The Hort Report: 7th March 2025
Tulip fields, a new primrose, 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…
NEWS FLASH
A new tulip field opens in Warwickshire
Set in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside, this tulip field showcases over 100 varieties, with carefully timed planting ensuring vibrant colour throughout the season. While no single moment sees every tulip in bloom, mixed plantings create a stunning display from early to late varieties. Visitors can wander through the fields, enjoy over 15 picture-perfect photo spots—including a charming windmill—and indulge in Dutch treats like poffertjes. The Tulip Coffee House offers a cosy retreat, while live roaming musicians add to the springtime atmosphere, making it a perfect day out for flower lovers.
Find out more here.
NEW FOR THE GARDEN
Primrose ‘Flamenco’
Brought to you by Rudy Raes Bloemzaden, Primrose ‘Flamenco’ brings Mediterranean magic to your garden! This double-flowered variety features big ruffles, just like those iconic traje de flamenca - or Flamenco outfits! Watch my video above, and read my latest article to discover the vibe of these fun flowers!
INFLUENCER SPOTLIGHT
The Flower Bank
The Flower Bank repurposes end-of-life flowers from retailers, florists, and events, transforming them into stunning arrangements instead of letting them go to waste. Young offenders looking to rebuild their lives create these floral displays, which are then donated to care homes, day centres, and community spaces, bringing joy to those who need it most.
Visit @the_flowerbank on Instagram
SOCIAL NEWS
A new houseplant game has launched
Meg from Forest Interior has created a brand new game, and it’s all to do with houseplants! This vintage looking game was created to ‘immortalise’ Meg’s own plants, and you can see how she created the game, and how it plays, here.
PRODUCT NEWS
Leaf cleaning tongs
Made with bamboo, these tongs make cleaning your houseplant leaves a treat! The tongs are even leaf-shaped themselves, and do a great job at wiping away dust, helping your houseplants thrive.
Buy them here.
TRADE NEWS
Tulip Day is coming to Berlin
On Saturday, 15 March 2025, Tulpen Promotie Nederland (TulipTime) will celebrate its first-ever Tulip Day in Germany. In collaboration with the Dutch embassy, a vibrant tulip festival will take place at Breitscheidplatz, next to Berlin’s historic Gedächtniskirche.
A stunning pop-up garden with 50,000 colourful tulips will be created, and visitors will have the chance to pick a free bouquet.
The event’s theme, ‘Spring is coming to Berlin’, sets the tone for a joyful and uplifting celebration to welcome the new season.
More details can be found at Tulpentijd.nl/de/
JOB AD
English Heritage seeks trainees for Historic & Botanic Garden Training Programme
English Heritage is offering 17 full-time, one-year garden traineeships at historic and botanic gardens across the UK. This paid opportunity provides hands-on training with professional garden teams, helping trainees develop practical horticultural skills and technical knowledge.
Trainees will receive:
Structured training and mentorship from experienced gardeners
A four-day Autumn Trainee Seminar and three-day Summer Study Tour
The chance to complete written projects, plant ID tests, and a technical journal
The opportunity to be part of a trainee network and visit other gardens
Who can apply? Applicants should have previous practical experience (paid or voluntary), basic gardening skills, and a strong interest in horticulture.
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in May 2025 at placement gardens across the UK. Applications close on 23 March 2025.
More details: hbgtp.org.uk
BOOK
Daffodils by Naomi Slade
This book explores the history, cultivation, and versatility of Narcissus. Featuring stunning photography by Georgianna Lane, the book showcases a wide range of daffodil varieties in all sorts of colours!
Easy to grow in gardens or containers, daffodils multiply year after year and bring brightness indoors as cut flowers for home decor, weddings, and events. The book highlights their poetic appeal, fragrance, and long-lived popularity in floral arrangements.
Buy it here.
WHAT TO DO NOW
Visit this new plant nursery in Stratford-Upon-Avon
Jordan, The Bearded Botanist, has taken over Paddock Nurseries and Interiors, now Westons at Paddock Nurseries and Interiors. This 6-acre site is set for a refresh while keeping its community feel.
Already open with spring plants, bulbs, trees, and flowers, the official re-launch runs 16th-20th April. Jordan is also planning workshops and events, including Ikebana at BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair.
📍 Westons, Stratford-Upon-Avon, CV37 9SG
🕘 Wed-Sat 9-5, Sun 10-4 (from 23rd March)
Find out more here.
HOME GARDENER PLANT OF THE WEEK
Iris bismarckiana
This rare iris species, introduced in 1888 and named after Prince Otto von Bismarck, forms small clumps with short, sword-shaped leaves and slender stems (30-50cm). Its solitary flowers (up to 15cm) have a yellow, creamy white, or pale greenish base with reddish-brown to purple-blue veining.
Endangered due to urbanisation, grazing, and forest planting, it is strictly protected in Israel but continues to decline. In Lebanon, it survives in just one area, threatened by housing and road construction.
INDUSTRY PLANT OF THE WEEK
New name sought for 2026 plant introduction
Peter van Rijssen and his assistant, Rosie, are looking for a name for this plant, which will be introduced at IPM Essen 2026. In Peter’s words, “It’s a colour changer during the year, climate proof, super hardy, carefree for consumers too, pollinator in spring time.”
Any ideas? Submit them on LinkedIn here.
PODCAST PICK
Grow Your Own Worm Castings with Steve Churchill
This episode explores vermicomposting with Jacques and Steve Churchill, founder of the Urban Worm Company. Steve shares his journey from discovering worms in his compost to building a successful business. They also discuss how to set up your very own worm composting system!
Listen here.
SUBSTACK RECOMMENDATION
Gardening and The One-Body Problem
Joseph Tychonievich discusses the quandary of lusting over the possibilities that come with acres of garden space, and being just one person with limited time to garden.
Read it here.
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