Professional Work Placements

Spend a year of paid work experience alongside a horticultural professional to become an expert in a group of plants, garden practice or style

Specialist Horticultural Placement

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
Working in the garden

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

Apprentice gardeners working in the gardens

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...

Learners working in the gardenSchool of Horticulture CeremonyRHS Learner
  • 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

Application dates

Applications are now closed at all RHS Gardens for RHS Apprenticeships, Diploma and Professional Work Placements.

Our 2024 recruitment will open on 1 December 2023.
 
While applications are closed, see what our current and past learners have to say about their training at the RHS.

Find out more

RHS opportunities

Carrying hellebores in the gardenJoin one of the largest industries in the UK – working in horticulture is a great way of life and has opportunities for everyone.

RHS Careers

Courses & workshops

Learn a new skill or brush up on old ones with a workshop or short course with the RHS.

Find a course

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.