After first pursuing an entirely different career, I gained my qualification as a gardener by completing an apprenticeship (equivalent of NFQ level 6) in two tree nurseries in Germany from 1998 to 2000.

I then gathered experience working at tree nurseries, for a landscaping business, on private estates and in private gardens. Part of my experience is also teaching horticulture to adults with autism.

In 2008 I started my own business „Aphrodite’s Gardens“, which has been going from strength to strength ever since. In 2019 I was introduced to the Austrian scythe. After participating in several courses and gathering experience over the past years, the scythe is now part of my garden maintenance work and I enjoy sharing the skill with others.

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty and gardening. I chose this name for my business because garden work is more than a job. In gardening, I strengthen my relationship with nature, with plants and animals, with the land, with myself and with other people. As I do my work, I make the world more beautiful, one patch at a time.