Joining Matthew Appleby on the latest HortWeek Podcast is Pippa Greenwood, the well-known horticulturist and broadcaster, who is HTA horticulture manager, where she supports the membership as well as the broader garden and greenspaces industry.
BBC Gardeners' World television programme and has been a regular panellist onGardeners' Question Time<BBC Radio 4 since 1994. She also was the gardening consultant on the ITV series Rosemary and Thyme in 2003–2006. Greenwood was awarded an honorary doctorate by Durham University.
A big part of Pippa's role at the HTA is advising on plant health and biosecurity, "translating" plant health information for the grower members, where, she says, "my heart really lies". And Greenwood has great sympathy for the issues confronting growers at the border: "I always think when you look at what happens at the border...I can feel and really empathize with the frustration of the grower who's imported some plants or a garden centre who's imported some plants that then get held and inspected, sometimes taking longer than they might feel is necessary. But there is a good reason behind it."
Reflecting on the recent costly destruction of plants due to a - some suspect faulty - risk assessment for Pochazia, she says: "So obviously every loss is, in my mind, of extreme significance. But what can be done? We as the HTA are regularly and currently in communication with Defra and others about trying to increase not only reporting, but also increase the chances of someone feeling that it's safe to report or if they find something on their nursery or that if something does come in
"If you've imported some plants and they've got a pest on it and they're impounded, then in theory, you should be able to claim back from the nursery that they originated from. I'm not saying that's easy. I'm not saying that you get all your money back, but you often can get quite a bit of it back. But the HTA is very aware of the fact that money and time and morale actually sometimes as well is lost over situations like this."
Greenwood discusses how growers cannot claim compensation for plants impounded or destroyed during border checks, while animal importers can.
She recently took charge of the HTA's New Plant and Grower of the Year awards and she urges members to put themselves forward, or nominate others, to be "noted, celebrated and allowed to blow their own trumpet".
The Grower of the Year Awards categories are:
- Staff member award
- Young grower of the year (under 35)
- Bloomin' Marvellous Employer award
- Inspirational Business award
- Life Beyond Peat award
- Plant Producer award
The deadline for entering is 25 July 2025.
Innovations she has introduced includes blind judging to ensure winners are selected "on the basis of quality".
The closing date for the New Plant Awards is 17 May 2025 and amid controversies over 'remote' judging of plants at the Chelsea Flower Show, Greenwood is insisting that judges examine the plants in person at the National Plant Show (18-19 June, Stoneleigh).
Judges will be taken from across the UK giving their perspective on the plants' quality and growability in different regional conditions. "We need to be promoting plants that are 'good do-ers'" and plants that have "got something to offer for more of the year", so plants need not be restricted to those who look their best in June.
"You want something that's got something to offer for more of the year. So I'm really trying to encourage people to also take photos or send in photos of their plant off season. So when I say off season, I mean off the judging season. So perhaps it has really stunning tinted foliage in the spring when the foliage comes out. Perhaps it has gorgeous berries in the autumn. Perhaps it's even a winter flowering plant."
Podcast presenter: HortWeek editor, Matthew Appleby
Podcast producer: HortWeek digital content manager, Christina Taylor
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