D. J. Squire & Co., Ltd (Squire’s Garden Centres) is delighted to announce that its subsidiary, Barnsfold Nurseries Ltd (Barnsfold), has acquired the business and certain assets of Liss Forest Nursery Ltd (Liss Forest). The new business will be known as Barnsfold Liss.

Liss Forest is a hugely respected grower of hardy plants, based in Liss, Hampshire. The merged business will offer a high-quality range of hardy plants from Liss and bedding plants from Barnsfold to the garden centre sector and beyond.

The expert nursery team at Liss Forest will join the newly merged business, as will Liss Forest’s highly experienced Sales Manager, Mark Warner.  Vincent Catt, Managing Director of Liss Forest, will also join the team for a significant transitional period. The hardy plants business will be operated from the existing Liss Forest site at Blackmoor Nursery in Hampshire, where Mark and Vincent will be based.  The merger has no impact on existing customers of Liss Forest, which will be serviced as before, with the ability to gain access to the extensive range of bedding plants grown by Barnsfold.

Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres, comments: “We are delighted to welcome the Liss Forest team to our group.  We know the business well, having been a customer for many decades and there are many shared values between our family businesses. I have  the greatest respect for the Liss Forest team and all they have achieved over the decades, and very importantly, the dedication and outstanding service to the horticultural industry given by Peter Catt and his son Vincent.

“We have been working with Vincent Catt for some time to plan for the future of both businesses and this has only further cemented my admiration for Vincent and the business he and his father have nurtured with such care and passion.

”I have also had the privilege of meeting their expert team of growers who look after the extensive range of quality core hardy nursery stock at Liss. I am genuinely excited for what lies ahead.

“Squire’s is committed to maintaining Barnsfold Liss as a substantial supplier to the whole garden centre sector and beyond, as well as remaining a strategic supplier to our own garden centres”.

Vincent Catt, Managing Director of Liss Forest Nursery, added: “I am very pleased to have secured the future of our family business through the merger with Barnsfold.  We have worked with Squire’s over many years and know that it shares our values and way of doing business.  I am looking forward to playing my part in developing the combined business further.”

Above: The Barnsfold Liss team; Ollie Turner - General Manager, Barnsfold Nurseries (second from left), Sarah Squire – Chairman, Squire’s Garden Centres and Vincent Catt – Managing Director, Liss Forest Nursery (fourth from left) with the Liss Forest team.

After the success of last year's Christmas Customer vote we’ve formally added back in in-store voting on paper voting slips to allow even more customers to share their appreciation of the magical Christmas retailing experiences that are created by garden centres across the UK.

As of Sunday night, here's a list of the centres we've recievd on-line votes for so far:

Albrighton BGC, Alton Garden Centre, Arcadia Garden Centre, Bents, Birchencliffe BGC, Birkacre, Blue Diamond Chenies, Bold Heath BGC, Bolton BGC, Bornville BGC, Bosworths Burton Latimer, Bournville BGC, Bow Garden and Aquatic Centre, Braintree BGC, Bressingham BGC, Bridgenorth BGC, Brigg BGC, Brimsmore, Brockworth BGC, Bromsgrove BGC, Burford House BGC, California Lodge, Carr Gate BGC, Chacewater, Chapel BGC, Charlbury BGC, Charlcote BGC, Charlecote BGC, Chilton BGC, Chipperfield BGC, Codsall & Wergs, Crawley BGC, Dobbies Boston, Dundonald Nursery, East Durham BGC, Ellerker Lodge, Garden King, Goulds, Harrogate BGC, Hilliers Syon, Hillmount Ards, Hillmount Bangor, Hillmount Belfast, Hillmount Cheshire, Hillside, Hitchin BGC, Holt, Horncastle BGC, Hornsea BGC, Irton BGC, Jacksdale, Keydell, Lanchester Garden Centre, Langlands BGC, Leeds BGC, Lewes BGC, Leyland BGC, Louth BGC, Mirfield BGC, Munro 's Nurseries, Newquay Garden Centre, Newton Regis BGC, Notcutts Oxford, Old Railway Line, Ongar BGC, Osterley  BGC, Oxford Garden Centre, Peacock Plant Nurseries, Perrywood Sudbury, Perrywood Tiptree, Planters Bretby, Pugh’s Radyr, Pugh’s Wenvoe, Pulborough BGC, Pyle Garden Centre, Ramsgate BGC, Roxton BGC, Ruxley Manor, Sheffield BGC, Shipley Park BGC, Snowdonia Nurseries, Southwood Garden Centre, Sprowston BGC, Stanway BGC, Summerhill, Tansley Barn BGC, The Woodworks Garden Centre & Cafe, Tring BGC, Trioscape, Trowell, Upminster BGC, White Elm Garden Centre, Winnersh BGC, Wolseley Bridge BGC, Woodthorpe BGC.

To join in all you have to do is download the poster and voting forms artwork using this dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/t5s9zttkagu53jn06c90j/AAxUet5HFIAZOSLQxBzztdY?rlkey=c20kg3edpvc9g99dc7jrk3jrp&dl=0

Or download by clicking on the images below

Your customers can then vote on-line by scanning the QR code on the posters or by completing a voting slip and posting it in a voting box in-store that you will collect and send to the GTN Offices as the voting closes on Sunday 22^nd December 2024.

Direct Voting link: https://tgcmc.newsweaver.co.uk/GTN/5acq9vfvy60 

Of course you can also include the voting link and QR Code in your social media and website.

As last year we will have regional winners in the customer vote as well as an overall customer voting winner.  Last year’s overall winner was the team at Busy Bee on the Isle of Wight.

It’s as simple as that.  Voting is open now and will remain open until 4:00pm on December 22^nd.

If you are collecting votes in-store, please can you e-mail trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk tso that we can warn the postman of a huge influx of post over the coming weeks.

Voting is free, but we are partnering with The Greenfingers Charity so that voters can, if they wish, make a Christmas donation to help build more magical gardens in Children's Hospices across the country.

Our team of judges are really getting into the Christmas spirit as they visit a record entry of 120 garden centres that have teams nominated in this year’s Greatest Christmas Awards.

Here’s the Greatest Christmas 2024 judging visit list.

• Alton
• Azure
• Barton Grange
• Baytree
• Blue Diamond Derby
• Blue Diamond Melbicks
• Blue Diamond Newbridge
• Blue Diamond Sanders
• Beckworth Emporium
• Bents
• BGC Albrighton
• BGC Arcadia
• BGC Bournville
• BGC Braintree
• BGC Bridgenorth
• BGC Brigg
• BGC Brockworth
• BGC Burford House
• BGC Charlecote
• BGC Harrogate
• BGC Hemel
• BGC Horncastle
• BGC Hornsea
• BGC Irton
• BGC Ramsgate
• BGC Shipley
• BGC Studley
• BGC Tarporley
• BGC Tring
• BGC Winnerash
• BGC Wolseley Bridge
• BGC Woodthorpe
• Birkacre Garden Centre
• Bosworths
• Bow Garden & Aquatic Centre
• Brimsmore Gardens
• Busy Bee
• California Lodge Garden Centre
• Cambridge Home & Garden
• Castle Gardens
• Caulders Cumbernauld
• Caulders Erskine
• Cherry Lane Podington
• Chessington
• Cooks
• Coolings Main Road
• Coolings Rushmore Hill
• Downtown
• Duchy of Cornwall Nursery
• Ellerker Lodge Garden Centre
• Fairways Ashbourne Garden Centre
• Fakenham Garden Centre
• Fron Goch
• Garsons Esher
• Garsons Titchfield
• Gates
• Glendoick Garden Centre
• Gouldings Garden Centre
• Gouldings Valley View
• Groves Bridport
• Haskins Ferndown
• Haskins Snowhill
• Hillmount Ards
• Hillmount Bangor
• Hillmount Belfast
• Holt Garden Centre
• Jacksons Boutique
• Keydell
• Klodyke Houghton Hall
• Klondyke Garden Wise
• Klondyke Astbury Meadow
• Klondyke High Legh
• Klondyke Lady Green
• Klondyke Mortonhall
• Klondyke Stokesley
• Mackenzie & Cruickshank
• Meadowcroft
• Merryhatton
• Monkton Elm
• Munros Nurseries
• Newquay Garden Centre
• Nocutts Woodford Park
• Norwich Camping & Leisure
• Notcutts Brampton
• Notcutts Oxford
• Notcutts Rivendell
• Notcutts Solihull
• Old Railway Line
• Pengelly Garden Centre
• Perrywood, Sudbury
• Perrywood, Tiptree
• Planters Bretby
• Planters Brookfields
• Planters Garden King
• Planters Pacific
• Planters Tamworth
• Polhill
• Poundbury Gardens
• Pugh's Radyr
• Pugh's Wenvoe
• Raemoir Garden Centre
• Rosebank
• Rutland Garden Nursery
• Ruxley
• Silverbirch
• Skylark Garden Centre
• Snowdonia Nurseries
• Southwood Garden Centre       
• Squires Badshot Lea
• Squires Hersham
• St Peters Garden Centre
• Summerhill
• The Grange Garden Centre
• Thetford Garden Centre
• Thetford Garden Centre
• Thurrock Garden Centre
• Trowell
• Webbs of Wychbold
• Wentworth Garden Centre
• Woodlands Garden Centre, Ash

