When I was a lad, I was happiest gardening in my parents’ cottage garden. Then life happened: university, career, relationships, clubbing, rental property after rental property. Gardening took a back seat until I came back to it in my mid-thirties on finally buying my first home with a tiny urban garden in Clapham.
Recently there’s been a great effort to excite young people about gardening and to encourage them to consider a career in horticulture. The RHS is reported to be rebranding specifically to appeal to youth.
I’ve seen lots of debate about what youth will and won’t like, but heard virtually nothing from young people themselves. So, this week I ran a survey of more than 500 youth aged 14 – 24 at online student community The Student Room, where I work as community director. I asked them what they think of gardening: here’s what I learned.
Gardening as an interest
“It is very cool” (female, aged 23)
As a hobby, gardening is seen positively. 72% of millennials have already helped with gardening, 79% have grown a plant and 75% enjoy growing plants.
Gardening TV
“Big up Monty D” (male, aged 18)
It may come as a surprise that half of 14 – 24 year olds (51%) have watched a range of gardening programmes. Naming everything from “that GBBO style allotment show” (The Big Allotment Challenge), The Autistic Gardener, and the most watched, Gardeners’ World.
Careers in horticulture
Gardening as a fun pastime is popular among young people; careers are a different matter entirely. Fewer than one in ten have considered a career in horticulture (93% haven’t, 7% have).
“I don’t think [horticulture] has good pay and it sounds boring” (Male, aged 16)
This closely reflects the fact only 7 in every 100 schools or colleges have suggested students consider a career in horticulture, gardening or botany. “I was never made aware of any particular [horticulture or botany] careers,” said one female respondent, aged 16.”
Horticultural salaries do not compete with other industries and youth are well aware of this. “Don’t think it pays well” (male, aged 17), “Don’t think it will provide enough money” (male, aged 16), “There isn’t that much money involved.” (female, aged 16).
After poor pay, “boring” (female, aged 17) was the second biggest reason to not consider a horticultural career. Many gave a positive reason of keeping gardening separate from work, “It’s a hobby for me, and I don’t want to make it become a drooling job - I want to enjoy it.” (male, aged 16).
Inspiring a generation, but which generation?
The 7% who did consider a career in horticulture jumped to 17% who might consider a horticultural career in later life. As the UK becomes an ageing population with more older people than young, living longer and working longer, it’s likely people will have second careers. Our focus could be well spent on those career changers.
Apprenticeships
Young people are pinched financially like no generation before. The average student going to university will leave with £45k of debt. If that’s the rock, the hard place is trying to get on the over-inflated housing ladder, where the average UK house price is well over £250k. No house, no garden.
“Maybe if I had my own garden, it would interest me. But since I live in an apartment I find it unsuitable for me” (Female, aged 18).
The Government’s recent drive to double UK apprenticeships to 3m may help, where young people can be paid up to £10,000 a year to study and work at the same time, rather than building up debt. There are many good schemes, including at the RHS and Kew, and football clubs can often be the most lucrative.
Appealing to youth
We asked those taking part in the survey what would make them more interested in gardening as a hobby or career. They said: better pay, owning an allotment or garden, being their own boss, the science / botanical elements, schools teaching horticulture, explaining the different careers possible and a love of nature.
- “If schools pushed more gardening i think more students would consider it as a caree.” Female, 15.
- “If it was encouraged in schools” Female, 16.
- “It’s kind of stereotypically for older people so I would like it to be more inviting to younger people” Female, 14.
- “I like the biological side of it. I might find it more interesting if I could set up little experiments to do” Female, 20.
- “As a career probably learning about rare plants and Doing work placements to see the different plants they have specific to the country.” Female, 17.
- “More info from current professional gardeners about what they do exactly.” Male, 18.
- “Learning about growing my own fruits and vegetables.” Female, 19.
- “Something like if you were given your own patch in an allotment where you were free to grow whatever you please.” Female, 17.
- “Easy to access plots of land in cities.” Female, 18.
- “Probably access to a large amount of land. Gardening on a small scale doesn’t seem fruitful to me as you can’t exactly plan to have lots of plants in a small garden.” Female, 19.
- “Gardening is awesome! Gotta encourage more people to know how to grow stuff in their garden! Even if its just runner beans ;).” Female, 17
The bottom line is we can inspire young people to garden but, like me, until they have their own garden it may fall on deaf ears - there are only so many succulents and terrariums a one bedroom flat can take after all (trust me, I know). Perhaps the real nut to crack for youth in horticulture is the biggie: pay them more.
Data
- Survey: 514 respondents aged 14 – 24 year olds (60% were 16 – 19 yr olds), split 40% male/60% female.
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