A graduate of Manchester University and former pupil of Newcasle upon Tyne Royal Grammar School, Mark Rowland has worked in Horticulture all his life. Previous employment includes growth regulant research on a range of tropical crops in Rhodesia, and landscaping in Saudi Arabia. Currently he is pursuing several sweet pea breeding projects, as well as running both retail and commercial sweet pea seed businesses.

Mark is the author of a booklet on the Grandiflora Sweet Peas, as well as research papers on the use of growth regulants on tropical crops, and articles on sweet pea cultivation.

Interests include writing websites, tropical horticulture, plant breeding, growing orchids and snorkelling (warm water only!). Mark is also a partner in an innovative tomato breeding business, Gourmet Genetics. In addition to the range of richly flavoured tomatoes, there is a promising range of chillies under development.