We are delighted to welcome Liz Bailey as our new Trainee Gardener. Liz has joined us through the Work & Retrain as a Gardener Scheme (WRAGS) . We are very grateful to the Finnis Scott Foundation for funding Liz’s training placement.
The WRAG scheme was launched 30 years ago by the Working For Gardener’s Association (WFGA) to provide paid, part-time, practical horticultural training. Today it is aimed at anyone who wants to develop their own gardening skills and knowledge or to help them move into a career in horticulture.
Liz will be working as part of our garden team one a day a week for a year. During this time she will undertake a range of seasonal gardening activities, in order to learn and practice various horticultural skills. These include soil cultivation, planting , propagation, care of lawns, borders and hedges and the use of tools and machinery.
Liz explains her interest in the scheme:
"I applied to the WRAGS scheme as I had been told about it by a friend who is also working in a garden in Missenden.
The scheme offers the opportunity to study other gardens and exchange horticultural ideas.
I am really pleased to be working in the most beautiful garden in Turn End and to learn about how to manage a garden practically through the year under the guidance of an expert gardener. "
Liz will be working alongside Jackie Hunt, Turn End’s Gardener, as well as our wonderful small team of experienced and knowledgeable volunteers and as and when local gardeners.
Jackie explains:
“We are very grateful to the Finnis Scott Foundation for providing a grant to Turn End Trust to host this training placement. One of the Trust’s core objectives is education, so we’re delighted to offer Liz practical experience and support to enable her to develop her horticultural skills. Liz has quickly become a key part of the team, demonstrating enormous enthusiasm to learn and contribute to our busy timetable of garden care. She’s also helping us to keep learning by asking us interesting and challenging questions about plants, techniques and places to visit.
Liz’s hard work is very much valued at this exciting but busy time for the Trust, as our small, dedicated team works to ensure we continue Peter Aldington’s horticultural and architectural legacy here at Turn End. We very much enjoy sharing this special place with our visitors and we’re delighted that Liz is able to contribute to the love and attention that we give to the garden”.
