Hadlow College hosts regional finals of Young Horticulturist of the Year
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REGIONAL FINAL: The winner will go through to the grand final next month
Excitement blossomed at Hadlow College when green-fingered enthusiasts from across the South East battled it out to get through to the national finals of a prestigious competition. The college was hosting the regional finals of the Young Horticulturist of the Year.
Run by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, the competition offers a platform for budding horticulturalists to showcase their expertise and connect with fellow enthusiasts from the UK and Ireland. The Hadlow event was the second stage of the competition.
The eight competitors had already made it through the first heat, which was an online test with 40 questions on topics covering areas such as plant identification, soils, plant maintenance, turf, propagation and garden history. The regional final saw the competitors being asked questions by an adjudication panel, before a quick fire plant identification and pest round.
The winning contestant went through to the grand final, which is being held in May. Here, the overall winner will receive the £2,500 Percy Thrower Travel Bursary to fund a horticultural trip anywhere in the world.
Previous winners have visited Borneo, China, New Zealand, South Africa, the Himalayas, and the Galapagos Islands to name just a few! Second place goes home with £950, third place with £550 and the rest of the runners up all receive £200.
Each of the finalists is also awarded membership to the Chartered Institute of Horticulture. “I am pleased that Hadlow were able to support this competition in holding the regional finals,” said senior horticulture skills trainer Gareth Batts, who was on the adjudication panel.
“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 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.”
Location: Hadlow, Kent
