Our own Propagation Manager Lydia O’Dowd will compete alongside the industry’s best young talent in this year’s NZPPI Young Plant Producer of the Year competition. Lydia will be tested on all aspects of the industry, from the technical to the trivial, and everything in between. We’ll be down at Lincoln University in July cheering her on.

Hi! I’m Lydia. I’m the Head Propagator at Southern Woods Nursery. I’ve completed my Certificates in NZ Horticulture in Nursery Production Level 3 & 4 and plan to complete a Diploma in Primary Industry Business Management in the future.

Nature and the outdoors are my jam – I love hiking, skiing and getting stuck into my garden. The thought of entering the young Plant Producer competition has been simmering away in the back of my mind for a couple of years now. What attracts me is the growth this competition has to offer, both personally and professionally. I look forward to gaining more knowledge and meeting others who are driven and passionate about hort!”

You can find more details about the competition here: https://www.youngplantproducer.co.nz/