Sheila Das will replace Andy Jasper who left the National Trust in September to take up a new role as Group Chief Executive Officer at the Eden Project.
Having changed career in the early 2000s, Das studied at Kew Gardens, worked for English Heritage (at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire), and has been a garden manager at RHS Garden Wisley with responsibility for Education, Edibles, Seed and Wellbeing since 2015. Her time at Wisley has included major investment projects including the development of the Hilltop landscape which features gardens for Wildlife, Wellbeing and Food.
Das is passionate about growing food in sustainable ways to support planetary and human health and interpreting the gardener’s role as a custodian of place from past to present to future. She has also been instrumental in establishing Wisley’s Planet-Friendly Gardening Campaign to increase biodiversity and sharing knowledge around sustainability and resilience in horticulture and is well known for being committed to soil health.
Tarnya Cooper, Conservation & Curation Director at the National Trust, says: “We are delighted Sheila will be joining the National Trust as Head of Gardens and Parks, the Trust’s most senior horticultural role. Her background, expertise and passion will be invaluable as we put audiences at the centre of our work, build increased sustainability and climate resilience across Trust gardens, and continue to invest in our skilled horticulturists.”
Starting her role in January 2025, Das said: “I am so excited to be joining the National Trust as Head of Gardens and Parks. Horticulture is in an exciting phase at present that offers so many opportunities to improve our relationship with our wider environment as well as enhancing quality of life for every one of us. I look forward to working with the team of talented gardeners in such a huge range of gardens and parks and sharing the joy of gardening through these special places.”