In This Issue
Blue Diamond buy 6 more centres from Wyevale
Blue Diamond East Bridgford and Fairways pick up top honours in GCA Midlands region
Three times a charm for GARDENA at the GIMA awards
Stewarts Christchurch and Squires Hersham pick up GCA awards in South Thames region
Blue Diamond chief reveals dramatic July trading uplift at former Wyevales
Rising Stars 2019 - From Twenty to Ten for Conference
Increased footfall drives garden centre sales
Groves Nurseries to launch 'Mr Groves Violet Gin' distilled on site
Nursery hopes label service link-up will reduce single-use plastic in garden centres
Benary hosts Fleuroselect seed breeders convention
Haddonstone applauded for garden scheme support
Plantarium theme is: Think Small...and Green
Schoolgirl's winning design planted up at Teddington Lock
Kids win free passes to Bradford garden centre's new indoor play area
Groves says goodbye to Annette after 25 years
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Apta appoint new sales manager for East Anglia
Bugs and seed sowing shine light on sales
Growing activity continues to grow
Wildlife projects for school holidays
Christmas spuds make a showing
Colour and heat shines through in plant sales
Weather stimulates June online sales - but garden had poor second quarter overall
Public asked to help raise £4.8m towards completion of RHS garden at Salford
The best of last week's
Perrywood and Squires Shepperton triumph in GCA North Thames region
Tong and Cowell's take GCA awards in North East while Barton Grange and Fron Goch triumph in North West
Profit up 52.5% at Notcutts in year to February 2019
SOLEX exhibition fuels Summer optimism
Garden Centre Photo Tour - RHS Wisley New Plant Centre
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
Fleuroselect
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Groves Nurseries to launch 'Mr Groves Violet Gin' distilled on site

Bridport-based Groves Nurseries is to launch a hand-crafted gin distilled on site on the day and flavoured with violets grown at the nursery at its Summer Fair later this month (27 July).

 

Groves will be working with Devon Distillery’s ‘Still on the Move’ named ‘Ginny’, a 1973 VW Pickup with a beautiful Italian copper still called 'Prosperity.' ‘Mr Groves’ Violet Gin’ should be ready for tasting around 3pm, so locals have been warned to turn up early!

 

 

The violets in the gin come from a collection started Clive Groves’ father Charles William Groves, who noticed in the late 60s and early 70s that many of the older growers, mainly in the Dawlish area of Devon, were either retiring from growing or dying off. Violets were losing their popularity as a cut flower but Clive was collecting rare varieties from around the world and breeding new ones. Groves violets holds National Collection status awarded by Plant Heritage and now has the only collection of Viola odorata and Parma violets in the country. Groves Nurseries probably has the largest collection of violets in the world, so it’s fitting that they should have their own gin, given that violet gin is totally on trend this summer.

 

The range of  food, drink and crtaft stallholders on the day will include West Milton and Dorset Nectar Cider, Cherrytree Preserves, Ford Farm Cheesemakers, Dorset Spice Shed, Hot Hound Accessories, The Rhubarb Candle Company, West Dorset Soap and more.

 

The Groves team said a fond farewell recently to Annette Collins, who started working there 25 years ago to help Clive Groves set up their café, The Citrus Grove. From modest beginnings with just coffee and cake produced by a small friendly team who loved baking, the offering developed to include baked potatoes and full daily lunches. When a bigger restaurant, the Ivy House, was taking shape, Annette (pictured, centre) moved over to the plant nursery, where she became a much loved and much-valued member of the production team.

 

 

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