The Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition

History

The origins of the Young Horticulturist of the Year (YHoY) competition are varied and colourful, but by 1990 it had secured a regular place in the Chartered Institute of Horticulture’s annual calendar. That same year marked the first recorded Grand Final, held at Writtle College in Essex under the presidency of the late Des Day. Michael Myers claimed the title and embarked on a journey to the Philippines with his £1,000 travel bursary.

In the years that followed, winners continued to make their mark: David Ennis stepped into the spotlight in 1991, and in 1993 James Wickham used his bursary to explore the Himalayas. Since then, the travel bursary has grown to a generous £2,500, enabling winners to travel across the globe—from New Zealand, Europe, and Canada to Socotra, Ecuador, and the Galápagos, the Amazon, to South Africa.

Evolving the Competition

The competition has always followed a three-stage format. In its first decade, Round 1 was delivered via slide transparencies in college heats. This changed when Susan Nicholas took on the role of National Organiser (later becoming President of the Institute), alongside Competition Vice-Chair Graham Porter. Together, they introduced significant improvements, including transitioning Round 1 to college and open heats using a PowerPoint presentation of 40 multiple-choice questions.

In 2020, Victoria George became National Organiser and brought a fresh perspective to the competition. She modernised Round 1 by moving it online and restructured both the Regional and Grand Final rounds to enhance accessibility and engagement, as well as add contemporary themes.

Supporting the Future of Horticulture

The competition thrives thanks to the generosity of its sponsors, who contribute cash prizes and other awards at both Regional and Grand Final stages. The principal sponsor is the Shropshire Horticultural Society, which funds the Grand Final and, through their Percy Thrower Trust, provides the £2,500 travel bursary.

Over the years, the Grand Final has been hosted at prestigious venues across the UK and Ireland, including RHS and Botanical Gardens, The Eden Project, The Harrogate Flower Show, and more recently Emmanuel College Cambridge, Hestercombe, Somerset, and The Historic Royal Palace Hillsborough, Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

If you or your organisation are interested in supporting the competition—either nationally or regionally—we’d love to hear from you. We offer a range of sponsorship packages tailored to your level of involvement. Please email yhoy@horticulture.org.uk, and a member of our team will be in touch.

Where Are They Now?

The YHoY competition has been running for over 35 years, and while its legacy is strong, some records have been lost over time. To help us complete the history of the competition, we’re reaching out to past winners. If you’ve held the title and would like to share where your career has taken you, please get in touch at yhoy@horticulture.org.uk. We’d love to hear your story.

Round 1 takes place online and is open for the entire month of February each year. Participants use a single link for both registration and access to the quiz, which consists of 40 timed questions on general horticulture. The questions vary in type and difficulty, and include multiple choices, matching, and fill-in-the-blank formats.

There are eight Regional Finals, each hosted within one of the Institute’s designated regions (see map above). These are in-person events held at a variety of venues, scheduled on weekdays, evenings, or weekends, depending on Branch committee availability.

 The competition format consists of 10 rounds:

8 quiz rounds, featuring either directed or buzzer-based questions.

2 identification rounds: one focused on plants, and the other on weeds, pests, diseases, and disorders.

A comfort break is provided midway through the rounds to allow participants to recharge.

The winner of each Regional Final receives £150, with £100 awarded to the runner-up and £75 to the third-place contestant. The Regional Champion then progresses to the Grand Final, representing their region at the national level.

Each year, the Grand Final is hosted in a different Institute region, offering finalists an expenses-paid trip to a prestigious venue. Past locations have included botanical gardens, historic estates, and even a royal palace, making the event as memorable as it is meaningful.

The day begins with refreshments on arrival, followed by a guided tour for guests while the finalists tackle 2 identification rounds—one focused on plants, the other on weeds, pests, diseases, and disorders. After a relaxed lunch, the main competition begins, following the same format as the Regional Finals. The event concludes with a prize-giving and photographs, celebrating the achievements of all who took part.

The Grand Final winner receives the £2,500 Percy Thrower Travel Bursary, generously provided by the Shropshire Horticultural Society and the Percy Thrower Trust, to fund a horticultural trip anywhere in the world. Past winners have explored destinations such as South Africa, the Himalayas, and the Galapagos Islands. Second place is awarded £950, third place receives £550, and all remaining finalists take home £200, which can be used however they wish. In addition, every finalist is granted membership to the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and PlantNetwork, recognising their excellence and welcoming them into the professional community.