And here’s the list of Categories the judges will be looking to find are The Greatest Christmas Teams:

1. The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team - Sponsored by Stars for Europe
2. The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team
3. The Greatest Gardening as a Christmas Gift Sales Team - Sponsored by Fandango Fire Tools
4. The Greatest Christmas Gifts Team – Sponsored by Museums and Galleries
5. The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Promotions Team -Sponsored by Glee
6. The Greatest Christmas BBQ and Outdoor Leisure Team – The SOLEX Sizzle - Sponsored by LOFA
7. The Greatest Festive RetailFood Team
8. The Greatest Christmas Wild Bird Care & Pet Team - Sponsored by Marriages – WHM Pet Group
9. The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team - Sponsored by Smart Garden Products – Three Kings
10. The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Woodmansterne
11. The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team
12. The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Tildenet
13. The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by Kaemingk
14. The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by MorePeople
15. The Greatest Giant Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Kaemingk

After all those visits and plenty of mince pies the judges will be meeting in early January to decide the winners of the categories who will be announced on The Stage at Spring Fair, Hall 2 at the NEC on Monday 3^rd February 2025, 5:00pm.  We look forward to seeing as many nominated teams and GTN readers there as possible.

Corby + Fellas has implemented its WinRetail system at Threaplands Garden Centre in Moray, Scotland.

Threaplands proudly supplies the people of Moray and beyond with the finest quality Scottish grown plants. 

The garden centre boasts freshly made meals in its table service restaurant. All the team is passionate about gardening, the environment, food and most importantly, exceptional customer service.

Corby + Fellas’ is looking forward to a successful future working with Ben and the team.

Pictured: Ben Laing, MD of Threaplands, with C+F Head of technical Matt Chrisostomou.

The pedalling prowess of tenacious team members at WHM Pet Group has raised £1,400 for Barnardo’s, with a 200-mile cycle ride from Essex to Yorkshire.

Three of WHM Pet Group’s team signed up for the whole ride as a part of the pet food manufacturer’s heritage party last month, celebrating 200 years of family, food and farming, and the relaunch of WHM Pet Group's pet food brand Marriage’s.

The cyclists rode from Broomfield Mill in Essex where the family business was founded in 1824, to Yorkshire, where WHM Pet Group now has headquarters in Holme Upon Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire. 

There were eight legs to the challenge, running over three days. The riders raised a total of £600 via sponsorship and WHM Pet Group matched it and more, to present a total of £1401.00 for Barnardo’s, a charity that works hard for children and young people to be safe, happy, healthy and hopeful.

“We are proud of our team for raising such an impressive amount for Barnardo’s and are delighted to have been able to add to their total,” said Sam Marriage, Managing Director of WHM Pet Group. “Barnardo’s has been changing childhoods and changing lives for over 150 years and it seems very fitting that as we celebrate the business successfully passing through the generations, we are able to show our support for future generations.”

WHM Pet Group supply retailers and farmers with premium quality wild bird, indoor bird, small animal, racing pigeon, pig, poultry and ruminant feeds. 

For further information visit: https://www.marriages.co.uk/

Sipcam Home & Garden proudly secured the prestigious GIMA Sword of Excellence for the second consecutive year, with ecofective Slug Stoppa taking home the crown.

In addition to winning the Garden Care category and the Sword of Excellence, Sipcam Home & Garden was also recognised as the ‘Sustainability Category Champion’ in the Garden Care category for their Organic Superfood Concentrated Liquid Feeds.

Adding to this success, Slug Stoppa made waves at Glee Birmingham’s New Product Showcase in September 2024, winning the ‘Growing Materials’ category and achieving the ultimate accolade of ‘Overall Best New Product’. These achievements highlight Sipcam’s dedication to innovation and sustainable garden care solutions.

True innovation

Slug Stoppa is a new eco way to shield edible and non-edible plants from slugs and snails, without hurting them whilst also containing nutrients to enhance and promote plant growth. Not only this, but the pouch packaging has also up to 55% less plastic than a conventional plastic spray bottle. This new packaging consumes less energy throughout its entire lifecycle and less plastic material used also results in less waste to collect, sort, and recycle. The GIMA judging panel commended Slug Stoppa stating “The choice was simple. True innovation, and a dual-purpose product.”

Using a brand-new formula, Slug Stoppa is a spray that creates an invisible barrier onto plants. The barrier makes the plant significantly less palatable for slugs and snails, so they move away to feed elsewhere. When sprayed onto plants the pesticide-free, child & pet safe, ready-to-use spray gives the plant an ability to withstand slugs or snails whilst ensuring they are all unharmed and that natural predators such as hedgehogs, amphibians butterflies, bees and birds are safe to feed in the garden. 

Meeting consumer demand perfectly, Slug Stoppa is also a joy to use with the ergonomically designed ‘thumb pump’ trigger. The design of the trigger results in a seamless one-handed spray functionality that can be used when there are the first signs of slug and snail damage in the garden. 

In 2025, gardeners can re-use their Slug Stoppa trigger by purchasing the new Slug Stoppa Replacement Pouch, which attaches to the existing trigger, saving the user £1 when compared to buying a brand-new spray pouch. 

In an industry first, the ecofective range is taking a leap forward to flexible pouch packaging, breaking the norm of plastic bottles and giving retailers a wonderful opportunity to support sustainable solutions. 

Are you ready to ‘Bin the Bottle? And Pick up a Pouch’? 

Speak to the Sipcam Home & Garden team today about the multi award-winning Slug Stoppa and the rest of the ecofective range. There are point of sale options available for stockists including video stand merchandisers and a ‘Bin the Bottle’ campaign kit designed to help promote Slug Stoppa and the rest of the ecofective pouch range.

Email enquiries@sipcamhg.co.uk for more information.

It's never too early to spread some Christmas magic and help Thrive raise £25,000 this festive season.

THRIVE knows that gardening can ignite positive change in people’s lives, and LOFA stands firmly behind this philosophy. That’s why they’ve committed to championing Thrive’s BIG GIVE CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE!

The BIG GIVE CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE is the largest match funding campaign in the UK. For seven days this holiday season, your donations to Thrive will be doubled through The Big Give!

Here’s how it works:

LOFA has pledged £6,250 to Thrive’s Pledge Pot, and this year, Thrive has a champion funder, The Scouloudi Foundation, who have matched our donation. This means Thrive has an ambitious target of £25,000.

And this is where you come in! 

Starting on Giving Tuesday, December 3rd – Tuesday, December 10th, this pledge pot will be used to double all public donations made to Thrive through The Big Give website. 

For one week only, you can donate to this incredible cause and help LOFA and Thrive raise essential funds to continue using gardening to empower people living with disabilities or ill health, or those who are isolated, disadvantaged, or vulnerable.

