Local apprentice wins gold

Back into work and recovering from a slight case of jet lag, apprentice landscaper Curtis Biggs has returned victorious with a gold medal from the Chelsea Garden Show.

Curtis secured his placed in this year’s Australian ‘Trailfinders’ team after winning the Landscape Industry Association of Victoria apprentice of the year award in 2009. Both Curtis’ teachers at Wodonga TAFE and his current employer were ecstatic with his win last year and the experience of a lifetime this year at Chelsea as part of the Trailfinders Australian garden presented by Flemings Nursery.

Landscaping teacher, Kevin Albert said it came as no surprise when Curtis won the award last year.  “He was a very switched-on student when he came to TAFE. He had already been working in the industry and his passion for landscaping was evident. It’s a really great opportunity for a young landscaper to experience the best of the best when it comes to garden design”, said Mr Albert.

In the lead-up to Chelsea, the Trailfinders team were regularly meeting in Melbourne, to practice the set-up of their garden.  For a young 22-year old, the sheer scale of the task was daunting, but Curtis’ eye for detail and genuine passion for landscaping held him in good stead for the event.  To bring the tropical-inspired outdoor design to life the team of Australia’s best landscapers worked 14 hours days throughout the 17-day build-up to the opening of the Chelsea Garden Show.

Designed by Scott Wynd of TLC Pools, the garden’s lap pool, spa and wet bar were a first for the show and proved a huge hit in the United Kingdom with judges impressed by the complementary design elements and planting features.

Curtis’ employer, Brad Andrews, is also very pleased with this exciting start to Curtis’ career, saying “I was happy to nominate Curtis for the award. He has a real passion for the industry. It’s a really big coup for someone locally to achieve this award and to travel to Chelsea. It really lifts the profile of landscaping as an exciting career path”.

So what’s next for this young award winner? Catching up on some sleep and trying to fit in landscaping around our winter weather.