Welcome to grow. The website for horticulture careers information.

  • Horticulture is where art, science, design and commerce meet – with challenging and rewarding careers no matter what your background or interests. (Credit: National Trust Picture Library – Paul Harris)
  • Parks and urban green spaces help cool temperatures, reduce wind speeds and absorb pollution and flood water.
  • Horticulture is creative, changes by the seasons and makes places interesting, vibrant and healthier.
  • A top-quality football pitch contains 150 – 200,000 leaf blades in every square metre. Every one of them needs skilled care and attention.
  • Nurturing a seed as it turns into a flower is watching a small miracle every day. Horticulture is full of magic and mystery.
  • 37 million people enjoy visiting and sitting under the 135,000 trees in London’s Royal Parks each year. All those trees need expert care and pruning.

Useful Links

Links to organisations and information about careers in horticulture including garden designer, arboriculture, grower, gardener, landscaper, greenkeeper, groundsman and parks officer.

 

British Florist Association

Provides information on qualifications, courses and apprenticeships.

 

Botanical Society of the British Isles

The Botanical Society of the British Isles is the biggest organisation devoted to the study of botany in the British Isles. An education programme supported by the society aims to bring high quality botanical training within the reach of all, from A Level students to professional development and postgraduate courses and qualifications.

 

The British Society for Plant Pathology

Supports the professional interests of plant pathologists wordwide. The society administers bursaries to enable undergraduate and MSc students to undertake work placements in plant pathology laboratories.

 

English Heritage

English Heritage manages a number of historic parks and gardens. It also runs The Historic and Botanic Garden Bursary Scheme (HBGBS), which enables enthusiastic and committed horticulturalists to increase their technical skills through garden placements, staff secondments and training events in historic and botanic gardens. To find out more,email: fiona.dennis@english-heritage.org.uk

 

Horticulture Week

Horticulture Week is the UK’s leading business weekly for the professional horticulture community. It's web site includes a Careers section with course listings and information about how to get into the different areas of horticulture.

 

Historic and Botanic Garden Bursary Scheme

Helps trained horticulturists to increase their skills through practi9cal placements in historic and botanic gardens.

 

I want to be a landscape architect

Run by the Landscape Institute, this web site promotes careers in landscape architecture. It lists courses and entry requirements, together with information about what landscape architecture is and what the work involves.

 

Lantra

Lantra is the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries. Its web site includes a career finder with descriptions of more than 170 possible careers in the land-based sector.

 

The National Trust

The National Trust is one of the largest employers of professional gardeners in Britain and cares for some of the most beautiful and important gardens created over the last 400 years.

 

Next Step

Next Step is run by the Government to provide information and advice to support adults in making appropriate decisions on a full range of learning and work opportunities. It includes information and job profiles for many roles within the horticultural sector.

 

Prospects

The UK's official graduate careers web site. Search for horticulture and related course details and requirements.

 

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is internationally respected for its outstanding living collection of plants and world-class herbarium as well as its scientific expertise. Kew has an active schools programme and is a major provider of educational programmes across the curriculum. It also offers post graduate opportunities in plant science and conservation. Horticulturists wishing to train at the gardens can choose between study for the Kew Diploma, its degree equivalent qualification, or practical training under the traineeship or apprenticeship route.

 

The Royal Horticultural Society

The Royal Horticultural Society is one of the world’s leading horticultural organisations and the UK’s leading gardening charity. The RHS School of Horticulture’s training programmes, has for over 100 years, been at the forefront of providing a means for horticultural students to convert the ‘chalk and talk’ of the classroom into practice, by producing gardeners who can get their hands dirty and know what they are doing.

The RHS hosts a forum about careers in horticulture on its web site. as with most online forums, you will have to register in order to post anything.

 

Royal Parks

The Royal Parks comprise 5,000 acres of green space, 280 monuments and fountains and 13 playgrounds. Around 30 million people use Royal Parks green spaces or facilities every year. The Royal Parks Apprentice Programme is an ideal way to begin a career in parks and horticulture. Apprentice gardeners work and learn in some of London's finest parks and get paid while completing their education. Apprentices gain experience in amenity horticulture, which involves the care and management of public and private gardens, sports grounds and green community areas. The three-year course leads to NVQ Levels II and III in amenity horticulture.

 

The Society of Garden Designers

Runs a student competition and provides course listings and information on how to choose a garden design course.

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