Meet the Team – Pete Jones

Posted on: November 2nd 2026    •    Posted in: Landscaping

At Gadd Brothers, delivering a high-quality landscape takes more than technical ability and the right materials. It relies on careful planning, clear communication and a team that takes pride in getting the details right.

In this edition of our Meet the Team series, we speak to our Landscaping Project Manager, Pete Jones about the variety of the role, the importance of collaboration across the industry and the often-unseen work that goes into constructing a landscape to the highest standard.

From costing projects and coordinating site progress to meeting clients and supporting the team on the ground, no two days are quite the same. It is this variety, alongside the people and relationships that make the industry what it is, that makes the role so rewarding for Pete.

What do you love most about the landscaping industry?

The people are what I love most. The supportive nature of those that work in the industry and their willingness to invest time to help, support and advise others never ceases to amaze me.

What does an average day look like for you and what do you most enjoy about the variety the role brings?

An average day – my role is varied, but I like that a lot. That’s the nature of what we do. We’ll be costing a project in the morning, dropping in to see the site progress and to support the team on the ground at lunchtime. Meeting a client to update on progress, and then we usually squeeze a cup of coffee in about 1500, before we start it all again. It’s very rare we have the same day twice in a row. It’s the best! 

What’s your favourite design detail in a landscape and what impact does it have on the result?

There are so many great details that we produce as a business, and we are spoilt because our guys focus on the detail at every turn, it becomes our day to day. Out of everything though, you can’t beat a recessed cover and the time and finesse it takes to finish it to the highest standard. If you get it right it almost goes unnoticed, but if it’s not right, you’ll see nothing else.

How do you maintain high standards when working to tight deadlines?

 Tight deadlines – they usually become tight because you’ve been unable to allocate adequate resource at some point or the supply chain has put a strain on the timeframe. Planning – that’s the key for me and managing the quality we deliver. Having the correct level of skill in the business and utilising it at the right point in the project is key, it should give you the time you need to deliver excellence. 

What is the biggest challenge you face when managing landscaping projects, and how do you overcome it?

Lack of effective communication. When the communication lines are not open and available to all parties, it will be difficult to deliver. Starting off on the right foot and establishing honest communication between all parties from the start is by far the greatest way to succeed. 

What is one thing clients may not realise goes into delivering a high-end landscape project?

Before they witness it, I’m not sure that clients often realise how much work goes into the preparation of areas, and the time and effort that the team invest in setting out levels,  excavations and subbase preparation. Often the finish surface can be laid in a fraction of the time it takes to install the necessary subbase that will stand the test of time.

Where do you see the industry going in 5 years’ time?

The easy answer here is the influence of AI from a technology point of view. From our perspective as a build only contractor, it will undoubtedly have a place in what we do and how we do it. However, It won’t change the practical skills that are required to produce on the ground. There will absolutely be a need for plant choices to adapt if we wish to have landscapes that endure for years to come. The palette of regularly used trees and plant material will change, as it has already started to. It will bring challenges for designers no doubt, and change how UK landscapes look and feel perhaps, it’ll be fascinating to watch as time marches on. 

What helps you to relax outside of work?

My idea of relaxing usually involves not relaxing at all! Anything that gives me the freedom to free my mind and escape for a period of time, usually running, sat on a bike or in the pool ticks all the boxes. My phone never goes with me. 90 minutes of live football also does the trick, nothing else matters for that short window of time.