Ian Barker Gardens takes great pride in a dedicated team of maintenance staff, all of whom are qualified, experienced and passionate about their work and the gardens they maintain. Our staff are assigned to work on a select group of gardens each, which means they are able to develop an individual understanding of your garden and its needs, and take ownership and pride in the work they do each time they visit your property.
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Ian Barker, Managing Director Ian began his landscape design, construction and maintenance business in 1993 after completing two apprenticeships, several horticultural courses andextensive work experience in England and the USA. As a teenager, Ian’s first apprenticeship was four years training as a maintenance gardener and although his focus has broadened over the years, a deep-seeded passion for plants remains.
Ian strongly believes in the value of having trained, experienced professionals tending to gardens, and he is proud of the quality of staff that forms the Ian Barker Gardens maintenance team.
Ian's favourite season is Autumn.
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Jimena Acevedo, Maintenance Manager After almost 20 years in media production and administration, Jimena decided to make a career change and pursue her interest in gardens by completing a Graduate Certificate in Garden Design in 2015. With qualifications in botany and photography, Jimena brings an extensive set of skills and experience to her role at Ian Barker Gardens.
Jimena has a strong interest in the greening of urban landscapes and the positive effects this has on environmental cooling and human health. One of her favourite places to visit is the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.
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Paul Jones, Maintenance Supervisor Joining Ian Barker Gardens in 2008, Paul has proved to be an invaluable member of the team. After graduating from Burnley Horticultural College in 2003, Paul has dedicated himself to the industry and has developed a huge amount of plant and horticultural knowledge in the years he has been working. We are lucky to be able to draw on this experience and knowledge.
Paul’s favourite travel destination is Vietnam.
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Andrew Clancy, Maintenance Supervisor After more than a decade in senior sales roles, Andrew decided to pursue his passion and accepted a role as a gardener at St Patrick’s Cathedral in East Melbourne where he spent two years maintaining the picturesque gardens.
In 2013 he returned to study Horticulture at Holmesglen to formalise his qualifications, and in late 2013 joined Ian Barker Gardens as a maintenance supervisor.
Andrew’s other great passion is cricket, and now that he no longer plays himself, he gets his cricket fix by coaching his son’s team.
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Joseph Cummins, Maintenance Gardener Joe grew up in the family retail gardening centre and landscaping business on the mid north coast of New South Wales, where he learnt everything he knows about gardening from his Dad. He also gained experience in garden maintenance working in Sydney while studying music and literature at university.
Joe joined Ian Barker Gardens in October 2015 and enjoys the life balance of working in some of Melbourne's nicest gardens while pursuing an academic career on his days off.
Joe's favourite food is fatty tuna from the Tokyo fish markets.
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Bal Johal, Maintenance Gardener From a young age Bal was gripped by the effects climate change will have on the planet. This inspired her to complete her Environmental Horticulture degree at Burnley in 2012 and her Permaculture Design Course in 2014.
Over 5 years, she ran sustainability programs in high schools across the country and participated in Al Gore's Climate Reality Leader program in 2015. From there she decided to hone in on her passion to design climate change adaptable landscapes.
Bal joined Ian Barker Gardens in July 2017 and is currently completing her Certificate IV in Landscape Design. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, meditation and is teaching herself the Ukulele.
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