The head gardener at one of the region’s leading stately homes is to retire at Easter – ending a family association with the estate stretching back more than 200 years.
Martin Gee – whose family has enjoyed unbroken service at Weston Park on the Staffordshire/Shropshire border since 1803 – is hanging up his spade after spending 55 years tending its grounds.
He is the sixth generation of the Gee family to work at Weston, starting as a garden boy at the age of 15 before working his way up to take over management of the walled garden in 1978 and becoming head gardener in 1991.
He has overseen an extensive restoration of the estate’s grounds – which include two pleasure grounds designed by the legendary Capability Brown – and 1,000 acres of parkland.
Martin said his retirement – at the end of March – marked the end of an era.
“When you start to reflect and look back, we have achieved so much in the gardens over the last 50 years that I am incredibly proud of.
“It has not been an easy decision, but I knew I would have to retire at some point. You just have to put your sensible head on, and I am ready now.
“Whilst Weston certainly has the wow factor a place is only as good as its people and the team here feels like family.”
The Gee family arrived at Weston during King George III’s reign, just as the Napoleonic wars were starting. They travelled from Weeting Hall in Norfolk and Martin’s ancestors worked as agricultural labourers and gamekeepers.
Martin’s father worked for Roland Smith, who was Head Gardener at Weston from 1920 to 1956, and despite having some ambition to be a fireman, Martin quickly followed him onto the estate to work during school holidays.
Martin’s first job was as Garden Boy – cleaning flower pots, weeding and sweeping up leaves. He then spent 12 months in the Formal Gardens before moving to the Walled Garden and the glasshouses alongside studying at Rodbaston College.
In 1978 Martin took over the management of the four-and-a half acre Walled Gardens and has overseen its re-establishment as the productive heart of the estate, growing fruit and vegetables.
Martin was named Professional Gardener of the Year by Horticultural Week in 2006, and other career highlights include working with Elizabeth Banks, the landscape architect who specialises in the restoration of historic landscapes and the first woman to be president of the RHS and restoring the Rose Garden with renowned Rosarian Michael Marriot from David Austin Roses.
Weston Park chief executive Colin Sweeney said: “There is no corner of the grounds at Weston that Martin has not left his wonderful mark on and you only have to look at the grounds today to see what a magnificent contribution he has made.
“We will miss him greatly but his legacy will carry on for years to come in the gardens he has created.”
