My first month at RHS Garden Wisley was spent working with the Trials Horticulture and Trials Curatorial teams. Having a background in trialling cultivated plants at the University of Georgia, it was interesting to compare how trials are planned, conducted, and evaluated within a charity like the RHS, as opposed to more industry-based settings, such as university trial gardens in the US. I felt at home in the trials garden as I prepped beds, took soil samples for future trials, and measured out plantings. Comparatively, on the office side of things, I learned about creating plans, sourcing plant material, and writing final reports for plant trials.
I found an especially interesting aspect of trialling is the forums in which AGMs are awarded. I observed the Gladiolus and Lantana forums and very much enjoyed seeing the discourse on what made (or did not make) a plant worthy of receiving an award of such importance, and I challenged myself to look beyond my own perspective and consider that of the home gardener whom the AGM is meant for. I also got to shadow judges at the Malvern Autumn Show in their evaluation of a wide range of plant displays. I learnt just how connected the world of horticulture is when some of the judges at Malvern were also some of the members on the trial forums! It was nice to already have some familiar faces in the short time that I had been in the UK.
