GTN Xtra - GTN Xtra - Issue 44 2015

Contact us with your news. Email neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk, or trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 01733 775700

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Barton Grange's £6m leisure complex gets the go-ahead

Plans for a £6 million multi-purpose leisure complex called 'Flower Bowl' at the award-winning Barton Grange Garden Centre has been given the greenlight by local councillors. Managing director Guy Topping (right) said: "We’re delighted that the project has been given the go-ahead. Now the hard work really begins..."

Greenhouse at Loch Lomond GC to grow veg for foodbank

Loch Lomond Homes and Gardens has had a great response to its offer of using a large greenhouse free of charge to anyone who fancies planting and nurturing fresh produce to help those in need...

spoga+gafa promises to deliver top international innovation show

Around 2,000 exhibitors from over 60 countries will present their new products at spoga+gafa 2015 exhibition from 30 August to 1 September and offer trade visitors from all over the world a top international level innovation show...

Stewarts set to expand following £11m in funding from Santander

Banbury-based Stewart Group, the British manufacturer and distributor of gardening products, catering supplies, homewares and bespoke technical solutions, is now set for significant expansion and growth following a £11 million funding deal with Santander Corporate & Commercial...

Above: Stewart's state-of-the art Banbury manufacturing facility.

Plant sales are the greatest for years

Plant sales are the main driver to sales volumes being up on both of the last two weeks as we reach the half year, according to GTN Bestsellers...

‘Must buy’ plants are key to success

Bargain plants at the garden centre entrance are one of the keys to plant sales success for the Gold Award winning team at Scotsdales, Cambridge...

Salvia Love & Wishes takes Best in Show title at New Plant Awards

Salvia Love & Wishes from Darby Nursery Stock & Kernock Park Plants has been crowned best in show at the New Plant Awards at The HTA National Plant Show...

See the full New Plant Awards Results

Double success for Salvia Love & Wishes at HTA National Plant Show

Salvia Love & Wishes from Darby Nursery Stock & Kernock Park Plants has been voted the Best New Plant by visitors to the HTA National Plant Show. Salvia Love & Wishes also took the best in show title...

TV presenter launches the ‘Time to Live’ Breast Cancer Now rose

This year’s HTA National Plant Show hosted the launch of the Breast Cancer Now ‘Time to Live’ rose by TV present Nicki Chapman...

Key Essentials take home Best ‘Plantie’

Key Essentials took home the award for the best ‘Plantie’ at this year’s HTA National Plant Show...

All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering

Catering Design Group helps Raemoir with restaurant makeover

Catering Design Group (CDG), the award winning restaurant and commercial kitchen design company for the hospitality industry, has completed the first phase of a partnership with Raemoir Garden Centre, one of Scotland’s leading independently managed garden centres...

Nordic Organic Food Fair opens visitor registration for 2015

Sunday 1 November marks the return of Nordic Organic Food Fair to Malmö, Sweden. With its focus on new innovations from across the organic food and drink sector, this popular two-day event is an essential calendar date for thousands of retailers and foodservice professionals from across Scandinavia...

Northampton garden centre opens Garden Kitchen restaurant

A new Garden Kitchen restaurant, which concentrates in-season ingredients sourced locally, has been opened at Northampton, a Wyevale Garden Centre...

Top 10 do’s & don’ts to optimise catering in a garden retail environment
Great advice from Glee Food & Catering Zone partners Catering Design Group

Catering Design Group, exclusive partner of Glee’s Food & Catering Zone for 2015, shares its top 10 do’s and don’ts for garden centres to consider when running a catering operation...

The Greatest Plant Retailing Teams are at Scotsdales, Cowells and The Old Railway Line

Scotsdales, Cowells and The Old Railway Line were Gold Award winners in The Greatest Plant Retailing Awards presented at The HTA National Plant Show yesterday...

Full results and nominated team pictures

Hillier Nurseries voted The Greatest Plant Supplier of the Year

Three plant suppliers stood out from the crowd in the voting for The Greatest Plant Supplier of the Year. The plant supplier with the most votes and Gold Award winner was Hillier Nurseries...

Coolings are the masters of linked sales in the planteria, closely followed by Percy Throwers Wyevale, Van Hage Great Amwell and Cowells

Bents are "Top of the Pots"

Bents have taken over from Brechin Castle Garden Centre as "Top of the Pots". They are The Greatest Pot and Plant Retailing Team...

Fron Goch scoop The Greatest Plant Advice Team Gold

The Greatest Outdoor Living Sales gold winners to be presented at spoga+gafa

Five gold winners of The Greatest Outdoor Living Sales Awards will have the added prize of receiving their prizes at this year's spoga+gafa exhibition in Cologne, Germany. One person from each of the five winners will be treated to travel to and from Cologne plus one night's accommodation as The Greatest Awards really celebrate going on tour this year.

HTA Futures is the venue for The Greatest Garden Centre Team Awards 2015

poplars - the greatest green team 2012.jpg

Poplars, Groves and Barton Grange have all won Gold in The Greatest Awards. Which garden centres will be leaving the HTA Futures Conference with Gold this year?

Nominate your Garden Centre Teams here

GTN June 2015

Garden Trade News

Next plans £6m home and garden store in Plymouth

Next is planning to open a huge new home and garden store in Plymouth selling fashion, homeware and DIY products - the first of its kind in the South West - creating 156 new jobs...

Squire’s Garden Centres grow their own

Squire’s Garden Centres are growing their own, with two new people selected to take part in their 'Grow Our Own' apprenticeship scheme...

Director to face trial over garden centre deaths

A company director and his construction company are to stand trial after an internal wall at an Irish garden centre collapsed, killing two men...

New Glee website provides 365 resource

Glee has benefitted from a revamped website (www.gleebirmingham.com), which will place product at the forefront whilst also offering better access to the show’s exhibitors and features...

Rufus Hound to host GIMA Awards

Renowned actor, presenter and comedian, Rufus Hound has been announced as the host of this year’s GIMA Awards...

Slugs and snails products on the move

The GTN Bestsellers Garden Products Top 50 chart is still being dominated by lighting lines although slug and snail control products are also selling well in garden centres...

Veg-2-Gro chart reveals variety of bestsellers

Quantil Tomato Shirley (8cm) is the highest climber in this week’s GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart, jumping 24 places to No 4, but there is a wide variety of young plants showing up in the Top 50...

Farmyard manure is still a top seller

Scotts Levington Organic Choice Farmyard Manure (56 litres) is the star performer in the Growing Media chart, claiming the highest climber accolade and jumping 21 places to No 7. Vital Earth Chelsea Mix (50 litres) is the highest new entry...

Crest Garden delivers autumn value

Crest Garden have revealed their range of autumn winners, offering consumers great value for money on essential products for use at this important time of year...

Orchids raise £1,000 for students

The launch of the new David Colegrave Foundation (DCF) Phalaenopsis Orchid Collection has raised £1,000 for students at the HTA National Plant Show...

Drive up sales: ‘Grow to Show’ with Baby Bio Vitality

Retailers can drive up sales by showing gardeners how to ‘grow to show’ with Baby Bio Vitality...

New seeds in a tin from Johnsons

"The perfect gift for gardening friends and family," is how Johnsons' Helen Clayton describes the two new Seed Tin Collections the company has launched for the 2016 growing season...

Wyevale Nurseries win Best Plant Display Award at HTA National Plant Show

The award for Best Plant Display at the HTA National Plant Show, has been won by Wyevale Nurseries for their ‘Bringing the inside out’ themed display...

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