Increased gardening activity has driven significantly increased garden centre sales this October. Just look at the year-on-year movements of the GTN volume sales indexes for last week:

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year (week 42):

• Growing Media Top 50 – up 76%
• Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 74%
• Garden Products Top 50 – up 13%
• Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – up 6%
• Christmas Top 50 – static 0%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week last year (week 42):

• All Plants with Barcode index – up 35%
• All Items with Barcode index – up 22%

That performance for Growing Media means the GTN Bestsellers year-to-date index is now at +0.7% after being at -51% when garden centres re-opened in May.  Since the start of September growing media sales have been on average 66% ahead of last year, indicating a possible two-thirds increase in core growing activity. If just half of that carries over to next year we could be reporting more record sales through March, April and May in 2022. We just need to be able to keep trading to service the demand.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter, for only £145.00 using this link.

Monty Don made national newspaper headlines last week slamming garden centres, accusing them of "actively choosing to do harm" by selling peat compost and criticised the availability of "mass-produced disposable" plants.

The Times, The Telegraph, Daily Mail and Express newspapers all carried coverage of the presenters column in BBC Gardeners World magazine where he is quoted as saying: "Cheap, mass produced houseplants or bedding potted into peat cheer people up.

"The garden trade must must be a key part of this. The standard line is that if people did not buy it, then they would not produce or stock it.

"But if you supply a product that relies upon harmful environmental practices, cheap labour, poor conditions or the destruction of habitat, then you are part of the problem."

Read the full newspaper articles here:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ditch-peat-and-cheap-pots-says-monty-don-dzssh379v

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/22/stop-buying-mass-produced-plants-garden-centres-fueling-climate/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8871409/Monty-Don-slams-garden-centres-selling-compost-peat.html

https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1351320/Monty-Don-news-gardeners-world-garden-centres

The HTA has written to Ken Skates, the Welsh Government’s Economy Minister, expressing its great disappointment at the decision to classify garden centres as ‘non-essential retail’, which forced them to close on Friday.

James Barnes, Chairman of the HTA, has requested a meeting to review the definition of ‘non-essential’  in order to safeguard garden centres' ability to trade in future – as the Government’s own scientific advisors have suggested a different interpretation of what businesses needed to close. He’s also asked for urgent clarification on the operation of farm shops/food halls in garden centres and click and collect services.

“Back in May, Wales was the first UK administration to take the decision to reopen garden centres and we expected this to be a sign of support for the industry. With no evidence to show why garden centres should be closed, we were crushed to see them included yet again as ‘non-essential retail’ for this Friday’s lockdown. We are asking for the current list of ‘essential’ v ‘non-essential’ retail list to be urgently reviewed,” he said.

With the Welsh government’s own scientific (TAC) group advising late May as the definition of ‘non-essential’ and other places in the UK establishing June 2020 reopening as the definition, the HTA argues this is a pragmatic approach to reducing social interaction, while minimising negative economic impact. 

The letter calls for such a review to recognise the ease with which garden centres can provide safe and secure retail environments, with their naturally large, open and airy infrastructures providing a perfect starting point for socially distanced trading; the important role gardening plays in promoting health and wellbeing and offering a safe and positive activity to do while at home and the damage closure will do to a sector still recovering from lockdown.

Many Welsh garden centres, particularly in rural areas, provide essential food items such as fresh produce, bread and milk and the HTA says such stores should be able to continue trading as a community store, as a small supermarket would. Garden centre ‘Click and collect’ services were run during the previous lockdown and the HTA has urged the Welsh Government to accept this approach now saying it is a safe way to ensure people can continue to garden during lockdown and to help reduce the significant loss of sales garden centres will face.

Emergency funding based on rateable value will not help many garden centres, says the HTA, because the necessarily large size of their premises pushes them above the values stated for qualification despite the fact they are classed as small or medium in most other categories. 

“I’m concerned that many small and medium garden centres won’t have access to funding to cover losses incurred,” said James Barnes.

“Even for those businesses that can access funding it is likely to be well below the costs that will be concurred by the two-week lockdown. Small and medium-sized members have told us they estimate they will lose between £160,000-£170,000 over the two weeks – impacting their ability to recover and grow, potentially threatening jobs.”

Several Welsh garden centres told GTN Xtra how they were planning to operate during the 17 day long Firebreak:

Justin Williams at Fron Goch in North Wales said: "We're very frustrated. I thought we were through this level of uncertainty.

"My understanding is that click and collect is not permitted in Wales this time . But after last time I feel we are better closing, manning phones, socially media and spend our efforts preparing for very high levels of trade once open. 

"Christmas shopping is experience shopping and this year we have very little competition with people avoiding city centres including Liverpool and Manchester. 

"We have plenty to do with our development nearing completion. I am still hopeful this can end well, if we have an uninterrupted run up to Christmas."

At Pughs in South Wales, Nicola Pugh reported: "Our online shop and deliveries have continued since setting up at the beginning of the first lock down so this will be our main channel of sales for the next 17 days and we endeavour to keep adding products daily as we have been for a while.

"Our Food Hall will remain open and support the local communities again with essentials. With it being a two week lock down, we are not going to put too much pressure on ourselves and just ride the wave and do what we can for the next few weeks."

Martin Davies at Ragan Garden Centre added: "For garden centres it is in fact 16 days as we closed yesterday evening 30 minutes before the 6pm curfew. In the absence of any confirmation as to what we can and cannot do, we have decided to continue our 5 day a week delivery service locally and for those workers who are allowed to be out and about a call in and collect facility is available."

Please use the comments panel below or e-mail trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk with your comments about the Welsh Firebreak and it's effect on garden centre trading.

Garden centre and horticulture construction specialist Fordingbridge, based in Arundel West Sussex, is looking for a new member of staff to focus on its horticulture sales and service.

Now trading for over 55 years, the firm best known for its plant area canopies and sustainable building offering, is searching for someone to help ‘grow’ the polytunnel arm of the business. 

“Fordingbridge has been manufacturing polytunnels for over five decades and we are known for the quality and longevity of our structures,” explains Fraser Dixon, Business Development Manager at the firm. 

“Because of this, and following recent events, we have seen a significant increase in activity in the sector and are looking for a new member to assist in this workload. We are looking for someone with the drive, attention to detail and polytunnel knowledge to join our team and exceed our clients’ expectations.”

The role will involve looking after a new and existing base of polytunnel clients, including contractors, commercial growers, nurseries and garden centres. 

While based in the Arundel facility, where all Fordingbridge canopies and steelwork is designed and manufactured, there will be opportunity to travel to meet clients, along with the occasional survey and trade show. 

Those interested should send a CV to info@fordingbridge.co.uk before October 30^th.

Mr Fothergill’s range of high-quality grass seed benefits from new formulations and packaging for the 2021 season.

The new formulations include a great addition for those loved but well-used gardens, the extra tough TOUGH LAWN and an all new premium blend for those short on time, QUICK LAWN. 

The extra tough TOUGH LAWN is a new formulation now resistant to dog patch yellowing as well as heavy wear and tear, which is ideal for pets and children’s play areas. The all new premium blend QUICK LAWN germinates in just a few days, so is the best choice for rapid results. Although it is quick to germinate, it is also slow growing reducing the need for mowing.

The new packaging has handy information roundels on the front of the carton, which aims to clearly show you which formulation is best for your needs. 

The range of lawn grass seed also includes, ALL ROUND LAWN, SHOW LAWN and SHADY LAWN. Available in 500g, 1.25kg, 1.5kg cartons, and ‘with ryegrass’ and ‘without ryegrass’ 250g patch packs. RRP’s start from £3.25 for the ryegrass patch pack up to £20.25 for the 1.5kg QUICK LAWN.

Weblink: http://www.mr-fothergills-trade.com/lawn-seed-sid3.html

Contact Details: sales@mr-fothergills.com

With plant sales up on last year by over 30% for another week in October, either existing gardeners are buying significantly more plants or the ‘New Gardeners’ are just loving their plots and keeping active regardless of the weather.

