I have finished my Horticultural foundation degree!

[Archie_tect]

Well done Gromit... could you take out a Student loan for the tuition fees with your local education authority which would reduce the burden this summer and give you more time?

Is it worth contacting the National Trust or RHS for summer work in their gardens?

 

[Gromit]

Its my 2nd time round at uni so I have already had my three years plus one. I got a 3rd the first time round in my Archaeology degree. This time I'm heading for a high 2:2 or 2:1. If I get a merit this year I'm allowed to go back next year.

My course is more geared to working within a glasshouse propagating plants, everyone does garden design and management, I wanted to learn how to grow things properly. Unfortunately my 2nd year has been mostly management hence why, fingers crossed I'm hoping to get the summer placement at Harper Adams University to be a research assistant to an Agronomist, plus it pays £200 a week.

 

[Archie_tect]

Good luck with the Harper Adams job, sounds really interesting [and pays too!]

I spent a summer researching for my final year design project in Kew which I really enjoyed [but it was 28 years ago! -scary to think where the time's gone] .... they are always really helpful and enthusiastic.

 

[Gromit]

Kew wow, I bet that was a really interesting placement?

I haven't been to Kew yet, would love to have a look around their glasshouses. I would also like to go and have a nosey around the Thanet Earth glasshouse. One day I maybe able to afford my own high tech glasshouse....... We can but dream.

 

[Archie_tect]

Kew wow, I bet that was a really interesting placement?

I haven't been to Kew yet, would love to have a look around their glasshouses. I would also like to go and have a nosey around the Thanet Earth glasshouse. One day I maybe able to afford my own high tech glasshouse....... We can but dream.

It was fantastic but it wasn't a placement as such, we each had to do our own research for our own final year degree design project and I chose to do the Kew Design Competition Site for the new Economic Botany Collection and Museum Building [build on a site just to the north of the Aroid House.]

I wrote to the Director and he arranged for me to spend a week with the Kew management team. It's amazing where you can get to if you've the nerve to try... and being 22 at the time, it never struck me how pushy it was!

The Tropical, Temperate and Princess Diana glasshouses are incredible. The Eden Project in Cornwall is something you must see too.