Gardening talent
Meet Tom Cutter, horticultural apprentice at RHS Harlow Carr
First plant love The delicate but mighty dawn redwood ( Metasequoia glyptostroboides). I first fell for this tree while working in Trewidden Garden in Cornwall, which is home to the Champion dawn redwood, notable for its girth and as one of the first to be planted in this country. Who has inspired your career the most? Richard Morton, the head gardener of Trewidden Garden where I first started working in horticulture, really pushed me to learn as much as I possibly could and encouraged me to apply for my apprenticeship with the RHS. Horticultural heroes Roy Lancaster is a true plantsman and his passion for the plants he loves is out of this world. I think reaching that level of passion should be the goal for all gardeners. Favourite planting style I love exotic plantings in unusual places. It is so great to stumble across a planting that looks so out of place in its environment but can transport you to the feeling of a completely different exotic environment. Biggest challenge facing gardeners today Plant diseases such as ash dieback are becoming a nightmare as we see species on the verge of being wiped out. It’s painful to watch it happening. What principles have guided your attitude to horticulture? One of my favourite quotes is a Greek proverb: ‘A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.’ I believe it is incredibly important to not forget the future of a garden, your work could be there for years. What heartens you about our attitudes to horticulture today? The increasing emphasis on getting young people involved in the sector. The RHS recently ran the Green Plan It Challenge designed to get secondary school pupils to design a green space. I was one of the mentors and it was great to witness their enthusiasm and creativity. Favourite gardening books The Cabaret of Plants by Richard Mabey is a really well written and engaging book that explores the story of many different and important plant species and how they have impacted the world. Contact tomcutter@rhs.org.uk RHS Harlow Carr hosts its second summer flower show on 23-25 June 2017. You can find more details about the show – and how to apply for an RHS apprenticeship – at rhs.org.uk