The tenth HTA National Plant Show, sponsored by Hortipak, takes place at Stoneleigh Park on Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 June. Visitors are encouraged to register now at www.nationalplantshow.co.uk to ensure that they are able to enter the show swiftly and maximise the opportunity of everything on offer.
This year’s show which sees over 200 exhibitors across the two adjoining halls provides an unrivalled opportunity to view the very best plants from UK nurseries, along with everything the trade needs to sell plants under one roof. With a wealth of innovation and expertise visitors can now meet the full spectrum of suppliers including, plants, polytunnel and glasshouse supply, substrates and growing media through to display benching, machinery, labelling and product information and much more.
We are delighted to welcome a number of first-time exhibitors to the show this year. They include: Aeroplas UK Ltd, Allports Group, City Irrigation and Antelo, Crystaline, Desch Plantpak Ltd, Dummen Orange, Formbar Limited, Glenside Nurseries, Hertford Shelving Ltd, HSM UK Ltd, HTA Utilities, Image Retail Solutions, Intelligent Horticultural Solutions, Lubera Edibles, Lucksbridge Marketing Ltd, My Power Solar Professionals, OMEX, Philip Harkness Roses Ltd, QCR Recycling Equipment, Sustane.
An exhibitor list can be found at https://www.nationalplantshow.co.uk/exhibitors/exhibitor-listing-2019.
A favourite with visitors and exhibitors alike the New Plant Awards will once again take pride of place in the centre of Hall 2. Annually attracting over 100 entries this is the place to see what is new and available to the market in the following season. Judges this year include Sabatino Urzo from the RHS, Ken Cox from Glendoick Garden Centre, Tamsin Westhorpe co-chair of the Garden Media Guild, Melanie Livingston plant buyer from Fron Goch Garden Centre, Jonathan Savage from Scotsdales Garden Centre with HTA’s Director of Operations Martin Simmons overseeing.
Previous winners of the New Plant Awards over the last 10 years will be on display in the show entrance, along with commentary on how they have done in the market place. Other features are the show include:
Hall 2
Show sponsor Hortipak invites visitors to join them on the Hortipak Hub and find out how they are Connecting People with Plants helping both growers and retailers to increase return business. You will find innovative ways to package and promote plants as well as having the opportunity to discuss your individual branding, marketing and product requirements directly with the designers and sales team.
The seminar theatre, sponsored by Sinclair Horticulture, will host a number of sessions throughout the show. These include:
- New Plant Awards – the judges highlight the winning plants, why they won and how they can help your plant area offering
- HTA Horticulture Manager, Alistair Yeomans provides an update on the latest plant health issues and developments and implications for the horticultural industry
- HTA Policy Executive Sally Cullimore provides an update on the work going on to develop recyclable non-carbon black pigment free plant pots
- An update on the Phyto-threats project from Forest Research
- Presentations from My Power, QCR and HTA Utilities on making your business more sustainable.
HTA Village – an opportunity to find out about the latest initiatives from the HTA including Plant Healthy and the Nursery Working Group and work going on to introduce a recyclable carbon black pigment free alternative to the black plastic pot.
Hall 1
The innovation area will encompass the Best Concept for retail award entries as well as the Product Showcase area and really highlight the huge variety of suppliers that show at the event and what they can offer your business.
Dura-ID Hub - a new mini demonstration area where our suppliers supported by our area partner Dura-ID will have the opportunity to showcase new and innovative offerings. The Tool Box Talks will feature sessions from Dura-ID, Melcourt Industries and ICL.
Associate Partner ICL will be highlighting its new one-stop shop for Black Vine Weevil control and showcasing Seeka – its range of beneficial nematodes. Andrew Wilson and Martin Donnelly, managers from ICL’s technical team, will be explaining the new 52 week programmed IPM approach to Vine Weevil control in a Tool Box Talk session.
Recognising that it is the 10th year of the show three industry representatives who have been involved since the outset provide comment.
Caroline Owen, Managing Director of Scotsdales Garden Centre, who was chair of the HTA Retail Management Committee in 2009 when the show was first developed comments, “It is great to see that the HTA National Plant Show continues to deliver exactly what it set out to do from the outset. The show provides garden retailers with a unique opportunity to view such a great variety of stock from UK nurseries and it really is the place to view new plants coming into the market place. We always come away with new ideas and thoughts about how to present our plant offer.”
Geoff Caesar, Chair of the HTA Ornamentals Committee adds, “The strength of the show really lies in the shared desire from UK growers and garden retailers for such an event. It is as an important milestone now as it was in 2009 and provides a real focal point at the right time of the year for the industry.”
James Buffoni, Managing Director of headline partner Hortipak, comments, “Ten years ago the Hortipak team decided to invest in the embryonic HTA National Plant Show and it has been the headline sponsor ever since. It’s a significant investment for a family business to make but it has been good for us. As a family business that manufactures in the UK, it’s a really good way for us to give back to the industry and to help to promote the industry as a whole. We felt if we could help to create a new platform for growers to showcase and do more business then that would bring us benefits as well."
James adds, “We have seen a lot of change over the last ten years, in the industry and beyond. What we have seen consistently over the last ten years is the continual improvement of the production and presentation of plants for the National Plant Show. As a Company which is primarily tasked with marketing plants, being a central part of that has been exciting and inspiring for us all. More change is to come, so the next decade will surely be an exciting one too.”
Many thanks to show sponsors:-
- Headline Partner – Hortipak
- Associate partner – ICL, Media Partner – Garden Forum, New Plant Awards – RHS, Visitor Vote – Floramedia, Hub Sponsor - DURA-ID, Benching partners – Timber
- Displays, Digital partner – Garden Connect, Delegate Bag partner – Container Centralen
- Event Partners – HTA Insurance Services, Joy of Plants and Glee
Register now at www.nationalplantshow.co.uk to ensure a quick and easy entry to the show.
For further details about exhibiting at this year’s show please visit www.nationalplantshow.co.uk or email events@hta.org.uk
