Greenfingers charity announces major new fundraising appeal
Greenfingers, the charity dedicated to creating gardens in children’s hospices around the UK, has announced a major new fundraising appeal to support its ambitious plans for creating many more children’s hospice gardens...
Greenfingers, the charity dedicated to creating gardens in children’s hospices around the UK, has announced a major new fundraising appeal to support its ambitious plans for creating many more children’s hospice gardens.
The ‘Rosy Cheeks’ Appeal aims to raise £750,000 over the next two years to build at least 10 new gardens in children’s hospices around the country.
To date, Greenfingers has designed and delivered 39 hospice gardens and are dedicated to creating further beautiful and inspiring outdoors spaces for children with life-limiting conditions to enjoy with family, friends and siblings, whether through play and fun, or therapeutic rest and relaxation. The charity is driven by the belief that time spent outdoors, away from the bedside, can offer children and families under considerable stress a vital opportunity to embrace the benefits of being in the fresh air and engaging with the natural environment.
The new Rosy Cheeks Appeal aims to galvanise the charity’s plans to build more gardens and to impress upon the horticultural industry and the general public how beneficial time spent outdoors is for children with life-limiting conditions.
The ‘Rosy Cheeks’ name represents the precious moment in time when a flush of warmth is brought to a child’s face when spending time outdoors. ‘Rosy Cheeks’ moments are even more vital to children in the care of hospices, giving them the chance to embrace the simple pleasures many of us take for granted – the pleasure of enjoying the natural world, away from the pressures of their conditions.
The gardens Greenfingers hopes to build under the umbrella of the appeal will provide carefully designed, therapeutic, natural environments where families can enjoy these ‘Rosy Cheeks’ moments together.
Matthew Wilson, Chairman of Greenfingers, launched the appeal yesterday (Friday), commenting: "At Greenfingers we are unashamedly ambitious in our aim to provide wonderful outdoor spaces for as many children as possible being cared for at hospices all around the UK, and we are delighted to launch the Rosy Cheeks Appeal today to drive our plans forward.
"We truly believe that having access to specially designed, stimulating garden spaces can bring vital benefits for children with life-limiting conditions. Whilst many of us may take for granted the simple pleasure of being able to enjoy a garden, for these children, their siblings and their families, the chance to spend time together outdoors and away from the bedside is precious.
"We are aiming to raise the funds to build at least a further ten Greenfingers gardens over the next two years and are calling on everyone to get involved in whatever way they can, with donations large and small, to help us turn these plans into a reality and enrich the lives of children who really need our help."
Greenfingers has announced details of the first five gardens to be built under the Rosy Cheeks Appeal, and hopes to confirm at least a further five as the appeal progresses. The first five Rosy Cheeks Appeal gardens will be at:
- Little Havens Hospice in Essex
- EllenorLions Hospice in Kent
- Chestnut Tree House in Sussex
- Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice in Yorkshire
- Horizon House in Belfast
Vital funds now need to be raised in order to progress these five gardens and Greenfingers urges anyone who is able to donate to the Rosy Cheeks Appeal as a whole, or is interested in donating towards a specific garden, should get in touch now. The sooner funds can be raised the sooner work can begin.
Anyone interested in donating to Greenfingers should call 01494 674749, email info@greenfingerscharity.org.uk or visit www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk
Pictured above: Greenfingers Board of Trustees at the launch of the Greenfingers Rosy Cheeks Appeal at Clifton Nurseries in London. From left to right: Paul Ormond, Matthew Wilson, John Little, Chris Webb, Caroline Owen, Peter Field, Richard Jackson, Carol Paris, John Ashley, Mark Rachovides. Picture taken by Tessa Newmark.
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Chairman of Greenfingers Matthew Wilson welcomed around 80 guests to Clifton Gardens in what he described as “a long overdue meeting of many friends of the charity.”
He thanked Richard Jackson who had instigated the formation of the charity and had been its chairman for the past 14 years, during which time 39 gardens have been built.
Matthew suggested that it is not until you have children of your own do you perhaps really realise the value of what Greenfingers does. This is behind what has motivated him to take on the Chair of the charity and along with the Board of Trustees set the ambitious target of raising £750,000 over the next two years to build 10 more gardens under the banner of the Rosy Cheeks fundraising appeal.
