The Notcutts Group Limited Board. (L-R) Bridget McIntyre, Chairman; Julian Herbert, Non-Executive Director; Mark Haddock, Chief Financial Officer; Caroline Notcutt, Vice Chairman; and Nick Burrows, CEO. [Credit/Copyright: Nick Ilott]

Notcutts has seen growth in like-for-like sales and profit during 2024/25. Annual turnover at £80.5m was up £1.9m (+2.4%) on the previous year. Comparable operating profit, taking into account exceptional items, saw an increase from £0.2m in 2023/24 to £1.1m in 2024/25. Carbon emissions reduced in the year to bring Notcutts annual intensity ratio down to 29.69tCO2e per £m of revenue. NPS (Net Promoter Score) improved to 71 in the year.

Commenting on these results, Nick Burrows CEO said “The continuing backdrop of geopolitical instability, high interest rates, consumer spending restraint and supply cost pressures meant for another year of challenging trading conditions. Despite these challenges the business once again achieved growth in both sales and comparable profit measures in the year. We also saw a continued improvement in our customer satisfaction measure with our best ever NPS score of 71. Similarly encouraging is the reduction in our carbon emissions for another year.”

Burrows added, “Whilst not material in the year itself, we are now faced with additional employer cost pressures that have arisen from the government's 2024 Autumn Budget changes. These have had the effect of adding £1.5m to the annual running costs of the business from April 2025. As a consequence, we needed to re-evaluate our cost base and this led to a restructure programme in parts of the business which both mitigated against these new costs and sought added efficiencies from our newly introduced stock management system.”

Notcutts Woodbridge: Final Redevelopment Phase.

Burrows also commented “The new financial year has started strongly as we, like others in our sector, have enjoyed the most favourable conditions for gardening for some years. We are determined to continue providing a strong garden centre and restaurant proposition that our customers rate highly and we will continue to invest to improve our customer experience. Last year saw us extend a number of our restaurants and reconfigure retail areas to accommodate expanding clothes, food and gifts departments. Work is currently underway at our Woodbridge garden centre to improve and extend our retail areas – a project that will represent the final phase of a total redevelopment of Notcutts’ first garden centre which originally opened in 1958. Two further solar installations are planned later this year in Oxford and Ditchling (Garden Pride) as we continue initiatives to bring our carbon footprint down further.”

Caroline Notcutt, Vice Chairman stressed the importance that Notcutts places on creating the right atmosphere and culture in which colleagues can succeed and enjoy their roles. “Engagement with colleagues, at all levels within the business, is so important and we achieve this through a variety of means. These include surveys, listening groups, meetings and conferences, newsletters and regular visits by senior leaders to garden centres. Colleague groups have also participated in strategy development sessions and join monthly Executive Team meetings to contribute ideas and suggestions on subjects such as customer experience excellence, development projects, health and safety and initiatives related to ESG. Our programme of monthly and annual awards allows us to recognise and celebrate the achievements of colleagues, and these are featured in our regular team newsletters. We have also forged strong partnerships with a number of partner organisations to ensure a range of wellbeing services are in place for colleagues who may need to draw on such support.”

Bridget McIntyre, Chairman added “I continue to be delighted that our well-established approach to succession planning is bearing fruit with further key senior operational leadership roles having been filled by our own internal candidates. We offer a range of leadership training, coaching and personal development support to colleagues at all levels in Notcutts and it’s terrific that this can lead to real career openings and progression for people within our organisation.”

Bridget McIntyre, also commented that “All Notcutts garden centres and our Support Office maintain close relationships within our local communities supporting multiple charities and schools. This is a key part of our ESG commitment. We are into the fourth year of our charitable partnership with The Green Light Trust, whose aim is to ensure everyone has equitable access to the power of nature. Working with people of all ages, often more disadvantaged members of our communities, through organised outdoor activities in woodlands and green spaces, The Green Light Trust’s mission is perfectly aligned with that of Notcutts.”

Floral Thursday once again lit up Glee this year as exhibitors, visitors and supporters embraced the day in a sea of colour to raise funds for Greenfingers Charity. The annual fundraiser sees the horticultural industry come together to don their brightest floral attire, all in support of children and families who spend time in hospices.

It was great to see so many people in floral attire with a new record being set for the number of people in floral's for the Floral Thursday at Glee photo call.  The record now stands at 173, there were 171 people in the photo plus Paul Webb who took the photo and Peter Walker who was holding the ladder!

Download the high resolution Floral Thursday New World Record photo here

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at Greenfingers Charity, said: “Floral Thursday is always such a special day at Glee for Greenfingers Charity. Seeing the horticultural industry come together in their best florals, all in support of children and families who spend time in hospices, is both moving and inspiring. We are so grateful to the wonderful Glee organisers for giving us the opportunity to make this celebration part of their show, and to Trevor Pfeiffer, whose vision and inspiration first brought this fundraiser to life. A huge thank you also goes to the exhibitors and visitors who embraced the best floral attire, to everyone who donated prizes, bought raffle tickets, and to those who volunteered their time to help us on the day. Together, you helped us to raise vital funds for magical hospice gardens.”

Thanks to the generosity of everyone involved, this year’s Floral Thursday raised an incredible £4,200. These funds will go directly towards creating and maintaining Greenfingers Charity’s much-loved gardens in children’s hospices across the UK. These outdoor spaces provide opportunities to play, learn, care, grow and create precious memories for children with life-limiting conditions and their families.

Trevor Pfeiffer, the inspiration behind Floral Thursday, added: “It was wonderful to see so many people throw themselves into the spirit of Floral Thursday once again this year. Huge congratulations go to Evergreen Garden Care – the Miracle Gro-ers – who were crowned Best Dressed! Their enthusiasm and creativity once again really captured the fun of the day, it’s fantastic to see so much support for Greenfingers Charity.”

Greenfingers Charity extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported the initiative. The continued efforts of so many are helping to bring the gift of a garden to more life-limited children and families who need it most.

The Greatest Floral Team Award #1 - Johnsons Lawn Seed who donated floral bucket hats to raise more funds this year 

The Greatest Floral Team Award #2 - Sipcam, buzzing with fundraising energy

The Greatest Floral Team Award #3 - Durstons with their new branding perfectly aligned with Floral Thursday

The Greatest Floral Team Award #4 - Meadow View Stone with matching floral headgear for all.

The Greatest Floral Team Award #5 - Evergreen Garden Care, winners every year since 2018, they can now keep the trophy!

See our gallery of floral pictures below...

Ground-breaking new garden and pet products have been confirmed as the winners of the coveted Glee New Product Awards 2025, run in association with GTN. The Overall Best Glee New Product went to Treadstone Products for their Orchard Sculpture Trellis.

The winning products were chosen by an expert panel of judges representing independent and multiple retailers, consumer gardening media and trade media.

After initial judging of the new products entered, the judges selected finalists in each category. Then those finalists had the opportunity to meet the judges, answer questions and make a pitch to be chosen as the winner.

Glee 2025 – New Product Award Shortlists and Winners

Garden Decoration

Winner: Orchard Sculpture Trellis – Treadstone Products

Growing Materials

Winner: SylvaGrow Houseplant – Melcourt Industries Ltd

Growing Accessories

Winner: Tulip Flower Alert – Mayhem UK Ltd

Growing Containers

Winner: Liberty Blue Pot – Woodlodge Products

Retail Services

Winner: Secure Fixtures Intelligent Lockable Cabinets – Formbar Ltd

Tools & Machinery

Winner: Hori Hori Trowel – EP Barrus Ltd 

Wild Bird Care

Winner: Nester Pod – Eggologic

Pets

Winner: Aqua Paws – Creative Products Ltd

Plants Seeds & Bulbs 

Winner: Euphorbia x martini Walberton's Little Treasure WALEULITR – Farplants

Winner: Salvia Strawberry Melba – Darby Nursery Stock Ltd 

Landscape

Winner: Prestige Water 250 litre Classic Slim Wall Water butt – Prestige Water Ltd

Home

Winner: National Garden Scheme/Queens Landing Washable Doormat – Primeur Ltd

Gifts

Winner: Gardman Festive Feasts Selection Box – Westland Horticulture Ltd

Food & Drink

Winner: Numilk plant based milk machine – iSqueeze

Leisure & Entertaining

Winner: Sahara Arke BBQ – SAHARA

Best of British

Winner: BioFleece18® – Andermatt

Sustainability

Winner: Eco crop small animal bedding and Eco Willow Wood Briquettes – Eco Crops Ltd

Overall New Product of the Year

Winner: Orchard Sculpture Trellis – Treadstone Products

Runner up: SylvaGrow Houseplant – Melcourt Industries Ltd

The Glee New Product Award winners have been celebrating their success during the show. GTN got their reaction to their award success.

