On Monday 4th December, Coles Nurseries gifted 100 roses to Brooksby Melton College, which are to be planted in the ornamental gardens on the College’s 850 acre Brooksby Campus estate.
The roses, which will be planted in the New Year by BMC students and staff, will be used to create decorative floral displays in the grounds of BMC’s stunning Brooksby Campus, giving students the perfect opportunity to learn how to care for the plants.
Paul Greene, Horticulture lecturer at BMC, said “In this ever-changing society that we live in, fashions change; this is also the case in Horticulture. However, the popularity of one group of plants has stood the test of time in the eyes of the British public: roses. Here at BMC, we are delighted to be receiving this generous gift from Coles. The roses will serve to enhance certain areas of the Brooksby estate, and will give our students the opportunity to work with some of the newer examples.”
The association between BMC and the Leicestershire-based family business of Coles is well established. For many years, Geoff Coles was on the board of governors at the College. With a strong management and financial background, Geoff was able to contribute to the wider strategic planning of the College. Over the years, many of the staff who now work at Coles have studied at BMC.
Vince Edwards, Customer Development Manager at Coles, said “Some of us at Coles began our Horticultural careers at Brooksby, and all of us are very happy to support and be part of this new project at the College.”
Past collaborations between BMC and Coles include planting schemes in various parts of Leicestershire, where BMC students have sought to improve schools and parks using trees supplied by Coles.
Visits to the Coles Nurseries constitutes an important part of the enrichment activities carried out by BMC Horticulture students, enabling them to develop a wide range of valuable horticultural skills to aid them in their future careers. Horticulture students at BMC also learn from a wide variety of plant species housed on the 850-acre Brooksby estate. As a part of the recent college-wide investment in facilities, students have also benefitted from brand new glass houses, which feature automatic vent and temperature controls, ensuring optimum conditions for growing plants.