As we reach the halfway point of 2025, Rae and I have had the chance to reflect on what’s already been an exciting and rewarding year in the world of commercial recruitment for garden retail suppliers and the wider horticulture sector.
From insightful industry events to inspiring charity initiatives (and even a bit of golf and climbing!), the past six months have been packed with opportunities to connect, learn, and give back. Here’s a snapshot of some of the highlights from our journey so far this year.
HTA Regional Meeting at Hozelock – 11th March
We kicked off the spring with the HTA Regional Meeting, hosted at Hozelock. These meetings always offer a great chance to connect with peers and get a pulse on regional industry trends. It’s events like this that remind us how collaborative and forward-thinking our sector truly is.
GIMA Day Conference - 25th March
AI in horticulture? The GIMA Conference this year was a game-changer. Centred around the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, the day delivered fresh insights on how tech is transforming garden retail, from streamlining marketing and operations to revolutionising customer engagement. Rae released a fantastic blog about how we can all utilise AI in our working life. You can take a read here.
It’s fair to say the conference left us buzzing with ideas, and it’s exciting to see how AI will continue to shape the commercial horticulture industry, but also how we can use this to support our day-to-day roles.
GIMA President’s Dinner Co-Hosted by MorePeople – 24th April
It was a real privilege for MorePeople to co-host the GIMA President’s Dinner. Here at MorePeople, we run monthly Executive Network Dinners, uniting industry leaders to create a space for networking, discussing success stories and also challenges. The format of our Executive Networking Dinners worked perfectly—great food, great people, and some truly valuable conversations. It’s always inspiring to hear directly from those shaping the future of the garden retail supply chain.
GIMA Golf Day - 5th June
Some fun in the sun (and a bit of fundraising too)! We had a great time at the GIMA Golf Day—raising money for the brilliant Greenfingers Charity while trying our best to keep the ball on the fairway. We returned a decent score, with a few moments of brilliance and the odd "character-building" shot. Shout-out to the best caddie in the business, Rae Goss—couldn’t have done it without her.
HTA National Plant Show – 18th June
As ever, the HTA National Plant Show delivered an inspiring showcase of new varieties, innovative displays, and passionate growers. Events like this keep our enthusiasm rooted firmly in the sector—there’s nothing quite like being surrounded by the latest in horticultural excellence to remind us why we love what we do. Whether it be promoting roles for the next generation or working with businesses considering their upcoming hiring needs, NPS proves invaluable to us every single year. You can check our my colleague Sarah's article on NPS here.
Climbing the 02!
Internally, Rae and I were both lucky enough to qualify for MorePeople’s quarterly incentive. This time it involved climbing the O2 in London—a brilliant experience and a great way to celebrate hard work. It was also a reminder of the strength of our team culture and how important it is to recognise and reward success.
Of course, at the heart of everything we do is our work… connecting great people with great businesses in the garden retail and horticulture sectors. The first half of 2025 has seen us supporting a range of clients in attracting top commercial talent, from account managers and sales execs to senior leadership roles. It’s incredibly fulfilling to play a part in shaping the future of such a vibrant and growing industry.
Rae and I are always here to discuss all things commercial within the horticulture and garden retail sectors. Whether you are considering your hiring plans, or looking to take your next career leap.