Tools & Machinery

EP Barrus

Hori Hori Trowel

Tracey Cooper, National Sales Manager and Will Timmis, Head of Outdoor at EP Barrus.

Tracey said: "It is always and honour to win an award and be recognised in the industry. It is an accolade for us and gives our customers the confidence to buy."

Retail Services

Formbar Ltd

Secure Fixtures Intelligent Lockable Cabinets

Hannah Lewis, Managing Director

"We are super delighted to have won and are very excited to be able to offer a new loss prevention product. We have been offering trollies and baskets for 20 years so this is a new venture for us. The reception at Glee has been enthusiastic and we've had lots of enquiries." 

Food & Drink

iSqueeze

Ruby Howell, Sales Executive pictured.

Elias Ebert, Managing Director said: "Winning the New Product Award has definitely helped raise awareness at Glee. We have noticed an uptake in garden centres looking to expand their alternative milk option and Numilk machines can be bought outright or rented."

Garden Decoration and Overall Best New Product

Treadstone

Orchard Sculpture Trellis

Dean Winters, Product and Marketing Director

"After being shortlisted last year for the original Orchard sculptures the latest addition is the Orchard Wall Trellis and we are pleased they have been given the award for the best in show. We've had a fantastic reaction from visitors and taken plenty of orders for stock ready in January 2026."

Home

Primeur

National Garden Scheme Queen's Landing Luxury Washable Mat.

Sarah McLafferty, National Account Manager.

"We are proud to be one of the first companies to collaborate with the NGS with a product and excited to develop more designs for the future. We worked closely with our senior designer to come up with a mat with colours that compliment current home decor trends, is functional and generates £1 for NGS with every mat sold."

Growing Containers

Woodlodge

Liberty Blue Pots

Chloe Smart, Sales Office Manager.

Quote from Amy Oxford, Marketing Manager.

“Winning the award has highlight the Liberty range which brings an affordable line of large pots to a more people. There are three sizes and they can be use indoors or outdoors.”

Pets

Creative Products Ltd

Aqua Paws

Richard Booker, Director.

“It’s fabulous to win an award at a show like this as it’s brilliant for us to be recognised in such a competitive category. It’s been a great show overall and highlighting the Aqua Paws product has generated lots of interest.”

Landscape

Prestige Water Ltd

Prestige Water 250L Classic Slim Wall Water Butt

Lauren Stringer, Technical

Junaid Patel, Managing Director, said: “The award and the congratulations we have been getting from visitor has bought people to us to ask lots of questions. It’s a great coup for the company and we’ve had tons of positive feedback.”

Wild Bird Care and Wildlife

Eggologic Nester Pod

Todd Wente, CEO.

“This is our debut Glee and a great opportunity to talk to bricks and morter garden centres. We’ve spent lots of time building the product so now it’s time to talk about what makes our product different. Lots of people have noticed and commented on the award - the product is easy for customers and great for the birds and the bees.”

Growing Accessories

Tulip Flower Alert

Mayhem

David Merricks, Managing Director

“This is our own invention to help houseplant growers known when to water their plants to prevent over and under watering. The long probe means they can see if compost is wet near the roots and it can be moved to different pots. The price point of £10 means it has generated lots of interest.”

Best of British

Andermatt

Biofleece

Robbie Di Nardo

“Our Biofleece is sustainable but we also believe in low air miles which is why our product is made in the UK.”

Growing Materials

Melcourt

SylvaGrow House Plant Compost 5L

Nikki Burton, Managing Director, with some of the  Melcourt team – Beverley Moseley, Diana Furmedge, James Harriss, Neil Gray and Richard Cave.

Nikki Burton said:  “We are delighted to have been awarded New Product status at Glee 2025.  A huge thank you to the judges, the Glee team and, of course, our amazing team at Melcourt.”

Plants, Seeds and Bulbs

Joint winner

Darby Nursery Stock

Salvia ‘Strawberry Melba’.

Matt Bent, Sales Manager and Simon Catterall, Sales Executive – North. Matt said: “Glee awards are a great opportunity to showcase new varieties and impulse purchases in garden centres which are a key driver for sales. The new salvia is colourful and impressive and will be a successful plant in 2026 - it has long season interest flowers from May until the first frost.”

Plants, Seeds and Bulbs

Joint winner

Farplants

Euphorbia Little Treasure

Pictured: David Salisbury, Director and Zoe Nicholls, Key Account and Business Development Manager. Andy Merrick, Director Head of Sales, said: “Very delighted our euphorbia has been acknowledge as an excellent new introduction. The award is an assortment and we have certainly been promoting it on our socials.”

Gifts

Westland Horticulture

Guardman Festive Feasts Selection Box

Anastasia Scaife, Head of Marketing - Westland Bird and Pet Category, said: “We wanted to create a special offer for customers this festive season and it’s lovely the selection box has been recognised as a good idea and concept.”

Garden Leisure and Entertaining

Sahara 

Sahara Ark BBQ

Stephen Kinsella, Sales, and Stewart O’Connell, Managing Director. Stewart said: “We’ve had a great reaction from day one of the show and the award has definitely validated the product’s innovative concept.”

Sustainability Award

Eco Crop

Pictured: Neil Watkins, Managing Director, Colin Baines, Product Development, and Ethan Baines. Neil said: "We are supporting local eco crop farmers and growers across the UK and to win the overall Sustainability Award for our product is amazing. Thank you Glee!"

The Glee New Product Award judges worked long into the night on to pick out their short listed products from the 340 entered at this year's Glee New Product Showcase in Hall 12.

The exhibitors with shortlisted products pitched their product to the judges at the Hive Stage in Hall 11 during the day on Tuesday.

Glee 2025 – New Product Award Shortlisted Products

Garden Decoration

• Crazy Chic – Woodlodge Products (10B51-C50)
• Hot Air Balloon Primus – Primus/A.Perry Ltd (9K71)
• Orchard Sculpture Trellis – Treadstone Products (10A60)
• Set of 3 planter/lantern columns – Eastern Connections (9D65-E66)

Growing Materials

• BioFleece18® – Andermatt (9K93)
• MAD Soldier Frass – Mad Company (12D61)
• SylvaGrow Houseplant – Melcourt Industries Ltd (10F40)
• Westland Multi-Planter – Westland Horticulture Ltd (10C51-F50)

Growing Accessories

• Beneficial Insect Attractant – Gardening Naturally Ltd (9L73)
• Bokashi Bin Starter Kit – Gardening Naturally Ltd (9L73)
• ClipGlove Ankle Boots – Treadstone Products (10A60)
• Moisture Keeper Mosaic Glass  Self-Watering Globe – Panacea Products Ltd (11C61-E60)
• Tulip Flower Alert – Mayhem UK Ltd (9J81)

Growing Containers

• Garden Central Essential Collection - Range Extentions – Primeur Ltd (11E61-F60)
• Liberty Blue Pot – Woodlodge Products (10B51-C50)
• Manresa – Woodlodge Products (10B51-C50)
• Rustic Short Bowl Planter – Rago Planters (9J61)
• Tierra Verde Melody & Harmony Collections – Primeur Ltd (11E61-F60)

Retail Services

• Own-Branded Feeds – Bronte Heritage (11B61-C60)
• Plastic-free Plant Drop Shipping Service – Coletta & Tyson/Accelopack (GH29)
• Secure Fixtures Intelligent Lockable Cabinets – Formbar Ltd (11F71)

Tools & Machinery

• Buffalo Heavy Duty Metal Dustpan & Brush – Wilsons (9H75-J74)
• Hori Hori Trowel – EP Barrus Ltd (12F40-G41)
• Kent & Stowe Watering Set – Westland Horticulture Ltd (10C51-F50)
• Roughneck Sharp Edge Micro Shovel – TOOLBANK (9G41)

