Hello!
As the author of this blog, I felt it appropriate to introduce myself. My name is David May, and I was raised and educated in England. I am often asked about my early education, and so I thought I would share it with you. It was very typical of its time and place, but I have come to understand (over decades living in America) that it is very different than any training program The States has ever had to offer.
The Apprentice
Although my education technically began with primary school when I was a young lad, I have always rather felt that my real education began in 1965, after I finished my secondary school education. (Please don’t do the math.) To start things off, I spent a year and a half working in the Forestry Commission in Wales as part of my horticultural training, putting out fires along the rail line in Snowdonia National Park. (I was also bitten by a poisonous snake and had to be carried by my workmates down a mountain, but that didn’t end up on my transcript.)
After my time in Snowdonia came to an end, I returned home to London, where I undertook a five-year apprenticeship in the Greater London Parks system. Like all apprenticeships, my time was taken up with work and school, learning not only the mechanics of plant care (like plant identification, plant culture, and pruning), but also the day-to-day office management of a park (such as management of personnel, budgeting, and public park/landscape design).
In fact, my apprenticeship program with the Parks even required me to learn basic architecture, electrical, and carpentry skills.
This wasn’t wasted education, as my career has constantly required these specialized talents, even to this day. But I digress. Back to the 60s (oh my)...
The Real Work Begins
After completing my apprenticeship, I was sent to a park as a Foreman Class I, where I carried out daily duties such as working in the greenhouses, planting, pruning, and even banking. Certain facilities, such as tennis and golf putting greens, and bowling lawns (for cricket), had a fee for the public to use them, so I was required to keep track of the monies and deposit them daily in the bank.
My time was always split between the duties of park upkeep and back-office work. That included the most important job of all, which was supervising staff. It was the duty of every employee to make sure that the park was kept to the highest standards. You soon enough heard from the public if you didn’t, and that was the last thing you wanted - a letter from an irate member of the public to your superiors. It kept you on your toes, as the complaints would be used when it was time for promotion! Thankfully, I seemed to have satisfied those who walked, played, sat, or otherwise visited the parks that I was in charge of.
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Living on "Boroughed" Time
Soon after my apprenticeship came to an end, the Greater London Parks disbanded and the parks were given over to their local boroughs to maintain. I ended up working for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, and over the next 8 years I worked my way up to Assistant Park Superintendent. I was in charge of 14 parks, ranging in size from 1 acre to 175 acres, and I had over 200 employees to oversee.
Unfortunately, this was where the Parks career path ended. At that time, it was what we called a "dead man's shoes" job. The only way to be promoted was to wait for someone above you to retire (or expire, in the very rare case). With no indication that there would be any openings for me, my American wife and I decided it was time to emigrate to America.
Stateside
Since emigrating in 1978, I have worked for several landscape companies in northern Ohio. I am currently working for Neighborhood Lawn Care as their landscape designer - and now - blog writer! Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?
Passing the Torch
The knowledge and experience I received in my apprenticeship program and employment with the London Parks system served as the foundation of the 57 year career that I have had in horticulture. In addition to the formal training I received, I was incredibly lucky to receive knowledge that was freely given to me by individuals I worked for and with, and it has served me well. The biggest influence (and purveyor of knowledge) upon my early career was exerted by a man named Sid Scutt, who was my mentor, teacher, and friend. Sid’s tutelage is actually the inspiration for this blog; I’d like to pay forward what Sid gave to me, and share what I know with you.
I am very pleased to meet you.
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