Twenty-six years after making his daughter a household name, Dennis Carey is about to see his floral creation cross the Channel.

Mr Carey is to officially retire after 44 years at Bransford Garden Plants, four years after being presented with the Three Counties Agricultural Society's long service award.

However, the company will continue to benefit from his years of work - it is negotiating a deal to licence the production of fuchsia 'Janie' overseas, particularly in France.

The creation of the variety of fuchsia, named after his daughter, is one of the proudest memories Mr Carey has from his long career.

Production runs to over 12,000 specimens a year and it is one of the company's flagship plants.

Mr Carey, 65, originally from Essex, began work with the then J Tooby & Co in 1958.

He played a big part in transforming the business from a traditional fruit farm into one of the largest producers of plants for garden centres.

Mr Carey moved to Worcestershire in 1956, to do his National Service with the Royal Engineers in Malvern.

He later started work in Bransford as a general farm worker, then become involved in the propagation of hops.

"The glasshouse we used for hop cuttings was vacant for a large part of the year, so filling it with plants not only kept up production but helped us sell to a new market as well," he said.

As the hop business fell away, plants took over and Mr Carey became propagation foreman. In the 70s and 80s, he continued to develop the company's range of plants to meet changing gardening fashions.

For the past ten years, he has been involved in research and development and the management of the firm's four-acre stock border.

Despite retirement, Mr Carey intends to carry on working part time on a consultancy basis.

"I love propagating plants," he said. "It's not work, it's a passion."

Company spokesman Nigel Hudson said: "Dennis has been a real asset to the company. He has given us a lifetime's work and we are truly grateful."

l Dennis Carey with fuchsia 'Janie'. Picture: Jay Watson. 44444802