An industry-wide campaign to promote gardening is in prospect following a meeting chaired by HTA director general Carol Paris this week.

Key garden industry players, including retailers, suppliers and other trade bodies, pledged overwhelming support for the idea, which would aim to launch in 2014 and develop further over time.

Mrs Paris said there was wide support from across the industry to get behind a single campaign that would reach out to people with a garden but not yet engaged with gardening. “We really need to work together to grow the garden market,” she added. “Many individual organisations are running good campaigns but there is potential to reach a much greater audience by combining our marketing spend and messaging.

“We need to get people to start thinking about their garden environment or their outside room. Whilst many people want to have a usable and attractive garden, they do not have the  time to focus on this. They need to be inspired and provided with solutions that help them to achieve this.”

Representives from Bransford Webbs Plant Company, Floramedia, Garden & Leisure, GIMA, HTA, Scotsdales Garden Centre, Gardman, RHS and Westland Horticulture attended. The GCA,  Hillview Group, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Stewarts and Suttons Seeds have also indicated support.

A follow up meeting will take place later this month. Anyone who would like to be involved is asked to contact: media.office@the-hta.org.uk