The Evans Family of Gardeners

Gardeners are born as well as made. The Evans family has a lineage of dedicated gardeners starting with Violet R.H. Evans, 1890 to 1976. Violet, the daughter of Sir George Bowen, gardened well into her 80s at the Evans family estate at Ffrwdgrech, Wales. Her husband, J. D. D. Evans was a dedicated aboriculturist and member of the Society of Foresters of Great Britain. Ffrwdgrech House had a walled one acre kitchen garden, and approximately ten acres of lawns and gardens. The grounds are open to the public in the summer.
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Violet’s son Michael Evans, born 1913, is the current gardening patriarch. He gardens two acres at Castle Donovan, Ireland at age 93. His garden is a riot of rare trees, shrubs and perennials; one rocky section is covered with heaths, azaleas and miniature evergreens. Granpa Mike, as he is called, gardens all year round and grows enough vegetables to feed ten people. Interview.

Michael Evans has six children, all of whom are avid gardeners:

John Evans, born 1949 in Dungarvan, Ireland, is founder and president of Soil Health Solutions. See John’s records page. John currently lives in Ireland where he is dedicated to helping change Irish agriculture to organics. Interview

Roland Evans, born 1951 in Dungarvan, Ireland, is the CEO of Soil Health Solutions. He is a psychologist, educator and writer. Roland gardens at 7,400 ft altitude in the Rocky Mountains above Boulder, Colorado. Interview

Veronica Evans, born 1943, Brecon, Wales is an artist and Shiatsu practitioner. She lives part of the year in Trinidad and part in Ireland and England. Veronica is an avid permaculturalist and gardens wherever she lives. Interview

Dilly Evans, born 1947 in Ireland, owns “Forget-Me-Not,” a garden maintenance business in London. Interview

Geraint Evans, born 1953 in Wales, trained as a grafter and propagator at Hilliers Nursery in England and nurseries in Holland. He lives in Rome, Italy.

Jeffie Hazell, born 1945 in Ireland, trained as an artist and designer and works in New York City. She lives and gardens in Beacon, NY.

The Evans tradition of gardening continues down through Granpa Mike’s children to his great grandchildren.