Western Morning News (Saturday)
Gabriella is flying high as RHS tree specialist
THE second ever female apprentice arborist with the Royal Horticultural Society said she hopes her new role might inspire others to think about jobs that do not conform to stereotypes.
Gabriella Jardine has been working on trees at the RHS Gardens at Rosemoor in Devon.
Although based at RHS Bridgewater in Salford, she has been in Devon tending to trees and felling to create space for different species, to increase biodiversity and enable other trees to thrive. The 30-year-old, who is originally from London, left a career in academia to pursue a role as an arborist working outdoors.
Her change of direction comes amid a large increase in applications to train at the horticultural society.
The RHS said there had been a 60% increase in apprenticeship applications in 2021 – the highest in decades.
The number is expected to grow as people continue to reassess their career path following the pandemic.
A significant number of apprentice applicants last year were career changers, with 25 to 34-year-olds accounting for 39% of applicants and 17% from 35 to 44-year-olds.
The RHS said Ms Jardine is also paving the way for women in the arboriculture industry.
“We’re excited that as of December 2021, more females than men had applied for 2022’s RHS apprenticeship intake,” said the RHS.
Ms Jardine said she had spent almost 10 years studying, with “a lot of time in the lab”, as she did a masters in science and geology, followed by a PhD in ocean and earth science.
She said the new job is “a departure” from what she had been doing as it is “a lot more outside and practicalbased”.
She told the PA news agency: “I guess I knew when I was wrapping up my PhD that I wanted to move into a career that had more time outside and on my feet.”