All Plants volume sales change: Week on week DOWN 4.6%.  Year to date vs 2019 DOWN 21.6%, vs  2018 DOWN 27.0%.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

The annual showcase of innovation from GIMA members – the GIMA New Product Digest - is now available, providing retailers with a comprehensive guide to the latest product innovations, point of sale and marketing initiatives ahead of the 2021 spring/summer season.

For the first time, the GIMA New Product Digest will be available as a digital e-catalogue and e-newsletter, providing retailers with over 50 pages of brand new content, no mean feat when you consider that these suppliers have been faced with twin obstacles in the shape of the Covid-19 pandemic and unprecedented supply chain pressures.

To view the digital GIMA New Product Digest click here

The Digest – co-ordinated by the team at Garden Trade News - features lots of well-known brands as well as some new faces. Together these brands provide an unrivalled showcase of innovative thinking, covering all sectors of the garden retail sector including pots and planters, landscaping, barbeques, garden décor, cleaning solutions, sheds, GYO essentials, fertilisers, compost, seeds, furniture, water gardening, bird feed, lighting, tools and lawn care.

Vicky Nuttall, GIMA Director said: “Once again GIMA members have demonstrated the resilience of the garden retail sector. Despite incredible pressures and unprecedented circumstances, they have continued to forge ahead and deliver innovation which will surely drive sales in the coming season. I’ve no doubt that the 2021 GIMA New Product Digest will be an important resource for garden centre teams.”

For further information regarding GIMA’s wider support tools and network please call (01959) 564947 or email info@gima.org.uk

After calling off its inspections for the first time in 50 years because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the GCA has now cancelled its Christmas competition and its annual conference in January.

Chief executive Iain Wylie said that despite these cancellations the GCA has seen growth in its GROW e-learning initiative and has moved to having virtual meetings for its members.

“We recently wrote to our members to confirm that unfortunately, due to the ever-increasing range of restrictions, we have had no choice but to cancel our annual conference in January. It is a sad but necessary, and unfortunately inevitable decision, but as soon as we are able to meet together again, we will be organising an event for our members, which will be bigger and better than ever. For the same reasons, we have also cancelled this year’s Christmas competition, particularly as differing local and country rules will make it even more impractical.

“Like everyone in the country, we’ve had to make some changes after the impact of Covid-19. The early rumblings surrounding coronavirus and potential restrictions coming into play earlier in the year meant that we postponed the starting of our annual inspections for the first time in our 50+ years history. At our first ever virtual exec meeting in early April, we decided to cancel them altogether and although the decision was made with heavy hearts, it was certainly the right one.

“What was yet to come couldn’t have been predicted by anyone and the whole horticultural industry was affected greatly. We sought as many ways to help members as possible and from the outset joined with other trade associations and industry bodies to lobby the government as an industry with one voice.

“The campaign was focused on getting the industry and its supply chain moving again and highlighting the plight of UK growers in particular. Facing the loss of the planting season, with garden centres closed and with crops already ‘ready to go’ and with nowhere for them to go, plant wastage became a major issue. Lobbying continued for compensation for growers alongside putting forward a case for garden centres to open. 

“Proposals were put to the government with how centres would operate under strict social distancing rules and with our input reflecting our members’ views and as few restrictions as possible on the products they could sell (especially furniture), centres were permitted to open again in May (ahead of other retailers who weren’t allowed to open until June/July).”

Throughout their closures, many GCA members offered online or telephone ordering and delivery services, doing their best to ensure their customers could continue gardening during the pandemic.

The Great British weather was on the industry’s side when centres re-opened in May and customers sent furniture and barbecue sales rising as they were up 25% in May compared to the same month in 2019. Sales have continued to rise in gardening categories and ones such as houseplants and seeds and bulbs, in particular, are still showing strong growth well into autumn too.

Iain added: “Restaurants were a different matter however, as hospitality didn’t re-open until July and unlike the re-opening the retail side of their businesses, opening catering was less straight forward for our members. Centres were doing well on gardening, but the timing of reopening restaurants was more difficult to get right. Some opened straight away, some waited a few weeks and some even have their restaurants or cafés remaining closed.”

During this time members were still able to log in to the longstanding GCA Exchange forum to talk with other garden centre owners and a WhatsApp group was started for the principals of the GCA’s member centres to keep everyone in touch, share ideas, concern and help each other through.

As a result of the pandemic, many other GCA activities have been curtailed. In addition to its annual inspections, its Ruxley Rose plant area competition was cancelled as judging was unable to take place and its regional meetings were also unable to continue in person.

Iain added: “Many centre owners and staff say our regional meetings are one of the best benefits of being a member, but it was just not safe or legal to continue to host them, at least not face to face, so we decided to host them virtually instead in the form of webinars.

“Our first, in conjunction with The Garden Industry Manufacturer’s Association (GIMA), focused on matters affecting the whole gardening supply chain and aided a healthy debate to enable a stronger, more resilient, and dynamic supply chain going forward. Another, GCA members only webinar, saw Chris Brown of Turpin Smale Catering Consultants facilitate a discussion on catering where members shared their concerns and thoughts on how they would operate when they reopened. Most recently we held another webinar on the challenges of how to have a successful Christmas and it is pleasing to see our members remaining optimistic despite these difficult times.

“We have also seen a rise in users of our GROW e-learning initiative, which is reassuring, and we have launched a module in collaboration with the Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association (LOFA) on fire safety for furniture, with an emphasis on their excellent LOFA Assured scheme.

“We are also proud to have launched another two modules. The first on operating social distancing in garden centres and the second on social distancing in restaurants, covering the new rules, regulations and guidelines issued by the government that have to be followed in order to continue to trade. The fact that both modules were turned around in the matter of days between when the government made the announcements and published the information and were live before the opening dates, is quite remarkable. They have been appreciated by members and used extensively by centre staff.”

A hidden garden within the grounds of Glenfield Hospital in Leicester is set to see its kitchen garden grow with the support of Leicester-based garden product manufacturer, Vitax Limited.

The Secret Garden project has received a generous donation of 6x Natural Plant Feed from Vitax to help recreate and nourish the organic garden as part of a wider restoration project to rebuild the historic walled kitchen garden. 

Providing a therapeutic environment for patients, visitors and staff, the garden is being brought back to life by a small project team and a group of enthusiastic volunteers, whose fundamental purpose is to create a space to enhance mental health and wellbeing.

The garden has a potted history dating back to 1610 when the land was originally owned by the Duchy of Lancaster.

Fast-forward to the 1990s and after a period of neglect, a new multi-faith, sensory garden was created for adults with a range of disabilities including visual and hearing loss, before being handed over to Glenfield Hospital in 2016 which is when The Secret Garden project came to life.

“The Secret Garden project is a fantastic initiative. Driven by the project lead and volunteers who are not only passionate about restoring the walled kitchen garden, but passionate about creating spaces for patients to convalesce and for staff to take a well needed break in a peaceful and reflective environment,” says Vitax’s chairman, Paul Gooding.

“Vitax is an ardent supporter of charities which have a focus on improving mental health and wellbeing through gardening and this is a key focus for The Secret Garden. It has a ‘feel-good’ factor and not just for hospital staff and patients, but also the volunteers who are restoring it.

“It is a great asset to the hospital and we are delighted to be able to support a local charity and give back to the community,” says Paul.

The Secret Garden has featured on Channel 5’s ‘The Great Gardening Challenge’ as well as Breakfast Television’s Lorraine, but there is still much more to be done as Karen James, Secret Garden Project lead, explains: “In total, The Secret Garden project will fully restore an acre of Victorian walled gardens.

“It currently features graveled walkways with climbing shrubs, seating areas for visitors surrounded by flowers which offer privacy, a calming water feature, rare apple trees, fruit and vegetables and recently installed raised beds which are filled with herbs and flowers.

“However, there is still a lot to do. We are sympathetic to the rich history of the site and want to retain its heritage as much as possible. 

“Every part of the garden which has currently been restored is carefully thought out to bring a range of health benefits. It is very calm and the plants help to increase stimulation and awaken the senses to the enjoyment of not just patients and families, but also the surrounding communities.

