The Hort Report: 18th April 2025
An autumn festival, a gardener's newspaper, and more!
Here’s your weekly Hort Report - the round-up of industry news, retail insights, home gardener gossip, influencer spotlights, social media news, and so much more.
Grab a hot drink, and catch up on the latest below…
FOR YOUR DIARY
Bloom Charleston - 17th & 18th October 2025
This autumn, I’m coming to South Carolina for the wonderful Bloom Charleston festival as a speaker! This fantastic fall festival will also mark the unveiling of Charleston’s first Idea Garden at Colonial Lake. There’ll be a plant and garden book sale, art activations, more international speakers and so much more.
Find out more here.
SURVEY
Last chance: Take the most loved/hated plants survey
I want to find out which plants the UK really love and hate! If you want to have your say, click here to fill in the form (no personal details needed, and it takes less than 30 seconds)!
NEWS FLASH
The Westland Garden lands at Stewarts
The popular Westland Garden newspaper (if you haven’t read it yet, think of it as the gardener’s answer to the Waitrose newspaper) has landed at Stewarts, a family run garden centre group in Dorset and Hampshire. You can pick up a copy for free right now!
INFLUENCER SPOTLIGHT
Sophie - U.FL.O
Sophie, who founded U.FL.O (unidentified floral object) - is an RHS judge and florist, who creates gorgeous floral installations alongside regal headpieces - aren’t they fun? Have a browse through her work on her Instagram page, and see what she gets up to in her life as a florist!
Visit @u.fl.o.london
SOCIAL NEWS
The Titan arum - from a different perspective
You might have seen all the hubbub earlier this year when the Titan arum (corpse flower) bloomed at Botanic Sydney. It only blooms once every seven to ten years, so it causes quite a stir! Well, you can get a closer look at this very unique flower with this video from Botanic Sydney, who have cut into the plant to get a closer look at the inflorescence!
PRODUCT NEWS
Garden on a Roll
Struggle to plan your borders in your head? Garden on a Roll makes it unbelievably easy to plan and execute your perfect border with a brilliant roll-out ‘blueprint’ PLUS all the plants you need to bring it to life!
Find out more here.
HOME GARDENER PLANT OF THE WEEK
Cornishgold™
Frank P Matthews has launched a new pear variety, Cornishgold™, a juicing and cooking pear with origins in Cornwall dating back over 300 years. Originally known as the Treburrow Pear, it was rediscovered in 2015 by pomologist Dr Joan Morgan, who confirmed through DNA testing that it was a unique variety. The nursery has since carefully propagated the tree, preserving its heritage and reintroducing it under its new name.
Buy it here.
BOOK
The National Trust Book of Nature-Friendly Gardening by Rebecca Bevan
This book offers a fresh approach to gardening, encouraging readers to work with nature rather than against it. It presents simple, practical changes anyone can make to create a beautiful garden that supports wildlife, reduces environmental impact, and requires less maintenance. Backed by the National Trust, the guide is rooted in real-world experience from some of Britain’s most cherished gardens.
Buy it here.
WHAT TO DO NOW
Dutch Spring Trials
From 28th April until 2nd May, industry professionals can visit the Dutch Spring Trials, where eight breeders in North-Holland are showcasing their latest novelty assortments to growers, retailers and industry peers. Visits are held by appointment only.
Find out more here.
QVC PRODUCT PICK
YouGarden Anagallis 'Skylover' Blue Pimpernel plug plants
Add a burst of vibrant colour to your garden with Anagallis ‘Skylover’ Blue Pimpernel, available from YouGarden. Flowering from June to September, this charming perennial produces vivid blue and purple blooms that are ideal for brightening up borders or trailing from hanging baskets. As well as being eye-catching, it also attracts pollinators, helping to support local biodiversity.
Buy it here.