Brighton gardener wins BBC award

A TRAINEE horticulturist at Bates Green Farm in Arlington has won a silver medal for her show garden at BBC Gardener’s World Live annual flower show in Birmingham.

Emma Lindsay, 28, from Brighton is on a year-long placement under the guidance of Head Gardener Emma Reece.She is training as part of the WRAG Scheme – Work and Retrain as a Gardener – since November 2023, and she loves it.

She worked hard to achieve this prestigious award at the BBC Gardeners World Live show. There were eight other students taking part, all of whom had to design and build their garden from scratch.

Emma said: “I love the challenge of garden design and so coming up with my concept and then realizing it as an actual garden was so fulfilling and enjoyable for me.”

Emma works 2 days a week at Bates Green Garden undertaking a variety of seasonal tasks and working through the WRAGS syllabus. (including looking after the plants, pruning and general maintenance.)

She said: “I am absolutely loving my year with John, Emma and the team. They are all fantastic and so supportive, I am learning so much. Bates Green Garden is a truly beautiful garden, and I love being able to play a small part in that success.

“I’ve always loved gardening. When I was younger and I couldn’t sleep, I would design gardens in my head to relax.

“I am doing something that I have always wanted to do.

Head Gardener Emma Reece said: “Emma is now part of the family here. She entered the competition after only a few weeks here. She was brave, clever and courageous in what she did, and of course she was supported by the team here.”