Rylands Staff Profile: Mr Stuart Whicker.

Rylands Horticulture on October 5, 2025

Mr Stuart Whicker, senior foreman at Ryland Horticulture Ltd. started as a YTS trainee back in 1985. Stuart ( Stu Bob or Bob as he is affectionately known) has been a loyal and important member at Rylands for 40 years.. man & boy! Having worked on many landscape & tree projects over the past 4 decades, Stuarts knowledge of the contracting industry is broad & professional. Having started his career at Askham Bryan College on the City & guilds courses, Stuart progressed through his LANTRA training & NPTC Assessments to become fully qualified in many aspects of arboriculture & landscape construction. He is a very hands on practical person, who achieves high standards of works & has a pride in what he does. Over the years he has become well liked & respected by Rylands customers, producing many high quality schemes for customers to enjoy.

Stuart as a young fellow at Bramham Park Estate, assessing avenue work.
Its been a long day!!!
The message has finally got through..” If at first you don’t succeed try doing what BOB told you to do in the first place!!!!”

Well done Stuart.. here’s to the next 40 years!!!!!

40 years in the Arboricultural Association..

Rylands Horticulture on October 1, 2025

David Gregory (BSc (Hons) Arboriculture, Fellow of The Arboricultural Association, Arboricultural Association Approved Contractor, BALI Approved Contractor (ret.), Member of The Institute of Horticulture, Chartered Horticulturalist, Lantra Instructor ( ret.), NPTC Assessor ( ret.)Trustmark Approved Contractor, LOLER Assessor), owner & founder of Ryland Horticulture Ltd. has achieved 40 years as an Approved Contractor & Fellow of The Arboricultural Association. Quite an achievement in a long career in the tree industry. Starting as a college student at Askham Bryan College, working for Comtec (UK) Ltd in Kent, hydraseeding in Africa, to setting up Rylands in 1983. After a career climbing trees as a working arborist, age takes its toll.. onto another 15 years as a LANTRA Instructor & NPTC Assessor & then into a consultancy roll. Never a dull moment and always enjoyable & fulfilling.

Wire works at its best.

Rylands Horticulture on September 18, 2025

Absolutely fantastic wire mesh sculptures for your garden area. Adds another dimension to your garden.

2013 “Orchard Spirit” commission Salisbury Wiltshire UK
“The Gardener” Russia Commission 2013.

York terrace front garden landscape.

Rylands Horticulture on September 10, 2025

Ripping out the old gravel pathway & edging. Supplying & laying new Indian sandstone paving & sorting out the drains which where blocked with roots. Surface water was running under the house into the cellar causing damp & mould. Not only a scheme to visually improve the house, but a practical one that has sorted out a few issues with the property.

Pond clearing and renovation.. 16 years of fish poo!!!

Rylands Horticulture on August 31, 2025

A water feature designed and built by Rylands some 16 years ago is now due for a clean! Leaves, soils washed & blown in, along with fish ( which started as fingerlings and are now 4lb Golden Orfe!) have all left there mark. Smelly mud of a 1′ deep has had to be washed out & the whole pond stripped & re-build internally. The top quality Butyl liner is still good, as it was really well protected underneath and with off cuts placed on top, to stop any of the stream stones from damaging. It has proved the test of time. Good quality materials, well constructed have lasted 16 years & will go on for another 16 years.

We re-used the existing pond water, re-filtering to put back into the pond. The Golden Orfe were carefully removed, reducing any stress & have returned from their holiday in the paddling pool! All is well.

Rylands working with Hedges Direct for the first time.. how did it go?

Rylands Horticulture on July 21, 2025

Hedges Direct from Chorley, Lancs. are putting out a new scheme whereby they not only supply hedging, trees, etc. but offer a service of existing hedge removal and supplying and replanting of a new hedge. Ours was a taster contract undertaken in Copmanthorpe York.. It went smoothly and really well. Happy customer, happy Hedges Direct and happy Rylands!