“We are thrilled that Vitax has chosen the project as one of its beneficiaries. Without businesses being involved it would be very difficult to complete some areas of the garden and Vitax’s donation will be adding much needed nutrients back into the ground to help our plants thrive.”

To find out more about The Secret Garden project, or to volunteer, contact: thesecretgarden@uhl-tr.nhs.uk

To find out more about Vitax, visit: www.vitax.co.uk

The Garden Industry Manufacturers’ Association has joined with 71 other trade associations and the Confederation of British Industry to urge the government to reach an agreement regarding a Brexit deal to ensure that the UK remains a key player in international trade.

The joint statement, which was handed to politicians last week and reflected the feelings of over 190,000 business and 7 million employees, presented a united voice which calls upon the need for a quick agreement so that UK jobs and livelihoods can be safeguarded.

Vicky Nuttall, GIMA Director, said: “On behalf of GIMA and its members, I was grateful that we were able to add our name to the list of organisations supporting the CBI.  

“With a deal comes certainty, and certainty provides a much more tangible base for building further growth in our sector, something which is needed more than ever as we all recover from the first wave of COVID-19 and prepare for a second wave.  

“Time is of the essence now, and businesses, particularly GIMA members, need clarity on the way ahead in order to be able to successfully manage the supply chain for next season, particularly when interest in gardening is at an all-time high.” 

UK Transition Hub

To further support the Brexit transition, GIMA has added an informative resource to its website – www.gima.org.uk - available to both members and non-members. 

This ‘UK Transition Hub’ outlines all the government advice as we head towards January 1st 2021, including a handy checklist which outlines the necessary ‘next steps’ for business covering topics such as importing and exporting, chemical regulations, workforce, access to R&D funding, energy, intellectual property and waste movement.

The Hub also connects readers with key organisations such as Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and the CBI, outlining the latest advice from these organisations including access to vital webinar sessions. 

Import Trade Tariffs, Trade Continuity Agreements, and Product and Marking Certification are also key topics featured.

To access the UK Transition Hub please visit https://gima.org.uk/gima-uk-transition-hub/

For further information regarding GIMA’s wider support tools and network please call (01959) 564947 or email info@gima.org.uk

IPM ESSEN, which was planned for January 26 to 29, 2021, is cancelled.

Against the background of the increasingly dynamic situation and worldwide travel restrictions, there is currently not the planning security required for the serious preparation of the international trade fair participants. As much as the green industry has wished for IPM ESSEN as a communication platform, there is a great deal of uncertainty in view of the recent occurrence of infections in important markets such as the Benelux countries or France. Nevertheless, Messe Essen is giving the industry a stage at the planned date of the fair and, together with its partner associations, is organizing a top-level meeting between decision-makers and politicians.

The next IPM ESSEN will take place at Messe Essen from January 25 to 28, 2022.

As the leading trade fair for horticulture, IPM ESSEN is the trend-setting showcase for plant trends and product innovations at the beginning of the season every year. Thus, numerous market leaders had already confirmed their participation in the trade fair and the demand for the live fair experience and the personal exchange with business partners was also enormous on the part of the visitors.

"The anticipation of the IPM ESSEN was great, especially after the past months of full renunciation by all those involved, the more difficult it was for us to decide to cancel the fair", explains Oliver P. Kuhrt, Managing Director of Messe Essen.

"However, it is our responsibility to enable our exhibitors to plan their participation in the fair seriously. Against the background that many of our customers come from abroad and are increasingly insecure due to the difficult travel conditions, however, this is not possible at present. We have therefore decided to cancel before the hot phase of stand planning begins".

"The green industry agrees that it urgently needs IPM ESSEN in order to be able to experience plant innovations up close again. But the level-headed assessment of the current situation also shows how uncertain exhibitors and visitors are about the dynamic development of the coronavirus pandemic," adds Eva Kähler- Theuerkauf, President of the North Rhine-Westphalia Horticultural Association and Chairwoman of the Advisory Board.

"The cancellation of IPM ESSEN is therefore very sad, but for the international exhibitors it is a responsible signal at the right time."

IPM ESSEN SUMMIT and digital information services

Although the IPM ESSEN 2021 cannot take place in its usual scope, Messe Essen will present itself as a meeting place for the green industry at the planned date of the fair. Decision-makers and political representatives will come together at IPM ESSEN SUMMIT to exchange views on future topics in horticulture. In addition to this top-level meeting, a digital format will provide an insight into current developments in the German and international horticultural market.

www.ipm-essen.de

When Happy Compost – a cutting-edge new brand of top performing peat-free growing media launched at Glee 2019, no-one could have predicted how demand for compost would skyrocket in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to The Greener Gardening Company, however, category growth isn’t being driven solely by growing numbers of consumers who engaged in gardening for the first time during lockdown, but by surging demand for peat-free growing media that’s backed by a proven track record of performance. A shifting consumer mindset, one that’s increasingly geared to protecting nature and the wider environment, has created the ideal opportunity for retailers to boost sales of eco-friendly growing media in 2021.

As a result, The Greener Gardening Company is doubling the size of the Happy Compost range for the new season, expanding the initial line-up of growing media to encompass a host of top quality soil improver and landscaping products. In line with its commitment to sustainability and harnessing the power of recycled materials, all core raw materials in the Happy portfolio are either recycled or by-products, including bark, green compost, wood fibre and coir – while the contents of every bag is guaranteed to be 100% peat-free.

The Greener Gardening Company’s National Sales Manager, Jason Pike, said: “Demand for Happy Compost in its initial year has been phenomenal, exceeding our expectations at every level. The range has been tailor-made to exclusively to provide garden retailers with a real point of difference and by adding bark, mulch, soil and manure products, the expansion will drive eco-friendly growing media category growth. Effective merchandising is at the heart of the Happy Compost range, from Correx boards and roadside banners to engage consumers at every point in their journey to wooden stands to display the range for maximum impact. The Greener Gardening Company is committed to helping instore teams to merchandise the portfolio at its very best and we look forward to working with stockists to grow sales over the coming season.”

Here, we take a look at what’s joining the Happy Compost portfolio for 2021, the strategy behind their introduction why these newcomers are must-stock items for garden retailers:

Enriched Top Soil

With a new ‘gardening army’ set to Dig for Victory again in 2021 – the HTA estimates that up to three million consumers may have embraced gardening for the first time this year – The Greener Gardening Company knows that garden projects will be high the consumers agenda next season. With regional lockdowns and concerns over foreign travel resulting in households spending more time at home, Enriched Top Soil will help shoppers to transform gardening ambitions into reality. It’s ideal for creating raised beds, a known driver of sales growth due to the rise in grow-your-own, as well as for lawns, landscaping and replacing old soil in garden borders.

Farmyard Manure

A shift away from synthetic fertilisers in line with the rise of organic gardening techniques makes the addition of Farmyard Manure a natural addition to the Happy range. This 100% organic soil improver holds high appeal for any gardener looking to cultivate healthier flowers and more productive fruit and vegetables by reinvigorating garden soil.

Lawn Soil

Rising consumer awareness of the environmental benefits of lawns, from their role in reducing flash flooding to enhancing biodiversity, has ensured that a lush sward remains the centrepiece of UK gardens. With domestic grass subjected to heavy foot traffic during lockdown and beyond, new Happy Lawn Soil will drive sales among consumers looking to lay new lawns from turf, sow lawns from seed or repair damage to existing lawns.

Mini Chip Bark, Medium Chip Bark, Chunky Chip Bark and Composted Bark

Media coverage of concerns over chemical weedkiller ingredients such as glyphosate are accelerating demand for products that prevent weed growth naturally. Mini and Medium Chip Bark effectively suppress weeds while providing an attractive, decorative ground cover that protects roots from frost. Chunky Chip Bark is also ideal for weed suppression and moisture control while being the go-to choice for play areas as well as beds and borders. Composted Bark will appeal to consumers looking to boost soil quality, mulch plants and shrubs and keep weed growth at bay. All bark products hold high appeal to consumers looking to create enhanced surface areas for paths and recreational garden zones.

