IGCA members from across the world are in London and the South of England this week taking part in the annual IGCA Congress - Windsor...

250 delegates had already made visits to Redfields, Rosebourne, Stewarts, Haskins and Coolings garden centres before GTN Xtra caught up with them at Millbrook Gravesend and Ruxley Manor yesterday.

Also on the agenda during Congress, which closes on Friday afternoon, are visits to Longacres, RHS Wisley, Squires Hersham and Badshot Lea, Aylett Nurseries, Europlants, Garsons and Kew.

See our photo gallery from the visits to Millbrook and Ruxley Manor (including a visit to Pixie Manor) below.

In support of Greenfingers Charity's special 20^th anniversary year, the Glee team, supported by Garden Trade News, are this year urging exhibitors and visitors to Glee to put the floral FUN into FUNdraising at Glee on Thursday 12th September.

With thousands of visitors and exhibitors at Glee on Thursday, it is hoped that the power of the flower will allow a brand new record to be set for the most people wearing floral themed shirts, dresses, ties, suits or jackets on the same day and in the same place.  All those taking part will also be invited to support the charity by buying a raffle ticket which will be entered into a prize draw to win fabulous prizes.

Greenfingers Ambassador Trevor Pfeiffer suggested the idea after getting so many positive comments while wearing floral shirts at Glee last year. “Every time I wear a floral shirt for work it makes people smile so if we can get as many people at Glee on Thursday wearing floral what a happy place it will be!”

“The plan is to sell raffle tickets as exhibitors and visitors enter the halls on Thursday morning with the Floral Thursday raffle being drawn at 2:00pm on the Glee stage. If everyone wearing floral attire could bring a little (or a lot!) of cash, buy a raffle ticket and then join us on the Glee Retail Growth Theatre stage for the prize draw, we will set a new record for the most people wearing floral attire in one place, and at the same time raise a record amount of money for Greenfingers in the charities 20th year. What great bit of PR for our industry that would be!”

Speaking about Floral Thursday, Glee Show Director Matthew Mein said: "We're all looking forward to a great show and to hopefully seeing many smiles as our industry friends don their favourite flowery outfit and put the FUN into FUNdraising to support the garden industry's favourite charity. "

Greenfingers Charity's Director of Fundraising & Communications, Linda Petrons said: "This is a fabulous new initiative which we hope will become a regular event in the Glee and Greenfingers Charity calendar.  We're hugely grateful to ITE and Garden Trade News for their support which will not only raise the profile of the charity but also help to make a difference to life limited children and their families who spend time in hospices."

Matthew, Linda and Trevor are calling on volunteers to help on the day by collecting donations and selling raffle tickets between 7.50am and 11am on Thursday 12th September.  If you are able to spare an hour or two, please contact Linda by emailing Linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk

Greenfingers are also asking Glee Exhibitors if they would like to donate any prizes for the Floral Thursday raffle, please contact Linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk or trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk.  Thank you.

Sleeker and lower furniture lines, urban gardening, re-use of plastic, masses of garden decoration lines and loads of BBQ's were the headlines at spoga+gafa in Koln.

Among the regular gardening products the GTN Xtra team found a clock that chimes with farmyard sounds on the hour at Eschart Designs, (Fallen Fruits in the UK) and a BBQ designed to be carried on a bicycle!

And in the Efsa concept store they were promoting "Beer from heaven"  - a brew made from harvested rainwater in the Netherlands!

GTN Xtra's photo tour of the show is below.  Watch out for more coverage in future issues of GTN Xtra and in the October issue of Garden Trade News.

Jardinopia, the company that brought the popular Potty Feet™ to the market, has confirmed they will be launching a new brand at this year’s Glee (10^th – 12^th September, NEC Birmingham) – introducing Cane Companions™.

As part of their long-term business growth strategy, Cane Companions™ is just the start of Jardinopia’s plans to bring more innovative brands to the garden and gift  retail sector in the coming years. This growth is underpinned by the company’s aim to bridge the gap between garden sundries and gifting, by creating ranges that drive more impulse sales and will see consumers selecting traditional gardening products as popular gift ideas.

Cane Companions™ will offer beautifully crafted ‘cane toppers’, that  draw their inspiration from Potty Feet’s ™ popular animal, wildlife and bird designs. The GLEE launch will see 14 designs initially made available, including fairies, owls, mice, bees, dragonflies, cats and dogs. Each Cane Companion™ design will be presented in gift packaged sets of three and will offer a more design driven alternative to traditional cane toppers, in much the same way as its sister brand Potty Feet™ did in 2018/19.

Each Cane Companion™ is manufactured from a special formula of polyresin and crushed stone for a hardy and long-lasting design and will benefit from a traditional antique bronze finish. A special silicone insert has been added internally, ensuring a secure fit on canes of varying sizes, and making them more secure in windy weather. Each Cane Companion™ topper will be frost proof and UVA resistant.