Wild Bird Care

• Audubon® Eggpicnic Squirrel Resistant Metal Chateau Feeder – Panacea Products Ltd (11C61-E60)
• Bat Box – Gardening Naturally Ltd (9L73)
• Buzz Box - Beekeeper's Starter Pack – Buzz Box (9D91)
• Nester Pod & Hive Pod – Eggologic (9L90)

Pets

• Aqua Paws – Creative Products Ltd (9E41-G40)
• Buffalo Bites – The Buffalo Co (12F31)
• Eco Soft Animal Bedding – Eco Crops Ltd (10F70)
• Get Off, Lawn Rescue – Sipcam Home and Garden (9E35-F36)
• ThermaCool Pet Bowls – The Buffalo Co (12F31)

Plants Seeds & Bulbs Home

• Colourful Spring Bulbs CDU – Bees Seeds Ltd (9F82)
• Euphorbia x martini Walberton's Little Treasure WALEULITR – Farplants (GH68)
• Salvia Strawberry Melba – Darby Nursery Stock Ltd (GH39)

Landscape

• Block Blitz Gravel Cleaner – Sipcam Home and Garden (9E35-F36)
• Orchard Grande Sculptures – Treadstone Products (10A60)
• Prestige Water 250 litre Classic Slim Wall Water butt – Prestige Water Ltd (9G95)

Home

• ClipGlove Ankle Boots – Treadstone Products (10A60)
• Half Moon Coir Tray Mat – Primeur Ltd (11E61-F60)
• Heat Holders RHS Wellington Boot Socks – SOCKSHOP (9E83)
• National Garden Scheme - Queens Landing Washable Doormat – Primeur Ltd (11E61-F60)

Gifts

• Cleanse And Purify Smudge Gift Set – Mindful Living Co (12G53)
• Gardman Festive Feasts Selection Box – Westland Horticulture Ltd (10C51-F50)
• Lux-Fit Gauntlet DragonFly – EP Barrus Ltd (12F40-G41)
• Peckish Wild Bird Gift Set – Westland Horticulture Ltd (10C51-F50)

Food & Drink

• Debag Global Baking Technology – Whitco Catering and Bakery Equipment Ltd (11D91-E90)
• Giant Chocolate Tools DIY Lovers Gift Selection Box – The Amazing Chocolate Workshop (11C103)
• Numilk plant based milk machine – iSqueeze  (11D100)

Leisure & Entertaining

• Eco Soft Furnishings – W Living (12B20-C21)
• Eco Willow Wood Briquettes – Eco Crops Ltd (10F70)
• Sahara Arke BBQ – SAHARA (10G60)
• Ziptrak Outdoor Blinds – Solar Solve Ltd  (9C85)

The New Product Award judges.

See pictures from the pitching sessions in the gallery below...

Afternoon Teas were the centre of attention in Food @ Glee as six garden centre teams competed for GTN's Greatest Garden Centre Afternoon Tea Award before the presentation of The Greatest Food and Drink Support Team Award and The Greatest Garden Centre Food & Drink Teams overall as voted for by their customers.

The winners in GTN's Greatest Garden Centre Food & Drink Awards 2025 were:

The Greatest Garden Centre Afternoon Tea Competition 

Gold Awards

British Garden Centres

Great value for money and varied selection.

Liked the lemon posset which we didn’t see on any of the other teas, and the cheese and pickle quiche. Good sizes scones.

Planters Brookfields

Beautiful presentations.

Loved the chocolate coated strawberries which were a nice touch of luxury.

Cakes were a good size and of note was the option of a sweet or a savoury afternoon tea.

Planters Pacific

Great presentation and thoughtful selection of foods which included cheese and biscuits.

The take-away option was inspirational.

Silver Awards

Planters Bretby

Excellent savoury selection and the breakfast option was a brilliant idea to attract a different audience in the morning and extend the sales window of teas.

Bronze Awards

Planters Tamworth

Excellent scones, probably the best ones in the competition, and liked the addition of fresh fruit and salad.

Garden King

Loved the selection of cakes and the generous sausage roll.

The mini trifle was a really good idea.

A huge thank you to the teams taking part from the judges, GTN and the show visitors who got to sample some of the Afternoon Teas.  Read more about the competition in future issues of GTN Magazine.

The Greatest Garden Centre Food & Drink Support Team Award

Gold Award – British Garden Centres Catering Support Team

Silver Awards – Davidson Richards, Corby & Fellas

Bronze – Wash up teams at Planters Garden Centres

The Greatest Garden Centre Food & Drink Team 2025, as voted for by customers

Gold Award - Old Railway Line Garden Centre

Silver Award – Charlecote Garden Centre, BGC

Bronze Award – Meadow Croft Garden Centre

Highly Commended - Perrywood Tiptree

Highly Commended – Perrywood Buckhatch

Highly Commended - Perrywood Sudbury

Highly Commended – Charlbury Garden Centre, BGC

The Plant Place Garden Centre has opened a new restaurant called The Garden Room to great success and thanked Corby + Fellas for its ‘invaluable support.

Business manager Peter Evans said: "We’ve just opened our new café, The Garden Room at The Plant Place, and the Corby & Fellas restaurant system has been invaluable from the start. 

“The T650 handheld ordering devices allowed our team to serve over 4,000 customers during opening week, keeping service smooth even at high volume. The EPOS is both user friendly and powerful, making quicker, easier sales possible while giving us access to detailed reporting. 

“We’re looking forward to unlocking more of the system as we go along, using its insights to help refine and optimise our highly seasonal menu. It’s already made a huge difference for both our team and our customers>”

A spokesperson for Corby + Fellas said: “Congratulations to Peter and the team on the opening of their fantastic restaurant The Garden Room.”

Since Corby & Fellas announced their successful implementation of the restaurant system at The Plant Place's new café, The Garden Room, last week, the team's winning streak continued. At the Glee trade show, Alan and Kim were delighted to receive an award on behalf of Corby + Fellas for GTN Greatest Food and Drink Support Team 2025.

The award was the perfect end to an already great day at Glee, where the team enjoyed catching up with friends, colleagues, and customers, old and new.

It was a befitting recognition that capped off an impressive season for our team.

The Harker family are sad to announce the passing of Ron Harker on Wednesday 10th September 2025. Ron was widely respected in the gardening industry, most notably as founder and former owner of Tong Garden Centre near Bradford.

Ron pictured with late wife Nita and sons Antony and Stuart.

Ron was an extremely hard-working man, whose career started as a milkman. Ron and late wife Nita then embarked on an entrepreneurial journey, starting a poultry processing business which they ran as a family business.

Ron and Nita had dreams to build a garden centre which ultimately happened in 1984.  From the humble beginnings of a strawberry field in Tong Village, Tong Garden Centre was founded and was one of few garden centres in existence at that time.

By the mid 1990’s Ron and family had developed Tong Garden Centre into one of the leading garden centres in the UK. Ron’s work ethic and dedication was also passed down to his two sons Antony & Stuart, who were involved from a young age in running the poultry business and the garden centre.

Ron’s resilience was then tested severely in 1999 with the death of wife and mum Nita, which came weeks after a fire that destroyed Tong Garden Centre. 

The Harker family rallied and re-built the business, reaffirming its importance in the local area and in the industry. In 2015 Ron sold Tong Garden Centre, a business that was built from his foresight to develop a strawberry field into a major garden centre. 

In the last few weeks of his life Ron returned to Tong Garden Centre for the first time since the sale, his parting remark being how magnificent it had become.

Ron was an uncompromising character known to many in the trade, he leaves his two sons Antony and Stuart, seven grandchildren, six great grandchildren and partner of 25 years, Gwen. They are all immensely proud of what he achieved in his life.

August's Garden Centre Association  Barometer of Trade (BoT) is out this week and it reveals nearly all categories performed well – with bulb sales having a strong start.

Eleven of the 13 categories recorded by member garden centres were reported as being positive, when compared to 2024, with gifts leading the way at +10.1%.

GCA CEO, Peter Burks, says: “We’ve a very encouraging set of sales figures for August after a slight lull in the hot summer months. Bulb sales have started very strongly, which has helped to kickstart the autumn gardening season nicely.