Launch products within the Happy Compost line-up will remain at the helm of the range during 2021 including All Purpose Compost, Vegetable Compost; Rose, Tree & Shrub Compost, Soil Improver and a Tomato Planter. During the 2020 sales season, Happy Compost All Purpose Compost rapidly established itself as the ‘hero product’ within the new range, with its 100% peat-free and vegan-friendly ingredients chiming with the UK’s growing band of organic and veganic gardeners.

Find out more

To find out more about The Greener Gardening Company’s leading range, please visit www.thegreenergardener.com

Wildflower specialist, Seedball, has launched Christmas gifts to help protect bees and encourage wildlife.

Seedball is a non-profit company on a mission to help increase the abundance of British wildflowers and wildlife that depend upon them by making it easy for people to create wildlife havens, no matter what their available space is. 

Mini Meadow Bamboo Pots – RRP £20

A lovely Christmas gift for anyone looking to create a wildlife paradise, no matter how much space they have, is the Mini Meadow Bamboo Pot kit. 

The kits consist of:

• a set of three biodegradable and compostable bamboo pots and saucers,
• peat-free coir discs 
• 12 wildflower seed balls 
• full instructions on how to use the kit.

These super eco and wildlife friendly sets have everything needed to create a mini-meadow, including the soil. All of the cardboard packaging is made from 100% recycled card and is also fully compostable. The coir discs, made from natural coconut fibre, expand when water is added, turning into the perfect growing medium.

The sets are available in three varieties: 

• Bee Mix (Foxglove, Birdsfoot trefoil, Red clover, Wild Marjoram, Viper's-Bugloss), 
• Butterfly Mix (Forget-me-not, Red Campion, Yarrow, Purple Loosetrife, Musk Mallow)  
• Garden Meadow (Cornflower, Oxeye Daisy, Cowslip, Common Toadflax, Musk Mallow, Meadow Cranesbill, Red Campion).

Bee Rescue Gift Set - RRP £15

This Christmas, Seedball has teamed up with the Devon based company, Beevive, to create a great gift box for bee lovers of all ages. 

The Bee Rescue Set includes a Limited Edition Gold Bee Mix tin containing 20 seed balls packed with wildflowers that are best for helping bees. These seeds include Viper’s-Bugloss, Foxglove, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Red Clover, Wild Marjoram and a sprinkling of annuals including Cornflower and Chamomile. 

The gift set is completed with a refillable glass container of sugar solution for helping to revive tired bees when you're out and about, which is held on a keyring in an elegant aluminium casing.

The set is sold in a beautiful steel blue box with delicate gold bee stamp. 

To view the products and to find out more about Seedball visit https://seedball.co.uk/

You can also find Seedball on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Following a significantly successful year breaking all sales records, VegTrug is currently preparing for the launch of its new product range for 2021. 

Several exciting new products will officially launch across the business in the UK, Europe and the USA in early 2021.

With high order volumes already received, the range includes: Self Watering Systems that have been custom made for VegTrug products, Nesting Plant Stands and a stand out new Frame & Multi Cover Set - a combined PE Cover with and Micro Mesh Cover to allow multiple different airflow and growing configurations. This product has been developed from the original after carefully considering customer feedback and product research.

VegTrug has made major investments in its business both in the UK and USA during the pandemic crisis and has seen a huge increase in demand for its products with major customers placing early orders for 2021. In very difficult times the company is employing new staff and growing against all odds.

Joe Denham, VegTrug CEO, said: “We are very excited to be moving towards the 2021 season with our products at the forefront of a new wave of at-home grow your own enthusiasts. Our team is working hard to ramp up production to meet demand and the new products we have introduced this year are already proving to be well received in the marketplace. I would like to thank everyone in the organisation for their work in 2020 and our retail partners for their continued support.”

A full 2021 catalogue and price list is now available to view the new product range in printed form and as a pdf.

Contact Mark Crowley for all in store trade sales at mark@vegtrug.com and James Allan for all online sales at james@vegtrug.com.

Dobbies is developing its first small format store – Little Dobbies – located on Raeburn Place in Edinburgh and scheduled to open in November. It is the first of its kind for the retailer that has 68 garden centres across the UK.

The core of the Little Dobbies’ offer will be horticulturally focused with a range of convenience gardening products. This will be complemented by a carefully curated range featuring houseplants and pots; a small range of gifts; and selected seasonal ranges. For opening, the seasonal ranges will feature Christmas items, including decorations, wreaths and hampers.

There will also be a coffee shop, offering hot and cold drinks, as well as takeaway food. 

Graeme Jenkins, CEO at Dobbies, said: “This is an exciting new venture for our team, as we launch the first Little Dobbies. The store will feature gardening essentials for city centre residents and will showcase some of the extensive ranges available at our larger stores and at dobbies.com

“Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the project and we can’t wait to open the doors of Little Dobbies in November.”

Opening hours for Little Dobbies are Monday to Friday, 10:00 -18:00; Thursday 10:00-19:00; Saturday and Sunday 09:00-18:00.

For further information visit dobbies.com

Following hot on the heels of the bestselling MO Bacter from DJ Turfcare, the company’s all-new Lawn Boost will help to complement sales of lawncare essentials this coming spring.

Complementing the DJ Turfcare product portfolio perfectly, the newly launched organic-based Lawn Boost will provide the ideal feed solution for lawns where moss is not a problem. Like all DJ Turfcare products, Lawn Boost is safe for use around children and pets, giving it mass consumer appeal.

For use throughout spring and summer, Lawn Boost will kickstart the lawn following winter and will encourage healthy growth, characterised by a vibrant colour and strong grass plants. Additional benefits also include good drought resistance, whilst the bacteria found in Lawn Boost will convert thatch into nourishing plant feed which lasts for up to 100 days. Each 10kg bag of Lawn Boost will feed a 200m2 lawn, perfect for the average UK garden which currently stands at 160m2.

David Jenkins of DJ Turfcare said: “Spring lawn care is not only vital for the garden, but also for retailers as it sparks a key sales period for them, one which can set the tone for the remainder of the gardening season.

"Our RHS-endorsed MO Bacter product has been a proven seller for many years, and one which retailer’s often remark they can rely upon to drive sales whilst encouraging repeat custom.

"However, MO Bacter is very focused on delivering results where moss is present, and as such we wanted to provide a similar solution for those lawn owners who are lucky enough to not suffer from moss, the result of this being Lawn Boost.

"Now retailers have two organic-based products that meet the needs of all lawn owners, both providing peace of mind that they will deliver incredible results.”

DJ Turfcare’s market leading product portfolio

DJ Turfcare’s wider organic-based product offering includes the bestselling RHS-endorsed MO Bacter, Recovery, Bio-Lime, MO Bacter Instant. Additionally, the portfolio includes the new-for-2020 Autumn Lawn Treatment. All products are supported by quick delivery within five days.

Find out more

To start stocking DJ Turfcare’s latest offering or to top-up your latest order, please contact the team by calling (01483 200976) or by visiting www.djturfcare.co.uk

Pete Hoekstra, the United States ambassador to the Netherlands, planted flower bulbs with the appropriate name ‘American Dream’.

They look forward to a blooming spring in 2021 in which visitors can come to the park again.

Every year many Americans visit Keukenhof. It is still uncertain whether that will be possible next year due to the COVID-19 measures and possible travel restrictions.

Ambassador Hoekstra and his wife are regular visitors of Keukenhof. 

“Last spring, my wife and I were expecting visitors from the United States almost every week who were looking forward to visit Keukenhof,” said Hoekstra. 

“Unfortunately, it turned out differently but I hope they can visit Keukenhof next spring. We will then proudly show them the American Dream tulips which we planted today.”

For next year Keukenhof expects mainly visitors from The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. 

“We look forward to open Keukenhof for visitors again in 2021,” said director Bart Siemerink. ‘’In 2019 more than 150,000 Americans visited Keukenhof. We hope to welcome them back to the park soon.’’

