GTN Bestsellers garden centre Epos data analysis of volume sales over the Easter fortnight reveals that total volume sales were 11% down on Easter 2022 but 4% up on Easter 2019 and 44% up on Easter 2018 when we experienced the “Beast from the East.”

Within those total sales volumes, plant sales were down on Easter 2022 and 2019 by 21% and 15%, but up on 2018 by 45%.

The problem with comparing Easter sales is that it moves around so much; from late March in 2018 to the end of April in 2019. As Easter this year was one week earlier than in 2022 we won’t be able to see a true year on year trading comparison.

The current year to date GTN Bestsellers All Products Index, at the end of week ending Sunday 16^th April 2023 is down 1.7% on 2022 but up 19% vs 2019.  That fits well with reports that footfall and restaurant sales have been good.  The cold and wet weather has, however had a bigger effect on plant sales.

To date plant sales volumes are running at 11.6% down on 2022.  Thankfully this year’s weather has not been as bad as 2018; the GTN Bestsellers All Plants index is currently 43% higher than 2018.

Those with good memories and records will recall that even after the disastrous Spring of 2018, sales volumes recovered to be 8% up on 2017 by the year end for All Plants and only 1% down on 2017 for All Products Sales volumes.

As can be seen from the week by week All Products Index tracking, below, this years sales are moving in the right direction but there are some big weeks to be hit.  Let’s hope that current cold snap really is that last and that summer can start properly in time for the Coronation weekend and all the opportunities that brings.

With the long May bank holiday in mind, here is the current Top 10 Coronation Bestsellers in garden centres:

See photos of Coronation displays we saw at St Peters in Worcester and at Cooks Stourport last week.  Please send us photos of your Coronation displays and sales ideas so we can add them to GTN Xtra: e-mail to trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk

Garden Centre Association members are being invited to nominate staff for the organisation’s 2023 Rising Stars programme sponsored by Westland Horticulture.

The GCA is requesting nominations by May 14, 2023.

Peter Burks, GCA Chief Executive, says: “We’re delighted to announce that the application process for our 2023-24 Rising Stars programme is now open and that Westland Horticulture is once again supporting and backing this exciting initiative.

“The Rising Stars programme is a fantastic opportunity for anyone nominated, as they’ll be able to develop their skills, while being mentored by experts in the gardening industry. It’s like no other training they are likely to receive and everything they learn will be brought back and used at the garden centre where they work, to the benefit of everyone.

“If garden centres feel they have a team member who they feel is a ‘rising star’ within their organisation, they need to put them forward today.”

Each candidate should, in the nominator’s opinion, be a rising star, or have the potential to be one. They should have a passion or desire to contribute to this year’s programme’s key topic, which is the environment and sustainability.

They should hold a position below management level and also be available to attend a series of virtual and face-to-face workshops throughout the year.

They need to have access to financial data too, including sales and cost prices, be able to demonstrate a drive and commitment that shows they wish to be developed, and have sales ideas for growing an area of the business in a sustainable or environmental manner.

Applications, which are available from info@gca.org.uk, should be completed and sent to laura@gca.org.uk before Sunday, May 14, 2023.

Peter adds: “The best performing finalists will be asked to the final workshops in the series and will then be invited to attend our annual conference in January 2024, where they will present their project idea and how it has progressed to the attendees. Delegates will then vote for a winner. GCA Inspector and Rising Stars programme mentor, Gordon Emslie will provide coaching in presentation skills in advance of the conference.”

The GCA represents more than 200 garden centres nationwide.

Through sharing information and its inspection programme, the GCA helps members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.

For further information, please visit www.gca.org.uk.

Forest Garden has been honoured with the first ever King’s Award for Enterprise – for Innovation. The highest and most prestigious award possible for UK businesses.
 
Forest Garden received the honour in recognition of a world-leading fully automated manufacturing process they created for fence panels, which cuts production time by 70%.
 
Forest Garden CEO, Guy Grainger, said: “Whilst innovating the manufacture of fence panels may not seem particularly exciting, in our sector it has been nothing short of revolutionary.
 
“To have successfully introduced a new panel suitable for automation into our market, alongside replacing a traditional manufacturing process with ground-breaking high-speed automation, are achievements of which we are particularly proud.”
 
By fully automating the manufacturing process, the company has reduced panel production time by almost 70%, improved production margins, and enabled their UK-sourced and manufactured products to compete with imports.
 
Automation has also delivered a more uniform, quality product and increased the business’s ability to meet storm-driven surges in fencing demand.
 
Founded in 1974 Forest Garden, which employs over 500 people, manufacture and distribute wooden buildings, fencing and structures for residential and agricultural gardens.
 
Using only sustainable British timber, Forest Garden are part of the Forest Garden Group whose operations across Worcestershire and Scotland include sawmills and manufacturing plants.
 
Forest Garden are one of 148 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise. Announced today (Friday 21 April), Forest Garden has been recognised for its excellence in Innovation.
 
The King’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the UK. The awards were first established in 1965 and since then over 7,000 companies have achieved a King’s Award.
 
2023 marks the first year of The King’s Awards for Enterprise, reflecting His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses. The awards celebrate the success of exciting and innovative businesses which are leading the way with pioneering products or services, delivering impressive social mobility programmes, or showing their commitment to excellent sustainable development practices.

Image above shows factory workers, team leaders and managers at Forest Garden's manufacturing facility.in Worcestershire.

Podium Pet Products is celebrating after becoming one of the first companies to be honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise 2023.

The Berkshire-based company, whose popular brands include Dog Rocks and Be:Loved, has been recognised for its excellence in international trade.

Podium Pet Products is one of 148 organisations to receive a first-ever King’s Award for Enterprise. However, it is the second time a prestigious award of this kind has been bestowed on the company after Dog Rocks won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2016.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise was previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, and the new name reflects His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses. 

The Award programme, now in its 57th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.

Carina Evans, CEO of Podium Pet Products, said: “This is a tremendous honour for the company and recognition of the hard work, innovation and inspiration of a talented team.

“Having achieved the Queen’s Award for Enterprise seven years ago was marvellous for the company, and now to become one of the first UK companies to be honoured with a King’s Award is extra special.

“The company has grown significantly over the past few years, moving into international markets with a growing range of pet products, so it is particularly pleasing to be recognised for our international trade.”

Carina started the company in 2006 when a family friend mentioned a fantastic product called Dog Rocks that was selling well in Australia. She was working as an operations manager for a company that owned racecourses at the time but decided to start importing Dock Rocks. The product took off immediately in the UK and Carina managed to combine her two jobs for a couple of years before deciding to concentrate solely on the Dog Rocks business.

Taking the product into Europe and then the US were huge decisions that paid off, especially in the large American market, before Carina looked for new ranges of products to grow the business.

“Making natural products for animals was something I had been interested in for a long time, but it wasn’t until I found an old animal husbandry book that the idea of Be:Loved really took shape,” said Carina. “Using nothing but what could be found in the hedgerows and nature’s harvest, this book was a treasure trove of recipes to create treatments and balms to calm and soothe human and animal alike. We have reimagined these recipes for the Be:Loved brand.”

The full integration of Be:Loved into the portfolio prompted Carina to change the company name from Dog Rocks UK to Podium Pet Products, thereby encompassing all products under one trade roof.

Carina and the team have worked hard at the exporting side of the business, which now makes up more than half of the company’s sales.

“Export is now a joy but to begin with it was a minefield, especially in America,” admitted Carina. “Europe is becoming less traditional and regional with younger English-speaking buyers and savvy marketeers so therefore a more attractive market to us as well.