Overall, Thrive aims to raise £25,000 to change lives through the incredible power of gardening.

LOFA is thrilled to support Thrive, who have shown that social and therapeutic horticulture can profoundly impact physical and mental well-being.

#thrive #thebiggive #thebiggivechristmaschallenge 

https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a056900002TPV5tAAH

As the Horticultural Trades Association concludes its 125th anniversary year, a special tree planting ceremony was held at Horticulture House in Chilton, Oxfordshire, marking the culmination of a year-long celebration of supporting UK’s horticultural industry.

The tree, a Liquidambar styraciflua 'Gum Ball', originally showcased on the HTA’s stand at the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, has found its permanent home in the grounds of Horticulture House. The tree symbolises growth, continuity, and the HTA’s commitment to sustainability.

Fran Barnes, CEO of the HTA, said: “This tree planting marks an important milestone for the HTA. We are proud to celebrate 125 years of supporting the industry and look forward to continuing to lead the way in the years to come. The tree symbolises our rich heritage and our ongoing commitment to sustainability and the future of horticulture.”

Throughout 2024, the 125th-anniversary theme resonated across all HTA events, including the Garden Press Event, HTA National Plant Show, the HTA Annual Conference and the inaugural FutureGrow Expo, underscoring the association’s forward-looking vision for the industry.

The HTA, which represents the horticultural industry across the UK, commemorates its anniversary by celebrating its members, reflecting on its rich history, and exploring opportunities for the sector's future. With challenging trading conditions, the association remains steadfast in supporting its members and championing the need for continuity and long-term stability. In these critical times, the resources and advocacy provided by the HTA are more valuable than ever for its members.

Gisela Graham Limited has announced the launch of a brand new collection for Christmas 2025 called The Gruffalo® & Friends. The festive collection is the world’s first, and features The Gruffalo®, The Gruffalo®’s Child, Stick Man® and Zog® decorations created in association with Magic Light Pictures, and based on the original illustrations by Axel Scheffler and stories by Julia Donaldson.

Mark Jones, Commercial Director of Gisela Graham Limited, says: “We’ve wanted to recreate the magic of The Gruffalo® at Christmas for some time now, so are thrilled to be launching the new range, The Gruffalo® & Friends, on 1st December 2024 for Christmas 2025. There will be upwards of thirty individual items in the collection, including resin figures, glass baubles, wooden decorations and garlands. Now, all fans of The Gruffalo®, small and large, will be able to share the magic of Christmas alongside their favourite characters.”

The new The Gruffalo® & Friends Collection is available for trade purchase from 1st December 2024 at Gisela Graham Limited’s central London showroom, and from their stand (M14-16) at the 75th Harrogate Gift Fair (12th-15th January 2025).

Garden Centre Association members are being invited to put together their marketing campaigns to enter the organisation’s prestigious annual Worrall Cup competition.

The Association will be awarding a cup to the garden centre with the best marketing initiative during its 2025 annual conference in January.

GCA CEO, Peter Burks says: “Our member garden centres demonstrate some great marketing pzazz all year round and we run our Worrall Cup competition annually to decide who has the most creativity.

“This is a great opportunity for members to win a wonderful award, where both flair and commercial success are rewarded. If any of our members think they’ve got what it takes to win the cup this year, they should submit their entries before the deadline of Friday, January 10, 2025.

“The entries will be judged by an independent panel of judges with marketing expertise. As this award is not influenced by the annual inspection, all entries have an equal chance of winning when the judging panel meet in January to assess the merits of each submission and decide the winner.”

Members are asked to submit an entry by completing a short form, which can be downloaded here https://bit.ly/3USJMuX.

The submission of supporting material, such as photographs, print examples and web-links, is encouraged. An additional sheet of written detail is acceptable along with the entry form, if required. Entries can be sent electronically via info@gca.org.uk or by post.

Peter adds: “The winner will be announced during our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony at our conference on the evening of Tuesday, January 28. The event takes place at De Vere Wokefield Estate, Reading, from January 26 until 29, 2025 and places can still be booked via Garden Centre Association Tickets, Bundles - Buy Online.”

There is also a dedicated email for any queries members, and those wishing to book for the event, may have: conference@gca.org.uk.

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.

The deadline for Worrall Cup entries is Friday, January 10, 2025.

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

Pictured: The 2024 Worrall Cup winners, Tong Garden Centre with GCA Chairman Will Blake.

Melcourt Industries Ltd, the UK’s leading supplier of peat-free garden and landscape products, has announced the appointment of Nikki Burton as Managing Director from 1st January 2025. Andy Chalmers, current Managing Director, will retire on 31 December 2024 after over 45 years in the bark and compost industry.

Nikki Burton joined Melcourt during October 2023 and comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience in business operations and is already making an impact as the company continues to invest and grow. Andy Chalmers will continue to play a key role for the business as company Chairman.

For further information, please contact:

Andy Chalmers – andy@melcourt.co.uk

Nikki Burton – nikki.burton@melcourt.co.uk

01666 502711

GCA garden centre members are being asked to vote for their Associate Member of the Year 2024 – with the winner revealed at the trade body’s annual conference in January (January 26 until 29, 2025).

The award recognises companies or individuals that have contributed to the success of the sector and is highly regarded and valued by garden centres.

Peter Burks, GCA CEO, says: “We’re inviting our members garden centres to put forward their throughs on who should be our Associate Member of the Year for 2024.

“There are no strict criteria for the selection of the winning supplier, members can simply vote for the company that has helped their centre the most, with service, new products or marketing, for example.

“The deadline for voting is 5pm on Monday, January 13, 2025 and all votes should be submitted by email to peter@gca.org.uk. We will be presenting the Haskins Stewarts Cup to the winners at our annual conference this January.”

The GCA’s annual conference will be held at the De Vere Wokefield Estate, Reading, from January 26 until 29, 2025 and places can still be booked via www.gca.digitickets.co.uk/tickets.

The GCA members conference pages on the body’s website have full details. There is also a dedicated email for any queries members, and those wishing to book for the event, may have: conference@gca.org.uk.

Peter adds: “Many garden centre suppliers don’t realise that they can join us. We welcome applications from any supplier offering products or services relevant to our garden centre members. We offer the opportunity to communicate and network with more than 200 of the UK’s leading garden centres. Anyone interested in joining and potentially becoming one of our Associate Members of the Year in the future, can find out more at https://gca.org.uk/suppliers/.”

Pictured: Last year’s Associate of the Year winners Woodmansterne receiving the Haskins Stewarts Cup.

Elho has been successfully re-certified as a B Corp, with an impressive score of 104.5: a 28% increase from its certification four years ago.

B Corp is a globally recognised certification for companies that are making a major positive impact on people, society and planet by using their power to build a more sustainable and inclusive economy. It also proves that a company meets high standards for accountability and transparency.

As such, being a B Corp certified business aligns perfectly with elho’s values and vision. All elho products are made with nature in mind, using 100% recycled plastic and 100% renewable energy, so that everything they make is not only beautiful, but also in harmony with the planet. To ensure transparency with customers and consumers, the company also recently launched its eco passport concept, sharing the CO2 footprint of every product, and each year it releases an impact report sharing key highlights from its green initiatives.

B Corp assessed elho’s performance in five main impact areas: Governance, Employees, Community, Environment and Customers. Its ongoing commitment to creating positive change in every aspect of the business is reflected by a higher score in all of these areas, with the below highlights:

• Engagement & Satisfaction of workers: its 'Great Place to Work' employee satisfaction score continues to rise.
• Air & Climate: elho monitors and communicates its CO2 emissions, which remain low, and has set clear reduction targets.
• Land & Life: all elho products are made from 100% recycled plastic.

The score of 104.5 is the result of the amazing green journey elho has made so far – but it doesn’t end there for the plant pot innovator. In 2025, elho aims to become a net positive company, putting more into the planet and society than it takes out. The first step of this is to reach zero CO2 emissions – something that the company has been working toward reducing every year.  

For more information, visit https://www.elho.com/en/

Following its original release in 2006, RECOUP, the UK’s leading independent authority and trusted voice on plastics resource efficiency and recycling, has regularly updated its flagship publication, Recyclability by Design (RBD).

