The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has revealed what to expect from the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) and its members during the upcoming flower show and garden festival season.
The APL, which comprises almost 400 designers, landscapers and professional gardeners, will showcase gardens designed and built by members at eight key shows throughout the year.
The season kicks off with the Harrogate Spring Flower Show, the first major event in the national gardening calendar, in less than two weeks’ time.
The APL team will also provide free advice through Landscape and Design clinics at most shows, where visitors can attend regular drop-in sessions and have their questions answered.
Highlights for the 2026 show season include:
- ‘Over the Garden Fence’ at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show. Compact gardens designed by APL members to demonstrate getting the most out of a small urban garden space.
- The APL Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) Garden at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show, designed to manage rainfall naturally by allowing water to soak into the ground, rather than running off into drains.
- The world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where numerous APL members are involved in designing and building almost twenty of the show gardens.
- Marking a decade of APL Avenue at BBC Gardeners’ World Live in Birmingham with three outstanding APL member gardens to view.
- The headline show garden ‘The Evolution Garden’ at BBC Gardeners’ World Live in Birmingham, built by APL member Design It Landscapes.
- The Macmillan Cancer Research garden at RHS Badminton, created by APL member Artisan Landscapes.
- The RHS Royal Legacy Garden at RHS Sandringham, designed by Catherine MacDonald from APL member Landform Consultants and built by APL member Gadd Brothers Trees & Landscapes.
- A collaborative apprentice garden at BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair at Audley End, where APL members will build a showcase garden whilst mentoring apprentices.
Phil Tremayne, APL General Manager, said: “These shows are the perfect opportunity for our members to demonstrate their talent, quality of builds and professionalism. It also offers consumers the chance to see first-hand the benefits of choosing APL landscapers and designers for their projects. Every year, our members have an exciting portfolio of designs and builds to impress the public, which includes soft and hard landscaping, gardens on a budget, and show-stopping, aspirational garden designs. We really can accommodate every need.
“The highlight for me this year is the celebration of marking ten years of APL Avenue at BBC Gardeners’ World Live. It will be the final APL Avenue, as the show moves to a new venue next year, but we have some exciting ideas in the pipeline for what will replace it... so watch this space.”
For more information about the APL's upcoming shows, visit: hta.org.uk/apl/events/shows
