In This Issue
Blue Diamond celebrate the refurbishment of Bicester Avenue
Wyevale Garden Club changes to a discount scheme tomorrow
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Primeur launches Christmas Doormat to raise money for Greenfingers
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Taylors celebrate 100 years with Daffodil Day
Dobbies to boost focus on plants and gardening
April sales volumes start down on last year
GTN secures new Glee Official Media Partnership agreement
Handy Distribution rolls out range of Greenworks cordless garden-machinery across Dobbies centres
New jobs created as David's Garden Centre celebrates first birthday in Cherry Lane family
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Garden industry warned to watch out for email scam
Haskins launches new Facebook page to encourage children to get outside and enjoy gardening
Bermuda Water Gardens to show at Glee 2019
Tong Garden Centre partners with TV gardener again
Henry Bell launches own wild bird care brand
WilkinsonEyre breaks ground on the National Centre for Horticultural Science and Learning
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Baytree of Hilgay
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Hillier Botley
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Forest Lodge
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GIMA announces new Council at AGM
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Tomato plants dominate Veg-2-Gro sales
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Cold weather prompts bird feeding uplift
Tomato plants are number one sellers
Nursery working group visits plastics recycling centre
Adam Dunnett joins Hilliers board of directors
Haskins Snowhill raises more than £2,700 for Alzheimer's Society
An evening with Pam Rhodes at Castle Gardens
Final countdown to HTA Sustainability Matters
The best of last week's
Dobbies Garden Centres announces the acquisition of 31 centres from Wyevale
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Wyevale Garden Centres agrees sale of six more garden centres...four to Hilliers and two to Otter
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Dobbies to boost focus on plants and gardening

Dobbies, now the UK’s biggest garden retailer with 69 outlets following last week’s purchase of 31 from Wyevale Garden Centres, plans to put greater emphasis on plants and gardening, the group’s horticultural director has revealed.

 

Speaking at a Garden Industry Manufacturers Association day conference last Wednesday, Marcus Eyles told delegates that the newly-re-branded Dobbies was aiming for a three-way split with catering, plants and gardening and gifts/other merchandise each accounting for a third of the business.

 

He appealed to suppliers to work together with the group to provide innovation and new products to inspire contemporary consumers, especially millennials. (Core millennials are defined by researchers as those born between 1981 and 1996.)

 

He said the influence of social media was key in identifying products and services consumers now wanted – but the garden industry itself should be setting the trends, not social media. The emphsasis should be on ideas, inspiration and support, not hard work and boring jobs – an exciting opportunity for retailers and suppliers working together and sharing information.

 

Eyles is on a mission to significantly upgrade the Dobbies offer by Spring 2020 and confessed the timescale was a challenge for the business and its suppliers. He said he was aiming to have next year’s product range signed off during May and June and that Glee was too late to achieve change in time.

 

He suggested the industry should do more to promote the potential of grow-your-own, house-plants, sleek garden decoration and outdoor maintenance products (like robotic mowers) that saved time and effort.

 

He also said Dobbies would need more plants, and urged UK nurseries to consider upping production so it could continue to reduce reliance on imports from Europe.

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