Colegrave Seabrook Foundation Awards New Production Horticulture Work Experience Bursaries

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation is delighted to announce the first recipients of its new Production Horticulture Work Experience Bursary. 

Launched this year with funding from the RHS Bursaries Committee and organised in partnership with Hillier Nurseries, the bursary offers horticultural students and early-career professionals the opportunity to gain two weeks of hands-on experience at the internationally renowned Hillier Nurseries in Hampshire. 

Adam Dunnett, Trustee of the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation and Production Director at Hillier Nurseries, said: 

“As you can imagine, this was a highly sought-after bursary and we were delighted by the response, receiving a large number of exceptionally strong applications. While this made selecting just two candidates incredibly difficult, it is hugely encouraging to see so many enthusiastic and passionate young horticulturists entering the industry. At Hillier, we are very pleased to be working with the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation to support the next generation of horticultural professionals and help them develop their careers within the industry.” 

The two successful applicants are Zoe Hill, Tree Nursery Officer with the National Trust, and Lexie Bull, who is studying at Pershore College while also working at Highfield Garden World. Each recipient will receive up to £1,750 to cover travel, accommodation and subsistence costs during their placement with Hillier. 

Zoe, who is keen to expand her knowledge of commercial tree production, will spend her placement at Hillier’s Andlers Ash Tree Nursery, where more than 250,000 semi-mature trees across 150 species are cultivated. During her time there, she will gain experience in soil preparation, planting, formative and crown pruning, irrigation, lifting, and preparing trees for dispatch. She will also develop an understanding of nursery biosecurity, large-scale logistics involved in tree lifting and delivery, and crop scheduling throughout the production cycle, while shadowing the nursery management team. 

Lexie, who is particularly interested in container plant production, will spend her first week at Hillier’s Brentry Container Nursery, focusing on propagation, potting, crop husbandry, irrigation, plant nutrition, pest and disease monitoring, and preparing plants for both retail and wholesale markets. The nursery produces up to one million ornamental plants annually, including shrubs, perennials and ornamental trees, giving Lexie valuable insight into large-scale ornamental plant production and cropping cycles. Her second week will be spent at Broadmead Nursery, where approximately 50,000 container-grown trees across 150 species are produced each year. Here, she will gain experience in formative pruning, staking, integrated pest management, and soil and media-based cultural practices, building a broader understanding of container-grown tree production for year-round planting. 

Speaking about receiving the bursary, Zoe said: 

“I am incredibly excited to receive this bursary and for the opportunity it gives me to further develop my career at a nursery with such a strong reputation as Hillier. I’m looking forward to learning from the team and gaining experience in maintaining the high horticultural standards for which they are known.” 

Lexie added: 

“I am delighted to be selected for this bursary and work experience at Hillier Nurseries. I can’t wait to learn more about the nursery side of the industry, develop new skills, and gain experience at such an amazing nursery.” 

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation is extremely grateful to the RHS Bursaries Committee for supporting this new initiative. It is hoped that the programme can be expanded in future years to offer placements across a wider range of nurseries, creating further opportunities for those starting careers in commercial plant production. 

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation continues to play a key role in supporting the next generation of horticultural professionals, helping students gain both the financial backing and real-world experience needed to succeed in the industry. 

Further information about the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation and the scholarships that are offered through them can be found on their website Home - Colegrave Seabrook Foundation or by contacting Nicci Gow, the administrator for the Foundation on info@colegraveseabrookfoundation.org.uk.

Ends

Editors notes

“To inspire the creation of green living spaces for now and the future” Hillier is one of the leading names in the horticultural industry, with 160 years of growing and retail experience.

Founded in 1864 by Edwin Hillier, the company remains a family-run nursery with the fifth generation now actively involved in the family business as it continues to grow.

Not only is Hillier the largest producer of semi-mature trees in Europe and grower of over one million plants at its Hampshire nursery, but it also employs over 750 staff across its nursery, amenity trees and 22 garden centre divisions and is a flourishing multi-million pound company. It proudly holds the world record for the most consecutive gold medals awards at the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, with 74 wins.

As one of the leading growers in the UK, Hillier is involved in many peat-free initiatives, including the RHS Peat-Free Fellowship, the largest peat-free collaborative research project globally. The company was amongst the first nurseries to become 100% peat-free across both its production nursery and retail garden centres, and all Hillier plants are grown in peat-free compost.

Recent successes for the company include the launch of its online shop, the substantial redevelopment of Hillier Garden Centre Newbury and the acquisition of the Rosebourne Garden Centre Group in November 2022, as well as sponsorship of BBC Gardeners’ World Live and BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair, and the incredibly popular free ‘Hillier Gardening Club’ loyalty program which now has over half a million members.

Renowned for being a leading breeder of plants in the UK at its 100% peat-free nursery in Hampshire, each year Hillier introduces amazing new varieties. Many of these have become essentials in British gardens and the company continues with the tradition of innovation and the introduction of new garden plants in the present day.