2025 Landscape Institute Awards
The Landscape Institute (LI) Awards demonstrate the vital contribution that professionals across the sector make in addressing societal challenges in climate, nature, and health and wellbeing. There are opportunities to enter for both members and non-members of the LI...
Sarah Simpson is the 2025 Young Horticulturist of the Year!
Saturday 10th May, Historic Royal Palaces Hillsborough Castle and Garden, glorious sunshine and the Young Horticulturist of the Year 2025 Grand Final! Hillsborough Castle, County Down, Northern Ireland is the official home of the Secretary of State for Northern...
World Therapeutic Horticulture Day 2025
On May 18, 2025, we celebrate World Therapeutic Horticulture Day (WTHD), a global movement championing the power of plants in improving mental and physical well-being. With a growing number of Chartered Institute of Horticulture members actively engaged in Social and...
HTA Grower of the Year Award
Where would garden designers, landscape architects and landscapers be without fantastic plants and the brilliant nurseries who grow them? If you are a retailer, landscaper, garden designer or landscape architect you must have a favourite nursery or grower, so why not...
UK Government invests more than £45 million in ground-breaking technologies to boost Britain’s food security
DEFRA announced £45 million in new grants to drive and develop innovative technologies on farms. From 28 April, applications will open for the brand-new Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) competition, which will commit up to £20.6...
Survey reveals insights into skin cancer in the horticulture workforce
12% of survey respondents had been diagnosed with some form of skin cancer, according to a survey performed by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and Plant Network looking at awareness of skin cancer and attitudes to sun-safety from those working in the...
The 2025 Young Horticulturist of the Year Grand Finalist Line Up!
With only 2 weeks to go until the Grand Final at the Historic Royal Palace, Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, on Saturday 10th May, we are pleased to declare the Grand Finalists for 2025are: Ireland Sarah Simpson, Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture, Dublin...
The Horticulturist – Vol. 34 No. 1 – Spring 2025
The Spring 2025 publication of The Horticulturist is out now for all members. View the preview of what’s inside this edition here. The full issue can be viewed in the Members Portal.
UK England – Trailblazers (apprenticeships) – levy update
Encouraging SME’s to take free apprenticeship support via an organisation called Workwhile: Free apprenticeship support for SMEs – For employers – Workwhile Transferring your apprenticeship levy to another business - GOV.UK Information for large employers about...
UK Government Budget Update
The Sustainable Farming Incentive cap has been reached for 2025/26 (at £1.05 billion) and the UK government have stopped accepting new applications. The next update will follow in May. The Higher-Level Stewardship payments are increasing across a range of options (for...
Virtual work experience programme launched to attract the next generation of foresters
The Institute of Chartered Foresters and Forestry Commission are delighted to announce the launch of the Sustainable Careers in Forestry: Virtual Work Experience (VWEX) programme. This new virtual forestry work experience programme is now available on the immersive...
Ireland Regional Final Results – Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition 2025
Congratulations 👏🎉 to all competitors in the Ireland Branch Regional Final of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition, hosted at Teagasc Ashtown Research Centre, Dublin. 1st – Sarah Simpson 2nd – Chelirs Brecq 3rd – Keelan Clarke Special recognition to our...
Northern Regional Final Results – Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition 2025
Congratulations 👏🎉 to all competitors in the Northern Branch Regional Final of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition, hosted at National Trust Acorn Bank. 1st - Otto Speight, RHS Harlow Carr 2nd - Joseph Gallon, RHS Harlow Carr 3rd - Ben Blake, Askham Bryan...
West Midlands & South Wales Regional Final Results – Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition 2025
Congratulations to all of this year’s West Midlands & South Wales Regional Finalists of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition! 1st Place: George Gaia Holmes 2nd Place: Charlotte Cole 3rd Place: Sam Evans We’re excited to see George represent the region...
The Gardens Trust urges UK Government to reconsider proposal to remove statutory consultee status
The Gardens Trust is urging the UK Government to reconsider its plans, announced on 10 March,to remove the role of the Trust as a statutory consultee on planning applications. Currently, local Planning Authorities are required to consult the Gardens Trust on...
South East Regional Final Results – Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition 2025
Congratulations to all of this year’s South East Regional Finalists of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition! 1st Place: Anja Seymour 2nd Place: Alistair Coffey 3rd Place: Sam Stapleton Special recognition to our Runners Up: 🌟 Harry Thomas 🌟 Josh Hallett 🌟...
Eastern Regional Final Results – Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition 2025
Congratulations to all of this year’s Eastern Regional Finalists of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition! 1st Place: Charlotte Hayden, English Heritage 2nd Place: Benjamin Reed, Jesus College, Cambridge 3rd Place: William Charity, Markshall Estate Special...
North West & North Wales Regional Final Results – Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition 2025
Congratulations to all of this year's North West & North Wales Regional Finalists of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition! 1st Place: Matthew Thurgood, Leeds City Council Parks & Countryside 2nd Place: Ruby Goodwin, Myerscough College 3rd Place:...
South West Regional Final Results – Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition 2025
Congratulations to the South West Regional Finalists of the Young Horticulturist of the Year 2025! Huge well done to the top three: 🥇 1st Place: Sam Hickmott, National Trust Lytes Cary Manor 🥈 2nd Place: Mark O'Connor, RHS Rosemoor 🥉 3rd Place: Holly Doran, The Eden...
Scotland Regional Final Results – Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition 2025
Congratulations to the Scotland Regional Finalists of the Young Horticulturist of the Year 2025! The Scotland Young Horticulturist of the Year 2025 Regional Final winner is Frank Cooke ACIHort, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh! We look forward to seeing Frank at the...
Education (England) IFATE: Apprenticeship bureaucracy reduced
The Department of Education released the following press release on the 13th February More red tape slashed to reduce apprenticeship bureaucracy - GOV.UK. In essence announcing new board appointees, introduction of shorter Apprenticeship from August 2025 (from...
Defra launches an 8-week consultation on its plans to introduce a new framework for precision bred plant varieties in England
The consultation is to gather feedback on the proposed Precision Bred Variety List for England. Defra want to understand how the variety listing of precision bred agricultural and vegetable plant varieties in England will impact businesses. This consultation is of...
Horticulture sector unites to boost peat-free gardening
New guide and free expert advice to using peat-free compost launches As the growing season approaches, a coalition of expert organisations - retailers, manufacturers, growing media manufacturers, growers, conservation charities, and trade bodies - have united to...
Horticulturists against skin cancer
February might not seem like an obvious time to be thinking about sun safety and the dangers of skin cancer but every year over 17,000 cases of melanoma skin cancer are reported in the UK. Gardeners, Growers, Landscapers and those working outdoors with a high exposure...
Oxford Farming Conference government farmers and food production update
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, on Thursday 9 January set out the Government’s long-term vision to put more money back in the pockets of British farmers, while speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference. Government’s New...