From the Royal Parks to the Highlands – The Story of MacDonald Horticulture
The Foundation: Plantsmanship and Heritage
My horticultural career is rooted in a deep, scientific understanding of botany and historic landscapes. Following my HND in Horticulture with Plantsmanship from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, I spent the summer of 2010 working at Claude Monet's Gardens in Giverny, France. Immersing myself in one of the world's most iconic and meticulously preserved heritage sites set the standard for everything that followed.
Giverny - Water Garden in June 2010
The World Stage: The Royal Parks (2010 – 2013)
Returning to the UK, I joined The Royal Parks in London during one of the most operationally demanding periods in its history. Between 2010 and 2013, I managed the horticultural builds and complex logistics for some of the country's most high-profile public events: the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics, the 2011 Royal Wedding, the annual Winter Wonderland builds, major international concerts, and the highly secure environments surrounding 10 Downing Street.
Delivering horticultural excellence under intense global scrutiny shaped my approach to project management: precision, discretion, and flawless execution. It also taught me something that underpins everything I do now. The standard you set when nobody is watching is the same standard you bring when the whole world is.
Vollyball setup on Horseguards Parade July 2012
The Frontline of Biosecurity (2013 – 2017)
With global supply chains placing increasing pressure on native plant health, I moved into a regulatory role as a Plant Health and Seeds Inspector for APHA/Defra at Heathrow. For four years, I worked at the frontline of UK biosecurity, intercepting devastating pathogens and enforcing strict import regulations before they could reach the landscape.
Gold Medal From Chelsea Flower Show 2015
A highlight of this period was collaborating on the APHA/Defra Beyond Our Borders garden at the 2015 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The garden focused entirely on global pest threats and the critical importance of biosecurity, and was awarded a Gold Medal. That rigorous, scientific grounding in pathogen diagnostics remains a core pillar of MacDonald Horticulture today.
Estate Management at Scale
Returning to Scotland, I took on the practical leadership of some of the country's most complex historic grounds, including roles at Mount Stuart and as Head Gardener at Kinross House Estate. Managing centuries-old formal parterres, ancient woodlands, and the commercial pressures of large-scale events demands a strategic, long-term outlook that goes well beyond seasonal maintenance.
Video Interview I did during my time at Kinross House. 2024.
The landscapes I worked with don't forgive short-termism. They require constant vigilance, generational thinking, and strict pathogenic oversight to ensure their survival for the next century.
News article on The Calvary Garden Project at Mount Stuart 2022.
Returning to the Highlands
Now based in the North of Scotland, I launched MacDonald Horticulture to bring that breadth of experience directly to the estates, trusts, and private landowners who need it most.
The consultancy isn't here to replace your grounds team. It exists to provide the objective, specialist external perspective that busy estates rarely have access to from within: diagnostic mapping, biosecurity audits, and strategic landscape planning that puts you ahead of problems rather than behind them.
Scotland has some of the most significant and most threatened landscapes in the country. They deserve that standard of care.
To discuss the specific diagnostic and biosecurity requirements of your estate, arrange a private consultation.