Young people in horticulture are being offered the chance of financial aid to help cover the costs of attending a major networking event and review of the sector in Edinburgh next April. Celebrating the achievements of good practice and exploring how professionals can develop working methods for the future, the Sibbaldia & PlantNetwork Conference 2020: Promoting Excellence in Horticulture features a dynamic line-up of speakers, workshops and tours. Now, a set of bursaries has the potential to extend its availability to younger and less well-paid delegates.

Organised by Sibbaldia, the International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture, along with PlantNetwork and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, the event on April 22/23 focuses on challenges and possibilities facing practitioners across all nature of public gardens and designed landscapes – whether botanic, heritage or visitor attractions.

Part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s 350th anniversary celebrations, the event includes extensive opportunities to debate the role of horticulture in the curation and conservation of plants and garden heritage. As 2020 is the International Year of Plant Health, there will be a chance to find out more about what is being done to combat pathogens and raise awareness of how protecting plant health can help the environment, protect habitats, provide food and boost the economy.

To broaden the range of potential participants, funding is being awarded by the by Royal Horticultural Society offering five RHS bursaries. Applications are still open for Professional Gardeners' Trust awards for those who have committed to a career in horticulture and also from The Sibbald Trust to early career horticulturists and students. Finally, The BIG Gardening Bursary is being offered to the youngest delegate to register for the event.

“This two-day conference is an excellent opportunity for professionals, students and keen amateur gardeners to network, learn more about the horticulture sector as it is today and plan what action is needed for the future,” said organiser Kate Hughes, of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. “It is important to everyone involved in organising the event that we ensure it is inclusive, so we urge everybody to look at the grants page on the Conference website.”

Her words were echoed by PlantNetwork Coordinator Rebecca Slack, who added: “By making grants available for travel, accommodation and tickets, the combined group of trusts have boosted our ambition of ensuring we can engage young horticulturists around the country and allow them a say in shaping horticulture for future generations. We look forward to welcoming everyone to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in April 2020.”

More information on bursaries can be found on the RBGE website (https://bit.ly/2Ett25H) or by sending an email to office@plantnetwork.org