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Judging by the number and quality of entries coming in for the Glee New Product Showcase and Awards this year’s event is on target to be thebest ever when it comes to finding newproducts that will be winners with your customers and good profit generators for your businesses.
Therewill be over300 NewProducts on display in theShowcase makingthe area at thefar side of Hall 6amust go to locationduringyour visittoGlee.
As well as viewing the products for yourself we’veassembled ahigh-quality team of expert judges who will be shortlisting products across the 13 Showcase categories and then probing their qualities during livepitches on The Stage before
making final decisions about the winners. We’d love to see as many of youaspossible during Glee, so please look us out at the NewProduct Showcase Area or on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning on The Stage whereyou can join us to watch the livepitches. Then on Thursday morning you’ll see us in full Floral dressselling youraffletickets for Floral Thursday at Glee. Its’agreat wayofhaving some fun at the end of awonderful trade showand raising moneyfor the Greenfingers Charity at the same time. See youatthe NEC!
PS: Remember to pack your best Floral gear so that youcan celebrateFloral Thursday for Greenfingers at Glee!
EDITORIAL &ADVERTISING
Garden Trade News
Potting Shed PressLtd DairyDrove ThorneyPeterborough PE6 0TX Tel01733 775700 www.gardentradenews.co.uk
THE GTNTEAM
Editor Trevor Pfeiffer trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk
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Garden Trade News is published by Potting Shed PressLtd who also publish: GTNBestsellers, GTNXtra, Glee Daily News and the Glee Catalogue, and the Solex Sun. Potting Shed Pressalso supply Garden Radio to over100 garden centres acrossthe country.
Director Trevor Pfeiffer
SMALL PRINT:All material ©Potting Shed PressLtd 2023 No partofthispublication may ereproduced in any form whatsoever, either for sale or not, without the expresspermission of the publishers. The information supplied in this publication is published in good faith and everyefforthas been made to ensure its accuracy.Potting Shed PressLtd cannot acceptresponsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligenceorother damage caused by relianceoninformation contained in this publication or in the vent of any bankruptcy or liquidation or cassation of the trade of any company,individual or firmmentioned, is herebyexcluded.
With investment firm Ares Management backing the 76-store strong chain of Dobbies garden centres, the futureis looking extremely positive Asatrained accountant and with a background inretailing, Dobbies CEOGraemeJenkins is well placed to provide GTN with an update on the firm’s immediate and future plans, and what’s happening in centres to ensure profits are ploughed back to grow the business while, at the same time, keeping investors happy
The 110,000sqft Dobbies store in Antrim will be store number77. Boasting Northern Ireland’slargest glassroof and retail space, it is due to open in October Hot on its heels is a new centre in Reading where worked is planned to begin in spring2024.
In store, akey element is Dobbies relationship withthe Dutch
buying company Intratuin On mainland Europe it’s 70 stores in TheNetherlands, Germany and Belgium trade under the Intratuin name but arerun as independent stores. “It’sa great relationship and we’re delighted with it,” says Graeme. “We go to their product fairs and see thesamerangeand selectionas the Intratuin centres We are working with them to expand our own brand range” He also adds its helping fire up and reimagine the Dobbies home and gift offering which, up until now, has not been working as hard as it could
Dobbies everyday value lines, introduced last year and promoted throughout thestoreswith eye-catchingblackand yellow signage, and the Dobbies Essentials ranges, are becoming increasingly important to the overall offer “Where customers arebuying intoour value lines they’re spending twiceas much,”saysGraemeadding theyare not buyingvalue linesasa substitutebut in addition to thosetheyalready intended to buy.
Arange of Dobbies Essentialliquidplantfood,denoted on the label with ayellowcircle on awhitebackground, is nowon the shelves. It’sorganic andmadefromScottish seaweed. “It really stands out. Hopefullynextspringwhen youwalk around the shop,you’ll see the Dobbies Essential range popping up everywhereasa guide to customerstosay its value, great
quality and alowerprice.It’snot aparticularly newconcept in retail, but it will takeusthat next step.” Currentlythe value lines represent 2% of the SKUs and 11%ofsales but this is certainly set to increase. Theaverage basket spendinDobbies remains in the high£20s.
Work continues to consolidatethe supply base. Around five years ago this numbered800 buttoday it’smorelike280.“We arecontinuing to makeitsimplerand focus on the stuff that matters, gettingthe rightoffer for the customer.” In the Melville machinerydepartment, Handy’shas nowcome on boardto help with categorymanagement with great results.
Havingmorethan 1.1million members on the Dobbies database is an asset in helping thecompany understand itscustomers’ needs and buying habits. Graeme explains customers aredivided into ‘three missions’.Single mission customers come in for just one thing,which couldbethe restaurant, while dualand triple customers visitmultiple areas. “Our goalistoencourage anyone that’sasinglemission to shop in anothercategories,”says Graeme.Dobbiesisnow placingvaluelines andother displays in tactical places to help convertsingle to dual andtriple mission customers.Result have been impressivewithatrebling of the average sale. “We’re getting smarterabout howwecater for what customers really want.”The size of the database is such that it has to be managed by ateamoftwo people and hosted by aloyalty club provider,which also looks aftercustomers of Pets at Home and Lakeland.
Monthly Horticultural Forums led by Horticultural Director,
Right: Handy is now successfully managing power tool sales. Below: Home and gift is due to be given a boost this autumn.
many centres Graeme says Dobbies high value, loyal customers visit twice a month while the average customer visits 14 times a year Although this isn’t as frequent as walking past a high street shop window twice a day, merchandising still needs to be strong
By mid-June, 47 Dobbies stores will be trading with Waitrose, having changed originally fromBooth’s and then Sainsburys’ With exactly thesame space givenoverto Waitrose, sales are already up 65%. It’s proving to be asuccessful partnership, helping to bring Waitrose into 20 areas where it previously had no representation and adding to the offering for Dobbies customers.“There’s not a single Sainsbury’s to Waitrose conversion that’s gone backwards,” says Graeme who adds that the core range is decided by Dobbies and SKUs in seasonal ranges like‘summer’recommended by Waitrose.
Marcus Eyles help Dobbies retain its market position and reviewcustomer dataand feedback received viathe 1.1million members. “Weare alwaysaskingthem howtheyare getting on and we have ahuge Net Promotor scorefrommorethan 160,000 response,”says Graeme.
“Theseasons nowhavebiggershoulders,” says Graeme. Ratherthanseasonal products beginning sharply and ending with discounted sales lines, Dobbies is nowbringing product in earlier andinsmalleramounts to keep areaslookingnew and interesting, enlargingwhat Graeme callsthe ‘seasonal map’. “Be it furniture, Christmas,orwinterintospring we fillthe wholespacewith young plants, bulbs,seedpotatoes, thewhole shooting match,toget people intogardening that bit earlier andkeeping theminitthatbit longer,” explains Graeme. “It’sveryhardtostopstart each seasonsowetend to blend it in and out.”
The journey in houseplantsaleshas been impressive.“If you remember theold houseplantsof2017, it was four tables featuringorchids. Houseplant business then was about twoand abit million. It’snow over£30 million!”
Some of this hascomefromthe little dobbies stores, where houseplants account for about80% of the individual store’s turnoverofabout £1million.Hooking people in earlierto gardening is one of the goalsofthe little dobbiesstoresand houseplant has been agreat way to do this.Another benefit whichhas filtereddowntothe garden centres is mind set behind displays. In high street stores, shop windowshaveto be dynamic andquick to change,and this has been adopted in
Home and gift is currently on a‘bit of ajourney’ saysGraeme harking back to his ‘single mission’ customer.“Howdoweget them to spend in this area if theydon’twant to buy something horticultural?” He goes on to saythis is one of the areas where stock had to focus on priority areas while managing cash flow. Butwith newbackers, things have changed.Thereare now huge opportunities with interesting things in the pipeline for the autumn. Oneisa newchildren’srange of toys, books and clothing.Asone of thebiggest operatorsofsoft play areas in the UK, Dobbieshas adirect link to childrenand their families so the potentialtoengage with this audienceistremendous. Restaurants also bring in this audience and themove to table servicefor manysites has beensuccessful. It has not only increased cateringsales but also made forstronger performances acrossthe whole stores. Thereare 26 stores left to convert.
