Staff from the Department of Parks learnt about up-to-date horticultural techniques during an eight-day course.

Nine staff members participated in the Certified Practical Horticulture course, led by trainers from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

The course was available through a partnership between the Department of Parks, RGBE and the Bermuda Botanic Society. It was funded through the UK’s Darwin Plus grant.

The programme combined classroom instruction with practical fieldwork — building skills in plant care, nursery management, landscape maintenance and problem-solving relevant to Bermuda’s climate and conditions.

The training, which shows compliance with Botanical Gardens Conservation International accreditation standards, will come into use for the renewal of the Botanical Gardens in Paget.

Jaché Adams, Minister of Public Works and Environment, explained: “The work carried out by our parks teams directly affects the quality, safety and appearance of our public spaces, and that work must be supported by strong technical training.”

Ricky Dawson, Bruce Perinchief, Gerritt (Jimmy) Harvey, Jermaine Wilson, Taj-Rae Outerbridge, Ryan Hayling, Nelson Pimental and Cush Smith all received a Certified Practical Horticulture qualification, while Gary Robinson complete one course credit through the programme.