Horticulture

My Day at the GIMA Conference: How AI Can Be Your New Work BFF (And Yes, AI Wrote This) When I walked into the GIMA Conference yesterday, I expected to learn about AI’s role in business. What I didn't expect? To leave with a full-blown existential crisis about how much time I’ve wasted not using it.Oh, and in case you missed the memo: This entire blog was written by AI. Meta? Absolutely. Cheating? Not even a little—just working smarter. Key Takeaways: AI as Your Overqualified Personal AssistantReza Yaghoubi from Manchester Metropolitan University set the tone early: AI isn’t just a fancy search engine—it’s your most efficient employee. He urged us to think of AI as a co-pilot for thinking, not just a tool. Need a letter drafted? AI’s got it. Struggling to structure market research? Let AI compile insights while you focus on strategy. Even better, use it to sense-check your own ideas, like a brutally honest (but always polite) colleague.Then came Edwin Meijer of Green Solutions, who showed us the power of AI to decode 11,390 customer reviews in the horticulture industry. Imagine knowing exactly why customers love (or loathe) a product without spending weeks sifting through feedback. AI doesn’t just spot trends—it hands you the cheat sheet to fixing problems before they escalate.Robert Patten from Empathy took it further, demonstrating how AI chatbots can handle FAQs for gardening businesses. Instead of answering the same question about wilting ferns a hundred times, let AI manage routine queries while your team focuses on high-value conversations.Finally, Jonathan Stobart from Smart dropped the mic on manual marketing. Why waste hours agonizing over product descriptions when ChatGPT can generate 10 compelling options in seconds? Or manually track competitors when AI can summarize their moves for you? He even shared his secret weapons: Canva for AI-generated visuals, Copilot for taming spreadsheets, and Otter.ai to transcribe meetings—meaning you can finally stop pretending to take notes.​My Big Realisation: AI Isn’t Cheating—It’s Just LeverageHere’s the uncomfortable truth: I’ve been wasting time on tasks AI could’ve handled before my coffee got cold. But the bigger revelation? Using AI isn’t "cheating." It’s refusing to do things the hard way just for the sake of it.As a Senior Recruitment Consultant at MorePeople, I see AI as the ultimate admin sidekick. Will it replace my industry expertise or the relationships I’ve built? Absolutely not. But will it draft emails, summarize candidate profiles, and keep me out of spreadsheet hell? Sign me up.​How Recruiters (and Everyone Else) Should Use AIThe message was clear: automate the tedious, enhance the human. AI won’t replace recruiters, but it will make us faster, sharper, and free to focus on what really matters—like actually talking to candidates instead of drowning in paperwork. Tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Otter.ai aren’t just nice-to-haves; they’re the difference between working late and leaving on time. Conclusion: The Irony Isn’t Lost on MeThe fact that AI wrote this blog about AI is either hilarious or terrifying—I’m still deciding. But one thing’s certain: if you’re not experimenting with AI yet, you’re not just falling behind—you’re volunteering for burnout.So, here’s my challenge to you: Pick one task this week and let AI handle it. Draft that email. Summarize that report. Then, when you realize how much time you’ve saved, come back and thank me. (Or thank the AI. Either way.) P.S. No robots were harmed in the making of this blog.​On a serious note, if you are considering your next career move within the commercial horticulture industry, or looking to expand your commercial team, get in touch!Rae Goss | Senior Recruitment Consultant | Contact me

​Recently, our Horticulture team, Sarah, Kieran, and Emily, stepped out of the office and hit the road for an exciting adventure. Over the course of seven days, they embarked on two action-packed trips, covering over 800 miles and 11 client visits! Immersing themselves in horticulture advancements, networking, building key relationships, and more, the team had a truly productive seven days and left with invaluable discoveries.From ornamentals to protected salads, soft fruits to vines, Sarah and her team had the privilege of meeting incredible growers whilst learning more about their operations. They could see first-hand where the magic happens, and this research provided them with even more industry knowledge, supporting them in placing the best possible candidates with the best possible clients! The team are always looking for new ways to stay up to date with Horticulture news, allowing them to continue supporting their clients.Key visits included Tangmere Airfield Nurseries, Double H Nurseries, Farplants, Fleurie Nursery, Orion Future Technologies, S&A Produce and Oakover Nurseries!With 22 hours of driving, two days spent in Chichester and another two in Kent, the journey was demanding but undoubtedly rewarding, leaving the team with fresh perspectives and strengthened relationships. In the ever-growing industry, where will the horticulture team visit next?Want to learn more about recruitment in the Horticulture sector? Get in touch with us, we'd love to hear from you!Sarah Want| Team Manager | Sarah@morepeople.co.uk​​​

