The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has revealed the winners of the 2024 HTA Grower of the Year Awards at Horticulture, The Conference, held at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham.
Twelve awards were presented across six categories, celebrating outstanding achievements in the horticultural industry. Among the top winners were Majestic Trees, which took home the Blooming Marvellous Employer and Life Beyond Peat awards; David Austin Roses and Double H Nurseries jointly won the Plant Producer award, while Provender Nurseries won the Inspirational Business award.
Notable individuals were also recognised, including Henil Vashi from Robin Tacchi Plants Ltd, who won Young Grower Under 35, and Richard Pavey from Majestic Trees, who received the Best Staff Member award.
Pippa Greenwood, Horticulture Manager at the HTA, praised the high standard of entries, commenting: “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.”
Full List of Winners and Highly Commended:
Blooming Marvellous Employer – Majestic Trees (Winner)
Inspirational Business – Provender Nurseries (Winner)
The Horti House, Double H Nurseries Ltd (Highly Commended)
Life Beyond Peat – Majestic Trees (Winner)
David Austin Roses (Highly Commended)
Young Grower Under 35 – Henil Vashi, Robin Tacchi Plants Ltd (Winner)
Ellen Underwood, Majestic Trees (Highly Commended)
Best Staff Member – Richard Pavey, Majestic Trees (Winner)
Eleanor Radley-Moore, RJ Trees and Hedging Ltd (Highly Commended)
Plant Producer – David Austin Roses and Double H Nurseries (joint Winners)
Wyevale Nurseries Limited (Highly Commended)
The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has awarded Mike Burks, Managing Director of The Gardens Group, the prestigious 2024 Pearson Memorial Medal. Mike has been at the forefront of environmental work in the garden industry and has been recognised for his outstanding contributions and leadership in the sector.
Will Armitage, HTA President, said: “Mike's contribution to the industry is incredible; not only is he part of The Gardens Group, which operates three garden centres in the Southwest that are some of the best examples of horticultural retail in the country, we believe, along with the support of his wife Louise, he has won the GCA Christmas merchandising prize more than any other retailer.
He continues to be an articulate spokesperson for industry issues, and his involvement in the ongoing conversation around the future of peat serves as a key example. He has the ability to consider and communicate both sides of the debate thoughtfully.
Mike's tenacity and drive have proved invaluable to the industry. During the Covid pandemic, Mike worked alongside and with the HTA in a relentless drive to reopen garden centres, arguably saving the industry.”
Mike Burks, Pearson Memorial Medal winner, said: “This is slightly overwhelming really. We’ve done lots of work with great people towards a common cause, and in so many ways, we’ve managed to come together, ensuring the HTA and GCA are aligned on all these projects. None of this would have been possible without the support of my team at the Gardens Group, and particularly my wife Louise, who allowed me to get away this afternoon to be here.”
The HTA has awarded the Pearson Memorial Medal for outstanding service to the garden industry annually since it was instigated in 1930 in memory of the HTA's first General Secretary, Charles Pearson. The 2023 medal was awarded to Stan Green, with previous recipients in recent years including Jim Buttress, Mark Gregory and Adam Wigglesworth.
Mike Burks is Managing Director of the Gardens Group, a former Garden Centre Association chairman, and a passionate advocate of eco-friendly gardening practices. Mike and his wife Louise have spent the past three decades running three multi-award-winning garden centres, three restaurants and a farm shop in Dorset and Somerset after graduating with an honours degree in Horticulture from the University of Bath. Community and wildlife protection are very much at the heart of The Gardens Group, alongside gardening and horticulture, so Mike and his knowledgeable team remain committed to hosting and organising regular events to support local charities and initiatives while encouraging more people to embrace gardening.
