Mary Portas will headline at the Horticultural Trades Association Garden Futures Conference in October.
The event, which takes place on October 12-13 at the Barbican centre in London, is titled 'Garden Industry - Evolution or Revolution?'

Joining Ms Portas on the speaker panel will be Future Foundation director Pippa Goodman, who will explain the results of a new HTA study into consumer attitudes to the modern garden centre.

Supply chain expert Professor Andrew Fearne from Kent Business School, Bransford Webbs Plant Company md Geoff Ceasar, Ipsos Mori chief exec Ben Page and Haskins buying director Philip Evason will also lead sessions at the conference.

The event will conclude with Channel 4's 'Landscape Man' Matthew Wilson discussing how garden design and planting trends will influence shopper expectations in the future.

For more information and to book your place call 0118 930 3132 or email events@the-hta.org.uk

DIY business Lightwater Homecare was the recent subject of the BBC's Mary Queen of Shops. For a full interview with owner Tony Leach about the Mary Portas experience, and what happened after she left, see the next issue of DIY Week - August 13.