Tom Hill, the MD of Helen and Douglas Houses at Oxford, thanked Greenfingers and its many supporters, some of whom were present at the evening reception, for the money raised and the work that had been done with it.
He said all involved with Greenfingers should be justly proud of what they have done and while they have not made children better they have made lives ‘a lot less bad’.
Helen House, which was the first Children’s Hospice in the world, has benefited from the garden provided by Greenfingers. He reminded guests that there are around 50,000 families currently in Britain living with a child that has a life limiting illness.
Donna, a mum who lost her daughter Megan at the age of six a few days before Christmas 2009, also thanked the audience for their support.
She said that until you have been in the position she was, living every minute of every day with a child who is terminally ill, do you realise the value and support of a hospice. It brings an element of normality to family life. Sunday lunches with the family couldn’t happen in her life until her daughter was in the hospice. Then they all had Sunday lunches together sitting around a table at the hospice.
"Your gardens don’t make children better but they can make them happy," she said.
Glove and footwear supplier, Town and Country have sponsored the production of a new film, highlighting the work of Greenfingers and testimonials of what Greenfingers gardens have meant to staff, parents, children and patients at hospices across England, in Scotland, Ireland and Wales. This film will be available shortly on YouTube.
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Natural Paving on the run again!
Natural Paving Products is supporting the Greenfingers Charity for a second year running, raising money by entering the BUPA Manchester 10k run on May 26...
Natural Paving Products is supporting the Greenfingers Charity for a second year running, raising money by entering the BUPA Manchester 10k run on May 26..
Last year Operations Director, Paul Shephard and a colleague raised a fantastic £1600.
However coming on in leaps and bounds, this year Paul is leading a nine strong team who are striving to beat last year’s donation.
“Greenfingers is really impressed to hear that nine people from Natural Paving have volunteered to take part in the Manchester 10K Run and raise funds for Greenfingers," said a spokesperson for the charity.
"We thank them all for their commitment and dedication to support our work in creating magical gardens for children’s hospices and wish them well in their run.”
With a responsible, proactive and caring attitude the team at Natural Paving are passionate about supporting the wider community and have found Greenfingers to be a highly deserving and related cause.
The charity designs and creates magical gardens for children’s hospices so the children and their families can enjoy special time, away from the bedside, to play, have fun and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of nature.
The £1600 raised in 2012, contributed to Greenfingers Derian House Project, which is due to be officially opened on 10th May.
Training hard, Paul is joined by his wife and Sales Manager Julie Shephard, Managing Director Mark Wall, Sales Team members Carl Edwards and Derek Jiao, Business Development Manager Tim Rushton, Sales Manager Adrian Freebury and Northern Sales Director Gerry Childs and his daughter Emma.
To reward the team’s effort and to support Greenfingers Natural Paving kindly ask for donations, no matter how big or small, as every little helps!
The easiest way to show your support is by logging onto the Natural Paving ‘Just Giving’ Page at: http://www.justgiving.com/NPP
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Garden centres see sales increase throughout their stores
Epos data supplied for GTN Bestsellers reveals that garden centres are seeing increased sales in all departments as the weather has become more springlike...
Everything in the garden centre is on the up! Even the tulips in the Dutch bulb garden at Keukenhof have started to bloom – just three weeks late after such a cold start to spring. So with gardens suddenly bursting into growth it’s no surprise that garden centres, and all of their departments, reported increased sales compared to last week and also higher than the same time last year. Evidence of higher sales volumes can be found in the Epos data from garden centres, supplied for GTN Bestsellers. Just take a look at the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: - Garden Products – up 37%
- Veg-2-Gro – up 55%
- Growing Media – Up 55%
- All items index – Up 45%
As the season is running three weeks late, our annual sales peak is most likely to be around the May Bank Holiday – as it was in 2011 – and then it could go mad for the rest of May. Have you got plenty of promotions planned for May to ensure you get more than your fair share of the garden buying that will surely happen? If you’ve got any interesting and innovative plans for the month ahead that you’d like to share with fellow GTN Bestsellers readers then email trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk
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Greenbrook Garden Centre features on peak-time BBC News
Greenbrook Garden Centre in Chelmsford, Essex, found itself on peak-time BBC News on Thursday as it became the focal point of a report on the state of the nation's ecomony...
