Trade Fair That Do Not Stand Still – It Evolves Alongside the Market

‘Join the Green Vanguard!’ – this year’s slogan of the GREEN IS LIFE fair was not merely a marketing phrase, but a clear statement of the direction in which the entire green industry is heading. Courage in implementing innovation, the ability to connect knowledge with practice, breaking established patterns, and the strength of personal relationships were the values most strongly reflected during the event, held on 4–6 September 2025 at EXPO XXI in Warsaw. Organised by the Polish Nurserymen Association and the Green Promotion Agency, the fair once again confirmed the enormous potential of the green sector – economically, environmentally, and socially. The programme featured plant premieres, demonstrations, debates, meetings with experts from Poland and abroad, as well as educational events addressing the current challenges facing the industry.Trade fairs do not stand still – they evolve alongside the changing market, business environment, and participants’ needs.

It is increasingly evident that GREEN IS LIFE is an event designed for those who wish to consciously develop their business, but above all through relationships, quality, and long-term thinking about the environment. It is a space for professionals seeking inspiration, expertise, and genuine opportunities for collaboration.Although the format and scale of the event have changed significantly over the past decade, the fair remains true to its foundations – quality, commitment, and substantive value.

Today, the expert programme, industry meetings, and debates are just as important as the exhibitors’ displays themselves. This combination ensures that GREEN IS LIFE continues to be a place where theory meets practice, and business meets inspiration.The event demonstrated that face-to-face meetings are not only an industry necessity, but also a social one.

Direct conversations, the exchange of experiences, and relationships built in person inspire participants and, above all, have a tangible impact on the development and quality of cooperation within the green sector. This was appreciated both by exhibitors and by companies that did not have stands this year but visited the fair.

Passion, Knowledge, Business – The Strength of the Industry in One Place

The event attracted more than 8,600 participants, including nearly 5,000 professionals from 26 countries. Thursday proved particularly successful this year – attendance was higher than the previous year, while participation in conferences, seminars, and presentations held throughout all three days of the fair reached a record level.

During the opening ceremony, Joanna Filipczak, Fair Director, emphasised that Green is Life is a place that sets directions for the development of the industry – where ideas become reality in the form of new varieties, technologies, and solutions. “Green business is not only about the economy – it also has a real impact on the environment and the quality of our lives. Today, plants are among the most important tools in combating climate change and creating healthy, liveable cities,” she noted.

GREEN CITY Conference

One of the key events of the fair was the GREEN CITIES Conference, which once again addressed the industry’s most pressing challenges. It gathered 598 participants, and all presentations attracted significant interest among designers, municipalities, and nurserymen alike.The lectures presented different perspectives and directions for the development of urban greenery. Tomasz Niewczas from the Warsaw Greenery Authority spoke about the “vanguard of wildness” – integrating wild nature into urban space and highlighting the need for cities to become more open to natural processes. Meanwhile, Dr Joanna Rayss demonstrated how ecosystem-based thinking can improve the quality of greenery in property developments and pointed to the current needs of the market. For nurseries, her presentation offered valuable guidance on how to better adapt their offer to the expectations of designers and investors.

A particularly important element of the conference was the debate on alien and invasive species, which brought together nurserymen, scientists, and landscape architects. It was the first event of this scale devoted to the topic. The lively and extended discussion showed just how strongly the issue resonates within the industry. Although no definitive conclusions emerged, one clear message remained: wherever possible, native alternatives to alien species should be sought, but this does not necessarily mean completely abandoning non-native plants – provided they are not invasive and fulfil an important role within the landscape.

Knowledge Ready for Immediate Implementation

The Seminar Knowledge for Trade and Producers demonstrated how modern marketing and organisational tools can support the green industry.Michael Perry (Mr Plant Geek) discussed effective “green marketing” and methods of building customer engagement. Adrian Tomaszewski presented practical applications of AI in garden centres – from product recommendations to chatbots – while Adam Legutko showed how Lean Management improves the operation of family-run businesses.The conclusions were clear: technology, good organisation, and authentic marketing are now key to success. An important part of the seminar was also the topic of biological plant protection, presented by Krzysztof Kowalski, who highlighted its significance in production practice.

The Saturday Garden Creators Meeting gathered designers, landscape architects, and enthusiasts. Alicja Maj-Czopek spoke about the potential of ornamental grasses, while Katarzyna Bellingham presented her new book A Good Year in the Garden. Klaudia Sidorowicz discussed methods of supporting plants under stressful conditions, and the second part of the programme introduced inspiring concepts of umbrella gardens and rock gardens as natural responses to climate change. Here too, the issue of biological plant protection strongly resonated, underlining its crucial role in responsible horticulture.

