In This Issue
Acquisition of outdoor leisure firm Anchor Fast presents new category for Kelkay
Water-conserving solutions as Brits face hosepipe ban
Introducing our new Champions Blend Peat Free, Organic Approved Compost
20k social media posts greet Blue Diamond's acquisition news
Footfall drops in the heat…
But plant sales still up on last year
AMIR achieves its most successful SOLEX show ever
£30k damage in forklift ram raid on Notts garden centre
Dobbies promote COO Jenkins to chief executive role
Carl Welsh appointed managing director of Vitax
Hilliers set out to make a family's dream come true
Matthew Bent and friends raise £3,600 on 280-mile cycle ride
Newquay centre's expansion get green light
Daphne 'Perfume Princess' named best new ornamental
T&M mark potato expert Colin Randel's 50 years in horticulture
Inspire your customers to save water
Haskins charity campaigns raised £16,500
Planners give Notcutts go-ahead for major upgrade at Woodbridge
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Plant supports and feeds selling well
Record high for Cactus compost
Fast feeding for birds
Autumn planting seed potatoes sell in volumes
Glee registration now open
Stand out from the crowd at HTA Marketing Forum
Roger Crookes retires as GCA inspector after 11 years
The best of last week's
Wyevale Garden Centres agrees sale of eight of its largest garden centres to Blue Diamond
Cowells, Fron Goch, Tong and Bents are the top centres in the North East & North West GCA regions
Glee Buyers Power List 2018: the shortlist
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T&M mark potato expert Colin Randel's 50 years in horticulture

Colin Randel’s 50 years in horticulture were recognised last week by the gift of an engraved garden fork and spade from his employers, Thompson & Morgan.

 

Colin has worked for the Suffolk-based seed firm for the past 18 years and is their product manager and potato expert.

 

Presenting the tools at T&M’s press day at RHS Garden Hyde Hall, veteran garden writer and broadcaster Peter Seabrook said: “Colin is a real treasure; his knowledge and experience in the world of vegetable growing is remarkable. Whenever I come up with a query on vegetables he is, and has been for many years, my first port of call….Long may he continue to serve vegetable-growing gardeners at home and abroad.”

 

As a young boy, Colin would help in his grandmother’s garden, planting potatoes and runner beans. He left school at 16 and has been working in horticulture in one form or another since. He learned the basics with the head gardener of the Parker-Bowles estate, Donnington Castle House in Berkshire. As an apprentice, he took day release to the local agricultural college to add to his practical horticultural knowledge. Over the next 26 years, Colin worked developing seed lines at several companies in Berkshire, Devon and Suffolk before moving to Thompson & Morgan in Ipswich in 2000 to develop the company’s seed potato business.

 

Thompson & Morgan’s commercial director, Chris Wright, said: “Colin has been part of the fabric of Thompson & Morgan for 18 years now and he has developed and launched many new and exclusive vegetable lines to UK gardeners. We’re very lucky to have benefited from his incredible fount of knowledge over the years and so we were keen to celebrate his half century in horticulture with this presentation.”

 

One of the highlights of Colin’s career was his invitation in 1995 to join the RHS Garden Wisley vegetable trials committee. He enjoyed working with other vegetable specialists on this prestigious board for 23 years, acting as chair for eight years from 2006.

 

Colin said: “I was most surprised when Peter made his presentation. Of course I know how long I’ve been working in horticulture – time does fly when you do a job that you’re passionate about – but I wasn’t expecting to have this milestone recognised with so many kind words and congratulations!”

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