The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) with partner GIMA is celebrating two decades of the Garden Press Event. The event has grown into the largest of its kind, showcasing environmental horticulture businesses and their innovations to the media and to mark the the anniversary the founders, Richard Jackson and Guy Burtenshaw, joined the HTA, GIMA, and guests for a special ceremony during a celebratory breakfast reception.
Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the HTA, commented: “We are delighted to celebrate 20 years of the Garden Press Event, which has grown into a must-attend on media and business calendars. Showcasing the best innovations, highlighting the HTA’s campaign ‘Your Garden Year’, encouraging the next generation to take part in gardening and horticulture and also demonstrating the value of this sector through our stats and facts document, we are ensuring that gardening remains a vibrant, accessible, and essential part of British life for generations to come.”
The central focus for the HTA on their stand this year was the media showcase of the ‘Your Garden Year’ campaign. Designed as an industry-wide framework to support the nation’s gardening habits, the campaign provides a week-by-week roadmap to help gardeners feel confident in their outdoor spaces year-round.
Neil Grant, Chair of the HTA Retail Committee said: “Together we can keep gardening in the public consciousness all year round, restoring the rhythm of the gardening calendar and growing the market for everyone. While no one can control the weather, the industry can take far greater ownership of something that matters even more: the gardener’s journey.”
The HTA also released its Environmental Horticulture and Industry Insights 2026 stats booklet. Now established as an annual reference tool for the media, the booklet provides the latest data-driven insights into the sector’s £38 billion economic contribution and its vital role in supporting the UK’s environmental goals.
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