“Being honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2023 will help us grow the business in all our markets, and it is an accolade to be treasured.”

For more information about Podium Pet Products visit www.podiumpetproducts.com

Ahead of King Charles III’s early summer coronation, David Austin Roses shares its commemorative collection of seven garden roses. Composed of seven English shrub roses, there’s a royal story behind each and every stem…

"There is something in the act of planting a rose in your garden to honour this moment in history that we find particularly reflective. Perhaps it’s the metaphor of putting down roots, the promise of growth and the hope of bloom and glory. Whichever regal rose speaks to you most, bedding it into your garden this May is the perfect time for it to establish, ready to flower come summertime."

THE CORONATION COLLECTION BY DAVID AUSTIN ROSES

1. ROYAL JUBILEE (Auspaddle)

Named for: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her Diamond Jubilee 

Introduced in: 2012

Character notes: chalice-shaped blooms in a deep pink with paler pink undersides and a rich, fruity fragrance

2. ELIZABETH® (Ausmajesty) 

Named for: the late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in her memory

Introduced in: 2022

Character notes: large apple blossom pink rosettes surrounded by petals in blush white and a sweet scent of lemon sherbet and Old Rose.

3. PRINCESS ALEXANDRA OF KENT® (Ausmerchant) 

Named for: Princess Alexandra, cousin to Queen Elizabeth II and both a keen gardener and great lover of roses

Introduced in: 2007

Character notes: unusually large bright pink flowers wot a fresh Tea fragrance that evolves into lemon with hints of blackcurrants

4. WILLIAM AND CATHERINE (Ausrapper)

Named for: the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their wedding day

Introduced in: 2011

Character notes: shallow cups of white, full-petalled blooms with a pure myrrh scent

5. ENGLAND’S ROSE (Auslounge) 

Named for: in recognition for the birthplace of the English Rose

Introduced in: 2010

Character notes: glowing pink petals with a button eye and spicy Old Rose fragrance

6. ANNE BOLEYN (Ausecret)

Named for: the second of Henry VIII’s six wives

Introduced in: 1999

Character notes: sprays of cupped rosette blooms in a pretty mid-pink tone

7. PRINCESS ANNE® (Auskitchen)

Named for: Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal

Introduced in: 2010

Character notes: large and fragrant rich pink clusters with thick and polished foliage

For further detail on the Coronation Collection, click here

The Cheltenham community is invited to celebrate the opening of the brand-new little dobbies store in the heart of Cheltenham at 10am this Thursday (27 April).

Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy a first look at the new store, and the first 50 customers who make a purchase will also be given a free little dobbies tote bag to celebrate the opening.

little dobbies will carry a curated range of houseplants, plant care and home decor as well as seasonal products, which includes outdoor furniture for spring and summer. There will be a gardening range perfect for small spaces, with lots of must-haves for patio, balcony and windowsill gardens, as well as a selection of BBQs and firepits.

The new store will also offer freshly-ground coffee, teas and hot chocolate available to take away.

little dobbies Cheltenham is located at 106 Promenade, Cheltenham GL50 1NB. Customers are encouraged to share their photos from the opening tagging @littledobbies with #littledobbiescheltenham for the chance to win a little dobbies tote bag.

For more information, please visit www.dobbies.com/cheltenham  

As the countdown to Glee – the International Festival of Garden, Leisure and Pet – ticks into weeks not months, it’s been another busy period for Glee’s organising team, as well as the show’s floorplan and content schedule.  Here, we find out more about the latest developments shaping the industry’s leading exhibition.

Talent Store onsite merchandisers have been confirmed

Glee’s interactive merchandising masterclass, Talent Store, has confirmed the inaugural lucky 12 who will be showcasing new and innovative ways to display outdoor and houseplants within the retail environment.

These 12 up and coming merchandising talents were selected from the 24 garden centre staff members who took part in the recent Talent Store ‘bootcamp’ where they learnt top tips from some of the very best, including Talent Store mentor, Debbie Flowerday, TrendBible’s Home & Interiors Trend Editor, Wendy Lowe and Michael Perry, aka Mr Plant Geek.

Working in groups, the 24 candidates were tasked to come up with a pop-up store concept and design based on houseplants or outdoor plants. These designs were submitted and carefully considered by the panel, with the 12 finalists being selected. They are:  

Outdoor plants:

• Freya Markwood - Perrywood Garden Centre, Sudbury
• Louisa Power - Ongar Garden Centre – British Garden Centres
• Amber Dowsett - Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
• Katherine Davies - Pugh’s Garden Village, Wenvoe
• Nathan Evans - Bents Garden & Home
• Damian Walker - Harrogate Garden Centre – British Garden Centres.

Houseplants:

• Clare Forster - Braintree Garden Centre – British Garden Centres
• Hazel Woodward - Millbrook Garden Centre, Staplehurst
• Alison Smith - Chessington Garden Centre
• Clare Baker - Bents Garden & Home
• Matthew Bone - Thurrock Garden Centre
• Wendy Jones - Pugh’s Garden Village, Wenvoe. 

Peter Burks, Chief Executive at the Garden Centre Association, which represents more than 200 garden centres nationwide and is sponsoring the Talent Store, said: “Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Glee Talent Store and to those who have been selected to have their designs showcased at Glee. It is a fantastic achievement as Glee is one of the most important trading events in the gardening industry calendar.”

Glee’s speaker programme takes shape

Education has always been a key aspect of Glee’s overall offering with ‘The Stage’ the place to learn more about the key trends and topics that are shaping the future of garden retail. With a three-day packed agenda, there is a lot to learn, from issues surrounding sustainability and ethical consumers to how we can futureproof our industry, this year The Stage is a must for any visitor to Glee.

To-date six speakers have been unveiled. Look out for Glee’s first ever ambassador, Michael Perry aka Mr Plant Geek, as he looks at horticultural trends and reveals some of his favourite tips and tricks for a greener thumb. Madeleine Ritchie, Visual Trend Researcher at TrendBible, will share key social and cultural shifts which will underpin important householder behaviours for outdoor living in 2025, whilst Garden Trade News Trevor Pfeiffer will take to the stage to announce the winners of this year’s New Product Showcase, Buyers Power List and the all-new Talent Store. More speaker announcements will be made over the coming weeks

Exhibitor update

March saw a strong influx of brands join the Glee 2023 exhibitor list, with home, gift and clothing brands coming out in force as the buzz builds around Glee’s new Home, Gift & Clothing Village. Look out for brands making their debut at Glee as well as some making their return following a profitable 2022 event, including Rainbow Designs, Andersons Wholesale, Open 24 Seven, Lodi, Hemmo & Co, Mr Bug, Sofasoy Candle Co., JR Pet Products, Magma London, Hornby Hobbies, and Winning Moves UK.

Green Heart

Glee’s horticultural hub – Green Heart – is back and this year the area is set to experience even higher prominence as the Talent Store will be located alongside it within the light-filled atrium area of the NEC. Meanwhile, Fire, Grill & Chill, Glee’s dedicated outdoor entertaining demonstration area, will be relocated to the front of the NEC near the Hall 6-8 and Hall 20 entrances, directly adjacent to Green Heart. This means even more traffic will pass by Green Heart, bringing with it new buyers and helping to forge new retail relationships.