Green System: Where Practice Meets Theory

A new feature of this year’s fair was the pilot Green System programme, designed to better connect exhibitors’ offers with the increasingly important industry event programme.The initiative focused on three themes: native plants for cities, ornamental grasses, and rock gardens, developed during presentations by Anna Jurgielewicz-Wilkiel, Alicja Maj-Czopek, and Alicja Grabowska. After each lecture, information boards indicated which exhibitors’ stands featured the discussed plants and their producers. A complete list of participating companies was included both in the programme and on the website.In addition, a dedicated Green System stand was created, gathering selected species and varieties from exhibitors in one place. As a result, theory met practice, and knowledge shared in conference rooms immediately guided participants towards concrete solutions presented at the fair.

International Partnerships Grow at Green is Life

This year’s edition had a particularly strong international dimension. The number of foreign exhibitors increased by 27.5% compared with 2024, and the fair welcomed representatives from the Netherlands, Lithuania, Ukraine, Italy, Germany, Latvia, Romania, and Estonia, among others. This opened new export opportunities for Polish producers and enabled numerous valuable business connections.

A special highlight was the Polish-Italian networking meeting “Let’s Grow Together: Italy and Poland in the Nursery Industry”, organised jointly by the Italian Trade Agency, the Embassy of Italy, and the Italian Association of Nursery Exporters (ANVE). The Polish Nurserymen Association cooperated in organising visits to Polish nurseries as part of the programme.The Italian trade mission brought together plant producers, green space designers, trade representatives, and local authorities. It offered a unique opportunity to discover the offer of renowned Italian nurseries and exchange experiences without travelling abroad. Participants particularly appreciated the practical value of informal conversations and the genuine prospects for long-term cooperation.

Another important step towards international markets was the launch of the Hosted Buyers Programme, under which companies selected by exhibitors were invited to Warsaw. They received dedicated packages facilitating meetings with exhibitors and helping establish business relationships. The programme will continue and develop in future editions as an effective tool for strengthening exports and promoting Polish plants internationally.

A Space for Meetings and Cooperation

Green is Life demonstrates its ability to connect different professional communities and attract not only producers, designers, and traders, but also representatives of public institutions, administration, and diplomacy, all of whom play an important role in the development of the industry.The official opening was attended by representatives of international nursery organisations – ENA, AIPH, and ANVE. Official representations, including exhibition stands, were also present from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW) and the State Plant Health and Seed Inspection Service.Among the invited guests were representatives of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, the Warsaw Greenery Authority, the Research Institute of Horticulture, and long-standing partner associations including PSCO, SAK, and SITO. Representatives of embassies from France, Germany, Colombia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Thailand, Indonesia, and Belgium were also present.

Such a broad group of institutions and organisations confirms that the fair is a place where networks of cooperation strengthening the entire industry are built.Visitor profiles further reflected this diversity: the largest group consisted of plant producers – 29.73%, followed by landscape architects and green space specialists together with the construction sector – 24.53%, retail representatives including garden centres, shops, and retail chains – 14.41%, public administration and property management – 9.36%, and suppliers of technology and production materials – 4.66%.

Plant Novelties and Awards

This year’s edition of GREEN IS LIFE clearly highlighted the continuing development of domestic breeding and production. Numerous novelties were presented at exhibitors’ stands, attracting attention with their compact habit, form, and striking colours.Particularly significant were the plants awarded in the Plant Novelties Competition – an event that has for years been one of the fair’s distinguishing features, combining prestige with genuine promotional support for producers.

In 2025, the competition jury awarded 5 prizes and 4 distinctions. The Gold Medal went to Weigela florida BUBBLY WINE, submitted by KUROWSCY Nurseries. Silver awards ex aequo were granted to Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Chameleon’, submitted by SÓJKA Nurseries, and Nepeta Blue Planet, submitted by Vitroflora Producers Group Ltd.The Bronze Award went to Echinacea SUNSEEKERS SWEET FUCHSIA, submitted by SÓJKA Nurseries, and Hydrangea paniculata GROUNDBREAKER BLUSH, submitted by SZMIT Nursery.Traditionally, the Honorary Laurel of the Polish Nurserymen Association was also awarded – a distinction granted since 2003 for outstanding educational and promotional activities as well as contributions to the development of Polish nursery production. This year’s laureate was Professor Bożena Matysiak, honoured for her significant contribution to the development of the nursery industry in Poland.

Offline and Online – Working in Synergy

Although the centre of activity was naturally the fair itself, the Green Vanguard was also highly active in the digital sphere. In early September, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube transformed into a green zone of inspiration and live coverage from GREEN IS LIFE.Particular interest was generated by the event “Green Vanguard in Action”, organised jointly by the Plantis gardening app and Green is Life. The meeting attracted numerous online creators who enthusiastically shared their impressions on social media, giving the event even greater reach and momentum.

See You in 2026

We are already inviting you to the 33rd International Trade Fair for Plants, Horticultural Technology and Landscape Architecture, which will take place on 3–5 September 2026 in Warsaw.