About the Professional Gardener's Guild
Formed in 1977, The Professional Gardeners Guild was originally a society for Head Gardeners and Garden Managers. Over the years, it has evolved to include assistant gardeners, single-handed gardeners, students, self-employed gardeners, in fact anyone who makes their living through professional gardening. It will be primarily of interest to those working in the private and heritage sectors.
The Guild is managed entirely by fellow professional gardeners and is funded by membership subscriptions. It aims to promote gardening as a profession, and to put gardeners in touch with each other, through its Journal and through regular regional and national meetings.
The PGG organises national and regional meetings throughout the year, in all parts of the country, for members and their guests. The object of the day is to look round the garden or gardens hosting the meeting and to meet other members, to exchange views, ideas, information and plants. To see the diary of forthcoming events, click here.
The PGG produces a quarterly journal, The Professional Gardener, with articles produced almost entirely by members of the Guild.
In 1995, in response to the growing shortage of skilled, trained gardeners, the Guild set up a traineeship scheme. The PGG traineeship provides successful candidates with the opportunity to gain "hands on" practical experience whilst working as part of the team within major gardens throughout the country. Click here for more details.
The Professional Gardeners' Guild has its own Trust fund, which aims to give financial help to gardeners wishing to further their careers through training. To read more about the PGG Trust, click here.
Other benefits that members enjoy include biennial conferences, regional and national meetings, a seed-exchange programme and access to a legal helpline. The Guild produces an employment 'job sheet', which is sent out to members who are looking for work.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE GUILD ARE:
- To promote and encourage professional contact, communication and co-operation between gardeners.
- To promote better management and maintenance of gardens and designed landscapes, especially those of historic, horticultural and botanic value.
- To promote and encourage the exchange of ideas and information on all aspects of professional gardening, including the use of both new technology and traditional skills, by means such as meetings, conferences and publications.
- To promote training of an appropriate kind in schools, colleges and the work place, in order to provide the horticultural industry with skilled gardeners and garden managers.
- To promote gardening as a profession and to assist in the placement of professional gardeners in private employment.
- To promote and maintain close links with related organisations.
