“Make plant health part of your company culture.”
Guy Watts
Tell us a little about your business and what you do.
Architectural Plants is a specialist nursery based in West Sussex, on a 32-acre site. We've been growing and shaping plants for more than 30 years, focusing on plants with structure, form and character.
We're very design-led and work directly with customers to create planting schemes using our extensive collection of architectural plants, from topiary and evergreens to Acers and specimen trees. What started with collecting cuttings and seeds from unusual plants has grown into a collection of tens of thousands of plants today.
Training is also a big part of what we do. We're incredibly plant-focused, so we invest heavily in developing horticultural talent and teaching people our way of working.
Why did you decide to become Plant Healthy certified?
Plant health has always been a priority for us. We've used biological control systems for many years, worked closely with crop consultants, and reduced our reliance on chemicals wherever possible.
We'd already implemented many good practices, but Plant Healthy certification gave us the opportunity to have an independent organisation review what we were doing and help us strengthen our processes.
The biggest benefit was documenting everything properly. Going through the certification process helped us smarten up our approach and make sure good practice was embedded across the business.
What does Plant Healthy certification mean to your business?
Plant Healthy certification gives us confidence that we're doing everything we can to manage plant health responsibly and consistently. It’s really valuable to our business for several reasons.
It's become a valuable training tool. One of our apprentices, Shannon, works in dispatch and is often the last person to inspect plants before they leave the nursery. Through the systems we've put in place, she's developed a real passion for identifying pests and diseases and now helps educate the wider team.
We've also introduced a traffic-light system for incoming stock. Plants are assessed as red, amber or green, helping us quickly identify what needs isolating, treating or can move straight into the nursery. That's been a really practical outcome of the certification process.
What's one plant health tip or best practice you'd like to share with others?
Make plant health part of your company culture.
One thing we've done is hide little plastic bugs around the nursery. When someone finds one, they share it with the team and talk about what it is. It sounds simple, but it's a fun way of keeping plant health front of mind.
The more people see and talk about pests, diseases and biosecurity, the more confident they become at spotting issues in real situations. Creating an environment where people are constantly learning from each other makes a huge difference.
What's a fun or interesting fact about you outside of work?
I have a habit of challenging myself to do something without worrying about how difficult it might be!
A good example was the stained-glass window we created for our Chelsea Flower Show stand. I'd never done anything like that before, but I went on a course, became completely obsessed with the idea and ended up making it myself.
I love creative projects, whether that's gardens, interior design or art. For me, design sits at the heart of everything I do.
Continue the conversation
If you'd like to hear more from Guy on the topic of plant health, Guy Watts interviewed Malcolm Catlin, Director of Plant Healthy, on his Plant Hunter Guy podcast. They explored the importance of plant biosecurity, how businesses can work together to protect plant health, and how Plant Healthy certification helps support robust plant health management practices.
If you're interested in finding out more about Plant Healthy certification visit, Becoming Certified.