19-07-2025
Norfolk gardening school celebrates student graduation
If you have children or grandchildren in their early twenties you won't have failed to notice that it has been graduation week for many across the country.
And our diploma students may not be quite as young, but they – and we – are just as proud of their achievements.
We celebrated in style this week, with an end of year show of their amazing work and a graduation ceremony, attended by their family and friends as well as graduates from previous years.
They have worked so hard and come so far.
This time last year they were nervous hopefuls, planning to change their careers and life paths from a RAF officer, jewellery designer, maintenance gardeners, marketing managers, and software sales representatives to garden designer - and now they have done it!
Diploma in Garden Design graduation 2025 Pete Forrest (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) Two of them have won a gold medal at Hampton Court and several of them have already had their first commission to create gardens for clients. Now they are all launched on their new career.
It was wonderful to celebrate this milestone with them.
One of the best things about the school is that students, alumni and graduates become part of our family network.
They stay in touch with each other and with us and there is a growing band of garden lovers and professionals across the region and beyond, which has roots running deep and wide.
Diploma in Garden Design graduation 2025 (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) As well as preparing for the graduation ceremony we have been busy in the garden.
There has been a little less watering to do of plants already in the ground, but we still have countless pots which dry out in this weather - even with the bit of rain we have had.
It is rare for rainfall alone to be enough for plants in any size pot. And of course the plants in the greenhouses are still just as thirsty.
The recent Hampton Court garden was dug up a couple of weeks ago, and the plan was always to relocate the plants to the school's garden.
We've not been involved in a show garden before, so we didn't appreciate that in order to create a stunning display you need to have at least three times (yes really) the number of plants you will actually use.
So it's safe to say that we were a little astonished at the dozens and dozens of plants which arrived here.
Hampton Court arrives at Bixley (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) We have been very busy getting them into the ground and watered!
These are some of the first courses next term which have spaces available. Let us know if you'd like to join us:
· Introduction to Garden Design – September 11
· Certificate in Practical Horticulture – September 12
· Advanced Practical Gardening – September 17
· Plants for Free – September 24
· Border Renovation – October 1
echinacea purpurea (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening)
PLANT OF THE WEEK
Echinacea purpurea, also known as purple coneflower, has pink flowers and a large, orange-brown cone in the centre.
It's perfect for growing in drifts towards the middle or back of a cottage-style or herbaceous border, or among grasses and rudbeckias in a prairie-style planting scheme.
It is easy to grow - resistant to adverse weather, doesn't need staking and will come back, year after year.
Echinacea purpurea flowers for months on end and the flowers are long-lived, excellent for cutting and extremely attractive to pollinators.
Grow in well-drained soil in full sun.
Deadhead the flowers as they fade to encourage more to form, but in autumn leave the seedheads for the birds.
Cut them back the following spring, when the new foliage emerges.
There are many cultivars available, ranging in height, flower colour and size of cone.
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