At Hortipak we are all delighted to have been the Principle Sponsor of the HTA National Plant Show again in 2011. Principle Sponsorship of NPS helps Hortipak to strengthen our commitment to support the development of marketing in the UK horticultural industry.

 

As a UK-based Company we feel that it is essential for us to help to showcase the best of British plant suppliers and improve plant sales in the UK, and NPS is a fantastic platform for everyone involved.

 

 

With a 15% increase in visitors the second HTA National Plant Show, which took place at Stoneleigh Park near Coventry this week (28 and 29 June), has been heralded a success by exhibitors and growers alike.

The two day plant focussed show, which this year expanded into a larger hall to cater for the 116 businesses exhibiting, provides a unique opportunity to view the very best of the UK plant supply chain under one roof. The show was attended by all key garden retailers, big and small, from across the UK including Garden & Leisure Group, Frosts Garden Centres, Blue Diamond Group, Webbs Garden Centres, Garden Centre Group, Aylett Nurseries, Scotsdale Garden Centre, Haskins Garden Centres, Hillier Garden Centres, B&Q, Homebase, Dobbies Garden Centres, Sainsbury's, Grosvenor Garden Centre, Henry Street Garden Centre, Planters Garden Centre and Deans Garden Centre.

HTA Director General David Gwyther said, "The HTA National Plant Show clearly provides a win-win situation for growers and garden retailers alike and we are delighted that this has been reaffirmed at this year's show. The show has evolved from last year and expanded due to increased demand from exhibitors, which in turn has helped bring more visitors through the door.”

He adds, "We saw such a high level of entries in quality and quantity in the New Plant Awards – we believe it is a record for any show. This clearly demonstrates the importance of having a plant specific show at this time of year providing growers with the opportunity to showcase new additions to the market.”

James Buffoni, from Hortipak, the show's sponsors comments, ""The HTA National Plant Show was a huge success again in 2011. Attendees consistently reported to us that it was a fantastic place to view and exhibit plants, it attracted key buyers, and therefore it was a great place to do business. In difficult economic times the HTA has successfully scaled up the National Plant Show with rising attendance figures, improvements to the venue and layout, exciting features, seminars that were relevant and interesting, and an atmosphere that truly reflected the positive nature of our industry. This event can count on Hortipak's support in future. Our congratulations to all the award winners at the show.”

Exhibitor comments

Nigel Goodall from John Woods Nurseries

"It has been a very successful show for us which has provided a wonderful opportunity to launch our new catalogue and showcase our new plants – two days extremely well spent.”

Geoff Caesar from Bransford Webbs Plant Company who ran the Market Place feature at the show comments, "The Market Place has had a fantastic show with a 57% increase in sales on last year. Considering that June has been a relatively quiet for the industry we are really pleased with the result. This year's Market Place featured a great variety of plants from 7.5 litre Piceas, Banana plants to bedding geraniums.”

Andrew Richardson from Johnsons of Whixley comments, "We had a fantastic show and got around 30 orders from the show which is unprecedented in any show in the past! We were thrilled to get the Highly Commended award for the best plant display given such a high standard of competition and the fact that we are relative newcomers in the retail side of the market.”

Mark Robinson from Beaver Nurseries comments, "We have had the best ever show reaffirming relationships with existing customers and importantly developing new contacts. In fact it has been so good that we sent three staff back early to the nursery to process orders taken on the stand and in the Market Place.”

Winners at the HTA National Plant Show

New Plant Awards, sponsored by ProVar

Best New Plant – Dianthus Memories from Bransford Webbs Plant Company

Visitor Vote Best New Plant: Dahlia ‘Mystic Haze' from Fairweathers Nursery

Best Plant Display, sponsored by Hortipak: Lovania Nurseries

For further information about the HTA National Plant Show visit http://www.nationalplantshow.co.uk/ or email enquiries@nationalplantshow.co.uk