The latest update comes at a critical time for packaging recyclability with the impending increase of compliance costs associated with Extended Producer Responsibility. There is now a positive financial driver to make packaging fully recyclable and to progress circular economy ambitions.

The financial implications of not adhering to recyclability standards, such as those set out by RECOUP, will significantly increase compliance costs and lowers organisations’ sustainability credentials.

RECOUP’s Head of Packaging Recycling and Design, Paul East, commented; “RBD is a reminder of the importance of designing for recycling, when making decisions, as well as for marketing and brand recognition. By using the recommendations within RBD, you will be ensuring that your plastic packaging is given the best chance to be recycled in line with upcoming legislation.” 

RECOUP has worked tirelessly to promote the core principles and good practice in pack design that give plastics packaging a greater chance of being recycled within the existing UK infrastructure, with RBD offering guidelines to help Packaging Technologists and Buyers ensure that their plastic is presented in the best way possible to the recycling chain. 

There are continuous changes to recycling processes technology, and innovation continues in the packaging industry to help alleviate some of the challenges faced by recyclers.  With valuable contributions from RECOUP members and colleagues from across the industry, RBD is agile and is continuously reviewed and updated to reflect these changes, including updated polymer-specific recyclability tables.  

The updated Recyclability by Design guidance is available to view on the RECOUP website.

For more information about RECOUP, the work they do and how to become a member,  please email enquiry@recoup.org, visit www.recoup.org or call 01733 390021.

As part of The Gardens Group’s continuing commitment to providing a welcoming, inclusive and supportive space to work for all employees, its management team has recently undertaken training programmes including The Inclusive Leader and Leading with Purpose. 

Delivered by Sara Burks, founder of Adaptis, which is an Institute of Leadership recognised training provider, the thought-provoking courses were attended by 17 managers and supervisors from Castle Gardens in Sherborne, Brimsmore Gardens in Yeovil and Poundbury near Dorchester.

As well as providing the most up to date approach to leadership with a focus on inclusivity, the programme covered four modules from identifying what a high performing team looks like to creating an inclusive culture.  Exploring ideas on creating a psychologically safe and inclusive environment when goal setting and evaluating performance, the managers and supervisors further developed their skills in celebrating and championing the individuality of their team members.

Mike Burks, managing director of The Gardens Group, explains: “We have always believed that everyone should have the opportunity to bring their skills and experience to the table.

"Training programmes like this help us ensure that anyone in a position of responsibility can create the most encouraging environment for people to thrive.

"We know that gardening can be a force for good when it comes to mental health and wellbeing, so it is only right that all those working within our garden centres feel safe, supported and valued as they go about their various roles.”

Pictured: Managers and supervisors from Brimsmore Gardens in Yeovil with their Institute of Leadership certificates.

Spring Fair has launched an exclusive signature fragrance, Heritage 75, created to commemorate the show’s 75th anniversary. 

The scent, crafted in collaboration with fragrance experts Quintessence Fragrances and home fragrance experts Sebnini, will debut at the 2025 edition of Spring Fair, bringing a multisensory dimension to the event and celebrating its legacy of innovation, creativity, and connection in the retail industry.

A Fragrance That Embodies Legacy and Innovation

Heritage 75 captures the spirit of Spring Fair, blending tradition and modernity, and reflecting the excitement of the anniversary while symbolising 75 years of heritage. The fragrance is a harmonious combination of invigorating top notes, an elegant heart, and a warm, grounding base:

• Top Notes: Crisp apple, sun-kissed lemon, and zesty bergamot awaken the senses
• Heart Notes: Velvety jasmine, luxurious tuberose, ancient cedarwood, and cistus add richness and depth
• Base Notes: The scent settles into a warm base of amber, earthy, moss-infused patchouli to create a comforting and lasting impression

Designed to evoke feelings of celebration, legacy, and innovation, Heritage 75 feels like coming home, a blend of fresh beginnings and comforting traditions that bridges the gap between past and present, offering a lasting impression of comfort and familiarity.

Scent-Scaping: Enhancing the Event Experience

As part of the rising trend of experiential retail, Heritage 75 will elevate key areas of the show, such as the Buyers Lounge, Sales Lounge, Licensing Lab, and Press Lounge, through scent activations. The Buyers Lounge will feature a mini high-street and one of the pop-up shops will be ‘Quintessence Fragrances’, home to the signature fragrance where visitors can meet the Quintessence team of perfumers and explore the fragrance's individual elements and how they build into the one scent.

“Research has shown that scent has a remarkable ability to evoke memories and influence behaviour, from enhancing customer engagement to driving sales. We’ve seen scent-scaping continue to rise in popularity in retail, with home fragrance emerging as one of our most sought-after product categories by buyers”, said Laura Rae, Head of Community, Spring Fair. “That’s why we’re excited to partner with Quintessence Fragrances and Sebnini to offer visitors an immersive sensory experience that not only reflects the growing demand for scent as a powerful tool in retail, but also provides our visitors with valuable opportunities to learn about the creative process behind building your own fragrance and home fragrance products.”

Heritage 75 Products: Limited-Edition Candles and Diffusers

In addition to the fragrance activations, limited-edition Heritage 75 votive candles and diffusers will be distributed to key buyers and showcased across the event. These products spotlight the growing demand for home fragrances, a category that has become one of Spring Fair’s most sought-after and also one of the fastest-growing sectors globally.

Grant Warden, Director, Quintessence Fragrances says, “We are thrilled to have collaborated with Spring Fair on the creation of a signature scent to celebrate its 75th Anniversary. Heritage 75 is a captivating blend of history and innovation, embodying the essence and shared philosophy of both Quintessence Fragrances and Spring Fair. Crafted by Quintessence Fragrances’ perfumer Nathalie Rouquet, Heritage 75 offers visitors the unique opportunity to engage in a fully immersive, multi-sensory experience. The partnership also marks a significant milestone as Quintessence Fragrances becomes the first fragrance house to ever exhibit at Spring Fair. We look forward to welcoming visitors to join us at our ‘Quintessence Fragrances’ shopfront in the Buyers Lounge to discover the creative processes of Quintessence Fragrances’ multi-talented perfumers and development team, and to learn about the importance of scent for your business and how it can elevate your brand.”

Sebastian Schyberg, Global Sales Manager, Sebnini Trading Ltd adds, “Sebnini is delighted to collaborate with Quintessence Fragrances on bringing Spring Fair’s Heritage 75 fragrance to life through our candles and diffusers. We have been attending Spring and Autumn Fair for over 25 years, so this collaboration is an exciting milestone for our team. We’re excited to see Heritage 75 come to life at Spring Fair and to help visitors understand how powerful scent can be in elevating their businesses and leaving customers with lasting memories.”

A Landmark Year for Spring Fair

The 2025 edition of Spring Fair, taking place from the 2nd to 5th February at NEC Birmingham, promises to be the most highly anticipated in the show’s history. With over 1,200 exhibitors and exclusive new product showcases, the event will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a blend of innovation, tradition, and unforgettable experiences.

“Heritage 75 is more than a scent - it’s a celebration of our journey over the past 75 years and a symbol of our commitment to innovation and excellence in the retail industry,” added Rae.

For more information about Spring Fair and the 75th-anniversary celebrations, visit www.springfair.com.

To register to attend visit https://www.springfair.com/visitor-registration.

The team at a Bradford-based garden centre group is celebrating after winning a regional business award for its sustainability initiatives.

Yorkshire Garden Centres, owner of Tong, Tingley, Bingley and Otley Garden Centres, plus Dean's York and Scarborough, won the Sustainability category of the Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards that were presented last week.

Yorkshire Garden Centre's FD, Charlie Barker, received the award at a ceremony at Headingley Stadium that was hosted by BBC Look North anchor Amy Garcia.

Charlie said: "We're working hard to provide a sustainable future for the next generations and to encourage people to garden sustainably and with wildlife in mind, so we're delighted that our initiatives have been recognised with this prestigious award."

