It’s never too late to return to education or to chase your dreams.

I should know - I started off in the world of insurance brokerage (many years ago) but after being made redundant I took the plunge and retrained, turning my passion for gardening into a full-blown career.

I often overhear visitors yearning to work at Hever, in fact we receive lots of enquiries every year for placements both volunteer and paid. People want to come here to learn and hone their craft - this is true of all our great gardens in Kent.

Dedicated amateur gardeners can actually develop their horticultural skills by taking Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) certificates at some of the best gardens in the county now. Hever signed up last year with the RHS and we’ve had students and tutors on site in the gardens for the past 12 months.

The courses are good if you are looking to extend your knowledge or even go for a full-time career in horticulture.

There are lots of benefits from studying in situ where you are able to relate the theory to the practical day to day working of a garden. There’s no better way to learn than by true observation.

You don’t need to be a scientist or have any horticultural training. There are no prerequisites for entry to the courses, all you need is a passion for plants and the desire to take gardening to the next level.

The RHS Qualification Level 2 Diploma in the Principles & Practices of Horticulture is well recognised within the industry and students who achieve it are well placed to progress onto further courses, or into employment.

Some of Hever’s own gardeners have taken the RHS Level 2 certificates onsite with the RHS tutors.

Seb Dunn, a member of our merry band of gardeners, took the certificates and exams this year. Seb came to Hever straight from a local Kent college and had talked about being a gardener since the age of 13. The RHS certificates has added to his knowledge and experience and opened up more possibilities from a career perspective for him.

There are exams - but students are given lots of support and gain confidence across the year.

If you want to learn more about the courses then visit the RHS website for further information about venues in the county