Of all the professions available two decades ago, what made the young Trent Smith study agriculture?

Gardening for this Aberfeldy Nurseries manager has always been rewarding and therapeutic.

“I just liked plants for what they contributed, in a sense, and I liked working with plants,” he said. “I’ve been here for 20 years and it is for the love of plants. If we didn’t have plants there would be no life.”

Asked if he had done courses, he said: “It was on the job learning and I did a course with Government for two or three years.

“If you have an interest than you go the extra mile and I have a library at home with lots of books that you need and I read them.

“Some people look at a job as just a pay cheque, but I do it for the love of it and I get pleasure out of that. It is also rewarding.”

Many gardeners follow the annual almanac, and when asked if it was something he did, Mr. Smith admitted: “I try to plant with the moon, but sometimes in busy schedules you can’t always plant on the moon cycles.

“Most of the old-timers swear by it and it does make a difference, everything works off the moon.

“A lot of the older customers go by it and we have a pamphlet that we give out that has the above ground dates and the below ground dates for the year. When the Almanac comes out, it has all the dates for when it is best to plant above or below ground. It also has the best days to weed your garden, the best days for fishing as well. It does make a difference because when it is coming it is pulling and when there is a dark moon — a lot of them have it down to a science.

“I do it when I can do it, but sometimes I just don’t have time to do it.”

Asked whether he had a garden at home and were his wife and children involved, he answered, “Yes,” to having a garden, but, no to his family being involved.

He said: “We have a vegetable garden and it is about the size of this here (referring to the greenhouse at Aberfeldy). I grow what I can eat basically.”