“Once again, it’s great to see almost all the categories performing very well, which demonstrates the wide appeal of the modern garden centre offer. Early feedback from September suggests this gardening trend is continuing too. The percentage variance on last year was also very positive at +6.71%.”

Catering sales came second in August, when compared to the same month in 2024, and were up at +9.16%, followed by seeds & bulbs at +9.25%. Clothing at +8.63% came next and then furniture & BBQs at +7.86%.

The food hall/farm shop category recorded an uptick of +7.17%, with houseplants in seventh place at +4.88% and then garden sundries at +4.76%.

Holding its own, in ninth, is the outdoor plants category at +4.63%, followed by Christmas +4.24% and pets & aquatics, also up, by +3.91%.

The two categories from the 13 that recorded negative results were miscellaneous at -4.45% and hard landscaping at -6.39%.

The GCA’s BoT reports covering 13 categories are compiled using actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement. They are made available mid-month following the end of the prior month after all member garden centres have submitted their results.

The BoT allows members to compare their trading positions with other centres.

The GCA represents more than 200 garden centres nationwide.

Through sharing information and its inspection programme the GCA helps members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.

Tickets for the GCA’s 2026 Annual Conference are now on sale via the members’ section on the body’s website or via https://gca.digitickets.co.uk/.

For further information, please go to www.gca.org.uk.

SealStop – the clever automatic shut-off valve for hosepipes  – has been announced as the winner of this year’s prestigious GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund. The team behind SealStop were officially handed the award during the opening day of Glee 2025.

Born out of a simple frustration – forgotten hoses and flooded yards – SealStop is now helping households, gardeners, and smallholders across the UK make every drop count.  The clever device connects to a standard hosepipe using a quick-connect fitting. Simply place the hose into a trough, barrel or container and walk away. SealStop shuts off the flow at the right moment, preventing overflows and wasted water. With no need for timers, electronics or constant supervision, it’s a simple, reusable, British-made solution for smart water use.

Founder Isabelle Richardson said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have won the GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund, it’s a wonderful acknowledgement of why I created SealStop in the first place. I was tired of wasting water whenever life got in the way, so I developed a solution that gives people time back and encourages smarter water use, especially during dry spells when conservation is vital.

“This support will make a real difference, helping us grow faster, reach more people, and share the benefits of SealStop with the gardening community.”

Originally launched in the equestrian market, SealStop is now finding fans in gardens across the UK. Proudly manufactured just 45 minutes from York, it’s also the first in a growing range, with rainwater harvesting tools currently in development.

Vicky Nuttall, GIMA Director, commented: “It was a tough judging day as all the shortlisted entries had great merit and real commercial potential. It took us all day to decide on our eventual winner. SealStop stood out as a product that not only solves a problem that haunts gardeners and smallholders but also brings genuine environmental benefits. We are excited to support Isabelle and her team as they bring this innovation to a wider market.”

As the tenth recipient of the GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund, SealStop will receive an extensive prize package designed to help fast-track its growth. This includes free exhibition space at Glee, the UK’s leading garden retail trade show, alongside up to £4,000 of tailored support covering design, development, consultancy, manufacturing or marketing. The prize also offers a free half-page advert in the GIMA New Product Digest publication, twelve months of free GIMA membership, one year’s ACID (Anti Copying in Design) membership, and ongoing PR support.

The runners up for 2025 were Rootup Limited and SmartyPlants AI – both highly commended for their forward-thinking approaches to gardening innovation.  SmartyPlants is a discreet sensor that tracks your plant’s vital stats, translating them into simple care tips via a user-friendly app. With real-time alerts, it’s like your plant texting you when it needs attention. Rootup Limited develops innovative solutions for hydroponic growers and plant enthusiasts, combining practical engineering with sustainable design to improve efficiency, plant health, and yields.

Find out more

For more information about SealStop and the GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund, visit the GIMA Buyer Lounge in Hall 9 at Glee 2025, or visit www.gima.org.uk and www.sealstop.co.uk. 

Bucktons, a leading indoor pet bird and wild bird food brand, and part of Westland Horticulture, has launched new, smaller bag sizes across a selection of its most popular indoor pet bird blends, making it even easier for customers to pick up and take home their favourite products.

The new range includes compact 2kg and 3kg options, designed with shopper convenience in mind, and the larger 12.75kg and 20kg sizes will still be available for those consumers that prefer to purchase in bulk. The smaller sizes are perfect for customers looking for lighter, more manageable packs without compromising on the high-quality nutrition Bucktons has been trusted for by generations of pet bird owners. 

The new sizes now available include:

No.1 Mixed Canary Food, 2kg

Now available in a 2kg pack size that will feed two canaries for up to four months, this feed features a variety of small seeds that are high in protein and help to maintain plumage condition. 

Special Budgie Food, 2kg

An easily digestible mixture that uses high quality sourced ingredients, is now available in a 2kg format that will feed two budgies for up to two months.

Cockatiel & Lovebird Food, 2kg

Using a selection of the finest quality small seeds that ensure easier digestion, this proven formulation contains a high oil content for improved condition and is now available in a 2kg format that will keep one bird fed for up to three months. 

Foreign Finch Food, 2kg

Suitable for all Finch species, this formulated blend uses only high quality ingredients, making it a great choice as an all-round mix, and is now available in a 2kg pack size that feeds two birds for up to four months. 

Elite Parrot Food, 3kg

This fruity blend of ingredients is now available in a 3kg pack size that will feed one parrot for approximately two months. This elite blend is designed to keep parrots amused as the ingredients are formulated to be in a variety of shapes and sizes. 

No.1 Parrot Food, 3kg

This traditional blend is now available in a 3kg pack size to keep one parrot fed for approximately two months and is suitable for a wide variety of parrot breeds. 

In addition to the smaller sizes, the Bucktons brand is also unveiling refreshed branding that will include clearer labelling to help pet owners understand exactly how long each bag will last the average pet bird. This update aims to remove confusion at point of purchase, making decisions quicker and easier for shoppers.

Kirk Rothwell, Brand Manager, at Bucktons, commented: "We know our customers value both quality and convenience, and these new pack sizes and improved on-pack guidance are part of our ongoing commitment to making pet bird care simpler and more accessible for everyone."

The new smaller packs and branding will begin rolling out in stores from September 2025. As with all Westland products, the new Bucktons range can be ordered 24/7 via Westland Live, and frequent top-ups are easy as part of a Westland weekly delivery. Scan here to login in or sign up. To benefit from the in-store POS and display units contact your Westland Account Manager.

Garden centres maintained steady sales in August 2025, with overall turnover up 3% on August 2024 and 12% on August 2023, according to the Horticultural Trades Association September Market Update. 

Following a strong spring, summer sales growth has moderated slightly, but the retail side of the sector continues to maintain a healthy year-to-date lead.

Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the HTA, said: “August’s results show that garden centres are still holding strong despite challenging conditions. Overall sales were up 3% compared to last year, with gardening sales matching this growth and rising 13% from 2023. Bulbs performed exceptionally well, growing +15%, and garden furniture sales increased +13%.

“Much of the overall sales growth is inflation-driven. Total transactions were level with those in August last year, and consumer purchasing volumes remained broadly stable. However, the average spend rose by +4% in stores and +3% in cafés, reflecting higher prices rather than larger baskets.

“The month’s weather illustrated the extremes our sector faces. England experienced a heatwave followed by storms, resulting in almost 1°C hotter temperatures and half the average rainfall compared to August 2024. Scotland, by contrast, was the wettest region of the UK and saw much lower average temperatures, having been most heavily affected by Storm Floris at the start of the month. Groundwater levels and reservoirs remain worryingly low, and although no new temporary use bans have been introduced, Yorkshire Water is seeking further drought permits. This highlights why water resilience remains a top priority for our sector.

“UK consumer confidence recovered by +2 points to -17 in August, its highest level this year, following the Bank of England’s cut to interest rates. Confidence, however, remains historically low amid global trade uncertainty and anticipation of Autumn Budget tax changes. The HTA will submit its budget asks to the Chancellor ahead of 26 November. Against a backdrop of rising business costs, we’ll be calling on the Chancellor not to announce any further tax rises on employers, asking her to take action on business rates that support HTA members, and asking to pause and consult on the proposed changes to Agricultural and Business Property Relief, which is adding more cost and uncertainty for businesses at present.