Yorkshire Garden Centres beat stiff competition from Ambion Heating, Burendo, instantprint, The Bio-D Company and Zenith to win the Sustainability Award.

Pictured, left to right: Group People and Culture Manager, Steph Harrison, Charlie Barker and Joyce Ho.

Tubex has reached a significant milestone in recycling more than 1.1 million tree shelters over the past three years, through its Collection & Recycling Programme, which provides a circular solution for recycling used tree shelters across the UK.

With a current network of 24 recycling hubs nationwide, Tubex has collaborated with its distributors and various forestry organisations to create accessible and convenient free drop-off points for legacy tree shelters.

The continued expansion of this hub network, along with Tubex’s doorstep collection service – available for £39 per dumpy bag – has resulted in the shelter manufacturer facilitating the recycling of 1,421 sacks this year alone, doubling its results from 2023.

The hub network, launched at the close of the 2022-23 season, has significantly expanded the reach of Tubex's recycling efforts, making it easier for planting projects of all sizes to participate – especially for those where pick-up was not economically or logistically viable.

Partners such as Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust and Forest Working Plastics Group have been involved since the start of the network, with the Programme now expanded to partner with Tilhill, Maydencroft, British Hardwood Tree Nursery, Ashlea Landscaping and Green-Tech among others. 

“Recycling old shelters into new ones is the most sustainable form of tree protection long-term, as shown by independent life cycle analysis,” said Peter Stevens, Business Development Manager at Tubex. 

At its headquarters in Aberdare, Tubex has processed and pelletised approximately 36,000 kg of recycled shelter material this year, which is now being used to create new shelters. 

"This year’s recycling achievements have been made possible thanks to the dedication and support of our partners, who have generously provided their time and resources. 

“Thank you to all the landowners and farmers who have shown their commitment to protecting the environment by responsibly recycling their shelters. Over 1.1 million old tree shelters have been collected and removed from the environment, that otherwise would not have been.”

Chris Beer, Tree Planting and Aftercare Manager at Maydencroft said, “Maydencroft has been proud to partner with Tubex as a hub for end-of-life tree guards.

“We have had a busy summer collecting almost 40 bulk bags, and even had the opportunity to aid a community group in tidying a local woodland. We hope this partnership continues for many years to come.”

Peter Stevens continued: “We received such an overwhelming turnout, which exceeded our expectations and even challenged our capacity - which is fantastic news, and we are already working to ensure we can accommodate everyone next year.

“While there is still much work to do to ensure all tree protection is disposed of responsibly and integrated into tree planting project planning, we are so pleased to see the tangible positive impact that this level of ‘buy-in’ and collective responsibility from a wide range of organisations has enabled. This mindset change clearly shows that we are heading in the right direction.”

Tubex has stressed its commitment to continuing to expand its recycling Programme ahead of the next recycling season, with growing interest from additional hub partners in the pipeline.

GIMA has raised a brilliant £20,113 for Greenfingers throughout 2024 as the charity heads into its 25th anniversary year.

This contribution will help Greenfingers to continue its vital work of creating inspiring gardens in children’s hospices across the UK. As the charity prepares to celebrate its Silver anniversary next year, GIMA members' fundraising efforts are an invaluable support to the charity ensuring that even more children, their families and staff can benefit from the therapeutic and joyful experiences these gardens provide.

GIMA members have triumphantly supported and donated to Greenfingers over the 2024 GIMA events, including the popular GIMA annual Golf Day. This raised an impressive £12,500 for Greenfingers, bringing together garden retailers, suppliers, and stakeholders for a fun and competitive day of golf followed by the BBQ fundraising in the evening, where delegates had the chance to bid for some fantastic auction prizes and take part in the charity raffle.

The GIMA Awards held earlier this month, also contributed to the fundraising efforts. A table raffle, kindly sponsored by Hozelock and the main raffle, generously supported by MorePeople raised £5,713 throughout the evening. Following the judging day held in July, many of the suppliers generously donated their product entries to be auctioned off by W&H Peacock, raising an additional £1,900 for the charity.

Vicky Nuttall, Director of GIMA, said, “We're incredibly proud to have consistently raised such a significant amount for Greenfingers again this year. Greenfingers is an amazing charity within our industry, and we are delighted to support their mission.  It’s so rewarding for us an association to think that the money raised by our members will help create more magical gardens in children's hospices, bringing joy and comfort to young patients and their families.”

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising Greenfingers Charity added: “We are immensely grateful to GIMA and its members for their continued support. Their generous donations will enable us to provide more vital therapeutic spaces for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. We are excited to be celebrating our 25th anniversary and are looking forward to working with GIMA to make 2025 a truly special year.”

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The Royal Horticultural Society has revealed findings, at its annual industry peat-free conference, from trials that demonstrate peat-free growing media can perform comparably or better than peat-based alternatives using the same amount of water.

The trials were carried out with four leading growers from across the UK – covering alpines, ericaceous plants, shrubs and herbaceous perennials – and six major growing media manufacturers. The trials were evaluating a number of factors including understanding the irrigation and nutrition requirements of different peat-free mixes as well as the saleability of plants produced. The participating growers each tested up to six peat-free mixes against a nursery peat-added control.

During the trials, the commercial growers maintained their usual irrigation practices without making any adjustments for the peat-free media. The results showed that when treated under standard nursery production conditions, some peat-free options outperformed the peat-based control when it came to water retention and use.

In addition, across all four nurseries some plants grown in peat-free mixes were considered more marketable than those grown in peat-reduced controls, as evaluated by nursery staff.

According to a survey of more than 400 growers carried out by the RHS in 2023, irrigation management was cited as the main concern for transitioning away from peat. This has been a key focus for RHS research with growers and growing media manufacturers to assist in developing new growing media technologies that avoid the need for extra irrigation.

Peat-free media’s ‘dry on top’ appearance can sometimes mislead growers into overwatering but these new findings provide an opportunity for growers to review and optimise water use. By better understanding the unique water retention properties of their chosen peat-free growing media, growers can potentially reduce water use without compromising plant quality.

Improved water management also offers added benefits for nutrient retention. Addressing overwatering and leeching ensures nutrients remain available to plants longer, enhancing growth efficiency whilst reducing environmental impact. These findings reinforce the potential of peat-free growing media to support sustainable horticultural practices while meeting growers’ operational needs. Irrigation, nutrition and propagation will remain the key focus of the RHS Peat-Free Fellowship.

The collaborative RHS Peat-Free Fellowship supported by Defra  works with eight commercial growers - Allensmore Nurseries, Hillier Nurseries, Hills Plants, Johnsons Nurseries, The FarPlants Group, Lovania Nurseries, Vitacress and Volmary – and a range of professional growing media manufacturers catering to the ornamental horticulture industry. The growing media used in these trials are all commercially available at scale to the industry and sourced from Bulrush Horticulture, ICL, Jiffy, Klasmann Deilmann, Melcourt and Sinclair. Trial results and key takeaway messages will be made available as soon as the trials are completed.

Dr Alistair Griffiths, RHS Director of Science, said: “These trials provide robust evidence that peat-free growing media are as water efficient as peat-based in spite of the preconceptions. This is an exciting development for the environmental horticulture industry, as it highlights progression towards accelerating the transition to peat free and improving water and nutrient management. These findings mark an important step towards more sustainable, peat-free practices across the sector.”

The RHS Peat-Free Horticulture Conference brings together horticultural experts, scientists, industry leaders, and policymakers to share insights, research, and practical solutions for transitioning to peat-free. For more information on the RHS Transition to Peat-Free Fellowship visit: rhs.org.uk/science/transition-to-peat-free

For more information on how to transition to peat-free visit: rhs.org.uk/advice/peat

Interview with Sebastian Rosito, Vice President Trade Fair Management, and Claudia Maurer, Director of spoga+gafa, about the results of the early bird phase and the plans for spoga+gafa 2025.

After spoga+gafa confirmed its position as the most important platform for the global garden industry in 2024, the trade fair has recorded a strong result at the end of the early bird phase. Mr Rosito, Mrs Maurer, could you tell us about the current demand and interest in spoga+gafa 2025? 

