Horticulture
Become a… horticulturalist! You could work for garden centres, production nurseries, in domestic and historic garden maintenance, design and build companies, local government, local councils in parks and gardens or for yourself in your own business and many more…!
Merrist Wood College has developed a considerable reputation for horticulture amongst industry specialists, and for its frequently award-winning gardens at the RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows.
The horticulture industry lies at the very heart of the nation’s passion for plants and gardens, both domestic and commercial. A skilled plants person needs in-depth understanding and experience of a wide range of plants for a host of situations. Whether you are looking for a future in plant production, distribution, maintenance or management of landscapes or gardens, or just looking to enhance your skills to use at home, studying horticulture at Merrist Wood will give you the practical experience and skills you need.
Why choose Merrist Wood College?
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College nursery housing a diverse range of plants
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400-acre estate featuring woodlands, wetlands, heathland, livestock and grasslands
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Specialist hand tools, machinery and equipment
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Opportunity to showcase your talents at shows such as RHS Hampton Court and Chelsea, where Merrist Wood has a strong tradition of excellence shown through multi-award winning gardens
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Opportunity to undertake professional qualifications validated by the Royal Horticultural Society
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Field trips and visits
Day to day
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Plant identification
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Planting and propagation
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Decorative horticulture
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Machinery operations
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Hard landscaping
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Business management
Average salary
Horticultural workers earn between £12,000 to around £20,000 a year. For managers it’s between £16,000 to over £30,000 a year, rising to £40,000 for more senior staff and those with experience.
Moving on
You could look at doing a degree course, for instance in Garden Design, available at Merrist Wood College or university courses in Horticulture.
Links
www.rhs.org.uk| - The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening.
www.horticulture.org.uk| - The Institute of Horticulture represents all those professionally engaged in Horticulture in the UK and Ireland.
www.hdc.org.uk| - The Horticultural Development Council works to strengthen the competitive position of British horticulture through effective research and technology.
www.defra.gov.uk| - The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provides useful information on the Horticulture sector.
www.lantra.co.uk| - Lantra is the sector skills council for the environmental and land-based sector.