Whether a grower or nursery, Glee’s Green Heart has been set up to offer a uniquely cost-effective and highly beneficial exhibiting package to ensure that plants remain at the very heart of the show. To-date Bransford Webbs, MMP, Craigmarloch Nurseries, Lovania Nurseries and New Leaf Plants have confirmed their space within Green Heart, ready to access the many benefits that this area provides, including:

• Free access to the Glee Exhibitors Toolkit including Glee Show Preview and Show Guide entry, customer invites and online profile
• Entry into Glee New Product Awards
• Inclusion in our feature display of new plants and recent launches and introductions to your range
• Limitless ‘pop up’ opportunities to promote your plants through podium displays
• Main stage presentations on plant retailing and trends

Find out more

Glee is the UK’s leading garden retail show, focusing on building year-round profits for buyers and suppliers within the core gardening and outdoor leisure product categories.  To keep up to date on the latest Glee news visit www.gleebirmingham.com.  To enquire about exhibiting at Glee 2023, which will take place June 27th – 29th, please call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.

Catering and food hall/farm shop categories refused to be a washout last month despite the country recording the wettest March for 40 years, says the Garden Centre Association.

It’s Barometer of Trade (BoT) report for the month reveals catering sales were up 13.48% compared to March 2022 and food hall/farm shop sales were also buoyant at 10.73%.

Peter Burks, GCA CEO, explains: “It’s great to see restaurants and farm shops/food halls doing so well, which gives me a lot of confidence that customers have not forgotten us during the traditionally quieter gardening months and are coming in to meet friends and family, to get out of the house, even with the threat of a downpour, and to buy their groceries or gift food items at our member garden centres.

“It’s very positive to see they are still visiting in good numbers, but clearly in March, the weather wasn’t encouraging them to get outside to garden just yet. In fact, the slight upward trend of 0.76% in houseplants sales for the month suggests people were very much focused on being indoors and, also, possibly purchasing a pot plant for Mothering Sunday too.

“As is always the case when we get a wet month, gardening and outdoor product sales figures suffer. Outdoor plant sales were down -32.01%, seed and bulbs down -13.08% and garden sundries -31.82%.

“However, GCA members’ centres fared better than the full industry figures from the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) suggest. The HTA shows a -28% shortfall in sales overall.”

The GCA’s March BoT figures also showed, perhaps unsurprisingly, that furniture & BBQ sales were down by -57.95%.and hard landscaping sales by -42.59%.

Pets and aquatics sales were down -5.17%, clothing sales -2.4% and gift sales -1.57%.

Overall sales for the month were down -21.42% with a year-to-date variance of -10.87%.

Peter adds: “Of course, we should also remember that the trading landscape was very different this time last year. Covid was still very much a looming presence and people were just emerging from another worrying period, so were keen to get out and about and were spending more at the same time.”

The GCA BoT reports are compiled using actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement. They are made available mid-month following the end of the prior month after all member garden centres have submitted their results.

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has released its monthly Market Update report, which provides an overview of the state of the gardening industry in March 2023. Despite the challenging weather conditions caused by excessive rainfall, the report highlights the industry’s resilience in the face of decreased sales in the gardening categories.

The report notes that although garden centre sales were down by 28% compared to March 2022, catering sales increased by 15%, making it the primary subcategory to show growth, with food and farm shop items also seeing an increase.

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has released its monthly Market Update report, which provides an overview of the state of the gardening industry in March 2023. Despite the challenging weather conditions caused by excessive rainfall, the report highlights the industry’s resilience in the face of decreased sales in the gardening categories. The report notes that although garden centre sales were down by 28% compared to March 2022, catering sales increased by 15%, making it the primary subcategory to show growth, with food and farm shop items also seeing an increase.

Whilst personal finances continue to dominate consumer concerns, the report suggests that consumers are opting for smaller treats in cafes and restaurants but in higher numbers. The market update encourages businesses to be optimistic and take advantage of this growth area, bringing new visitors into garden centres.

Fran Barnes, HTA Chief Executive, said, "Garden centres continue to be popular destinations for socialising and leisure activities, as evidenced by the strong performance of catering sales. While we understand that the excessive rainfall may have temporarily reduced consumer appetite for gardening, we are encouraged that the diverse range of offerings in our garden centres can entice visitors back and, as the weather improves, will inspire them to start thinking about their gardens too."

As we move towards the typically drier months and the peak time for gardening, the HTA is also aware of the need to conserve water and use it responsibly. The report contains a note of caution that businesses should not be fooled by the extremely wet weather in March as it followed the driest February in 30 years, and we have not fully recovered the water deficit. The Met Office also forecasts an increased likelihood of a dry April-June period. The HTA is supporting their members with advice on water usage, such as filling as much storage capacity as possible, using water responsibly, encouraging customers to do the same, and investing in infrastructure for water recapture where possible. As well as signposts to supporting articles in the report, the HTA also has several helpful resources on its website and hopes that the government can support the sector in addressing the issue of water scarcity, which poses a significant threat to HTA member businesses and the wider gardening industry.

Overall, the industry remains optimistic and looks forward to taking advantage of the upcoming peak gardening season. And, despite the dip in sales in March, the horticultural sector is poised for growth and remains a vital part of the UK’s economy and underpins half of the government’s 25-year Environment Plan.

The report is available to members on the HTA website.

LANDSCAPE, LOFA and SOLEX are teaming up for a second year. to champion the outdoor industry and promote the benefits of in-person connection.

With a combined 68 years of experience, LANDSCAPE, LOFA and SOLEX know the value of collaboration and connection. This year alone, LANDSCAPE hosted over 40 CPD accredited seminars and other learning opportunities to advocate a supportive community that shares knowledge and grows together. Both LANDSCAPE and SOLEX pride themselves on creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, whilst working to promote the newest and most innovative products and ideas within the outdoor industry. 

Part of the partnership sees a feature stand area at each event. LANDSCAPE will create a garden display space with exhibitors at SOLEX 2023 and, likewise, LOFA will build a LOFA Lounge with members at LANDSCAPE 2023. The LOFA Lounge and LANDSCAPE Show Garden each aim to highlight the vast array of companies to discover and things you can gain from tradeshows and membership hubs that are tailored to you and your business. 

LANDSCAPE is constantly working to best serve the industry that they represent and delight in finding collaborative partners who share similar visions with a principled outlook. The LANDSCAPE team, for example, have recently banned artificial grass suppliers from their show, which has been met with great support and they continue to adapt in order to best serve the landscaping field. SOLEX also prides itself on being organised by the industry for the industry, having best interests at heart. While each show represents different areas and buying processes within the outdoor market, there is lots to share, and the events are keen to support each other moving forward.

LANDSCAPE has over 100 media and trade association partners globally, making them a key platform to network, learn and be inspired. LANDSCAPE’s delegates are involved in some of the most prestigious and valuable projects across the UK and beyond, so come and visit the LANDSCAPE 2023 Show Garden at SOLEX to get a taste of their 2023 Show!

Both events are held at the NEC, Birmingham with SOLEX on the Monday 10 July – Wednesday 12 of July, and LANDSCAPE on the 27^th - 28^th of September 2023.

As Bents Garden & Home welcomes the Motor Neurone Disease Association as its new charity of the year, it can also announce a fantastic amount raised during 2022 and has presented Manchester Mind with a cheque for £23,500.

Customers and colleagues have once again shown enormous generosity in helping Bents raise an incredible amount for its 2022 Charity of the Year, money which will help this fantastic charity which has been supporting better mental health for all in Manchester for over 30 years.

