James Douglass tells us about his career working at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh as a lecturer.
“I teach a mixture of practical horticulture, plant identification, plant biology, and conservation on an undergraduate BSc Horticulture with Plantsmanship programme. I’ve just finished my first year as a lecturer here and am already looking forward to the next one.
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a leading botanic garden and global centre for biodiversity science, horticulture, and education. We curate and cultivate a living collection of more than 13,000 plant species across four gardens and a preserved collection of around 3 million specimens. We’re striving to build a positive future for plants, people, and the planet by exploring, conserving, and explaining the world of plants in a botanic world.
Before I took on this position, I completed a BSc (Hons) Horticulture with Plantsmanship degree here, and I also taught part-time at Scotland’s Rural College. I was lucky to be able to study at a place like this, and to now work here delivering the programme among such esteemed colleagues is the privilege of a lifetime.
I left school just before completing my A-Levels feeling disillusioned and troubled. I managed to get a part-time job working as a garden assistant at a local estate and knew almost instantly that horticulture would be the industry for me. I was astounded at the satisfaction to be found working hands-on with plants, being outdoors, doing something helpful for people and the planet.
To supplement my practical gardening experience, I completed an RHS Level 2 qualification in horticulture, and this sparked an appreciation for studying and learning again. I moved to Scotland in 2020 to do a two-year Higher National Diploma at RBGE and SRUC, and continued to the full BSc (Hons) Horticulture with Plantsmanship for a further two years.
Coming here to study the degree was the best, and probably scariest, professional and personal decision I’ve ever made. Over four years I’ve learned so much from lecturers, horticulturists, and scientists across an enormous range of subjects like botany, taxonomy, horticulture, history and biology. I’ve worked on several research projects, spent some days knee deep in a bog, and other days in a lab coat sampling pathogens. As someone who never really knew what I wanted to do, the course has given me a chance to explore and open more doors than I ever thought possible. Being part of the RBGE community with such lovely staff and supportive classmates made the four years a real pleasure, so much so that I stayed here!
The degree has equipped me not only with knowledge of the subjects within the sector but also the skills necessary to succeed. I’m more confident in practical horticulture, plant identification and botany, planning and conducting research, presenting information verbally and in writing, and working with peers to achieve common goals. The subject knowledge is of course helpful, but the professional and transferable skills I’ve picked up are what has helped me most.
Until my final year of study, I hadn’t ever considered going into education or becoming a lecturer, but the opportunity to share my own passion and understanding for this subject while still learning more and more myself is a privilege I could not pass up.
I have never seen myself as a natural presenter and I still worry about not having all the answers to all the questions. I’ve come to learn though that it isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about helping and guiding others to find answers for themselves; to build and question ideas and facilitate an environment of curiosity and discovery.
I love the variety of my job, and most of all that I still get to learn so much from those around me. Some of my time is spent logically planning, researching, timetabling, and marking. Sometimes I’m challenged to be creative and create interesting lesson plans or try and develop meaningful assessments. I still get to work hands-on with plants sometimes, both improving my own plantsmanship and learning new tips and tricks for plant cultivation. All of this work culminates in teaching days, where I get to share knowledge, pose questions, and debate answers with the most brilliant students one could hope for. I learn a lot from them, which is important too.
The autumn, winter, and spring are spent delivering lectures, going on field trips, planning and improving lessons and assessments, and working with peers and students as much as I can. Summer is a time for marking, reflecting, and planning, where I get time to critically and constructively improve my craft and develop my material so next year can be even better. Throughout the year I also try and stay really closely involved with my sector, working with the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, going on botany trips, and attending/presenting at conferences.
Horticulture impacts so many elements of our lives through the food we eat, spaces we enjoy, and conserving the planet we call home. Everyone who works in this industry makes a difference to people and the planet in my view. My job helps train and enthuse the next generation of horticulturists, growers, conservationists we desperately need to meet the ambitious but utterly essential biodiversity targets regionally, nationally, and internationally.
There are a number of different ways to teach, and all teachers need a variety of skills to be successful. Genuine passion and enthusiasm for the subject are essential and really cannot be overlooked. Varied knowledge and experience are helpful, too. The most important skills in my view are people skills. It matters little how many facts and statistics you can rattle off if you cannot communicate them in an approachable, accessible, and honest way to those learning. Being a good listener is as important as being a good speaker.
By far and away the best thing about lecturing at RBGE is the staff and peers I work with, and the students I teach. I could not wish for a more welcoming and encouraging bunch of people to learn from and teach to. I absolutely love my job. Even a year on I still pinch myself every morning to make sure I’m not dreaming.
Every career has challenges, no matter how much you love it. I’m very lucky that my own challenges have mostly been limited to imposter syndrome and feeling out of my depth. I’ve occasionally witnessed others face discrimination, and it’s important that we all take a stand against it to make every industry safe and fair for everyone.
Horticulture and the cultivation of plants is perhaps one of the most important industries in resolving and mitigating the climate emergency we indisputably face. Plants are essential for all life on Earth and conserving biodiversity will likely be one of the linchpins in whether or not we succeed and survive. Now, more than ever, we need trained and skilled horticulturists and conservationists to meet the objectives society has formulated to help protect the only planet we have. I aim to dedicate my career to furthering that aim however I can, and I would strongly encourage others to do the same.
Horticulture is a challenging, rewarding, and fundamentally important sector with an enormous variety of jobs and careers. No matter what your specific skills and interests are, there will be a way it fits into this diverse sector and can promote the cultivation of plants.
I don’t have a long-term plan for my career as such, I just hope I can continue to grow, learn, and help others learn. As long as I am achieving that and enjoying myself, I will make the rest up as I go.
If I could offer one bit of advice, I would say push yourself, keep learning, and be good to those around you. Don’t be afraid to keep studying no matter what stage of life you’re at.
If anyone wants to chat about studying horticulture I am always happy to help, however I can!”
You can email James at jdouglass@rbge.org.uk