Oatridge Horticultural Student Reaches Finals of Top UK Landscaping Competition
​Published Wednesday, 3rd August 2016 in Oatridge Campus news

A horticultural student from the Oatridge Campus of SRUC has reached the finals of a prestigious UK-wide landscaping competition.
Josh Dow has beaten off stiff competition in a regional heat and a national semi-final to reach the final of the UK WorldSkills UK Landscaping Competition, run by the Association of Professional Landscapers.

The honour of reaching the final is a fitting celebration for Josh who has just completed an NC in Horticulture with Landscape Construction at SRUC Oatridge. He enjoyed the course so much he is now about to further his studies by progressing onto the HNC in Landscape Management.

Josh started his journey in the competition at the regional heat held at the Gardening Scotland event – scoring highly with the judges to allow him to compete in the semi-final which was held at the high profile Royal Horticultural Society’s Flower Show at Tatton Park in Cheshire.
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The competitors were tested on their timber, brickwork and planting skills over 18 hours to individually build a full 6m x 2m garden – being marked on the quality of their work and attention to detail.
Josh’s garden design featured trellis fencing, monoblocking, planted areas, a slabbed patio and a turfed area.

The judges decided that the scores of the competitors were so close that they decided all seven competitors would progress to the final which takes place at the Birmingham NEC from 17-19 November.
Television gardener Joe Swift, who announced the results at the Tatton Park event, said: “All deserved to go through to the final. I was very impressed with the quality of the gardens and the talent on display from the competitors – especially given the challenging high temperature weather conditions.”

Photo caption: SRUC Oatridge horticultural student Josh Dow and his landscape garden at the RHS Flower Show.

​Josh was delighted to have reached the final of the competition: “I’m ecstatic! It was an exciting event – but it was a lot of hard work, especially in the heat.”

Josh is feeling confident about his prospects for the final in November but is leaving nothing to chance. “The final should be good fun, but I am going to get some practice in before hand and try to improve all round.”

David Millar, one of his tutors at SRUC Oatridge, said: “Josh’s achievement has been remarkable so far. He is now going to be brushing up the skills required for the final, and we are looking forward to supporting him at the final event in November.
“It is a great personal honour for Josh – but it also testament to the quality of the students and teaching on our horticultural courses at SRUC Oatridge.”  Visit out website for more info: www.sruc.ac.uk

Photos from the 2016 Final of the UK Wordskills Landscaping Competition held in Birmingham

Photos from 2016 Semi-Final of the UK Worldskills Landscaping Competition held at Tatton Park