Greenbrook Garden Centre in Chelmsford, Essex, found itself on peak-time BBC News on Thursday as it became the focal point of a report on the nation's ecomony...
Owner James Richmond was interviewed by the BBC's Economics Editor Stephanie Flanders after the UK's latest GDP figures showed there had been slight growth in the economy.
"The BBC contacted me a couple of weeks ago in anticipation of the GDP figures being announced," said James. "They said they were looking to film at a family-run business in the Chelmsford area, and after talkiing to us and looking at out website, they agreed to use Greenbrook for the report.
"I wasn't nervous at all, in fact I was really loooking forward to it. I follow Stephanie Flanders' reports and it was really good to meet her. She spent around two hours at the centre."
Following her visit to Greenbrook, Stephanie wrote on the BBC News website: "At the Chelmsford garden centre I visited for my piece for Thursday evening's TV bulletins, the owner, James Richmond, told me that business had fallen off a lot in the cold winds of March. But he would probably not be surprised to hear that services companies like his have expanded overall. Footfall at his centre is higher than last year, even though spending per head is slightly down."
In response James (pictured above) told GTN Xtra: "We do a lot of local advertising, and we're keen on offering great quality at great prices. We have been buying better, and we promote our products in a professional manner.
"There is so much negativity out there, caused a lot by the media, so we always have a positive approach to our business. There is a lot of what I call the 'shy pound' out there – businesses like ours need to make customers feel confident about spending it."
To see Stephanie Flanders' report from Greenbrook in full go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01s1xc6/BBC_News_at_Ten_25_04_2013/ The reports starts 7 minutes 40 seconds into the news bulletin.
You can find out more about Greenbrook Garden Centre by visiting www.greenbrookgardencentre.co.uk
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Pre-season promotions working well
Pre-season promotions are still working well, as demonstrated by Solus Yeoman Ratchet Secateurs, which have retained top spot in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart for a second week...
Pre-season promotions are still working well, as demonstrated by Solus Yeoman Ratchet Secateurs (pictured right), which have retained top spot in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart for a second week.
And the warmer weather has resulted in the first shoots of the year appearing, even if it has brought on a surge of weeds. As a result there have been big sales increases of weed killers, slug controls and liquid plant feeds.
- The highest climber is Scotts Roundup Weedkiller Gel, which has jumped 34 places to No 7.
- Scotts Miracle-Gro Flower Magic Mixed Colours is the highest re-entry at No 12.
- Bio Slug & Snail Killer re-enters at No 17.
- Scotts Weedol Rootkill Plus Gun has seen a 100% increase in sales, to re-enter the chart at No 30.
Other notable re-entries include Gardman Hanging Basket Easy Liner (No 27), Yeoman Carbon Hand Trowel (No 42), and Creative Products 2 in 1 Paving Brush (No 48).
Garden lighting is another category shining brightly in the chart with Kaemingk LED Solar Stainless Steel Garden Light moving up 12 places to No 9.
See the full GTN Garden Products Bestsellers Chart here. Subscribers Only
To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business. Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
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Hillier Garden Centre officially recognised as tourist destination
Hillier Garden Centre in Eastbourne has been granted seven brown tourist signs by East Sussex County Council, officially putting Hillier on the map as a tourist destination...
Hillier Garden Centre in Eastbourne has been granted seven brown tourist signs by East Sussex County Council, officially putting Hillier on the map as a tourist destination.
Hillier submitted its application to the council's Road Safety Department in April 2012 which included details of its popular coffee shop Café Pine, gardening club and regular programme of talks.
It also listed its children's school holiday entertainment, charity fundraising activities, and onsite attractions, including Pavers Shoes, specialist aquatic department Fishy Business, Neptune Spas and Cotton Traders, highlighting Hillier as much more than your average garden centre.
 Hillier's successful application saw seven brown tourist signs installed on the B2104 Rattle Road/Lion Hill and B2247 junctions to help direct visitors to the centre.
Glyn Webster, Hillier Eastbourne's Garden Centre Manager, said: “In what's been a difficult few months for garden centres with the unexpected snow and harsh weather conditions, we're thrilled to be granted tourist status.
