The value of plants was the highlight of the HTA Conference held in Birmingham last week.

Research carried out by the HTA revealed that the retail value of plants and trees totalled £2.7 billion in 2022, with £2.2 billion spent on plants for outdoors and £500 million on houseplants.  Garden Centres accounted for 51% of all outdoor plant sales and 36% of all houseplant sales.

And that is only the start of the retail value of plants and trees as the “knock on” value is that between 40 and 49% of transactions containing fertilisers and chemicals, growing media or outdoor containers also contained a plant.

Plants are loved by gardeners and non-gardeners. 23 million people are using their gardens and outdoor spaces to grow plants and a third of people with no access to a garden or outdoor space bought a houseplant.

Defra value the total natural value of the UK’s plants as £11.6 billion per year, and that excludes £4.1 billion from agricultural crops.  81% of UK adults agree that gardens and green spaces benefit their state of mind.  Productivity in offices with natural greenery is 15% higher.

Looking to the future the HTA research tested price sensitivity of plants taking various factors into account related to peat free growing, sustainability, plant health, guarantees and environmental ratings. Unsurprisingly keen and experienced gardeners (Garden Proud and Gardening Elders) were the most likely to reduce their plant purchasing if prices rose significantly, however all other groups of gardeners were much less sensitive about prices of plants. 

The factors that are perceived as adding the most value to plants by consumers are a Lifetime or 5 Year guarantee and being pollinator friendly.

The value of plants also shone through in Dr Tim Leunig’s economic presentation. As well as having been economic adviser to Rishi Sunak for 2 years when he was chancellor, he told the conference delegates: “I'm also a gardener. I love gardening. I'll show you some pictures of my garden later, but only if you ask me questions. That's the deal. So you and I both know that economics and gardening are the same thing. We both care passionately about growth. If things don't grow, we're not happy. We also know that growth is sometimes not all it seems. There are plants that die in winter.”

In terms of opportunity for the sector he said: “The population is ageing; old people have more money. What exactly are we offering? Because traditionally older people have gardened just because they had more time. But what are the high value-added products that you can be offering people who are older, not necessarily infirm, but older? And that's, I think, a genuine entrepreneurial challenge for you guys.”

He added: “You should call for more house building. And you need houses, not flats. Brownfield first is the worst possible outcome for you guys. You don't want flats, you want houses. You want houses in the green belt with nice big gardens. What you want are people with gardens. So, when governments start talking about house building, you should, as an industry, start putting out press releases welcoming that. When the government commits to doubling the size of Cambridge, the HTA needs to put out a press release saying that this is a wonderful idea because more houses with gardens means more people to buy stuff.”

Dr Tim also urged closer working with universities to get the value of UK plants message across to government: “It's the HTA's job to find those research scientists to make sure that they apply to be on Defra's committees, because DEFRA has committees of often unpaid scientists who are there to stand up for the biosecurity that matters. So that's my very strong advice. Find the scientists, get them on side, get them on those committees. I can say that not as an economist. I can say that as someone who has been a civil servant, which is a more useful answer in this case.” Then proudly showing a photo of his own garden he said: “Roses. Who doesn't like roses? Well, I love roses and I have the scars and cuts to prove it. I counted them once. There were 525 blooms on that single rose. Now that is value. I don't know how much that rose cost. What, £30. Twenty years ago? Nothing is better value than planting a plant like that.”

British Garden Centres viual merchandising team were once again congratulated by all of the guest speakers and presenters on the quality of the set display for the conference.

See GTN Xtra’s gallery of photos from the conference and the Grower of the Year Awards dinner in the evening below.