Available Grants

There are four awards available:

  • The UK-only Study Travel Grant has been expanded into new areas for the first time, including conferences, study fees (short skill or competency based courses only), and purely conservation-based projects.
  • An UK-only Study Travel Grant special award for an heather-related project is also available for the first time.
  • The Green Recovery Award is aimed at young horticulturists interested in growing their practical experience in sustainable horticulture and conservation horticulture, including the role of horticulture in UK habitat restoration.
  • The Health & Wellbeing Award will allow award recipients to explore the impact of horticulture on society, particularly the links between gardening and health.

New application requirements have been implemented, with relevant sections added to the application form/s:

  • Applicants will be asked to consider social distancing principles, safe travel guidelines, and to restrict their travel to regions/areas to try to reduce transmission exposure: double vaccination will be required for all successful applicants.
  • All applicants must also consider the environmental footprint of their tour and to seek the most sustainable travel as possible (with due consideration given to pandemic guidelines).

All application forms are available as Word documents. If you would like to receive a different format, please contact the Secretary.

Please read the application guidance notes below before downloading and completing an application form.

UK-only Study Travel Grant

We offer up to £1,000 to individual applicants to assist with UK travel projects. From 30th August 2021 until 30th September 2021, applications for UK-only travel can be submitted allowing recipients to carry out garden tours (e.g. tours of spring gardens in 2022), undertake work experience in gardens or other horticulturally-related areas, pursue research projects, visit conservation programmes, attend conference or take part in skill-based training such as competency training, Lantra training, etc. Special recognition will be given to exciting or innovative projects.

UK-only Study Travel Grant – Heather Project Special Award

Thanks to a generous donation by The Heather Society, which closed earlier this year, the Merlin Trust is funding a £1,000 award for a project focused on heather. Projects might involve heather in cultivation or conservation projects of heather and heath habitats in the UK. The project might be a study tour of the heather National Plant Collections (at RHS Garden Wisley, National Trust for Scotland’s Branklyn Garden, The Lakeland Horticultural Society at Holehird Gardens and National Trust’s Nymans), work experience in a specialist heather nursery, or contributing to a moorland or heathland restoration or research project. For more information on heathers, please see the Heather World website. Apply 30th August – 30th September 2021.

The Green Recovery Award

This award will support travel to and support at gardens and plant-related environment projects with a sustainable or conservation focus. We would like to hear from you if you have a study tour planned which looks at sustainability in horticulture – from improving the sustainability of public gardens to sustainable growing practices, or if you are planning work experience or research as part of a plant conservation or habitat restoration project. Tours/work must be in the UK and you must show evidence that the garden/s or project/s are willing for you to visit and/or work. There are many places you could visit/arrange work experience including the RSPB Haweswater Restoration Project, Centre for Alternative Technology, or projects that you might want to consider e.g. seeking work experience at a peat-free compost maker to identify new opportunities for in-garden compost production. This list is not exhaustive and, as with all our awards, special recognition will be given to exciting or innovative projects. Applications welcome from 30th August to 30th September 2021. Max. available: £1,000.

Health & Wellbeing Award

This award will support travel to and support at gardens or projects which have a focus on health and wellbeing in horticulture. Examples could be work experience with an horticultural therapy organisation or a study tour examining the role that gardens and contact with plants can play in improving health and wellbeing. Tours must be in the UK and you must show evidence that the garden/s or project/s are willing for you to visit and/or work. There are many gardens and organisations who have created health and wellbeing gardens or are involved in horticultural therapy. Potential examples of organisations and gardens include Thrive, Trellis, Eden Project, Horatio’s Gardens and many other social prescribing sites in community and public gardens e.g. RHS Gardens Wisley and Bridgewater. This list is not exhaustive and, as with all our awards, special recognition will be given to exciting or innovative projects. Applications welcome from 30th August to 30th September 2021. Max. available: £1,000.

How To Apply:

  1. Read the eligibility criteria and guidance notes (see below) carefully to ensure you and your intended project qualify;
  2. Fill in all parts of the Application Form;
  3. Email your application to the Secretary with your name as the file name;
  4. Ensure your two referees email their references as attachments to the Secretary: your application will not be considered until both references have been received.
*You must allow a minimum of four weeks from submission of your application to the start of your project (see Guidance Notes for more detailed information). Please also note that a decision will not be made immediately after submission: there may be a delay of up to three weeks to allow the Trustees to review applications. Submissions will only be considered by the Trustees once both references have been received.

Report Guidelines:

If your grant application has been successful, you will be required to produce a report of your visit. While there is no set template for this, we do offer some advice via the guidance document below. So if you are unsure what is required, read the guidance or get in touch!