“You may have noticed that last month’s update introduced a new Consumer Spending section, providing a broader benchmark for garden centre performance against other retail sectors. Data for August indicates that consumer card spend on household retail (including gardening) was up 1.2% from August 2024, with garden centre spend specifically only rising 0.6%. However, it is important to note that these figures exclude cash transactions and therefore differ from HTA’s overall sales reporting.”

Additional insights:

• Indoor living was the strongest performing department, up +13% year-on-year; wild bird care saw its first annual growth since March (+5%).
• BBQs and outdoor heating fell -13% year-on-year, though remain ahead of 2023 levels.
• Café and restaurant transactions rose +2%, with catering’s share of turnover reaching 16%.

Members can find the HTA’s latest water management guidance and updates at hta.org.uk/water.

HTA members can access further insights in this month’s Market Update on our website.

Broadcaster David Domoney and Blue Diamond managing director Alan Roper have joined together to produce a new television programme to be exclusively available on YouTube. 

Titled “Step-by-Step Gardening with David Domoney at Blue Diamond’s Bridgemere Show Gardens,” each episode explains all aspects of garden activities in an easy-to-follow format, with the goal to engage and empower viewers to tackle and enjoy the pursuit of gardening.

The hugely successful pilot of three episodes combined has already topped an eye-opening million views. It’s YouTube's most viewed gardening programme series in 2025.

Ofcom’s latest report confirms YouTube is now the UK’s second most-watched TV service. UK viewers spend over 39 minutes a day on YouTube, including over 16 minutes watching on the living-room TV and growing . The shift spans all ages: children 4–15 most often start their TV session on YouTube, 16–34s have grown YouTube-on-TV time to over 21 mins per day, and 55+ have almost doubled their time on YouTube. That’s why we’re prioritising YouTube to reach families and gardeners at scale.

Alan Roper says, “TV gardening has become too abstract, focusing on wistful camera shots and dubbed in bird song, missing the practical advice which is very much needed. Historically, TV gardeners like Thrower, Hamilton and Seabrook captured this essence with practical advice. David Domoney has that same touch, whilst being an engaging personality, with a down-to-earth approach, plus with knowledge and a passion for horticulture. He is the perfect broadcaster to reinvent the step-by-step format to gardening for both new and experienced gardeners.”

The programme will be co-owned by Domoney Ltd and Blue Diamond Ltd and made by Domoney’s Production company, shot at Blue Diamond Garden Centres’ Bridgemere Show Gardens. David Domoney has over 300,000 YouTube subscribers, which has turbocharged the success of the viewing and is set to rise. 17 new episodes are planned over the next year, one a month, then fortnightly in March, April, May and June. 

David Domoney says, “For years the industry has yearned for a television gardening show to educate and inspire, and just as importantly, a TV show to coincide with when customers are actively shopping for monthly specific garden plants and products. It makes perfect sense for television and garden retail to team up and deliver this. I am delighted to work with Alan Roper and his team to pioneer a new garden show, which is real gardening for real people and dovetails its inspiration to the garden industry’s calendar. The education and motivation from this step-by-step series will benefit all garden retailers, manufacturers, importers and growers.”

The new October episode of Step-by-step is transmitting Friday 26th September on YouTube at 5pm.

To see the trailer of the show please click here.

As one growing season comes to an end and we start looking ahead to the next, Miracle-Gro is showcasing its new product range for 2026.

Here to provide a helping hand to all gardeners, the brand’s £2M+ investment in a new fully integrated brand campaign to help drive category penetration and brand growth, enabling consumers to create an outdoor space they can be proud of.  

Investing in the Miracle-Gro brand 

The new-look for the refined Miracle-Gro Growing Media and Plant Food ranges were unveiled at Glee 2025. This follows the launch of the updated Lawncare range at GLEE 2024 and unites the full Miracle-Gro® product range under the brand’s iconic yellow colourway.  

Aiming to increase conversion by simplifying the range and making the category easier to shop, Miracle-Gro will offer a refined product portfolio. Clear, informative detail across packaging will immediately help consumers identify which product will help them with their specific garden task, with the range retaining clear imagery and descriptions of the plant that the product’s ingredients have been specifically curated for. 

With the inclusion of plant feed in growing media many consumers don't consider using plant food to encourage healthy growth throughout the spring and into the autumn. 

To educate consumers of the desired result of the Plant Food range, each pack will feature an illustration of the impact of feeding. To further help combat product usage confusion, where space permits, simple and easy-to-follow timelines will also feature, similar to those used already on the Lawn Care range. These have been designed to give clear maintenance advice on how to nurture healthier and happier plants. 

Quality guaranteed 

To further consumers' confidence in the performance of products, the Miracle-Gro® Growing Media and Plant Food range will now be adorned with the NEW Miracle-Gro Quality Guarantee roundel.  

Featuring on and off-packs, the guarantee message aims to build confidence amongst gardeners that the Miracle-Gro® range of composts and plant foods will help them to grow bigger plants with more flowers and greener leaves. 

Evergreen Garden Care has decades of experience crafting compost and plant foods and work on research and development at the Levington Research Station to support these claims. Peat-free has also been invested heavily in at manufacturing sites to ensure the best formulation on the market with the best raw materials.   

Underpinned with investment in development of the product range to ensure efficacy and consistency of growing results, the new quality promise is backed by garden centre and retail store testimonials from the brand’s growing trials with growers across the country trials.  

Providing a helping hand to all gardeners 

Miracle-Gro is excited to unveil its new brand campaign which will see the brand provide a helping hand to all gardeners, to create an outdoor space they can be proud of.  

The campaign will build upon Evergreen’s category vision of ‘Grow Happiness, Enrich Your Space’, inspiring gardeners - whether fairweather or whatever the weather - to take pride in their horticultural achievements however big or small.  

For more expert gardening advice, visit lovethegarden.com.  

The Greenfingers Charity has announced that Blue Diamond Garden Centres has pledged its support for Garden Re-Leaf Day 2026, the charity’s annual national fundraising event designed to kickstart the gardening season and bring supporters together in countless creative ways.

While plans are still being finalised, Alan Roper and the Blue Diamond Garden Centres team have generously committed to dedicating a full week of activity to support Greenfingers through Garden Re-Leaf. Staff will be encouraged to take part in a dress down and floral day, bringing colour and creativity to garden centres whilst raising vital funds. The group’s Little Acorns Clubs will also be running special activity sessions, with proceeds going directly to Greenfingers. These initiatives mark the start of what promises to be an exciting programme, with more fundraising ideas already in development.

In addition to their ongoing Garden Re-Leaf commitment, Blue Diamond Garden Centres will continue to champion Greenfingers through the ever-popular Friends charity rose, sales of which have already raised vital funds for the cause. The group will also be stocking the brand-new Taylor’s Crocus packs, which officially launched at Glee 2025, creating yet another opportunity for customers to get involved and give back. What’s more, Blue Diamond Garden Centres have confirmed they will match Taylor’s own contribution, donating £1 from every pack of crocus sold. This joint effort will effectively double the impact, helping to generate even greater support for the charity.

And if that wasn’t enough, Blue Diamond’s very own Heidi Towse will be among the intrepid adventurers taking on the Kilimanjaro Challenge in June 2026, pushing personal limits to raise funds and awareness for Greenfingers.

Blue Diamond Garden Centres’ Managing Director, Alan Roper said: “Blue Diamond Garden Centres believes success isn’t just measured by business performance, but by the positive impact we can have on people’s lives, and children are life’s most precious, important gift. That’s why we’re so proud to support Greenfingers.

“Supporting the Greenfingers Charity means helping to create beautiful gardens where children in hospices, and their families, can find peace, joy and cherished memories. It’s a cause close to our hearts, and we’re honoured to play our part."

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at Greenfingers Charity,added: “We are absolutely thrilled to have the wonderful support of Alan and the whole Blue Diamond family for Garden Re-Leaf 2026. Their commitment to dedicating a whole week of activity is truly inspiring and will make such a difference to the work we do in creating magical gardens for children and families in hospices. We’re also hugely grateful for their continued backing through the Friends rose and the exciting new crocus packs – it really shows how passionate they are about helping Greenfingers grow.”

