The Garden team consider they work in the finest environment in the world.

Quite easy to believe when you have visited the Garden. Neil Bennett is Head Gardener and is implementing a programme of developments and renewal. The team have a diverse range of skills and experience, Ronnie remembers back to the 1960's for the benefit of our new intakes of students, volunteers and permanent staff.

Jonathon Jones trained at The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh before taking a scholarship to Japan and then working in Gardens of Japan.  He joined Tregothnan in 1996 as Head Gardener and as the team and activities have developed, is now Garden Director. He says 'Tregothnan is a fast evolving place but with an amazing continuity of 700 years in the same family. Opportunities like this are rare; I hope the passion of my employers and colleagues is obvious in every product and service from Tregothnan'. 

Jonathan won a Nuffield Scholarship to study the genus Camellia for foliage flowers, fruit and tea. This will help develop Tregothnan's position as the leading producer of cut Camellia products, including tea. The award focussed on innovation and entrepreneurship, essential to the product development underway at present.

Jonathon has received a number of other scholarships, notably the prestigious Churchill Fellowship in 1998, which allowed him to study the historical influence of British gardens overseas and the introduction of exotic plants into British gardens. In late 2006 he visited Brazil with the support of the RHS and the report may be requested here, garden@tregothnan.com

During regular overseas visits Jonathon collected many important specimens which are now planted at Tregothnan. He is occassionally available for lectures and talks when he is likely to enthuse about Tregothnan as a real working Estate, with the 'awesome botanic garden at its beating heart'.

Jonathon Jones' photograph was taken here in the UK's first Tea Garden, at Tregothnan.