Said Joanna Huddart, Fundraising Manager at Manchester Mind, who visited Bents to accept the donation:  “We’re humbled by the level of support shown to our local mental health charity, especially during the cost of living crisis, when many more people are experiencing poor mental health and in need of our help. We appreciate the fantastic community spirit of Bents’ staff, clients and customers who kindly raised this generous donation. Thank you for making a lasting impact on our local services, ensuring we can continue to be there for 7,000 young people and adults in need this year.” 

Joanna was also joined for the occasion by representatives from the MND Association; Bents 2023 Charity of the Year. 

Says Matthew Bent, Managing Director at Bents Garden & Home: “We are absolutely delighted to have raised so much for Manchester Mind and I would like to say a big thank you to all our customers and colleagues who have helped throughout the year to make the campaign such a success.  We are now looking forward to working with the team from the MND Association, another fantastic cause and one which we are keen to do just as well for in 2023.”  

The MND Association focuses on improving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by MND, a condition which affects up to 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time.  Bents 2023 fundraising willbe going toward supporting the MND Association’s care programme including a network of 22 care centres one of which is based here in Manchester, which provide coordinated multi-disciplinary care which has been shown to improve quality of life and life expectancy for those with MND.

Charlotte Taylor, Corporate Development Executive at the MND Association, said:  “We are grateful to be chosen as Bents charity partner for 2023.  The funds raised by Bents employees and customers will help us fund our network of 22 MND Care centres which provide coordinated multi-disciplinary care which has been shown to improve quality of life and life expectancy for those with MND.  The partnership also offers a great opportunity to raise awareness of MND and help all those living with or affected by MND."

GARDENA recently became Silver Supporters of Greenfingers Charity, raising over £4,200 with a day of fundraising.

The GARDENA UK team recently took part in ‘Go Green for Greenfingers’, participating in a series of fundraising activities throughout the day, to raise money for the UK-based initiative Greenfingers, that create beautiful outdoor spaces to support children and families in children’s hospices.

Activities included a staff sale on a selection of GARDENA watering and gardening tools, Flymo lawnmowers and trimmers and McCulloch petrol handled products. The team also organised a raffle for a chance to win two robotic lawnmowers, a selection of gardening goodies and more. Staff also completed a Greenfingers garden Re-leaf walk to show their support.

Greenfingers Charity’s mission is to create precious green spaces in children’s hospices across the UK, as a place for children and their families to enjoy the outdoors and connect with nature. Due to the teams’ efforts, GARDENA UK have become official Silver Supporters of the charity, and have committed to continue raising funds for Greenfingers Charity over the next 2 years.

Greenfingers Charity is managed by a team of passionate individuals who are committed to their belief that spending time outdoors, can provide opportunities for children and families facing considerable stress to engage with the natural environment. GARDENA’s support will help Greenfingers to continue its vital work of providing much needed respite for children and families in need.

Sarah Bentham, UK Marketing Manager at GARDENA, said “It was fantastic to see our staff come together to support such a worthy cause, raising a significant amount of money to contribute to the future of Greenfingers and its ongoing efforts to create more magical spaces for children.

“The charity’s work aligns nicely with GARDENA’s brand values, that put caring for the planet and its people at its core.”

For more information please visit: https://www.gardena.com/uk/

As AMES UK continues unequivocally on its mission to become the trusted authority on everything outdoors, it has continued to invest in two key appointments within its product team to place innovation and bestselling lines at the fore for all its brands including Kelkay, La Hacienda and Apta.

Joining the team are Kim Huynh and Becki Allon, who’s combined previous experience includes playing an integral part in the launch of a tool brand, as well as working within garden décor and building supplies with a focus on paving and aggregates. This ‘insider knowledge’ will give the team a real edge and a truer understanding of how AMES-represented product categories sit within the current marketplace.

AMES UK also welcomed Roy McKay as Quality & Technical manager in July last year.  Roy is a highly experienced Quality professional who has implemented robust quality procedures within the business in the short time he has been part of the team.  All suppliers are fully audited to ISO9001:2015 Standard, ethically audited to BSCI/Sedex accreditation, and stringent specification and pre-shipments are in place for all suppliers, ensuring the highest level of quality for all of the brands within AMES portfolio.

Together, the Product and Quality teams are responsible for improving and developing all AMES product offerings, including introducing exciting new ‘AMES exclusives’ across Kelkay, Apta and La Hacienda portfolios, including many ringfenced exclusively for garden centre customers.

The team will also be working hard behind the scenes to put the final touches to a new venture for AMES UK. Details are firmly under wraps until Glee, but rest assured that this exciting diversification will further cement AMES’ role as the garden retail sector’s ‘supplier of choice’.

Nick Jones, Commercial Director at AMES UK said: “The appointment of Kim and Becki, and our investment in Quality with Roy, is the definition of ‘dream team’. Their experience, knowledge and passion will work together to ensure that our product offering is not just the best out there but will also work to strengthen bestselling lines, ensure product quality, and create longevity for our family of brands.”

Find out more

Further details about AMES UK can be found at https://ames-uk.com/

Squires’s Garden Centres continues to invest and looks ahead with positivity as the group filed its annual accounts for the year ending 31 July 2022 with Companies House.

Squire’s has reported a good performance for 2022, well above pre pandemic levels. The year was never going to match the record results of 2021, and the company’s budgets and aspirations reflected this. Sales dropped 2% overall to £68.2m (2021: £69.5m).  Within that total, Garden Centre sales dropped by 9% to £59.9m (2021: £65.8m), while Restaurant sales more than doubled to £8.3m (2021: £3.7m). Profit before tax dropped to £4.0m (2021: £7.9m) (underlying, adjusted).

Demand for plants and horticultural products remained at above pre-Covid levels in FY2022, as gardening and outdoor living in general remained popular.  However, like other operators, Squire’s experienced supply challenges in many categories, resulting in higher stock levels than usual at the year end. In the current year the supply chain has recovered, and stocks are returning to more normal levels.

Restaurants were open throughout the year, unlike the previous year, hence the large sales increase in that part of the business. Post year end cost price increases and challenges in the labour market remain influential.  Customer numbers at Squire’s Garden Centres dropped by 3% while in the restaurants they rose by 130%.  

Squire’s new e-commerce offering recorded sales of nearly £1m in its first full year. The company remains pleased with the steady development of this channel.

During the year Squire’s continued to invest, notably in the Wokingham garden centre, which was acquired in 2019. In January 2023 Squire’s acquired a longstanding supplier to the group, Barnsfold Nurseries, which grows superb bedding plants on the Sussex/Surrey borders. The synergy between the two companies and their shared values makes this a very exciting relationship for the future. The capital expenditure programme in the garden centres for 2023 will focus on more moderate improvements across a number of centres rather than one large project, including a number of investments aimed at carbon and energy cost reduction.  We look forward to continuing to work on our sustainability programme and remain committed to our charitable and community involvement.

Sarah Squire, Chairman, comments: “As we move forward into the post Covid world, I am pleased with the set of results we have posted again this year. Once again, I am full of admiration for my amazing colleagues, in our Centres and in Group Office, who worked so tirelessly in a constantly changing landscape throughout FY2022.

“Experience teaches us that the weather is still likely to have the greatest effect on our results for 2023. The view ahead of us may be an unpalatable combination of war; energy cost increases; stubborn inflation; wage pressures; higher interest rates; and volatile consumer confidence. However, despite all this, we believe we are well-placed to withstand the storms around us. We will continue to champion plants and gardening and work hard to maintain standards and give our customers the best service we are able. This means we can view the future with confidence."