Havingnew investors has, not surprisingly,led to speculation aboutits agendabut Graeme sees it as agoodrelationship. He hasseenthatthe boardofAresManagementknowthe businessand absolutely understands about horticultureand its dependency on the weather.But he also knows investors requirea return. “We’re in amuchbetterplace.Weare debt free. We have no debt which means we arenot paying an interest bill.”This hasalsobeenhelpedwiththe completion of IT work behindthe scenes to replatformthe businesswhich, in the past,did genuinelylead to problemswith processing supplier payments. “Everything is nowintegrated andscalable. The balance sheet hasbeenstrengthened,sothe wholething is in areally strong position. We’venow gotthe headspace we need to do big things likewe’ve done with Intratuin and Waitrose and can actually focus on other things to move the businessforward.”
Gardeners and plant lovers were out in force at the RHS Chelsea FlowerShowand happytospend according to some of the companies with atrade stand on Eastern Avenue. Visitors were spurred on by 36 inspirational gardens, many adorned with commonly found plants growing wild such as buttercups, but also this year with beautiful iris whose flowering wasinperfect synch with the timing of the show.
They stood proud in many of the gardens ranging in colour from deep purple to smokey yellowand were at the heartofThe Nature Landscapes Garden designed by Sarah Price. Inspired by the paintings of artist and plantsman Cedric Morris, it included several of the iris he bred in his Suffolk garden such as Iris ‘Benton Olive’ and ‘Benton Susan’.
In the Great Pavilion,ClaireAustin Hardy Plants, Powys, made awelcome return afterlast exhibiting in 2016 with twocourtyardgarden displays. One wasdevoted to perennials and peony while the other wasfilled with around 50 cultivars of bearded iris ranging in colour from sparkling whitetoalmost black.
Other planting and landscape styles included the use of ground up stone as an ornamental topdressing,wild flowers including pink and whiteragged robin, andideas for using gardens as communal meeting and eating spaces.
Awardwinning wildflowerturf
Livingorgreen roofs areadifficult concept forgardencentres to sell butLindum Turf is happytospeak to any retailers whoare interested in representing whatisnow an award-winning product.The company, based in Yorkshire, wonthe 2023 RHS ChelseaSustainable Product of theYear awardfor Lindum WildflowerTurfgrown on plastic-free mesh andwithpeat-free growing media.Adding to itssustainability credentials is themix of 27 species of wildflowers, perennials andherbs which areall UK natives. Thecompany,whichgrows andsells turf forspacesfromsports pitchesthrough to landscapeand residentialprojects, is leadingthe charge andchallenging the whole of theturfindustry to stop using single-useplastic mesh.
Right: Congratulations to Taylors Bulbs forwinning it’s30th Gold medal. Its displayinthe Great Pavilionisa regular breath-taking sight at Chelsea and testament to the skill of the whole team from planting and roguing to marketing and exhibiting
Perfect partners
Blue Diamond’sAlanRoper promoted the auction to sell alimited number of Newton’sApple Tree. The original grows in the National Trust’sWoolsthorpe Manor,aformer home of mathematician Sir Isaac Newton who is said to have formulated gravitational theoryafter watching an apple, from the Woolsthorpe Manortree, fall to the ground. A minimum of 25% from the auction, which will go liveinSeptember,will be given to the National Trust.
TheBlue Diamond and National Trust also promoted its partnership selling a
range of products from seeds and plants, all with National Trust heritage.
Great British houseplants
OppermanPlants, Spalding, took overone of thehouseplant studios to create The Keep Calm –GrowBritish exhibit. The home garden office showed howpotsand agreen wall displaycan makelimited spaceswork hard to bringabout healthyand calmareas. The company,which suppliesaround300
garden centresand supermarkets, continues to workingontrials to reduce theamount of peatituses. Mike Opperman, Managing Director, is acutely awareofthe science involved in the trials andisrealistic about finding aworking alternativetopeatfor the 3million plants it growseach year Opperman Plants has permission to build anew £4 million glasshouse development which will house arobotic system for growing foliage plants.
Left:Deep sea diver Ally Mitchells continues to expand the range of gardening products made from marine waste. His companyOcean Plastic Pots,based in Glasgow, wonthe RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product Award in 2021 andtoday the range has significantly expanded. He is looking intosupplying tools with handles made from the offcuts of plastic used forthis pots and hopes to be able to sell to garden centres in the future.
Below: At Jardinopia, Tony Barnett said his business which began making ornamental pot feet, continued to grow sinceits launch in 2017 and awardasbest newproduct at Spring Fair.Aswell as continuing to supply garden centres, Tony and his wifeAndrea, have nowopened their ownshop in Ledbury.
Gardeners across the country arereaching less for chemicals and morefor organic and natural solutions to create their green gardens. Additions to the Hozelock Purerange are answering gardeners’ needs and the increased demand for natural gardening equipment.
With the trend for green gardening and grow your ownset to continue,and taking social media by storm, consumers areseeking products to assist with their journeyincreatingabetter connection to natureand adesiretobecome more self-sufficient.
The Hozelock Purerange provides the perfect solution, offering acollection of gardening equipment that helps people connectwiththeir garden and
ensureitflourishes, while caring for the environment. It’sacommon misconception that environmentally friendly solutions don’tachieve thedesired effect, but the Hozelock Purerange combines innovative design features that ensurethe highest effectiveness, to producethe best results without harsh chemicals.
The latest addition to the range, allows gardeners to easily recycle their kitchen
and garden waste, while improving the quality of their soil with nutrient rich compost.
TheEasyMix2-in-1tumbling composter,benefits from a100L capacity drum andproduces compost in as little as sixtoeightweeks. The unique reservoir underthe tank collectsthe compost liquidand theinclusion of the innovative‘Click& Spray’ hoseapplicator allows gardenerstoeasilyuse this highnutrient, natural liquidtofeedplants.
This innovative product turns all kitchen waste, including meat, fish and dairy products, intonutrient rich compost within days. Bokashi bran, acombination of bran and effectivemicroorganisms, acceleratethe decomposition processof kitchen wastetogiveafertiliser liquid and natural compost in lessthanthree weeks.
BioMix
An eco-friendly solution to protect plants from garden pests and diseases. Gardeners can harnessthe powerof naturebymaking liquid plant feed from lavender and ivygrown in their garden, which can be used to repel aphids, ants, whiteflyand redspider mite.
PureKit
Ideal for using with ownhomemade solutions for everything from preventing aphids on plants to removing limescale on astainless-steel surface. The kit includes a 1.25l pressuresprayer with 360° function to coverall of theplant, plus thereisa filtertoavoid nozzle blockage and specific seals which arecompatible with solutions including vinegar
The kit also includes aPureTank to storehomemade solutions, adosing spoon for easy preparation and arecipe booklet, which offers adviceonthe best homemade solutions.
An ideal product for garden centre retailers looking to diversify their weed control product offering,asthe infrared technology allows users to remove weeds in a‘green’ way.The flame within the product heats the ceramic plate, which sits within asafety shield, up to 800°C, causing athermal shock to kill the weed, withoutthe use of chemicals.
Promotion
Glee 2023 is full to the brim with new trend-setting ideas, and tailers
Glee 2023 bringsmoresuppliers, buyersand innovativeproducts together under oneroof than anyother gardening and outdoor living tradeshowinthe country.Between 2729 June,400 exhibitors, suppliersand manufacturers from the UK andabroad will bring theirnew products, ideas and services to the NEC, Birminghamtomake theevent atruly internationalfestivalof garden, leisureand pets.
To helpvisitorsnavigatetheirway round,exhibitors aredividedintoeasy to findsectors. Responding to customer demand,the Home, Gift &Clothing sector hasbeensignificantlyexpanded thisyear, andaDIY sector hasbeen addedtohelp buyers furtherdiversifytheir offersand capitalise on emergingopportunities. Also newisSourcing at Glee, aplatform for garden centres,wholesalersand retailers to createtheir ownranges.
Showsectors
Garden Care
Landscape &Garden Decoration
Outdoor Entertaining Plants
Food &Catering, Pet& Animal Wellbeing (PAW).
Home, Gift &Clothing
Sourcing at Glee
Retail Experiences &Service
DIY
is to the brim with new trend-setting ideas, oducts and services to help retailers stay one step ahead.
Garden centres aretaking alarger shareofthe greeting cards market in the UK and Andy Paterson, Woodmansterne’s Sales Director,believes thereare massiveopportunities for it to be more!