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Southern Trident significantly strengthens its senior team with the appointment of Steve Harper as their new CEO.

Speaking on the occasion, Balaji Manoharan, Founder, Southern Trident said “Steve’s appointment as our CEO reiterates our commitment to be at the forefront of the peat-free initiative, which continues to gain momentum in the UK. His strong cross functional industry background, coupled with the pivotal leadership role in structured, effective programs such as the Responsible Sourcing Scheme, made him a natural choice. All of us at Southern Trident are delighted that the company’s core value of delivering sustainability and strong appetite for growth will now be supported by a CEO who has dedicated a significant part of his professional career to advocate such a notable environmental cause, alongside delivering commercial results.”

Steve will bring to the team his deep knowledge and experience during his 20 years in the industry, having held key roles, including Sales Director at William Sinclair Horticulture and Managing Director of the start-up peat-free growing media company Vital Earth and is past Chair of the Growing Media Association.

Steve joins Southern Trident from The Greener Gardening Company (previously Bord na Mona) where, as Sales and Marketing Director he helped to develop the company's UK market and was instrumental in the rapid growth of its distribution base and launch of their own peat-free compost brand. Steve also chairs the industry wide Responsible Sourcing Scheme for Growing Media working with Defra, the HTA, NGO’s, retailers and other manufacturers.

Steve says about the move “I am hugely excited to be joining the Southern Trident, their initial products are already recognised as being pioneering and award winning, bringing a whole new dimension to the growing media market and being welcomed by retailers across the country. A strong team is being brought together to rapidly expand this business with plans to become a significant manufacturer of the future. Where previously peat producers dominated the market with access to their core raw material now Southern Trident is in control of its destiny bringing its coir-based products from its factories in India delivering both innovation and quality to the UK market.”

Southern Trident Ltd, through its brand Coco & Coir™ in the last 12 months has enjoyed substantially beyond budgeted, increased sales growth. Southern Trident is a UK company with strong roots in India supplying high quality coir based growing medium and eco-friendly doormats. Customers are supplied direct from source to market in a fully Southern Trident managed seamless operation. Sustainability is at the heart of Southern Tridents foundation believing that the coconut is the perfect crop that will work for the consumer, the environment and meet the aims of the Southern Trident strongly held company values, Green today, Greener tomorrow.   

For more information on our pre-season deals and to arrange a meeting please contact Ian Riggs

Email - ian@southerntrident.com   Call – 07368 134605

Visit: www.southerntrident.com to register, sign up, view ranges

Click through to our short video to see our range https://youtu.be/I5rO9EaBpO0

Social media:

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Christmas sales increased last week in the run up to half-term with Top 50 volume sales on a par with sales this week last year.

Tree Decorations saw the biggest increases. With less people travelling away for Christmas this year we could be seeing an influx of people buying more and new decorations for a tree they haven’t put up for several years.

Christmas Soap, Pigs in Blankets and Stuffing and Turkey Crisps, Festive Reindeer Tubes of Chocolate Chip Biscuits and Gingerbread Man Swop Point Crayons all feature in the GTN Christmas Top 50 this week.  

Highlights of the week were:

• Jeno’s Robin Pick is the highest re-entry at No 11.
• Kaemingk’s Glass Ball 8cm Royal Purple is the highest new entry at No 15.
• Widdop’s Christmas Hand Soap zooms 20 places up the chart to No 8.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

Azpects Ltd has appointed Geoff Seddon and Rebecca Cox to create the company’s retail division.

Azpects specialises in developing and manufacturing products for creating and maintaining outdoor hard landscaping, and is the creator of EASYJoint, the industry’s leading patio jointing compound.

Geoff has managed national accounts within the DIY and garden industries for an American Fortune 500 company in the paint and coating manufacturing industry for the past 26 years. Rebecca is an experienced national account manager having spent the past 15 years working with UK garden centres and major national retailers.

Paul Taylor, managing director of Azpects, commented: “As part of Azpects’ ongoing growth strategy we have taken the decision to move into the retail market with a variety of our landscaping creation and maintenance products.

"Geoff and Rebecca will be leading the charge and taking our high-quality, user-friendly products to end users through new channels in the retail sector. We are very pleased to welcome them to the team.”

In all the years we’ve been compiling the GTN Bestsellers Charts you have to go back to 2009 to see garden product sales increase week on week during October and this year increases have exceeded that. Gardening really is seeing new levels of activity and purchasing like never before.

Highlights of the week were:

• Pots and pot feet continue to sell at record levels. Woodlodge Small Pot Feet are a re-entry at No 3. Woodlodge’s Spang Pot 3 inch moves up from No 15 to No 2.
• Smart Garden G50 Anti-Weed Fabric, 1.5m wide, per metre is the highest new entry at No 11.
• Vitax Perlite 10 litres debuts in the GTN Bestsellers chart at No 27.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

At the end of the Dahlia season, FleuroStar winner Sincerity has impressed the international ornamental industry with its excellent garden performance.

Edwin Oortwijn, Product Manager Dahlia at Syngenta Flowers: "I'm pleased to see that Dahlia Sincerity thrives on the trial fields of our clients. After winning FleuroStar, we received so many orders that we have tripled our cuttings production to meet the demand. So far, Sincerity's market introduction is going very smoothly and all looks very promising for an excellent 2021 season."

This new Dahlia’s fully double flowers can reach a diameter of over 20 cm. Sincerity features many, early blooms showcasing large pink and white bi-color flowers with just a touch of yellow at their centre.

Michael Kester, previous Global Head Syngenta Flowers who retired early September: "Everything good about dahlias comes together in Sincerity: colour, practical value, wow factor and ease of use. It’s a great example of innovative genetics that adds value and serves the entire chain."

Wild Bird and Wildlife Care product sales dropped 5% week on week but were 6% higher than the same week last year.  

Highlights of the week were:

• RHS Suet Balls 60 Tub stayed at No 1 for the third consecutive week.
• Henry Bell Fat Balls, 50 Tub, moved up 1 place to No 2.
• Westland Peckish Xtra Goodness Energy Balls, Pack of 6 plus 6 Free, climbed the furthest up the chart from No 42 last week to No 12 this week.
• Brambles Meaty Hedgehog Food 4 re-entered the GTN Top 50 at No 40.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

The RHS has announced plans to safely run the 2021 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, sponsored by M&G, with many new precautions due to coronavirus to protect everyone at the Show held at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. 

For the first time in its 108* year history the Show will run for 6 days in 2021, from Tuesday 18 May to Sunday 23 May.  There will also be reduced visitor numbers compared to pre-Covid Shows across the increased number of days. 

Tickets will go on sale at the end of October (RHS Members 26 October, Public 30 October), which will see 140,000 visitors at the show over six days, compared to 168,500 over five days in 2019. 

The RHS has consulted on its plans and believes, with the measures it is implementing, that it can operate the primarily outdoor event safely for everyone. 

Other Covid safety measures that the RHS is taking include: 

• Socially Distanced Queuing
• Extra Parking/park and ride
• Crowd modelling and increased circulation and space changes to spread popular areas
• Enhanced cleaning and waste disposal
• Cashless transactions where possible
• Increased monitoring to ensure safe distancing amongst visitors 
• Masks in indoor areas
• Flexible ticket exchange for ticket holder experiencing symptoms
• Track and trace check-in as per the guidance during show week

There will also be a reduction of closed seated restaurants.  Restaurants will be made more open with spaced seating and table service.  

The RHS has consulted with its’ Nursery Representative Group about the additional day and has written to all Nurseries today to start wider consultation on the impact and measures to support the Nurseries at the Show due to the extra day.

Sue Biggs, RHS Director General, said:  “We plan our Shows 18 months in advance and have been planning and researching how to open the 2021 RHS Chelsea safely and securely for our visitors, partners and exhibitors since April this year.  We have taken the time to get all our plans finalised and will now be consulting with exhibitors and supporting them further due to the changes we have had to make.  

