The Historic and Botanic Garden Training Programme (HBGTP) provides training placements for people looking to enter the horticultural industry, specifically those wishing to pursue a career in a historic or botanic garden setting. The programme provides practical experience in a garden, working as part of the garden team for one year. Each traineeship is a full-time, salaried placement which provides in-garden practical training, regular plant identification tests to increase plant knowledge, and projects to develop core horticultural skills. The scheme recruits every March so now is the time to apply!
Every year, prestigious gardens around the UK open their doors to trainees providing a unique opportunity for the enthusiastic horticulturist. The only requirement is that applicants must demonstrate some prior experience of working in the horticultural sector, even as a volunteer. No horticultural qualification is necessary. So far the scheme has supported over 280 trainees in their journey into horticulture.
This year, there are 16 placements available in 12 gardens distributed across the UK. From botanic gardens such as the National Botanic Garden of Wales, St Andrews Botanic Garden and Ness Botanic Gardens to the English Heritage gardens at Wrest Park, Walmer Castle, Osbourne and Audley End, and amazing gardens at Chatsworth House and Winterbourne House and Garden, the programme provides opportunities to gain hands on horticultural experience in some of most well-known gardens.
Trainees also have the opportunity to meet trainees on other schemes such as the PGG and MacRobert Trust. There is also membership of PlantNetwork to support the training experience – even if trainees are at non-member gardens!
There is much more information about the HBGTP at the dedicated website: https://hbgtp.org.uk/. You can explore the current list of placement gardens for 2022/23, find out more about the scheme and how to apply, and find out about previous placements. If you are interested in hosting a trainee, there is also information on how to become a placement garden and benefit from training new horticulturists.
If you have any questions about the HBGTP and the recruitment process, please contact Elinor Davies (Elinor.Davies@english-heritage.org.uk).
If applying for the 2022/23 intake, you have until Sunday 27 March 2022 to submit your application.