RHS Level 2 and Level 3 Horticulture students travelled to The Netherlands for an intensive 3-day study tour during the Easter break, accompanied by Course Leader Nigel Cox and colleagues John Addison and Gemma Neech.

The purpose of the tour was to give a greater insight into a range of areas of Horticulture to support their studies at the Cannington campus. The tour was part-funded by college bursaries and grants from the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation.

The tour itinerary included:

Day 1 – a visit to the historic botanical gardens at Leiden, the oldest botanic gardens in Europe. Amongst the special sights was the superb tropical glasshouse, the huge Victoria lilies, and a rare collection of orchids

Day 2 – a morning visit to Appeltern where students could see over 200 model gardens and get design ideas, followed by a visit to the largest tree nursery in Europe at Van den Berks

Day 3 – the final day was a busy one with a visit to Vanda orchids to see production of rare and exotic orchids. The culmination of the tour was a visit to the spectacular bulb displays at Keukenhof, driving through fields of wild colour of tulips and hyacinths.

Student Nicola Carter said,

Having the opportunity to travel to a country I have not been to before whilst meeting likeminded students from various backgrounds was a highlight for me. As an adult working full time as a teacher and studying part-time online, it is difficult to gain a sense of perspective on where you are in the Horticulture world and learning a new field of expertise, particularly when considering changing career. To meet other students from the College across the range of RHS courses, combined with the experiences I had, has helped me to see a bigger picture and understand where I see myself next, along my Horticulture journey.

Course Leader Nigel Cox added,

This was a great opportunity for students to learn outside the classroom and to appreciate the importance of Horticulture. The need for well-trained personnel in our industry is paramount, and at Cannington students are well-prepared to take up positions in the industry.

Find out more about Horticulture courses for adult learners at BTC here.