The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has today (4 February 2026) launched its Welsh Environmental Horticulture Manifesto, setting out clear priorities for a future Welsh Government to better support gardens, green spaces and the businesses that help communities across Wales grow and thrive.
Environmental horticulture is a vital but often overlooked part of the Welsh economy. The sector contributes £1.8 billion to Wales's GDP and supports around 37,000 jobs, with the potential to grow further by 2030. From garden centres and nurseries to landscaping, plant production and garden tourism, the sector underpins wellbeing, biodiversity and climate resilience in communities across the nation.
The manifesto calls for a more joined-up, cross-government approach, recognising that gardens and green spaces contribute directly to Welsh Government priorities on health, education, the environment and the economy, in line with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.
Key asks:
- Recognise the value of gardens and green spaces by developing a Horticulture Strategy.
- Establish an Environmental Horticulture and Green Spaces Group to enhance cross-departmental working.
- Ringfence funds for green spaces to protect against shortfalls or budget cuts in project delivery.
- Improve police response times in rural locations and simplify the reporting processes for businesses.
- Raise the threshold for the higher business rates multiplier and apply it to sites with a Rateable Value of over £500,000.
- Implement consistent kerbside collections across Wales and include recyclable non-black plastic plant pots.
- Improve financial support for environmental horticulture businesses.
- Unlock barriers and deliver consistency in planning applications for environmental horticulture businesses.
- Develop an action plan for ornamental and productive plant and tree production to support UK-based plant production.
- Introduce a Statutory Requirement to ‘Grow Plants’ into the Curriculum for Wales.
- Build on the UK Government’s Jobs Guarantee Scheme and go further with employment support for Welsh businesses.
Posted On: 04/02/2026
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