Garden Re-Leaf Day will return in Friday 20th March 2026, uniting supporters nationwide through sponsored walks, cycle challenges, coffee mornings, in-store events, product promotions and much more. Every penny raised goes towards creating vital, therapeutic gardens at children’s hospices across the UK.

Find out more

For more information about Greenfingers Charity visit: www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk or email linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk to discuss ways to support the charity at this or future events.

In the meantime, you can also follow all the latest updates from Greenfingers on social media - @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn, https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/ and @GreenfingersCha on Twitter.

To show your support for Heidi Towse’s Kilimanjaro challenge, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/womencanclimb?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

EGO Power+, a leading battery-powered outdoor power equipment specialist, has expanded its range for arborists and forestry professionals with the addition of a top-handled, high-performance professional chainsaw.

Boasting a lightweight design, the 30cm CS1200E chainsaw is the ideal tool for tree-care specialists working off the ground. Equipped with a 20m/s chain speed, this top-handled chainsaw has a thin chain, which is ideal for the fine cutting of trees and crucially, reduces the risk of disease spreading through trees as the finer cut reduces the likelihood for fungus to grow in the grooves, left by the cut.

Joerg Bauerle, Product Manager at EGO, shares: “Arborists were front of mind when we were designing this chainsaw. Small, lightweight, and well-balanced, we have responded to requests from our tree surgeon customers, for a chainsaw that is specifically designed for working high up in the trees.”

The chainsaw easily cuts through branches and logs whilst providing stability, allowing professionals to be more controlled in a volatile environment. This saw is fitted with a chain brake system to protect from a potential kickback, providing extra safety for the tool operator.

Fitted with an oil level and translucent window to help users monitor the tool, the CS1200E automatically lubricates the chain and maintains the health and lifespan of the tool, preserving it from damage. The oil tank has a 150ml capacity, which will need topping up depending on the frequency of use.

Joerg continues: “Our latest top-handled chainsaw focuses on balance, ensuring that arborists can go about their work comfortably for longer periods. At EGO, our tools are innovatively designed to deliver power, performance, and competitive run times.”

Ideal for bar lengths of 30cm, the CS1200E has 64 chain drive links for fast and efficient cutting. This tool is suited for forestry work at height and is fitted with metal bumper spikes for fast and efficient cutting. The saw also features a variable speed control that allows for a tailored and controlled experience, instead of users having to switch between fixed settings.

The CS1200E 30cm Chainsaw retails at £259.

For more information visit: https://egopowerplus.co.uk/products/chainsaws/cs1200e-top-handle-chainsaw

An award-winning Bromsberrow vineyard has joined five other independent vineyards in Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire to pool their experience, expertise and reputation for growing great grapes and making excellent wines.

Collectively, Foxbury Fields Vineyard and the other vineyards – to be known together as The Malvern Hills Vineyards – grow 14 grape varieties across more than 68 acres.

Heather Williamson, who co-founded Foxbury Fields Vineyard with her partner Richard Baker and is also Hereford-based Wyevale Nurseries’ Chairman, explains: “We’re delighted to be collaborating with these wonderful vineyards on this joint venture.

“Making excellent wines is going from strength to strength in our area and together we want to capitalise on this and ensure we make our joint name better known national and internationally. We’re working together to raise awareness and interest in our sector and have a wonderful new website where people can find out more www.malvernhillsvineyards.co.uk.

“The wine industry in the UK is experiencing tremendous growth and we’re delighted to be part of this. The Malvern Hills Vineyards group includes us and Three Choirs, Chase End, Bromesberrow Place, Marlbank and Two Beacons.

“The character and story of each vineyard is unique, but what we all have in common is people with a passion for the art and craft of viticulture, and a respect for the soils that nurtures their vines. Winemaking has very deep roots in the Malvern Hills – grapevines were grown in the area back in Roman times.

“We’ve had some great production years recently including 2023, which was pretty near perfect in terms of the weather, the harvest and the number of bottles produced.

“2024 proved a bit challenging with all the wet weather at the start of the year so it’s going to be interesting to see how we all fare in 2025, especially with the drier year we’ve had so far.”

WineGB’s ‘UK Wine Tourism in 2024 Report’ shows that visits to vineyards and wineries have risen by 55% and that vineyards and wineries are now actively involved in wine tourism.

Martin Fowke, Managing Director at Three Choirs says: “We’ve been growing grapes at Three Choirs since 1973, when this was a very innovative thing to do. The terroir has always been good for vines, and the effects of climate change now mean that we regularly have excellent growing conditions.

“In that time, we have seen huge changes in the shape of the market, with food and accommodation complementing the tours and tastings. Today, we are seeing more and more interest and desire to understand how we grow grapes, how we manage sustainably the vineyard and the winemaking, and how the changing climate is affecting quality, choices and practices.”

The youngest vineyard in the Malvern Hills Vineyards collaboration is Marlbank, where Manager Jeremy Macklin has experience working closely with vineyards in France.

He says: “When I moved here in 2020, I discovered the marl soils were very similar to those in Burgundy, which produces excellent pinot noir grapes, so it was a bit of a ‘no-brainer’ to plant 1,500 pinot noir vines in a field where apples and pears used to grow.”

For further details about Malvern Hills Vineyards, please visit www.malvernhillsvineyards.co.uk or call 07442490200. For Foxbury Fields Vineyard, please call 07974793367 or visit www.foxburyfields.co.uk.

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The Horticultural Trades Association hosted a webinar to provide further details on a public consultation looking at options to change the UK’s legislative approach to trading in plant varieties governed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

More than 80 participants from across the UK and Europe attended the webinar to hear directly from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) about proposals to ease barriers for the legitimate trade of CITES species across the UK border and remove as much bureaucracy as possible for compliant businesses.

Guest speaker Kristopher Blake from the CITES policy department at Defra discussed potential changes they are seeking views on: fees and charges, the removal of import permits for certain types of plant trades, and the introduction of civil sanctions. He emphasised what reform to CITES legislation would look like: the implications for the industry, for export and import permits, and its relevance to and interplay with potential outcomes from the upcoming Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) negotiations with the EU. However, regardless of an SPS agreement, CITES will still need to be applied between the UK and the EU.

Sally Cullimore, HTA’s Technical and Trade Policy Manager, said:  “The high level of attendance and engagement at the HTA's webinars regarding CITES shows the demand for and interest in streamlining processes for legitimately traded artificially propagated CITES specimens. CITES checks and permits are an additional piece in the puzzle of cross-border trade and need to be looked at as part of the overarching UK approach to the plant trade. The long-awaited CITES reform consultation gives traders a variety of options to consider easing this situation, and we urge businesses to engage with this consultation - either individually or through their trade associations - to get the best outcome for the sector.”

The CITES consultation opened on 11 September and runs for 6 weeks, closing on 23 October 2025. At the end of the consultation period, Defra will place a summary of responses on the UK Government’s website.

HTA members can watch the recording of the webinar on the HTA website: hta.org.uk/cites-webinar

To participate in the CITES reform proposals, visit: consult.defra.gov.uk/cites/cites-reform-proposals/ or contact CITES.UKMA@defra.gov.uk

The Horticultural Trades Association has welcomed the publication of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee report, ‘UK-EU Trade: Towards a Resilient Border Strategy', which finds that the UK’s commercial animal and plant imports system is “inadequate” and that “Defra has no effective system of oversight for [biosecurity] border controls.”

In its summary, the EFRA Committee warns: “This failure has presented, and continues to present, real threats to the biosecurity of British animals and plants and the viability of our agricultural and horticultural sectors.”

Committee Chair Alistair Carmichael MP said:

“In our scrutiny of the control and inspection of commercially imported animal and plant products through UK borders, we found high compliance by law-abiding companies, despite the high costs the system imposes on them and even though they have been subject to uncertainty, short-notice changes and unexpected additional costs. While these companies show high compliance, they do not have confidence that the system is operating fairly.

“The other side of the coin is enforcement by the relevant authorities and here we found that, despite the best efforts of the operating teams and management, the operations are failing, leaving the UK’s biosecurity at serious risk and allowing opportunities for criminal enterprise.

