By Isle of Wight Observer
By Roz Whistance
A young Island woman has secured a place on one of the country’s most sought‑after horticultural training schemes, thanks to a bursary from a local charity.
Shoshanah Hill, 22, has been accepted onto the Historical & Botanic Garden Training Programme, based at Osborne, the former home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Her achievement follows support from the Simon Goodenough Bursary, established by Ventnor Friends of Wight Horticulture (VFWH), which enabled her to study for the RHS Level 2 Diploma on-line. Determined to make the most of the opportunity, she committed to completing the two‑year course in just one year – and is already well on track.
Osborne’s gardens are familiar ground for her. Since receiving the bursary, she has spent much of her spare time volunteering there, as well as at Ventnor Botanic Garden and, with landscape company CAR Gardens, building experience and demonstrating her commitment to a horticultural career.
Shoshanah said the combination of gardening and history made the programme irresistible. “Working in a historic garden and learning about the plants Queen Victoria and Prince Albert loved is fascinating,” she said. The year‑long, five‑day‑a‑week course combines academic and practical training, and will help her pursue her ambition of becoming a senior gardener in a historic or botanic garden.
She is looking forward to training under Osborne’s head gardener, Toby Beasley, and hopes to visit other gardens as part of her studies. “I’d love to visit the botanical gardens of Jerusalem one day,” she added.
VFWH chairman, Val Pitts, said Shoshanah was “a shining example” of what the bursary was created to achieve. Details for Islanders wishing to apply are available at iw.observer/vfwh.
