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Horticulture

Horticulture is a blend of art, science, technology, and business that presents a series of aspirational and highly skilled career journeys. From growing plants to scientific research, and feeding populations, horticulture jobs offer a variety of ways to have a positive impact on the environment and society.

Man tending to plants in a greenhouse

Introducing the horticulture sector

People often associate horticulture solely with gardening. While gardening is certainly part of horticulture, the sector is so much wider. It is the food we eat, the landscapes we live and play in, and the environments we thrive in.

The horticulture sector encompasses a diverse range of organisations and activities dedicated to the art, science, technology, and business of cultivating plants. The industry is vast, supporting over 700,000 jobs and contributing almost £38 billion to the UK economy each year. Horticulture jobs include plant nurseries, landscape designs firms, public gardens, parklands, commercial growers, and research institutions.

The importance of going green in horticulture

Horticulture literally puts the green (i.e. plants!) into green careers and allows you to play a direct role in creating a greener future.

Offering nature-based solutions to some of the biggest environmental challenges, jobs in horticulture play a key role in combating climate change. The Royal Horticulture Society’s (RHS) Science department alone spends over 100,000 hours each year researching solutions to tackle environmental issues.

Working with plants, we can play a crucial role in combating climate change through areas such as carbon sequestration, water management, oxygen production, caring for soil, promoting biodiversity, and supporting ecosystem health.

The horticulture sector underpins almost half of the UK Government's 25-year Environment Plan
Plants remove toxins from the air. Urban greening initiatives save over 27,000 years of life every year through natural pollution removal
763,400 total jobs contribution potential of the industry in 2030, compared with 674,200 in 2019
Information kindly supplied by:
RHS logo
Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)

Founded in 1804, the Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. Our New Shoots initiative aims to inspire the next generation of talent by giving people insights into the horticultural industry and facilitating work-based training opportunities.

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IEMA is the membership body for environment and sustainability professionals