After 10 and a half years working with Tony Benger Landscaping, George Trott has decided to “branch out” and take his interest in arboriculture to the next level with the launch of his own business, G Trott Tree Consultancy. 

Trott came into the industry by chance whilst working on a holiday park when he was offered some extra work assisting the grounds maintenance team. “One day a group of tree surgeons arrived on site and, as I’m sure many 20 years olds do, I saw them swinging around in trees with chainsaws and thought, I need to be doing that!” says Trott. 

He then joined Devon-based Tony Benger Landscaping where he gained a wealth of experience. “I was working with some of the most talented and friendly people I’ve ever met, learning all aspects of landscaping and tree surgery.” says Trott.  

Later in his employment, he decided to study arboriculture, and around the same time, Trott was asked to develop an arboricultural department at the company, which has since become an Arboricultural Association approved contractor. 

This ultimately let him down a consultancy route, with dreams of going freelance – something which he is now making a reality, undertaking all aspects of arboriculture consultancy throughout the South of England under his own name. 

Trott conducts surveys and inspections of trees in regard to their health and condition, which can also involve tree risk assessments and then advising clients accordingly. “I work with clients to create woodland management plans for their amenity woodlands, provide arboricultural input for planning applications, carry out arboricultural impact assessments, assess suspected tree related damage incidents to properties and built structures – generally talk trees at anyone and everyone who will listen to me!” 

Setting up a solo venture has its hurdles, though; there’s the administration side, as well as chasing, winning and then fulfilling the work. “It’s a huge balancing act of time and resources; I love it though. It’s extremely rewarding!” 

Trott’s enthusiasm for the industry does somewhat add to his workload. “I’m in the process of creating my own online courses relating to trees,” says Trott, “I believe that many of the biggest challenges relating to trees stem from a lack of public understanding, so I aim to create online courses that allow absolutely anyone to understand more about trees, how they work and their needs.” 

Trott’s dedication and passion towards the industry is but one of the many reasons why he became a Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winner in 2020. 

Having won the award in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, the achievement was a real boost for Trott. “It gave me confidence to undertake projects and tasks that potentially I may not have otherwise, not to mention the fact that it also adds to my credibility, particularly to clients within the horticultural sector.” 

For Trott, the idea of outside judges assessing him was also very appealing. “It’s always beneficial to know when I’m doing good or bad, and that’s a strong motivator for personal growth.” 

He’s come a long way since then, with G Trott Tree Consultancy officially opening this April. 

“My advice if you’re looking to do the same: don’t be afraid to fail. Try as many new things as you can and soak up as many lessons as you can along the way.

“If you’re passionate about something, chase it, don’t worry about what anyone else may think of you. And remember, if in doubt, another coffee will definitely help!”