​Last week, I attended the Four Oaks Trade Show for the first time and, if I'm honest, I was pretty nervous beforehand.

As a recruiter, I'm used to speaking with people every day, but walking into a major industry event where I'd meet clients, candidates, and businesses face-to-face felt like stepping well outside my comfort zone. Looking back, I'm so glad I did it.

The show gave me a fantastic opportunity to immerse myself in the Horticulture and Garden Centre industries and learn far more than I ever could from behind a desk. One of the things that really struck me was just how many different specialisms exist within growing. It was fascinating to better understand how plant production is split across different growers and suppliers, and how much expertise is involved at every stage of the process.

Innovation was a real talking point throughout the event, and one company that particularly stood out to me was Proptek. It was great to see their innovative plant pot solutions and hear about the thinking behind the products. Speaking with businesses like this really highlighted how much creativity and problem-solving takes place across the sector.

Throughout the show, one theme seemed to come up time and time again: the weather. The challenges caused by increasingly unpredictable and extreme conditions are clearly having a significant impact on the industry, particularly when it comes to seasonal demand and planning. What impressed me most, though, was the positivity. Rather than focusing on the difficulties, people were sharing ideas, adapting their approaches and finding new ways to respond to what is becoming a more regular challenge for the sector.

Alongside exploring the exhibition, I attended a couple of panel discussions, with the Women in Horticulture session leaving the strongest impression on me. It highlighted issues that, if I'm being completely honest, had never crossed my mind before. Hearing how things such as uniforms, tools and machinery have traditionally been designed around men, and the challenges this can create for women working in horticulture and garden centres, was incredibly eye-opening. It was encouraging to hear about the conversations being led by Women in Horticulture and the work being done to create a more inclusive industry. It'll be really interesting to see what comes from these discussions over the coming years.

By the end of the event, any nerves I had at the start had completely disappeared. Four Oaks gave me the chance to meet people I may never have crossed paths with otherwise, learn more about the realities and challenges facing horticulture, and gain a real appreciation for the innovation and resilience that exists within the industry.

For a first trade show, I couldn't have asked for a better introduction. It was a brilliant experience, and I'm already looking forward to the next one.