About Us

AJ Lawn Care is a York-based business run by fineturf specialist Jonathan Latham and his wife, Abbie.

 

How AJ Lawn Care Started

Previously, Jonathan has worked for over 10 years at a large multinational company. Then, in December 2007, he was subjected to a horrific attack in York city centre.

 

The force of the punches and kicks knocked him unconscious. A passing taxi driver who saw Jonathan lying on the ground alerted police. Jonathan was rushed to hospital, where he lay in a coma fighting for his life. His next memory was emerging from the coma in York Hospital four days later, on Christmas Eve, with his parents by his bedside.

 

Suffering from short-term memory loss and bouts of amnesia, he was unable to return full time to his former job instead resuming work on a part-time basis.

 

Jonathan says, “My job was quite technical and I was well thought-of, so it was hard to be back there. With the effects on my abilities and memory loss, it was a struggle.”

 

Jonathan had voluntarily shadowed the York Railway Institute cricket groundsman at New Lane sports ground in Holgate since 2006, helping maintain the fineturf cricket square. When the position became vacant in 2009, he took over.

 

In 2011 Jonathan decided it was time to have a change of career and pursue his passion for gardening, in particular the grass plant. His experience at being a groundsman inspired him to set up his own gardening company, AJ Lawn Care.

 

The Business Grows

He has since studied for a Diploma in Horticulture at Askham Bryan College, complementing his existing knowledge gained from gardening for friends and family. Whilst at Askham Bryan College, Jonathan was awarded his NPTC Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides PA1 & PA6.

 

Jonathan joined the Grounds Management Association (formerly the Institute of Groundsmanship) completing both parts of their foundation in cricket square preparation, maintenance & renovation. Subsequently, he took over as the cricket groundsman at York Railway Institute Cricket Club and in his first year as groundsman, the club won a “most improved ground” award at the York Vale League annual awards dinner.

 

Jonathan has also previously looked after the square at York Civil Service Cricket Club (now Heslington Cricket Club), who have two teams in the Hunters ECB Yorkshire Premier League North.

 

AJ Lawn Care Now

AJ Lawn Care continues to offer services and treatments to maintain facilities at sports clubs — cricket clubs, bowling clubs, etc — but has diversified to bring Jonathan’s extensive knowledge and skills to residential clients.

 

If you’d like Jonathan to assess your lawn and create a care plan customised to your needs please contact us for a free treatment plan and quotation.