Throughout our podcast chats with those working in the horticulture industry in Scotland, we've talked about their varied careers and often asked their advice for those considering entering into the world of professional horticulture. We've pulled out some extracts from the 'Scotland Grows Show' with James Hannaford, Chelsea Lowe, and Lesley Watson to plant the seed, or help you grow, a career in horticulture.
“The practical side of me would say it depends on the individual. In my career, I've trained many people: young people from scratch and career changers so I would say a couple of things.
“Do a little bit of research, decide if you want to generalise first. Some people are more interested in design, others in specific elements of horticulture which could be vegetable growing, it could be ornamental growing so do your research.
“I would say if you want to get into professional gardening, I would almost certainly recommend that you try and get that basic qualifications behind you like the RHS level. There's many formats that can be done now: it can be done at college, can be done in the workplace, can be done by remote learning. I think it's really important to have a good, balanced foundation of learned knowledge like that and practical knowledge. To have the two together is the best way to get into it.”
Catch up with the rest of James’ chat HERE on the 'Scotland Grows Show' or below.
“Don't feel limited. If you've got a certain circumstance that makes a traditional educational route not fit for you, don't be put off. That was me, I'm a career changer - I was a filmmaker and photographer before.
“Although I've always gardened, I'd never really thought of it as a career. Then after I had my daughter, I didn't really see myself going back to a desk job, I just wanted to be outside more. I was so passionate about gardening so I sort of curved into that but because I had a very young child, I couldn't really commit to the standard full time education.
“There's lots of great online courses and there's lots of great practical traineeships that are more flexible. You can volunteer, you can find a mentor, find something that fits your lifestyle and go for it, learn as you go, and tee up with other people. It's such a giving community, gardeners are just great, friendly people.
“It's never too late to get involved in changing into a career in gardening, or even just doing more in gardening: giving up your time, doing more volunteering, maybe mentoring younger people trying to get into gardening. If you've got young kids, get involved with your school garden or get one up and running. I think it's hugely amazing work to get young kids appreciating the world around us and that's going to make a huge impact because they're going to have to take the reins of everything that's going on on the planet.
“There's so many opportunities, it's so vast, it's exciting, so if that's what you want to do, just start doing it. Start today.”
Catch up with the rest of Chelsea’s chat HERE on the 'Scotland Grows Show' or below.
“That's right because I trained as a chemist and I'd always wanted to teach. So after I got my chemistry degree, I did a year’s teacher training and I taught in Carlisle.
“It was quite an interesting journey because then I came to Scotland and I actually worked for ICI on a research project, then had a family. I was at home gardening and actually I was starting to raise a lot of plants from seed and I just really, really just loved being in the garden.
“But I've always trained, I've got a degree, I've got my teaching qualification so I thought right, I need to qualify before I can do something, I must qualify. I went along to the local garden centre to ask about how I could go about this, should I go to college? And I was told no, you're much better just getting some hands-on experience, identify some plants, and actually I'm looking for a gardener here at Hopeton, would you like to garden? I said, oh, yes, I would. And of course it fitted in so well with the children because I could do it part-time. I learned so much literally on the job and got a lot of practical experience.
“The garden was attached to a small garden centre, which I had nothing to do with at the time, but then I sort of got pulled into that and was sent on a garden design course for garden centres and came back full of ideas of how we could actually rearrange the garden centre.”
“Yes, I would. If you can get it, I think nothing beats actually being outside and seeing how plants grow, and enjoying it as well.”
Catch up with the rest of Lesley’s chat HERE on the 'Scotland Grows Show' or below.
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