Gardener hangs up shears after three decades at beautiful Dartmoor garden

A gardener is hanging up his shears after almost 40 years helping to tend a beautiful ten-acre garden on the edge of Dartmoor. David Milburn has spent 37 years at The Garden House near Yelverton.

He has been among a small team of gardeners responsible for landscaping the arboretum and tree walk and adding naturalistic features to the site. And his lasting legacy will be an ornamental cascade and viewing area he created from stone unearthed during the landscaping work.

David started work at the garden after nine years in the Navy, including serving in the Falklands conflict. During his time as a gardener he has also been an on-call firefighter based at Yelverton Fire Station - and will be keeping equally busy in his retirement by building and decorating an extension at his home in Yelverton.

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He said: "This has been great job for me. I got to know the garden like the back of my hand and knew all the tasks that needed doing, and how to schedule them to fit in with the weather.

“It’s a lovely place to work. From the moment you go through the gate you’re in a beautiful landscape, with the birds singing and nature laid out in all its glory."

The garden, which has been developed on the site of Buckland Monachorum’s vicarage for over 600 years, features more than 6,000 different plant varieties. It has become renowned for its snowdrop festival, spring wisteria display, traditional summer flowers in the walled garden and spectacular autumn colours from its acer glade.

Nick Haworth, head gardener at The Garden House, said: “David’s long experience working here has made him a highly valued member of our small gardening team. It’s been a pleasure to work with him and we wish him the best for his retirement."

The Garden House is in Buckland Monachorum, Yelverton, PL20 7LQ. Find out more at www.thegardenhouse.org.uk