GTN's Trevor Pfeiffer is within reach of making his weight loss target of 14:04 by Garden Re-Leaf Day on March 18th and raise money for Greenfingers...

"Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day takes place on Friday 18^th March 2016 - and I set myself a target to loose 1 stone between the GCA Conference and Garden Re-Leaf Day and raise money for Greenfingers by making it a sponosred slim.

"This weekend and into this week I've managed another 2 fast days and done plenty of dog walking whilst on business in Scotland which has taken my weight down to 14:06, so I only have a further 2 pounds to lose by Friday when I am the support team for the Garden Re-Leaf Day sponsored walk.  I may end up doing part of the route if all the other wlakers are well to help with those few extra ounces off.

"Immediately after conference I went down with a bout of man flu, so I was only able to get the diet up and running on Wednesday 3rd February.  My start weight was registered as 15 stone 4 pounds.

"On that plan I can eat normally on non-fast days but only a maximum of 600 calories on fast days, but I now think the "normal"days will need to be closer to fasting too!  

"Your donation to Greenfingers via https://www.justgiving.com/Trevor-Pfeiffer will give me all the extra motivation I need to make sure I get there.

"I'll keep you all updated with my progress in GTN Xtra.  Thank you to all the people who have already sponsored me.  I'm looking forward to raising more money for Greenfingers when I reach the target from all the kind people who've also said they would support me."

Garden Re-Leaf 2016 has already attracted eight top industry figures who will be staging 24 hour Plant-athons in garden centres beginning  their Plant-athons on Thursday 17th and finishing on Friday the 18th.  Poplars, Adrian Hall and Sunshine Garden Centres have all recently confirmed they will put on Garden Re-Leaf events in store.

Wyevale Garden Centres said welcome on Monday (14 March) to a new CEO. Roger McLaughlan, 52, takes over from Kevin Bradshaw – and as his last job was MD of the UK arm of Toys’R’Us, now is the perfect time for all those Wyevale managers who fancy they’d like to see a few more cuddly toys in their stores to step forward…

Seriously, though, McLaughlan’s arrival could put paid to the speculation that equity group Terra Firma are about to part with their garden centre chain. On the other hand, perhaps they feel the new man’s experience in branding and merchandising over the past 25 years can quickly produce the stardust that will wow future suitors.

While Kevin Bradshaw has achieved much during his three-year tenure, acquiring 30 stores, improving efficiency and profitability and upgrading catering, the group is still seen by many to lack the mass-market brand appeal that would deliver a reputation as a well-loved household name.

McLaughlan knows retail backwards, through his experience at Asda (he ran the Living business and was responsible for re-juvenating the George fashion brand), M & S (where he was head of selling for womenswear) and of course at Toys ‘R’ Us, where he took the reins in 2012 at a challenging time and in a difficult consumer environment.

People speak well of him. He is said to be a great motivator, an ideas man with a sense of humour and a passion for leadership. Perhaps he can bring a light touch and a sense of fun to the serious business of broadening the appeal of Wyevale Garden Centres to new consumers.

He doesn’t sound like the  kind of CEO who will throw his toys out of the pram at board meetings...

• Garden Products - down 4%
• Veg-2-Gro - down 6%
• Growing Media - up 22%
• All Items Index - up 21%

A standard packet of every-day pumpkin seed retails for as little as 99p for 10 seeds, but the chance to own potentially world record-breaking seed doesn’t come along often and attracts worldwide attention. More than 80 delegates from 11 countries attended the three day event (26-28Feb) at Pinetops Nurseries, Lymington, Hampshire – the first time the event has been held in the UK.

The attendance list read as a who’s-who of the pumpkin world and included the five best international pumpkin growers (all record breakers) alongside the UK’s very own specialists – Ian and Stuart Paton. The Hampshire twins have consistently upped the UK record weight in 40 years of growing, and even briefly held the European Record in 2014 until the world record was smashed in Switzerland.

Thompson & Morgan has long been the sponsor for the official UK Giant Pumpkin weigh in, held each October at The Autumn Pumpkin Festival, Netley Park, Southampton. Over the years it has paid out thousands of pounds for UK and European record breakers, but has never had to hand out the top £10,000 prize for a world record breaker.

The world’s most expensive pumpkin seed comes packed with inbuilt genetics from the current world record holder – a mammoth 2,323 lb (1054kg) specimen produced by Swiss grower Beni Meier in 2014.  At its peak of growth the giant piled on a staggering 44lbs of weight per day – stand and look for long enough and you could see it swelling with your own eyes. To keep up with the growth rate, the plant needed 150 gallons of fertilised water every day – equivalent to filling five household baths!

