Tony Russell

Tony Russell is one of Britain’s leading authorities on trees, shrubs and gardens, with a career in forestry and horticulture spanning more than four decades.

His professional life with plants and gardens began in 1978, when he joined the Forestry Commission in Snowdonia. After studying forestry and horticulture and qualifying in 1983, Tony took up the post of Forester for the New Forest in Hampshire, gaining extensive practical experience of woodland management and some of Britain’s most important tree collections.

In 1989, he was appointed Head Forester at Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire, which is home to one of the finest collections of trees and shrubs in the temperate world. During his 14 years at Westonbirt, Tony developed an exceptional knowledge of trees, their identification, cultivation and conservation, as well as the history and management of significant gardens and arboreta.

Since leaving Westonbirt in 2003, Tony has shared his expertise through writing, broadcasting, lectures and garden tours. He has presented and contributed to numerous gardening, horticultural and countryside programmes for television and radio, bringing his considerable knowledge to a wide audience in an engaging and accessible way.

Tony is also the author of 18 books covering trees, gardens and the wider natural landscape. He is the editor of the annual publication Great Gardens to Visit and has served as horticultural editor of Discover Britain’s Gardens magazine.

On Travel Editions tours, Tony draws together his practical forestry background, horticultural expertise and enthusiasm for garden history. Whether exploring a celebrated arboretum, an historic designed landscape or a private garden, he helps guests understand the plants, people and ideas that have shaped each place. His warm and informative approach makes even complex horticultural subjects accessible, while his eye for detail encourages guests to see familiar gardens and landscapes from a fresh perspective.