How volunteering can support a career change into horticulture
Katie Heap became an RHS volunteer to pursue her dream of starting a career in horticulture
Katie Heap is a horticultural apprentice at RHS Garden Bridgewater. She first joined the RHS as a Visitor Services Assistant, and later volunteered with the Woodland and Estates gardening team to gain some horticultural experience. The knowledge she developed during her time as an RHS volunteer is now supporting her transition into her dream job in horticulture.
Could you explain how you came to work at the RHS and what sparked your interest in horticulture?
I remember driving past RHS Garden Bridgewater while it was still under development and thinking to myself, “I would love to work there one day.” Gardens have always been my happy place. I love exploring them, learning about plants and just being surrounded by nature, so having an RHS garden open practically on my doorstep in Manchester felt really exciting.
Katie Heap volunteering with Pam Pickard, Charly Bourne, Bev Williams and Peter Smith in the Woodland and Estates gardening team
I saw a job advert for a Visitor Services Assistant position at RHS Bridgewater, but the closing date had already passed by a couple of days. I applied anyway, and I got the job!
I had applied for an RHS apprenticeship a few times in the past and sadly been unsuccessful. Part of me hoped that working in Visitor Services might help improve my chances of getting onto the apprenticeship in the future, although I wasn’t overly confident because I knew the competition is so tough. At the time, I was just happy to be working there and spending time in the gardens whenever I could.
What made you want to change from your previous career into horticulture?
I’d been passionate about the environment for years and had long wanted to move into horticulture or conservation, but it’s not easy without experience and I struggled to get a foot in the door.
Eventually, I had a great conversation with my manager about my career goals. She was really supportive and helped put me in touch with one of the head gardeners at RHS Bridgewater to get some advice. That led to the suggestion of volunteering in the gardens as a way to gain experience and see if horticulture was the right path for me.
Amazingly, a volunteer spot for the Woodland and Estates gardening team had just opened up, but to take it, I needed to reduce my hours in my paid role. My manager was incredibly supportive and agreed to a new contract that made room for weekly volunteering. That flexibility had a huge impact and really allowed me to explore my passion properly.
From left to right: Veronica Swinburne, Pam Pickard, Katie Heap, Jane Pye and Jackie Davenport
What impact did volunteering at Bridgewater have on you and what did you find to be the most valuable outcome?
Volunteering has been such a positive experience and one of the best decisions I’ve made. I got to work alongside the gardening team – learning different techniques, gaining experience across the four seasons and really expanding my plant knowledge. Everyone on the team was so supportive and encouraging, always happy to explain things or show me how something was done.
What did you enjoy most about volunteering?
Over the years working at RHS, I’ve loved enjoying the gardens, but now I get to say that I’ve actually been involved with their development and maintenance. Through the seasons, watching
I would also say that, having seen both sides – being an RHS employee and a volunteer – it’s been great to feel so well looked after and appreciated by the team as a volunteer. There are so many benefits to volunteering at the RHS and I would definitely recommend it to anyone considering it.
