Build Week, Results and Elation!

So the build week was here, and for me it started at 7am, in a lorry, travelling up to London Olympia to unload the components for our show garden. It was to be a long and stressful week. Tensions ran high which was not helped by the hustle and bustle of the convention environment, and having to move all of our equipment multiple times, but as a team we worked through it.

Stress was alleviated in the evenings by calm group meals, and it was good to socialise with each other, leaving the stresses of the day behind us and preparing for the next working day.

The finished piece.

The plan was to be finished by the Wednesday, but we had not finished everything we wanted to, so a good percentage of us travelled back up to London to finish the garden. That evening, knowing what we had accomplished, it felt amazing and the excitement for the results was could be felt among the group.

Friday was the big day, our gardens were going to be open to the public and would be judged. Lecturer Ben Wincott, and student Sam Moore were initially interviewed for ITV, and we all eventually featured on the news item. An important role was bestowed upon Rob Band and Francesca Le Maistre Banham, they were chosen to pitch to the judges. Many of us would have been over the moon to have this opportunity, but we felt as a group, these two conveyed the passion and idea coherently and would be strong ambassadors of Writtle College. When they were speaking, the judges looked so invested in what they were saying, and this spread positivity through the group.

The winning team with their prizes.

Once this was completed it was time to wait.  We were all very proud of the garden we had created, but what we were awarded with blew our minds! Not only were we one of two gardens to get Gold , but we also got the coveted Best in Show award. All the hard work and the long hours had paid off, and we had done what we wanted to achieve.

I can personally say that I have so much pride for all of the group We stepped up our game and created a very ‘sexy’ looking garden, as said by Alan Titchmarsh. Receiving a compliment like ‘this garden should be at Chelsea’ is an accolade we did not expect. The support by the media and on social media has been incredible and has given all a hint on what we can actually achieve.
 

The Ideal Home Show has been an experience that will stay with me forever. Something that not many courses offer, which makes studying Horticulture unique. And with continued support like we have had this year, the gardens should just get better and better each year.
 

A massive thank you to all the sponsors, Ideal Home Show and definitely to Ben Wincott and Simon Watkins for their support.

Listen to what Alan Titchmarsh has to say about the award here: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152868772603473

Written by Joshua Kemp
 

Equine Sports Therapy students give Pie a well needed massage!

We all like a good massage from time to time, and as it turns out, so does our latest resident – Pie, a young male horse that recently joined the college from World Horse Welfare. But what are the benefits of massaging a horse, and how did it all come about? Equine Sports Therapy student Catriona Wilshere has the answers...
 

On the 25th February new arrival Pie received a soft tissue massage from 3rd year Equine Sports Therapy students. Many of the Equine Sports Therapy students are currently studying for their Equinology Equine Bodyworker certificate, and the Writtle College horses are subsequently treated to frequent massages.  
 

Before the soft tissue massage was performed a static and dynamic assessment of Pie was undertaken in order to asses Pie’s conformation, as well as to allow any areas of muscle atrophy and hypertrophy and regions of muscle tension to be noted. Pie was extremely well-behaved throughout the assessment, allowing all aspects of the assessment (which included picking all his hooves to check his balance, examining the symmetry of the pelvic tuberosities and checking his rounding reflex) to be performed with ease. During the static assessment some areas of tension were located within his neck and gluteal muscles and slight wear was noted on the medial aspect of his right fore, suggesting he lands more heavily on this side of his hoof when moving.

Image courtesy of Laura Sullivan

Following the static assessment Pie was assessed dynamically.  Again, it was evident from both the walk and the trot that Pie possessed some areas of muscle tension within his body. Due to the muscle tension observed during both the static and dynamic assessment, it was decided that a soft tissue massage would prove to be both a beneficial and enjoyable experience for Pie.

Following the dynamic assessment Pie was returned to his stall in order for the massage to be performed.  Although at first he was distracted by trying to steal his fellow horse’s hay from underneath the stall walls, Pie quickly relaxed into the massage, showing a particular liking for the firm slow strokes of the glide, as well as thoroughly enjoying the work performed on his rhomboids, deltoids and ascending pectorals. Despite his young age, Pie proved to be a delight to work on, willingly performing all stretches and quick to demonstrate a preference for a particular stretch or movement, or to relax when an area of tension was released.

All too soon for Pie, the massage was complete. The areas where tension had been found previously were rechecked and the muscle tension was found to have significantly reduced, with Pie showing almost no tactile response in previously sensitive areas. Some follow up exercises were suggested and owing to his excellent behaviour and clear enjoyment of the process, no doubt Pie will become a firm favourite amongst therapy students looking to practise their massage skills.

 
Written by Catriona Wilshere, 3rd year BSc (Hons) Equine Sports Therapy student.

Young Gardeners of the Year 2015!

Check out the latest news from our Horticulture students hoping to win gold again in the Young Gardeners of the Year 2015 competition!

This week involved lots of tweaking to the already existing features. This was frustrating for some of the group as it looked like progress was slow. However, this is necessary to create a high quality product.

The design starts to take shape.

Our water feature came back from the metal workers, which will be a key feature within the garden. Also, our generously donated brand new porcelain paving imported from Italy arrived from Global Stone and will look slick against the black of the millboard.

 

Building the water feature.

Easy-Connect have provided lights for us. This will allow us to highlight specific areas of our garden, as well as casting shadow which will add a new element. 

Time is rapidly leaving us and pressure is increasing, however, excitement within the group is also increasing. It is already amazing to see an idea come to life and to know that I have had an input in that process. I personally cannot wait to see the end product at the show!

Written by Joshua Kemp