Jardinopia’s Tony Barnett said: “Cane Companions™ represents an exciting time for both Jardinopia, and also the wider garden and gift retail market. Traditional gardening sundries are rarely viewed as the ideal gift solution. However brands such as Cane Companions™ and Potty Feet™ have been created to blur these lines. From gift oriented and easily postable packaging, to merchandising displays that ‘fill the table’ we are able to offer a full range of products and brands that capture the eye in the retail setting and help to drive category growth. We’re excited to share this new brand with customers new and old at Glee next month.”

The launch of Cane Companions™ is just the start of Jardinopia’s ongoing adventure, which will see more than 10 exciting garden gifting brands under development join the portfolio in the coming seasons. A new global licenced range with Aardman will boost the Potty Feet™ offering, featuring the beloved characters of Wallace, Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.  The forthcoming Spring Fair exhibition (2^nd – 6^th Feb, NEC Birmingham) will also see an additional global licence launch – full details of which are under wraps until the show.

Jardinopia continue to support their chosen charities, with 10% of their profits going towards worthy causes.

To find out more about Jardinopia and Potty Feet™ please visit www.jardinopia.com, and join them and the Aardman characters on Glee Stand 6S81.  Please also visit www.aardman.com to find out more about this British institution.

Simpsons, Mains of Drum and Donaghadee have scooped been named as the top centres in the Garden Centre Association’s Scotland and Northern Ireland regional awards.

In Scotland, Simpsons Garden Centre (below) was awarded title of Garden Centre of the Year in the destination garden centre (DGC) category and Mains of Drum Garden Centre (above) in the garden centre (GC) category. In Northern Ireland, Creative Gardens Donaghadee (GC) received the accolade. Both are pictured with GCA inspector Jane Lawler (centre).

The winners were announced at an awards evening hosted by Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre

Simpsons Garden Centre also won the Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity, the GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer (DGC), the ifse Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant (DGC) and the Best Outdoor Living Retailer and Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer in the DGC category.

Andrew Simpson, drector at Simpsons, said: “These awards not only recognise everyone's constant and consistent striving towards high standards and customer service, but also shows that we are pushing to motivate and excite our customers with great displays, quality products and ideas throughout the year.

"The GCA inspections are a great way for us all to improve across the board year on year."

Creative Gardens' Donaghadee, Galgorm Castle and Bushmills centres all won awards.

Philip Gass, director at Creative Gardens, said: "We are proud members of the GCA and the teams at each centre work hard to impress not only our customers, but the GCA judges every year!

"It's great to see all three of our centres ranking so highly compared to so many great centres across the whole of the UK - it's a great boost to everyone at Creative Gardens."

GCA inspector, Jane Lawler, was responsible for inspecting member garden centres in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

She said: "It was a great pleasure to visit all the Scotland and Northern Ireland GCA members and I was very fortunate to see them all in beautiful spring weather when they were really at their best.

“The retail standards were excellent and the majority of centres I inspected in the region received higher scores than last year which demonstrates their continuous development. My sincere congratulations go to all the winners.”

The overall national winners of Garden Centre of the Year and Destination Garden Centre of the Year will be announced at the GCA annual conference in Bristol in January 2020.

The full results for Scotland and Northern Ireland GCA area awards are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:

SCOTLAND

Garden Centre of the Year: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and The Mains of Drum Garden Centre (GC)

Best Customer Service: The Mains of Drum Garden Centre

Environment and Community Award: Garden Wise - Dumfries

The Barton Grange Trophy for Innovation and Creativity: Simpsons Garden Centre

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Raemoir Garden Centre

The ifse Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Glendoick Garden Centre (GC)

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and The Mains of Drum Garden Centre (GC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Glendoick Garden Centre (GC)

Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and The Mains of Drum Garden Centre (GC)

NORTHERN IRELAND

Garden Centre of the Year: Creative Gardens Donaghadee (GC)

Best Customer Service: Creative Gardens Galgorm Castle

Environment and Community Award: Creative Gardens Donaghadee

The Barton Grange Trophy for Innovation and Creativity: Creative Gardens Donaghadee

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Creative Gardens Galgorm Castle

The ifse Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant: Joint winners Creative Gardens Galgorm Castle (GC) and Creative Gardens Donaghadee (GC)

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Creative Gardens Bushmills (GC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Creative Gardens Donaghadee (GC)

Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Creative Gardens Donaghadee (GC)

The GCA represents nearly 200 garden centres nationwide.

This weeks GTN Bestsellers is written from Koln where the show season starts again in earnest.  Spoga+gafa kicks it all off today (Sunday 1^st September) followed by Autumn Fair, Four Oaks and then Glee.