With Glee fast approaching,GTN took the opportunity to delveintothe world of greeting cards to understand what is so specialabout them. We met with Andy Paterson, Woodmansterne’sSales Director,and KateLeach, Head of Marketing at Woodmansterne’sveryimpressive Milton Keynes Distribution Centre and offices.
Andy has vast experienceinthe industry, with the last 12 of his 30+ years spent with the publisher.Andy’s passion for the categoryisinfectious and he strongly believes cardsales can grow even more in garden centres. He and Katewereabletosharesomeinteresting facts with us, combined with some ideas on what to consider
Greeting cards: The facts
• Thegreeting cardmarket is worthmorethan the sales of teainthe UK.
• Volumes of single greeting cards through garden centres has grownby11% since2021but fallen slightly in volume by 0.4% across the UK as awhole.
• Kantar,which Woodmansterne worksclosely with forinsight, reports that the garden centreshareof the UK greeting card‘pie’ is now2.3%.
• An estimated 26.2m people in the UK bought acard in 2022, and on average thereare 11 trips to buy cards annually.
• 85% of all cardpurchases aremade by women.
Volume Growth Jan-June 2019-2022
• Retirees and empty nesters(households wherethe ‘kids’havemoved out), account for50% of UK cardpurchases. Themost growth is nowcoming from the preand young family category.
• Manymixed category/variety retailers, saygreeting cards areone of,ifnot the most, cross shopped product in their stores, ending up in a‘basket’ with something else.
Andy explained these statistics help understand howgarden centres can capitalise on opportunities to sell morecards. Cardbuying demographics areperfectly aligned with garden centrecorecustomers, and encouraging them intoawell-lit, curated, and positioned card department will undoubtedly grow sales. Centres with footfall from the restaurant to the cardarea haveseen significant improvements in sales. After all, cards areagenuine small value, everyday purchase, and if thereisa credible choiceit’snot just one card that gets bought. Gifting and house plants arealso obvious adjacencies.
Andy went on to say: “In some cases thereisa reluctancetostock certain ranges because of price. Ironically,few will complain that acoffee is well over£3nowadays and howlong does acup of coffee last? Just imagine, howsales revenue would increase if youhad anew range of cards that youcould credibly sell at the same volume as an average £3 per card, rather than £2.50?”
Kateadds: “Customers arespending moneyona lovely lunch or agreat breakfast and if theyare spending aconsiderable amount on abeautiful gift or aplant, why would theynot want to buy that perfect cardtomakeitevenmorespecial?”
Dwell time in centres would suggest that core customers arelikely to be lesstime-starvedand generally moreorganised. Therefore, if the card display is attractive, enticing and has genuine variety,itwill encourage multiple purchases.
With morethan 300 greeting cardpublishers in the UK, thereare plenty of options to choose from. But howmuch time do we havetoget out of our day-
to-day tasks and realise the potential? Many garden centres devote agreat deal of spacetogreetings cards so have an opportunity to createmorecompelling displays than many other retailers, providing thereisawide breadth of choice. Andy challenges us to check how many captioned cards are‘doing the same job’ and howoften areyou unable to buy acardfor aclose relation in your owncentre?
Whilst spacemay be easier to come by in a garden centre, Andy feels that just likeevery other category, thereneeds to be appropriate financial scrutiny
“Our primarycompany core values at Woodmansterne are‘Relationships First’ and ‘Be Authentic’. We genuinely livebythese every day and therecannot be abetter example of combining the twointhe relationships we have with our customers. Retailer needsare genuinely at the forefront of our minds. We’d rather encourage, alongside ourselves, another publisher’s product or range to compliment sales. We provide detailed display analysis to help reviewand curatethe optimum display.Thereare many occasions where our newcustomers havebeen able to reduce
cardoptions and thereforereduced inventory investment, but still see healthy increases in cardsales!”
There’snosuch thing as asilly idea! Andy and Kate, whose experienceisverymuch inmarketing and promotion, haveother ideas to promotevisits to the cardarea.
1. Reward loyal cafe customers with an opportunity to earn afreecard. Astamped loyalty cardwould drivefootfall intothe card department and help cross-pollinatepurchases.
2. To ensureyour loyal everyday cardcustomers come to youfirst for Christmas, why not consider a‘first Christmas cardfree’ reward for multiple everyday purchases over thepreceding months?
3. Merchandising cards in other areas of the centrecan also help sales. Indeed, placing cards and pick up gifts leading intothe till area, also provessuccessful. Andy knows that garden centres haveanopportunity to grow sales by adopting the same snaking queuing systems that Primark and TK Maxxuse, because his wife and twoteenage daughters fall for it everytime!
The Woodmansterne team would be delighted to help youboost your cardsales, even if you believe theyare already wonderful. “Thereare always opportunities”Andy explained, “You’ve just got to be prepared to look. We haveyears of expertise in publishing cards, planning card displays and helping with the most appropriate order and deliveryprocess.Wemanage the whole categoryfor some garden centres, and can provide the required design variety by supplying designs from ourselves and over 20 ‘Best in class’ UK cardpublishers, in asingle order/delivery.
We canalso help provide the innovativedisplay fixtures to help your department look its best. We appreciatethat this solution can be scaryat first, but ask around -it’sliberating,and youneed not haveany lessinfluenceorcontrol on your ongoing cardoffer.”
One of theteam is alwaysavailable forachat, or even avisit,tohelpusall sell moreofthe products we clearly love!
GLEE Stand: Hall 8-20
Call: 01923200 600
20E20-F21
Email: hello@woodmansterne.co.uk
Therange of complimentaryservices to help buyersmaximise their time at the show, has been extended with severalinitiatives.New for2023are Glee Look Books, inspirational visual guides providing asnapshot of new exhibitorsand topsuppliers in each sector.Also newisthe Product Finder Servicewherebuyers canrequest the Glee team to curateabespoke list of the most relevant exhibitors. TheGleeBuyer’s Lounge will again be available with acloakroom,charging points and complimentaryfood and refreshments. This year’s Glee Connect Partywill be held on Tuesday 27 June from 6-8pm in Fire,Grill & Chill. Everyoneiswelcome!
Glee has long hosted keyexhibitors of home, giftand clothing and manygarden centres arenow enjoying success with these products and extending their offerings to keep up with demand. In recognition the sector has been significantly expanded so other garden retailerscan make the most of sales opportunities. With Glee taking placeinJune, retailershave agoldenopportunity to get ahead of the curve and secureorders beforeChristmas.
Thehorticultural hubofGlee, Green Heartisanintegral part of the show in thecentralatrium whereyou canfind the finest indoor and outdoor plants and agenerous helpingofnew cultivars too. This year theareawillbeelevatedasitalso hostsa newshowfeature,the GleeTalent Store.
Twoteams from UK garden centreswill demonstratethe power of visual displays and ideas for crossmerchandising with pop-up exhibits centering around indoorand outdoor plants
From outdoor kitchens to pergolas and planters, online search queries around do-it-yourself garden projects are soaring and the market holds serious growth potential. This newfound love fortackling home improvement projects –with the bonus of keeping costsdown– has spawned anew breed of younger DIYerswho aren’tafraid to gettheir hands dirty.The newdedicated DIY sector is perfectly geared towardshelping garden centres tap into the increasing trend forgarden DIY and createfurther opportunities with targeted products to complement and enhanceexisting offers.
Every year hundreds of newproducts areentered intothe highly coveted Glee NewProduct Showcase with just 15 gaining triumph afterafiercely fought pitching process and judges’ deliberation. Entryintothe New Products Showcase is nowopen and is completely free of charge to all Glee exhibitors. Thereare 12 categories to enter covering the full range of products sold through garden retailers.
As we enter the month of June, Primeur is busy getting ready for another outing to the Birmingham NEC to take part in the 2023 edition of the Glee exhibition. This year we are back, bigger and better, to showcase our exciting new eco-friendly innovations.
As always, the team will be on handtodiscuss products, share feedback and suggest ways we can workwith you to ensure you have theright assortments to suit your customers’ needs.
If you don’t yet stock any of these ‘must have’ products, then please come and say ‘Hi!’ -wewould love to meet you. There is also still time to launch one of our merchandising displays this season, or to discuss opportunities for the future. COME
AsGlee fast approaches, we’re excited to sharethe work we’veundertaken to further supportretailcustomers next season, with morethan 60 newcatalogue lines ready to showcase…and fewsurprises up our sleeve!
