How do we persuade more school leavers to go into horticulture?

Come outside!!

Our business, Front Elevation, is perhaps best known for our Building Envelope Photography Services but since starting in 2011 we have always photographed hard and soft landscaping within the urban environment.

As a long standing member of the RHS, not to be confused with the RPS, of which I am also a long standing member, I have always found gardens amazing spaces to be in.

I have been very fortunate to work with some of the UK’s leading Horticultural and Landscape contractors and it really made me wonder why this type of work is not more popular as a career choice amongst school leavers.

Well managed green spaces are an attribute to the community and society in general

Surely a garden is our one chance to take control over an, albeit infinitely small, part of the globe.

This can not only offer our own satisfaction in doing so but also offer untold pleasure to those with access to such spaces. The type of buildings we photograph and the urban environment are not so unconnected as you might imagine.

This garden area is open to residents and a great spot for workers in their lunch break

With more of London going up, in every sense, we are trying our best to offer more places for people to live but by definition many of these will be fortunate to have a balcony (which with some ingenuity can still be a garden) let alone a terrace.

Hi-Rise is the future but developers are also provider wider regeneration by developing green spaces around the buildings and contributing to community schemes.

Developers are often being cast as the ogres in all of this development but we have photographed great gardens that are not only open to residents but have also regenerated the immediate local area as well. Some of these regeneration schemes have been controversial but they have not only replaced very dated and scruffy housing stock that is expensive to maintain but also offered larger volumes of affordable (always a pejorative term) homes and improved the wider landscape itself.

Kidbrooke Village is a huge regeneration scheme but includes plenty of green space

Having worked with the amazing teams who design and build these projects I can really appreciate it is hard work but to then work with some amazing guys and gals who look after these spaces really made me ponder on why anyone would choose to work in a shop or burger bar rather than be out in the fresh air. With the widespread use of the minimum wage I cannot believe either of the former offer any more than the latter. With the latest equipment and H&S regulations I cannot see why it isn’t gender neutral so you don’t need to be a weightlifter to work in a garden.

You get to drive some sporty vehicles as well

With greater focus on mental well-being, I for one find that wandering around a lovely green space (without my mobile) can really help to get away from it all even if I do find myself taking a few photos.

You might not have access to a garden quite like this one but any green space is a welcome refuge

However when photographing some of the gardeners at work, the one thing that happened on a regular basis was that members of the public actually spoke to them (Sorry but that is very un-British!!) and said how great the gardens look and how much enjoyment they got from them.

People actually speak to you and tell you how much they appreciate your work

Whilst I was walking around with them there were several people with a newspaper, good book and a takeaway coffee relaxing in the sun on a nice comfortable bench. Indeed, in the name of research of course, most have a very nice café which I visit to take in the environment.

Well EVERYONE deserves a break!!

With more of the future generation living in hi-rise accommodation the ‘park’ at the bottom of your building may be bijou but it is still somewhere to relax and in apartment living, meet up with your neighbours. Isolation and lack of activity in later life is of course a grave concern and linked to dementia but any managed green space is a sanctuary.

This amazing rooftop terrace involves great design and construction but not all hi-rise dwellers have this for a balcony

I certainly would like to be involved in any action that inspires the next generation to work in the fresh air and I am sure they can offer a far better contribution to society by helping ‘green’ up an area than selling someone a burger.

I have always been a great believer in photography being taught in schools so that kids would photograph a flower bed rather than kick the **** out of it but I also believe that by getting more younger people involved in horticulture, they would have a far better appreciation of their surroundings.

This urban garden scheme allows everyone of all ages and abilities to 'grow their own'

Lastly, Great Design, is at the forefront of everything we do so those who don’t want to get their hands dirty can still make an amazing contribution on their computer screen.

For Those who think gardening isn't Hi-Tech then these types of schemes involve a huge amount of planning and design. Not least as this is on a roof of a supermarket.

All photographs by Paul Scott of Front Elevation – Construction Photography Services. Please feel free to 'Like' or Comment.

Lastly we are now offering not just Hi-Res Stills photography but also have both drone and video partnerships so cost-effective Stills and Drone or Stills and Video packages are now an option.

Email me at paul@frontelevation for more details and costs. Mobile 07894 161552