Case studies: Garden centre/nursery management trainee: Nick

Nick graduated with a foundation degree in horticulture

He really enjoyed the course, particularly its emphasis on work-related experience and the opportunity to undertake an in-depth research project. Nick worked part time in a local nursery and used this experience for his project. He researched developing a conservatory and garden furniture aspect to the business, an initiative that was successfully introduced last year.

During his final term at university Nick was approached by the nursery owner and told that they were about to advertise for a trainee manager. Competition for the job was fierce, but Nick applied and was successful. He commenced full-time work straight after graduation and has 'not stopped for a second ever since!'

The nursery grows its own plants for selling to the public via their garden centre. Nick is responsible for deputising for the owner when he is away and has day-to-day responsibility for the garden centre, garden furniture and café arms of the business. He also takes responsibility for staff training and anything else that needs doing on a day-to-day basis.

Nick says that his current role is a mixture of retail and horticulture. He anticipates that his involvement in the horticultural aspect of the business will become increasingly important as his responsibilities develop, although retailing will always be an important aspect of the job. He is looking forward to working more with the plants and he is enhancing his knowledge of the supply of plants, propagation, care, presentation and marketing. Nick feels that it is vital to remember that garden centres are retail environments and that you have to be able to sell plants to the public. This involves continually sourcing new ideas and discovering new and innovative plants and plant-based associated products.

The nursery that Nick works for has a long tradition of propagating roses. Nick is involved in all aspects of this work, which includes managing the small team of contractors that are employed for the 'budding season' in June, July and August. This process is very labour intensive as it involves grafting rose buds onto wild rose stock that then grow into the type of rose that has been grafted. The process is done by hand and requires great care. The cycle then continues to include the planting of wild rose stock, the lifting of roses to be sold in the nursery and the removal of buds for grafting. Nick is involved in the overseeing of all of these processes, although he is often involved in the actual work.

Nick is also involved in the growing of the range of bedding plants sold at the nursery. This involves the overseeing of all aspects of the process from setting seeds in the large greenhouse area, managing and maintaining the growth and health of the seedlings as they grow to established plants and then eventually packaging them for sale in the nursery. Key aspects are maintaining plant health, nutrition and watering and monitoring for pests and disease.

Nick enjoys the outdoor nature of his work, although he is more office based than he expected. He also enjoys spending his days surrounded by beautiful plants and objects. He recognises the challenge of the current difficult trading environment and knows that the garden centre has to remain innovative and competitive to succeed.

Nick would advise anybody interested in a career in commercial horticulture to gain relevant work experience, even if it is a Saturday job. He highly recommends the study of horticulture and will return to university to complete a part-time top-up to a degree qualification in the next few years.