Richard Ward
1939 - Today
Richard was born in Leicester on 13th December 1939. His father was a career RAF Officer and they moved house frequently. His first interest in Horticulture was inspired by his rich grandparents' Head Gardener in 1947 in Reigate where they lived. Richard still relishes his memory recalls of his garden when he sees sweet peas and Mulberry trees!
Later, at public school, it was expected that the students be more ambitious than wanting to become a gardener, but Richard’s appetite for our profession had been whetted even more by growing radishes in the school vegetable plot. And so, in 1958 his parents paid for him to receive two years apprentice training at Dartington Hall Gardens near Totnes, South Devon. Richard then went to Hastings Parks Department in 1960 as an Improver and, having failed to get into Kew in October 1960, went to Slococks' Goldsworth Nursery at Woking for six invaluable months. Happily Kew 'saw the light' in April 1961, the penultimate Certificate course and a vintage year of students! Richard is sure they didn't appreciate the full value of the course at that time; but worked hard.
During 1964 Richard attended the Institute of Park and Recreation Administration College (The Grotto), followed by one year at Harlow New Town Development Corporation as Landscape Technical Assistant. Dame Sylvia Crowe was the Consultant. Then Richmond Council advertised for a Technical Assistant in Kewite Arthur Woodward's autonomous Parks Department and Richard got the job. Arthur was the best boss any young Kewite could ever wish for. Richard left in 1970 and went to Hammersmith Council Parks Department as Senior Technical Officer (of one). Richard bought a flat in Kew Road in 1972 and got married, and soon afterwards rented the flat out and moved to Copenhagen. Richards wife, Bitten, was Danish and he worked at the Botanical Garden there, then became self-employed and, after a year of detailed planning, they spent one and a half great years travelling overland in their Mini-moke to India, Sri Lanka, shipped to Kenya and drove down to South Africa. 38,000 miles, visiting ex-Kewites, Round Table Clubs and tourist sites. They ran out of money in South Africa and were lucky to get employment in the Parks Department in Port Elizabeth for three months which enabled them to save enough to ship the car home to England and fly back. Happily a vacancy occurred at Hammersmith for Deputy Parks Manager and again Richard got the job.
Two years later fate intervened. Firstly, Richard’s wife had sussed him out and decided to return to Denmark! Secondly, as the then Chairman of Richmond Round Table, Richard had organised a Two-Landrover, 11 week overland fund-raising journey to Nairobi - with Town Hall permission for extended leave of absence. But two months before departure the Manager of the Parks retired, sick, and Richard was asked to stand in for him. Four weeks later he resigned and successfully led the expedition to Nairobi, which raised £3,750 for a deaf school extension in Nakuru, Kenya.
Thus began Richard Ward Landscaping in 1978, working out of a basement flat in Kew Road and a dingy garage. Today, 20 years down the line, it thrives from a house in Mortlake Road and two dingy garages. It has a staff of three, including a working boss, still working six days a week and wishing he could retire one day soon. A vain hope with another wife, Wiena (Polish), and daughters Alexandra (10) and Sparkle (8)! Fate, as it turned out, was very kind, allowing Richard to 'escape' Local Government after 14 years, get out of the office and back to the great outdoors in all weathers to enjoy working in Horticulture. Meeting people, providing a good professional service, giving expert advice and hopefully improving the quality of life to local clients and residents alike. Finally, Richard will allow myself a mention of Rotary, an equal to the Guild in Fellowship terms. He helped start the Rotary Club of Kew Gardens in 1984 and have been pleased to introduce Dianne Cooper (Friends of Kew Office) into the Club and who will become our Rotary President in 2001. Dianne and Richard introduced Events Officer Tom Risely into a Liverpool Rotary Club some years ago, and the Director is an Honorary member of the Club. Several Kew Guild friends have visited the Club for a Wednesday evening meal at the Coach and Horses, either as guest or speaker. The Club sponsors a Kew student prize annually and participates in various fund-raising and other events every year with Kew - a mutually beneficial relationship. Little did Richard realise that he would be in the 'hot seat' in 1998/99 as Guild President, after writing to the Secretary suggesting a review of the Guild Committee structure. I thank all my Committee members for their on-going hard work on your behalf. There is a lot of goodwill, expertise and friendship throughout our Guild. Use it. And I hope you will go out and enrol a 'lapsed' Kewite to strengthen the Guild for posterity. We have a lot to offer.