This is the 26th year of the competition organised by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and sponsored by MorePeople. The 2015 winner from 1,800 entrants is Jessica Evans who is head gardener at the National Trust’s Tintinhull Gardens near Yeovil.
In addition to this award Jessica received also the Percy Thrower Travel Bursary of £2,500 which means she can undertake a trip, anywhere in the world, to study a subject related to her chosen field of horticulture. She has a particular interest in the scientific and ecology side of the profession and has many options open to her.
Jessica is especially delighted to be this year’s winner as she was runner-up in 2014 and this was the last year that she was eligible to take part in the competition. Chair of the YHOY Action Groups, Susan Nicholls, said: “There was a greater depth to the standard of the competitors this year, which is encouraging because that suggest the education and training they are receiving is working.” There were only ten marks between the top five entrants.
