Duncan Nuttall, Estate Manager at Redlap House
Did you always want to be a gardener?
I got a Fine Art degree in Bristol and as part of that I did quite a bit of stone carving, which is where it all started. I started out working for Alex Webster with the Essential Earthmen.
What's the best part of the job?
Being outside. I couldn't do an office 9 to 5.
How does your day normally pan out?
I'm up at about 6am, generally woken by my children! Then I'm at work by 7.30am. I usually carry on with what I was doing the day before. Gardening jobs do tend to roll on so I’ve got a pretty good idea what I’ll be doing each day. It could be jobs like planting, tidying, pruning, tending to the vegetables, general upkeep really. I also build stone walls and I am especially proud of my stonework on the gate posts.
Do you deal with any unusual plants on the estate?
We do have a 25-foot banana plant and some apricot trees. They produce some lovely fruit!
Any animals?
There are a few ducks on the pond. The female isn't the best mum in the world so I have to take her eggs and put them in an incubator in my workshop. That's an interesting job, waiting for them to hatch.
What do you snack on through the day?
Peanut butter sandwiches – essential energy for digging. Oh and lots of coffee of course, at least one cup a day has to be from a cafetière! It’s the same every day – I'm quite predictable!
Do you mind the rain?
No, it's all part of the job. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
Some days I look around at the Devon countryside and think I’ve got the best job in the world. On other days I have to carry on in the wind and rain. You do have to plan things a bit differently if bad weather is due. The Met Office app is the most used on my phone!
What changes have you noticed due to the mild weather this winter?
Snow drops are up and flourishing, the Beschoneria are also out in flower already.
What is the strangest thing you have found in the garden?
I once discovered a huge turtle washed up on the estate beach. Unfortunately it was dead, but amazing to see.
Where can we find you after you’ve washed the mud from your hands?
Probably on the trampoline with my two girls! One is three, the other is four. We do as much outside as possible: bike rides, beaches, Dartmoor. I like Rockfish in town, and Alf Rescos - I used to work there when I was younger, so did my brother and sister.
Last holiday you went on?
Majorca, last spring. We’re going again this year.
Last book you read?
Probably a gardening book or magazine! If I'm not gardening I'm usually thinking about it!
First single you bought?
PJ and Duncan in the Dartmouth Woolworths.
Do you have a talent?
I can play the didgeridoo! That gets you fit, it takes a lot of puff!
First published By The Dart March 2016 issue
