Beating Blue Monday in the garden
Beating Blue Monday
Today is Blue Monday, apparently the most depressing day of the year. According to research, people working in horticulture are less likely to be affected (see our recent post ‘Gardening best for job satisfaction for more info). With this in mind, the RHS is asking people to share what they love about their jobs, post pictures and give advice on getting into horticultural careers on its Facebook page or on Twitter using #OfficeVHorticulture.
The RHS carried out a survey of 1,000 adults in March last year, which revealed that attitudes towards careers in horticulture differ greatly between age groups. The vast majority of under 25s thinks that gardening isn’t a job to be proud of and “should only be considered as a career if you have failed academically”. However, people in the over 40s category thought the complete opposite. School leavers aren’t generally being encouraged to get careers in gardening and horticulture either – a quarter of the people surveyed said that lack of information was part of the reason that they had no interest in such jobs.
Another thing that holds people back is their own lack of knowledge of horticulture, but there are many careers where you can learn ‘on the job’ or take short courses or diplomas to get the qualifications you need for your chosen path. The ‘grow’ website (www.growcareers.info) gives advice on many career options and what you need to do to succeed.
Michael Perry, Thompson & Morgan’s New Product Manager, says “A career in horticulture isn’t all about digging borders! There’s a wide range of roles; you can get involved in anything from copy writing to rose pruning. Gardens and outdoor spaces are so important to people and we need to help break down the mystery behind how they’re created. It isn’t as daunting as you may think and incredibly enjoyable.”
Rebecca works in the Marketing department as part of the busy web team, focusing on updating the UK news and blog pages and Thompson & Morgan’s international website. Rebecca enjoys gardening and learning about flowers and growing vegetables with her young daughter.
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