Excitement bloomed at Hadlow College recently as green-fingered enthusiasts from across the South-East vied for victory in a prestigious competition, aiming to advance to the national finals. The College played host to the regional finals of the Young Horticulturist of the Year competition, organized by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture. This esteemed contest provides a platform for budding horticulturalists to demonstrate their skills and connect with like-minded enthusiasts from the UK and Ireland.
The South-East Regional Final marked the second stage of the competition. Eight competitors, having successfully navigated through the initial online test featuring 40 questions spanning topics such as plant identification, soil science, plant maintenance, turf management, propagation, and garden history, gathered to compete in person.
During the Regional Final, participants faced questioning from an adjudication panel, followed by a challenging plant identification and pest recognition round, where the fastest respondent earned the opportunity to answer and accumulate points.
The victor of the competition secured a coveted spot in the Grand Final scheduled for May. The ultimate winner of the Young Horticulturist of the Year will be awarded the £2,500 Percy Thrower Travel Bursary, generously provided by the Shropshire Horticultural Society & the Percy Thrower Trust, enabling them to embark on a horticultural expedition anywhere in the world. Second place will be awarded £950, third place £550, with £200 prizes for the remaining runners-up.
Additionally, all finalists receive membership to the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, enriching their professional network and opportunities.
Past champions have embarked on horticultural journeys to destinations including Borneo, China, New Zealand, South Africa, the Himalayas, and the Galapagos Islands. At the event, Hadlow College’s state-of-the-art glasshouse, where tomatoes are cultivated in collaboration with Thanet Earth, was showcased. Attendees learned about cultivation techniques, hydroponics, nutrient management, light requirements, and biosecurity measures.
Gareth Batts, Senior Horticulture Skills Trainer at Hadlow College and member of the adjudication panel, expressed delight at the success of the event, stating:
“I am pleased that Hadlow were able to support this competition in holding the regional finals. We were due to hold it in 2020 but due to COVID this had to be postponed. During the event it was great to showcase the horticulture opportunities that we offer at Hadlow and to give tours to the wider industry showing the collaborative projects that we are undertaking. The gardens were open for visitors to explore and discussions regarding our new orchard took place.
As a trainer I was able to showcase what our horticulture students do at Hadlow and I was able to network and create further links with the industry to benefit the students, visits to other gardens and speakers to the college are in the pipeline because of the event.”
“The apprenticeship students were involved with the setting up of the event as well as creating information posters for the visitors to see. It has helped build their industry knowledge, team working and communication skills, all essential parts of the apprenticeship. We look forward to having the opportunity again in the future to hold this event and hopefully next year a Hadlow student will make it through to the regionals.”
Hadlow College offers various horticulture courses, with students benefiting from top-notch facilities including glasshouses and a ‘robotic orchard and vineyard’ showcasing cutting-edge technology such as automated AI management systems, advanced irrigation, fertigation, frost protection, and automated fruit harvesting.
For those interested in pursuing horticulture studies at Hadlow College, visit the College’s Horticulture subject page on its website.
For further details about the Young Horticulturist of the Year competition, visit the Chartered Institute of Horticulture website.