Help shape the future of our industry apprenticeships

Help shape the future of our industry apprenticeships

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, in conjunction with the Industry’s Trailblazer Group has launched a major review of apprenticeships for Agriculture, Environment and Animal Care in England.  The review will recommend changes to our existing apprenticeships and set the priorities for apprenticeships in our industries going forwards. Employers, training providers, apprentices and industry […]

DESTINATION USA! A fully funded year in the USA for British student horticulturists.

DESTINATION USA! A fully funded year in the USA for British student horticulturists.

The Royal Horticultural Society, in collaboration with the Garden Club of America & Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania, is offering the exciting opportunity of: ·         a 12 month practical internship in ornamental horticulture at the world-renowned Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania or ·         the first year of a post-graduate course at an American University of your choice in […]

Two year horticultural traineeship available.

Two year horticultural traineeship available.

A two year horticultural traineeship is available with Perennial – Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society​ at their fabulous arts and crafts garden – York Gate Garden​ in Leeds. If you can say yes to the following questions then apply! Are you over 18 years old? Can you demonstrate a commitment and passion for a career in […]

Dispose of unwanted plants responsibly and wash your boots

Dispose of unwanted plants responsibly and wash your boots

Dispose of unwanted plants responsibly and wash your boots are the key messages of this week’s Invasive Species Week (13-17 May). Invasive plant and animal species are one of the biggest causes of global nature loss and species extinctions. They are estimated to cost UK horticulture £1bn a year and further £1bn to the wider […]

Richard Moore is the Young Horticulturalist of the Year 2019

Richard Moore is the Young Horticulturalist of the Year 2019

It began in January with thousands of entrants from across the UK and Ireland each competing for the title Young Horticulturalist of the Year and the £2500 Percy Thrower Travel bursary. After heats and regional finals, the final eight met at Kew to decide the overall winner. Several nail biting and close rounds ensured and […]

Your help is needed to understand skills gap in UK ornamental industry

Your help is needed to understand skills gap in UK ornamental industry

A survey investigating what skills the UK’s ornamental sector will need in the future is being carried out, to provide insight into potential training and resource gaps. According to a report by Oxford Economics, commissioned by the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group, the UK ornamental industry is worth £24.2 billion and supported 568,700 jobs in 2017, […]

New plant health and biosecurity toolkit published

New plant health and biosecurity toolkit published

The Landscape Institute has published a new plant health and biosecurity toolkit to help built environment professionals combat Britain’s biggest pests and diseases. Launched in partnership with the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), Society of Garden Designers (SGD) and the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL), the resource is a huge milestone in collaborative working, […]

YHOY Northern Branch – We have our National Finalist!

YHOY Northern Branch – We have our National Finalist!

Emily Marston (RHS Gardens Harlow Carr) has won the CIH Northern Regional Final for the second year in succession and we now look forward to watching her take on the other seven competitors from across the UK and Ireland at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew on May 11th. During the introduction to the audience by […]

Funding updates

Funding updates

Funding available for small green space improvements. Volunteering Matters Action Earth are offering grants of between £50-£250 to volunteers who would like to run environmental activities in Scotland’s green spaces. Applications are ongoing. For more details – https://volunteeringmatters.org.uk/project/action-earth/   Heritage Lottery Fund update The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has relaunched as the National Lottery Heritage […]

Regional Finals announced

Regional Finals announced

After two months of heats at venues across the UK and Ireland we are delighted to announce the dates and venues of the Young Horticulturalist of the Year regional finals. Contestants will be asked a wide range of horticultural questions, some through buzzer round, and others directed to individuals. There are also two identification rounds […]

Box blight and box tree caterpillar study – can you help?

Box blight and box tree caterpillar study – can you help?

Can you help one of our student members, who is working towards her RHS Master of Horticulture qualification? She would appreciate your help by taking part in a short online survey which forms part of the research for her dissertation. The survey just asks if the garden you work in or manage grows Buxus sp., […]

Two new pests found in the UK

Two new pests found in the UK

Two new pests have been found in the UK, one is a potentially serious pest of spruce (Picea sp.). The other, cotton stringy scale, beyond its unsightliness is not currently thought to cause any problems. In December 2018, a breeding population of eight tooth bark beetle (Ips typographus – pictured above) was discovered at a […]

Perennial confirm garden at RHS Flower Show Cardiff

Perennial confirm garden at RHS Flower Show Cardiff

To help mark its 180th anniversary, Perennial  – the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society has partnered with Irish garden designer Peter Donegan with a show garden for Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show Cardiff (12-14 April 2019). It is the first time the horticulture charity has exhibited at the show and the first time Peter (or any […]

Metaldehyde used for slug control is to be banned.

Metaldehyde used for slug control is to be banned.

The pesticide metaldehyde currently used for slug control is to be banned for outdoor use from spring 2020. There are 40 species of slugs in the UK with up to 7 species causing damage for commercial growers and amateur gardeners alike. The widely available metaldehyde slug pellet has been a mainstay of control methods for […]