Sebastian Rosito: The outstanding result of spoga+gafa 2024 with around 28,000 trade visitors from 113 countries has provided us with added momentum and led to a very successful early bird phase for spoga+gafa 2025. We are pleased to report that around 85 percent of the exhibition space from 2024 has already been booked, so that the halls are now already pretty full. The strong demand in all of our segments as well as from Europe is particularly pleasing. We can quite confidently say that once again next year spoga+gafa will be representative for the entire garden and BBQ world in a range and depth that will reinforce its position as the leading trade fair. 

Claudia Maurer: In addition to this the new schedule is also going down extremely well on the market. The exhibitors and associations are reporting that staging the trade fair from Tuesday to Thursday allows a more efficient preparation and at the same time could attract more visitors to spoga+gafa. Initial feedback from all over Europe confirms that the new schedule will facilitate the trade fair visit for employees - an advantage that is often not the case at weekends. 

The new top theme is Design Gardens. This can be interpreted in two ways: as an invitation to design gardens and as an emphasis of garden products as design objects. 

Sebastian Rosito: That's right. With its new top theme, spoga+gafa is placing the focus on both the design of gardens as an overall concept as well as on the design of individual garden BBQ products. This not only entails the planning and creation of outdoor areas, but also the design and function of individual products: from functionality and efficiency, to comfort, aesthetics and quality, through to innovations, smart technologies and the responsibility towards users and the environment. 

Let's be a little more specific: Could you give us an insight into what you are working on at the moment? Are there any new formats, for instance? 

Claudia Maurer: We will be sticking to the trusted hall concept for the coming event too. At the same time, we will rely on optimised stand construction formats to further enhance the attractiveness of spoga+gafa. Among others, we are planning to further expand the Outdoor Adventure section. A newly introduced format will be the Start-up Square, which offers young companies their own section where they can present their innovative products and services. Thanks to a new design, the Cooling World that was introduced in 2024 will set even stronger accents and the Outdoor Kitchen World will continue to be a key element. Furthermore, we are planning to rearrange the special zones in the garden unique and garden living segments to offer the trade visitors an even higher quality and more inspiring trade fair experience.

The latest episode of the Horticultural Trades Association’s (HTA) Hort-Talk podcast dives into the dynamic relationship between Parliament, plants, and politics, offering insights into how the horticulture sector can effectively engage and influence policymakers.

This episode features an expert panel including:

• Baroness Janet Fookes, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Horticulture and Gardening (APPGHG).
• Max Wilson, Secretariat for the APPGHG and the Environmental Horticulture Group.
• Rebecca Grant, of Joseph Rochford Gardens Ltd.
• David Lydiat, HTA Public Affairs and Policy Manager.

The discussion is hosted by Jennifer Pheasey, HTA’s Director of Public Affairs, who guides the panel through key topics on how the horticulture industry can navigate the political landscape and advocate for its priorities.

Launched in 2021, Hort-Talk makes industry topics accessible and engaging, ensuring everyone, from seasoned professionals to newcomers, feels part of the conversation. Each episode tackles relevant themes, providing listeners with valuable perspectives and practical advice.

Tune in to this episode of Hort-Talk on:

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

Podbean

YouTube

For more episodes and to stay connected with industry updates, visit the HTA website.

The team at Otley Garden Centre has donated wildflower seeds to Wildlife Friendly Otley to improve habitat corridors around the town.

The Otley team worked with members of Wildlife Friendly Otley volunteers and Councillor, Linda Hoare to sow seeds in a 429 m2 area along the verge from the garden centre to the Otley/Pool boundary.

River Six, Co-Chair of Wildlife Friendly Otley, said: "The planting is part of our nature recovery plan for Otley. We are improving the habitat corridors around Otley; the idea is that, in time, we will join those habitats so that wildlife can move freely around our town. This is one of the entry routes into Otley, we want to do wildflower planting and plant along all of the entrances.

"Highways and the council have agreed to give us a licence to plant there, as the creation of a vital piece of our wildlife corridors. We are very grateful to the team at Otley Garden Centre for donating the seeds and giving up their time to help sow them."

Robyn Winstanley, People & Culture Business Partner at Yorkshire Garden Centres volunteered her time and enjoyed the day: "It was great to work with the volunteers to sow the verges with a bright flowers for wildlife mix that includes a wide variety of annual and perennial plants including lavender, borage and poppies. I look forward to seeing them all in flower."

Otley Garden Centre has already worked with Wildlife Friendly Otley to support a habitat restoration project on the Weston Estate and donated £250 worth of plants to support biodiversity for an Orchard Planting project at Westbourne Park and Bennett Court in the town.

Wildlife Friendly Otley is a small charity which was founded six years ago and now has over 300 volunteers. Co-Chair, Neil Griffin is the group's education officer who works with local schools to educate pupils about Otley's wildlife.

Otley Garden Centre is part of the Yorkshire Garden Centres family, which comprises Tong, Tingley and Bingley Garden Centres, plus Dean's in York and Scarborough.

The Association of Professional Landscapers has announced the winners of the 2024 WorldSkills UK National Finals, which took place 18-22 November 2024.

Taking home the joint Gold award were Alan Myers and Harry Fitzsimmons, both representing the College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE). Archie Matthews of Myerscough College earned the Silver award, while Luke Donaldfrom CAFRE secured Bronze.

The competition featured a mix of apprentices and full-time students who first navigated two rigorous rounds of heats. From this pool, the top eight finalists advanced to battle for the prestigious title of WSUK Landscaping Champion 2024.

A Challenge of Precision and Skill

The finalists faced a demanding task: building a 12m² garden from scratch in just 16.5 hours. Each design incorporated key elements, including paving, decking, fencing, brickwork, lighting, a water feature, and planting. Competitors were judged on precision, with tolerances as fine as 3mm, alongside the quality of their finish and time management.

The APL extends its gratitude to JA Jones Nurseries, Makita, Bradstone, and Landscape Plus for their sponsorship. Special thanks go to the Landscape Academy for assisting with tool acquisition, and to Steve Smith of Shore Landscape Consultants for his expertise in build support, judging, and power tool training.

Foundation Skills: Horticulture Competition

The APL also hosted the Foundation Skills: Horticulture competition, which celebrates the achievements of students with learning disabilities. Ross Muller of Pembrokeshire College won Gold, Russell Reeves of Elidyr Communities Trust took Silver, and Kieran Walsh of Myerscough College earned Bronze.

Participants demonstrated their skills by preparing four planting beds with a winter theme and presenting their work to the judges, showcasing both technical ability and growing independence. This inspiring event was proudly sponsored by Bents Garden Centre.

APL General Manager, Phil Tremayne, commented: "The APL is proud to support these competitions, which highlight the importance of skills development in our sector. This year’s events in Oldham and Manchester showcased the incredible expertise, creativity, and resilience of these young professionals. Congratulations to all the competitors, as well as the colleges and businesses that have supported them.

We now turn our focus to planning for 2025, where we will continue to nurture the next generation of talent, this time in Cardiff."

For more information about WorldSkills UK and their mission to champion skills excellence, visit www.worldskillsuk.org.

• Defra Minister Daniel Zeichner MP welcomed new EHG reports revealing the environmental horticulture sector contributed £38 billion to the UK economy and supported over 722,000 jobs in 2023. By 2030, it could be worth £51.2 billion, supporting 763,000 jobs.

• Urban green spaces provided pollution reduction and cooling effects valued at £27.4 billion in 2021 while helping avoid £800.5 million in health-related costs.

• UK households spent around £13.2 billion on garden goods and £5.8 billion on professional gardening and landscaping services in 2023.  

• The EHG calls for the UK government to adopt a collaborative strategy supporting green economic growth, workforce development, sustainable urban spaces, climate resilience, and healthcare integration, positioning horticulture as essential for a sustainable, healthy, and resilient future. 

Two landmark reports released by the Environmental Horticulture Group (EHG) and Oxford Economics reveal that the environmental horticulture industry has the potential to support GDP contributions worth £51.2 billion and create 763,000 jobs across the UK economy by 2030, representing a 45% growth opportunity with adequate government support.