Tuning in to ongoing market conditions andthe increased cost of living,we’ve focused our energy in three areas:
• The introduction of dynamic products to createnew salesopportunities
• Range refinement to sweat the retail spaceharder
• Volume driving offers and price realignments to present greater value
This combined approach aims to instill buying confidenceagainst known volume sellers, whilst making wayfor some exciting newintroductions that serve to drivethe customer offer in newdirections.
AlticoDecorativeAggregates
• Premium sales boosting opportunities
• NEW Premium Chippings
• NEW Cobbles &Pebbles
• NEW Rockery
•…Moretosee at Glee
NewPremium
Decorative Aggregates and keypricepoint offers for2024.
Drift &Flow
• Easier range commitment
• NEW keyvolume sales drivers
• Trend led, unique designs
• Lowstock commitment on best-selling, promotional lines
The Stone Merchant
• Natural paving and accessory introductions
• Refocused pricing acrossthe category
• Look outfor extended range opportunities
‘Natural’ additions for next season will further enhance the range
We’d love the opportunity to supportyour business. To findout moreand meet our team, please visit the Alticostand at Glee: 20F30-G31. www.altico.co.uk Head Office:01302354500
With petowner numbers staying strong andconsumerswilling to spend on theirpets, it’svital retailersare stockingthe right products. Nowis the optimal time forgarden retailers to review their pet offering to ensure products arefocusedontrends, such as nutritionand accessories,corelines andgiftingopportunities. Within PAW, ahost of established andemerging pet brandscome together,including those cateringfromgardenwildlifeto showcase services andnew products for2023and beyond.
Agreat success at the showlast year,the Fire,Grill &Chill area is again the placetosee experts and talented chefscook up astorm on the manyand varied barbeques exhibited at the show. It’s not only a chancetogrababit to eat and relax foramoment or twointhe summer sun but Fire,Grill &Chill also offers plenty of special event ideas for retailerstoengage with their own customersback home.
Aprogramme of free seminarsonthe Glee Main Stage will run throughout the three days of Glee. They include:
•Tuesday27June
Sustainability Trends: TheImpacts on Gardenersand the HorticultureIndustry. Dave Denny, HTAHead of Research
•Wednesday28June
Home and Outdoor Living Trends 2024.Madeleine Ritchie, Visual Trend Researcher,TrendBible
•Thursday29June
HowtoIncrease Consumer Loyalty Online. Amy Hobson, Partner –Social B
At aglance
Glee 2023,NEC Birmingham
Tuesday27June–Thursday29June
Opening hours: 9.00am–6pm (Tuesday andWednesday), 9am –4pm (Thursday)
Entry is free to all pre-registered visitors.
www.gleebirmingham.com
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https://www.instagram.com/glee_birmingham/ https://uk.pinterest.com/GleeBirmingham1/
OurNew Garden Tool Collection
Beautifully packaged garden tools featuring designs from the V&A collection
Use to remove ‘BlackSpots’ from Indian Sandstone,York Stone,Lime Stone,(including Bath and Portland) Purbeck Stone etc,and to restorethose original coloursofyour patio, terrace and pathwaysyou thought you’dlost forever!
Use to remove ‘Black Spots’from all pre-cast slabs (including Marshalls, Bradstone,Haddonstone) reducing the need to pressure wash, which damages the slabs and exposes the aggregate.
Use to remove both ‘Black Spots’and thewhite fungi spots from clayorconcrete paveddriveways andpatios and to restorethe natural colourswhilst reducing the need to pressurewash (which washes out the sand and destabilises the foundation.)
When used annually Patio BlackSpot Preventer will prevent reinfestation of ‘Patio BlackSpots’after theyhave been removedwith our Patio BlackSpot Remover®.It specificallytargets the black lichen spores,preventingthem from germinating.
For use on
NEW for 2023 – Go Ferrous the solution to remove the orange spots caused by overspreading of lawn fertilisers on patios Go Ferrous will also dissolve rust stains caused by BBQ equipment, metal pots and planters without damaging the stone or surrounding plants.
Use to remove both ‘Black Spots’, white fungi spots and general grime from stone and concrete garden ornaments,
GO FERROUS has been chosen as Finalist in the ‘SUSTAINABLE GARDEN PRODUCT OF THE YEAR’ at RHS CHELSEA 2023
Floral Thursday on the last day of Glee has become a tradition we now all look forward to As well as having fun and dressing in your most colourful and floral attire, the day is also a great opportunity to raise money for The Greenfingers Charity
At Glee in 2022, Floral Thursday was a record-breaking year with more than 400 exhibitors, staff and visitors taking part bysimplywearing something flowery. Through the raffle and donations, around
more than £2,000 was raised Trevor Pfeiffer, GTN Editor and host of the raffle says the event always brings a smile to the faces of exhibitors and visitors “Also what was lovely to see in 2022, was the number of teams that coordinated their floral attire – they looked amazing I hope we see a few more taking part and having fun this time too ”
This year Floral Thursday takes place on 28th June with theraffle being drawn at The Stage in the afternoon
It’s time to start planning your wardrobe to make sure you have your floral gear ready to help raise money for
Anewdrop-shipping servicebeing launched at Glee will enable retailers to offer the full range of Azpects products, with excellent customer servicesupport, without the need to hold physical stock.
Azpects Unlimited provides alink so consumers can buy from their local retailer’s websiteand haveproducts delivered directly to their door.This is especially convenient for all parties with bulkyand heavyproducts as it frees up display spaceand means consumers don’t need to grapple with difficult-to-handle products. Additionally,retailers can offer the entirerange of Azpects products rather than being restricted by stock holding space.
The newsystem is easy to adopt for retailers thinking about or already selling through their website, allowing them to offer alarger product range whilst increasing linked sale opportunities and overall revenue to amoreextensivecustomer base. In addition, this serviceisfreetouse with no set-up fees.
In January this year,Evergreen Gar anew plant in Kirkby,justoutside support and upscale manufacturing
In this year, Evergreen Garden Care (EGC) acquired a new plant in Kirkby, just outside of Liverpool, in order to support and upscale in growing media.
The 15,000m2 sitecontainsa fully automated, modern factory
15,000m2 site contains a modern built in 2016, wood fibre and coir processing equipment, a 1.8 hectare Green Composting pad, and stocking ground with capacity for more than 60,000 pallets. The factory itself has capacity to produce at least 100,000 pallets throughout the season.
With ECG’s brands moving to peat free in the near future - Miracle-Gro in 2024 and Levington in 2025 - this
plant makes that crucial transition much smoother and ensures that capacity is as unaffected aspossible. This target is set to be achieved ahead of government regulation, and EGCcontinues to set the industrystandard, both through product action
and financial investment, but also through leading in education and discussion.
This investment came as EGChave assuredthat season-readiness and stocklevels aremoreimportant than ever to reachdemand, alongside the new challenges of moving to peat free.
Colin Stephen, Evergreen Garden Care’sUKManaging Director,said: “This key capital investment truly demonstrates our dedication to both the transition to peat free and ensuring that we areable to meet all of our customers’ demands.
“Building further on our capacity for making
and storing growing media will bring us intoanew levelfor theyears to come.”
EGCalso nowincludesits ownpatented wood fibresinthe composition of its Levington John Innes products, which perform as well, if not better,than peat-basedcompost.This patented technology uses fibresthat areinfusedwithorganic nitrogen, preventingplantstarvationand in turn, promotingstronger and healthier plantgrowth.
This Glee, EGCisexcited to provide handson peat-free education opportunities to its customers, as well as showcasing current -and new -must-stocks
From severalrange expansions and product releases to afurthered commitment to more natural and sustainable gardening solutions, customers should keep their eyes on EGC throughout Glee to hear the news first…
Evergreen Garden Carewill be exhibitingatGlee –Hall 20 Stand C40-D41 -and is looking forward to welcoming all its customers and visitors.
Gr est Award W
Eve en Care t m has for Greenfingers
Floral Thursday again in 2022 for third successive year How will you join Thursday at Glee 2023?
The Evergreen Garden Careteamhas set the standard forGreenfingers Charity FUNdraising, winning The Greatest FloralThursday Team award againin2022for the thirdsuccessiveyear. Howwill youjoin in with Floral ThursdayatGlee2023?
