Caitlin Sawyer, of Wingham Nursery and Florist, has once again been recognised on the national gardening stage.
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On Tuesday, October 9 she was named the Gardening Clubs of Australia 2018 Young Gardener of the Year for her “outstanding contribution to gardening/horticulture” at the organisation’s annual general meeting and awards ceremony in Sydney.
Caitlin was nominated for the award by Christine Gould on behalf of the Ashlea Garden Club in Wingham.
The Young Gardener of the Year category is open to people 30 years or younger. There are specific criteria that must be met, and the award is judged by a panel.
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Caitlin did not know she had been nominated until she had been told of her win a month before the award ceremony. She travelled to Sydney with her partner, Jess to accept the award.
“It was pretty humbling,” Caitlin said of the presentation. “It was quite gratifying to know people notice what I do at work. It means that you’re making a difference.
“It concretes my career and the recognition at the nursery gives me more encouragement to keep on doing what I’m doing.
“Horticulture is an art and it’s a science, and to talk about it every day with people and be recognised for it, I must be doing something right,” she said.
Caitlin was presented by another Upper Manning local, president of Garden Clubs of Australia, George Hoad.
It was quite gratifying to know people notice what I do at work. It means that you’re making a difference.
- Caitlin Sawyer
“I was delighted to be able to present one of our most prestigious awards to such an outstanding young lady, who embodies such spirit and passion for horticulture!” George said.
This is not the first time Caitlin’s passion for horticulture has been recognised on a national level. In 2014 she won the BBM Sir John Pagan Horticulture Award for horticulturalists under 24 years of age at the Australian Institute of Horticulture Awards.
The 2014 award gifted her a UK travel scholarship, where a highlight was working on the team for Charlie Albone's Silver-Gilt award winning garden at the Chelsea Garden Show in 2015. Her travels with the scholarship also gave her some high-level contacts in the business.
I was delighted to be able to present one of our most prestigious awards to such an outstanding young lady, who embodies such spirit and passion for horticulture!
- George Hoad, Garden Clubs of Australia president
While working at the Chelsea Garden Show, Charlie Albone’s regular Chelsea team member, Mick Conway offered her a job with his landscaping company in the Southern Highlands of NSW. She took the job offer a while after returning home, but as she prefers horticulture to landscaping, returned home to Wingham to the family business.
Caitlin has been involved with YoungHort, a national organisation of young horticulturists aimed at promoting horticulture as a career to other young people, for many years. She was previously an ambassador for the organisation and now holds the position of secretary.