Following a successful event at Gardening Scotland last year, the HTA are holding a reception event in the Scottish Parliament later this month, which will also include tours of the parliamentary garden at Holyrood.

Confirmed speakers for the reception include Dr Richard Simpson MSP, who is a Patron of the therapeutic gardening charity, Trellis, and Christine Grahame MSP, event sponsor.

The reception will take place on the 27 May 2015, from 6pm until 8pm in the Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament. So far over 140 people have confirmed their attendance. A number of charities, organisations and friends of the HTA will also have stands at the event – allowing MSPs to find out more about the diverse nature of the gardening and horticulture sector.

HTA Chief Executive Carol Paris comments: “This event provides us with the opportunity to demonstrate the importance of horticulture in Scotland and the role it plays across many aspects of our lives to a parliamentary audience.

"The HTA has an increasing presence in Scotland, with the recruitment of Neil Cummings as Regional Business Manager for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland last year, involvement in Gardening Scotland and increasing public affairs activity to ensure that members’ issues are heard.”

HTA President Stan Green added: “Scotland has an amazing horticultural heritage – from internationally renowned parks, public and private gardens with many societies and community groups to boot. We are all waking up to the importance of horticulture in our daily lives in Scotland, individually substantial but collectively hugely significant. What better place to come, than the Scottish Parliament to collectively celebrate the importance of plants in our lives, and most importantly how we can build on this privileged inheritance going forward.”