We’ll be looking for new trends out a spoga+gafa and of course new products.  At Glee there will be well over 300 new products displayed in the New Product Showcase and many of them look to provide answers to the eco issues everyone is so eager to improve upon. 

Also at Glee we hope you’ll join us for some Floral Fun on Thursday as we turn Glee Floral in aid of Greenfingers.  We’re hoping as many exhibitors and visitors as possible come to Glee wearing something floral and that during the day we raise plenty of money for Greenfingers in their 20^th year. 

See you at the show!

The GTN Bestsellers highlights for last week are an increase in footfall week on week +9.0% and year on year increases for the week in Garden Product and Growing Media sales.  Plants also saw a week on week jump but were 13% down on the same week last year.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 34

•           Garden Products Top 50 – up 25%

•           Growing Media Top 50 – up 8%

•           Wild Bird Care Top 50 – up 6%

•           Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – down 9%

•           All Plants index – down 13%

•           All Items index - down 5%

In what is probably a first for the garden industry, Dobbies has teamed up with Universal to celebrate the release of the new Downton Abbey movie.  

Almost ten years after the hit TV show piloted, and six seasons later, ‘Downton Abbey’ the movie is hitting the big screens on 13 September.

To celebrate being an official partner, Dobbies customers will be able to enjoy a Downton Abbey-themed Afternoon Tea, £12.50 each, until 29 September. The limited edition afternoon tea serves up a succession of Downton Abbey inspired delicacies including Earl Grey scones and a selection of sweet treats. Customers booking online can add prosecco for an extra £6.35.

Dobbies have also curated products into three bespoke themes in stores, Nostalgic Gardens, Kitchen Classics and Dining Room Flair, so that customers can bring the Downton Abbey look home. All products can be found in-store or online at Dobbies.com.

You can find further information here. 

While there has been some high-profile media attention on the sustainability of garden products in recent days, Kelkay has been working creatively on the issue in the background.

The company has announced it will launch a range of aggregates in compostable packaging manufactured from plant material designed to break down completely after use.

The material is designed to behave exactly like conventional plastic film in storage and use but to degrade completely when composted at high temperatures in industrial compost recycling facilities. Kelkay admits it is breaking new ground and that at this stage there are limited routes to collection and composting significant quantities of the bags after use.

Kelkay’s Antony Harker said: “Plastic packaging is a challenge for all of us, but someone has to take the initiative and show some leadership. Only when there is a commercial quantity of alternative materials being used in the market can we expect the domestic collection and recycling supply chain to work efficiently. In the meantime, I feel better knowing that the packaging we will be using in future will not still be in the ground or floating in the oceans when my grandchildren are grown up.”

The new bags will be available on a limited range for 2020 whilst the company verifies the integrity and sustainability of the material. The plant-based film complies with British Standard EN 13432, a European harmonised standard that sets the minimum standards for compostable and biodegradable bioplastics.

Wokingham Borough Council has been cleared of maladministration or unprofessional conduct over  its handling of the Hare Hatch Sheeplands garden centre planning dispute, according to a report on Berkshire Live.

An independent investigation into the authority was launched following complaints from members of the public, who had raised concerns about the handling of the issues.

Council officers or councillors had been accused of inducing Mr Scott to act against his own interests by withdrawing an appeal against an enforcement notice.

But a report by legal expert Richard Lingard concluded "the council did not, either through its elected members or its officers, induce Mr Scott (either by intentional design or default) to act to his detriment by withdrawing his appeal against an enforcement notice”.

He also said suggestions of unprofessional conduct on the part of Wokingham Borough Council officers were unfounded.

Councillor Wayne Smith: “There have been legal ups and downs during this long-running dispute over Hare Hatch Sheeplands’ attempt at unauthorised development.

"But our overall objective has always been to protect the green belt, which we have now secured.

“We commissioned an independent investigation because we know some residents feel we have been heavy-handed at times, but I’m delighted staff and councillors have been cleared of the serious allegations.

“There were some training needs identified and we’re already acting on them, but it’s clear from the report that the council acted in good faith to resolve these difficult issues in the best interests of the whole borough.”

The council commissioned the investigation following a long-running set of legal cases concerning illegal development on green belt land at Hare hatch Sheeplands.

According to a release issued by the council, it has sought to protect the area against unauthorised development and an injunction remains in place to prevent any commercial development on the site’s green belt.

Richard Lingard, who undertook the inquiry, has carried out some 40 investigations into alleged misconduct across the country.

In 2017, Robert Scott (left), the owner of Hare Hatch Sheeplands, avoided jail after he agreed to shut down a number of retailers operating on the garden centre site.

Woodlodge will take the wraps off a newly-branded Water Studio range of plug-in-and-go water features at Glee.