Yorkshire Garden Centres welcomes Edinburgh Woollen Mill to Tong Garden Centre and Pavers and Julian Charles to Tingley Garden Centre. All three have proven success within the group, with Edinburgh Woollen Mill in Otley Garden Centre and Pavers and Julian Charles in Tong Garden Centre.

Of the new concession at Tong, Edinburgh Woollen Mill's VM manager, Debbie Sandell, said: "We have wanted to be in Tong for a long time. It is a fabulous garden centre with a really good reputation. The team are looking forward to working in such a great environment. I'm sure that it will be successful, and it will complement the concession that has moved to a new location in the Otley centre."

Yorkshire Garden Centres' commercial director, Sharon McNair, said: "Concessions are an important part of our customers' experience and we're very pleased to welcome Edinburgh Woollen Mill to Tong and to introduce Pavers and Julian Charles as concessions at Tingley.

"The three concessions fit well with our business. Edinburgh Woollen Mill is one of the UK's largest clothing retailers, Julian Charles has been delighting customers with British-designed bedding and curtains since 1947and York-based Pavers is a family-owned-and-run business that was the first major UK shoe retailer to achieve Carbon Neutral International Certification, so it fits well with our sustainable goals. We're looking forward to helping them to grow their respective businesses.

The square footage of the concessions is Julian Charles, 1000; Edinburgh Woollen Mill, 1200 and Pavers, 1600.

The Old Railway Line Garden Centre has re-launched the previously popular club, Little Oaks, with additional benefits. The initiative is free to join for children under 12 and has several incentives for members.

Retail and Events Manager, Matthew Lewis said: “We are delighted to be re-launching our popular Little Oaks club, following a couple of years off due to COVID interruptions. We love inspiring budding gardeners, and this initiative is designed to encourage children to get their hands dirty and enjoy learning about growing, gardening and the great outdoors.

“Membership is free and includes exclusive benefits, such as a birthday card and voucher, monthly newsletters (including a downloadable activity sheet), exclusive offers and regular Little Oaks Activity Stands in store.

“It’s easy for parents/guardians to sign up, simply visit our website and fill in a simple form including your Railway Rewards number. If you aren’t yet a member you can sign up when you visit or download our app. We are asking that all previous members also re-sign up to make sure all data is up to date.”

For more information about the Old Railway Line Garden Centre and the Little Oaks initiative contact the Old Railway Line directly by calling 01497 847055 or visiting www.oldrailwaylinegc.co.uk.

The HTA has welcomed the tabling of a parliamentary motion by Rachael Hamilton MSP, which will bring about a debate on the recent launch of the HTA’s Growth Strategy in Scotland.

The full motion states: “That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the Horticultural Trades Association's Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy; understands that the strategy aims to support the growth of a horticulture and landscaping industry that contributes around £2.8 billion towards the Scottish economy and over 64,000 jobs, including in the Scottish Borders; recognises the role that gardening and horticulture can play in contributing to Scotland’s net zero targets, and notes that the strategy was presented during a recent meeting in the Scottish Parliament of the Cross-Party Group on Gardening and Horticulture.”

The Growth Strategy sets out seven ambitions for Scotland’s decision-makers:

• Health – to create a healthier Scotland through horticulture.
• Economy – develop green economic growth, high-quality jobs and invest in education/skills.
• Environment – to mitigate climate change.
• Local – increase the use of Scottish and UK-grown plants.
• Industry – drive Scottish growth through investment, development grants and reducing the cost of doing business.
• Urban nature – produce a greener planning system.
• Biosecurity – enhance and protect Scotland’s natural capital.

David Lydiat, Public Affairs and Policy Manager for the HTA, said: “We are delighted that the environmental horticulture industry is getting the recognition it deserves in the Scottish Parliament. Our members are crucial to the well-being economy, climate change mitigation and public health. We are grateful to Rachael Hamilton MSP for her support of the industry.”

Rachael Hamilton, MSP, said: “Scotland’s horticulture industry plays a vital role in our economy and in our efforts to reach Net Zero by 2045. It is right that we take the opportunity in the Scottish Parliament to place the spotlight on the industry’s contribution to Scotland’s economy and our environment.

“I am delighted to have achieved cross-party support for my motion on the HTA’s Environmental Horticulture Strategy. With this support secured, we can now look forward to constructively debating these plans in Holyrood.”

Stan Green, Chair of the HTA Scotland Policy Development Group, commented: “It is very encouraging that we are receiving support for our industry from the Scottish Parliament. Recognition that horticulture is central to our wellbeing through urban green space development and the way that most Scots live their lives is hugely significant for the future development of our industry. Our members are excited at the prospect of engaging with the new opportunities that are arising. We see opportunity in our collective ability to tackle import substitution, climate change mitigation, net zero and the biodiversity agendas”.

A decision on when to debate the motion in Holyrood will now be made, which carries the support of several Members of the Scottish parliament, including:

Jeremy Balfour, Miles Briggs, Sharon Dowey, Annabelle Ewing, Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser, Meghan Gallacher, Kenneth Gibson, Pam Gosal, Jamie Greene, Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, Bill Kidd, Fulton MacGregor, Ivan McKee, Stuart McMillan, Edward Mountain, Douglas Ross, Colin Smyth, Alexander Stewart, Paul Sweeney, Annie Wells, Tess White.

Twenty students from Holme Lacy College in Herefordshire were given a tour this week of one of the UK’s leading nurseries.

The forestry and arboriculture apprentices visited the container shrub and tree production sites at Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford to learn about the different production techniques involved.

Ian Wright, Commercial Sales Director at Wyevale Nurseries, explains: “We were delighted to welcome the students back, this time to our container shrub and tree production sites this week. Previously, in February, they had a day at our hedging and transplant production site near Ledbury.

“On this visit, they spent half of the day looking at the whole process of container shrub production. Starting from the striking of cuttings and seed sowing in our propagation department, through the potting process and finishing off with order lifting and preparation of orders for despatch to both our retail customers and landscape customers.

“The remainder of the day was spent around the tree production unit. They were shown the range and scale of sizes and varieties in production. Budding, caning and tying skills were also explained and the group were able to see crops being planted that would not become saleable for at least three years. Finally, we finished the day at our container tree unit.     

“We feel it is very important to support students who have chosen to study these topics. We wanted to give them more of an insight into what we do at the nursery and into the range of skills the business requires, plus the career opportunities available.

“During the day, we happily answered any questions and were pleased to see such enthusiasm from everyone who attended.”

Wyevale Nurseries’ product selection is admired across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.

Its main business is to supply garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.

Judith Webb, lecturer, says: “Being able to reinforce the theory that our apprentices learn at college through visits such as these is incredibly valuable to their learning. We are extremely grateful to Wyevale Nurseries for hosting these visits, which also make a great link between the college and a local business.

“Students comments have included that: ‘Seeing things for real, rather than just in class really helps to make sense of it all.’ Huge thanks to all the staff involved in our visits which were both enjoyable and informative.”

For further details about Hereford-based Wyevale Nurseries, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk.