“Although our focus remains delivering high quality plants and trees, Hillier Eastbourne would not be the same without our 110 seat cafe and regular visitor activities.
"We have a fun-filled programme of free children’s entertainment planned for the summer holidays this year including magic shows, face painting and pottery decorating, so pop down and visit us for a family day out.”
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Suttons grafted pepper variety outsells tomato plants
Suttons’ grafted plants continue to dominate the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart with 10 of the top 11 products, headed by Sweet Pepper F1 Britney. It has moved up five places to knock Tomato Elegance off the No 1 spot.
Suttons’ grafted plants continue to dominate the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart with 10 of the top 11 products, headed by Sweet Pepper F1 Britney. It has moved up five places to knock Tomato Elegance off the No 1 spot.
The only non-Suttons item in the top 10 is Unwins Have a Grow Seed Potatoes International Kidney, which has moved up an impressive 13 places to No 8.
Suttons Grafted Tomato Juanita Double Plant also takes the accolade of highest new entry at No 15.
Other new entries include:
- Quantil Strawberry Cambridge Strips (35) and Chilli Pepper Apache (46).
- Vigo Rosemary (44).
- Unwins Have a Grow Potatoes Estima (47).
The highest climber this week is Farplants Garlic Provence Wight, jumping 21 places to No 28.
Gardeners Kitchen Cucumber Pepenex F1 has also had a good week to take No 29 spot.
See the full GTN Veg-2-Gro Bestsellers Chart here. Subscribers Only
To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business. Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
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Bulb flowers make people happy - Official!
Happy people everywhere, including the Garden Industry Trade Mission to Holland, at the Keukenhof where the tulips have just started to bloom...
Henk de Jong - Dutch Embassy, Tim Briercliffe - HTA, John Hiorns - Crocus, Carl Schousten - Flower Council, Sam Bosworth - Bosworths Garden Centre and Choice Marketing Group, Helen Evans - New Covent Garden.
Happy people everywhere, including the Garden Industry Trade Mission to Holland, at the Keukenhof where the tulips have just started to bloom. The positive effects of sunshine and glorious swathes of colour created by the blooming bulbs was just what the organisers of the 64th annual opening of the bulb gardens intended. Their objective is for visitors to enjoy the flowers of Holland and for them to leave happy.
The UK Garden Trade Mission, orgainsed by the Dutch Embassy and The Flower Council, certainly left the gardens in happy mood with plenty of inspiration as to how bold displays of bulbs in flower can inspire people to garden. They were among the 20,000 visitors to the garden last Wednesday.
Over the 2 months that the Keukenhof is open (until 20th May 2013) 800,000 people will visit and be inspired by the flower displays. Next year the gardens will be open from 20th March 2014 until 18th May 2014. If you get the chance to send your bulb sales team over for a visit they will get buckets of unbounded enthusiasm for the product they sell and they will come back with plenty of great bulb flower images to use in your point of sale.
According to the garden designer at the Keukenhof, next years colour trends are big contrasts of bold colours "more 70's", that will be well worth seeing.
The team at the Keukenhof are so positive about their gardens being a happy place even the catering staff promote happiness from the food too!
Having been wowed by the bulbs in flower the Trade Mission then visited bulb grower and exporter JAC. Uittenbogaard & Zone BV, known as JUB. This 4th generation family business is having good success across Europe making bulbs an impulse purchase, "more gift - more presentations." Part of this is driven from their landscape planting division, taking combinations they plant and creating consumer combinations with smart gift like merchandising. See photo gallery below for examples.
For more information about JUB contact tonylidhout@jubholland.nl
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Worlds Largest Orchid Grower Launches New Orchid Feed Product
 Just add ice, it's So Natural...
The worlds largest orchid grower, SO Natural, has launched an innovative orchid feed product and care routine "Just Add Ice."
Their patented orchid care method promotes using ice cubes as the best way to water and feed orhcids. "Watering your plants with ice cubes is the best and easiest way to take care of your plants, which we have made easy by one simple rule of thumb: 3 cubes a week. Start with the coloured ice cube and finish the week with two transparent ones."
SO Natural have real credibility when it comes to caring for orchids. They grow 10 million orchids each year and supply a further 6 million young plants to the USA for growing on. Passionate about their plants, SO Natural are an impressive family business investing in mechanisation, energy production (they sell power back to the grid during the day), and investing in unique growing techniques and patents.
