A gardener standing by a building in the Knowsley Estate

Meet The Team

Meet Paul Green - Head of Parks & Gardens to the Knowsley Estate

What does a typical day look like as Head of P&G?

It’s a fascinating job, a typical day just doesn’t exist! We work with the weather, seasons and various departments across the wider estate including the estate farms, gamekeepers, stables, events team, private gardens and Knowsley Safari, ensuring the job is always challenging, rewarding and varied.

How has the estate changed over the years since you first started working here?

I started working on the estate as a forester at the age of 16 in 1981 so obviously I have seen many changes! The biggest change I have seen is the wonderful transformation of Knowsley Hall under the guidance of Lady Derby from a base for Merseyside police to its former glory.

What’s your favourite plant in the gardens of Knowsley? 

My favourite plant is actually a tree at the rear of the Hall – a huge Plane tree within the Capability Brown landscape around 1800.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The results of all our hard work throughout the seasons makes me proud to be part of a great team and Knowsley.

What’s the highlight of your career at Knowsley?

There’s too many to mention but two that immediately come to mind are when I met the Queen in 2002 when she visited Knowsley marking her golden jubilee.

I also had the privilege of presenting The 18th Earl & Countess of Derby with a a gift from the estate employees during a magnificent party celebrating the quincentenaries’ 500 years of the earldom in 1985.

What is your involvement with the kitchen team?

I used to be the breakfast chef but now we provide a range of fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit carefully produced by our horticultural experts.

What fresh produce and flowers do you use from the Knowsley Estate?

Andy the Deputy Head of Parks and Gardens produces a vast range of cut flowers and vegetables for the house.  A particular favourite of Lord Derby’s are young broad beans.

What involvement did you have with creating the Knowsley Walled Garden Gin?

There is a lot of work from ourselves and the kitchen team.  The botanicals are all estate wide ready at different times throughout the spring and summer which get harvested and dried using different processes.

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