In this issue:

• Hillier grows – Interview with Chris Francis,
• GCA Conference 2023 – Big, bold, sustainable and £100k raised for Greenfingers,
• GCA Winners – All the winners from the GCA Conference,
• PATS Sandown Show preview,
• BeefEater – LOFA Member profile,
• Beautiful stonework from The Patio Black Spot Company,
• GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards Presentations at Spring Fair,
• Pictures from all The Greatest Christmas Award winning centres: Barton Grange, Rosebourne, The Old Railway Line, Pughs, Gates, Longacres, Gouldings, Alton, Groves, Meadowcroft, Brimsmore and Poundbury, British Garden Centres, Pengelly, Blue Diamond, Klondyke, Gordale, Silverbirch, Woodlands, Little Dobbies, Azure, Stratford    , Chessington, Chacewater, Coolings, Sapcote, Wentworth, Perrywood, Garsons Titchfield, Keydell, The Grange, Tingley, St Peters, Garden King, Fron Goch, Ellerker Lodge, Chepstow, Birkacre, Bennybeg,
• Thank you to the judges and sponsors of The Greatest Christmas Awards 2022,
• Encouraging signs for Spring – HTA Column,
• Cash is king – GIMA Column.

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Following news that Scotland's deposit return scheme will now not launch until March of next year, the Horticultural Trades Association has issued a response.

James Barnes, Chairman of the HTA, commented:

“The Scottish Government’s decision to delay the introduction of the deposit return scheme (DRS) to 2024 is important and welcome. This movement of dates recognises the need to address fundamental challenges to the businesses that the DRS infrastructure and compliance costs and complexity will impact. For the HTA’s retailer members in Scotland who will be in the scope of such a scheme, they will welcome the chance to use this time now to review the policy and alternative options to delivering key environmental and recycling ambitions. Important lessons must be learned as the other UK nations look to introducing similar policies.”

HTA actively supports its members on their Sustainability journey, and more information can be found here: hta.org.uk/sustainability

The Royal Horticultural Society has announced a new endorsement for Genus Gardenwear, a designer and supplier of high-performance clothing and accessories for gardeners and an RHS partner since 2019.

The RHS has endorsed the new gardening caddy bag provided by Genus Gardenwear – and in fact recently started selling this exceptionally innovative and useful product in the garden centre at RHS Garden Wisley, the flagship garden of the RHS, which attracts over 1.4 million visitors each year. It is also on sale at the Genus website.

Ideal for the professional and amateur gardener alike, the Genus gardening caddy bag’s eight capacious, external pockets and six generous internal pockets have a place for every possible garden accoutrement – from tools to lunch!

The target market for the range includes amateur gardeners, garden designers and professional gardeners in a wide range of territories. Genus products sell to thousands of people all over the world.

Genus has been an RHS partner since 2019 and the RHS already endorses a wide range of its gardening apparel, including the Women’s 3-Season and Everyday Gardening Trousers, the Men’s 3-Season Gardening Trousers, the Women’s and Men’s Rosemoor Gardening Tee and Long Sleeve Gardening Henley, and the Men’s Wisley Gardening Gilet.

Launched in 2013, Genus was conceived after its founder, Sue O’Neil, had difficulty finding clothes gardeners could wear for all activities and in all conditions. Her answer was to design her own: the world’s only brand of high-performance, technical outdoor clothing with unique features and functionality, specially designed for gardening.

Sue O’Neil, Founder and Director, Genus Gardenwear, says: “This RHS-endorsed gardening caddy bag is ideal for the professional and amateur gardener alike and, judging from early sales, it's already a hit with many gardeners! We are thrilled that the UK’s largest gardening charity continues to support us in our dedication to making gardeners’ lives easier.” 

Cathy Snow, RHS Licensing Manager, says: “Genus Gardenwear received the very first RHS endorsement for gardenwear in 2019 and our partnership continues to the present day with this sturdy and very useful gardening bag. As ever, the Genus range is tough, good-looking, brilliantly designed and easy to clean – perfect, in fact, for all enthusiastic gardeners – from beginners to professionals.”

A softer housing market and rising cost of living is feeding into the ‘improve, don’t move’ mentality and continues to give DIY a lift; particularly when combined with a flood of inspiration and support on social media. 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. If you hadn’t considered expanding your offer with DIY lines before, now is the perfect time to plan a visit to the brand-new DIY sector at Glee 2023 (27th – 29th June, NEC Birmingham) to explore the opportunities this category can present to your business.

With lockdown and furlough a thing of the past, some predicted an end to the DIY boom the pandemic created. However, whilst sales may have dipped below the dizzying heights experienced temporarily during Covid, consumers are still very much engaged with DIY projects in their home and garden, spurred on by social media inspiration and the need to save a penny during the cost-of-living crisis.

A newfound love for tackling home improvement projects – with the bonus of keeping costs down – has spawned a new breed of younger DIYers who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. The beauty of the digital age also means that, even without skills passed down through the generations, these DIYers can simply go online and watch a video tutorial from a host of influencers. Convenience is key, so if your business can offer a one-stop-shop with everything they need to tackle an outdoor DIY job, you can foster loyalty and guarantee repeat custom from this demographic.

The dedicated DIY sector at this year’s Glee is perfectly geared towards helping garden centres tap into the increasing trend for garden DIY and create further opportunities with targeted products that will complement and enhance your existing offer.

Market growth

Whilst there has been caution around spending, it’s interesting to see what consumers have prioritised. Cutbacks on non-essential spending have mostly included activities like eating out, whilst households have continued to splash out on DIY projects; even dipping into savings, if they have to. A recent report by KPMG found that, amongst those who have spent savings on major purchases so far this year, the most common reason was for home improvements (22%). Home improvement was also revealed as the most common savings spending intention for the rest of the year, according to a third of respondents; coming in ahead of plans to go on holiday.

Pandemic sales spikes saw online sales of home improvement and garden retail products grow by  record numbers, whilst DIY retailers reported soaring profits and millions of new customers.. They were unprecedented times and sales inevitably returned to normal levels but consumers had caught the DIY bug. The worldwide home improvement market was valued at $763billion in 2020 and is expected to surpass the trillion-dollar mark by 2027.

A look at online activity reveals more than 43,000 posts under the hashtag #gardendiy on Instagram, whilst the same hashtag on TikTok has had 282.6million views. Meanwhile, Google Trends highlights rising search queries in the UK over the past 90 days that include ‘DIY planter’, ‘DIY outdoor kitchen’, ‘DIY pergola’, ‘DIY building supplies’ and, in top searches, ‘DIY near me’, and ‘DIY garden ideas’. There is a wealth of opportunities for garden centres looking to tap into this appetite for garden improvements by providing a local supply of DIY products for projects, along with the plants and finishing touches.

Fearless DIYers

Leading trend forecaster and partner of the 2023 show, TrendBible has identified significant changes in consumer behaviour, including the emergence of what it describes as ‘Resilient Homemakers’. These consumers have a recessionary mindset and fully embrace self-sufficiency, which TrendBible says is driving a DIY culture boom.

The trend specialist is seeing a rise in fearless DIYers and consumers ‘hacking their lives’ to make them more organised and easier, using things like clever, attractive storage inspiration to transform mundane areas, such as sheds and garages.

It also includes what the TrendBible team dubs ‘female upskilling’, with an increase in self-taught female DIYers on social media, showcasing what they have learnt or built and providing inspiration for others. TrendBible has seen a rise in DIY amongst Gen Z (those born 1997-2012), revealing that this is reaching younger consumers, whilst a love of ‘reclaimed DIY’ is seeing people use what they have to create what they want and celebrating that reclaimed look, whether it’s greenhouses made from old doors and windows or garden furniture made from wooden pallets.

