Candidates from this year’s Rising Stars programme sponsored jointly by Westland Horticulture and the Garden Centre Association spent time on the Westland stand at Glee gathering ideas and information for their 2022 workshop projects.
Around a dozen of the 16 entrants were joined by members of the Young People’s Horticulture Association (YPHA), an ideal opportunity to swap notes and share views.
The Rising Stars programme, which is designed to challenge trainees to develop their knowledge of the garden industry and think outside the box, is based on a series of workshops, after which entra.nts are assessed and a shortlist produced. The finalists present their finished projects to GCA members at their annual conference to find the Rising Star of 2023..
Previous workshop events included visits to Westland’s Peterborough facility and to NIAB, Westland’s research and development partner.
Sustainability features prominently in this year’s workshop programme – so the tour of Westland’s stand will have given the candidates plenty of material to work with.
Here is the list of candidates, centres and their individual projects.
Louise Oaks Bents Home composting
Jennifer Ind Webbs of Wychbold The environmental benefits of plants through companion planting
Pip Bransfield -Garth Ruxley Manor Bug Buffet
Victoria Taylor Barton Grange Integrated Pest management
Lauren Bell Millbrook Wildlife Garden
Matt Carr Barton Grange Water sustainability - small changes to make a big difference
Ashley Baines Barton Grange Bringing wildlife home
Gus McWilliamSilk Monkton Elm Solar powered self contained flood benches
Natalie Gray Monkton Elm Growing Biodiversity
Mia Crawford Poundbury Gardens Planting for wildlife in small spaces
Harry Ridgers Haskins Forest Lodge Environmental education
Ella-May Bradshaw Bosworths Bees Needs Week
Mary Quennell Bents Sensory Garden
Jo Adderley Bents Plastics recycling
