PUBLIC PLACES
Parterre at sunrise. Photo: Chris Lacey © National Trust
Mike Buffi n, AH RHS, Head of Gardens
Mike has an impressive CV and has been a National Trust employee for more than 16 years. After completing a National Certifi cate in Horticulture and Amenity Horticulture at Cannington College in 1987, he spent the next three years studying at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh where he gained a Diploma in Horticulture.
In July 1990, he crossed the Atlantic to take up a position as a Tree Care Consultant at The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. Just over a year later he returned to the UK as Curator at The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Romsey, Hampshire, where he stayed for the next eleven years.
He joined the National Trust in 2003, as Gardens Advisor, providing advice and guidance at their properties across London and south east of England. In January 2018, he was appointed to his current role at Waddesdon, where he is seconded to the Rothschild Foundation and has (until last year) led a team of fourteen full-time gardeners and four students on one-year assignments.
From October 2014 until April 2018, he was Chairman of Plant Heritage - the world’s leading garden plant conservation charity. Its mission is to encourage the conservation of cultivated plants in the British Isles, supporting and publishing research into these plants, their origins, their historical and cultural importance and their environments. He is also the author of two books: The Complete Guide to Planting and Growing Trees and The Illustrated Guide to Garden Trees.
The in-hand operation covers 3,200 acres of arable land and 800 acres of parkland. The woodlands are managed under a 10-year Forestry Commission plan and signifi cant eff orts have improved the landscape as an amenity. The latest project was the creation of a 60-acre Diamond Jubilee Wood and includes ponds, diverse habitats and a wood to be enjoyed by generations to come. Much of the timber felled on the estate is sold locally and seasoned logs are used in log burners in a number of estate properties.
Screened woodchip above 30mm is used in the biomass boiler at the Estate Yard, whilst any inferior chippings are used by the Gardens department to mulch the kilometre-long footpath to the Manor House or is combined with shredded woody arisings from the gardens and composted for use in the ornamental landscape beds. This symbiotic relationship between the Forestry and Gardens departments is carefully nurtured by the Horticultural Team Leader and Head of Gardens alike, as it forms the key element of Waddesdon’s horticultural management strategy, as we
will see later in this article.
Access to the estate is supported on an informal basis through the network of Public Rights of Way and other organised events, such as fundraising horse rides for charities, farm walks for groups including inner city school children or specialist farmers. While the Rothschild’s are known for their world-famous wines, over the last few years Waddesdon has branched out and started producing its own gins and ales in collaboration with local breweries. One of the latest initiatives has been the launch of a specially crafted ale, Shepherd’s Gold. This involves a partnership is with Chiltern Brewery, the oldest independent brewer in Buckinghamshire. Spring barley is harvested from the Waddesdon Estate and sent to Chiltern Brewery, where it is malted and brewed to create a unique ale. The brewing process mirrors the age-old techniques of the area and long-established relationships between Chiltern Brewery and local hop merchants to secure the best of each year’s harvest. Mike Buffi n is Head of Gardens at Waddesdon and heads a team of fourteen
Recently launched Shepherd’s Gold
98 PC April/May 2021
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