The 2024 Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition kicks off next month with the online round one opening for entry on Thursday 1 February.

Run by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, the competition is open to anyone under 30 on 31 July 2024 across the UK and Ireland.

The first round will be held online throughout February, from which the top eight competitors from each region will go through to a regional final, held in March, with the winner from each regional final going to the grand final.

Round one will be a series of questions covering a range of horticultural topics, taking place online throughout the month.

Regional finals are broken down into 10 rounds with a range of horticulture based questions with buzzer, directed questions and identification rounds.

The grand final which is being held on Thursday May 9 2024 at Hestercombe House and Gardens, Taunton will be in the same format as the regional finals.

The winner of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition will receive a £2,500 Percy Thrower Travel Bursary, courtesy of the Shropshire Horticultural Society, via the Percy Trust.

To find out more about the competition and how to take part, visit www.horticulture.org.uk/young-horticulturist-of-the-year