27 May 2009

Final year Foundation Degree Horticulture students recently returned from a 5 day tour of some of the ‘Horticulture World Class’ high points England has to offer. The tour, based in London, comprised a series of visits, including RHS Wisley, Wembley, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and a very memorable bicycle tour of the parks and green spaces of central London!

With blue skies and sunshine throughout the week, there were many highlights, none more so than meeting that ‘Grand Dame’ of Horticulture, Beth Chatto, in her very own garden. The tour finished with a very informative visit to the international seed and plant producers Ball Colegrave where students Valerie Orr and Rachel Ardis were able to see just where the seeds and young plants they were growing at Greenmount had come from. Rachel commented ‘I had no idea the process of seed processing  was still so labour intensive, but I now have a better understanding of the whole process of supplying plants, it was also really good to see the professionals planting the ‘Vertigardens’ as we are trying some at Greenmount.’

The tour is the culmination of two years of full time study on the Foundation Degree. For more details on this course or other horticulture courses please contact enquiries@cafre.ac.uk, telephone 028 9442 6601 or browse the horticulture section on the website - www.cafre.ac.uk/horticulture

Valerie Orr from Ballygowan and Rachel Ardis from Scarva watch intently as seeds are weighed and packaged at Ball Colegrave during their recent visit as part of their Foundation Degree horticulture study tour

Final Year FdSc Horticulture students meet one of the UK's greatest living gardeners, Beth Chatto, in her own garden

Final Year FdSc Horticulture students visit the RHS Bicentenary Glasshouse at Wisley

Final Year FdSc Horticulture students visit to the National Trust's Biddulph Grange