Samuel
Baillie

"I have been passionate about plants and horticulture for as long as I can remember. After leaving school, I studied a BTEC Level 3 in Horticulture at college which inspired a passion for pursuing a horticulture career. Following college, I worked as a professional horticulturist for three years, which included a Royal Horticultural Society funded bursary as a Craft Gardener Trainee at a nationally significant RHS partner garden. Nonetheless, I was passionate about expanding my horticultural knowledge through undertaking a horticulture degree. I was keen to discover the full scope of the industry, the wider career options and the different sectors."

"After graduating from my foundation degree elsewhere, I took a year out working as the Head Gardener. However, I was determined to finish my full undergraduate degree and I enrolled on the BSc (Hons) Horticulture (Final Year Top-up) course at NTU."

"I was recommended to study BSc (Hons) Horticulture at NTU by a close friend who recently graduated from the course. The modules and the variety of the subject content appealed to me and I was not disappointed. Each course module was highly relevant to the horticulture industry and helped develop the theoretical and employability skills required to succeed in a horticulture career."

"The course modules also encompassed and captured the diversity and variety of the sectors found in horticulture, such as garden and landscape design projects  (International Landscape Strategies & Project Management), horticulture science and crop production (Agronomy), and the international challenges facing the horticulture industry (Global Politics, Issues and Ethics)."

I most enjoyed studying the modules in Agronomy and Global Politics, and Issues and Ethics (GPIE), learning about the challenges facing the horticulture industry and beyond, such as food insecurity. It was interesting to discover the different growing systems, cultivation techniques, agricultural innovations and crop protection methods being applied in the effort to achieve global food security and sustainable agriculture in the face of global challenges such as climate change, poverty and the degradation of agricultural land."

"I enjoyed applying what I learned in GPIE and Agronomy to my dissertation/keystone project. I investigated the effects of different LED light spectra on the growth and pigment accumulation of Swiss Chard (an important & internationally grown food crop, with rich antioxidant properties) growing in hydroponic systems; this study related directly to the use of controlled environment growing techniques and the other modules of my course."

"Upon joining NTU, I was naturally worried that I would struggle to adapt to studying in a different academic environment, with different lecturing styles and a new cohort. However, the course tutors and fellow students made me feel instantly at home at NTU. Every module was delivered perfectly and passionately by experienced tutors with wide industry experience, helping me to achieve a First-Class grade in each of the modules."

"Mark Oxenbury, Dr. Anne Coules and the horticulture tutors remained ever-present and supportive when face-to-face lectures ceased due to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was a confusing and unsettling time and the tutors and NTU were always supportive following the change to online learning, helping us through the disruption to our final year. Furthermore, since graduation, the horticulture tutors have offered continued support and suggestions during the job searching process."

"Brackenhurst campus is the perfect situation to study a horticulture degree. The grounds are brilliant for strolling through with friends and the nature and planting found around the Brackenhurst campus are inspiring for any horticulture student. I frequently used the glasshouses alongside Professor Chungui Lu’s container farm facilities for my dissertation. The container farm facilities were inspiring and stimulated a passion for sustainable agriculture innovations, such as vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture."

"The glasshouse staff and Professor Chungui Lu’s team were influential in helping me to achieve my First-Class Honours, providing me with all the equipment and facilities I needed to undertake my dissertation research. The Lyth building was opened just before the change to online learning during my time at NTU, but it will provide the perfect learning environment for future NTU Brackenhurst students alongside the existing facilities."

"Since graduating from NTU, I have been successful in my application for working as a Plant Health and Seed Inspector for the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) of DEFRA. The role helps to ensure biosecurity in the UK for the preservation of our environment and economy."

"The degree has given me the knowledge, industry understanding, and employability to make a successful career in horticulture. The BSc (Hons) in Horticulture at NTU has opened up new career opportunities which I was previously unaware of. The knowledge I gained from Crop Protection during the Agronomy module was highly influential in helping me to secure a role as a plant health inspector for APHA."

The top tip I would give to someone starting out in horticulture is: be open and keen to learn about each aspect of the industry. There is such a wide range of horticulture sectors to choose from and I think it is best to use your horticulture degree to immerse yourself in each subject area; this will help to inform you of the right career path and horticulture sector to pursue."

"Another essential tip: learn and love plants. Plant identification and understanding is the foundation to horticulture. Learn everything you can: read about plants in your spare time; visit gardens; volunteer and work at nurseries, gardens, vertical farms; always actively engage with the plants in your environment. If you love plants and horticulture, it will become a life-long passion; this passion will drive you to success during your horticulture degree."

"Horticulture is one of the most significant, relevant and enriching undergraduate degrees you can undertake at NTU for its environmental, social and economic significance. Horticulture is the window to the world, and NTU and the Brackenhurst campus provide an industry leading course to study!"