SO Natural orchids sell in garden centres across Europe and into the UK via supermarkets. UK garden centres wishing to find out more about SO Natural should visit their website: www.sonatural.nl or contact Commercial Director Rudi Standart r.standart@sonatuarl.nl
The pictures below tell part of the SO Natural orchid story...
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Bushnell Outdoor Products, the worldwide leader in sports optics and outdoor accessories for over 60 years, has reinforced its offering with their widest compliment of products for 2013 aimed at the British Outdoor sector, including a full HD wildlife camera with close-focus lenses for birdwatching.
Known widely for their high-performance binoculars, the Bushnell range for 2013 also includes spotting scopes, telescopes, golf laser rangefinders, night vision, trail cameras, sports imaging, torches and GPS devices.
 The Bushnell ethos is to provide cutting-edge technologies in simple-to-use products, which are sensibly priced and long-serving.
The newest addition to the range is the most advanced trail camera available today. Traditionally these cameras have been utilised to detect mammals passing within metres of the device. By screwing on one of the additional lenses to the NatureView Cam HD Max’s front lens, the camera will focus at 46cm or 25cm, an ideal distance for birds and small mammals found in the nation’s back gardens.
Bushnell trail cameras have been selected by scientific expeditions and TV nature programmes, providing evidence of endangered species and new habitats. Since starting the Trail Cam phenomenon with the first camera in 2007 Bushnell has pushed the technology year-on-year to greater heights. Now the high-street has lost its core optics retailer, consumers are looking for Bushnell products in out-of-town environments.
 Garden centres are an obvious and natural fit for our wildlife cameras, alongside bird-feeding and pets, whilst binoculars are an advantageous partner for camping and outdoor clothing departments. We warmly welcome contact from trade customers in the gardening sector, to arrange a presentation visit.
Bushnell products are supported in the UK with a comprehensive warranty provision, wide-reaching PR and advertising campaigns plus Point-Of-Sale units and materials to inform and guide consumers. Andrew Grose, Managing Director of Bushnell Performance Optics UK, said: “I am excited that the 2013 Bushnell range reflects the Britain’s unique passion for the Great Outdoors, with products for ornithologists, mountaineers, star-gazers, golfers, naturalists, sports spectators, sailors and ramblers.
 "From adventurous exploration teams to families interested in observing the wildlife in their back gardens, we have created technologically advanced equipment, that is simple to use and sensibly priced.” Trade customers are invited to contact Bushnell Performance Optics UK Ltd by tel. 0208 391 4700 or email to sales@bushnell-uk.co.uk to arrange a presentation visit and open an account. To sign-up to special offers and trade news from Bushnell, please enter your email address here. Your details will be handled very carefully and never shared with third parties.
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Children show greater interest in Grow Your Own
Schoolchildren are showing more interest in growing fruit and veg, according to organisers of the RHS Malvern Spring Gardening Show...
If the school entries to the RHS Malvern Spring Gardening Show are anything to go by, the UK of the future will see the majority of people growing fruit and veg rather than ornamental plants in their front garden.
Despite the theme for the 2013 gardens being books, all 16 of the participating schools feature edible plants within their design. Recycled materials and environmental concerns also recur throughout the literary-inspired gardens.
Commenting on the entries, Showground Communications Manager, Sharon Gilbert, said: “Whilst the show gardens designed by professional landscape architects make a statement, they tend to reflect the concerns of the individual.
"The pupils, on the other hand, are more focused on issues that affect everyone and how we can make the world a better place to live”.
Horticulture is to become a part of the national curriculum from September 2014, a step that is welcomed by the RHS.
Sarah Cathcart, RHS Head of Education and Learning, added: “We’ve been campaigning for this for nearly 10 years so we are thrilled the Government has recognised the need for children to be taught gardening at school. We now need to help teachers and school staff get the support they need to teach horticulture to children.”
