The 2017 Young Horticulturist of the Year competition, which has a £2500 travel bursary as its top prize, opens for entries this week

For anyone under the age of 30, the YHoY competition, organised by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, is an opportunity to explore an interest in horticulture, test their knowledge and get the opportunity to network with horticultural enthusiasts all over the UK and Ireland. The IOH meets thousands of horticulturists every year as they battle their way through three challenging rounds.

Lawrence Wright, the 2016 winner may use his Percy Thrower Trust Travel Bursary for a trip to Australia. He is currently working as a horticulturist and plantsman at the Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall, having completed his studies at RHS Gardens Wisley.

The 2015 YHoY winner Jessica Evans, senior gardener at the National Trust’s Tintinhull Gardens in Somerset said: “I would encourage others to take part as it is vitally important to celebrate the quality and knowledge of young horticulturists.”

Students, apprentices, trainees in the industry, or simply those with a love of horticulture, can take part. Heats are held at venues all over the country or via Skype and each region selects eight its top scoring entrants to attend a regional final, with prizes and monetary rewards provided by the sponsors at each stage.

The Grand Final is at the University of Chester in Shrewsbury on 6 May 6. The University is home of Percy Thrower and the Shropshire Horticultural Society, platinum sponsors of the competition and the travel bursary.

Entrants under 30 on 31 July 2017 can take part and can start to enter from today by emailing susan.nicholas@btinternet.com to declare an interest in competing..

To find out more, visit http://www.horticulture.org.uk/page.php?pageid=562