Five key ranges – Blossom, Modena, Classic, Earthenware and Indoor – will help retailers to cater for a wide spectrum of consumer tastes, offering inspirational designs for shoppers seeking style and convenience.

All Water Studio models have a pump, so consumers can just add water and plug in. Made from the finest materials and designed to bring authentic detail to outdoor spaces, each comes with a 10m cable.

Michael Wooldridge, MD at Woodlodge, said Water Studio features provided the perfect solution for consumers who crave the soothing sound of water but lack the time and space to install and maintain a traditional garden pond.

Woodlodge aims to refreshing up to a third of its range each year to drive category growth and stimulate impulse sales. The company expects demand for water features to be further driven by television garden makeovers.

The Woodlodge exhibition space at Glee is stand 6S30-T31.

Plans by Pennells to almost double the size of its Four Seasons Garden centre near Sleaford, Lincs, have drawn a wave of objections from local villagers.

North Kesteven District Council is being asked to approve the change of use of a field acquired by Pennells adjacent to the centre at Silk Willoughby to accommodate the proposed expansion.

In a design statement, Evolution Design, acting on behalf of Pennells, says: “The initial aim for this change of use application is to secure the generic wide-ranging garden centre use on the proposed extended area so, in due course, expansion of the Four Seasons Garden Centre can occur, including the whole range of varied retail and concession options that occur at these type of premises.”

The council has received more than 40 written objections to the plans, while 50 people attended a parish council meeting last week to voice their concerns.

The chairman of Silk Willoughby Parish Council, Alan Wilson, said the development would be the "start of the death knell" for the village, which has 320 residents. "The villagers don't want it - the depth of feeling is unbelievable. People live here because they want the village life.”

The council’s online planning portal says the 42 objections received include complaints raised about the shrinking of the green belt and the narrowing of the distance between Silk Willougby and Sleaford.

West Country Soil Improvement, suppliers of Blooming Amazing, has appointed ARC Southern to represent it across Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Hampshire, Middlesex and South London.

It has also taken on Stuart and Mikki Miller to extend distribution across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and North London, while top sales agent Spencer Goodall is taking Tony Loftus into his business on the 1 October to add in the West Midlands, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincs, Northants, Notts, Shropshire, Staffs, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

The announcement from the 2018 GIMA Seed Corn Award winner follows a successful first full year of sales driven predominantly in the south and west close to its base in Poundbury, Dorset.

With sales of Bloomin Amazing having more than doubled in the past year, a second screw press system has been installed at its Rainbarrow Farm production site to double production capacity to meet anticipated demand from the widening distribution network.

All the new agents - Stuart and Mikki Miller, Andy Campion, Gary Collins, Andy Mountney, Richard Card and Andy Roe – have an enormous wealth of experience in servicing garden centres.

Andy Roe of ARC Southern said:  “Bloomin Amazing fits very neatly into our portfolio and it has all the credentials needed for our customers - it's in demand, it's sustainable, it's multipurpose and there's good margin to be earned.”

Bloomin Amazing and the team from West Country Soil Improvement will be at Glee on stand 6R80 in the GIMA Village.

Pictured: the team from ARC Southern.

Industry voting closed yesterday for the Glee 2019 Buyers Power List, set-up to recognise the individual buyers and buying teams who have gone above and beyond to make a difference within the garden retail industry this year.

Voting has been open since early summer, with nominations flooding in from all corners of the market. The winners in eight categories will be crowned during a special Buyers Power List ceremony at Glee on Wednesday 11 September (12:30pm – 13:30pm).

The shortlisted nominations were:

Best single site independent Garden centre

Almondsbury

Alton Garden Centre

Ayletts Nurseries

Barton Grange

Bents

Bents

Chessington

Cowells

Fron Goch

Glendoick

Poplars

The Old Railway Line

Woodstock Buying Group

Best multiple site independent garden centre (5 stores or less)

Coolings

Grovewell Garden Centres

Haskins

In-Excess

Planters and Garden King

Longacres

Millbrook

Perrywood

RHS Retail

Rosebourne

Scotsdales

Stewarts

Best Garden Centre groups (6 stores or more)

Blue Diamond

British Garden Centres

Caulders

Cherry Lane

Choice Marketing

Dobbies

Great Western Partnership

Hilliers

Klondyke Strikes

Notcutts

Otter Nurseries

Squires

Best Supermarket/department store buyer/buying team

Aldi

Asda

Waitrose

Best Online retailer buyer/buying team

Crocus

Ocado

QVC

Richard Jacksons Garden

Gardensite

Amazon

RHS

Waitrose

Wayfair

Greenfingers.com

Best high street garden retailer buyer/buying team

John Lewis

Sainsbury’s

Argos

Morrisons

Waitrose

Tesco

Aldi

Best DIY/Builders Merchant buyer/buying team

Homebase

Screwfix

Wickes

Toolstation

Screwfix

Wickes

B&Q

Travis Perkins

Best Pet category Buying team

B&M Stores

Bents

Chessington

Jollyes

Knights Garden Centres

Ocado

Pets at Home

Pets Corner

Planters

Scampers

Scotsdales

Waitrose

Squires

Glee’s Event Director, Matthew Mein, said: “The shortlist showcases the hard work and commitment that each retail buyer or team has undertaken in the last 12 months, and we’re so pleased to be able to provide a platform on which this dedication can be celebrated and rewarded. I look forward to revealing the winners at Glee 2019.”

