Garden Expo will become "the flagship event for the garden and outdoor living sector", hopes organiser.
A trade exhibition to rival Glee and Solex has been launched and will take place from June 28-30 2010.

Garden Expo 2010 will take place at Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry and will be supported by the Horticultural Trades Association and Gardenex, the Federation of Garden & Leisure Manufacturers as founder associations. It will run in conjunction with the HTA's inaugural National Plant Show, which will take place from June 29-30.

Show organiser Clarion Events claims to have developed Garden Expo in direct response to industry demand for a focused, cost-effective event at the right buying time for the industry.

Sarah Porter, show director of Garden Expo said: "We have listened to the industry and believe that Garden Expo firmly meets the needs for an event that is not only focused, but that is crucially at the right buying time of the year and at a realistic cost that maximises return on investment for our exhibitors."

Amanda Sizer Barrett, director general of Gardenex said of the launch: "We believe that this cost-effective, conveniently located and well-timed event will provide a breath of fresh air to the industry and become its central marketplace."

A spokesman for Gardenex said: "For some time, a lot of people have been telling us that the UK needs a competitively-priced show at the right time for buying decisions to be made... it was felt that a show at an earlier time of year would be more appropriate."

Of the relationship with Glee, he said: "We discussed this with Glee before the announcement and are still happy to support the 2009 event, but have not yet heard back from them."

Solex, the Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association's exhibition, was also launched because it was felt that Glee was too late in the year. Indeed, LOFA secretary Richard Plowman has said to DIY Week: "The fact is that if Glee were held in July, there wouldn't be a Solex show."