Jon Hanley

Hi, I’m Jon, I joined the team in July 2024 as a trainee gardener. I previously gained some experience volunteering and working for a gardener in London before relocating to Sheffield. Before horticulture I worked in Digital Marketing for 7 years. My role is varied and no day is ever the same. One day I could be involved in large scale planting on a new garden build and the next I could be maintaining one of Bestall & Co’s established gardens.

I’m interested in plants and have loved learning and working with them over the last few years. I’m only at the start of my journey in horticulture and what I enjoy about it so far is the variety of work it entails, the scope there is for learning and the amazing gardens I get to work in with Bestall & co. I also love how gardens change over each season and how you get to experience this as a gardener.

When I’m not gardening I’ll most likely be rock climbing. My wife and I travel for rock climbing regularly in our camper van across the UK and Europe. I’m also a coffee lover and owner of a scruffy Welsh Terrier called Norma. If I weren’t in this industry, I would probably be doing something climbing related or maybe a career in the environmental or ecology sector. I’ve always had an interest in these areas.

If I could have ant plant or tree in the world in my own garden, I would love to have the space to have a collection of large shrubs like Hydrangea aspera Villosa or Rosa moyessii “Geranium”. I love the size and shape these plants can get to and I think they look amazing in the right setting. If I were stranded on a desert island, 3 things I would take is an endless supply of Climpson and Sons coffee, a coffee grinder and an espresso machine. With these supplies I reckon I’d be fine on an island!

At the moment I’m definitely inspired by naturalistic style planting. I love how the flowing form of this planting mimics natural landscapes and provides a long season of interest. This is not only brilliant for wildlife but it has been utilised in public spaces such as the Sheffield grey to green scheme and the Barbican. I think this is an amazing way to brighten up urban areas for people to enjoy.