Paul Kennett and his wife Vicky are to retire from Meadow Grange Nursery at Blean near Canterbury, the business Paul first worked for when he was 14 and then went on to run for 53 years.

The Kennetts grow around one million bedding plants a year for their local authority and gardening customers.

Now, aged 73 and 72, they are handing over the 10-acre site to Christine Buchan and her two sons, Wayne and Ross, a local farming family. Christine has worked as the nursery’s plant production manager for the past 11 years. The new owners may build the coffee shop for which Paul and Vicky got planning permission but never got around to.

“We know we are handing it on to a safe pair of hands and someone who is passionate about it, and that’s important for us and our customers,” said Jacky, who looked after the nursery’s accounting. “We are also still helping out during the handover, briefing them on the retail side of the operation.”

Paul says that while he’s not really ready to give it up, the business needs an injection of new energy to drive it forward.

 “I know I will miss the place and the customers and the banter,” he said. “As our house next door comes as part of the package, we are now looking for a new home.

“My perfect place would be somewhere where I could create a nature reserve,” he told Kent Online.

The Kennetts grow around one million bedding plants a year for their local authority and gardening customers.

Now, aged 73 and 72, they are handing over the 10-acre site to Christine Buchan and her two sons, Wayne and Ross, a local farming family. Christine has worked as the nursery’s plant production manager for the past 11 years. The new owners may build the coffee shop for which Paul and Vicky got planning permission but never got around to.

“We know we are handing it on to a safe pair of hands and someone who is passionate about it, and that’s important for us and our customers,” said Jacky, who looked after the nursery’s accounting. “We are also still helping out during the handover, briefing them on the retail side of the operation.”

Paul says that while he’s not really ready to give it up, the business needs an injection of new energy to drive it forward.

 “I know I will miss the place and the customers and the banter,” he said. “As our house next door comes as part of the package, we are now looking for a new home.

“My perfect place would be somewhere where I could create a nature reserve,” he told Kent Online.

Morrisons has applied for retrospective planning permission after installing a garden sales unit outside its main store in Hereford.

Morrisons, on Station Approach, started work on the steel-framed building with transparent acrylic panels in April, but hadn't sought permission from Herefordshire Council.

Six car parking spaces were lost in the work, which was completed on April 24.

Planners have set a target date of October 9 for a decision.

Henry Bell & Co, the family-owned small animal and pet feed producer, is exhibiting for the first time at Glee next week (stand 8A50-B5).

Visitors will be able to meet with key spokespeople and discover the newly-launched Henry Bell Wild Bird Care range along with the company’s portfolio of small animal and pet feed brands including Mr Johnson's, Equiglo and Dog Gone Fishin’.

There will be product demonstrations on the eye-catching stand of Henry Bell Wild Bird Care feed and accessories. The ‘Essential’ and premium ‘Heritage’ collections will be on display along with new products and gifts which will be available for the key Christmas retail period. Additionally, buyers will have access to exclusive show offers across the range.

Thomas Lee, Henry Bell & Co. MD, says Glee is a fantastic platform to present the company’s full portfolio and new wild bird care brand. “On our very first Glee stand there will be exciting products, innovations and promotions and we’re looking forward to welcoming new and existing customers at the show.”

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The recent shutdown of the Wyevale Garden Centres e-commerce operation marks the latest phase of WGC’s plans to close the business for good by the autumn.

Visitors to the WGC website are being told that plants and products are now available only in-store.

The group’s consumer e-commerce business went fully live as recently as January 2017.

The strong year for garden centre sales across the country continued in July, with year-to-date comparisons up on last year for all of the product categories reported.

Despite the more unsettled weather this July, garden centre sales continued to experience significant growth and are up by 17% on 2018 for July, and up by 11% on the calendar year from January to July comparisons.

HTA director of membership Martin Simmons said both indoor and outdoor plants lead healthy July garden centre performances and a continued strong year. “Houseplant sales have seen exceptional growth - up by 45% compared to July 2018. Hardy plants sales were up by 25%. Non-garden categories like gifting and pets, also performed well in July,” Simmons reported

Weather reports show that July 2019 was considerably wetter and not as sunny as July of last year across most of the UK, despite being the eighth warmest July on record. Rainfall was extremely variable across the country with below-average rainfall over most of Wales and the south-west, but more than twice the normal amount in the North and Midlands.

