In This Issue
Bents, The Old Railway Line and Haskins Roundstone are The Greatest Garden Centre Teams
Garden Care gets Gold treatment at Aylett's
Customer satisfaction is everything at Scotsdales
Colin Squire awarded prestigious Pearson Memorial Medla
Find out what the best are doing...and copy it!
Rising Stars wins Gold for Westland and the GCA
Economic benefits driving the growth of the green consumer, claims analyst
Homebase to train 80 through Garden Academy next year
E-commerce: softly-softly approach by garden centres?
September has been a disappointing month for garden centre sales
The Gardens Group joins forces with ABF The Soldiers’ Charity to welcome Alan Titchmarsh to Dorset
Strong plant sales as Bents goes back to its roots
STV aims for 10 million
They Loved the Plot all the way to a Gold Award at Barton Grange
Love the Plot stirs the senses in glorious autumn sunshine at Glendoick Garden Centre
Technology can help you educate shoppers says EFSA chairman
Celebrity gardeners awarded honorary HTA membership
The entrepreneur with the 'F--- It! Fund'....
Plantarea Manager - South West
Garden Centre Sales Agents Wanted
Gifts and Homeware Team Leader
Assistant Manager - West Midlands
Commercial Sales Estimator
Contracts Manager
Sundries Assistant - Hampshire
Plant Area Supervisor - Hampshire
A ninth centre for British Garden Centres
Early October queues for Christmas at Whitehall
'Goldilocks Scenario' will boost garden industry...for now
James Whiteley wins Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Floaris Boskoop Presentation days: Autumn and more…
HTA plan for Chelsea presence
Bulbs sales get Garden Radio sales help from Johnny Walkers... and the bake off
Orchid product sales beat all growth records
A touch of frost? Yes, please!
Save the Date: HTA Marketing Forum 2015 – Tuesday 10 November
10 out of 10 for Taylors Bulbs
New General Manager role for Highfield Garden World
Whose tree will be fit for a Downing Street Christmas?
Greenfingers Glovies prove lucky for the Irish
Crest established as leading player
Technical difficulties delay bumper issue
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Blossoms at Torwood Garden Centre voted Cafe of the Year
Situations Vacant
Plantarea Manager - South West
Shaw Trust Palmer Gardens
Read more»
Garden Centre Sales Agents Wanted
Bonnington Plastics Ltd
Read more»
Gifts and Homeware Team Leader
Read more»
Assistant Manager - West Midlands
 
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Commercial Sales Estimator
Competitive salary
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Contracts Manager
£30,000 dependent on experience
Read more»
Sundries Assistant - Hampshire
£18k - £20k per annum
Read more»
Plant Area Supervisor - Hampshire
£18k - £20k per annum
Read more»
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Whose tree will be fit for a Downing Street Christmas?



We may have been basking in some welcome Autumnal sunshine last week, but that hasn’t stopped Christmas tree farmers from around the country gearing up for their most important annual event.

Up to 100 of Britain’s top growers are preparing to pitch their best Nordman, Spruce or Fir as part of the all important contest to find whose tree will take pride of place at the Prime Minister’s residence.

Staged every year by the British Christmas Tree Growers Association, the event takes place this time on Tuesday 20th October at Hole Park Estate in Cranbrook, Kent.

Open to Association members aged 18 to 80, the competitioninvolves each tree being assessed and judged by fellow growers, with the winner then granted the honour of delivering a 20ft tree to Downing Street in time for the festive season.

Each farmer, who will have spent around 10 years nurturing the tree to full ‘competition’ height, is able to enter categories including Best Nordman, Best Other Fir, Best Pine, Best Norway Spruce, Best Other Spruce, Best Container Grown, and Best Festive Wreath.

Finalists can submit only one tree into each category, and trees entered must be commercially cultivated and be 1.8 metres ( +/- 400mms) high from base to tip. Each will be judged for foliage, colour, shape and marketability.

Aside from pitching trees for the big judgment day, growers can also put forward their example of the perfect wreath. The winner of this category will see a design of their creation hanging on the door of Number 10 for the full Christmas season.



Harry Brightwell, secretary of the British Christmas Tree Growers’ Association, said: “Every year we remark how the standard of British REAL trees seems to be getting better and better, and the competition really does give us a great opportunity to applaud the year-round work put in by dedicated growers.

We’re now into the 17th year of our nationwide competition and are all eagerly awaiting the evidence of what our peers in tree growing have been up to over the last 12 months in terms of ensuring the very best specimens available.”

Last year’s competition was won by Colin Griffith, of Dinmore Hill Christmas Trees in Wellington, Hereford. He had the honour of delivering a tree to Downing Street and seeing the lights switched on as part of a small ceremony outside Number 10.

Mr Brightwell added: “Our aim is always to help people recognise the incredible amount of year-round work which goes into creating the perfect British real tree.”

To follow progress around the competition at Hole Park Estate, follow the Association on twitter @BCTGA.

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