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HTA Grower of the Year Awards 2024

The Grower of the Year Awards demonstrates the high calibre of UK nurseries that lead the way in quality, levels of service, innovation and peat-free production and it is fantastic to be able to recognise young and upcoming talent that will ensure our world-class industry can thrive in the future.

Winning an award provides a great way to get recognition for an outstanding individual or business (your own or someone else’s!). As well as a trophy, the winners will also receive free tickets to Horticulture, The Conference – Dinner, where they will receive their awards. The winners are also eligible for the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards

 

Pippa Greenwood: 

“Another brilliant year for The HTA Grower of the Year Awards and for horticulture: Both the number and the standard of entries this year were higher than ever before, and the judges faced a really challenging task when selecting winners. These awards showcase the outstanding quality, service, and innovation of UK nurseries, along with their commitment to inspiration and furthering UK horticulture's positive environmental impact. It is wonderful to see the next generation of horticultural talent being celebrated, as this will ensure our phenomenal industry continues to thrive.”

 

This years judging panel

Alan Down, HTA Past President

Phil Clayton 

Martin Cowell, Cowell’s Garden Centre

Tim Briercliffe, AIPH

Mark Gregory, Landform Consultant

 

Winners

Blooming Marvellous Employer

Winner: Majestic Trees

Inspiration Business

Winner: Provender Nurseries

Highly Commended: The Horti House and Double H Nurseries LTD

Life Beyond Peat

Winner: Majestic Trees

Highly Commended: David Austin Roses

Best Staff Member 

Winner: Richard Pavey, Majestic Trees

Highly commended: Eleanor Radley-Moore, RJ Trees and Hedging Ltd

Younger Grower Under 35

Winner: Henil Vashi, Robin Tacchi Plants Ltd 

Highly Commended: Ellen Underwood, Majestic Trees

Plant Producer

Winner: David Austin Roses and Double H Nurseries

Highly Commended: Wyevale Nurseries Ltd 

2023 Grower Of The Year Winners

Winning the YGOTY award gave me and Majestic Trees great industry exposure and helped take my career to the next level. It was an honour to be considered for the HTA young grower award, let alone a winner. It really helps to get both my name out there and also enhance the profile of Majestic Trees. The YGOTY award really helped to assert my presence on the industry stage. Winning the award gave me an excellent platform to express my views in podcasts, articles and interviews. The AIPH YIGOTY was an incredible achievement, not least to win the award, but also take part on the Jungle Talks Pro Manager Mastercourse programme which was an incredible experience. Unrivalled International Exposure. Platform to talk about what is important to me, and people listen. YGOTY is an acknowledgement of the value of the next generation of horticultural leaders. Other young leaders from a variety of businesses have approached me asking about the award, to which I hope I was able to encourage and motivate people to take part and aim high.

Eliot Barden , Majestic Trees

When we first entered the UK Grower of the Year awards in 2007, we never expected to win! Since then, we have entered every time, and have been honoured to win in various categories from time to time. Furthermore, I believe winning has helped attract horticultural talent, and is wonderful for the team’s moral.

Steve McCurdy , Majestic Trees

Winning the Grower of the Year award was fantastic recognition for all of our team at Allensmore. Everyone works so hard to maintain quality and service to have that recognised by the industry gave everyone a real lift. It was great to receive some very positive comments from customers after winning the Grower of the Year award. Everyone works so hard week in week out to win the award and then receive some congratulations from valued customers was a boost for the team.

Geoff Caesar, Allensmore

Winning the HTA peat-free grower of the year 2024 was a great achievement for us and felt like validation of our two-year journey to becoming a fully peat-free grower. It also offered us a fantastic platform for entry into the AIPH’s International Grower of the Year awards, where we were fortunate enough to the highly coveted Gold Rose award. We are hugely grateful for the industry recognition that both awards have given us, and they have been an important part of the development of Greenwood

Melanie Asker , Greenwood Plants

Winning Young Grower of the Year at the Grower of the Year Awards was one of the best moments of my life, just to be nominated was a thrill. The evening itself was fantastic, which allowed me plenty of opportunity to talk to like-minded people in my industry. Winning the award has put even more faith in myself that I am capable and can really strive to make a difference or positive contribution to this fantastic industry

Kyle Ross , Wyevale Nurseries

Winning best inspirational business in the HTA Ornamental Grower of the Year Awards was a real achievement for us and a much welcome recognition for all the work we have been doing over recent years. Recognition from our peers goes a long way in reassuring us that as an industry, we all share core ecological ideals and values, continuing to keep commercial horticulture pushing to be at the centre of the UK’s environmental aims for years to come. Winning best inspirational business in the HTA Ornamental Grower of the Year Awards has given us opportunities to be part of a global environmental discussion, allowing us to have a better, more informed understanding of what we need to do to be an active partner in an environmentally sustainable future.

Mark Hutchinson , Palmstead Nursery

See last years Grower Of The Year Awards

View last years winners and find out of the event unfolded in 2023.