Oxford Economics’ research found that the sector—including UK gardens, landscaping, and arboriculture—contributed £38 billion to GDP and supported 722,000 jobs in the past year.  

The reports were officially launched at a House of Commons event today, highlighting the sector’s extensive environmental, economic, and social value. Sponsored by All-Party Parliamentary Gardening & Horticulture Group co-chair, Baroness Fookes, over 170 MPs, Peers, and industry figures, including actor and gardener Jim Carter and Alan Titchmarsh, attended. 

As a sector rooted in the supply of plants and trees, environmental horticulture is essential to nature-based climate solutions, with the UK’s gardens and green spaces mitigating climate impacts, easing extreme weather effects, and enhancing biodiversity. The cooling and pollution-reducing effects of urban green spaces were valued at £27.4 billion in 2021 alone, while urban vegetation helped the UK avoid £800.5 million in health-related costs. These contributions to biodiversity, air quality, and urban resilience underscore the sector’s role in advancing the UK’s net zero goals. 

In addition, in 2023, public parks, gardens, and green spaces attracted £4.2 billion in tourism spending while also proving essential for public health; studies show that access to green spaces and gardening can alleviate symptoms of chronic conditions, improve mental and physical wellbeing, and strengthen communities by fostering social inclusion. This aligns with the Environmental Horticulture Group’s (EHG) vision for a "Neighbourhood Health Service," integrating horticulture into healthcare strategies to promote holistic health benefits. 

Alongside the economics report, the Environmental Horticulture Group (EHG) has published ‘Mission Green Growth’, a strategy that underscores the sector’s importance and calls for collaboration between government, industry, and communities to unlock its full potential. The strategy focuses on key goals such as upskilling the green workforce, securing seasonal worker programs, and fostering policies that drive competitiveness and innovation. Central to the EHG’s vision is sustainable urban planning that incorporates high-quality green spaces alongside campaigns on critical issues like cross-border trade, reliable seasonal worker schemes, and improved environmental sustainability.  

The EHG works closely with the government to secure greater support for the sector, including garden centres and their supply chains, public and private gardens, commercial growers and nurseries, arboriculture, and domestic and commercial landscaping. Its core members include the Arboricultural Association (AA), the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). 

Boyd Douglas-Davies, Chair, Environmental Horticulture Group, said: “Caring for the environment – be that through private gardens, urban green spaces or public parks - goes to the heart of what the Environmental Horticulture Group stands for.  

“As this new report shows, our sector is already a hugely positive economic and environmental contributor to the UK, but it could be worth so much more if we have greater government support. I look forward to working closely with government stakeholders to achieve our joint objectives in policy areas, including economic, environmental, science, research, net zero, business, health, planning, taxation, skills and education.

"The time is now if we are to make the most of the next decade of growth opportunities and work with government to create a greener, happier, more environmentally sustainable society and economy.” 

Baroness Fookes, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Gardening & Horticulture Group, said: “I am delighted to see so many representatives of the very varied aspects of horticulture present at this Reception, together with an impressive contingent of MPs and peers. I hope the big parliamentary turnout is a sign that there is, at long last, recognition of the vital role environmental horticulture plays not only in the wellbeing of so many individuals but also in preserving our environment and mitigating the worst aspects of climate change.

"The Environmental Horticulture Group, whose latest Report we are publicising today, is a respected organisation, and I hope it will continue to liaise ever more closely with the relevant civil servants and ministers in promoting the interests of horticulture. I, for my part, will continue to bang the drum constantly and loudly in the ears of the present Government as they must not be allowed to forget its immense importance.”

The reports can be downloaded via this link: https://hta.org.uk/ehg-documentation

See GTN Xtra's photos from the House of Commons event below.

The Horticultural Trades Association has released its monthly Market Update for October, which shows a slowdown in sales, reflecting the challenging trading environment for the sector. 

Garden centre sales in October 2024 were down by -6% compared to October 2023, and excluding catering, this sits at -9%. Whilst October is traditionally a smaller month in the annual garden centre calendar, contributing approximately 7% of total sales, this year shows significant variation among retailers, influenced by the timing of Christmas department openings and clearance of garden furniture stocks. 

Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the HTA, commented: “The unseasonably dull weather discouraged plant purchases, with bulb sales down -6%, a concerning trend during a crucial autumn planting period. This is reflected across the garden centre, with core garden and gardening categories experiencing a -14% decline in sales compared to October 2023.  

“The Chancellor’s Autumn Budget has compounded the challenging trading environment for HTA members—increases in employer National Insurance contributions and the National Living Wage, as well as other tax changes, place additional financial pressure on businesses. The HTA's recent Member Survey evidences the impact, with 66% of members reporting the need to increase prices and 40% indicating they will postpone or reduce business investment. We are presenting these findings to the government and urging a pause to implementation of these changes until there has been consultation with the industry to understand the full impacts on our members’ businesses and the industry’s growth ambitions.

“This is an important time of year for our garden centres, and we are encouraged to see that Christmas sales began strongly, up +5% on October 2023. Fragile consumer confidence, which dipped by -1 point from September to October, may be encouraging earlier festive spending to spread the cost. Additionally, garden centre cafes and restaurants reported a +4% increase in transaction numbers compared to October 2023. This performance will provide critical cash flow to support businesses through the quieter winter months ahead of the 2025 gardening season.” 

The full November 2024 market update is available to HTA members on the HTA website.

October's Garden Centre Association Barometer of Trade figures show ‘an encouraging set of figures'.

From the results entered by the GCA’s member garden centres for the month, it was revealed, when compared to October 2023, that nine of the 13 categories recorded were up.

GCA CEO, Peter Burks explains: “It’s an encouraging set of figures for the month with the significant increases on indoor categories outweighing the losses on the outdoor ones.

“Gardening and outdoor projects were clearly not on the jobs list last month, but as usual eating was, with food halls/farm shops and catering doing well. It’s also great to see a decent start to Christmas sales and another very good month for gifts.”

The best recorded category for October 2024, when compared to the same month in 2023, was food hall/farm shop at +12.2%, with catering next at +11.61% and clothing sales in third place at +9.62%.

Houseplants came in next at +8.6%, then gifts +7.39%, seeds and bulbs at +5.02%, Christmas at +2.95% and the miscellaneous category was +0.98%.

Pets & aquatics came in next and recorded +0.35%, and outdoor plants down at -3.19%. Hard landscaping was down at -6.54%, garden sundries -6.77% and furniture & BBQs at -8.96%.

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 BoT allows members to compare their trading positions with other centres.

Andrew Weiss, Executive Chair of BHETA comments:

I remember one evening in the early eighties, during a cricket tour, at the home of the parents of one of our team. My teammate’s father was Gurth Hoyer-Millar, then Chairman of Sainsbury’s, who arrived home late, joined us for a beer, and talked excitedly about his latest venture, a DIY store called Homebase.

Little did I know then that I would spend nearly the rest of my working life dealing with that same retailer and now, with concern, be writing about its rise and ultimate fall – and what it could mean for the DIY and garden industry.

The ‘DIY Rush’

The first Homebase store opened in Purley Way, Croydon, in 1981, as a venture between Sainsbury's and Belgian retailer, GB-Inno-BM.  It offered a one-stop shop for home and garden supplies - a relatively new concept in the UK – and it expanded rapidly, along with rival brands such as B&Q, Texas, Wickes DIY, Do-it-All, Payless, Focus DIY, and Great Mills. 

In the nineties, the market inevitably saw consolidation as Homebase acquired Texas, making it the second largest player, Do-it-All took Payless, and Focus picked up most of everything else. Wickes continued to grow organically with its trade-focussed, own brand approach.  B&Q also kept its own ‘big box’ strategy but its owner, Kingfisher, also picked up a small catalogue-based trade counter operation called Screwfix.  

