SAVE THE DATE
The BOA Technical Conference 2027 will take place on Thursday 4 February 2027 at the NFU Conference Centre, Stoneleigh, with delegates also able to attend online.
The conference will bring together leading voices from across the ornamental horticulture industry for a day of insight, innovation and discussion, exploring the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the sector. Further details of the programme and speakers will be announced in due course.
A Pre-Conference Dinner will take place on Wednesday 3 February 2027 at the Woodland Grange Hotel, Leamington Spa. The evening will provide an opportunity to network with colleagues and celebrate excellence across the industry with the presentation of the Annual Trumpet Blowers Award, Annual Alan Hendy Award, Pot Plant Growers Award, Bright Spark Award and Chair’s Choice Award.
BOA Members qualify for discounted conference ticket prices. Please use your issued discount code at the point of order by selecting ‘Enter promo code’ & ‘Apply’ from the ticket order screen. Please contact us (info@britishornamentals.org) to receive your discount code prior to purchasing your tickets. Please note, that discounts cannot be applied after your order has been placed.
Early Bird tickets are on sale now, closing on 30 November 2026.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Find out more here.
Meet the Speakers
Will Ginns
Will Ginns has worked in horticulture for a decade and has witnessed significant change across the industry. During his two years at Brinkman, he has seen a strong focus on automation. Will enjoys working closely with growers on their projects, helping them stay ahead of the curve and tackle the ever-growing range of challenges facing the industry.
Rob Boswijk
Rob Boswijk was born into a nursery family in the Midlands and developed a passion for horticulture from an early age. After studying at Pershore, he established Rearsby Roses Ltd, managing a successful mail-order business and exhibiting at major shows, achieving numerous Gold medals, including at RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Hampton Court. During this time, he held several industry roles, including Treasurer and Press Officer for the British Rose Growers’ Association, and chaired both the Glasgow International Rose Trials and the RNRS Rose Trials in St Albans. As the UK rose market declined, Rob moved into horticultural plastics, working with APAC, Desch-Plantpak and B&Q before joining Aeroplas as Sales Manager and subsequently moving to Proptek. There, the innovative AirTray technology has inspired him to explore more scientific approaches to plant production.
Steven Edney
Steve has spent his whole career in horticulture/arboriculture (33 years) 17 of those as head gardener of The Salutation in Sandwich, East Kent, and also head gardener of Canterbury Cathedral. In the past 6 years he and his partner, Louise, have created a sustainable off-grid nursery/garden in Sandwich called the No Name Nursery. His accolades include 2 National Collections of plants, multiple gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show, Best in Show at Hampton Court (2019), member of the RHS Herbaceous Plant Expert Group, Chair of the Baptisia Trial as well as a regular contributor to BBC Radio Kent’s Sunday Gardening show.
Mike Smith
Mike Smith is Managing Director at W. D. Smith and Son, one of the original members of the BOA. Mike spent many years on our technical committee, but now concentrates his spare industry time on helping the Floral Fantasia garden run at RHS Hyde Hall.
Marc Driessen
Marc Driessen is the Managing Director of family business Beekenkamp Plants BV (Ornamentals division) part of the Beekenkamp Group. Over a career spanning more than three decades, he has risen from a trainee to a core member of the Beekenkamp Group’s four-person board. In this executive role, he holds end-to-end responsibility for the global Ornamentals business unit. He also directs production facilities outside the Netherlands such as Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia for Beekenkamp Group.
A turning point of his career began in 2004 when he spearheaded the establishment of Maranque Plants PLC in Ethiopia, a joint venture named Maranque, located in the high-altitude Arsi Zone near Sodore. Under Marc’s 14-year on-site leadership as Owner and General Manager, the facility transformed from a startup into a massive global production hub, employing over 1,200 local workers. Today, it exports premium unrooted cuttings, including dahlias, chrysanthemums and poinsettias, to professional growers worldwide.
Marc and his family relocated back to the Netherlands in 2018 to allow him to step into his broader corporate governance role. Highly respected within the international ornamental horticulture sector for his vision and network, he was elected the 22nd President of Fleuroselect, the international organization for the ornamental plants industry, a prestigious global leadership role he assumed in January, 2024.
Martin Emmett
Martin was re-elected for a third and final term as Chair of the NFU Board for Horticulture and Potatoes in March 2026. He is a Director of Farplants, based in West Sussex, and is a Trustee of the LSA Charitable Trust.
Simon Blackhurst
Simon Blackhurst is an experienced horticultural professional with extensive knowledge of the growing media industry, manufacturing and the development of sustainable, peat-free growing media. Through his work with Bord na Mona and across the wider horticultural supply chain, Simon has developed a strong understanding of raw materials, growing media formulation, production, quality standards, supply chains and the changing requirements of the retail and professional horticultural markets. He is particularly passionate about the future of peat-free growing media and the role of responsible sourcing, innovation and quality in delivering products that perform for both gardeners and professional growers. Simon is actively involved in industry discussions around growing media standards, sustainability and the development of the UK horticultural sector.
Adele Dyer
Adele Dyer has worked at Which Gardening for over 12 years, covering all aspects of its testing, from hands-on growing to writing. She trials ornamental plants and vegetables at the Capel Manor College trials ground and is the organisation’s peat-free compost expert, overseeing trials and analysing results. Adele also conducts technique tests, many focusing on peat-free compost, including the best ways to feed seedlings and young plants. Prior to joining Which Gardening, she worked for the National Trust and trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
More speakers still to be announced!
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