Bidding for the giant seed remained frantic until the £700 mark, it then fell down to just two interested parties; Thompson & Morgan Horticultural Director Paul Hansord and Eddie Zaychkowski,  a phone bidder calling in from Edmonton, Canada. The £1,250 selling price surpasses the previous £1,171 record price set in 2010.

Paul Hansord said: “The UK is home to some of the most passionate and dedicated pumpkin growers. Sadly none have been lucky enough to break the world record. To do that you need to start out with the best quality seed. Our spend on the Swiss seed may seem a high price to pay, but it will boost the genetics of UK plants moving forward and give us the best chance of seeing the world title brought to the UK for the first time. This seed and its parent represents a new generation of pumpkin breeding. The thickness of the flesh is much denser than older varieties, bringing more opportunity for heavyweight giants to be produced. Getting hold of this seed is the equivalent of buying Red Rum for stud use!”

You’d think that the seed specialist would want to keep a close eye on the growing of the pumpkin, but Mr Hansord is now seeking interest from UK veg growers willing to take on the seed and attempt to break the world record in their own gardens this summer.

He said: “We’re looking for someone with the passion, dedication and time to produce a giant specimen. The main season of care falls when we are all hands on deck with our mail order plant despatches. While we don’t have the time to look after the plant ourselves, we have all the tips and specialist knowledge to pass on to the chosen grower to give them the best success with the seed”.

To register your interest write to Paul, detailing where the plant will be grown and why you should be chosen to grow the seed. Don’t delay – the seed needs to be sown around 15^th April for the best chance of success:

Paul Hansord
Giant Pumpkin Seed
Thompson & Morgan
Poplar Lane
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP8 5EU

Or email pressoffice@thompson-morgan.com

The resulting pumpkin will need to be entered for the weigh-in at the Autumn Pumpkin Festival, Netley Park, Southampton, 8^th October

The show, which was attended by the Group’s 22 Plant Managers and Horticultural Buying Team, gave the perfect opportunity to plan and select stock for the 2016 season by bringing them together with many of the best from the UK plant supply chain. 

David Arnold, Independent Consultant to the Garden Industry, was also in attendance and led a workshop session on new trends in plant areas and shared findings of recent research into what people are looking for from their gardens.

Klondyke’s Senior Horticultural Buyer Andy Smith organised the show and commented: “Our 2016 event has showcased our ranges to our Plant Managers and set the scene for the season. I would like to thank all of our suppliers who attended and wish them all a great 2016 season."

During the show, The Bransford Webb Plant Company were presented with the Klondyke Group’s award for Supplier of the Year 2015.

David Chilvers, Account Manager commented: “To win the Klondyke Plant Supplier of the Year award really means a lot to us all at Bransford Webbs, as it is one of the few awards that is voted for by the customers. We have been working with Klondyke for many years now and it is great to supply a forward looking company that really has horticulture and plants at the core of its business."

Gisborough Hall is located near to the group’s Stokesley Garden Centre which has recently undergone a large refurbishment project, with new plant area and restaurant. The Stokesley centre is the first of many plant areas to be upgraded, this upgrade is based around themes and making the offer more customer friendly.

The Home Garden Association – part of Fleuroselect – have named beans and zinnias as their Plants of the Year for retail promotion in 2017.

In association with Floramedia, they are making a comprehensive range of  images, online banners, ads, plant labels and POS material available to garden centres as downloads from their website.

The Plant of the Year promotion was launched in 2015, the ‘Year of the Sunflower’, to encourage take-up of winning varieties in  Fleuroselect’s annual awards. For 2016, the themes are Tomato and Cosmos, materials for which can still be downloaded.

Go to: homegardenassociation.com and click the appropriate links. 

There has been a lot of talk in the industry recently about the need to encourage a younger audience into gardening, as an increasingly urban and ageing population continues to pose a significant threat to its future.

Town & Country is wholeheartedly behind the drive to engage a new generation as demonstrated by its latest initiative - the ‘Design a Gardening Glove Schools Challenge.’

The competition has been launched as a pilot scheme across the company’s local area of Leicestershire and is open to all those schools in the region that take part in gardening activities.  There has already been a tremendous response, with dozens of school applying to enter and numerous imaginative designs being sent into the marketing ream at Town & Country’s Bardon head office.

The overall winning design will be turned into a brand new glove, with a pair sent to the pupil responsible, as well as the class teacher, with a view to the gloves being considered for Town & Country’s new product range that will be going into garden centres from September 2016.

