The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has announced the appointment of Alan Down as vice-president.
Alan, who is hugely experienced in commercial horticulture, has worked in the industry for over 50 years and will support the current HTA president Boyd Douglas-Davies.
A well-respected figure in the horticulture industry, Alan is a regular guest gardening expert for Radio BBC Bristol as well as a freelance writer. Alan studied at Cannington and Pershore College of Horticulture. He began working in the glasshouse industry in late teens, progressing to orchard fruit growing including a period as practical fruit instructor at Pershore College.
After working in the Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stock sector in North Germany, Alan went on to develop and manage Hillier Nurseries fledgling container grown and seed propagation nurseries for nine years.
Over the next 35 years, Alan built up Cleeve Nursery and Garden Centre, near Bristol, to become a recognised brand across the UK. His wife Felicity co-presented the long-standing ‘Garden Calendar’ with Alan, which was filmed from their own garden for regional southern television.