Review your ranges

The UK’s leading garden retail show, Glee brings together over 400 exhibitors under one roof – showcasing thousands of ranges across 10 key sectors, including Garden Care, Plants, Home, Gift and Clothing, Landscaping & Decoration, and DIY. The DIY sector already has a number of major brands on board, such as Rustins, manufacturer of finishes, paints and performance cleaners; adhesive and sealant manufacturer Soudal; and German portable light manufacturer, LEDLenser. Other exciting additions include Clever Paints, Hanson, and JPT Europe.

Register now

With over 300 exhibitors already signed up for Glee 2023, and more brands being added every day, don’t miss your chance to attend what looks set to be an incredible show. Register for your free ticket now.

BHETA is to partner with Glee and Bira to create a BHETA Bira Village at Glee 2023 (NEC on 27-29th June), which will include DIY suppliers alongside garden brands.  

The Village will contain a variety of stand sizes and will provide an ideal way for Glee exhibitors old and new to access this leading trade exhibition.  BHETA members can enjoy discounts on the regular cost of space at the show.

Glee is the leading trade show for the garden retail market and attracts buyers from multiple and independent garden centres and DIY stores, high street and department stores, builder’s merchants, online retailers, and industry professionals.

BHETA’s Sector Manager for DIY and Garden, Keeley Vernon explained, “I am delighted to see an opportunity for DIY suppliers to join their garden counterparts exhibiting at Glee this year.  As garden projects give consumers greater confidence and the line between indoor and outdoor becomes increasingly blurred, the presence of DIY and home improvement products at the show will be welcome news for those garden retailers who want to optimise this potential.  Products on display will complement existing ranges while also opening up prospects with a new customer base.

“DIY Home brands will have a great opportunity to meet with retailers from independents to the likes of Homebase, B&Q and Wickes.”

]

Exhibitors in the BHETA bira Village can opt for equipped shell or space only stands.  The former will include spotlights, table, chairs, and enhanced cladding.  They will also benefit from marketing support comprising:

• full web profile entry into show guide
• customer invitations
• New Product Awards
• PR & Social Media opportunities
• Glee connect app
• 30-minute planning meeting to advise on show preparation
• GIMA buyers connect.

James Kenton from Glee and Keeley Vernon will present a webinar on Tuesday 18th April at 10.30am for interested companies who want to find out more.

Bookings can be made via the BHETA website or by contacting Reena, rc@bheta.co.uk, from the BHETA Member Services team.  More details of BHETA’s events programme, which includes webinars, Meet The Buyer events and networking forums with leading retailers can also be found on the BHETA website www.bheta.co.uk.  

To register for any of BHETA’s current or future events, contact Reena Choudhary from the BHETA Member Services Team on 0121 237 1130, or alternatively, email on rc@bheta.co.uk.

British Garden Centres has announced that Boyd Douglas-Davies is leaving at the end of April. He will be setting up his own consultancy business, advising the garden industry and visitor attractions on a myriad of projects.

For the immediate future, Scott McCabe, Group Buying Director will take on the overall strategy of plant buying with Julian Palphramand promoted to Head of Plants. Amy Stubbs, Development and Project Manager will head up the marketing and communications department. Iain King, Operations Director, has assumed responsibility for the E-commerce business.

British Garden Centres credits Boyd with overhauling the family-run chain’s plant operations with the group now projected to grow over 2 million plants from three nursery sites – the most recent addition being the leasing of Temple Nursery from Hawkesmill last month. Plant buyers also took on 'plant hunters' roles to find the best and most unique plants across the globe to sell in-store and position the group as market experts in this field.

He was also the head of communications and PR, and significantly raised the profile of British Garden Centres which included the re-brand of the group and the development of the well-recognised red butterfly logo that was launched to represent the transformation and development of the business as it opened its 62 store in 2022.

Speaking of his departure, Boyd said: “Working with the BGC family has been an exciting journey since I joined in 2019. The business has grown hugely through, without doubt, the industry’s most ambitious acquisition programme ever. I’ve enjoyed being part of the transition from regional favourite to national player and I’ll be cheering the team on as they develop the business further!”

Charles and Robert Stubbs, Directors and Owners of British Garden Centres said: “Our thanks go to Boyd for his many years of enthusiasm and commitment to British Garden Centres.  We wish him much success in the future and will miss him in the BGC family but will continue to work with him. We hope to continue to see his big character create waves in the horticulture industry with his new venture. The strong team Boyd leaves at BGC are ready and determined to continue driving sales and promoting gardening to the local communities each store serves.”

The first of the “two acquisitions for Easter 2023” has been confirmed by Blue Diamond MD, Alan Roper as Beckworth Emporium in Northamptonshire.

Alan told GTN Xtra that Blue Diamond will build upon the great food and catering experience at Beckworth which fits exactly the Blue Diamond AB1 target demographic.  “The centre has a total turnover of £9.3m of which over 60% is restaurant and food related (£3.5m catering, 2.0m food sales) which we will develop further whilst significantly growing the horticultural and gardening sales.  A Blue Diamond clothing department will be added next year.

"Despite the challenges faced when buying a business built on an owners (David Brown’s) passion, I will make it my mission to keep the heart that makes Beckworth a unique and very special business beating strongly" added Alan.

As to the other expected acquisition announcement, Alan says “watch this space…”

Garden centre sales certainly got growing this last weekend, judging by the business of Longacres Bagshot on Saturday afternoon.

There were plenty of trollies full of plants and pots going through the tills, with customers either buying for a single project or just filling their trollies with early sales of bedding plants and bigger statement plants.

At a guess the average value of trollies going through the tills on Saturday afternoon was around £200.

See GTN Xtra's photo tour of the centre from Saturday afternoon here

Ahead of his presentation at the gardencenter expo and conference in Minneapolis this August, UK garden centre consultant Bob Marley has written an article about British Garden Centres that features as the cover story in the April edition of Garden Center magazine.

You can read the website version of the article using this link: https://gardencentermag.com/article/british-garden-centres-largest-family-owned/

Or read the on-line page turner version of the magazine here

Friday 24th March 2023 was Garden Re-Leaf Day and this year the event was bigger than ever!  Here we find out some key stats about the event and the incredible efforts of FUNdraisers up and down the country, together helping to raise much needed funds for the Greenfingers Charity.

£51,000 and counting!

Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023 has so far raised over £51,000! Whether its sponsorship money from the walks, runs and cycle challenges, or coffee mornings, raffles or quiz nights, the money has been rushing in and even more is expected to arrive soon as final totals are totted up.

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at Greenfingers, said: “We can’t quite believe it. £51,000 and counting is beyond our wildest dreams. All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you!”

And I would walk 1,516 miles……

Now a much-loved event on the   Garden Re-Leaf Day calendar, the Sponsored Walk saw a new north walk join the line-up in 2023. With two locations to choose from and the options of a 10 or 20-mile route in the south, or a 13 mile walk in the north, it’s little surprise that 135 walkers donned their boots and racked up the miles this year. Together these walkers completed 1,516 miles or just shy of 3.5million steps combined!

3 Challenges, 1 Star Performance

Anisa Gress from Garden Trade News successfully completed her Garden Re-Leaf Day triathlon in the gym. Whilst she aimed to finish in 2 hours, she actually did the entire thing in 1 hour and 50mins, which is an amazing result!

Four complete 40

Four ultra fit runners from the garden retail sector - Woodlodge’s Simon Neale, Neil Blake and Graham Park, and Blue Diamond’s Heidi Towse - decided to take on the southern 10-mile route, together running 40 miles. And if this that wasn’t enough, Simon, Neil and Heidi, along with STV’s Katy Boyd, also took part in the London Landmarks Half Marathon in the name of Greenfingers, just nine days later!