​The UK's wine industry has been on an impressive journey over the past decade, with vineyard acreage doubling and English wines earning international coverage. However, 2024 has thrown a curveball, presenting challenges that have tested even the most experienced viticulturists. One vineyard owner, with over 23 years under his belt, described this year's harvest as "the most difficult he has ever encountered." The relentless wet weather led to significant crop losses, with some regions reporting up to a 70% reduction in yields. This damp climate created a perfect storm for diseases like downy mildew and grey mould. Fred Langdale, vineyard director at Exton Park in Hampshire, shared his struggles, noting substantial losses due to downy mildew. Provisional data from WineGB indicates that wine production volumes have plummeted to an estimated 6-7 million bottles in 2024, a dramatic drop from the 21.6 million bottles produced in 2023. Economic factors have added to the industry's struggles. Rising interest rates and inflation have driven up production costs, leading to higher prices for consumers. Industry experts warn that these financial pressures, coupled with tax hikes, may result in increased prices and fewer choices for wine enthusiasts. Despite these hurdles, the UK's wine industry remains resilient. Innovations in viticulture practices and strategic investments are being explored to combat the impacts of climate change and economic fluctuations. However, the current landscape suggests that smaller producers may face significant challenges, potentially leading to industry consolidation as a survival strategy. The future of UK viticulture will depend on its ability to adapt to these evolving challenges while preserving the quality and uniqueness that have earned it global recognition.I spent a lot of time recruiting within viticulture, therefore it is paramount that I understand the struggles this industry is facing, and how it can affect recruitment. If you’d be interested in discussing your thoughts on the horticulture sector, or specifically within Viticulture, please get in touch! Kieran | kieran@morepeople.co.uk | 01780 480 530Data sourced from Wine GB and Decanter. 

​The Horticultural Trades Association has recently launched its Plant Retail Success Initiative, providing HTA members with resources & guidance to help increase horticulture commercial sales.Resources such as digital training, consumer insights and helpful guides have been collated together to push commercial results. The HTA provide detailed retail analysis to construct this Initiative, allowing its commercial members to adapt to an ever-changing climate with guidance and support. It also includes real-life case studies & ideas from fellow businesses; a great example of how the horticultural industry benefits from sharing ideas to help one another. We take pride in being recruitment experts in the commercial horticulture & garden centre industries. However, we wouldn’t be able to do our jobs well if we did not immerse ourselves in the industry. It's paramount that we take time to fully understand industry challenges, as well as innovations and projects, such as the Plant Retail Success Initiative. You can click here to see what other industry topics we have immersed ourselves in!This, in turn, helps us to provide better support for you, whether we are finding your newest team member, or we are finding you your next role that matches your career climbing criteria. The Plant Retail Success Initiative is a great example of why I love working in the horticulture industry. Over the past two and a half years, I’ve learned how horticulture businesses thrive when they come together to share ideas and support one another. The initiative gives the retailers the tools, training and insight they need to thrive in what has been a challenging market of late; it’s all about helping businesses to grow and adapt. As a recruiter, that’s exactly what I aim to do; help people and businesses find the right fit to succeed. It’s this collaborative spirit that makes the horticulture sector so special to be a part of. The willingness of individuals to share knowledge and best practices ensures that the industry continues to thrive. You can get in touch with me or Rae for all of your commercial recruitment needs within the horticulture, agriculture and garden retail industries!Read more about the HTA Plant Retail Success initiative here.Contact us!Brian McGeachy | Senior Recruitment Consultant | Brian@morepeople.co.ukRae Goss | Senior Recruitment Consultant | Rae@morepeople.co.uk01780 480 530

​This year, I attended IPM Essen in Germany for the first time. With over 2,000 exhibitors and 40,000 visitors across a four-day event, it was unlike anything I’d experienced before.The halls were filled with a vast array of industry experts from around the world—growers, breeders, machinery specialists, growing media suppliers, fertiliser companies, and more.Having never attended the event before, I didn’t go in with a long list of expectations. My goal was to gain a deeper understanding of the European market, explore collaborations with UK partners, and catch up with several of my contacts.One of my biggest takeaways was just how much I learned about the industry. Seeing the sheer scale of horticulture and its global impact was incredibly humbling. But beyond that, the level of innovation, passion, and forward-thinking among attendees and businesses left me feeling even more excited about the future of the industry.As with any trade show, the face-to-face interactions were invaluable. Ironically, I ended up spending more time with people based in the UK in Germany than I do with them back home! But that’s exactly what these events are for, right?I had the chance to reconnect with candidates and clients I’ve worked with previously, while also building new relationships both in the UK market and beyond.Essen was packed with industry advancements—where do I even begin?Air-Pot® launched a new generation of containers.Selecta showcased an innovative propagation system using cuttings rooted offshore in paper bags without substrate. The samples I saw produced healthy plants with strong root systems.Modiform introduced a new sustainable tray designed to accommodate multiple pot sizes, offering great benefits for growers with diverse crops.And of course, there were countless new plant varieties, machinery developments, and more.One key lesson for next time: plan meetings in advance and book them close together. I naively assumed I’d bump into people as I do at UK trade shows, but given the scale of IPM Essen, that wasn’t the case. In fact, I ran into more familiar faces at the airport than at the event itself!For any other first-time attendees, here are a couple of my top tips: wear comfy shoes, everyone is in trainers, and I did 22,000 steps a day so comfy shoes are a must. Plan your visit strategically. It’s about a 15-minute walk between Hall 1 and Hall 8 so where possible, get meetings booked methodically! The app is one of the best I’ve seen. It has everything you need to know on there.Attending IPM Essen reinforced the importance of staying immersed in the industry. Understanding new innovations and trends first-hand means that when we get back to the day job, we genuinely know what we’re talking about. Events like these help us continue to be true horticulture recruitment experts. So, on that note, drop me a message or let’s schedule a chat to talk through any of your horticulture recruitment needs! ​Sarah Want | Horticulture Team Managersarah@morepeople.co.uk | 01780 480 530​