The overall consumer confidence index score increased two points to -11 in July, one point lower than July of last year. Concerns over the UK's economic situation remain, but as the country's political future remains in limbo, ratings of personal financial situation and making major purchases are showing signs of improving.

The August issue of HTA Market Update (which is free for members to download from the HTA website) looks at garden centre sales, overall market performance and contains a topical feature looking at where consumers get their ideas to improve their gardens and outdoor space.

GROEN-Direkt’s Autumn Fair, which boasted 35 new exhibitors and a host of plant introductions, reflected the positive mood among European garden centres and traders.

The new layout featured the product sampler displays along one side of the central aisle and the stalls of  the 150 participating growers along the other. The green central aisle also allowed access to Plantarium, the international arboricultural fair.

GROEN-Direkt itself launched its novel Quicktree Christmas tree stand, in which a hole drilled in the tree’s trunk sits over a pin to hold the tree in a stable and perfectly upright position.

There were 20 new plant introductions in the Novelties Plaza, where visitors chose Stokesia ‘Mega Mels’ (from Asra Plant bvba, Meer, Belgium) as the best novelty.

Having Plantarium in the adjacent hall enabled visitors to share a single car park, entrance and catering facility. Both organisations conducted a survey to explore opportunities for future co-operation.

For more information on GROEN-Direkt, its sample fairs and webshop, click here.  www.groen-direkt.nl

The HTA have a range of training workshops on offer this autumn including Christmas Visual Merchandising, Selling Houseplants, and Social Media Marketing.

Visual Merchandising - The Christmas Experience

Visual merchandiser Sarah Manning will help you to design and deliver the 'wow' experience at Christmas, with specific theme, cross-selling and display ideas.

North East (17 September)    Azure Garden Centre

West Midlands (18 September)      Hollybush Garden Centre

East Anglia (25 September)            Scotsdale Garden Centre

South East (2 October) Millbrook Gravesend

Social Media Marketing

Julie is the founder of The School of Marketing. Learn how to make social media work for your business. A full day workshop, looking at organic and paid social media, including using Facebook to its full advantage and how to make the most of our extremely visual industry with Instagram.

Scotland (17 September)       Torwood Garden Centre

South West (3 October)        Duchy College, Rosewarne

Digital Marketing Strategy

Learn how to utilise the internet effectively. This training will explain the basic elements of digital marketing and help you figure out where you should be putting your resources to get the best results. Learn about email marketing and how to get started, attracting customers to your website by using search engine optimisation, the best social media channels for your business and developing a local marketing strategy.

West Midlands (26 September)      St. Peters Garden Centre

South (1 October)        Cranbourne Garden Centre

Selling House Plants

Scotland (15 October)  Mackenzie & Cruickshank

Northern Ireland (23 Octrober)      Greenmount Campus, CAFRE

To find out more, click here.

https://thehub.hta.org.uk/home.aspx

Thursday night’s ITV consumer programme about garden centres and the items on BBC Breakfast on Bank Holiday Monday didn’t throw up any issues we are unaware of, and certainly they are issues as an industry we are all concerned about and working towards solutions and improvements.

The ITV programme was unfortunately typical of consumerist TV that the programme failed to give a balanced perspective as to the great things about garden centres. Surely some mention should have been made about the benefit they bring by enabling the nation’s gardeners to grow plants that have a positive environmental and emotional benefit to society.

This morning on BBC Breakfast they focused on the peat issue and gave plenty of mentions to peat free alternatives.

So far, from the garden centres we have spoken to the feedback from customers is quite negligible, possibly because many people are away on holiday, or just not in the gardening groove at the moment.

Neil Gow from Fresh@Burcot Garden Centre told GTN Xtra:  "I think the only people who watched the programme were probably those involved in the industry who were lucky enough to be home from work that early! We caught it on catch up.

"James Barnes did well not to rise to the bait. The programme was out of date by a couple of years and such a missed opportunity to promote the benefits of horticulture and gardening. The programmes was biased and one sided as you would expect. Sadly today there is no news unless it is bad news these days and negative comment!

"This is a great opportunity for the HTA and our friends at Spun Gold TV to make a positive sequel showing and promoting all the benefits of plants, gardening and horticulture. I bet there would be enough sponsorship raised around our industry to fund it? You might even find enough allotment holders, even in Yorkshire, to tell the benefits!!

"I suspect we the trade got a bit excited about the possible negative impact of such a programme and frankly it was about as much a none event as Brexit or the Millennium Bug!!"