Formorethan 25 years,the Fountasia™ namehas been synonymous with ‘First to Market’ creativeand innovativedesign, fine quality, andgoodvalue that appeals to the garden centre andgift market. ACompany recognised for‘goingthatextramile’with outstandingPOS displays that build business.
In addition to theconstantly evolvingranges of Home&Garden andChristmas décor,whichhave been thehallmarkofthe Fountasia business from theoutset,the companyhas inspired andcreated ‘The WorldofMakeBelieve’, whereimagination is all youneed to meet fairies, elves, andpixies, in their magical world.
Robotime, presented by Fountasia with enormous success, has becomeone of themost exciting brands, inspiringenquiringminds andsatisfying
ardent model makersofall ages. TheNew UDEAS rangeprovides safeand stimulatingtoysand games foryoungchildren, whichencourages, andnurtures natural imagination, creativity, social development,and self-confidence will be launched officially on our standatGlee.
Thenew Fountasia Plushtimebrand will make its debut at Glee creatingaspirit of fun with ‘YaketyChat’ comedians andsnuggly ‘Plushimals’ bringingcomfortand good humour
Fountasia Regional Sales Managersprovide NATIONAL coverage forserviceand support andlook forwardtoseeingyou at Glee.
Find Fountasia at Glee to viewnew ranges andexcitingnew products, updated classics, andtimeless best sellersin thenew seasonal collections.
Haveyou ever thought aboutwhere your usualshop-bought liquid plant food comes from? Chancesare it’s made specifically forthe purpose of feeding your plants,using rawmaterialsand creating a carbonfootprint in theprocess
Why not choosea totallynatural alternative instead –madefromplants, forplants!Our range is asustainable product of renewable energyproduction so by thetimeitreaches you, it hasalready helped heat hundreds of homes with green gas insteadoffossil fuels
Our plant food is packed with NPK nutrients, macronutrients and micronutrients to giveyour plants the best possible nutrition. And because it’smade from natural ingredients, it’sfully approvedbythe Soil Association and suitable for all organic
ApsleyFarms is exhibiting at Glee, Hall 7, Stand 7G71. Fortrade enquiries contact Robin Stewardson 07932096453 or email: r.stewardson@ apsleyfarms.com
gardeners. Plus, our fully recycled and recyclable containers mean that everydrop of our plant food is good for your garden and theplanet too!
Choose thesustainable and natural alternative with ApsleyFarms’ natural plant food range and help create agreener, more sustainable future for all. The range includes Natural Houseplant Food, Natural Tuband BasketFood,Natural TomatoFoodand Natural Plant Food, available in aselectionofsizes.
The company’sexclusivedecorativeaggregate collection is boostedbythe addition of TWO newpebblesand ONE chipping. These newproducts have been developed in line with currentcolour trends and areset to provide substantial salesincreaseswith their healthyRRPs.
The company’spaving range is further enhanced by the introduction of aselection of new stepping stones, including Natural Stone in twocolour options of Black Limestone and Fossil Buff.Anew range of large Orientalstepping stonesinOlive, Ashand Sienna alsooffer adistinctpointofdifference.
Little Karma Co hand crafts 100% natural pureessential oilcandles. Its mission is to rid the world of toxic, environmentally-unfriendly candles, one handcrafted, refillable, clean burning candle at atime. It also gives back to the community by donating 5% of all profits to the Trussell Trust which helps people during the cost-of -living crisis and works to end the need for food banks. At Glee,Little Karma Co will be exhibiting its collection of Refillable Candles, Initial Candles, Christmas collection, Candle Refills and the newSlogan Candle Range. The company offers retailersafully customisable, whitelabel servicewith lowminimum order values. 8F52
Anumber of newpaving, decorative aggregatesand landscaping accessoriesare joining theKelkayline up for2024alongwithnew and updatedmerchandising solutions. Whetherfilling agap in theoverall offering throughnew colours, sizesorenhancementstothe product hierarchy, retailerscan trust that Kelkay’s latest offeringwill fulfilthe needsofboththe retail settingand meet therequirements of discerning shoppers.Look outfor twonew aggregate productsplusalineofpaving whichwillopennew conversations around sustainable material usage
C40-F41
Zest continuestobring creativity to the timber furnituremarket with newproducts emphasising the garden as the perfect placetorelax.It’sintroductions for 2024 include the Terraza Outdoor Kitchen and the Compact and the Tall Botanical Greenhouses which areperfect solutions for nurturing youngplants in small spaces. The Eco Hive Composter provesthatcomposters need not be unattractivewhile the newZestStirling Arbour is aperfect coveredsanctuaryinwhich to enjoybeing closetonature.
Zest is also showing some cleverand innovativenew seating products as well as new and redesigned versions of existing best sellers.
20D30-E31
Making wildlife gardening simple GPlants believesineco-friendlygardening for wildlife and wants to makesourcing and using sustainable products in the garden as simple as possible for everyconsumer.Its easy-to-useseed bombs, mats andshakers arepeat free and include the highest quality seeds. Products aredesigned to only attract wildlife, but to also createasustainable habitat for them to thrive.
20B71
For morethan three decades, Espegardhas been aNorwegian household name, offering an exceptionally high-quality range of portable firepans, braziers, grills and accessories. In that time, it has become alegacy brand earning areputation for producing exclusiveproducts that blend the finest materials and functionality to makeoutdoor life inviting and accessible. All made in Europe, morethan half a
million of Espegard’ssignatureFirePan 60 havesold in Norwayalone.
Following on from its success at Glee last year,European distributor Fandango FireTools, is bringing moreofthisinspiring range to the UK at the 2023 exhibition, so gardeners, campers and beach lovers can stay outside and do moreofwhatthey love for longer.Whether it’s for cookingor anatural heat source,new introductions from Espegardalloweveryone to keep
Formoreinformation about Fandango Fire Toolsvisit www.fandangofiretools.co.uk or email us at info@fandangofiretools.co.uk
At Glee please come by Hall 6Stand 6F01tosee our range of toolsand products for outside cooking.
warm and enjoythe simple pleasures of eating outside.
This year,joining the traditional line up are new, contemporaryfire pits andpans, of which four aredesignedwith clean burn technology This means theycan be used in urban spaces in smokecontrol areas. As well as being aheat source,accessoriesinthe Espegarderange mean theycan be used for brewing up fresh coffee,grilling meat and vegetables on cast iron andevenmaking popcorn.
At Glee, look out for the newFirePan Pilar 50 and its larger cousin,the Fire PanPilar Premium 50 which also comes with ahandy spacefor storing logs and areally useful ash drawer for easy cleaning.Contemporaryand compact theyare easy to transporttodifferent outdoor places and, likeeverything in the range, havethe option of aprotective coverwhen not in use. Also newisthe FirePan Rein Premium60with firebowl suspended on atripod and the FireBowl Rein Premium 60 supportedbythree sturdy legs.
Thankstothe love fora real flame and ahugely successful Glee lastyear,Fandango Fire Tools has nowsoldaround 20,000 wood splitting Kindling Crackers™inthe UK. This qualityand safe-to-use tool hasnow been added to the outdoor entertaining offer of many moregarden centres. Since Glee 2022,new stockists comingonboardhaveincluded independents such as LongacresGarden Centres in thesouth east,the Burford Garden Co in the Cotswolds, Yorkshire-basedLanglands Garden Centre, andgroupslikeBlueDiamond. It’s notjust in theUKwhere trade is brisk. AcrossEuropesales arereaching 50,000 unitsa year andcrucially,the Kindling Cracker™now has aEuropean and UK patent helping to secureits design against inferior copies and giveconfidence to both retailersand consumers.
AMES UK’s is offeringmultiple benefits for retailersand category buyers. Not only will the stand be full of the latest innovations to join the company’s aggregate, paving,outdoor heating,water feature, garden décor and pots offerings from the Kelkay,LaHacienda and Apta brands, but it will provide visitors with awealth of tangible businessadviceand merchandising best practice. Look outfor newmerchandising concepts to increase the average basket spend and highten brand awarenessinstore Crossmerchandising and trend-led displays will also grab the attention and inspireretailers to think differently about howtheyengage with outdoor living essentials within the retail environment.