Andrea Litchfield, Town & Country marketing executive comments:  “We have been overwhelmed by the response to this schools initiative and it shows that there is a real interest among these youngsters who are already involved in gardening projects through the work that goes on at their schools.  We are looking forward to the judging process and selecting an overall winning design.”

Judging will be taking place in March with the panel including representatives from Town & Country as well as from Leicester City Council’s Environmental Education department.  The overall winner will be announced in due course.

Pictured: Marketing Executive, Andrea Litchfield, with some of the many entries to the Design a Gardening Glove Challenge.

The EU has postponed its decision to renew the licence for glyphosate, the active ingredient in many garden weedkillers, after opposition from France, Holland, Italy and Sweden.

The licence, which expires at the end of June, was expected to be extended this week for another 15 years, even though the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had raised doubts by classifying glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans”.

The European Chemicals Agency’s investigation into the wider human health effects of glyphosate will not be completed until later next year.

A spokesman for Monsanto, the manufacturers of glyphosate, said it was not unusual for a decision to be postponed when doubts were raised. Approval could still be given within weeks.

Even if approval is given, pressure from consumer groups is still likely. In France, garden chemicals must be sold from locked cabinets from 2017 and will be banned from sale from 2019.

• Hitting and exceeding the new business revenue target
• Delivering new revenue streams
• Increasing average order value and customer growth year on year
• Delivering on set KPIs and agreed measurable targets
• Increasing conversion rate customer retention and activity to deliver expected new business revenue

Rigorous sales planning ability and exceptional customer skills are vital alongside ‘hunter’ mentality to win the sale and a dogged determination to unearth new business opportunities.

Experience required:

• 2-3 years sales experience, preferably in an exhibition sales role
• Effective sales planning skills
• Proven new business hunter skills and target-driven approach
• Evident of developing impressive new business from scratch
• Strong understanding of effective pipeline management
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Customer focus
• Current clean driving license

Email your CV to: jobs@i2ieventsgroup.com (Reference No. i2i – 220)

• The ideal candidate will understand both the category and customers, possess strong  communication and negotiation skills and have a passion and enthusiasm for customers and products.
• They should an excellent team player focused on driving sales and profitability.

• Relationship building with sales prospects and influencers in target markets.
• Increase sales to existing customer base.
• Identify and secure new customers in the target market.
• Set up and manage network of distributors in target markets.
• Research and identify new sales and market opportunities.
• Present the company and its products face-to-face at trade shows and sales presentations.
• Negotiating terms of agreement and closing sales.
• Active participation in the development of company sales strategy.

• The candidate will have a positive 'can do' attitude.
• An inquisitiveness to learn and be challenged.
• A warm personality and sense of humour.
• Willingness to work hard and beyond the remit when necessary.
• A grasp of 'green' principles and understanding of the importance of sustainability.
• A proven track record in taking new products to market.

Plant Area Manager (Full time, including alternate weekends)

West Horsley KT24 6AR

Squire’s is a family owned group of 15 garden centre’s based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and Berkshire. We are committed to growing our business and to promoting the highest standards in horticultural retailing. We want our staff to enjoy working with us in a friendly, energetic customer focused environment.

West Horsley, a traditional GCA garden centre and nursery with a strong horticultural background set deep in the beautiful Surrey countryside between Guildford and Leatherhead.  An enthusiastic team who know their customers as well as their subject and who strive to make the centre a hub of the local community.  

• You will be responsible for managing the outdoor plant department which has an extensive and well stocked plant area.
• You must have experience and/or horticultural qualifications and garden centre retail experience.
• You will be able to manage your department to achieve sales and profit targets whilst motivating your team to maximise all sales opportunities and inspiring them to offer the highest standards of customer service.
• You must have the ability to thrive in a fast paced environment, have a passion for plants, be highly motivated, commercially aware and able to create dynamic, inspirational displays.

Free parking on site.

To apply, please visit our website www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk 

Bedding Department Head (Full time, including alternate weekends)

West Horsley KT24 6AR

Squire’s is a family owned group of 15 garden centre’s based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and Berkshire. We are committed to growing our business and to promoting the highest standards in horticultural retailing. We want our staff to enjoy working with us in a friendly, energetic customer focused environment.

West Horsley, a traditional GCA garden centre and nursery with a strong horticultural background set deep in the beautiful Surrey countryside between Guildford and Leatherhead.  An enthusiastic team who know their customers as well as their subject and who strive to make the centre a hub of the local community.  

