(calm classical music)
- Hello, and a very warm welcome back to HuwsNursery.
And I'm here with Will Williams.
So Will has entered the competition last year.
- Yes.
And when did you find out that you won?
- So, it would've been the end of July.
- We're basically gonna be talking a bit about
young people in horticulture.
Because I think, stereotypically it's seen
as something for the older generation.
And I don't know if you agree with that.
But the places where we differentiate
is that you kinda come from an urban area
and I come from a rural area.
But, I think we wanna get across how horticulture
can be for anyone of any age.
So, I think the first thing that everyone will want to know,
is how did you get into it?
- Well, so I left school when I was 16.
And then went and worked for a landscaper
for about two, two and a half years.
And then from there went and studied horticulture.
We touched on design very briefly
and I absolutely fell in love with it.
It was instantly something that I knew
that I really wanted to do and focus on.
And then I wanted to study a little bit more
about that particular subject.
So I went to the London College of Garden Design
where I learned to see and think as a designer
and, sort of, with mass and void,
and sort of different colours, textures and materials.
So from there I, after graduation,
probably about three, three and a half years ago,
I decided to start up my own, made the big leap
and the rest is history.
- What's your favourite thing about garden design?
- I think the freedom to be able to do what you want to.
I mean, sometimes you have particular clients
where you're slightly restricted to what you can do
and the garden is slightly restricting
but all in all you have your own impression on that space.
- And, what I love about gardening,
and even though we do very different things,
is that there's a lot of creativity with it.
And it's having that freedom and I think that's something
that isn't really encouraged for people,
and young people in schools.
So what do you think, in your opinion,
is missing maybe with the current school system?
Why aren't more young people getting into it?
- Well, when I was sort of that age,
I had no idea that it even existed.
Garden design, I just didn't know that it was a thing
until I went to Chelsea Flower Show
and saw that this is a massive industry.
And so, I think that for me, the shows opened up the doors
to this amazing world, so I think that helped me.
I think, in terms of helping others through it
and sort of offering those experiences,
possibly, schools can go to the shows.
Colleges and things like that can be opened up
to these amazing pieces of horticulture.
- So if there's anyone who's, I believe, under 28
who wants to enter this competition,
which is actually in a month's time,
the deadline is the 23rd of November,
to become the RHS Young Designer and take part in it,
what do you need to do?
- Well, so at the submission stage,
the RHS will ask you to fill out a form.
It might look quite daunting at the beginning,
but you sort of need to mention a little bit
about your garden, what the narrative to it is,
and sort of the key materials.
And in terms of plans it would be good to have a lay out,
a couple of perspectives and a couple of elevations as well
just to give the whole affect of the garden.
- If you are successful with it, you get a grant.
For this competition it's £11,500
which is a significant amount of money,
especially for someone who's young,
just wanting to start out in it
or maybe you have been doing a bit
and you've got a bit of experience.
But what has winning the competition meant for you
and your business?
- It's been great, I mean, it's been absolutely fantastic.
We've had a vast amount of enquiries from all over the UK
and a couple overseas as well.
So, it's an amazing platform to be able to, sort of,
show your work, show what you can do.
The RHS give you a lot of support and advice along the way.
You're up at Tatton, which is a wonderful place,
the park is beautiful.
No, it's just, it has been brilliant.
- What would you say to a young person who may be,
might be thinking about this in the future,
because it happens every year, this competition.
If someone's young and maybe in an urban area,
what would you tell them to try and get into gardening?
Because sometimes it's quite hard
in such a busy, bustling life to do that.
What kind of tips could you give to somebody
who's got a bit of interest to get started?
- So, in terms of indoor growing,
(aeroplane roaring)
I actually do a lot of it so sort of houseplants
and things like that, I've got quite a few of them
but there's also different growing techniques
that you can use for inside,
there are certain things that you can purchase
to make that a little bit easier for you.
But in terms of design, I mean, I always find inspiration
from large spaces such as RHS Garden Wisley,
and having a fantastic, sort of,
array of spaces around you always helps.
- And what's the moment like after you've designed a garden
and you see it in the flesh, as to say.
What's that feeling like?
- It's brilliant, like in terms of sitting
and enjoying the garden, I mean, that's the one thing
that I really, really liked about Tatton
and the garden that we created up there because we put our,
everything into it, absolutely everything.
And we were on site at 6:00 a.m., didn't leave
'til I think it was eight o'clock in the evening
and every day for about two and a half weeks.
And just to be able to sit in the garden
and enjoy something that you've seen on paper
for a very long time, in real life, is great.
- So, I know with you, not only did you get the grant,
but you managed to find other support.
So how did that work?
- So in terms of finding sort of support for our garden
that we did up in Tatton, I went and talked to quite a few
of the suppliers that I use on a day to day basis.
And went to them with the opportunity, with the garden,
presented it to them and fortunately they said,
that looks like something we'd love to get involved in.
And as it's for the Young Designer of the Year Competition,
I think a lot more suppliers are open
to helping out the younger generations
of garden design, horticulture to come through the ranks
and that's what I'm seeing more and more.
- Yeah, I would agree with that
because I think that the industry is really realising
that there's a lot of requirement for younger people
and the next generation
and perhaps maybe getting a bit worried
about not enough young people coming through.
So it's almost the best opportunity
for young people to get started because so many people
who are experienced and knowledge just wanna help us out
and I think that that's been a really huge help.
Because maybe if we were getting into this
when we were 30 or 40, for me at least,
the support would maybe have been 5% of what it is.
- A little bit different.
- Yeah, so age really matters and I think it's just
about taking the opportunity
and I think even if there's a local RHS garden near you,
or something, even if it's your neighbour,
just to start getting some designs going
and speaking to people.
I think there is so many different aspects
and we need to dispel the myth
that a gardener is someone who pots around in their shed
and is old and drinks tea all the time.
And I think there's just such a great opportunity
for young people these days.
So the final question I have for you is,
where do you see yourself in maybe five or 10 years time?
- So, five years time, I'd like to see myself,
having been at Chelsea Flower Show,
my practise to be growing, we've got quite a,
quite a strategic five year plan for my personal company.
And, so in terms of growing that, it's, sort of,
we're putting on quite a big expansion phase
over the next two years and looking to move premises
and looking to start bringing in people to come and help.
Which would be great, you know,
I mean it's something that I've always wanted.
And I mean running my own business, I absolutely love.
- Yeah, that's great.
So thank you very much for watching and good luck
and if you have any single bit of advice to anyone
who's entering, I know it's puttin' you on the spot,
but what would that be?
- Give it a go. (laughs)
- Exactly, it's so true, just do it!
(both laugh)