“As the world’s most famous gardening event, RHS Chelsea is vital for the horticultural industry, as well as having a huge impact on inspiring people to garden and grow, which is so important for everyone’s health and for the environment. 

“Whilst we continue to live in uncertain times and May is a long way off, we believe these measures will mean we can safely run the Show, although we will of course be ready to react to any Government advice and if we sadly need to, will offer anyone who has booked a ticket a full refund.”

Helena Pettit, Director of RHS Shows and Gardens said:  “We’ve consulted with the emergency services and all safety stakeholders involved with Chelsea Flower Show and everyone is confident in our plans and happy with the work we have done.  Alongside the additional Covid Safety measures, in-ground daily numbers will be reduced and we are pleased to have been able to add an extra day. 

“We are looking forward to working with our exhibitors and contractors to welcome visitors to the Show next year and bringing the world’s greatest gardening event back.”

The RHS will be announcing some of the 2021 content highlights for its RHS Shows at Malvern, Chelsea, Hampton and Tatton at the end of the month.

Tong Garden Centre lent its support to a local team of virtual marathon runners by donating sunflower seeds for the traditional post-race goody bag.

When Sarah Scott's plans to run the London Marathon to raise funds for Mind with her brother, Robert were curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic, she decided to host her own virtual event to coincide with the Yorkshire Marathon in memory of her sister who committed suicide in December 2019.

The 37 year old from Wakefield gathered together a team of 50 friends from Running Fit Yorkshire and Stanley Rodillions who ran a socially distanced marathon in aid of Mind on October 18th; the date that the Yorkshire Marathon should have taken place.

"Thank you, Tong for the donation of sunflower seeds. Sunflowers were my sister's favourite flowers, so it was lovely to include these in the goody bags as a memento of the virtual race," said Mrs. Scott.

Tong Garden Centre's Head of Marketing, Jo Dales, was pleased to help the fundraising initiative: "The benefits of gardening on mental health are well documented and it's a pleasure to help Sarah and her team to raise valuable funds for Mind."

With funds still coming in, the team hope to raise £2,000 and Mrs. Scott also sourced Yorkshire crisps, pork pie, brownies, water, a Leeds Mind tea shirt and a medal for the goody bags.

Mrs. Scott has been running for 13 years and this will be her fourth marathon. The route went through Wakefield, Thornes, Ossett, Earls Heaton, Kirkham Gate, Outwood and Wrenthorpe.

In the October edition of GTN, which will be arriving in the post early this week, we've published a compilation of research and analysis about the "New Gardener" phenomenon. We also asked garden centres what how they are reacting to the changing market dynamic or not:

Garden Centre Comments:  GTN asked garden centres their views on the New Gardener phenomenon…

Derek Bunker, Alton Garden Centre

 “We know we have many new customers coming in store because the most asked question this summer has been “Where are the toilets?” As a result we are buying more of what we already sell.  I wouldn’t say there were necessarily more gardeners but there are definitely more garden occupiers who have a greater awareness of their gardens.

“In our area, (South Essex), people have been buying things to go in their garden; fountains, furniture, BBQ’s, bird baths, ornaments and landscaping products.

We’ve also seen an increase in the sale of large plants as they grow their garden awareness and look to improve their gardens.”

Alan Roper, Blue Diamond

“Whilst I don’t totally buy into the ‘new gardeners hyberbole my analysis shows that new customers must be responsible for the average spend increases experienced. Average spend for June, July and August in GCA garden centres was 64%, 40% and 33% respectively, whilst footfall for the same months for GCA garden centres was down 8%, 5.45% and 7%.

“What drove gardening sales were higher basket spends. What I can’t rule out though is that the mix of customers who did shop was weighted more to ‘gardening’ and this drove average spend up. Our Blue Diamond club members spent an average 25% more so the additional 25% increase we witnessed must have come from new customers (we were 50% up in total). We did see new customers but felt this was mainly due to transfer from competitors when we had stock and they didn’t always have it at various points in the season. Our footfall has been positive every month since lockdown.

“With that in mind the facts do support that new customers entered the arena and tried some form of gardening, as they had the time! But I doubt the figures of 3 million being claimed and feel that any new interest will be fleeting. When normal life resumes the majority of consumers will resume their normal daily lifestyles. The same thing happened after the banking crisis – there was a boom in grow your own for a short period which then calmed to normal levels.

“We don’t plan any changes in our business because as a garden retailer your approach is always to focus on new potential gardeners – to support, help and demystify. Suppliers drive this through innovation and marketing.”

Will Blake, St Peters Garden Centre

“We are definitely getting more customers asking ‘How do I….’ on a whole range of subjects from planting bulbs, improve my lawn, not kill my houseplants. It highlights to me just how many more people have taken an interest in gardening. Being able to deal with and answer these questions has always been one of the strengths of the garden centre industry. It is what keeps customers coming to us opposed to going to the supermarkets or DIY sheds. So, in some ways it is business as usual for us.

“With the horticulture trend very obviously on the up, we have given more space, display & prominence to the horti products and ranges. Of course, we also made it easy for beginners, ensuring relevant products are grouped together.

“We have been as nimble as possible throughout the crisis – reacting, replenishing, moving, increasing or decreasing – anything which will help our recovery. Product has been in short supply and you can guarantee that everyone is after the same stuff! We are planning a number of department moves for January to give more space to horticultural categories, such as houseplants, as the trend roars on.

“Looking ahead I believe our core gardening categories will continue to do well in the coming months and years. If staycations remain outdoor living will continue on the up into 2021 and beyond. ‘Localism’ and ‘Providence’ seem to be more important than ever. Likewise supporting local businesses definitely appears to be higher on our customers’ radar. We also see that customer expectation around sustainability, and environmentally friendly product remains at the forefront, thankfully! I am proud to say we do not have a single ‘disposable cheap toy’ in any of our crackers this year.”

Sam Bosworth, Bosworth’s Garden Centre

“Are there actually new gardeners? Our customer numbers are down but sales up and average transaction value way up. I do think the new gardeners are there but I am not convinced about the massive numbers suddenly going green-fingered.

“We did have new customers around when we re-opened, mainly because they couldn't get standard product, such as compost, from their normal source, and they were hunting it out, but, we did not have it either.  Have we retained them?  Some yes, but that is gut feeling as we cannot analyse this sort of thing in depth.

“We are certainly selling more houseplants, that trend has continued upwards, and that is driven by a good percentage of new customers.  We only have a small traditional 'jams and chutneys' food offering, so that has been moved to make way for more houseplants, and to make them more accessible with the new customer flow in place.  Specimen and hanging houseplants have a bigger presence, and the ratio of non-flowering houseplants to flowering continues to rise.  Also, more succulents and structural houseplants are selling, which I think are a younger, newer audience.

“One thing we have noticed is that we are selling what traditional horticulturists would say are bizarre plant combinations.  If it is in flower, and looks nice, then we can sell it.  We still have some late delivered Begonias in flower in the plant area, which is leading to Begonia/Viola/Ivy/Cyclamen combinations being planted.  Newer, and inexperienced, customers are not shackled by horticultural knowledge and tradition, and we need to work with this.  Not necessarily in an exploitive way but understanding and working with inexperienced customers who just want instant colour.  Some of my staff have really struggled with this.

“We are seeing more staff time being taken up with customers, which I guess are the 'newbies' asking questions a lot of the time.  Personal shopping is the new term on the Planteria and this is difficult to discourage even if it costs significantly more staff time.  We have taken more staff on to cope with this.  One candidate was successful specifically because she came from an Interior Plant display company, after redundancy, and will bolster our service levels in houseplants.

“Looking to 2021 it will be about colour, colour and more colour in plants, particularly herbaceous in larger pot sizes. I guarantee we will all sell out of roses if we can get any!  Gardening products will still be strong sellers, but we must ensure products are fit for purpose and not price led all the while.  Grow your own will again be popular as people will still be at home more, which will hopefully see continued strong furniture and garden decoration sales.