6C40-F41
ArtonScarves wasfounded by North Wales based artist Lucy Hay and continues to grow and add newdesigns from anumber of different British artists. Lucy wasinspired by the beauty of the countryside and its diverse wildlife and began her company with prints, cards, mugs and coasters. Today her designs, plus paintings, makefor acollection that is both beautiful and eyecatching.All the scarvesare handprinted in North Wales on avariety of soft and luxurious fabrics.
8F56
6C40-F41
And
are the latest addition to the naturalplant and garden carerange.Both products come in a250ml bottle, simply pump andadd water. Enriched with sustainably sourcedseaweed from the Connemaracoastline, as well as plant based nutrients, these certified organic indoor feeds are completely safefor children andpets.
Find
Following ahighly successful starttothe season, Garland Products will be launching more than 40 newproducts.
Morethan half arefor propagation, aresult of major investment to cement Garland’sposition as themarket leader in this sector.These include injection moulded Square TomPots in twocolours, Super-Sized Seed Tray and Garden Tray and aDeep Root Garden/Seed Tray
Also added is The Duogrow 2-pot self-watering planter that keepsthe soil perfectly moist through its wick-based system which pulls water up from the 15 litreSmartReservoir
20H30-J31
UK lighting specialist, Lighting Legends, has been helping homeowners transform their indoor and outdoor areas with an array of high-quality lighting since2020. At Glee, the Derbyshire-based specialist is launching an innovativenew line to its growing range. The Super Festoon Warm White Plug-in Outdoor LED String Lights areavailable in a range of sizes ensuring thereisalways asolution, no matter the spacethat needs covering. The new Super Festoon Warm WhitePlug-in Outdoor LED String Lights aredesigned to createawarm and cosy spaceperfect forsitting back and relaxing in.
6B05
Handy is using Glee to announcea newpartnership with Norwegianpressurewasher specialist AVA.Its product lines aredesigned and built on asustainableethos: durable, long lasting, andeasy to maintain. The Handy’s stand will also emphasise andfocus on the company’s extensivesupport andservicetohelp retailers meet their customers’ diverseneeds andmaximisesales.“We notonly understand product but also theneeds of retailers and their customers. It’s equally important for us to listen,so the newlounge area on the Glee standswill enablea twoway discourse, in an informalsetting,” saysMark Moseley, Handy’s Sales &MarketingDirector.
20H20-J21
Since its introduction in 2018,ranges of ultralight wellies from theLeonBoots Co can nowbefound in more than 800stockistsacrossthe UK,frombuilders’ merchants to garden centres.Leon Boots continuestotakepartinarevolution in theworldofwellingtons, to use thesame lightweight, durable, comfortable material forits boots that arealready being usedinmanyleading brands including Adidas, Nikeand Sketchers. EVA, astretchyand rubber-like plastic, is afar better material than PVCorpolyurethane. Not only is it lighterand moredurable,but EVAconsists of far less harmful chemicals so is moresustainable,environmentally friendly and is agreat choicefor vegans.
7G57
In addition to the constantly evolving hallmark ranges of Home & Garden and Christmas décor,Fountasia presents ROBOTIME inspiring modelmakers of all ages, UDEAS for safe and stimulating toys for toddlers and Plushtime for gifts that bring comfortand good humour
Watchthis spacefor an exciting newrange to be introduced at Glee.
6J20-20A21
La Hacienda keeps the home fires burning
From firepits and firebaskets to chimeneas, pizza ovens and an electric heating offer, La Hacienda is the go-to brand for all things outdoor living.The full range will be promoted with the team ready to explain the many features and benefits of the brand including anew half-pallet FDSU unit to supportthe extended range of electric heating.Also being promoted arenew lifestyle imageryand updateddigital assets to help educateand inspireconsumers via social media and in-store. La Hacienda will also be partof Fire, Grill &Chill with products including the Pittsburgh Firepit with Tripod,LorenzoPizza Oven and deep bowl firepits, burning on all three days of the show.
6C40-F41
With itsrecycledrubber garden products, Primeur has set thebenchmarkfor sustainable and eco-friendly lines and diversified itsproduct range to meetthe needsof eco-conscious consumers. Primeur EZ Bordersare guaranteed to prove popular with gardeners lookingfor a quickfixtotransform their garden in an instant,while its classic TierraVerde Sonata planters arelightweight,selfwatering,unbreakable,and built to withstand all weather conditions. The EcoWay SteppingStone Collection offers homeownersasimple solution for creating non-slip pathwaysand boosting in-store sales that canbegenerated all-year-round.
20B22-C23
Brandedsockmanufacturer, HJ Hall,isreleasing a newrange of thermals and underwear at Glee. Extendingits expertise to thermals andunderwear is thenatural next step for HJ Hall, offering premium standardbasics for everyday comfort. Joint MD,Andrew Townsin says:
“Aspartofthe overall strategy to accelerate growth forour brands, I am delightedtoannounce that theHJHall brand will be launchingtwo newand complementarycategories, namelyunderwear and thermals.HJHall has been making socks since1882 and, in that time,has built long standing relationships with its valued customers.”
6H50-J51
At Glee, RocketGrois
unveiling acollection of speciality liquid plant feeds plus six bagged products. Launched to provide avalue proposition for gardeners seeking asustainable and organic option, RocketGro’s line up of newliquid concentratefeeds is Tomato
Food, Rose &Shrub Plant
Food, All-Purpose Plant Food, Ericaceous Plant Food,and Lawn Feed. Theyare offered in 1.5litrebottles (RRP £5.99) and throughout 2023/2024 will include agenerous 50% extrafree. Packaging is vibrant thanks to impactful imagery and aclear,compelling message. The six newbagged products include Premium Bark Nuggets, Farmyard Manureand Rose Compost.
6B50-C5
Toymaker,Hippychick, has announced an exclusive partnership forthe UK with Americanpuzzle andcreativeart brand Crocodile Creek. At Glee it will be introducing Crocodile Creek’s popular collection of Play Balls andits first expertly crafted puzzlecollection with piecessized to suit all agegroups. They are beautifullyillustrated with themes designed to encourage young minds to takeanactiveinterest in theworld around them.Collection highlights include TheDay at the Museum puzzle collection, My First Puzzle Case and a range of NASA-themed puzzlesingiftabletins.
7A51
Wildlife World is releasingits newhandmadeand sustainable Artisan HangingPlanters and Bee House. TheHanging Planters come in twosizes each of the cylinder andconeshapes for planting andhanging indoors. Thenew Artisan BeeHouse provides nesting tubes for solitary bees in allgardens and outdoor spaces. These Fair-Trade products arehand-craftedusing naturalHogla grassand recycled saris wovenarounda toughmetal framefor abeautiful and uniquefinish.Purchasing theseFair-Trade products helps both wildlife and people.
6B64-C65
Durstons adds even moretoits already comprehensiveoffer
Newadditions to the Durstons range includeMulti-Purpose Compost Peat Free, atop-quality growing media produced entirely from renewable sourcesand featuring Durstons’GRO BOOSTtechnology.It’snew OrganicMulti-Purpose Compost Peat Free, is ablend of the highest-quality organic, peat-free growing media, combined with awetting agent. Both provide excellent nutrient content and ideal growing conditions forplants. Also newisthe extralargePeat Free Grow in the Bag, ideal for awide range of fruit, vegetables and salad crops, and Manor Farm PeatFree Multi-Purpose Compost,which allows stockists to offer apeat-free compost at agreatvalue pricepoint 20C02
Our comprehensiverange of landscaping productsisideal fora variety of projects, from assembling rockeries, stone cladding, constructing raised flowerbeds to bonding artificial grass. All Soudal productsare supported with eye catching pointofsale material to promotethe range instore
With Osprey,garden centres can help meet the demand for electric vehicle charging and reap benefits too.
Gardencentres havea unique opportunity to meet thegrowing demandfor electricvehicle (EV) charging by addingrapidEVchargepoints to theirstores. InstallingEVcharging stations willbring arange of benefits for allparties includingincreasedfoottraffic, customerloyalty and alonger dwelltime They can also enhancebrand imageand demonstratea commitmenttoreducing carbonemissions.Bypartnering with OspreyCharging, whofully fundand operatethe EV charging points, garden centreretailers can provide reliable and user-friendly charging facilities to helpmeet thegrowing demandwhile also benefitting from many advantages and positioning themselves as market leaders
Beauty and functionality from Burgon &Ball
Sixnew planting toolshavejoined theBurgon& Ball line up including four stainlesssteel, RHS-endorsed gardening tools.With eye-catchingdesigns, the threenew trowels, short-handledperennial spade, and small diggingspade and fork have beenspecially developed to makegardening tasks easier.The eye-catching shape of the newPlanting Trowel(£12.99)ischaracterised by its wide head and pointed, sharpened tiptoslice easilythrough ground. Its ergonomic design makesita delight to use. The newWeeding Trowel(RRP£15.99) hasachoiceofserratedorstraight blades to cutroots and anotch for tackling longtap roots.
