A wide salary gap is apparent between executives in the nursery and garden centre sectors, a new report has indicated.

The annual HTA salary survey showed that for the role of sales manager, data for which was collected for the first time this year, wages at larger nurseries exceeded £30,000, compared to the average of £26,416.

The survey Illustrates the varied fortunes in the nursery and garden centre sector: garden centre managers are paid on average around £2,000 more than nursery managers - most likely because garden centre managers are seen to spend a ‘substantial’ amount of time on staff responsibilities, according to the association.

However, the two positions continue to be the highest paid in the sector below executive level, with nursery managers’ salaries increasing from £22,762 to £24,450, and garden centre managers’ salaries increasing more modestly, from £25,220 to £26,087 this year - a reverse of 2006, when the survey showed a drop in remuneration from the previous year.

Plant area managers were found to have a substantial spread of salaries, reflecting, found the survey, the differing levels of responsibilities within the organizations. At the top end of the scale, plant area managers were earning up to £30,000, an increase from 2006.

On average, southern England pays the highest salaries - the result of competition in a high employment area.

Tim Briercliffe, HTA’s Business Development Director, said: “This year’s survey shows the sector is willing to pay a good rate for the right people. Employees have responded to the competitive employment market and are shaking off the old ‘low pay’ image. Nurseries have rightly invested in driving sales.”