Spend a year of paid work experience alongside a horticultural professional to become an expert in a group of plants, garden practice or style
About the placements
Learners will spend a year working with a specific garden department, assisting the team with day-to-day cultivation and maintenance tasks. Placements for 2023 will be available at all five RHS Gardens.
Applications are now closed
Applications across all five RHS Gardens for Professional Work Placements in 2024 will open on 1 December 2023.
Want to know more?
Hear first-hand from our current Professional Work Placements about what’s involved in this one-year opportunity.
Download the factsheet (875kB pdf)
What RHS Gardens have placements
RHS Garden Wisley
There are Professional Work Placements with the following teams:
- Alpines
- Edibles
- Formal and Ornamental
- Garden Support Services
- Glasshouse
- Herbaceous
- Nursery and Propagation
- Trials
- Welcome and Riverside
- Woodland
RHS Garden Harlow Carr
There are Professional Work Placements with the following teams:
- Alpine
- Edible and Productive
- Nursery
RHS Garden Rosemoor
There are Professional Work Placements with the following teams:
- Edibles
- Ornamental Horticulture
- Nursery and Propagation
RHS Garden Hyde Hall
There are Professional Work Placements with the following teams:
- Estate and Countryside
- Floral and Ornamental
RHS Garden Bridgewater
There are Professional Work Placements with the following teams:
- Edible
- Community and Wellbeing
- Ornamental and Turf
Applications and entry requirements
Applicants are expected, as a minimum, to have completed a Level 2 horticultural qualification. This could be a National Certificate in Horticulture, Horticultural Operative Apprenticeship Standard, a Level 2 Diploma in Horticulture such as a City & Guilds, the RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture or RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth and Development.
Applicants should have
- GCSE qualifications in English and maths (or equivalents)
- At least three months of practical work experience in a professional horticultural environment
- Experience of using basic horticultural machinery, equipment and/or tools
- Ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a team
- An openness to working with new individuals across the garden on a regular basis
- Experience of working with customers/visitors in a professional environment, and of giving good customer service
- A flexible approach to working (e.g. weekend work will be required on a regular basis, and evening work will be required from time to time)
Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK to apply. The RHS is unable to sponsor any visa applications. A good working knowledge of the English language is essential and evidence to that effect will be requested.
Applications are now closed
Applications across all five RHS Gardens for Professional Work Placements in 2024 will open on 1 December 2023.
Learner life at RHS Gardens
Training away from home can be daunting but we’re here to help you. We can support you with:
- Finding local accommodation
- Getting free access to our amazing libraries
- Connecting you with new friends from across the world
Find out more
Got a question?
Email our dedicated team and they’ll help you get your learning under way.
Email the team
You might also be interested in...
- Learner stories: See what our current and past learners have to say about their training at the RHS – read the stories
- Supporters: Our work-based training programmes are only possible with funding from our supporters – find out about our supporters
- Careers in horticulture: If you’re looking to change careers or just starting out, the world of horticulture has dozens of roles – explore more careers