Claire and Ric

Claire has been involved in horticulture since 1983 when she joined her father, David Austin, taking over his collection of peonies and irises that he had gathered from around the world. Over the years her collection and knowledge have continued to grow, writing articles for numerous publications and publishing three books.

In 1999 Claire set up Claire Austin Hardy Plants and was joined in 2000 by her husband Ric (pictured here chewing a bee). His enthusiasm and Australian humour, along with Claire's expertise and the support of a small, industrious team of full time and seasonal employees, have helped the business to continue to develop over the years.

If you want to know a little about the characters who help keep things ticking along at our nursery, click on their pictures to find out a bit more about them.