6E30-F31
Museums &Galleries Ltdisone of theUK’sleading producersofquality artcards anddesign-led gift stationery, witha collection that is home to some of the most highly regarded heritageand arts brands in Britain andbeyond. MGL also works with contemporary independent artists and emerging creativetalent to source beautiful imagery forranges.
7A60-B61
If you arelooking for New at Glee, makethe New Product Showcase the start of your journey.Withover 300 new products entered into the showcase you’resuretofind awinner for your retailing. Here’s asneak preview of some early entries to whet your appetite.
PlaypressToys8G51
PlaypressVets Mini Playset
Part of acollectiblerangeofplaysets,the vet setcontains loads of buildablefun. Aproper setmade of robust lasting materials andis designed to be played with. Greatfor thecar, aircraft etc. Highly innovativepackaging.
Men's ULTRALIGHT Ankle Boots
7G57
After the success from launching our ULTRALIGHT Ankle Boots in 2021 we have designed aMENS version! Attending ahostofconsumer shows with the feedback always being "when will youbring out aMen's version?"Wehavedesigned aslightlywider fitted mould that allows for people with larger feet!
Southern Trident Limited 6H54-J55
Coco &Coir Houseplant Compost
This innovativeproductina self-expanding resealable bag,partof awider range is designed to provideoptimum growth conditions forindoor plants with aseason-long feed. Unlikeall otherpeat-free compostsyou can saygoodbye to fungus gnat infestationsasour compost is naturally resistant.
Wildlife World 6B64-C65
ArtisanBee House
Thenew Artisan Bee House provides nesting tubes for solitarybees in all gardens and outdoor spaces. This Fair Trade product is handcrafted using bamboo canes for the nesting tubes and recycled saris woven around atough metal frame for abeautiful and unique finish.
Jardinopia Ltd6A41
Laura AshleyGardening HipTidyand GlovesSet
TheElderwood design by LauraAshleymakes this luxurious adult garden wear gift set timeless and elegant. Featuring ahip-tidy split apron and garden glovesinclassic fauna patterns. Made of high-quality sustainable cotton that is both durable and comfortable to wear
EKJU 6H40-J41
Doublerelax -chair Split
Space-efficient gardenbench ideal fortwo people to enjoy thegreat outdoors.Benchisasustainableproduct due to the durableFSC timber
To protectthe product from wood rotand decay,all components are supplied pressure-treated in achoice of subtle colours
The Horti House 6E84,Green Heart54&56
British mini orchid in ceramic growninpeat-free media Grown in the heartofthe NewForestfor overa year before being placed in a classic ribbed white ceramic to make the perfect pick up and go gift Sustainably grown inpeat-free compost this offers a viable alternative to cutflowers
DLF Seeds Ltd. (Johnsons Lawn Seed) 20H40-J41
Celebration WildflowerSeedTins
Celebration WildflowerSeedTins area great gift creating adazzling display and providing arichsource of food for pollinators and birds. Covers 15sqm. Quick to establish with flowers usually appearing eight weeks after sowing and lasting until the first frost.
NatureSafe by Hygeia 6H30-J31
NatureSafe Indoor Plant
Food 25mlPump
100% OF&G certified organic plant based indoor plantfood. One of themost prominent ingredientsfeaturedinthe NatureSafeindoor plant feedproduct is hand-harvestedand cold pressedseaweed in an easytoapply 250ml pump bottle, which is fully recycled
The Wool Packaging Company 7F56
HortiwoolHanging Basket Liner
Our compostable Hortiwool Hanging Baskets
Liners aremade using 100% pureBritish wool. Although sized to fit arange of hanging baskets, the pads can be used for multiple applications around the garden. 100% Plastic Free, Natural, PureBritish Sheep Wool from British Farms. Made in the UK.
Tramontina 6E10-F11
Tramontina Mood Certified Wood 3PieceLounge Set
Mood furniture from Tramontina is acollection of distinction, offering high quality,modularstyling that will makeastriking statement whereveritispositioned.Made from certifiedjatoba wood,Mood is suitablefor indoorand outdooruse andcomes with achoiceoftextile colours
FurnitureClinic 8E40-F41
GardenFurniture RestorationKit
Everything needed to restorewooden garden furniture, in an attractivetub.Brings natural honey colour back to grey wood providing long lasting protection. Contains:500ml Teak Cleaner (makes 3L); 500ml Teak Brightener (makes 1L); 500ml Teak Oil; Scrubbing Brush; Lint Free Cloths; Gloves; Bucket.
Blackstone 36" Griddle +Air Fryer
With the Blackstone 36"GriddlewithAir Fryer, youcan do it all: bake,sear,roast, sauté, and AirFry. This one-of-a-kind griddle makes cooking the simplest of meals that much more satisfying.The big cookingsurface with independent cooking zonesprovidesyou with allthe cooking room youneed
HeartofEden 7F46
HeartofEdenAll Purpose Peat Free NaturalCompost
An environmentally-friendly product or sowing seeds and rootingcuttings or filling pots, hanging baskets and tubs.Produced with premium ingredients and enriched with naturallyoccurring nutrients and balanced fertiliser it canbeusedall year round.
Shell on Earth(XL Bag)
We'rea familybusiness that recycles the whelk shells generated at our seafood processing factory. The shellsare usedasadecorative topdressing on pots/borders/beds.They're also anaturaland gentle weed andpest control. Beautiful,natural,eco-friendly,circular economy,familybusiness
Glee exhibitors have until midnightonWednesday 21stJunetoget their NewProductShowcase entriesin. Judging startsat8:00am on the first dayofGlee, Tuesday 27th June, with shortlisted products then being pitched to thejudges on TheStage through Tuesdayafternoonand Wednesday morning.The winnersofthe Glee NewProductAwards2023, in association with GTN, willthen be revealedonThe Stage at 5:00pm on Wednesday 28th June. See youthere!
The impressivedeep purple, long flowering Agapanthus ‘Black Jack’ took topspot in the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year competition last month. Agreat garden plant its strong,upright stems and large flowers will ensureit is going to be in high demand. Stock supplied by AllensmoreNurseries, Hereford, sold out quickly after the award wasannounced and plants for 2024 will be in limited supply.Will Thomas, Sales Director,says the nurserywill be bulking up stock to offer aconsiderable number for 2025
Its almost black buds, which are numerous and tightly packed, open to display dark purple outwardfacing flowers. En masse the effect is dramatic. Plants producemultiple flowering stems overa longer period compared to many of its contemporaries because the breeding combines repeat blooming characteristics. Patrick Fairweather from Fairweather’s NurseryinHampshire, who helped select the cultivar with
the breeder in South Africa, describes it as ‘bullet proof’. “It doesn’tneed a lot of watersocan be left for afew weeks during the summer when people go on holiday,” he says. Easy to grow throughout the majority of the year, plants in ornamental containers will need to be stored in acool greenhouse or under eaves during the winter to keep the cold and wetaway from itsfleshy roots.
Variegated Hydrangea serrata
‘Gotemba Nishiki’, being sold as ‘Euphoria Pink’, came second and is also perfect for growing in containers. Its green, white and pink foliage contrast well with its pinky/redlacecap flowers enhancing its ornamental appeal.
In thirdcame Weigela ‘Camouflage’, a great shrub for the border especially in smaller gardens. Its foliage, with asubtle green and almost purple variegation, looks good throughout the summer but plants look especially showy when the redflowers arealsoondisplay in May and June.
Anew phormium, named by amember of theteamatWyevale Nurseries, will be availabletostock in garden centres for thesummerof2025. LindaPrice,Wyevale Nurseries’SupplyChain Trading Foreman, submitted thename Phormium ‘Bohemia’ in acompany competition. With darkplum centres andcreamypink outeredges,it’s described as havingsturdy,stiff leaves which stay uprightand is afine plant for adding dramaticinterestasanaccent, specimen or in acontainer.
