Hedgecutting is an almost constant task at RHS Rosemoor, especially in the Formal Gardens, where there are metres of evergreen hedging including
Ilex aquifolium 'J. C. Van Tol' and
Buxus sempervirens, and other deciduous examples including hornbeam,
Carpinus betulus. If you are a regular visitor, you will frequently see the team cutting hedges both at ground level and working on ladders to ensure the tops as straight and flat!
Find out how the hedges are kept so sharp at RHS Rosemoor and the maintenance routines for hedges, including what to do when, the tools to use and any challenges to look out for.
Tutor: Richard Wilson, part of the Formal Garden Team at RHS Rosemoor, retired from a 31-year RAF career as an aeronautical engineer in 2011. He developed his gardening hobby into a second career, completing a 2-year traineeship at the School of Heritage Gardening in Threave Gardens, National Trust for Scotland. Richard went on to train at Inverewe in Wester Ross, then as an employee at Lieth Hall in Aberdeenshire, before joining the team at Rosemoor in 2015.
Richard initially looked after the Hot Garden and the Spiral Garden (now the Cool Garden). He continues to take responsibility for the Cool Garden and and since 2022 has also taken responsibility for The Brash woodland play area. When not in either of these areas, Richard can often be found up a ladder, keeping the hedges neat and healthy.
Location and arrival information: The tutor will meet you on the Visitor Centre terrace and the workshop will take place entirely outside in the garden. Please allow 15 minutes to park in the main visitor car park, enter the garden assemble on the Visitor Centre terrace.
Catering: This workshop does not include catering. You are welcome to visit the onsite catering before or after your workshop. Full details of the available outlets and what they offer are on the
RHS Rosemoor Food and Drink page of the RHS website.
For this workshop you will need:
- Your booking reference number to show to the team at the Garden Entrance.
- A notebook and pencil to make notes.
- Clothing suitable for being indoors and outdoors, appropriate to weather on the day.
- Closed-toed shoes (not sandals or flipflops).
Skill Level: Upskiller – I have mastered the basics of gardening and would like to build on my horticultural knowledge and skills.