The schools may be taking a more altruistic and alternative approach to planting than their adult counterparts, but their choice of books is very traditional:
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Iron Man by Ted Hughes
- The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
- Winnie The Pooh by AA Milne
- Charlie & The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
- The Wizard Of Oz by L Frank Baum
- The Green Ship by Quentin Blake
- Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare
- The Chicken Gave It To Me by Anne Fine
- The Hodgeheg by Dick King-Smith
- Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- Alice Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
- The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde
- Where’s Wally by Martin Handford
- Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
- The Railway Children by E Nesbitt
The school gardens have been sponsored by Bam Construct Ltd and Blue Diamond have sponsored the plants, trees and shrubs used in the gardens.
They are being judged for certificates of commendation by a panel from the RHS and Three Counties Agricultural Society. In addition to this, Frank Hill from CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) is joining the panel to make cash awards to the top gardens.
Chris Beardshaw is presenting the award
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Growing Media sales peak still to happen
Garden centres should be looking at grow bags, manure and even traditional peat products for good areas of growth over the coming weeks as customers start to buy in earnest...
Garden centres should be looking at grow bags, manure and even traditional peat products for good areas of growth over the coming weeks as customers start to buy in earnest.
Scotts promotions are working well with big week-on-week increases. Miracle-Gro All Purpose Compost 56 litres had a 100% sales rise, taking it up 16 places to No 28.
The highest climber, however, is Shamrock Multi-purpose Compost 50 litres, moving 20 places to No 21.
See the full GTN Growing Media Bestsellers Chart here. Subscribers Only
To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business. Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
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Images of two women have been released by Hertfordshire police following a theft from Carpenders Park Garden Centre in Little Oxhey Lane, Watford.
Around £200 worth of garden ornaments and plants were stolen from the garden centre on Sunday, April 9 at around 4.20pm.
The suspects were then seen to load the stolen items into a gold coloured vehicle, before the two women drove off without paying.
Investigating officer PC Daniel Jones said: "I would like to speak to the individuals pictured in the CCTV images as they may have been a witness to the theft or may have some information which could help my investigations."
He added: "If anyone recognises the people pictured, or if you recognise yourself, please get in contact as soon as possible."
Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC Jones on the non-emergency number 101 citing crime reference number C3/13/339.
Alternatively contact Crimestoppers, the independent charity, anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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Loughview Garden Centre in Northern Ireland have introduced their own nursery with the aim of ensuring maximum plant quality for customers.
Over many years Loughview have had a reputation for having only top quality plants to offer their customers.
The centre has been working hard to extend the range of plants they produce ourselves from their own nursery. This year they will be producing nearly 90% of their own bedding plants, all their own herbs and vegetables and the majority of shrubs and cottage garden plants.
"We pay great attention to the quality of material we have on offer to our customers," said garden centre manager Paul Mallon.
"Having our own facilities to grow the vast majority of it ensures that little or no deterioration to the plants happens when they leave our premises, allowing us to keep a close eye on quality.
"Plants can literally leave our nursery one minute, move onto our shop floor and purchased that afternoon and planted by another happy customer."
Loughview Garden Centre is situated on the Shores of Lough Neagh, near Lurgan.
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HTA calls for ban on imports of sweet chestnut trees
The HTA is advocating a ban on the import of sweet chestnut trees into Britain in a bid to control the spread of a fungal disease...
The HTA is advocating a ban on the import of sweet chestnut trees into Britain in a bid to control the spread of a fungal disease.
The disease, caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica has already affected two sites in the UK. So far, 180 trees have been destroyed on sites in Warwickshire and Essex, following the importation of infected trees from France in 2011.
With the potential increase in planting of sweet chestnut as an alternative to ash in woodlands, the HTA supports a ban on imports as this could present an unnecessary risk to UK woodland already under stress from chalara.
Tim Briercliffe, Director of Business Development at the HTA said: “UK growers take these issues very seriously as we evidenced when we called for a ban in ash imports in 2009 and called for a ban on Plane imports at the end of 2012.”
He continues: “The situation is different to Chalara in that the disease is controlled within Europe through plant passporting and the UK is a ‘protected zone’.
"However, despite these controls, the disease has been found in the UK in recent years. The disease does not appear as aggressive as Chalara, but in light of the fact that demand for sweet chestnut is likely to increase, we would support an import ban to help prevent the disease spreading further.”
For more information on sweet chestnut blight, see the Forestry Commission page http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-8s5qbf
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Forum on developing business strategies
The Garden Centre New Vision Forum has been designed as a two-day workshop and think tank to develop ideas to ensure businesses are developing strategies to grow sales in 2013 and beyond...