​This week, I had the pleasure of attending the British Ornamental Association Conference, and wow – what a day! MorePeople were sponsoring the event, so it was a great excuse to soak up some serious horticultural knowledge and, of course, support Sarah, who absolutely smashed it chairing the morning session and speaking on behalf of the YPHA later on in the day.The day kicked off with a welcome from Derek Jarman and then our first session was packed with technical deep dives, I won’t lie – it was overwhelming but in a good way! It was fascinating to hear from Martin Emmett about the challenges horticulture is facing, followed by Dr Sam Wilkinson getting into the science of jasmonates. Annelies Bayens stole the show for me with her talk on resilient growing which was super practical and forward-thinking.After a much-needed caffeine boost, the second session, chaired by Simon Crawford, shifted focus to growing media. Marco Zevenhoven shared insight into the RHP and how they ensure quality throughout the supply chain, and then Prof Alistair Griffiths from the RHS talked about the push towards peat-free growing – a massive topic in the industry right now. Neil Bragg wrapped things up with a super detailed look at nutritional considerations for peat-free substrates. It was all very technical, but you could tell how passionate everyone was about making real changes in the sector. As we know, the peat-free debate is definitely one of the biggest talking points in horticulture at the moment, with many growers still figuring out how to make the transition without compromising on quality and cost. There’s a real mix of excitement and concern, as businesses know they need to adapt, but finding the right solutions isn't always straightforward. Watching the conversations play out from some of the industry leaders at the conference was eye-opening. Lunch was a brilliant chance to finally put faces to names! It’s so easy to spend all your time in recruitment communicating with candidates and clients on the phone and through email, so actually meeting them in person was one of the highlights of the day for me. Plus, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good conference lunch?The afternoon kicked off with Chris Need who led a session covering everything from biological spray solutions to data management. Sean Loakes explained sprayable biologicals with some exceptional usage of a Mentimeter interactive quiz, and Malcolm Smith took us on a journey from spreadsheets to high-tech data solutions – which I think a lot of people in the room could relate to! Islam Abdel-Aziz then tackled carbon accounting in ornamental crop production, another hot topic as businesses focus more on sustainability.The final session, chaired by Robin Squance, had a different vibe – a bit more feel-good and big-picture. David Domoney gave an inspiring talk on the positive power of plants, which was a refreshing way to wrap up a very science-heavy day. Then, Sarah was back on stage with an update on the YPHA launch success challenge (spoiler: it’s been a huge success). Finally, Michael Smith gave us the latest on the Floral Fantasia project before Derek closed the day.Sarah said: “Being on the organising committee for this year’s BOA Conference was an absolute pleasure. We wanted to make it accessible, informative, and, most importantly, leave people feeling positive with some great takeaways. I think, and hope we achieved that!""A big highlight for me was introducing the £35 ticket for under-35s. It was the first time we’d done it, and seeing young professionals in the room, eager to get involved, was fantastic. Ensuring information reaches the next generation in the industry is so important, and this felt like a real step in the right direction.It goes without saying, that horticulture is facing some big challenges, but the conference proved it’s not all doom and gloom. Being surrounded by passionate, driven people reminded me why this industry is so special. One of the standout talks for me was from Marco Zevenhoven—his insights into peat-free operations were fascinating and could offer some real solutions moving forward.I left the conference feeling optimistic. There’s work to be done, but with collaboration, innovation, and the next generation coming through, the future of horticulture is looking bright.”Overall, the conference was a whirlwind of technical talks, new ideas, and great conversations. It was amazing to learn so much, even if some of it was a bit above my recruiter-level expertise! All of this incredible insight helps me to help my clients and candidates better! A huge shoutout to Sarah for doing an incredible job – she really made MorePeople proud. Looking forward to the next one already!As specialists in Horticulture recruitment, Sarah, Kieran and I are always around for a chat to discuss how we can help you. Whether you're considering a career move, looking to expand your business, or want a hand navigating the horticultural sector, reach out to us!You can read more horticulture blogs from us here!Emily | emily@morepeople.co.uk Sarah | sarah@morepeople.co.uk Kieran | kieran@morepeople.co.ukCall us | 01780 480 530