Aberglasney Gardens is looking for those who have a passion for horticulture and are interested in pursuing a rewarding personal development opportunity, or a career change, to apply for the 2022/23 Aberglasney Student Bursary.

The Bursary is a 12-month funded training opportunity at Aberglasney’s historic and wonderfully diverse gardens. Chosen students will spend the year gaining hands-on experience and being trained on all common UK garden tasks as well as more specialist subjects including meadow management, specialist bulb planting and a variety of propagation methods.

Aberglasney’s Director of Operations Jim Stribling said,

Our training covers a wide range of subjects including garden maintenance, machinery and health & safety. There’s also specialist training in meadow management, bulb planting and a variety of propagation methods. Since our gardens are ever evolving, we are often able to provide students with unique and valuable opportunities to participate in significant landscape projects. Recent examples include our Valley Garden and Clematis Arbor where students were instrumental in their development and construction.

Students will work closely with our gardens team and have regular contact with our Head Gardener. A safe and supportive learning environment will be provided whilst allowing them to learn first-hand from experienced professionals. International applicants are very welcome at Aberglasney and we’re pleased to provide safe on-site accommodation for our students.

Stefano Ciabo was one of the successful recipients of the 2021 Bursary places. Alongside the traineeship at Aberglasney he is also completing the RHS level 2 certificate in the Principles of Horticulture having previously attended lessons at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden.

Stefano moved to the UK from Italy to study Garden Design and when he finishes his studies at Aberglasney in September he intends to pursuit a career in gardening and horticulture as well as garden design and construction.

Stefano said,

Working at Aberglasney has enforced my idea that I want to pursuit a career in gardening, especially as it is so good working with a group of talented horticulturists, students and volunteers as part of a team that runs a heritage site that is open to the public.