The National Trust
Careers in Gardening Heritage
The lowdown on National Trust Careerships
Annelise Brill, Student, Powis Castle Garden
It’s not bad when you wake up in the morning and are greeted by a stunning view of Powis Castle Garden from your bedroom window. Only two years before I was working in the cramped offices of a Housing Association and daydreaming of my allotment - my only respite from office life. However, I was not convinced that this demonstrated a serious interest in horticulture. Consequently I decided to test my commitment by volunteering at Erddig garden near Wrexham and a year later I was convinced enough to follow this up with a National Certificate course in horticulture. By the end of the course I was extremely lucky to be offered a National Trust Careership place at Powis Castle, one of the most magnificent and varied gardens within the Trust’s ownership.
The Careership consists of a three year placement in a National Trust garden combined with regular college blocks to study the RHS General Certificate and NVQ 2 and 3. Unlike most other college courses, the Careership is not just armchair gardening, and this is what makes it special. Despite the raised profile of gardening in the media, there are few people to actually do the hard grafting and so Careership provides essential training for a future generation of skilled, practical gardeners who will maintain these unique gardens for ever for everyone..
As students, we have the opportunity to work in some fantastic gardens alongside professional gardeners, and I am especially grateful to my colleagues at Powis who have generously given their knowledge, help and advice. With its exuberant borders, extraordinary hedges, woodland garden and extensive plant collection, Powis offers a wealth of opportunity for the budding horticulturalist. It is this unique opportunity to gain practical hands-on experience which has made the past two years fly by, and none of it would have been possible without NGS sponsorship.
The National Trust recruits 20 gardeners per year into the scheme. After 3 years of training they graduate and are equipped for a wide range of gardening roles.
Every year, money raised from special National Trust openings for the NGS helps support nursing, caring and gardening charities including the National Trust Careerships. (Around £200,000 is raised for careerships each year).