The Garden Centre New Vision Forum has been designed as a two-day workshop and think tank to develop ideas to ensure businesses are developing strategies to grow sales in 2013 and beyond.
This workshop in Bodnant Gardens in North Wales is designed for leading retail thinkers who have been in the gardening industry for at least eight years.
The two days are lead by John Stanley and Kevin Waters (pictured right), who will provide an in-depth international and national perspective of the industry.
For more information email kevinwatersconsultancy@gmail.com
Dates for Garden Futures summit announced
Be sure to save the date for the HTA Garden Futures dinner and conference to be held on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 October at One Great George Street, Westminster...
Be sure to save the date for the HTA Garden Futures dinner and conference to be held on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 October at One Great George Street, Westminster.
Once again this stunning venue will see decision-makers gather for the horticultural industry's most important strategic event for retailers, growers, landscapers and suppliers.
Featuring a line-up of highly relevant topics and inspirational speakers, this is a must attend event for those in the garden industry tackling the tough challenges faced in the sector today.
It’s also a great opportunity to network with peers and to equip yourself with expert advice and insights to help you take your business forward in these economically tough times.
For further information on this year's highly anticipated event, e-mail the HTA events team at events@the-hta.org.uk
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Staff at a business park in the North-East have spent their lunchtimes developing a new herb bed for the local council.
As part of North Tyneside Council’s commitment to reducing the borough’s carbon footprint, a raised herb bed has been created at its HQ with help from Bowman Kirkland building company.
Once grown, the herbs, which were donated by Gosforth Garden Centre and include thyme, mint, sage, rosemary, marjoram and oregano, will be used by the restaurant at the Quadrant headquarters with any extra being available to staff.
Chris Newton, a manager at the garden centre, said: “As a sponsor of the North Tyneside in Bloom competition, we have always enjoyed a good relationship with North Tyneside Council.
“It is an excellent idea to grow herbs - I’m sure it will be a great success.”
As well as planting the herbs, colleagues from across the business park were given lessons in how to plant as well as how to look after and use their own herbs by the council’s Allotment Service.
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Plymouth Garden Centre will be kicking off summer gardening with a celebration weekend on May 18-19 to launch the Proven Winners brand of plants.
Proven Winners plants are produced in the UK by Kernock Park Plants in Cornwall and the brand is being released to the UK consumer this year.
It's a global brand that prides itself on bringing high quality plants to the UK and giving consumers bright ideas for the garden. Kernock have been working closely with Plymouth Garden Centre since October 2012 to introduce the brand to the UK garden centre.
Fiona Newton, Manager of Plymouth Garden Centre, was keen to get involved.
"This is an exciting opportunity to be the first garden centre in the country see the introduction of the brand, and to help take planting recipes and innovative varieties on a step further, keeping customers interested, and helping them to create beautiful displays at home," said Fiona.
Bruce Harnett, MD of Kernock Park Plants, said: "It was important that we worked with a local business, as we want to support our local economy, as well as bring value to the horticultural industry."
The weekend will include hanging basket and container planting demonstrations by expert Kevin Waters.
Visitors to the garden centre will also be able to take home planting recipe cards and enter a competition to win a selection of plants, all organised by Proven Winners for Plymouth Garden Centre.
The plants on sale will be a selection of the Summer Livin' Collection which can be found online at www.provenwinners.co.uk
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La Hacienda, a leading supplier of products designed to bring warmth and ambience to the garden and home, has joined LOFA and will be making its debut at SOLEX in July.
“Joining such a prestigious trade association will benefit us in many ways,” said Simon Goodwin, director of La Hacienda.
“LOFA not only represents the interests of its members it also works hard to develop good working practices, and to provide up-to-date industry information.”
LOFA – which was originally launched in 1967 – is made up of many of the leading manufacturers and distributors of quality garden furniture and barbecues in the world.
La Hacienda will use SOLEX to launch a selection of new products, as well as showcasing its ever expanding electric outdoor heating range.
The company’s range includes chimeneas, firepits, firebowls, firebaskets, electric heaters, lanterns, gel burners and bio-ethanol fireplaces.
For more information visit www.lahacienda.co.uk
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