900 ÷ 12

The Garden Re-Leaf cyclists must have enjoyed the day as together 12 cyclists racked up 900miles on the day. To put that into context, that about a fifth of length of the Great Wall of China, a tenth of the Earth’s diameter, or the same distance as cycling from the UK to Andorra, which is situated on the border of France and Spain in the Pyrenees.

Top 100

Throughout Garden Re-Leaf Day and the following weekend, over 100 garden centres flung open their doors to customers, with a host of exciting events scheduled to boost fundraising totals. Participating garden centres included British Garden Centres, The Old Railway Line, Perrywood, Haskins, The Klondyke Group, Aylett’s, Brookfields Garden Centre, Longacres, St Peter’s Garden Centre and Millbrook.

1 school

Horncastle School teamed up with Horncastle in Blook to promote awareness of the Greenfingers Charity on March 24th. On the day the children and staff wore green or floral clothes! 

20 volunteers

The success of Garden Re-Leaf Day is often dependent on those people that work behind the scenes to ensure the smooth running of the day. This year 20 volunteers supported the Garden Re-Leaf Walks including Jane Lawler, Will Armitage, Jenny Douthwaite and Martin Cowell in the north. A host of volunteers also supported at the southern walk start/end point of Tring Garden Centre, including local songster, Jamie Donaldson, who motivated participants with his smooth vocals.

40 Choir Members

Local “Rock Choirs” joined walkers, runners and cyclists (and customers!) at Tring Garden Centre to entertain them with a flash mob and 20 mins of glorious singing. 

11 sponsors

Garden Re-Leaf Day sponsors were also an integral part of this year’s success. 11 brands kindly donated time, funds, and expertise. They were AMES UK, SBM Life Science, British Garden Centres, Evergreen, Mulch, Primeur, Jane Lawler Associates, Tring Garden Centre, Kings Farm Shop, The Gardeners Retreat andGarden Trade News. 

3 landscape companies

With gardening at the heart of everything Greenfingers does, and the reasons why hundreds of people get involved in Garden Re-Leaf Day every year, it makes sense that each year more and more garden landscape companies get involved. This year saw DB Landscapes and garden designer (and Greenfingers Trustee!) Richard Claxton take part in the Sponsored Walk.

Elsewhere, The Garden Design Company supported with unique hands-on learning sessions for its Garden Club members, where a £50 donation gave them unrivalled insight into how to grow their own fruit, herbs and vegetables. 

4 leading brands

Leading industry brands Husqvarna Group, Primeur, Rolawn, Woodmansterne also made sure that their office-based staff enjoyed Garden Re-Leaf Day by holding a host of events at work including cake sales and raffles.

QVC and 6 friends

QVC’s Garden Re-Leaf special took place on March 4th, with a host of garden products up for grabs. Richard Jackson’s Garden, De-Jager, Plants2Gardens, Park Promotions, Hayloft Plants and Greanbase collectively raised £14k from sales on the day.

And 6 four-legged friends!

Not wanting to miss out on the fun, the Garden Re-Leaf Walks saw six dogs join in, muddy paws and all!

Linda Petrons, Greenfingers Director of Fundraising & Communications ended by saying: “We will never stop being amazed by the phenomenal effort and dedication our supporters show us on Garden Re-Leaf Day and also throughout the year. From the bottom of our hearts, and on behalf of all those that spend time in Greenfingers funded gardens, thank you. You really are the best friends we could ever ask for!”

The full Garden Re-Leaf FUNdraising total will be revealed soon!

Find out more

Join in the conversation by joining Greenfingers on social media - https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/, @GreenfingersCha on Twitter, and @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Treadstone Garden’s sustainable direction is continuing, this time under their award-winning ClipGlove brand. ‘Bottle Gloves’ by ClipGlove has started to appear in UK garden centres alongside keen interest from end users.

ClipGlove is a brand that was launched by Treadstone in 2019 and the range has continued to grow since then. The range’s foundations are built on innovation as well as functionality, with each pair of gloves being held together with a carabiner clip. This clip enables gardeners to fasten the gloves onto a convenient place during and after use. This leads to a reduction in users losing their gloves, as well as making gardening tasks more efficient.

Made from 95% Recycled Bottles

The new multi-purpose ‘Bottle Gloves’ range features a stylish collection of Men’s and Ladies’ gloves made using recycled plastic bottles! The knitted glove is made from a staggering 95% recycled plastic bottles, with just a little added elastic for comfort. The Glove is then dipped in natural latex to provide grip and protection from dirt and water. The fun, colourful printed designs add a touch of style whilst giving a nod to the “bottle heritage” of the gloves. 

Eco Gloves from the Specialists

Treadstone are also known for being an innovative supplier of Safety gloves to multiple European markets. By working in close partnership with some of the finest glove manufacturers in the world, they have developed an unrivalled selection of innovative glove products, which now includes ClipGlove and the most sustainable garden gloves around - Bottle Gloves.

There are two versions available in the Bottle Glove range and both gloves are suitable for general garden jobs such as weeding, sowing, potting, and planting.

The Standard Bottle Glove (from RRP £5.99) features a textured palm coating of natural latex to provide grip and protection. Bottle Glove Plus (from RRP £7.99)  is made from the same construction as the Bottle Glove, but with an extra coating of latex, which stretches up the back of the hand to provide increased durability and protection against moisture. The Plus offers a more hardwearing option for more intense gardening tasks such as landscaping. Common to both gloves are the famous carabiner clip which keeps the gloves close and in sight.

Recommended by the media.

With such excellent pedigree as a glove manufacturer, it hasn’t taken long for the media to notice Bottle Gloves either. The new glove range was recommended as a useful and 

innovative eco gardening solution as part of the ‘Growing Greener’ feature in the March 2023 issue of BBC Gardener’s World magazine. This media attention has come at the perfect time as the product became available for retailers to stock and created extra awareness leading to an increase in enquiries from end-users.

With eco-conscious gardeners due to flock to the nearest garden centre in search, Treadstone have point of sale available to stockists to make the range stand out in store. The ClipGlove brand is known for award-winning impactful merchandising, and the Bottle Gloves merchandiser is no different, reinforcing well the eco message and bottle heritage central to the manufacturing story. 

Tom Stolworthy, Head of Sales for Treadstone Garden said:

“ClipGlove is a brand that is synonymous with functionality and now with Bottle Gloves we are adding sustainable innovation to continue the story of the brand. The new Bottle Glove range is simple and compelling by offering a multi-purpose glove for consumers who want to be kinder to the planet and in-store presentation that delivers the concept with conviction”

ClipGlove is a brand that continues to innovate and now offers gloves for environmentally conscious gardeners. If you are interested in stocking ClipGlove Bottle Gloves, DARE TO SELL DIFFERENT and get in touch today, email sales@treadstoneproducts.com.

Take a look at the Treadstone Website for further information about ClipGlove.

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.

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.

GTN March 2023. In this issue: Blue Diamond’s Greatest Show – Full results and exclusive pictures from the Blue Diamond Awards 2023, Press to Impress – 6 pages of product and supplier news from the Garden Press Event, Bathgate for Peat Free NOW, Fountasia bring magic to garden centres, Evergreen Garden Care’s increased Peat Free capacity – Interview with MD Colin Stephens, Nurturing future display talent – Glee’s new Talent Store, LOFA – The voice of the outdoor living industry, Stepping stones to success – Interview with Antony Harker, Keeping plants in the headlines – GTN’s new Planteria column, Spotlight on Horticulture – HTA Column