The eight finalists - Institute of Horticulture Young Horticulturist of the Year 2014

The eight finals in this year's competition

The latest Young Horticulturist of the Year competition (YHoY) from the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIH) is open for entries.

The 30-year-old annual competition attracts more than 1,800 entrants each year, and gives young horticulturists from the UK and Ireland the opportunity to compete for the Percy Thrower Travel Bursary worth £2,000 which is generously provided by the Shropshire Horticultural Society.

For young horticulturists, who will be under the age of 30 by 31 July 2015, now is the time to take part in the first stage of the competition by entering one of the many YHoY heats taking place around the UK and Ireland.

The heats are open to students of horticulture and young horticultural professionals working in the industry, and there are three ways of taking part: By attending one of the heats taking place in colleges and venues throughout the Institute’s eight branches; at a workplace with a Chartered Institute of Horticulture-approved supervisor; or via Skype.

The closing date for entries is 10 February 2015.

The £2,000 Percy Thrower Travel Bursary, provided by the Shropshire Horticultural Society, enables the competition winner to undertake a trip, anywhere in the world, to study a subject related to their chosen field of horticulture.

The competition is run in three phases: local heats, regional finals and the Grand Final, with questions covering a wide range of horticultural subjects.

Heat winners go forward to one of eight regional finals, and the winner of each regional final will progress to the Grand Final on 9 May at the National Trust’s Barrington Court in Somerset.

The 2014 YHoY winner Chris Parsons, a self-employed gardener, said 'I'd recommend that anyone (of the right age) working in or studying horticulture should compete in YHoY. During the years I entered I've met some great kindred spirits and have become more involved with the Chartered Institute of Horticulture. I'm hoping to use my bursary to fund a trip to Taiwan to see its unique flora'

The 2012 YHoY winner Douglas Mackay, now assistant planning manager at S&A Produce, said 'Even though I was working/studying in horticulture, it was participating in the YHoY competition that made me feel a part of the much larger picture.

'It was always amazing fun, was a great talking point in my job interviews and has catapulted me into all sorts of amazing opportunities just by taking part.

To find out more about the 2015 YHoY competition and how to take part visit www.horticulture.org.uk.

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