New Plant Awards

I did three years at Pershore College before joining Boningale Nurseries as a dispatch manager in 1987. From there, I joined Notcutts garden centres as a management trainee, eventually ending up at Peterborough as a planteria manager. After meeting Helen, we moved to Manchester, where I worked for Sainsbury’s Homebase in Altrincham as a garden centre manager, and then in 2002, we had the chance to acquire Whitacre garden centre in Warwickshire. In 2006, we also acquired Stratford Garden Centre in Stratford-upon-Avon. We sold the original centre in Whitacre in 2012, but have, in the last two years, acquired Warwick garden centre near Warwick. I have built up an in-depth plant knowledge over the years and would be delighted to help judge the new plant awards at the HTA show this year

Gwyn Lloyd

Steve brings extensive hands-on growing experience and in-depth knowledge of ICL’s expanding product portfolio. A former production manager at a leading Kent nursery, he oversaw the cultivation of more than 3,500 lines of quality nursery stock. His expertise spans propagation to finished product - across container and field-grown shrubs, trees, and perennials. BASIS and FACTS qualified, Steve’s enthusiasm, knowledge, and practical insight make a strong impact with clients.

Steve Chapman, ICL Group

A career horticulturist, but with a dairy farming background. Studied at Cannington and Pershore College of Horticulture [Master of Horticulture – M Hort]. He began working in the glasshouse industry in his late teens [AYR: chrysanthemums, pot mums, and tomatoes]. He moved to orchard fruit growing, including a period as a practical fruit instructor at Pershore College. Afterwards, he entered the Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stock sector in Northern Germany. Upon returning to the UK, I developed Hillier Nurseries' container-grown and seed propagation nurseries. Assistant to the production director. Worked with Sir Harold Hillier and Roy Lancaster. Alan then undertook a Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust travel study [9 weeks] of container plant production and marketing in USA and Canada.

Alan Down

Josh studied at Pershore College and graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Horticulture in 2013, and has since worked in ornamental production and retail horticulture, before stepping into the Head of Horticulture role at Pershore College where he now heads up all horticultural education provision there. He is a network member of the RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee, and won the RHS Roy Lancaster award in 2024 to an under-35 showing a significant contribution to the practice or promotion of horticulture in the UK.

Josh Egan-Wyer

Studying commercial nursery stock production at Hadlow College and working in nurseries and garden centres, provided a great foundation when I changed direction and moved into horticultural journalism 35 years ago. Since then, I have worked on business to business and consumer gardening magazines, reporting on everything from new plants to industry trends. Currently the Features Editor for Garden Trade News which has a focus on garden retail, I am also a Trustee of the Brogdale Collections - The home of the National Fruit Collection, and a committee member of the Garden Media Guild.

Anisa Gress