Young Horticulturalist of the Year 2019 announced

Kew Botanical horticulturist and Pershore graduate, Richard Moore has won the Young Horticulturalist of the Year 2019 after a thrilling Grand Final held at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Richard, who graduated with a 1st class honours degree in Horticulture in 2017, will receive the £2,500 Travel Bursary provided by the Percy Thrower Trust. He will be able to use it to fund horticultural travel anywhere in the world.

Richard said “Being a part of the Young Horticulturalist of the Year has been an incredible experience which has pushed me to improve my horticultural knowledge and has allowed me to make many new friends and connections within the horticultural industry”

Richard is planning to use the travel bursary to fund a trip to Japan, inspired by his wife who is Japanese so he can explore and study aspects of Japanese horticulture.

Richard was tied with Emily Marston at the end of the competition which then went through three tie break rounds.  Normally 2nd place wins a prize of £950 but this year the competition's main sponsor, Shropshire Horticultural Society, announced that they would give Emily, a Horticultural Apprentice at RHS Harlow Carr, a £2000 travel bursary. Life changing horticultural travel for both Richard and Emily.

3rd place went to Sally Newbrook, a horticulturist working at RHS Garden Rosemoor following a student placement at Tresco Abbey Gardens and gaining her RHS Level Practical Certificate.

The runners up in the competition were: Ben Clansey (Horticulturalist at Royal Oak Landscape Design), Owen Harlow (Horticulturalist at The National Trust for Scotland), Mark Matthews (Professional Gardeners Guild trainee at The National Botanic Garden of Wales), Frances Porter (Professional Gardens Guild trainee at Waddesdon Manor) and Leo Walsh (Horticulturalist at Universal Floral).                  

To take part in the 2020 competition, please visit www.horticulture.org.uk/young-horticulturist-of-the-year. Entry to the competition is free and is open to anyone below the age of 30 on 31 July of the year of the competition.