Abbey Garden Scholarships & Bursaries
With thousands of exotic plants from across the globe, the Abbey Garden is an incredible place for horticultural students to gain invaluable experience. Head gardener Andrew Lawson spearheads various scholarships and bursaries to help students gain placement in this prestigious botanical site.
The Elizabeth Hess Scholarship
The Elizabeth Hess Scholarship at Tresco Abbey Garden is sponsored by the Studley College Trust, with the training and accommodation provided by the Tresco Abbey Garden. This scholarship is practical rather than academic, offering a year of work-based training for up to three students.
For those who are eager to broaden their plant knowledge or might be planning a career in botanic gardens, this scholarship is a great opportunity. This working year is best suited to those with some practical experience, along with basic horticultural training and qualifications.
The Scholarship allows students to live on Tresco Island for a year from September and to become part of the team of gardeners who look after this beautiful and unique garden..
The closing date for applications to this scheme is 31st March annually - please apply using the form below.
The Thistledown Horticultural Bursary
The Thistledown Horticultural Bursary provides financial support for a wide range of Horticultural projects both abroad and in the UK. Projects must have a very clear relevance to horticulture to be eligible to be considered - please find guidelines below.
Applications open annually on 1st April.
Trustees will award bursaries in June and December.
Exaples of the types of project elegible for funding:
- Expeditions for plant exploration and collection.
- Study tours to see plants in Amenity situations or their native habitats.
- Voluntary work placements in leading botanic and historic gardens.
- Conferences: attendance and participation.
- Traineeship: one year paid traineeship at a garden open to the public.
- Botanical artwork: painting or drawing plants in their natural habitats, or exhibiting at an RHS Show.
- Other: taxonomy, research, educational, or any other with a clear relevance to horticulture.
The bursary can be used for:
- Travel, accommodation, food
- Administration (e.g. obtaining health insurance, travel visa, CITES / collecting permits)
- Other (e.g. costs of a driver, or an interpreter)
- Obtaining high quality plant labelling
- Recording collections
Those eligible to apply include:
- Professional and student gardeners/horticulturists
- Plant and soil scientists
- Botanists
- Arboriculturists
- Landscapers
- Botanical artists
- Other related professionals
To download the application form, please click below and submit your completed form to mikenelhams@tresco.co.uk
