David Domoney launches search for young gardener of the year

TV Gardener David Domoney launches RHS Young School Gardener of the Year competition at RHS Show Cardiff 2012

The first RHS Young School Gardener of the Year competition was launched by TV gardener David Domoney at the RHS Show Cardiff last week.

Aimed at gardeners up to the age of 16, the annual competition was launched on ‘Get Kids Growing Day’ in National Gardening Week - a day where schools across the country got gardening.

At the launch, David met students from St John’s College Cardiff and showed them how to plant lettuce plants – they were also given gardening vouchers and gardening books.

David’s gardening career began in his own schooldays, so he is full of enthusiasm for the initiative: “‘My love for gardening began when I was at school and it’s for this reason that I feel the RHS Young School Gardener of the Year is such an important initiative. I loved meeting the kids – gardening is such a great way for them to learn while having fun – so we certainly had a laugh!”

Rachael Cooper, a teacher at St John’s College, said: ‘The children were so excited to meet David Domoney for the launch of the first RHS Young School Gardener of the Year competition. He was so entertaining and the children learned loads. David’s enthusiasm is infectious so he’s the perfect person to promote gardening in schools’

Divided into four age groups and aimed at RHS Campaign for School Gardening schools, there will be a winner of each age group who will receive gardening tools and £500 in garden gift vouchers for their schools. The overall winner, crowned Young School Gardener of the Year 2012, will spend a day at an RHS Garden of their choice, working with an RHS gardener and receive family tickets to either RHS Tatton Park Flower Show or RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2013, some garden tools and £500 in garden gift vouchers for their school.

How to enter the competition.