Plant producer Jake Linklater has won the sector-wide 2025 Young Horticulturist of the Year. At the Grand Final in Karaka last night, Jake also won the Bayer Best Practice Award for being the highest point scorer in the practical challenges, the Horticentre Sustainability Award for demonstrating understanding and application of sustainability, and the Woolworths Best in Sector Award.

The judges praised the 29-year-old for his high level of skill and his ability to see things through a broad lens.

Jake is nursery manager at Nova Natives, a Nova Trust nursery, in Templeton near Christchurch. Back in June he took home the Young Plant Producer of the Year competition, held by New Zealand Plant Producers Inc (NZPPI).

In the Young Horticulturist of the Year event – now in its 20th year – the finalists represent six horticulture categories: Plant Producer, Amenity, Florists & Flower, Viticulturist, Arborist and Fruit & Vegetables. 

“We warmly congratulate Jake on his win,” says NZPPI Chief Executive Matt Dolan. “He has done plant producers and nursery businesses up and down the country proud. It’s a great testament to the high calibre of talent in our sector. I’d also like to thank all the NZPPI members who came out in Karaka to represent our sector last night.”

Jake’s win comes on the heels of last year’s 2024 Young Horticulturist of the Year winner Anna England – also a plant producer. 

“Plant producers are a small sector within New Zealand horticulture,” Matt says, “but we offer particularly rewarding and challenging career pathways for young people. Winning back-to-back Young Horticulturist of the Year trophies is a fantastic result. It helps us to highlight plant production careers to more young people and the future leaders who will drive the plant production sector forward.”

NZPPI encourages young people to visit plantcareers.co.nz to find out more about plant production careers.