Friday, 28 April 2017

Teesdale apprentice to train at London’s Kew Gardens

A young horticultural enthusiast is set to unearth more about the world of horticulture after being chosen to work at the world’s biggest botanical garden.
For much of the past five years, 19-year-old Thomas Wilson, from Marwood, has played a huge part in the cultivation and management of Eggleston Hall Gardens.
His dedication to the gardens has now earned him a chance to work at Kew Gardens, in London – home to the largest living plant collection in the world.
The apprentice horticulturalist’s love for all things green began when he was still at school after deciding to do work experience at the upper dale gardens owned by Malcolm and Lisa Hockham.
He said: “At Teesdale School in year ten you had to choose somewhere to do work experience. I did it here.
“I never really knew what I wanted to do but as soon as I did that I thought I want to work here.”
Having started to work at the gardens in June 2012, it wasn’t until 2014 when Mr Wilson had finished his sixth form studies, that he took on a full-time role.
Mr Wilson said: “Any school holidays I would come and work here. Most weekends I would work both days.
“I started off just doing the basics such as potting and maintaining the plants and the nursery and it progressed from there on to more nursery work and working the borders.
“I do a lot of propagating here. I am also involved with the structure of the nursery and orders.”
Mr Wilson began a horticulture apprenticeship at the gardens in 2015. This has helped him to further his knowledge and expertise without which he would not have been able to apply for a place at Kew Gardens.
He said: “I love working outside. I grew up on a farm in the outdoors. As soon as I came here I enjoyed the variety of the work and the people here.
“I have never been certain about going to university so I deferred my place to see how it went here then I decided university wasn’t for me. Malcolm and Lisa suggested that I did the apprenticeship here and at the end of last year I applied for Kew Gardens.”
With only 14 places up for grabs each year, Mr Wilson underwent a competitive selection process. He was fortunate to receive an offer to study for a diploma in botanic horticulture.
Mr Wilson said: “I was really shocked and amazed but really excited at the same time.
“I never thought I would be the sort of person they would be looking for. It is a really exciting prospect being able to go down there and be employed at the gardens full-time for three years. It will be a massive learning curve.”
He added: “I would like to think I will be back here at some point. Eggleston Hall Gardens has taught me everything I know.
“Without Malcolm and Lisa teaching me I would not be going to Kew. I would like to say a massive thank you to them both and to my family for their support.”
Mr Wilson will join Kew Gardens full time in September.
Eggleston Hall Gardens co-owner Lisa Hockham said: “Thomas can just about run the place by himself and he has been an asset to the gardens.
“He has been doing an apprenticeship here but it is through his own ability that he has got a place at Kew Gardens.
“He is confident at everything he does. I don’t think there is any job in the garden he can’t do. We hope he comes back but we will probably be seeing him on Gardeners’ World.”
Mr Hockham added: “Kew will push Thomas beyond what I am able to do here at Eggleston. I believe he is quite exceptional and frankly teaching him was easy because he effectively taught himself through being genuinely interested especially in coniferous plants. Thomas should be proud of himself. I am sorry to lose him for the next three years but there is no place I’d rather lose him to and there is no limit to what he will learn there.”

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