My time as an apprentice at the National Botanic Garden has been a varied, rewarding and fulfilling journey which I am so grateful for.
I have been involved in many projects including the Aberfan Memorial Garden renovation, which was an honour to be a part of, wild seed collecting at Llwydcoed Meadow and tree planting on the wider estate at the Botanic Garden.
There have been lots of challenges along the way. Many of the tasks are physically demanding and there have been many aches at the end of the day! However, the end result is always worth the hard work. The Covid 19 pandemic meant additional challenges in the way that we work and interact with each other, as well as having to switch from classroom to online lectures to study the RHS Level 2 qualifications. Learning to adapt is a new skill I think we have all achieved over the past year.
The Garden is such a great place to work and learn. With rotations every two months in different areas, I love how dynamic and ever-evolving it is. Through the Garden’s mission, I have seen first-hand how amazing our flora is and how it plays such an important role environmentally, in biodiversity, our health and wellbeing and also why conservation is so vitally important.
The horticultural team at the Garden hold a huge wealth of knowledge and through their sharing and support, I feel I have grown in confidence professionally and on a personal level. I’m excited for the next chapter in my career as a horticulturist and look forward to developing the skills that the apprenticeship has equipped me with.
Glen Pugh – May 2021