Hillier Nurseries continues to demonstrate its desire to stay abreast of a fast-changing industry with the appointment of its new Head of Wholesale Nurseries.

Charles Carr has joined the company, bringing with him 30 years’ experience within the nursery stock industry. Charles will be responsible for overseeing all areas of Hillier Nurseries including technical developments in growing, crop protection and implementing new systems.

In his career, Charles has worked at a number of leading British nurseries in senior roles, including 11 years in the role of Nursery Director. He has been responsible for major developments in nursery management, production management and product development. He has also been involved in several industry organisations, including the HTA Technical Committee and AHDB Nursery Stock Panel.

“I am passionate about new technical advances in growing and crop protection as the industry continues to become more and more innovative – it brings with it innovative, environmentally aware methods of growing which can be implemented into nurseries. It always heartens me to see the fantastic scientists that we have in the background carrying out R&D for the industry. Hillier is recognised as a leader in this and I’m excited to be part of driving this forward,” Charles commented.

“Having started my career as an apprentice at Hillier, I was delighted when the opportunity arose to re-join the team. I have always been fascinated by plants, from how to grow them to learning about new and unusual varieties. Hillier’s rich heritage, combined with its expansive plant and growing selection, is a fantastic opportunity to immerse myself in plants.”

Chris Francis, director of Hillier garden centres, said: “We are delighted to welcome Charles to the team. His expertise and knowledge within this industry is impressive and we are looking forward to working with him to improve and expand the work in our nurseries.”