Actor takes root in gardening role (From Gazette Series)

Actor takes root in gardening role

SWAPPING an acting career on stage and screen to running a specialist plant nursery may seem an unusual move but for Andrew Bullock it was a natural progression. The actor turned nurseryman runs a business near Dursley, which boasts more than 100 varieties of lavender and buddleja. KIRSTY RAMSDEN visited the Lavender Garden to find out more.

NESTLING in Gloucestershire's stunning countryside is a nursery which has become a haven for wildlife, in particular butterflies. Indeed it was Andrew Bullock's love of wildlife and butterflies which led him to run the nursery. The Lavender Garden, at Kingscote, near Dursley, was opened four years ago and is a specialist lavender and buddleja nursery. Mr Bullock developed a love for lavender and buddleja because the plants attract so many butterflies and bees. As a struggling actor he became interested in wildlife photography, particularly of butterflies. With the money from a film he did with Oliver Reed he took over a run-down nursery and, with his partner, Natasha Bellamy, turned it into the Lavender Garden. It had been a nursery for 40 years but was closed down when Mr Bullock took it on. He describes it as "opening the door to the secret garden". A former performer with Dursley Operatic and Dramatic Society, Mr Bullock went to drama school in 1988. He spent about 10 years, mainly based from London, in the acting business. His credits include stage work at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, performances in musical and pantomime, and television appearances. He was Orpheus in Greek movie Orpheus and Eurydice, which starred internationally renowned actor Oliver Reed. Mr Bullock still possesses his Equity card but describes himself as "content" with what he does now. He is from an old Gloucestershire family and spent his childhood in Cam and Dursley so his roots are firmly ensconced in the county. He developed his love of wildlife as a child in the country. He does not use chemical pesticides/insecticides at the nursery which has created a wildlife friendly environment. He has been shocked by the demise of the butterfly population in this country over the decades and is eager to do his bit for conservation. The collection has attracted more than 25 different species of butterfly and there can be more than 500 butterflies at the nursery at anyone time. The wildlife haven also attracts creatures including bats, snakes, glow-worms and moths. The gardens have been landscaped to attract wildlife, with collections planted so they can be seen in a more established environment. He has created his own varieties of lavender and buddleja, one he has called Orpheus in recognition of the afore mentioned movie. Running the nursery has become a seven-day a week job for Mr Bullock, especially during the summer months. He attends farmers' markets and Royal Horticultural Society shows. He gives talks to organisations such as gardening clubs and WIs and, of course, he has the nursery to manage. He generally does most of the work at the nursery himself. His partner is a full-time air hostess so helps when not in the skies. The collection attracts purchasers from all over the country - and a handful from abroad. Mr Bullock has the second largest collection of buddleja open to the public in the country and is aiming for "national collection of buddleja" status from the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens. His knowledge of lavender and buddleja is considerable and he is eager to impart information on managing the plants to perspective purchasers. Creating the Lavender Garden has been something of a labour of love for Mr Bullock. He even built the wooden tables on which many of the plants stand himself. "I've made a hobby into a business," he explained. The Lavender Garden is open to the public at weekends 11am to 5pm and at various times during the week.

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