Eliot Barden, Production and Education Manager for Majestic Trees, UK, received the Young International Grower of the Year Award at an International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) awards ceremony held on Tuesday 24 January 2023 in Essen, Germany. This award is part of the AIPH International Grower of the Year (IGOTY) Awards 2023, which celebrates the best of the best ornamentals production. The Young IGOTY category recognises vibrant individuals, aged 25-40, who will lead the industry into the future. Entrants were participants of Jungle Talks’ Pro Manager Mastercourse.
Winner Eliot Barden had an interest in horticulture from an early age and began his education in the subject via a Royal Horticultural Society evening class at the age of 15. He subsequently studied at the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens before joining Majestic Trees in 2018.
“It means a lot. Thanks to Jungle Talks I’ve seen a lot of production in Holland, in various different sectors, and winning the award is the cherry on the cake. The award is a great recognition.” Elliot
Eliot, along with the other finalists, presented his ideas to an international jury of horticultural professionals. The judges were: Leonardo Capitanio, President of AIPH and Vivai Capitanio, Italy; Pablo Bazzani, General Manager for Plazoleta Flowers, Colombia, and Winner of Young International Grower of the Year 2022; Karolien Tesselaar van Tilburg, Tesselaar Alstromeria, the Netherlands; and Wouter Duijvesteijn, Owner of Beyond Chrysant, the Netherlands.
Read more at AIPH