TTheoutdoorleisure industryishugelydiverse, encompassingeverything from garden furnitureto shading,BBQstogarden decoration, leisurebuildings to outdoor spas and heating products to gardenentertainment solutions. It’salso avital part of theUK economy, andlikemany industries it has been hithardoverthe past twoyears Supplychaindisruption, retailclosures, overstocks and consumeruncertainty have allimpactedmanufacturers and suppliers andinturn their customers. In thesechallenging times,it’smore important than ever to come togetheras acommunityand supportthe industry.
Oneofthe best ways to do this is by attending industryspecifictrade shows.
ExhibitionslikeSOLEX, The Landscape Show,The National Plant Show and Four Oaks provide valuablenetworking opportunities,allowing buyers and
manufacturers to connectand build relationshipsthat canhelp drive growth SOLEX alsooffersa chancetosee the latest innovations, trends, andproducts, it is amust-attendevent for anyone in the outdoor leisureindustry.
Of course,trade shows aren’tjusta chancetosocialise and be inspired, they also play acrucial role in the promotion of sustainability.Our industry is acutely awareofthe importanceofprotecting theplanet and addressing issues such as climatechange, resource depletion, and pollution. SOLEX exhibitors arecommitted to promoting sustainability throughout the supply chain, from production to disposal, and exhibitions provide an excellent platform for sharing and learning
Butwhat exactlyare our exhibitors doing to promotesustainability? The answer is they’retaking arange of approaches, from using recycled materials, to reducing waste andenergy usage,topromotingsustainable
tlabourpractices. Forexample, our members have producedsustainable furnitureand cushionsfrommarine wasteand plastic bottles, they have reducedtheircarbon footprintby developing moreefficient heating and lighting systems, used onlyFSC-certified timber,and worked with suppliers whouse sustainable packaging. Many of our members alsowork closely with charitiesand organisations,such as PlanetMark, theRSPB andthe Forestry StewardshipCouncil,topromotesustainable production and regeneration
The Summer Outdoor Living Exhibition 2023 is muchmorethanjusta trade show. It’sanopportunity to come together as a community,celebratethe resilienceand innovationofour members,and promote sustainability in the industry.Wehope this inspires youtoattendthe exhibition (ifyou’re abuyer) or consider exhibiting(if you’re a manufacturer). Together, we can support the industryand createa moresustainablefuture for outdoor leisure.
SOLEX 2023
Theonlyoutdoor leisure event organised by the industryfor the industry.
Monday10th JulyWednesday11thJuly 2023 Hall 5. NEC, Birmingham www.solexexhibition.com
After afrustrating fewweeks, it does appear that the weather has finally settled down. The temperatures arecloser to norm and the sun has returned! As a consequenceall signs arethat garden retail sales havebeen strong and Ihope that, by the time youread this, lost ground will havebeen made up.Iknowmany feared demand would fall off a cliff after the Coronation, in the way that it did last year for the lateQueen’sJubilee, but fortunately that fear wasunfounded.
Fortunately theredoes appear to be aslowreturn of confidenceamongst consumers which is surely good news, but I’mhearing from severalsourcesitdoes appear that furniture sales areunlikely to be strong this summer.Perhaps this sector might be the greatest casualty of the squeezed economy?
Last month, the HTApresented the Scottish Environmental HorticultureGrowthStrategy and it waswell received. Agood turnout of HTAmembers leant weight to the importanceofthis presentation at Holyrood.
The HTAalso had astrong presenceatMay’s RHS Chelsea FlowerShow. This year we opted for atrade stand on the Eastern Avenue which gavethe opportunity to promoteboth the HTAand Association of Professional Landscapers (APL). With the immense help of APL members and suppliers, the stand wasawardedafourstar awardand received many visits from consumers, APL and HTAmembers, politicians and gardening celebrities.
Congratulations areagain due to severalAPL and HTAmembers who built showgardens or exhibited and were rightly recognised in the awards. Ipersonally felt Chelsea has turned acorner and is well on the way back to the highest standards that it is rightly famous for
The Ornamental Horticultural Roundtable Group (OHRG) hosted arecordnumber of parliamentarians to its annual Chelsea breakfast followedbyaguided tour of the flowershow. Along with the Royal Horticultural Society,British Association of Landscape Industries and the ArboricultureAssociation, the HTAstressed the need for asustainable and supportedtransition from peat, the challenge of rising costs, the need for water resilienceand crossborder trading challenges. Earlier this month the OHRGmet with the All PartyGardening and Horticulture Group in the Houses of Parliament giving us another opportunity to get our message acrosstopoliticians.
Of course, June is the month for the HTANational Plant Show(NPS) and Ihope to see many of youthere. There’sarecordnumber of exhibitors and this two-day show(20-21st June) is amust attend eventfor anyone involved in growing and selling plants. Following closely on the heels of the NPS is of course Glee at the NEC, Birmingham. The dates areJune 27th-29th and once again the HTAlooks forward to seeing youall there. Do makeapoint of visiting the HTAstand at the NPS at Stoneleigh and GLEE at the NEC. Ilook forward to seeing youthere.
TheHorticultural Trades Association is the UK industry’sleading membership organisation and welcomes all sectorsofenvironmental horticulture. To learn moreorjoinpleasevisit:www.hta.org.uk or email: services@hta.org.uk
Inmyexperience,the garden industrylovesnothing morethan the opportunity to come together, whether that’stoshareexperiences and news, explorenew products,orjust havea really good time. It’sone of the things Ilove about being in this sector –the opennessand willingnesstotalk to one another,plus just howdownright sociable we all are! It’sgreat news, then, that we have some lovely opportunities to connectthis year,including Glee this month and our annual Awards in October
GIMA members areout in their drovesat Glee 2023,with ahost of newproducts and exciting developments to share. The GIMA BusinessLounge, onceagain, provides the perfect placefor our members to connect with keybuyers and influential figures from acrossgarden retail, as the showattractsawidecross-section of visitors, from multiples and online retailers,
to independent garden centres, and even garden designers and landscapers. Networking is such an important aspect of Glee and, just likeour members, the GIMA team will be out in force at the show, nurturing existing relationships and building newones. Ilook forward to catching up with our current members overthe course ofa busy three days and, hopefully,meet some newones too.
It will also be agreat chancetomeet the latest addition to the GIMA Council, Simon Davison of Zest Leisure, plus the newest member of the GIMA team, Angie Lloyd, who joined us at the end of last month.
In other exciting news, we have just revealed the judging panel for the annual GIMA Awards and I’mdelightedwehave such astellar line-up again this year,with keyrepresentatives from right acrossthe sector,including buyers, trend experts, and members of the gardening media. Judging
is set to takeplaceinJuly and, although averyfull-on day,itisalways great fun and everyone comes away buzzing about the innovation we’veseen and discussed. It really servesasagreat reminder of the creativity and talent we have in our sector
Of course,wecan’tshare details of the winners until the big night but, having been involved in the processfor anumber of years –and even servedasajudge onother awards panels –Ican honestly say how proud Iamthatthe GIMA Awards provides this platform to celebrateand shinea light on the companies and products that continue to driveour industryforward Yes, therewill be trophies and pats on the
• GIMAatGLEE, 27th-29th June, NEC, Birmingham
• GIMAAwardsJudging, 11th-12th July,Warwick Racecourse
• GIMAAwardsGala Dinner, 19th October,Celtic Manor Resort
Plus look out for moreskills-based workshops, market data, Buyer Connect sessions, and various webinars on ahost of different topics.
back for the winners and finalists but therewill also be dancing and merriment –another wonderful excuse to come together,enjoytimeineach other’s company and toast to another great 12 months alongside your colleagues and peers; no doubt making newconnections but also celebrating the friendships you havecarefully nurtured overthe years.
If you’re attending Glee, be sureto stop by the GIMA BusinessLounge to say hello.Meanwhile, get the datefor the GIMA Awards firmly in your diary because, whether you’re all about networking, getting the lowdownonaward-winning products and services, or rewarding your team for all their hardwork, youdon’t want to missout on one of the biggest events in thegarden retail calendar
•To findout more,and to see GIMA’s full calendar of events and unrivalled portfolio of member benefits, please visit www.gima.org.uk
It really serves as a great reminder of the creativityand talent we have in our sectorJudging in action forthe GIMAAwardslastyear.InJuly, judges will meet again to decide the 2023 winners.
