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A little bit about me...
I'm Hugh Simpkin and my columns will detail my findings and the experiences I have had in the various gardens in which I've worked.
As well as being informative for the existing gardener and helpful for anybody starting out, they will also convey my passion and enthusiasm for the job. I will include troubleshooting tips and introduce techniques I have learnt.
I've been a professional gardener for more than 10 years but before this I was a desk-bound office worker.
I was unhappy with my working life so the decision to quit and start afresh wasn't a difficult one. I had no family ties so the risk was purely my own. I took a year out and went travelling and it was while I was in Australia that I had my first experience of working outdoors. At the time it was necessary for me to find casual work so I started picking oranges and pruning grapevines.
I really enjoyed it, found it quite stimulating in fact and for the first time I was working with my hands. If I wanted to take this further a gardening/horticultural profession would be the perfect choice. I knew it would afford me an outdoor working environment, offer a sense of independence and hold a depth of interest and knowledge that would satisfy my studious nature. So on my return I enrolled at Oaklands College, St Albans and achieved a Credit in HNC Gardening and Horticultural Studies.
Later on I set myself up as a self employed gardener. As well as getting involved with the regular garden maintenance I take on soft and hard landscaping projects.
I am 43 years old, live in Leverstock Green, Hemel Hempstead and have a large local customer base.
l Feel free to contact me with any gardening questions by emailing hughs65@hotmail.com
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Weather for Hemel Hempstead
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -4 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
