We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.

Our vision is a world where gardening is embraced as a way of life – a source of joy and fulfilment, building healthier lives, stronger communities, and thriving environments. To achieve this, our mission is to be there for everyone on their lifelong adventure with gardening. 

Placements

If you are a school student aged between 14 and 18, you have the opportunity to discover professional working environments at the RHS via work experience programmes at one of our stunning gardens.

Placements are available at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey and at RHS Garden Bridgewater in the Greater Manchester area. Our gardens are easily accessed by car and both gardens operate shuttle buses at certain times of the year. If travel is a concern, we may be able to offer additional support in certain circumstances.

Work experience can last from a few days to two weeks, and you can choose between the following teams, which cover a wide variety of working environments within the gardens:

• Garden Team – help our gardeners maintain our plant collection and plant for seasonal interest.
• Science and Collections Team – work with our botany, entomology and pathology teams at RHS Wisley to see how science underpins horticulture.
• Retail Team – create and maintain inspiring displays of our plants and gift shop areas.
• Visitor Services Team – welcome our guests to our gardens and help to deliver fantastic customer service.
• Education and Learning Team – help inspire the next generation of gardeners with workshops and activities.

Next steps

Watch the video

Visit rhs.org.uk/newshoots

 

T-Level Industry Placements

If you are studying for the T-Level Agriculture, Land Management and Production, you can undertake your compulsory industry placement within one of our horticultural teams at RHS Garden Wisley or RHS Garden Bridgewater.

• Get real-life experience of working as part of the team in one of the UK’s most prestigious public gardens.
• Learn hands-on alongside knowledgeable, skilled and experienced horticulturists about managing our plant collections.
• Be involved in day-to-day tasks in a diverse range of areas such as growing edible crops from around the world, or managing woodlands, learning how to be environmentally aware.

T-Level students will work with one of the Curatorial teams (our gardening teams) at either RHS Wisley or RHS Bridgewater, so according to which team you are allocated, you could be planting for seasonal interest, maintaining important plant collections, working with tropical plants in a greenhouse, or looking after the many tree specimen on site, among many other options. We will work together with you and your course provider to ensure your placement covers a good variety of skills and insights into the horticultural industries.

Our sites are easily accessed by car or taxi. At both gardens (Wisley and Bridgewater) shuttle buses operate at certain times of the year. If you think travel may be a barrier to you being able to carry out your placement at either of our gardens, please let us know, as we may be able to offer support in certain circumstances.

Next steps

Visit rhs.org.uk/newshoots

 

Taster Days

If you are curious about what it’s like to work in one of the UK’s most prestigious public gardens, then why not experience one of our fun and informal taster days run throughout the year at RHS Garden Wisley or RHS Garden Bridgewater. Our free sessions are designed for everyone, whether you are already a keen grower, simply have a love for plants, are interested in volunteering, or considering a horticultural career and want to know more.

Our one-off taster sessions include a walk and talk around our public gardens that showcase a vast range of horticultural displays. You’ll get to meet like-mined people, hear from gardening professionals, explore behind-the-scenes and discover:

• More about the Royal Horticultural Society
• How horticulture can benefit us and nature
• The different career paths available in horticulture
• How our gardening science team are researching how gardeners can make an environmental difference
• Information on careers/training and volunteering in horticulture.
• How to start or progress in your horticulture career.
• Our work experience programme

The session will also include a hands-on practical activity.

Next steps

Visit rhs.org.uk/newshoots

 

The RHS has been delivering horticultural training for over 200 years.

Our School of Horticulture offers annual work-based training opportunities across all five RHS gardens, the perfect starting point for those with no prior experience or formal horticultural qualifications. All you need is a passion for plants, the outdoors and nature. Our two-year Level 2 Horticultural and Arboriculture Apprenticeships provide a great opportunity to learn alongside experts, with additional college attendance:

Horticultural Operative Apprenticeship (L2) spend two years working alongside experienced horticulturists in our prestigious RHS Gardens. This experience gives a real understanding of the seasonal work involved in an ornamental garden. There is nothing like getting your hands dirty to grow your knowledge and confidence.

