EmmaHardyMP MinisterforFloodingandWater DepartmentforEnvironment,FoodandRuralAffairs
2MarshamStreet
London
SW1P4DF
CcThomas.powell@defra.gov.uk
1July2026
DearMinister,
IamwritingtoyouonbehalfoftheHorticulturalTradesAssociation(HTA)andBritish AssociationofLandscapeIndustries(BALI)regardingwaterrestrictionsandtheimpact thesehaveonourmemberbusinesses.Together,theHTAandBALIrepresentnearly3,800 membersandbusinessesincludinggrowers,retailers,landscapingbusinessesandgarden designerswhocollectivelydeliverthegardens,greenspaces,andgreen-blue infrastructurethatarevitalfortheeconomy,environment,andourhealthandwellbeing.
TheJuneheatwavesawpavementsandplaygroundsinLondonreaching57°C.InhisHeat ReadyLondonPlan,theMayorofLondonrecognisestheneedformoreurbangreeningto coolthecityandcleanuptheair.However,deliveringthoseplantsandtrees,expanding ourgreenspaces,andprotectingourprivategardensrequireswatertokeepthiscritical stockalive.HTAdatashowsthatgardencentresandplantgrowers usejust0.15%ofthe UK’stotalwateruse.Moreover,despitebeingawateruser,well-designedgardensand landscapescandramaticallyreducelong-termdemandthroughrainwaterharvesting, SustainableDrainageSystems(SuDS),drought-tolerantplanting,permeablepaving,and efficientirrigation. Yetmessagingaroundwaterrestrictions–oftentermedhosepipebans –haveadirect,negativeimpactonthesector.
ThefirstTemporaryUseBan(TUB)hasbeenannouncedbySouthEastWater(SEW). Despitecallingonwatercompaniestogettheirmessagingaboutwaterrestrictionsright, wehave,onceagain,seenthisreferredtoasahosepipeban. SWEissuedguidance suggestingthatlandscaperscouldnotwateranewlylaidlawnonlytochange the guidanceovernight,laterconfirmingthattheycanuseahosepipeonnewlylaidlawns “for aperiodof4weeks...”.Trees,whips,saplingsandhedgingplantedinthelastthreeyears, beforetheban,canalsobewateredwithahosepipe.Whileitisgoodtoseetheguidance updated,thismixedmessagingisextremelyunhelpfulforbusinessesandtheircustomers. AwholesalenurserybusinessintheSouthEastsaid“themerethreatofahosepipeban costourbusiness£300,000becauseofcancelledorders.”
Perennialsandshrubs,whicharemostplantedatthistimeofyear,arenotincludedinthe DroughtCodeofPractice2023exemptions.Giventheenormouscommercialimpact this hasonourmemberbusinesses,exemptionsshouldnotbeconstrainedtotrees,hedging, saplingsandwhipsbutextendtoperennialsandshrubs aswell.
Werecognisetheneedtoconservewaterintimesofshortage,however,onlyallowing landscaperstowaternewlyplantedgardensbeforeabanisintroducedeffectively renderstheirbusinessesobsoleteduringanyTUB.Itisworthnotingthatin2025,some TUBs,particularlythoseannouncedbySEW,lastedformorethansixmonths. Accordingto BALI’sLayoftheLandreport,aquarterofmemberssaidwatermanagementis challengingorverychallengingfortheirbusinesses,aswellaspressuresfromclimate changeandhotteranddryerweatherpatterns,emphasisingtheneedforaclearandlongtermstrategicapproachtowatermanagement.
Ourgardensandgreenspacescanhelpmitigatefloodingandcoolourhomesand buildings,buttodeliverandmaintainthosespaces,weneedaccesstowater. Aproper, long-termwaterstrategy,developedinpartnershipwithindustry –particularlythose nature-basedsectorsthatmakeusmoreresilient –iscritical.
Wewouldwelcometheopportunitytomeetwithyouattheearliestopportunitytodiscuss thisinmoredetail,particularlyasmoreheatwavesandlikelywaterrestrictionsare expectedthissummer.Pleasereachouttopolicy@hta.org.uktoarrangethis.Pleasenote, acopyofthisletterhasbeensharedwithMPsintheSouthEastWaterregion.
Yourssincerely,
FranBarnes WayneGrills ChiefExecutiveOfficer,HTA ChiefExecutive,BALI