“Marketing in 2021 is going to be based on Social media more than ever. Lead times for traditional print marketing make it risky, and we have been very busy in 2020 with no marketing and no loyalty mailings, which we will have to deal with early in 2021. Of course, I am hoping that we see a reduction in sales of face masks and visors.”

Kevin Turley, Lakeside Garden Centre

“We have found like the rest of the industry a massive increase in new customers. There have been a lot of first-time buyers and they have been asking a lot of more simple questions. They are finding their feet and using us more than the supermarkets as they can get the knowledge they need from ourselves. We have seen 40% growth on last year. Pots, plants and compost have been the winners with pots at this rate almost showing 100% growth on its own.

“As we went into lockdown we looked at what we could do to keep trading and support customers – we offered a free delivery service but with a twist. We asked our customers to give a donation to the local hospice (whose funding disappeared) and working with Taylors Bulbs we offered Narcissi Rainbow – with all proceeds going to the hospice as well. As a garden centre we have been very lucky and felt it fair to spread our luck with others who might not have been so fortunate.

“Next year is going to be interesting and I can still see a 25% growth on what this year should have been. With plans for more housebuilding I can see more growth on pots, compost and plants for these as gardens nowadays are smaller and this works easier for the busy modern gardener who doesn’t have time to weed big borders. This year social media has been a godsend with our reach increasing from 3,000 to almost 5,000 followers.”

Roger Crookes and Nicola Pugh – Pughs Garden Centre

“This feels like an amazing opportunity for our trade – I can’t recall a shift towards gardening from all ages of the public like we have seen this year. We have to make sure that when other options become available for our new customers to invest their time and money, we have converted the ‘lock-down customers’ into committed lifelong customers and successful gardeners.

 “Our trade associations have been working with each other, and us, to help all areas of the trade maximise the opportunities – but in the end us is down to us to rise to the challenges.

 “Here in south Wales we have been in localised lockdowns for a few weeks, which means that some of our customers can’t get to us so we have to be ‘light on our feet’ and ready to change plans continually, and our staff also have to be flexible. For example, kitchen staff have found themselves watering in the plant area – and enjoying it!

 “A few thoughts about our garden products plans

•              The average customer has changed, has different expectations and doesn't understand a lot of what we say and do – we need to listen to them see what they are saying and watching e.g. on social media.

•              It is hard to predict how 2021 will unravel – this year’s amazing garden products season was driven by millions of potential customers having spare time, spare money and not many options on how to invest that spare cash and time … apart from gardening!

•              Present simple clear options and messages – browsing and catering which  have been our back bone for a long time are currently less popular, customers want to be in out of the centre and back home as soon as possible (this may change as lock downs are less common).

•              Product bundles – some web shop trends of linked products can be replicated on to the shop floor.

•              Look out for products that may not have worked in the past but will be ideal for our new customers.

•              Involve ‘non gardening’ staff in the garden products planning.”

Dobbies Garden Centres

A spokesperson for Dobbies said: “The two key audiences as outlined by the HTA, Family Focus and Convenience Gardeners, are aligned with our customer personas, and we have been working hard to engage these customers.

 “Our range is already authoritative but we are increasing ranges to cater for the demand from new gardeners. We have increased the range and prominence of houseplants in all stores as well enhancing our spring flowering bulbs and autumn gardening products. A more extensive range of planted containers and hanging baskets for the patio or doorstep are now available.

“Education is an important part of what we offer – “When do I do this” is the most common question we hear, as new gardeners ask for support and advice to look after their plants. We support this in-store, on social, on email as well as online to give confidence to new gardeners.

 “In 2021, our main focus will be meeting our customers’ requirements, providing a convenient shopping experience with quality products and educational information that helps them to have success with their gardening.

 “We believe the popularity of Grow Your Own will continue – we are up on seed sales compared to last year and we have seen increased demand for strawberries, herbs, fruit trees and soft fruit such as raspberries, and believe this will continue.

 “We’ve also increased our gardening product offering online and site visits to dobbies.com are the highest on record.”

Boyd Douglas-Davies, British Garden Centres

“We are directing a lot of our marketing output to social media as we can see a large customer engagement through this – quite probably a reflection of the new customers. We are using the pen portraits from the HTA to help us with ranging for 2021. Each of our centres is treated individually so these are giving us great insight into the customers around our sites, particularly the recently acquired ones.”

 Simon Bourne, Perrywood Garden Centres

“Christmas has started really strongly, especially at Tiptree where our customers are used to seeing our displays and every year they are eager for us to open the door to the Christmas shop. At Sudbury our Christmas is quite different to under previous ownership and it will take a few more years to build momentum. We have opened Christmas in the new Plant House at Sudbury with a vastly wider range of product than last year.

“We are discussing in our teams about plans for the 2021 season. We still feel that we are reacting to change and are operating a business that is quite different to years past. Therefore, the focus has still been on making changes to ensure that the Perrywood team and customers are not only kept safe but also have a pleasant shopping experience. We have had to change the layout of the shop, the till queuing system and the style of merchandising to allow for wider aisles.

 “For autumn we have reacted where we can but for many items it is too late. Christmas order books closed in March and any surplus stock they may have has been mopped up already. In our food area we have normally stocked ‘Gift and Treat’ but this autumn we have expanded to include local frozen meats including venison and wild boar as well as cooking sauces, flour and eggs.

 “Bulb and seed sales have been extremely strong along with autumn plants. We are still experiencing longer lead times from suppliers and items going out of stock that wouldn’t normally which can be frustrating for customers. Those that have learnt from this experience already pick items up to put on the shelf as a spare and we are therefore seeing lots of out of season purchases on many gardening products.”

Martin Cowell and Lynsey Crofts, Cowells Garden Centre

“We have more customers seeking advice on care for their plants than previously, these frequently include what type of compost to use and frequency of watering. This reflects the inexperience of many of our new customers, we are more than happy to offer advice and encouragement though and it’s wonderful to have so many people interested in gardening.

“We have always carried a large range of outdoor plants, we are working to ensure that this continues and that we have sufficient volume to cater for the increased demand. Plants and core gardening products will continue to see sales growth as well as garden furniture.

 “We have increased the size of our houseplant department again to reflect the continued growth in this area.

Julian Winfield, Haskins Garden Centres

"No new initiatives specifically, we have been too busy taking money.  We have spaced out Christmas to make it easier to social distance and we think this has worked and is something we will continue to do after Covid.  Customers have been in and out of the garden centres quickly, social distancing has been the driver for this I suspect.

"Keeping on top of our inventory has been key this year to make sure that we had stock of the key lines, through enormous efforts of our buying department and loyalty to our suppliers we have achieved this.

"The weather will remain our biggest driver, as always.  We were lucky this year with customers being at home more and the weather was fantastic."

If you'd like to add your comments about the "New Gardener" phenomenon, please use the comments space below or e-mail: trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk 

Read GTN's compilation of "New Gardener" research and analysis in the October issue of GTN on-line here

Paul Sykes, Managing Director of Apta, has left the company. Apta was acquired  by Ames in November 2019, prior to which Paul was the company’s owner. He led Apta since 2009 and has overseen the company’s transformation which saw sales triple over the period, entirely  through organic growth. 

Commenting on his departure Sykes said: “It’s been a huge pleasure to lead Apta for the last decade, and to have had the opportunity to work with wonderful people in the garden trade, including so many customers who have become friends. I am really looking forward to seeing Apta flourish as part of the Ames family. Ames have huge ambition for the UK, and as the worldwide leader in garden products Apta couldn’t be in better hands."

Paul North, Group Managing Director of Ames UK & Ireland, added: “We’re immensely grateful to Paul for agreeing to stay at the helm of Apta to oversee its transition into  the Ames family.  Apta is a wonderful business and we’re absolutely delighted its now part of Ames UK.  Thanks to the great work Paul and his team have done its extremely well positioned for further growth, and we look forward to cementing Apta’s position as the number one pot and planter supplier in the UK."

Ames had retained Sykes to assist them with strategy and business development via his management consultancy, Catalyst Consulting Group (enquiries@catalyst-group.co.uk).  “The transition has gone extremely well, and we’ve built a great deal of mutual respect, so I’m delighted to accept an invitation to continue a relationship with Ames in an advisory capacity to the Group."

