Grow Your Own Magazine

The college specialises in horticulture and other green skills and has an national reputation for excellence, winning prizes at the RHS Flower Shows each year. A range of courses in practical gardening skills, allotment care and garden design are on offer at Capel Manor from the autumn.

Former team leader for Goldman Sachs, Victoria Fitzpatrick (pictured right) 38, took Level 1 and Level 2 courses after being made redundant. The Level 2 (GCSE equivalent) Organic and Sustainable Horticulture course she took is designed to give an awareness of a more organic, sustainable and holistic way of life. She said: “It was great to see the range of ways people were growing food in London. People were growing things on balconies and on vertical walls using trellis while one lady was even growing yams. “As for myself, it was scary taking redundancy but it was the best thing I could have done. “I absolutely loved the course and made some friends for life. I started volunteering for the London Wildlife Trust and after about three months managed to secure a paid six month contract.” She now plans to take a Garden Design course in January.

Capel Manor’s expert tutors give tuition in horticulture and floristry, animal care, saddlery, countryside management, tree surgery and garden design: anything to do with the great outdoors. Its main campus is in Enfield, North London with four other centres in the north, south east and west of the city, including in Regent’s Park.

Call 08456 122 122 for more information or a prospectus
http://www.capel.ac.uk