• You will be responsible for the bedding plant department at our West Horsley Garden Centre which has an extensive and well stocked plant area.
• You will have extensive knowledge and experience of working in a retail bedding department and/or a horticultural qualification.
• A passion for customer service and the ability to thrive in a fast paced environment are essential.
• You will be flexible, enthusiastic and highly motivated, commercially aware and have the ability to create dynamic displays.

Free parking on site.

To apply, please visit our website www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk 

• Be able to deliver the level of grounds care demanded by the client within the strict deadlines and budgets of the contract.
• Liaise with clients when needed.
• Be aware of health & safety and quality procedures on site.
• Supervision of Teams

Plant Area Sales Assistant (Full time, including alternate weekends)

Twickenham TW2 5PA

Squire’s is a family owned group of 15 garden centre’s based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and Berkshire. We are committed to growing our business and to promoting the highest standards in horticultural retailing. We want our staff to enjoy working with us in a friendly, energetic customer focused environment.

Squire’s oldest site with a new centre built in 1993, and is about to undergo a significant facelift.  A garden centre that takes a very high turnover for its size, with a strong horticultural focus in plants and sundries, often winning GCA category awards, with the recent addition of new Pets & Aquatics and Craft areas.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated individual who is quick and willing to learn and who sees customer service as their main priority.

• The ideal candidate will be self-motivated and energetic, have a passion for plants and an eye for creating exciting detailed displays.
• Horticultural experience or equivalent qualifications desirable.
• The role will involve bending and lifting some heavy items therefore applicants must be physically fit.

Free parking on site.

To apply, please visit our website www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk 

• The highest climber is Smart Solar Orbis Light, jumping 35 places to No 6.
• Smart Solar Eureka! Lightbulb Lantern (pictured) is the highest new entry at No 25. The company’s Snowdrop Flower Light is another newcomer to the chart.
• The highest re-entry is Scheurich Solid Ivory Pot, 14cm, at No 8.
• Fito Drip Feeder for Orchids retains the top spot.

• 4Scotts Miracle-Gro Growables Cherry Tomato Seed Pot is the highest new entry at No 15 after catching the eye at Glee last September.
• Other new entries are Mr Fothergills Pea Ambassador and Thompson & Morgan Dwarf Bean Opera.
• Taylors onion sets dominate the top five places, and they also take the highest re-entry prize with the Karmen variety.
• The highest climber goes to Taylors Shallots Yellow Moon, climbing 33 places to No 12.

• GroWise Organic Garden Compost (50 litres) was the highest new entry at No 14.
• A place higher was the highest climber, Scotts Levington Organic Gro-bag, moving up 18 places to No 13.
• The highest re-entry was Westland John Innes Seed (30 litres) at No 24.

The marketing team at Kent & Stowe, who are well known for their innovative approach to creating new retail sales opportunities, have developed a programme to help garden centres increase consumer spend on Lawncare through linked promotions and displays.

Their hard hitting in-store product placement campaign to site essential lawn equipment alongside lawn seed, lawn food, moss killer etc will build consumer spend and enable gardeners to get their lawns into peak condition for the summer months ahead.

Kent & Stowe value-added lawn promotions also add impetus to the campaign which covers grass and border shears, swivel shears, lawn rakes and the brand new exclusive K&S lawn edge trimmer.

This new lawn edger has a high quality stainless steel blade which gives a clean and precise cut, trimming quickly and effortlessly.

The lightweight tool has an easy to use ‘Walk and Cut’ rocking technique which is ideal for edging lawns around patios, driveways, flower beds and borders.

These are not just run of the mill promotions but real and valuable linked sales backed by impactful POS and purpose designed display bins.

Full details are available from your Crest Garden sales contact. Visit www.crest-garden.com

The installation is set to be introduced to Van Hage’s Great Amwell store on March 18^th and will cover a huge 42m².

The new display area will showcase one of the most comprehensive selections of Fallen Fruits garden giftware items in the country and product ranges will be categorised accordingly to subtle themes. This dedicated space has been designed to make the consumer feel at home, while providing the retailer with a well-managed and profitable concept.

Some of the company’s most popular product ranges will be featured, including the new Farmer’s Pride collection of Grow Your Own accessories and the striking Tractor Table and matching Tractor Seats, along with a host of stylish gifts for the home and garden.

Fallen Fruits Managing director, Michael Hall commented, “We are delighted to be invited into Van Hage’s flagship garden centre and are confident that our creatively merchandised display will result in an increase in customer interest, customer interaction and consequently sales.”

For more information, contact Fallen Fruits on 01584 873377 or by emailing sales@fallenfruits.co.uk.

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 printed newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2014 as well as 2015 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 Veg-2-Gro Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers 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.