On Wednesday, members of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, Northern Branch, visited Mount Saint John's at Felixkirk near Thirsk. We were introduced to this amazing 12 acre garden by Jack Clark, the garden curator, and taken on a tour of the various parts of the...

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has recently announced that the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) will receive an additional £53 million investment in the current financial year. The additional funding builds on the £70 million...

Corporation Park Supporters Group (CPSG) is working with Blackburn with Darwen Council and Historic England to secure support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore Blackburn’s Grade II listed Victorian Conservatory, based at Corporation Park. Subject to...

The Department for Education (DfE) are seeking views on the proposed subject content for a new GCSE in natural history.  The GCSE will allow students to engage with and study specific organisms, including plants or animals and the contexts in which they live, and...

The Employment Rights Act 2025 gained Royal Assent in December 2025. The zero hours contracts measures in the Act have not yet taken effect. Regulations are required to outline key details of these rights which this consultation focuses on. The reforms of zero hours...

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Apprenticeships (APPG) is inviting stakeholders to provide written evidence on the government reforms to apprenticeships and it’s industrial strategy. Read more about the group and the link to the consultation here.

IMAGE: (L to R) Maelor Owen, SHS Vice Chairman, David Richardson, Chartered Institute of Horticulture President, Sam Finch, West Midlands South Wales Region, Andrew Cross, SHS Committee Rochdale Town Hall hosted the Grand Final on Saturday 16th May, where eight...

Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax went live on 6 April 2026.  Sole traders and landlords with a turnover of over £50K will need to start using it. To understand more about the new process, how it applies to you, choosing compatible software and how to sign up,...

On 19 May 2025, the UK government and the European Union (EU) agreed to pursue a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement.  This agreement covers the trade, production and movement of plants, animals and their products. View the detail of these changes here. UK...

On Wednesday 25 March, senior leaders from farming, food, retail and hospitality met for the inaugural Farming & Food Partnership Board (FFPB).  The joint government and industry board is building directly on Baroness Batters’ Farm Profitability Review,...

Following years of development and work by the trailblazer group to get this standard up and running, the first cohort for the L5 Horticulture and Landscaping Technical Manager are enrolled  at the university of Lincoln.  Calling employers and potential...

Eight of the country’s finest young horticulturists will battle it out at Rochdale Town Hall on Saturday 16 May in the grand final of the Young Horticulturist of the Year (YHOY) Competition. They have each won through earlier regional rounds to compete for the coveted...

Congratulations to all competitors in the Scotland Branch Regional Final of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition, hosted at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) on 11th April 2026. Going through to the Grand Final in May is Frank Cooke from...

ECH Representative About the role The Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIH) seeks to appoint an Early-Career Horticulturist Representative to our Council of Trustees to represent the key demographics of horticultural students and those beginning their careers in...

The Spring 2026 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.

Well done to all of this year’s North West & North Wales Branch Regional Finalists of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition. The Regional Final was kindly hosted by  Astley Hall in Chorley on 28th March. Representing the branch at the Grand Final...

We’re delighted to announce that Lauren Moore, Askham Bryan College is the winner of the Young Horticulturist of the Year – Northern Regional Final, held at Thorp Perrow Arboretum! Lauren will go on to represent the Northern region at the Young Horticulturist of the...

Congratulations to all competitors in the Ireland Branch Regional Final of the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition, hosted at CAFRE Greenmount College, Antrim on 25th March 2026. Going through to the Grand Final in May is Chélirs Brecq from SETU/Teagasc...

The UK government is working toward a mid-2027 start date for the new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the European Union.  Click this link for further details.

The first Land Use Framework for England has recently been published. It sets out how we can use our land more effectively, a plan for delivering food security and nature restoration alongside clean energy and new homes. The Framework has 3 sections:  a vision for...

Local Skills Plans are being updated across England, it is important that industry professionals and employers highlight horticulture as a priority sector.  Skills England have recently asked all counties in England to develop the 2026-2029 Local Skills Improvement...

UK fertilisers regulatory reform set out plans to support innovation in the fertiliser sector, diversify supply, and strengthen the UK’s resilience to global market shocks. The consultation will run for eight weeks, closing on Wednesday 13 May, with responses invited...

Do you think you could write a great Young Horticulturist of the Year question? Would you enjoy turning your horticultural knowledge into fun, challenging questions for the next generation of Young Horticulturists? We’re looking for CIH members who’d like to get...

New project will train 12,000 garden centre staff, test compost with gardeners and introduce a new peat-free quality standard Gardeners across the UK are set to receive new support to help them successfully grow with peat-free compost following a major funding boost...

The Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIH) is the latest to announce its partnership in the ground-breaking cross-sector collaboration, working title "Roots for the Future, Skills for Today." This ambitious initiative will culminate in an interactive exhibit at New...