A green-fingered school pupil from Radstock is in the running to be named the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Young School Gardener of the Year 2017, supported by Gabriel Ash.
Tallis Inger-Fleck, 14, who attends Writhlington School, is competing in the 11–14 year-old age category of the national competition, which aims to unearth the next generation of star gardeners.
Tallis is battling against three other youngsters to win her age category and be put forward to compete for the ultimate title in school gardening. Both the category and the overall winner will be announced at a special awards ceremony at RHS Garden Wisley, in Surrey in July.
Writhlington teacher, Simon Pugh-Jones, who nominated Tallis for the award, said: “Tallis is the most creative and innovative young gardener I have known at Writhlington. She has a burning passion for the plants she grows along with a love of sharing that passion with other pupils and the public.
“Tallis is leading a group in Year 9 who are working with scientists from the Kew Conservation Genetics department to isolate and analyse DNA to carry out research into rare plant species and their conservation.
“She has inspired a group of pupils from Year 7 to Year 9 to work, learn, propagate and grow some of the best orchids in the UK.”
In June a panel of gardening experts, including BBC Gardeners’ World and ITV’s Love Your Garden presenter, Frances Tophill, will judge the entries and pick the category winners.
As part of the judging process, Tallis and the other finalists will create a five-minute video showcasing their passion for gardening. The film will include supportive statements from teachers and fellow pupils about the finalists’ love of gardening. Tallis will receive a digital camera to make her short film, which she can keep.
To mark Tallis’ progress to the final, she will be presented with a specially engraved hand trowel and framed certificate. Her school will receive gardening equipment worth £475, donated by greenhouse manufacturer and competition supporter, Gabriel Ash, together with a £10 National Garden Gift voucher.
On top of the finalist prizes, the category winner will receive an engraved hand trowel, a set of gardening tools and £250 worth of National Garden Gift vouchers for their school.
Should Tallis win the overall title and be crowned RHS Young School Gardener of the Year 2017, she will have the opportunity to spend the day working with RHS gardeners, receive tickets for either the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2018, or RHS Tatton Park Flower Show 2018. Her school will receive £100 worth of seeds and an additional £250 in National Garden Gift vouchers – making a total of £500 in vouchers.
All winners and finalists and two of their guests, will be invited to the prize-giving ceremony at RHS Garden Wisley.
Other age-groups represented in the competition are: 5 – 7; 7 – 11 and 14 – 16. The contest also includes categories to identify a School Gardening Team and School Gardening Champion of the year.