Each year, the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards recognise excellence in ornamental horticulture. In 2026, Hillier Nurseries received this recognition as the Gold Rose recipient.
For AIPH – The World’s Champion for the Power of Plants – the International Grower of the Year Awards highlight businesses whose work strengthens the global horticultural community and demonstrates how ornamental production can lead responsibly, sustainably and collaboratively.
Founded in 1864 and now in its fifth generation of family ownership, Hillier Nurseries produces over one million plants and 250,000 trees annually. The nursery combines traditional craftsmanship with research-driven production and resilient growing systems.
A long view in a changing industry
Hillier Nurseries was recognised for both plant quality and the consistency of its long-term approach. The business transitioned to 100 per cent peat-free production ahead of UK legislation, invested in renewable electricity and water efficiency, and integrated independently verified systems, including Planet Mark and ISO frameworks, into daily operations.
For Adam Dunnett, Production & Amenity Director at Hilliers Nurseries, that consistency is deliberate.
“As a business with more than 160 years of growing experience, we’re very aware that expectations of larger nurseries are changing, and rightly so,” he said. “Our role is evolving beyond growing and supplying high-quality finished plants and trees. Increasingly, we see ourselves as a long-term partner to our customers, helping them meet sustainability goals and deliver resilient landscapes that perform well into the future.”
Participation in the Awards offered an opportunity to articulate that evolution more clearly. “The International Grower of the Year Awards felt like the right platform to pause and reflect on how our business has evolved,” Dunnett continued. “While our heritage is an important part of who we are, it allowed us to demonstrate how we are continuing to adapt, combining tradition with innovation, and growth with responsibility.”
This integration of heritage and forward planning was central to the jury’s assessment. As Jack Goossens, AIPH Vice President, observed, Hillier’s legacy is “not just in plants, but in people, partnerships and planet-positive progress.”
Fellow juror Jeff Olsen, CEO of Brookdale Treeland Nurseries Ltd (Canada) and Gold Rose Winner 2023, noted that Hillier Nurseries demonstrates “outstanding leadership through its long-term commitment to plant quality, innovation and sustainable nursery practices,” with influence extending beyond production into the wider landscape sector.
Innovation in practice
Hillier Nurseries’ long-term thinking is visible across breeding, infrastructure and people development. Recent introductions such as Erysimum ‘Colour Vibe’ and Philadelphus ‘Petite Perfume Pink’ reflect years of focused plant development. Infrastructure investment, including a 1.2-hectare Folie Growing House designed around capillary flooring, rainwater capture and advanced environmental controls, demonstrates a measurable commitment to resource stewardship.
Following its early transition to peat-free production, the nursery has invested in sensor-based monitoring to improve understanding of water use, nutrition, and growing media performance.
In addition to environmental initiatives, Hillier Nurseries prioritises apprenticeships, leadership programmes, and digital learning, including its bespoke Reelyze platform, reinforcing the connection between plant quality and professional expertise.
For Tim Briercliffe, AIPH Secretary General, Hillier Nurseries’ recognition reinforces a broader message for the industry:
“Hillier Nurseries represents the very best of professional ornamental horticulture. Their ability to combine heritage, innovation and measurable sustainability demonstrates how our industry can lead with confidence and responsibility.”
Recognised before the global horticultural community at the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards during IPM Essen, Hillier’s achievement reflects a way of working shaped over generations, grounded in responsibility, resilience, and long-term thinking.
For AIPH, these examples show how professional growers worldwide are responding to changing expectations with consistency, investment, and care.
Why enter the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards?
The AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards offer professional growers an opportunity to reflect, benchmark, and showcase their business on an international stage.
An independent international jury, composed of past winners and sector specialists, ensures peer-based evaluation grounded in practical experience. Participation encourages entrants to examine their operations in depth, from plant quality and innovation to sustainability performance and people development.
Hillier Nurseries’ experience in 2026 demonstrates how the process can both affirm long-term strategy and provide international visibility, reinforcing the role professional growers play in strengthening the global horticultural sector.
Further information about the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards is available here.
