The Hort Report: 20th June 2025
A teen-designed garden, Janet Street-Porter, 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 cool drink, and catch up on the latest below…
ANNOUNCEMENT
I’m joining the Horticultural Trade Association as an ambassador!
I’m so excited to be joining the HTA as an ambassador! I’ll be doing a series of videos and posts exporing what the HTA do for all links in the horticultural chain, with subjects such as what exactly is lobbying to government, how can we make the move to peat free as smooth as possible, how do we improve the customer experience in garden centres, and so much more! I’m really looking forward to it.
Want to find out more? Click here to watch my video.
AWARDS
Grower of the Year Awards 2025
Are you a grower looking to highlight your business to the industry? I got the chance to chat to Pippa Greenwood this week at the National Plant Show about this awards programme. Let’s celebrate the UK’s top growers for quality, service, innovation and peat‑free production - the awards also spotlight emerging talent vital to the industry’s future. It’s free to enter, you can nominate yourself or someone else, just make sure it’s in by 25 July 2025.
Enter here.
NEWS FLASH
Janet Street-Porter shares her gardening hacks
In case you missed it, the iconic Janet Street-Porter shared her gardening hacks on Loose Women earlier this month. From potatoes to herbs, she illustrates how to get started with growing your own food, and even shares a few snaps from her own garden.
Watch here.
INFLUENCER SPOTLIGHT
Gemma Haigh
If you love a plant-related skit, you’ll love Gemma’s page. Also known as The Plant Parlour, she rolls out relatable humour - like posing with plants how certain guys pose with fish…
Follow @theplantparlourgram on Instagram.
SOCIAL NEWS
Rachel Platt announces involvement in RHS 'Teenage Dirt Park'
Rachel Platt has announced she’s producing the RHS Teenage Dirt Park feature at the RHS Wentworth Woodhouse Flower Show in July 2025. Designed with input from local teenagers, the garden combines urban energy with nature, featuring spray paint, a BMX pump track, and bold design elements. Built by Bradley and James Garden Design with art by Marcus Method and track by Dirt Factory, the project is supported by several partners and aims to challenge traditional ideas of what a garden can be.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Elmo visits the Flower Trials
Who knew that Sesame Street had such a thing for plants? Elmo himself visited Beekenkamp’s Flower Trials site to see his namesake dahlia - ‘Elmo Ruffle’! This was a finalist in the FleuroSelect awards, the winner of which was announced yesterday: Digitalis purpurea Hanabee F1 White by Takii Europe / Florensis.
PRODUCT
Raspberry Pi Grow Kit
Tech lovers - you’ll adore this! The Grow Kit is a compact Raspberry Pi-powered plant monitoring system designed to help you care for your plants with ease. At its core is the Grow HAT Mini, featuring a small screen, four navigation buttons, a piezo buzzer for alerts, and a light sensor to keep things quiet at night. It connects to three capacitive moisture sensors - more durable than traditional types - allowing you to monitor hydration levels in multiple pots. You can also label each sensor with plant names. On the back, it includes connectors for controlling low-current 5V devices like pumps or lights, plus I2C connections for expandability. Ideal for desktops, classrooms, or even quirky greenhouses.
Buy it here.
PLANT OF THE WEEK
Porpax thaithongiae
This is a micro species in the Porpax genus (epiphytic orchids native to southern and southeastern Asia). The native range of this species is northern Thailand. It is a pseudobulbous epiphyte - which means it has a thickened, bulb-like stem structure which stores water, nutrients, and sometimes air - and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.
WHAT TO DO NOW
Garden Gathering, Stockbridge
Join The Beardy Gardener’s Garden Gathering on Saturday 21st June at Longstock Park Nursery – a joyful day of gardening, community and fundraising in aid of Andover Mind.
Held in the inspiring ‘Garden for Mind’ on the Leckford Estate, the event features expert talks, live demos, plant sales, kids’ activities and more. All proceeds support Andover Mind’s wellbeing garden, which promotes better mental health in the community.
Find out more here.
QVC PRODUCT PICK
Thompson & Morgan Fuchsia Patio Dancers Collection 9cm Pot x6
Enliven your garden with the Fuchsia Patio Dancers Collection from Thompson & Morgan. This set of six 9cm potted plants features vibrant blooms that will bring a burst of colour to your patio. Perfect for sunny or semi-shaded areas, these hardy perennials attract early pollinators, enhancing your garden's biodiversity. With proper care, including regular watering and feeding, these fuchsias will flourish, providing an exquisite display throughout the flowering season.
Buy it here.