“Our report describes the numerous problems and inadequacies which are making it impossible for the designated authorities to do their job. These problems arise from a failure by successive governments to appreciate the gravity of the threat, listen to stakeholders, address problems in real time and to understand that, even in a time of scarcity these operations must be adequately funded.”

The HTA strongly supports this call, warning that without proper funding for enforcement teams, illegal and mis-declared goods will continue to enter the UK unchecked, putting plant health and supply chains at risk.

The HTA submitted detailed written evidence and gave oral evidence to the Committee earlier this year. This report reflects several key recommendations from the HTA’s evidence, including adopting a hybrid inspection model that combines Border Control Post (BCP) and Place of Destination (PoD) inspections to reduce plant damage, delays, and improve biosecurity; acknowledging the increased costs, administrative burdens, and supply chain disruption facing horticultural SMEs; and calling for better transparency and consultation, including Defra publishing quarterly inspection data and working more closely with industry.

Sally Cullimore, HTA Technical and Trade Policy Manager, said:

“This report is a wake-up call. Despite soaring costs and ongoing supply chain disruption, our members have gone above and beyond to comply with the rules – yet they are paying the price for a system that isn’t working.

“We fully support Alistair Carmichael MP’s call for fair and consistent enforcement, backed by properly resourced teams protecting the UK’s borders. Without this, illegal and mis-declared goods will continue to slip through, putting plant health at risk.

“The Committee’s recognition of our evidence, particularly our recommendation to adopt a hybrid inspection model, is welcome, but we now need prompt action to ease the current situation before the SPS/Plant Health agreement with the EU is in place. The Point of Destination system needs to be swiftly reintroduced as an easement, as the current burden is too great for our members. Any delay risks further damage to an industry that is key to achieving the UK’s environmental targets. UK environmental horticulture relies on more than £780 million worth of plant imports annually, with 79% of nurseries sourcing from the EU. Getting this right is essential to safeguard plant health, secure supply chains, and protect the future competitiveness of our industry, while maintaining the variety that UK consumers have come to expect.

“We will continue to work with Defra, APHA and Parliament to help them deliver a border system that is effective, fair, and resilient. Our members deserve nothing less.”

Dobbies Garden Centre in Bury St Edmunds has become the fifth store to complete upgrades to the shopping experience as part of the retailer’s national refurbishment programme.

Customers at the Dobbies’ Bury St Edmunds store can shop expanded ranges, including their biggest ever autumn range, new plants and gardening products, as well as new clothing, home and toys, all in a new store layout.  

In the refurbished restaurant, there is now space for an additional 80 customers inside and 40 more outside, with a new seasonal menu available. 

General Manager, Kelly Box, said: “We’re proud of our refurbished store. People living in Suffolk love their gardens, so we’ve made changes to the store with these local garden fans in mind. The restaurant has also really moved on, with even more space and great seasonal dishes, as well as our famous Dobbies scones.”

“The refurbishment has been a brilliant team effort from colleagues across the business, and we’d like to say a big thanks to everyone involved. We can’t wait for customers to see the work that’s been done.”

David Robinson, CEO of Dobbies, said: “We’re investing more than £4m in store refurbishments, with five completed and more planned. It’s been great to see our national refurbishment programme gathering momentum and delivering positive results. 

“The improvements we’ve made are all about enhancing the customer experience – from showcasing our expanded ranges to creating a space that gives customers even more reasons to visit.”

Dobbies’ Brighton, Cadnam, Hungerford and Beaconsfield stores have already completed their refurbishments this year.

Below: gallery of pictures of revamped store...

Phillipa and Libby Stubbs from British Garden Centres were first timers to The Big Christmas Press Show.

British Garden Centres, Dobbies and a host of toy and gift suppliers joined the Christmas promotional band wagon this week at The Big Christmas Press Show in London. 

Navigating a tube strike, journalists and influencers were out in force to find the hottest new products for the festive season from companies including Baylis & Harding, Mattel and Ruggable. BGC and Dobbies were promoting their new Christmas lines and spreading the message that garden centres are the perfect place to find everything for the season.

“The garden centre isn’t just about plants,” said Phillipa Stubbs, Head of British Garden Centres. “It’s a massive part, but we are trying show how much we do at Christmas, the quality and the whole experience that you can build on. From displays, to the fun with children and families, to food in the restaurants, it can be a day out. It’s all one big memory experience.”

Libby Stubbs adds: “We have done a lot with influencers over spring summer which has been good for us. Now we have navigated that, we are looking to expand and work with more home and lifestyle people over Christmas to show that maybe even if customers are not the most green fingered, a garden centre can still be for them.”

BCG kicks off Christmas at its Bridgenorth store on Saturday September 19th, followed a day later by Brigg Garden Centre. All centres will be selling Christmas Dobbies stores will be set up for Christmas at the beginning of October and new lines include a festive plush Highland cow in a selection of sizes.by 11th October.

Dobbies welcomed visitors with foam snow and energetic elves. “This event gives us the opportunity to meet with influences, retail and consumer media to showcase what Dobbies has on offer,” said Amelia Whittaker, PR and Communications Manager.

This year it will focus on bringing Christmas to life in every sense with scent being high on the list. “We also have gifts for everyone on all budgets and gifts for gardeners including the newly launched bulb collection with £5 from every pack going towards our charity partner Alzheimers UK.” 

Christmas will be in Dobbies stores from October 2^nd with Santa from Nov 23^rd.

Tom from Burton McCall with Felco leather gardening gloves which now come with a warm lining.

Zoe Southworth of KAP Toys with Mini Garden Mermaid - new from Creativity for Kids. KAP Toys is keen to get more into garden retailers as it sees it as the perfect line for garden centres customers.

From Ravensburger – the new My Little Plants Play+Pretend Collection has a rrp of £29.99.

The Matcha Advent Calendar from Bird & Blend was a Judges Pick in the events Wishlist Awards.

Award-winning comedian and broadcaster Patrick Kielty has been confirmed as host of the 2025 GIMA Awards.

Taking to the stage on Thursday 6th November 2025 at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales, Patrick will guide guests through a night celebrating the innovation, dedication and passion of the garden product manufacturers driving the future of garden retail.

Patrick first made his name on the stand-up circuit before becoming a familiar face on TV, with hit series including Patrick Kielty Almost Live for the BBC and numerous appearances on Channel 4 and ITV. He is also an acclaimed documentary-maker, with his BAFTA-nominated My Dad, The Peace Deal and Me earning him the Grierson Award for Best Documentary Host. Since 2023, Patrick has combined his award-winning weekly show on BBC Radio 5Live with hosting Ireland’s iconic Late Late Show – the world’s longest-running live talk show.

Known for his razor-sharp stand-up and quickfire wit, Patrick is set to bring energy, warmth and plenty of laughs to the industry’s biggest night of the year.

GIMA Director Vicky Nuttall said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Patrick to the GIMA Awards stage. His blend of humour, insight and showmanship is the perfect fit for a night that champions the very best of garden retail. We can’t wait to celebrate with the industry on 6th November.”

Important booking update – act now!

With over 440 tickets already booked, demand has been exceptional. A limited number of rooms remain, and we cannot guarantee accommodation after 24th September. Don’t miss out – book your place today.

Sponsorship opportunities

Thanks must also go to the incredible line-up of sponsors already supporting the event, including headline partner Glee. A small number of sponsorship opportunities remain for companies interested in getting involved. To find out how to get your brand featured at the 2025 GIMA Awards please contact the GIMA team for further details.

Find out more

For further information about the GIMA Awards 2025 – including booking tickets, hotel information and award categories – please visit www.gima.org.uk/gima-awards/GIMA.

Further information on the wide range of GIMA member benefits can be obtained by contacting the GIMA Press Office on (01959) 564947 or info@gima.org.uk.

Charitable garden centre Chestnut Nursery in Poole is investing in its plant-growing infrastructure – thanks to a mammoth fund-raising effort by one of the UK’s best known exotic plant specialists.

Renowned plant collector Mike Clifford and his wife Tina have spent six years opening their private Botanical Jungle Garden in Poole in aid of Chestnut, raising more than £10,000 from entry fees.

