The GREEN IS LIFE trade fair took place in Warsaw from September 5-7, 2024, organized by the Polish Nurserymen Association (ZSzP) and Agencja Promocji Zieleni. This edition featured a collaboration with the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), as part of their 76th congress. The event focused on synergy and collaboration within the green industry, addressing climate change’s impact on nurseries, horticulture, and urban greenery. The fair attracted 172 exhibitors from 7 countries, marking an 8% increase compared to 2023. Exhibits focused on garden plants such as trees, shrubs, and perennials, which made up 58% of the displays. Technological advancements and materials for landscaping also featured prominently.

The “Archipelago of Greenery” show garden, created by seven companies including a ZSzP nursery, demonstrated sustainable practices with a focus on biodiversity. Landscaping materials like permeable paving showcased solutions for climate resilience. The event drew around 9600 attendees, with 5616 being trade visitors from 42 countries, including Lithuania, Ukraine, and Latvia. Professional visitors consisted mainly of plant producers (29.94%), followed by those in landscape architecture, gardening, and retail (12.54%).

The Green City Conference focused on climate change, offering solutions to industry professionals, while the Knowledge for Trade and Producers seminar highlighted sustainability and marketing. Both events underscored the importance of innovation in the green industry.

Ornamental grasses, particularly Miscanthus sinensis ‘Lady in Red’, took center stage in the Plant Novelties Competition, which awarded six medals and three special mentions. This variety, bred by Krzysztof Słowiński, won the Journalists’ Prize and Internet Voting awards, emphasizing the growing interest in grasses.

In addition, the organizers conducted a specific tour for the press from the coutries as Netherlands, UK, Sweden, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Czech Republic, France, Lithuania are accompanied by the irreplaceable coordinator journalist Alicja Cecot to visiting three nurseries.

Plantpol Zaborze Ltd., located in Oświęcim, specializes in the production of young plants for nurserymen, offering a wide range of rooted cuttings for bedding, patio plants, and perennials. Their portfolio includes in vitro propagated plants and semi-finished products, such as deciduous shrubs like Hydrangea. As a founding member of the Proven Winners group in Europe, they collaborate with leading global breeders, ensuring a robust selection of plants suited to Polish climates through extensive testing. The company promotes gardening and specific plant varieties, including notable successes like Petunia Supertunia™ VISTA™, Pennisetum Vertigo®, perennial Hibiscus Summerific™, and Hydrangea Ruby Annabelle.

Their facilities span over 8 hectares, featuring modernized greenhouses. In 2024, a fully automated 14,000-square-meter glasshouse was completed. Open Days, an annual event, attract up to 3,000 visitors. Celebrating 30 years of business in 2023, Plantpol continues to prioritize infrastructure development and product diversification, aiming to supply high-quality plants to nurseries and consumers.

The Kapias Group, a family-owned business based in in Goczałkowice-Zdrój, Silesia, has a long-standing history in the agricultural and horticultural industry, spanning five generations. The core of the business is Kapias Nursery, which was established in the 19th century and has since expanded to occupy over 20 hectares. Approximately 15 hectares are dedicated to nursery stock production, with the majority focused on container and field cultivation, while about 1 hectare is used for covered production. The remaining area is used for gardens and mother stock.

Kapias Nursery offers a broad selection of ornamental plants, ranging from young plants to fully grown nursery stock. This includes licensed novelties, perennials, ornamental grasses, and plants for urban spaces such as ground covers, avenue trees, and espaliers. The company continually expands its assortment to meet customer demands.

Modern equipment, collaboration with research centers, and feedback from customers help Kapias implement advanced and eco-friendly production technologies. Beyond wholesale, Kapias has ventured into online and in-store retail sales, offering not only plants but also essential gardening and decorative items. Additionally, the Group provides landscaping and green space maintenance services.

A&M Walaszczyk Nursery, located in Bielsko-Biała, spans 3 hectares and produces around 3 million coniferous and deciduous rooted cuttings annually. Established in the mid-1950s, the family business has shifted focus from greenhouse vegetables to ornamental plants, with a specialization in rooted cuttings since the 1990s.

Their operations offer a diverse selection of species, including both traditional and new varieties, catering to European and international markets. Conifer stock is sold bare-rooted, while deciduous plants come as rooted cuttings in trays, with liners in P9 pots recently added. They also produce mature shrubs, mainly for wholesalers.

The nursery collaborates with breeders to develop new cultivars and has bred its own varieties, focusing on species like Berberis thunbergii, Hydrangea paniculata, and Picea glauca. This focus on innovation ensures a constantly evolving product range to meet market demand.

The new Catalogue of Proven Plants was launched during the fair, featuring detailed descriptions of 2872 plant taxa, with information on their characteristics, uses, and biological pest control. For the first time, the catalogue was published in English, making it a valuable tool for international professionals in the industry.

The next edition of GREEN IS LIFE is scheduled for September 4-6, 2025.