The UK horticultural sector is grappling with a chronic skills and education gap, worsened by an ageing workforce and persistent challenges in attracting new talent. With horticulture still largely absent from schools and careers guidance, the resulting brain drain is driving the industry toward a critical tipping point.
As seasoned horticulturists retire, they take with them decades of expertise in plant science, cultivation methods, and propagation techniques. At the same time, the shrinking pool of younger workers often lacks the technical training to fill these critical roles. This convergence has created a dual-generation talent gap, posing serious risks to productivity, business continuity, and the long-term resilience of the sector.
The loss of expertise in horticulture carries tangible commercial consequences. Without sufficiently skilled labour, businesses struggle to seize market opportunities, resulting in reduced output and constrained growth. Yet the stakes go beyond workforce capacity. What is disappearing is living knowledge — the intuitive, sensory, and practical skills honed over generations and rarely captured through formal training. This loss represents an irreversible erosion of the sector's intellectual capital.
To address the growing crisis, Hortistry, a new cross-sector working group, has been launched. Its mission is to preserve specialist knowledge, address critical skills shortages, and create clear career pathways for professional horticulturists, specialist growers, and nursery businesses.
Hortistry will run a series of peer-led, hands-on propagation Masterclasses across the UK, beginning with two pilot sessions in April 2026. The sessions provide a practical, supportive environment where participants can develop and exchange essential technical skills under the guidance of experienced peers. Designed to promote skill-sharing, collaborative learning, and growth, the sessions are open to all professional horticulturists.
Hortistry is represented by an advisory group comprising Susan Bacon, Raveningham Gardens; Jekka McVicar VMH, Founder of Jekka's Herb Farm; Sheila Das, Head of Gardens and Parks, National Trust; Matthew Potage MHort, Head of Horticulture and Landscape Strategy, The Royal Parks; Jon Wheatley MBE VMH, Managing Director and Founder, Stonebarn Landscapes; Andy Jasper, Group CEO, Eden Project; and Petra Hoyer Millar, Editor of thedirt.news. Together, they bring decades of horticultural expertise to guide the initiative.
Full details and registration information for the first two Masterclasses will be announced shortly.
For more information:
Hortistry