Adam Wigglesworth of Ayletts Nurseries said: "The rush to peat free 10 years ago set the whole peat free debate back by years.  We are not and must not be complacent about being better.  As soon as we can we must give the consumer the choice of good products at good prices."

The problems caused by the initial surge of moving to peat free were underlined by martin Stewart:  "Back in 2013 we moved all of our production nursery to Peat Free growing media from green waste.  That costs us and the environment thousands as the whole years crops were swamped with nettles and wasted.  We've been very wary ever since but this could be a game changer.  I now don't see any need to sell products that are for soil conditioning that contain peat."

Andy Bunker at Altons reports: "From my area, outside and plants I've had absolutely nothing from customers.  All the conversation has been from the trade, with the feeling being it was not quite as damming as first feared."

Gary Carvasso of Coolings who re-opened Wych Cross garden centre on Saturday said: "No one has mentioned it as yet, although generally customers are becoming quite passionate about our eco credentials and whilst appreciating what we are doing they will soon expect even more I am sure. We won as you may know a few weeks ago, out of 50 other commercial entrants’ in the Kent in Business excellence award for environment."

At Baytree Garden Centre in Spalding, Nigel Wallis told us: "I have not had one customer say anything to me about the program!"

What has been your feedback from customers and how do you think we, as an industry, should be taking advantage of this impetus to reduce peat usage in gardening?  Please use the comments button below or e-mail trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year (week 33)
Garden Products - up 33%
Growing Media - down 19%
Wild Bird Care - up 1%
Veg-2-Gro - down 18%
All Plants Index - down 26%
All Items Index - down 2%

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Garden industry figures have retaliated to criticism voiced in an ITV investigation screened last week that garden centres are “not as green as people believe”.

The  ITV Tonight programme, ‘The Trouble with Garden Centres…’ presented by Chris Choi, the consumer editor of ITV News, suggested the industry was not doing enough to meet the government’s targets on eliminating the use of peat, encourage the recycling of plastic plant pots or cutting the risk of pests and diseases from plant imports.

The programme makers have in turn been accused of a simplistic one-sided approach that failed to highlight the complex issues involved or to recognise the industry’s increasingly positive contribution to the environment.

Former GCA standards inspector Roger Crookes said in a Facebook post: “There is nothing like balanced reporting - and that was nothing like balanced reporting.”

He told GTN Xtra: “It would have been more balanced if they had shown more of what the independent garden centres and smaller groups are doing to become increasingly environmentally friendly.

Chris Choi said the “industrial scale” harvesting of peat in Ireland was destroying a treasured eco-system as garden centres continued to sell peat-based compost. The programme then interviewed some allotmenteers in the north of England who said they grew crops in peat-based composts on their plots – a practice regarded as unrepresentative amongst most experienced gardeners.

Crookes, a former garden centre operator, told GTN Xtra that the majority of growing media purchases were for use in containers and baskets and not for digging into the soil, for which other non-peat materials were more appropriate. “We need to be responsible and realistic in our approach and continue to develop more 'green composts' which perform really well for the ever growing [numbers of] container gardening consumers,” he added.

The programme highlighted the lack of a standard approach to labelling on bags of compost, making it difficult for consumers to judge whether or not they contained peat and how much of it.

Interviewed by the presenter, HTA chairman James Barnes admitted the industry would “find it difficult” to hit the government’s 2020 target for the removal of peat from bagged composts but said peat content had been reduced to 56% across all growing media. He also said the industry’s new Responsible Sourcing Scheme, which could be in operation by next year, would result in more effective labelling.

Steve Harper, chair of the Responsible Sourcing Scheme (RSS), which is being developed with input from retailers and consumers as well as manufacturers, described the ITV programme as “slightly sensationalist”.

He said the RSS was the right approach towards a realistic solution of the peat debate. “We do not yet fully understand the carbon footprint issue of peat or all the other materials used in growing media, “ he told GTN Xtra.

“For example, what are the implications of washed coir from faraway countries that do not have enough drinkable water?

“Cost is another factor. I accept peat has always been the cheapest material but if we were to remove it entirely, how many of the people interviewed on the programme would currently be prepared to pay three, four or five times as much for their compost?

“Then there is the question of the availability of raw material – there would not be enough to meet current demand [if we were to remove peat]. And we can’t access coir in the monsoon season, when it can’t be harvested and dried.”

He also said the nutrient-rich nature of green waste meant it could only constitute 20% of a peat-free compost. There was added competition from the biomass fuels industry for materials like UK timber waste.

The RSS, currently nearing the review stage, will audit the environmental impact of all growing media components and award scores, which will appear on bag labelling.

Overall, said Harper, most consumers do no understand the peat issue. He believed the move towards peat-free is being driven solely by government targets rather than consumer demand.

Meanwhile, Westland Horticulture, the UK’s biggest producer of growing media for gardeners, says its New Horizon peat-free range, re-launched a year, ago has enjoyed outstanding success.