Decades later, Focus had acquired Do-it-All and Great Mills, but ended up in the hands of Hilco, when the brand disappeared, leaving B&Q, Homebase, and Wickes as the three main DIY large retail formats.  Homebase was sold to the Home Retail Group in 2006 and to Wesfarmers in 2016. Wickes became part of the Travis Perkins Group before exiting as a ‘stand-alone’ PLC in 2021. Following Homebase’s disastrous Wesfarmers/Bunnings era, Hilco again stepped in to acquire what was left. 

Talented leadership

Homebase has had some of the industry’s most talented leaders. Following Hoyer-Millar was Colin Parsons, who started the growth, Jim Hodkinson spent some time running the business before moving to B&Q, Terry Duddy of The Home Retail Group oversaw further expansion, Paul Loft continued, and, after Bunnings, Damian McGloughlin took the reins in 2018 and restored the business to profitability by 2020. 

But, what next for suppliers?

The attraction of Homebase was that it sold a wide variety of industry brands across core DIY, decorative and ‘softer’ home improvement and garden plants and accessories.  While CDS Superstores, ie The Range, has bought the brand, IP and around seventy stores with Homebase online continuing to trade, The Range is more variety than core DIY and its ‘centre line’ drifts increasingly towards the value end of the sector. 

Which means there are fewer large-scale retailer options. B&Q is increasingly driven by its own exclusive brand strategy, Wickes, although softening a little on own brand is still focused on its core trade and ‘do it for me’ offer, and neither provide easy sanctuary for DIY brands looking for new retail exposure.  There are of course thousands of excellent DIY / homewares stores as well as increasingly friendly garden retailers.  Some can be serviced direct, and others are looked after by a strong DIY wholesale community.

My concern for the industry

This leaves us however with online and ‘marketplaces’. And here lies my concern. In today’s world these have an important place and Covid demonstrated how vital that place can be.  But Homebase leaves a gap in aspirational DIY retailing, and while it will be interesting to see how that gap will be filled, my hope is that the online marketplace does not become the only option. 

Exciting as it is, it is increasingly price driven and plagued with anonymous ‘me-too’ products that damage consumer confidence. DIY is also a ‘hands-on’ community where many end users, particularly first timers, prefer the quality reassurance of choosing products in store.

Some of the larger supplier brands will inevitably look at the Dyson model and go direct.  It is consumers and no longer suppliers or retailers who dictate the market after all, and thanks to this shift, along with an increasing confidence from suppliers on drop ship capability, which can only accelerate with the growing use of AI, going direct is no longer such a daunting experience.  

But complete reliance on direct B2C will damage the quality of the home and garden industry overall – for all parties.  I hope that the void Homebase’s exit has created can be replaced and that we can maintain consumer trust in both supplier and retailer brands.

For more information about BHETA and the retailer networking, market data, lobbying and business support opportunities it offers, visit the website at www.bheta.co.uk.

Corby + Fellas are delighted to announce that Ben Reid Garden Centre in Aberdeenshire has implemented WinRetail.

Ben Reid is an independent family-run business specialising in growing varieties guaranteed to thrive in the challenging North East climate. With a solid reputation as one of Aberdeen’s best stocked garden plant nurseries, they have all the plants, skills, experience and a genuine passion to help their customers make the most of their garden.

We are looking forward to a long partnership with this prestigious garden centre.

Pictured Simon Fraser of Ben Reid, and Matt Chrisostomou, Corby + Fellas

In the space of a few weeks, RocketGro was delighted to be named Associate Supplier of the Year at the Choice Marketing Conference in October and also secure a spot as a finalist at the 2024 GIMA Awards.

The first prestigious industry win saw RocketGro presented with the award for 'Associate Supplier of the year' for delivering outstanding service and support to Choice Marketing members throughout 2024.

Hot on the heels of securing that coveted title, RocketGro was thrilled to then have its best-selling 50L Multi-Purpose Peat-Free Organic compost nominated as a finalist in the Growing Media Product of the Year category at the recent GIMA awards. 

It gives RocketGro plenty to celebrate, as the British brand round off an extremely positive year and looks ahead to exciting opportunities in 2025. 

RocketGro’s Multi-Purpose compost has been a best seller for retailers in 2024, securing a flurry of impressive new listings throughout the year and for the 2025 season. Great value, combined with eye catching packaging, and a host of eco positive accolades backing up RocketGro's unbeatable sustainable eco story make this a must stock product.

Managing Director Toby Thomas said: “We’ve had a really successful year, as RocketGro continues to make further progress in the market by producing high quality compost products, at a great price, that are positioned to sell. It was really heartening to receive industry recognition for our excellent service levels, and market-leading 50L Multi-Purpose compost product, which boasts an unbeatable eco story. 

“We value our working relationships with retailers, so were thrilled to take part in the Choice Marketing conference, and have very much enjoyed supporting the 61 garden centre members in 2024. Equally, to earn a finalist position in a hugely-competitive category at the GIMA Awards was a real bonus and, we firmly believe, is testament to the strength of the RocketGro story and product range.

“We are looking forward to a very positive 2025 and the opportunity to provide retail customers with yet more great service and market-leading compost products.”

Get in touch to discover what our unique range can do for your compost offer.

Find out more

If you want to learn more about RocketGro or are keen to discuss adding its product portfolio into your 2025 offering, please contact Toby Thomas (hello@rocketgro.co.uk /07936 928 981) or Andy Abraham (andy@rocketgro.co.uk / 07446 937902). View the full range and discover more about the RocketGro story at www.rocketgro.co.uk

GTN November 2024 - GIMA Awards Roll of Honour & GLEE New Products Directory.

In this Issue: GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards – the judges hit the road to visit 120 garden centres, Choice Marketing – winners from the conference and awards, Opinion – retailers on implications from the Budget, Keter celebrate 80 years of Stewart Garden, Glee New Product Directory – every product entered this year, GIMA Award – winners in the roll of honour, Glee New Product Directory continued, Review of PATS Telford, Houseplants in the mall – a look around The RHS Plant Space, Planteria – plants for the festive season, HTA Viewpoint - A chance to give back, GIMA Viewpoint – Managing Risk

GTN will be publishing its Sustainability Directory again and this year's theme will be 'Where next for Garden Centres?'.

The garden retail sector has made huge strides with sustainability over the last five years setting the pace for eco-standards in retailing so this year we will be looking at what can be done next to re-affirm garden centres sustainability credentials and keep us as a sector ahead of the market.  We will be covering services, facilities, customer interaction and education, plus of course, products for garden centres to sell that have a sustainable back story and that deliver eco benefits for their customers.

This year the printed Directory will be delivered to the GTN mailing database towards the end of December, when planning starts for the season ahead. We also produce a digital version which is promoted each week for the whole of next year via GTN Xtra at www.gardentradenews.co.uk. Over the past five years the digital versions of GTN’s Sustainability Directory have now been opened 29,597 times with an average issue read time of 5:35 minutes.  The Sustainability Directory is well read and regularly referred back to each year.  Together with the 3,500 printed issues and the weekly readership of GTN Xtra that means the GTN Sustainability Directory is the largest and most accessible single source of Sustainability related information for our industry.  It would be great if you were a key part of that.

Please see the 2024 Sustainability Directory here

New Products for the UK Garden Trade for 2025 from GIMA Members: Ames, Auto Pot Global, Avocet Hardware – Greenman Tools, Azpects, Bulldog Tools, Burgon & Ball, Capi Europe, Coir Products, Durston Garden Products, elho, Evergreen Garden Care, Fandango Fire Tools, Fargro, Forest Garden, Gardena, Glee, Greenkey, Greenleaf Horticulture, Handy Distribution, Harvest Pet Products, Hortiwool    , Hozelock, Johnsons Lawn Seeds, Kleen-Tex, LBC Ultralight Boots, Marriages, Meadow View Stone, Museums & Galleries, Panacea Products, Phoenox, PlantWorks, POTR, Primeur, Primus, Sipcam, Smart Garden Products, Sorbus, The Solar Centre, Tildenet, Treadstone, Vitavia, Vitax, Witt UK & Ireland, Woodmansterne, Zest Outdoor Living, GIMA Member Directory, Join GIMA.