Thady Barrett started his career at the former ADAS Experimental Horticulture Stations at Luddington and Lee Valley in the UK while studying horticulture at Writtle College in Essex. Subsequently, he gained the Royal Horticultural Society's NDH in Commercial Horticulture [now known as the MHort (RHA)] and an MHort degree. For many years Thady has been a member of the International Plant Producer's Society and has served as one of the Society's area secretaries. An expert in growing salad crops, ornamental plants and cut flowers, including chrysanthemums, for twenty years he was a senior lecturer in commercial horticulture at Writtle College. He is now a horticultural consultant and provides practical and technical advice to small and medium-sized ornamental plant nurseries.