Meet Dan Ori
Horticulturist, speaker, educator and community leader
Dan Ori MHort (RHS), MCIHort is an RHS Master of Horticulture, professional speaker and gardening educator with more than 30 years of experience across the horticultural industry.
Through Gardening with Dan Ori, he shares practical knowledge through talks, workshops, demonstrations, YouTube videos and a forthcoming collection of gardening books.
His purpose is simple:
"To help people garden with greater knowledge, confidence and enjoyment, and achieve their best possible gardening year."
30+ years in horticulture | RHS Master of Horticulture | MCIHort | Speaker and workshop leader
Science, experience and an open mind
Horticulture is a living science. Our understanding of plants and gardening continues to change as new research emerges across plant biology, genetics, taxonomy, soil science, ecology, plant pathology and climate science.
DNA analysis can change how plants are classified and reveal previously misunderstood relationships. Research continues to test established gardening advice, while changing weather patterns and the movement of pests and diseases create new challenges for gardeners.
Dan therefore approaches every subject with academic rigour, practical curiosity and an open mind.
He researches the latest available evidence, considers the knowledge passed down through generations of gardeners, and then tests those ideas against extensive practical experience and the experience of trusted horticultural networks.
"Traditional knowledge is an important starting point, but it should never prevent us from asking whether there is now a better understanding."
Scientifically supported and practically proven
Myth-busting is an important part of Dan’s work.
Gardening advice is often repeated because it sounds believable or because it has been passed from one gardener to another. Some of that advice remains extremely valuable. Other ideas do not stand up when examined against current scientific understanding or tested repeatedly in real gardens.
Dan does not dismiss tradition for the sake of being different. He explores where an idea came from, considers the evidence and explains what appears to happen when it is applied in practice.
He summarises his approach with one principle:
“What I’m going to tell you is scientifically supported and practically proven by me. But if it conflicts with what you’re doing and that works for you, keep doing it.”
Gardens are not controlled laboratories. Soil, climate, aspect, plants, methods and individual circumstances all vary. Dan presents the best information available while respecting the experience of the gardener in front of him.
His role is not to make people feel that they have been gardening incorrectly. It is to give them the knowledge to make informed choices.
Academic rigour made accessible
Dan’s particular strength is communication.
He takes detailed horticultural subjects and presents them through clear explanations, practical examples, demonstrations and storytelling. The science is not removed or watered down. It is translated into information that people can understand, remember and apply.
"Academic rigour without academic distance."
Dan has delivered hundreds of talks, workshops, training sessions and recorded presentations. His audiences have ranged from small practical groups to large in-person and online events.
Whether speaking to experienced horticulturists, enthusiastic gardeners or complete beginners, he creates a comfortable environment in which people can question established ideas, explore new evidence and develop their confidence.
More than 30 years in horticulture
Dan’s experience spans practical gardening, landscape development, arboriculture, plant nurseries, horticultural retail, plant buying and selling, estate gardening, training, community projects and volunteer leadership.
This breadth of experience allows him to connect scientific understanding with the realities of gardening.
His talks and workshops are therefore not built solely from books or academic papers. They combine research with lessons learned through plants, gardens, projects, customers, volunteers and many years of practical application.
Gardening and community
Dan is also the founder and director of GIA (Gardening in Action) CIC, a separate nonprofit organisation supporting community growing, horticultural participation and the improvement of shared green spaces.
Through Gardening in Action, he has helped develop community gardens, orchards, railway station planting and practical volunteer projects.
His contribution to the community was recognised with the Seaford Town Mayor’s Community Charity Champion Award 2024.
Dan believes that gardening can improve more than a physical space. It can build confidence, create connections and give people a meaningful way to contribute to their community.
Gardening with Dan Ori
Gardening with Dan Ori brings Dan’s work together across:
Gardening talks and workshops
Practical demonstrations
The Gardening with Dan Ori YouTube channel
Forthcoming gardening books and guides
Community learning and events
Future courses and educational resources
Over time, the brand will also provide a home for carefully selected horticultural speakers, educators and authors who share the same commitment to credible knowledge, engaging communication and practical value.
Invite Dan to your event
Dan is available for gardening talks, workshops, demonstrations, online presentations, panel discussions, podcasts and media appearances.
Based in Sussex, he works with gardening clubs, horticultural societies, community organisations, garden centres and events across the UK and online.
Bring current horticultural knowledge, practical experience and engaging storytelling to your next event.
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