The Historic Royal Palaces Hillsborough Castle and Garden, glorious sunshine and the Young Horticulturist of the Year 2025 Grand Final.
With a wide range of backgrounds, the Grand Finalists were well matched, and this was proven across the rounds.
The early held ident rounds provided the first of the points, which were some of the highest seen in previous years of the competition, showing it was not going to be an ‘easy win’ for anyone. However, it was the Ireland Region Finalist, Sarah Simpson, who, in their last eligible year, won through to take first place.
Sarah is a horticulture technician at Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture, at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin. Sarah is responsible for teaching the practical elements of courses and involved in the plant propagation, plant identification, landscape design, ecology and biodiversity modules.
As well as this Sarah continues to study part-time and will graduate from SETU with a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture next year, currently focusing on the flora of different urban industrial sites across Dublin that are earmarked for redevelopment as a thesis topic. The area of horticulture most interesting to Sarah is sustainable and ecologically conscious landscape design, which combines two great passions, being creative and looking for bugs!
After winning, Sarah said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won the Young Horticulturist of the Year 2025. I was up against fierce competition and want to congratulate everyone on their performance in the finale. It was no easy win! I’m very excited to see where the Percy Thrower bursary will take me (Madagascar?).
“I recommend entering the competition to any young horticulturist, it’s a great way to test your own knowledge and I’ve met some wonderful likeminded people along the way. I want to thank my colleagues in the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture for their support, particularly Paul Fitters who has been a fantastic mentor. I’d also like to thank Victoria George, who has been extremely patient, kind and supportive throughout the contest.”
As the winner of this year’s competition, Sarah receives the £2,500 travel Bursary provided by the Percy Thrower Trust, which they will be able to use to fund a horticultural venture anywhere in the world.
Second place went to Sam Finch, Finalist for South-East Region. Sam is the youngest ever Head Gardener with the National Trust, working at both Lytes Cary Manor and Tintinhull Garden, two beautiful Arts and Crafts-style in the South West. With a particular passion for roses and a commitment to organic horticulture, Sam brings both knowledge and heart to the historic landscapes he tends.
Third place was taken by Frank Cooke this year’s Scottish Region Finalist. Frank is a first year Horticulture and Plantsmanship student at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Scotland's Rural College. Frank is particularly interested in plant biodiversity and taxonomy, especially of tropical plants. As well as being a student, he also volunteers as a glasshouse horticulturist working with the tropical Ericaceae collection at RBGE.
After the final, the National Organiser, Victoria, said “Oh my giddy aunt, what a Grand Final! We had an amazing venue, wonderful weather, fantastic hosts, knowledgeable finalists and a brilliant audience to boot, you couldn’t ask for better! I am so pleased for Sarah, not only a win on home turf, but in their final year of eligibility for the competition, the Ireland Region Grand Final will take some beating in the future!”
Hillsborough Castle, County Down, Northern Ireland is the official home of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Hillsborough, although called a castle, is actually a grand Georgian property, sitting in over 90 acres of estate. It has been the setting for some of the pivotal meetings in diplomatic events, including those leading to the Good Friday Agreement.
In 2014, Historic Royal Palaces took over the running of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens and began an ambitious project to restore the house and gardens to its former glory.
The historic gardens, which were developed from the 1760s onwards, offer intriguing contrasts between ornate formal gardens, woodland and meadows, containing many specimen trees and rare plants as you explore the grounds.
