The National Botanic Garden of Wales is helping to grow the gardeners of the future with two new apprenticeships in botanical horticulture.
Starting in September this year, the new posts are funded by the National Garden Scheme and private benefactor Patrick Daniell.
Garden director Huw Francis said the two-year apprenticeships are good news for Wales and great news for botanical horticulture: “We have had a long-held ambition to cultivate Welsh talent and this excellent news is a marvellous milestone on the journey to achieving that aim.”
Mr Francis said horticulture represents an excellent career path:
“We are doing all we can to ensure that we have suitably, well-trained professionals who can benefit the sector in years to come. There is a shortage of some 10,000 horticulturists UK wide so we are delighted to be playing a leading role for Wales in righting this wrong.”
Patrick Daniell has been supporting apprentices at the Garden since May 2015. The announcement of the NGS apprenticeship was made by National Garden Scheme president Mary Berry at a special ceremony in London yesterday (March 14) celebrating the organisation’s 90th anniversary.
The NGS has raised more than £50 million for charity through its ‘open garden’ scheme.
Mr Francis added: “We are very grateful to Patrick for his continuing support and dedication to this worthy cause and we are very pleased and proud to announce our new partnership with the National Garden Scheme.”
The National Botanic Garden of Wales is a registered charity, partly funded by the Welsh Government and Carmarthenshire County Council.
The Garden is open from 10am to 6pm with last entry at 5pm.
Admission to the Garden is £10.50 (including Gift Aid) for adults and £4.95 for children over 5. Entry is FREE for Garden members and parking is free for all.
For more information about this new scheme or anything else Garden-related, call 01558 667149 or email info@gardenofwales.org.uk