In honour of International Women’s Day on 8 March, HortWeek has spoken to some outstanding women in the industry to find out about their role, their experience of being a woman in their sector, and what more we can be doing to create equality.
Jill Kerr has been Blue Diamond’s group relationship manager since 2022 but has been with the business for much longer. She explains how this industry allowed her to combine motherhood with a career, how there are no ceilings to progression at Blue Diamond, and delves into her collaborative work with organisations like the National Trust and the RHS.
How did you get into the industry?
I have to say, in a very unusual way! I was a commercial litigation associate lawyer, who, having had my first baby, found that law and motherhood didn’t work for me. Having resigned from my position, I saw an advert in my local garden centre for an assistant on the information desk and the rest is history as they say. I am not from a horticultural background, and I have only ever worked for Fryer’s Garden Centre, an independent, which was privately owned before Blue Diamond Garden Centres bought it several years ago.
I was incredibly lucky that Blue Diamond bought Fryer’s as this led to several career opportunities, for which I am extremely grateful. I was given the chance to combine motherhood with a role exporting roses, and became the group’s export and business manager, this role offered me child friendly hours and flexibility.
I then progressed to assisting with RHS Flower Shows and became category manager for roses and events manager, (Blue Diamond own the brand Fryer’s Roses and I was instrumental in developing this within Blue Diamond Garden Centres and in promoting this brand at RHS Flower Shows). I continued in this role for several years before being asked to head up Blue Diamond’s relationship with the National Trust as group relationship manager in November 2022.
What has your experience of being a woman in the industry been?
I can only really comment about my experience working for Blue Diamond Garden Centre, which has been wholly positive. Blue Diamond sees talent in individuals, and creates roles suited to them which in turn benefits the business. There are no ceilings to progression, and I have always been fully supported in my career with Blue Diamond. I am incredibly lucky to work for such a company.
Do you think we've come a long way when it comes to equality/equity for women or do we still have work to do?
I think there are a great deal of opportunities in this industry, and I feel it is one that women can take breaks from, i.e. for motherhood or other reasons, and not be held back from progressing when they return to the profession.
What does your day to day job look like, and what's your favourite part of your role?
My days are challenging and busy and I must be focused and organised, but I have a great team of people who support me in my role.
My team and I work on plans for shows, for example one of our biggest projects this year is RHS Chelsea Flower Show where we have a Main Avenue Show Garden in collaboration with the National Trust, and are launching a new rose on the Trust’s behalf.
I also have several other shows to project manage in addition to this, including RHS Urban Manchester and the Gardeners World Live show in June, where we are key sponsors of the new Urban Gardening section of the show, then later in the year RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival and RHS Tatton Flower Show.
The shows are just one aspect of my role, however. I have day to day contact with the National Trust liaising on how we can promote the seeds, bulbs, roses and other plant collections that we have developed with the Trust. I work with the Trust to promote our collaboration and to ensure we tell the stories of the plant conservation projects we have supported.
I also work closely with Blue Diamond’s partner, the Soil Association to promote nature friendly gardening and other charities, especially if we are launching a new rose for them.
I take great pleasure and personal satisfaction in working with all the charities we support as I feel that through Blue Diamond, I am making a difference and Blue Diamond certainly is.
My to-do list never ends but I thrive on being busy and interacting with interesting people, it is a very interesting and rewarding job.
What ambitions do you have for the future?
I would like to continue doing what I am doing for the immediate future. I get to have so many interesting experiences and meet so many people from different walks of life, that it would be very difficult for me to step away from this role. I am a great believer in working hard and playing hard and I hope I can continue to do this and be a good role mother to my two daughters.
