The Horticultural Trades Association is a modern, leading edge trade association representing the UK garden industry. It has, for over 100 years, promoted the profitable growth of its members through a comprehensive range of business support initiatives. It provides a vital forum for identifying and dealing with key garden industry issues and opportunities, represents the views of the industry to Government and is its voice in the media.
Research data from the Garden Industry Monitor, highlights that with a retail turnover of over £5 billion a year, the UK gardening industry is a buoyant and growing market. The market has enjoyed good growth over the last 10 – 15 years, not least as a result of changes in lifestyle and disposable incomes. Socio economic conditions have worked in favour of the gardening industry with an increase in home ownership, higher disposable incomes and an ageing population. What’s more, consumers are becoming better informed gardeners and are more demanding, requiring better service and value.
The HTA membership covers all aspects of the industry and includes some 1800 businesses representing retailers, growers, landscapers, manufacturers and distributors of garden materials and service providers. Retail membership includes specialist retail nurseries, the vast majority of independent garden centres, garden centre chains and some DIY and High Street multiples. The HTA member growers represent approximately 80 per cent of the total UK production of ornamental plants, including all major UK growers.
The HTA also operates a number of Specialist Groups that represent the particular interests of various specialist areas of operation with the industry. These include the Association of Professional Landscapers, the HTA British Roses Group, the Association of Liner Producers, the Association of British Conifer Growers, the Growing Media Association and the HTA Tree and Hedging Group.
The HTA is run by the industry, for the industry with volunteers from members and a full time staff under the Director General based at Theale, Berkshire. It is a non-profit making organisation which ploughs back surplus revenue to help develop new services for its members and keep subscriptions to a minimum.
