural practice.
Working throughout the South West and Wales. I have worked as part of the team establishing large areas of flower meadow and maintaining the gardens at Arne Maynard's home, Allt y Bela; consulted clients on planting; undertaken apple and pear orchard pruning; maintained garden features; maintained and made seasonal preparations in an enormous variety of gardens – from small holdings, Georgian terraced house gardens in Bath, post-war housing estate gardens, city gardens around Bristol and larger spaces and estates in Somerset, Wales and Gloucestershire.
I worked within a team maintaining the grounds of a Georgian-era estate, including four glasshouses, a walled garden, two arboretums and many grassed areas with a large variety of beds amongst other features. Having designed and led a project renovating an area of the estate, I have created a herb garden which exhibits some of our great rambling roses, providing a peaceful area for the staff and students of the college to enjoy. Following a professional horticultural practice that considered ecology not only to promote a rich environment but also an educational and inspiring one has led to influencing managerial decisions, leading to the enrichment of larger projects within the college, such as the creation of a wildflower meadow and wildlife garden as part of the development of the Ecohouse - there will be more to follow. This requires careful study of botany and research into sound alternative practices in line with the practicalities of working on the sites we maintain.
Throughout my time working as a private tutor I have worked with students of many ages, helping them develop reading, writing and general comprehension skills in English and Spanish. I worked with some students for >3 years, seeing their ability and confidence in their second language grow and developing wonderful experiences and relationships with them that I will always treasure.
With the Americas Program I worked towards developing a report on the chicken industry between the United States and Mexico. This included looking at data from various agencies and other secondary research around the transformation of the industry in both countries over the past 100 years.
My role as a Language Assistant focused on giving classes and assisting teachers with out-of-class group activities and designing interactive exercises for the students to develop their English language skills. I worked with various years groups, but with particularly special focus on students studying for their Matura – equivalent of A levels.