The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has announced programme highlights for Horticulture, The Conference, which includes a day of content designed to inform and support environmental horticulture businesses as they prepare for the future.

The event returns to London’s iconic Barbican Centre on Thursday 24 September 2026 for the second-year running.

Key highlights from the daytime programme

• An in-depth look at the emerging sociological, technological, legal and environmental trends and what they mean for the future of UK environmental horticulture businesses.
• The launch of the HTA’s new report on The Value of Green Spaces.
• Climate insights and what we should be preparing for in future, followed by a panel of leading voices from politics, horticulture and meteorology as they explore how green infrastructure can help the UK adapt to a changing climate, build resilience and improve quality of life.
• Dr Anthony Klotz, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at the UCL School of Management in London, will explore the forces reshaping today’s workforce, from evolving employee expectations and engagement challenges to workplace culture and retention. This will be followed by a panel discussion.
• Leading political figures, including Conservative MP Robbie Moore, will reflect on the value and importance of environmental horticulture, addressing delegates in a political update session.
• And, wrapping up the conference day programme, Ben Hanlin, an award-winning speaker who specialises in creating engagement and connection to boost business performance, will deliver a keynote speech. Delegates will hear his thoughts on using communication to drive performance and culture and how storytelling can help environmental horticulture cut through.