Ames UK & Ireland comprises Apta, Kelkay, La Hacienda, Woodshaw, and True Temper in Ireland. The group has a turnover of £75m and is making significant investments to enable it to double sales to £150m within 5 years. 

Smart Garden Products has expanded its National Account team with the addition of Louise Gibbs.

Having worked in the Garden & Pet industries for the last 15 years, Louise has a wealth of relevant product knowledge and will be developing Smart’s Zöon pet business as well as pursuing opportunities across all of Smart’s product categories.

“I am a passionate gardener and the proud owner of 2 very naughty dogs. This has helped me understand what customers really want from both a consumer as well as a supplier perspective! I am delighted to have joined Smart as they continue to grow from strength to strength.” said Louise.

Jonathan Stobart, Managing Director added: “Louise brings invaluable experience which will be a great help to her in this key role. With both customer and product development responsibilities, she is a terrific addition to our team”.

After the winds and rain of Storm Alice, garden centre sales jumped back to the ‘New Normal’ levels we’ve seen since re-opening, with volume sales up by 16% on the same week last year.

Gardening was the big winner for the week with growing media and plants volumes up by 58% and 39% on week 41 of 2019 while Christmas was down by 27%.

The October issue of GTN magazine has a comprehensive compilation of all the consumer research we could find from this year. From that and other trends commentary it is becoming clear that this isn’t just a flash in the pan.  

We do appear to have a huge opportunity to make the ‘New Normal’ the real normal next year and grow sales even further. Do you agree? trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 41

• Garden Products Top 50 – up 8%
• Growing Media Top 50 – up 58%
• Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – up 10%
• Veg-2-Gro Top 50 – up 36%
• Christmas Top 50 – down 27%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 41

• All Plants with Barcode index – up 39%
• All Items with Barcode index – up 16%

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

The opening of Tong Garden Centre's new restaurant brings the head count at its Tong Lane site to over 200 local people.

A total of 24 new jobs were created in the table service Mezzanine Restaurant that opened earlier this week.

The Mezzanine is situated on the first floor of the award-winning garden centre's 2500 square metre two storey expansion and is in addition to the existing Restaurant.  It offers relaxed dining with an open aspect, brunch and lunch menus using seasonal and local produce and an extensive choice of patisserie, cakes and signature bakes, all made in the centre's instore bakery.

The jobs range from front of house staff to chefs and kitchen porters and assistants.

“Created by chef Jamie and his team, The Mezzanine's menu of contemporary dishes is freshly prepared using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients where possible and brought to your table by our friendly team,” said catering manager Catharine Westmoreland.

“We're very excited to bring a delicious brunch menu as well as some inspirational dishes for lunchtime but we're especially pleased to launch an impressive and irresistible selection of patisserie all made on site by our Food Hall bakers.”

The Mezzanine is open between 10am and 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 3.30pm on Sundays and caters for all dietary requirements. Lunchtime bookings are recommended by visiting tonggardencentre.co.uk

Tong Garden Centre occupies a 19-acre site in Tong village. It is one of Yorkshire's biggest independent garden centres with 125,000 square feet of retail space and parking for up to 700 cars.

Haskins Garden Centre in Snowhill, Crawley, has opened its doors to customers following a 12-month refurbishment costing £15m.

The new centre boasts a retail space of 11,813 sq.m., including an outdoor plant area and 440-seat restaurant complete with a newly installed pizza oven. Additional space has also been created to accommodate 170 restaurant guests on an outdoor patio.

Up to 70 new jobs have been created to accommodate the centre's expansion. Car parking has increased to 346 spaces.  See GTN Xtra's photo tour of the new centre below.

Chief executive Julian Winfield said the Snowhill team worked tirelessly to ensure the centre was able to remain open for the majority of the project, with minimal disruption.

“We can't wait to receive our customers' feedback on our new and improved facilities,” he added. “Over the years, we have built a loyal customer following and we are proud to be able to give back to them in this way with our new expanded centre.”

Haskins acquired the Snowhill site in 2003, inheriting a number of ageing buildings.

Haskins also has centres in Ferndown in Dorset, West End in Southampton and Roundstone in West Sussex. The family business recently acquired Forest Lodge Garden Centre, Bird World and Garden Style in Farnham.

Pictured (left to right): Julian Winfield, Jamie Haskins, Ally Haskins (married to Jamie) and Warren Haskins, the group's chairman. 

The opening event was attended by the current GCA Chairman Mike Burks and three past Chairs; Warren Haskins, Sue Allen and Julian Winfield.

Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.

The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2018 as well as 2019 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 07973 504214, e-mail karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird and Wildlife Care Bestsellers chart for last week are here

Highlights of the GTN Christmas Products Bestsellers chart for last week are here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers.  Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.

Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.

GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £100m.

Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.

For further information contact karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call 07973504214.

Buy your subscription today and start receiving the GTN Bestsellers charts this week.

This Christmas at Dobbies Garden Centres, pet lovers across the country have the chance to book their beloved pooch or feline friend in for the ultimate festive experience.  

Santa Paws will be available at selected stores from the 28 November to 24 December, with pet owners able to take a purr-fect snap to celebrate the festive period. 

This will take place in-store and four-legged friends will enjoy a selfie with Santa in his Winter Wonderland, and also receive a special treat from him. 

Graeme Jenkins, CEO at Dobbies, said: “With a strong pet offering in store, we have a very loyal group of four-legged customers who enjoy our products all-year-round – and we wanted to offer a special festive experience just for them. 

“Along with the chance for owners to take a snap with Santa, we have a whole host of pet food, toys and grooming products to spoil your pets this Christmas.”

The safety of customers and team members is Dobbies number one priority and a number of social distancing and hygiene measures are in place for events. As well as reduced capacity to ensure social distancing is adhered to, customers taking part in the Santa Paws experience will be required to wear a face covering in store, with scheduled sanitation carried out between visits.  

Santa Paws takes place on weekends from 28 November and is priced at £6.99 per pet. Slots must be booked in advance at dobbies.com. Customers can also Book with Confidence, with a full refund issued if Dobbies cancel the event, and free cancellation if customers need to cancel, up to 3 days prior to the event.

Santa Paws will be available at the following stores: Atherstone, Huntingdon, Kings Lynn, Peterborough, York, Aberdeen, Ayr, Carlisle, Dundee, Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Inverness, Lisburn, Livingston, Milngavie, Morpeth, Cirencester, Gillingham, Milton Keynes, Liverpool and Southport.

Sniffers Pet Care is continuing to expand, with a record year-end turnover figure of £1.3m and plans to take on more staff. 

Sniffers distributes a wide range of products to around 700 pet care stores across the UK, from independent traders to household names such as Pets at Home.

Under the directorship of Simon Brown, who joined in 2017, the company’s turnover has increased by 25% year-on-year and reaching £1.3m at the end of its financial year in September.

Growth continued throughout lockdown, with the business remaining fully operational to support key stores from its 6,250 sq ft base at Bridge Business Park, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

The team has expanded from three to seven over the past year. Rachael Bancroft (right) has just joined the team as business development manager, with a further three roles set to be created across the next 12 months.

Simon said he was delighted with the year-end results, adding that the aim was to increase this to more than over £5m across the next three years.

“I’m happy that we were able to not only continue trading during lockdown but to actively continue to grow the business. It’s especially gratifying to be creating jobs for people within our community – as a family firm, our roots are firmly in the Huddersfield area and we hope that we can continue to add to the team as time goes on.”

Sniffers holds the exclusive distribution rights for the UK and Ireland for the Bow Wow range of canine treats, with sales increasing by 10% in the past year. The company has its own niche offerings such as Monster Chocs, a range of dog-friendly chocolate, and the Vitapol range of treats for small animals and caged birds.

A key part of the Sniffers portfolio is the company’s own brand of healthy treats, Buffalo Natural Dog Treats, which expanded in September 2019 from bulk to include a shelf ready range of 14 different products.