“I'm really proud to be the ambassador for the Historic Botanic Garden Training Programme. We have tremendous skills in this country, and it's vital that we keep them going. We can do that through this training programme.” - Alan Titchmarsh MBE
Heritage an Botanical Gardens Training Programme
Apply Now!
Do you love being outdoors? Do you love gardening, growing and tending to plants? Do you want a career in horticulture? If so then apply now to become an HBGTP trainee!
Applications are now open and close at midnight on 23rd March 2025.
We have 17 trainee places available. Each placement is in a prestigious historic or botanic garden in the UK. Placements are for 1 year and commence in September 2025.
Interested? Click the button below to apply now!
Please note: The HBGTP is managed by English Heritage. Clicking the above button will take you through to the English Heritage jobs portal.
Newgardens announced
2025 Placement Gardens
We are happy to announce that the gardens offering placements from September 2025 will be as follows:
- Aldourie Castle
- Audley End House and Gardens (English Heritage)
- Birmingham Botanical Gardens
- Fulham Palace House and Garden
- Hatfield House
- Helmingham Hall Gardens
- Newby Hall
- Osborne (English Heritage)
- Picton Castle and Gardens
- The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens
- Trentham Estate
- Walmer Castle and Gardens (English Heritage)
- Winterbourne House and Garden
- Wrest Park (English Heritage)
The Historic and Botanic Garden Training Programme began in 2006, with an aim to ensure that the skills needed to work in a historic or botanic garden were passed on to those passionate and committed to a career in horticulture.
The Programme:
- The HBGTP provides full-time paid work (minimum of national living wage) as a trainee gardener in a UK historic or botanic garden, placements last 12 months and start in September each year.
- Specialist on-the-tools training is combined with written projects, plant idents and a daily journal.
- You can apply from the start of March 2025, via this website. Anyone over the age of 18 is eligible to apply but must be able to demonstrate some prior paid or voluntary experience working in the horticulture sector.
Trainee Experience Watch
HBG Training Programme at Trentham
HBG Training Programme at Osborne
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