Name: Ivan Guevara
Position: Projects Lead
Experience: I initially started with orchard in 2015 mowing lawns and doing odd jobs. My partner at the time quickly saw that we worked well together and that my background in customer service and events management could grow the company. And grow it did under our new partnership. We expanded into power cleaning and increased the number of team members. In 2017 my partner moved on to other work and I happily took the helm of Orchard. To the present, it has been an exciting year as we look to expand further and offer more services than ever.
What do you enjoy about this work? From providing quotes to getting your hands dirty and pitching in, you never have the same day twice.
Interesting fact: My first language is Spanish.
Name: Thom Chapman
Position: Maintenance and Lawns
Experience: Volunteer with TCV, the conservation volunteers in Manchester and Bristol. I worked in forestry for 1.5 years, and for another gardening company and my own business clients. I went on a working gardening holiday in Italy to help on a country estate. Diploma level one in Practical horticulture from Taunton and Bridgwater college, Diploma in Forestry level one, Cannington college, now part of Bridgwater and Taunton College. Degree in Landscape Architecture, 2:1.
What do you enjoy about this work? I enjoy working outdoors in nature, and I like the exercise I get from gardening, and the satisfaction of seeing a beautiful garden.
Interesting fact: My landscaping work took me to design a garden in Sweden.