It claims it has increased non-peat content of its growing media from 38% to more than 70% over the past 10 years and says the new version of its top-selling Multi-Purpose with John Innes will be ““the most significant step in reducing peat consumption across the whole industry in 2020”.

Kith Nicholson told GTN Xtra:  "It's great to see that the TV companies are highlighting the success and growth in the garden retailing sector, and profiling the work being done to further the industry.

"However, the programme lacked the science and research to show the work really going on in the industry to truly inform viewers and give a balanced argument.

"If approached for comment, we would have highlighted the considerable work we have put into reducing peat in our growing media and the substantial investment in R & D to launch of our new generation, high performance peat-free compost, New Horizon containing the peat alternative BIO3. Now over 70% of total material used in Westland products is non peat which will be furthered in 2020, headlined by the our move to reduce peat content in the UK’s lead compost, Multi-Purpose with John Innes - Single biggest step in driving the industries peat reduction.

"We have also already achieved “zero to landfill” in all our facilities and have removed over 800 tonnes of plastic from our product packaging, including growing media.

"Gardening, by its very nature, is a green and very positive sector for the environment and social wellbeing. Westland will continue to support change and work with garden centres to deliver a strong and sustainable future for all gardeners.

Trevor Pfeiffer, MD of Garden Trade News, told GTN Bestsellers readers last week that the ITV Tonight programme was typical of consumerist TV that failed to give a balanced perspective. “Surely some mention should have been made about the benefit garden centres bring by enabling the nation’s gardeners to grow plants that have such a positive environmental and emotional benefit to society as a whole,” he said. “The programme did not throw up any issues we are unaware of. They are issues that, as an industry, we are all concerned about and working towards finding solutions and improvements for.”

On facebook on Friday we found posts from two garden centres who are already working positively with eco issues:  Alban Hill Nurseries in Newport Pagnell (above) and Woodlands Garden centre in Kent (below).  It's a shame the ITV researchers didn't take their film crews there or to the likes of Coolings or Ayletts where along with so many other garden centres plenty of good work is in action every day.

This month Claire, who joined the Gordale team in 1979, celebrated forty years of service. A great achievement for a dedicated team member, Claire has worked very hard throughout her years at Gordale, offering advice to thousands of customers and watering millions of houseplants.

Claire joined the team when Gordale had been established for just 31 years. This year Gordale has celebrated its 71st Birthday. The Wirral based garden centre has continued to develop throughout the years, and now is home to an extensive four acre plant area, complete with a lake and resident wild fowl. The houseplant department, where Claire works, has evolved into a tranquil environment, home to Bonsai, Cacti, Orchids, Ferns and large specimen plants; to name just a few. The store is now filled with a huge array of quality products, many from local suppliers, including giftware, clothing, solar lighting, BBQ’s, garden furniture, and artisan food and drink.

Claire is such a significant part of the Gordale team, Gordale are very appreciative of her commitment and hard-work. Like Claire, many of the Gordale team are long-standing employees and have served Gordale for many years.

Gordale would like to thank Claire for all her hard-work throughout the years. Gordale provided cakes to mark the spectacular occasion.

With only 22 centres "still to be sold" the state of play for garden centre groups changes with every new sale announcement.  Here is our current "State of the Nation" chart along with a list of all the Wyevale transactions to date.

Over the past few weeks we've been asked by several readers for a list of the Wyevale centres that have been sold and to who.  Here is our A-Z list, including the 22 that are still to be sold.  We believe this to be correct as we go to press this morning...

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RHS Retail Director, Damian Powell, took GTN's Trevor Pfeiffer on a guided tour of the new plant centre and retail areas at RHS Wisley last month.

With 70% extra display space across the shop and the plant centre stocks have been increased stocks to fill the new plant area.  That includes 30 metres of Ferns which are in great demand.

Read the full interview with Damian Powell in the August Issue of GTN, out this week.

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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 2017 as well as 2018 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 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.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 Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro chart for this 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 £120m.

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.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call 01733 775700.

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E.P. Barrus has appointed Gary Bowness as area sales manager for the North-west and Midlands.

Gary brings more than 15 years of sales experience, specifically with key brands in garden tools, gloves and accessories.

Barrus continues to expand following the additional warehouse space taken at the beginning of the year and additional merchandisers to support garden centres. Mark Hewett, divisional sales manager, said: “Our priority is to continue to provide our customers with high levels of support and excellent service."

The past year has seen a significant increase in the availability of brands including Town & Country, Wilkinson Sword, WOLF-Garten, WD40 and Energizer and the successful launch of more than 150 new products at Glee last year.

New products from Wilkinson Sword, WOLF-Garten and Town & Country will be announced at this year's Glee (stand 7J30-L31).