College opens city’s first educational horticulture centre

Glasgow Clyde College has officially opened its new £1.8 million horticulture learning centre.

The purpose-built facility based at the College’s Langside campus consists of two modern workshops, three industrial sized greenhouses to support horticulture and plant growth, and new changing rooms and will house students studying the College’s horticulture and landscaping courses.

Opened by former student and radio presenter Theresa Talbot, Glasgow Clyde College is the only college in the West of Scotland to have such a facility, and the only location in Glasgow to offer horticulture courses. 

Funded by the Glasgow Clyde Education Foundation, the investment and build of the new facility will allow the College to increase the number of places and courses available over the next four years, starting with the introduction of a new HNC Landscape and Management course for 2018/2019.

David Innes, Assistant Principal: Faculty of Engineering, Construction and the Built Environment, said: “This is a momentous occasion for Glasgow Clyde College. The centre provides exceptional opportunities for both staff and students and allows us to continue our work in providing high-level education and training in a specialist sector within a unique building.  Students and staff now benefit from being in a permanent area which will help to develop teaching strategies and collaborations with the local community.  It also demonstrates to employers that students are learning within a professional environment.

“In Glasgow alone, there are over 90 parks and gardens for people to access and enjoy, which all require maintenance and to be kept to a high standard for continued use from residents and visitors.  As the number of greenspaces continues to grow, the demand for horticulture jobs will also increase, and the new college facility will help provide those future horticulturists.” 

The centre will also be of benefit to the local community; the permanent base will make it feasible for students to offer skills and support to community projects within the surrounding areas and carry out live projects. 

James Dornan MSP said: “This is a fantastic facility. It provides students studying at Glasgow Clyde College with the opportunity to learn within a new facility specifically built with them and their future learning needs in mind.  I look forward to seeing further great results from the College and its horticulture and landscaping students.”

Glasgow Clyde College offers a variety of horticulture and landscaping courses from NC Introduction to Horticulture through to HNC level.  The College also has articulation links with the Scottish Rural College (SRUC) to degree level programmes providing students with the essential skills for a career in horticulture and landscaping.

Theresa Talbot, who studied horticulture and garden design at the former Langside College, said: “It was a pleasure to be asked to come back and open up this new horticulture facility. It was great to chat to the students and find out more about what they are studying and what their hopes and dreams are for the future.”

Image shows: Theresa Talbot with Horticulture lecturer Michelle McGuire.