Now in its ninth year, the Future Gardeners programme held a graduation ceremony for its 24th class at the Chelsea Physic Garden in London.
With a 100% graduation rate, the 14 graduating students were joined by the Horticultural Trades Association’s Jennifer Pheasey and the National Garden Scheme’s (NGS) Dr Richard Claxton.
Run in London by Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST), the ten weeks course is an environmental and volunteering charity working to develop outstanding green spaces and outdoor activities that enhance health and wellbeing.
The class were also given an inspiring speech from former graduate in 2022, Dan Lea, who now works as an urban gardener with Better Bankside BID.
Lea led with encouraging employers to take a chance on someone, whilst advising the students to “use those connections you’ve made on this course,” describing it as “fundamental”.
Pheasey emphasised the importance of joining the horticulture world as “we cannot breathe without horticulture and the work that you do,” she tells the graduating class.
Claxton, as chief executive of the NGS, also spoke about the importance of the students and the Future Gardeners course. Whilst the scheme contributes to the support of the course, he teased the financial support should be going up.
A “life changing” course, a student, Chantelle Bernard, welcomes the world of horticulture as something “I never knew about before”.
The course also celebrated three outstanding students, two of which are currently working on the Queen Elizabeth II memorial garden in Regent’s Park with Blakedown Landscapes, whilst the third has been working at Kew Gardens.
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