Bouncing Brogdale

The Journal arrived at Brogdale on a cold December morning when Lady Garrett could have been excused if she was contemplating winding down for Christmas. Instead she was pondering the “logistical nightmare” of transporting 10,000 newly delivered trees to more than 3,000 destinations, while dealing personally with a man from Brighton who had made the lengthy round trip for some expert advice on sprays suitable for his garden. All an important part of the day job, of course, but Garrett can be credited with far more than keeping the public happy. In the last five years, she has presided over the transformation of Brogdale Horticultural Trust from an unprofitable, heavily indebted organisation into a profit-making entity that befits its status as the world's largest fruit collection.