The Outdoor Essentials department is an awkward part of the garden centre – generally un-loved and under-traded. Typically it’s a collection of stands of different heights that don't match, products of variable quality with little or no information to help the purchaser, overall, not a reflection of your brand’s values and falling short on the impact of other categories like tools or garden birds. Yet it’s a big category, worth an estimated £75m at retail.

Jonathon Laker at Westland thinks there's a better way. “We call our system G.E.M.S – it stands for the garden equipment merchandising system, and its for all of these gems that are hiding in the under-cover area. It's modular, the same size and height as the back wall – and it's got a five-year life span. We can be supply it as an island or a back wall, and we’ve even integrated accessories into it so you get the maximum possible attachment and link sale.”

It features 11 stands that are infinitely flexible, and most importantly, designed to sell. For example, you can have a run of 11, or an island unit, or a combination of an island and a run around a corner. The stands cover everything from netting, bamboo canes, plant supports stakes to trellis, bulk rolls and essentials, organising these sub-categories in the same way you are used to for your seed sales (complete with out-of-stock cards). You can see the entire system at Glee.

Designs will be bespoke to each centre with a view to installation and merchandising during the period from September to Christmas, when this part of the centre is quieter.

Westland are in Hall 20 at Glee 2022, on stands F60-G61 & F40-G41, and look forward to welcoming you.

www.gardenhealth.com