Rob Byford, Growing Assistant (Plant Health and Biological Control)
Grow your career in horticulture with Rob Byford, Growing Assistant (Plant Health and Biological Control) from Beth Chatto’s Plants & Gardens
Why I love my job: I love working in horticulture because there is so much to learn! In fact, things are changing all the time, and because of that, there’s fantastic opportunities to trailblaze ideas which nobody else has done before. There’s an element of discovery, as we are always searching for better ways to grow, ourselves as well as the plants. You can also find an incredible amount of pride in growing and nurturing plant life. We live in a world today where we face many challenges, and two of these are the climate, and the protection of the natural world. By growing strong, healthy plants, which will go on to thrive all over the country we are having a positive impact on these challenges. The impact plants have on life cannot be understated, you’re not just growing something beautiful or interesting, you’re creating a home and nourishment for insects, who are the pollinating heroes who help us grow the food which feed us. Giving insects a home and food can lead to more insects, which means more nourishment for birds, mammals and other amazing creatures. As you can see, growing plants protects the natural world, us included, and knowing what an important impact we can have on life itself is the greatest reason for why I love my job.
What I loved doing at school: I particularly enjoyed geography, history, science and English at school. I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do when I was older, but I found myself naturally more interested in these subjects. I really loved carrying out experiments in my science class, and in my horticultural job today we experiment often. An example of this would be using different compost to grow certain plants, implementing new watering regimes, or simply, trying to grow a completely new plant! It gives me the same wonder I felt during experiments at school, it’s just muddier, and less flashy than putting magnesium in a Bunsen burner.
Childhood hobbies: have always adored the outdoors and spent much time walking and hiking over the woods. I played a lot of sports, and was a part of Brooklands football team, Colchester Cricket Club and Colchester Giants Basketball Club. I’m also a passionate reader, and books have played a great part in my life and certainly helped in my own education.
How to get into the sector: There are many fantastic routes into horticulture, but of course all of them feature education in some respect. One way would be through an apprenticeship at a garden, nursery or horticultural business. This way, you are learning the more studious parts of the role, such as plant names and how to care for them, but you’re also being incredibly practical and putting the theoretical knowledge into action. You’re also paid for your time, work and learning, which will bring more benefits into your life. Another popular way would be through attending a college, such as Writtle College or Suffolk Rural College, both of which are accessible from many places across Essex. They offer a great range of courses where you can start building your horticultural knowledge and skills. On completion you have given yourself a brilliant foundation to take your next steps, if that be a horticultural focused university course, or diving into the working world at a garden or nursery.
I, myself, attended a 10 week ‘Green Skills’ course at Suffolk Rural College, travelling up from Colchester. It was incredible, and I found a passion for all things plants! I had a great desire to get involved in the horticultural industry and began writing letters to local nurseries. A few weeks later I began my career where I am today, at Beth Chatto’s!
Related jobs: Plant propagation, wildlife conservation, soil science, biological control, gardener.
Career high: I have been very fortunate to have several career highs, but two of them certainly standout amongst them. One of these was attending the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and seeing plants I had helped (although a small part) to grow, being used in an incredible garden there. I was also lucky enough to be on the television, featuring on BBC Gardeners’ World, where I was able to express my love for insects and plants.
Top tip: Ask questions! Sometimes you might feel reluctant to ask a question, you may even convince yourself everybody else knows the answer apart from you. However, this is usually not the case. Never be afraid of not knowing! Keep asking questions, continue learning, and one day people will be coming to you with questions to learn from. By doing this you take responsibility for your own education and can be in control of your own knowledge and future. - Rob Byford, Growing Assistant (Plant Health and Biological Control)