Arboriculture Apprenticeship (L2) spend two years working alongside experienced arborists in our prestigious RHS Gardens. This experience gives a real understanding of the seasonal work involved in maintaining trees within a public garden. Arboriculture teams develop and enhance trees and the wider landscapes of RHS Gardens to delight visitors and benefit wildlife.

Our Level 3 Apprenticeships are suitable for those with a minimum of 6 months’ practical horticultural experience:

Horticulture Supervisor Apprenticeship (L3) spend three years working alongside experienced horticulturists. This experience gives learners a real understanding of the seasonal work involved in an ornamental garden and an understanding of how garden teams carry out their work for the benefit of everyone.

Key benefits:

• Earn whilst learning.
• Great starting point to kick-start a successful career.
• Work alongside garden experts and grow your confidence, skills and knowledge.
• Gain real-life work experience and increase your chances of securing employment.

Next steps:

Read the Factsheet

Watch the video

Visit: rhs.org.uk/apprenticeships

At the RHS we believe that our differences, backgrounds, and experiences are what make us a better place to work and a more effective organisation. We believe that it is this uniqueness of individuals that is valuable and should be celebrated.

We will be bold and brave in our approach to tackling the issues surrounding inequality and take an active approach to ensure we are ready both for now and the future.

The Diversity and Inclusion of our people is embedded in our DNA, our recruitment, learning and creative processes. Everyone will feel more included, inspired, involved and informed and be part of an environment that is free from barriers and discrimination.

At the RHS, Diversity and Inclusion is about creating a sense of belonging.  We strive towards a diverse workplace and an inclusive culture where everyone feels that they belong, that their voice counts and that they can prosper in their career. We will work towards these aspirations through role modelling; enabling our people to use their voices; and engaging our stakeholders and communities.

We want our workforce to reflect and understand the diversity of our colleagues and customers and to develop and use the collective experience of that diverse workforce to provide inclusive and accessible experiences for everyone everywhere at the RHS.

We have a fundamental belief that valuing our people for their individuality will create a culture in which talent, creativity and innovation can thrive and will help bring out the best in our people, allowing them to perform at the highest standards and enabling us to deliver great visitor experiences for everyone in our gardens and at our shows.

It is essential that we identify, attract and recruit people that reflect the make-up of society and help us to develop this diverse talent across the organisation.

Next steps:

Read our RHS Strategy to 2030

Watch the video

In order to support individuals who are new to the industry or who have just completed entry-level horticultural qualifications to develop their practical experience, we are hosting a small number of part-time horticultural internships at RHS Garden Wisley.

These internships are designed to give practical experience by

• Working alongside our skilled horticulturists,
• Learning by doing,
• Observing seasonal horticultural tasks involved in curating and maintaining ornamental or edible horticulture within a large public garden setting,
• Experiencing the reality of working outdoors in all weathers,
• Witnessing how our teams support the horticulture industry in becoming more sustainable.

The internship will not provide you with a qualification, however with a portfolio of evidence you can take away and use in the next steps of your career.

Next steps

Visit rhs.org.uk/newshoots

Gardens root us to nature, to each other and to happiness. Plants are at the heart of any garden, and people nurture them wherever they are: rooftops, yards, back gardens, allotments, balconies, window boxes or living rooms. For many, plants and gardens provide their main connection with the natural world, offering respite and joy. 

The world is facing multiple crises, from the climate emergency and dramatic loss of biodiversity to profound societal and economic upheaval, and gardening can be integral to addressing them. The opportunity to garden is not just a nice to have, it’s fundamental to every life, and every society.

Plants and gardens help us to connect socially, feel good physically and mentally, and are good for the health of wildlife and our planet. Moreover, the horticultural and landscape industry plays a vital part in the economic health of the UK, offering jobs across a range of areas including nurseries, public and private gardens, landscaping, design and retail.

We have committed to being net positive for nature and people by 2030. This reaches into every aspect of what we do, setting stretching sustainability targets for our own operations.

The RHS will be climate positive within the decade by capturing and reducing more greenhouse gas emissions than it emits. Other targets include eliminating all single-use plastic, be peat free by 2025 and be water neutral. We will send zero waste to landfill – all our waste will be reduced, reused, recycled, composted or sent to energy recovery. We want all our activities to be truly inclusive and reflecting all the communities of the UK.

Next steps:

Read our RHS Strategy to 2030

Watch the video