Roots and All Podcast – Sun Safety for Gardeners
CEO of Melanoma Focus, Susanna Daniels, is joined by horticulturists Rachel Reynolds, Paul Kimberley and Jenny Warner as they speak to the Roots and All podcasters on all things surrounding Sun Safety for Gardeners and their personal experiences with skin cancer. As...
Consultation on Improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for brownfield development
DEFRA have opened a consultation on Improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. This consultation includes options around extending exemptions, simplifying the small sites metric and increasing ease of access to...
Consultation on Biodiversity net gain for nationally significant infrastructure (England)
DEFRA have opened a consultation on Biodiversity net gain for nationally significant infrastructure projects in England. The government is proposing introducing BNG for nationally significant infrastructure projects from May 2026 to provide a clear framework for...
Boost for woodlands – research to tackle plant pests & diseases
On May 6th DEFRA announced British woodlands and trees will benefit from new research aimed at boosting protection against pests and diseases. 17 new research projects to improve tree health and resilience through the Centre for Forest Protection – a...
Plant Health – international trade and controlled consignments, 2020-2024
To be released on 23 October 2025. This experimental statistic will bring together information on the international trade in plants and plant products of the UK/GB and on the trade in controlled plants and plant products that are notified to plant health...
UK-EU Summit
The removal of plant health certificates, which the government has calculated will save businesses around £25 per certificate.Routine checks on certain imports from the EU for products including plants and plant products will be removed, reducing the current cost of...
Horticulture Industry Unites to Urge VAT Removal on Sunscreen for Outdoor Workers
A coalition of leading horticulture and landscape industry organisations has today announced the submission of a joint letter to the UK Government, calling for the removal of VAT on SPF 30+ sunscreen. The letter follows a revealing survey by the Chartered Institute of...
CIH Awards deadlines extended – don’t leave it too late to enter!
A reminder that the Chartered Institute of Horticulture entry deadlines for the Aberconway and Pam Pointer Awards for 2025 have been extended to 30 June 2025. If you've yet to submit an entry, now is the time! Entries for the Norah Stucken award remain open. The Pam...
Horticulturists recognised at Chartered Institute’s Annual General Meeting
The Chartered Institute of Horticulture’s annual general meeting concluded with a prizegiving ceremony recognising the exceptional contribution of horticulture professionals and students over the past year. The Aberconway Award for best horticultural dissertation was...
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 🌟...