Read what the 2010 Six Packers had to say about their experience at last year's conference.

If you would like to be one of the IPPS Six Pack 2011 click on the links below.

Robert Canham Coming to the conference really helped me to understand the industry more. My highlights include visiting the different types of nurseries and seeing different approaches to management and production; and being able to meet and get advice from experienced and well known people in the industry. I really want to thank everyone for making me feel welcome. I would definitely recommend the six pack award to all young people in the industry. I have learnt many new techniques to improve my job and made some valuable contacts to help me progress in this field.

Matt Smith The experience of being a six packer has to be recommended to any young grower wanting to learn by seeing different nurseries and speaking to different growers. The real high of the experience had to be that everyone is willing to share their knowledge and help each other. The great thing about the nursery visits is that they don't just let you into the nursery, but they also show what they do and they all clearly put a huge effort into making the event a success. The conference has opened me up to new ideas like using sugar to encourage root growth, being able to hear experiences from nurseries abroad, and looking into the future without peat and maybe using mustard as a green manure one day. I've come back to work with new inspiration and next year as an IPPS member I will be able to learn more.

Rhydian Beynon-Davies For me, the IPPS conference proved to be an excellent learning experience. As a newcomer to horticultural research, I found the wide range of visits a guide to the diversity in practice within the industry which gave me an insight into the pressing issues that nurseries encounter on a daily basis. As a researcher, it is sometimes all too easy to lock ourselves up in our so called 'ivory towers', but what this conference really reinforced was the belief that bridging the gap between academia, industry and business is important, especially in the current economic climate. It became clear to me that to compete in an increasingly globalised marketplace it is important that UK producers find novel and innovative ways to produce good quality plants either by increased specialisation or by finding new outlets for existing products.

Morten Schjellerup This was four days I'll never forget, spent with some fantastic people who share the same interests as me. It was great to feel the warm atmosphere and I felt very welcome. The conference speakers were excellent and all the subjects of value. Now I can only look forward to next year's conference which I'll definitely be attending. Thank you for a fantastic experience, one I'll certainly recommend to others.

Andrew Curry Taking part in the conference was a great experience and a great place to make contacts. All the conference sessions, from water management to weed management, were very informative. I thought the visit to Levington Research Station was great, as were all the nurseries, though for me the highlight would have to have been John Woods Nurseries. We were very well looked after and I'd encourage all young horticulturists to see what IPPS offers.

Alan Quinn I thoroughly enjoyed my week at the conference and think that the six pack is a great way of encouraging new members to IPPS. Among the experiences that stood out for me were the visits to Levington, seeing the work behind the scenes to bring products to us as growers, and to John Woods Nurseries and seeing the enthusiasm of their team and how they manage the business like a series of smaller nurseries. Of the conference presentations, I enjoyed Jerry Cross's on new approaches to crop protection as everything seems to be pointing away from chemical sprays and towards biological control - I agree with his assessment that to abandon spray just now would be a bit of a disaster and we should be looking at IPM. Another memorable moment for me was when Peter Catt was awarded the Rosebowl. His reaction said everything as to how much IPPS means to him, and hopefully one day it will mean as much to us six packers as it does to Peter now.