A MENTORING scholarship with celebrity gardener Chris Beardshaw is being offered through the Three Counties Agricultural Society.

The designer and television personality, who won a gold and best in show for his Victorian garden at this year's Malvern spring show, has established a year-long apprenticeship.

Both experienced and up-and-coming gardeners are invited to apply and put forward a business case.

The initiative is designed to be vocational and as part of the training programme, the successful applicant will be enrolled on a Royal Horticultural Society course culminating in a recognised qualification.

By way of a mid-term test, the apprentice will be tasked to create a show garden built to brief and judged by the RHS for the Malvern Autumn Show in 2008.

The ultimate challenge will be to build a courtyard garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2009, when Chris will work side-by-side with his protege.

He said: "I am very excited about this new project, which as far as I know is a first in the gardening show circuit."

For details, call Sharon Gilbert at the Three Counties Agricultural Society on 01684 584929.