Run by the charity Plants and Minds, Chestnut – and its sister nursery Cherry Tree in Bournemouth – support people who are experiencing long-term mental health conditions (known as Team Members) via therapeutic horticulture.

Award-winning horticulturist Mike has developed a collection of several thousand rare and exotic plants in the 65x35ft garden nestled behind his Dorset bungalow, and a small 30 square foot garden at the front.

In July and August, five open days had 530 people queuing down the road for an opportunity to marvel at Mike's treasured collection of exotic and tropical plants, which has been featured on BBC Gardeners’ World.

Not content with having raised more than £8,000 for Chestnut in recent years, Mike has just handed over a cheque for £2,120, raised via entry fees to his garden openings this summer.

Transforming growing facilities

Chestnut is a rare example of a thriving town centre retail nursery. Much of the bedding, perennials and exotics are grown on-site by Team Members in glasshouses, a polytunnel and nursery stock beds.

Mike's fund-raising has enabled Chestnut, which is famous for its extensive range of exotic plants, to channel investment into infrastructure improvements, including new propagation kit used by Team Members to grow plants from seed and take cuttings.

Almost 40 tonnes of gravel has been installed to boost drainage in polytunnel and outdoor growing areas, creating optimum conditions for nurturing top-quality plants, while new paths have been laid to improve site safety.

The latest donation from Mike will see further investment, with specialist thermostat and mist irrigation equipment bought and installed on the nursery’s propagation bench, increasing the range of plants that will be grown for sale.

Andy Verreck, Nursery Manager at Chestnut, said Mike and Tina’s generosity had enabled Chestnut to invest in first-class propagation and growing facilities that would benefit Team Members, boost plant production and help the nursery stay ahead of competition.

Andy said: “Mike's enthusiasm for sharing his passion for exotics has raised thousands of pounds for our charity in recent years. We are indebted to Mike for his kindness and dedication to supporting people on their journey to improved mental health and wellbeing – and ensuring Chestnut remains a leading destination for top quality, home-grown plants.”

Mike said: "It has been a great privilege to raise funds for the incredible mental health support that's provided at Chestnut – a fantastic charity.”

A tropical gem in Dorset

Mike initially opened his Botanical Jungle Garden under the National Gardens Scheme (NGS). However, after two years, he switched his fund-raising efforts to Chestnut because he wanted to support a local mental health charity.

Visitors have marvelled at some of Mike's most treasured plants, including the palm leaf begonia (Begonia luxurians), a Brazilian native which soars to more than three metres high each year, and the golden fuchsia (Deppea splendens), famed for its trumpet-shaped yellow, orange and burgundy flowers. Discovered in Mexico in 1973, it's now extinct in the wild.

In 2024, Mike was presented with the Maurice Mason Award by the Royal Horticultural Society's Tender Ornamental Expert Group – one of the most prestigious awards for the cultivation of tender plants in the UK, which recognised Mike's achievements in propagating endangered plants. Mike also donates plants to leading botanical establishments such as RHS Garden Wisley, Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens and Kew Gardens.

Gardeners are asking for natural, sustainable products – and LAVA-LITE® is helping retailers meet that demand while driving strong returns.

Made from sustainably sourced volcanic stone, the range provides powerful organic, non-toxic solutions for soil improvement, pest control, aeration and moisture management. Easy to use, long-lasting, and low mess, every SKU combines consumer appeal with commercial value.

Why retailers love it:

• Fast turnover – Hero lines like NO GNATS and NO SLUGS fly off shelves.
• Strong margins – Premium look and feel, with trade-friendly pricing.
• Shelf-ready branding – Clean design, clear messaging, and consumer education built into the pack.
• Flexible displays – Works equally well on seasonal endcaps or integrated into eco-themed ranges.

The Range
From Soil Restore+ for better drainage and structure, to indoor pest control Lava-Lite No Gnats, the collection spans houseplants, borders, orchids, cacti, and composting. This breadth gives stockists multiple entry points for every type of customer.

Ethical & On-Trend
As a UK-owned, independently run business, LAVA-LITE is trusted by leading garden centres nationwide. Retailers can count on fast delivery, excellent service, and products that are proven to sell.

Contact Dominic or Kieron at enquiries@lava-lite.co.uk | 0115 9333193

The FELCO 481 and 482 Gardening Bags are thoughtfully crafted accessories that elevate the gardening experience with a blend of Swiss precision, style, and practicality.

The FELCO 481 Gardening Bag is a robust, multi-purpose companion ideal for serious gardening enthusiasts. Its generous dimensions (20 x 16 x 8 inches) make it perfect for carrying a wide array of tools, gloves, and even flowerpots. Made from green water-repellent canvas, it’s built to withstand the elements. The waxed buffalo leather pockets add a touch of elegance while keeping tools secure, and the water-repellent black cow leather bottom ensures durability. Inside, parachute fabric lining offers additional water resistance, making it reliable in any condition. Dori elastic straps help organize tools neatly, and the overall design balances functionality with a stylish, urban-friendly look.

For those seeking a more compact option, the FELCO 482 Gardening Bag Mini is a charming alternative. Measuring just 10 x 8 x 4 inches, it’s ideal for light gardening tasks, urban gardeners, or even children. The FELCO 482 features the same high-quality materials and craftsmanship as its larger counterpart. The green canvas, leather accents, and parachute lining ensure it’s both durable and attractive. Like the 481, it features elastic straps for tool organization and is perfect for carrying essentials like pruning shears, gloves, and small pots.

Both bags reflect FELCO’s commitment to quality and thoughtful design, making them excellent choices for gardeners who value both utility and aesthetics.

For trade sales, please contact Burton McCall Ltd - T: 0116 234 4611 E: sales@burton-mccall.com

Following the outstanding success of Zest’s outdoor entertaining collection during the 2024/25 season, the timber garden furniture and outdoor leisure specialist is launching a host of additional ‘al fresco’ products to extend the range next season.  

The new products add to the original modular concept, enabling consumers to customise their own outdoor cooking and dining areas.  With infinitely flexible options to suit all lifestyles and space availabilities, Zest’s enhanced range is being marketed as ‘Your Outdoor Kitchen; Your Way’ and appeals to a diverse and younger audience as well as its traditional admirers.  It won a number of awards at Solex.

Zest’s new products include additions to its stunningly successful Terraza Outdoor Kitchen including a kitchen island and a choice of ‘egg BBQ’ units, as well as a coordinating garden BBQ shelter and a great new corner pergola, ideal for any garden.  The new products are aimed squarely at the developing garden leisure market amongst younger consumers.

As Zest’s Head of Commercial Development, Simon Davison explained, “Over the last year, we’ve enjoyed massive success with our innovative on-trend products all focused on creating a nature-inspired outdoor room for entertaining, cooking and dining, and relaxing.  Now, in our 20^th anniversary year, we are launching even more products to extend and complement our existing Terraza Outdoor Kitchen concept.

There is imagery and video to support stockists in engaging consumers.   As in previous years, Zest will be promoting the complete cooking and entertaining collection in high circulation national consumer magazines in its Spring and Summer consumer campaign as well as in digital media to build brand 

awareness, create desire, and signpost customers to stockists, and online retailers.  Zest’s outdoor entertaining products are made from sustainable slow-grown softwood sourced from PEFC certified (PEFC/16-37-1490) forests.  

For further information about Zest’s outdoor leisure products, visit www.zestoutdoorliving.co.uk or email sales@zestoutdoorliving.co.uk

GTN September 2025 – Bumper Glee Preview. In this issue: Westland Glee Preview Special, GTN’s Exclusive Interview with Alan Roper, AMES are back on track for 2026, Art in bone china from Museums & Galleries, Zest have awards winning flexibility, Vitavia are the smart choice, GTN’s 34 page Glee 2025 Show preview: Glee floor plan and where to meet Team GTN, What’s on at Glee 2025, Glee Exhibitor News – Latest products and services, Floral Thursday FUNdraising at Glee, Hozelock’s Solar Select watering system, Fandango Fire Tools light up Glee, GTN Planteria – Inspiration from Ball, PATS 2025, Are you up for change? Paul Pleydell viewpoint, HTA Viewpoint – Getting out and about, GIMA Viewpoint – The perfect time to reconnect.