I spent over two decades in an engineering organisation — apprentice, designer, planner, trainer. It’s a broad background. It turns out it’s a great one for building gardens.

I’d wanted to travel properly for a long time so in 2015 I took a sabbatical. Europe and Morocco in a twenty-year-old campervan. Backpacking across South Africa. Kitesurfing in Sri Lanka. Trekking through the Himalayas. The streets of India.

Along the way I started writing, and what began as a blog turned into a book — Adventures in Happiness, a true account of that journey. It’s been selling for eight years.

In 2018, I set up John Clarke Landscaping and Gardens. It wasn’t a random pivot. I’ve always worked with my hands alongside everything else. I love being outdoors and find the design side genuinely interesting — how a space flows, how a garden changes the way a house can feel.

The engineering background doesn’t disappear when I pick up a spade. I plan properly, I manage projects carefully, and I don’t cut corners. Customers seem to appreciate that.

These days I split my time between landscaping work, occasional travelling, and writing. I’ve started a second book – a memoir that pulls together the story of how a corporate career, time on the road, and a late start in a new trade all connect. It’s taking a while. But that’s fine.

If you want to talk about a garden project, use the contact details below. If you want to follow the writing, head to the blog or the writing page.

Call or WhatsApp: 07515 379972   Email: jac777@hotmail.com  Facebook Messenger