GTN May 2023 - Garden Trade News UK

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After the slowstarttothe season, the Coronation weekend and better weather has combined to see garden centres sales improve with volumes in the GTNBestsellers data for week ending Sunday 7th May hitting the highest levelofthe year and not far short of the highest levels seen in 2022 and 2021

Back in 2018,whenwereally suffered with the “Beast from the East” garden centre sales in any significant volume didn’tstartuntil the second half of May and the year endeduponapar with 2017

Our data says we arenow 32%ahead of 2018 trading volumes for the year to date. With warmer weather nowbeing forecast forthe lateMay Bank Holiday into June we couldsee more record sales days ahead.

And those peak season weekswill then set us all in good stead for the startofthe product selection and buying processfor Spring 2024.Juneand July area Summer of garden shows, both

trade and consumer,which meansthe GTNteam are gearing themselves up for abusy fewmonths. Entries areflowing in thick and fast for the Glee NewProduct Showcase and Awards which we organise for Glee and already we cansee thereis plenty of innovation that will be unveiled at the NEC. Therewill be over300 newproducts displayed at the Showcase, so please do makea beelinetolook around at the startofyour visit to Glee.

In this issue we arealsocalling for nominations to the Glee Buyers PowerListwhich is votedonbyour readers and presented at Glee. If youhavea buyer, or sell to abuyer that youfeelisworthy of anomination then please completethe form on page 37 or just e-mail: trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk beforeJune 6thwhen voting for the winners starts.

Of course,the GTNteam will be at many,ifnot quiteall shows during June and July,sowelook forwardtoseeing youthere!

EDITORIAL &ADVERTISING

Garden Trade News

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Director Trevor Pfeiffer SMALL PRINT:All material ©Potting Shed PressLtd 2023 No partofthispublication may ereproduced in any form whatsoever, either for sale or not, without the expresspermission of the publishers. The information supplied in this publication is published in good faith and everyefforthas been made to ensure its accuracy.Potting Shed PressLtd cannot acceptresponsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligenceorother damage caused by relianceoninformation contained in this publication or in the vent of any bankruptcy or liquidation or cassation of the trade of any company,individual or firmmentioned, is herebyexcluded.

Lighting up gardens for20years

Director of Smart Garden Products, takes GTN

beginnings as Smart Solar to its position

and garden accessories.

Much likethe erabeforemobile phones, many people can’tremember atime when solar poweredlightsand waterfeatureswerenot around. But for the last three decades Jonathan Stobart has been involved with solar powerand watchedits development revolutionise gardens.

It was whileworking in the1990’swithIntersolar,the only company in theUKmaking solar cells at that time for projects suchasrural electrification and telemetryinthe desert, thatJonathan witnessed embryonic designs of compact solar lighting coming out of China.Heimmediately sawopportunities forgarden lighting.“WhenIlook back, thelights weren’tparticularly good. Theywereusing amber LEDs, which was all the market had at the time. Theywere not particularly bright and quiteexpensive,”hesaysand adds apair of mediocrelights wouldretailatabout£30

Because of theirnovelty value, Intersolarhad someearly success butunfortunately it later went intoadministration, at which point Jonathan boughtits assetsand created SmartSolar. He set about designinghis ownnew products,

andinthe earlydays, recalls howthiswould includebuying solartops from Chinaand sendingsending to Indiatobeused with mosaic glasslanterns. Indian glassdesigns at thattime were of amuch better quality than thoseavailable in China. A businesspartner in Thailand manufactured the pumps forthe solar waterfeatures. “It wasagreat location, perfect weather for testing product all year roundand easy to and easy to travel on to China after,”says Jonathan. Pump manufacture wassubsequently movedtoChinain2009whichsped up lead times and made the supply chainmuch easier

That was20years agoand SmartSolar went on to securea firmcustomer base,not justinthe UK, butalso theUSA andEurope.“We were an outand outa solar businessdoing solar lighting andsolarwater features, and alot of ourcustomers were traditional printedcatalogue businesses,” he says. In thoseearly days,the company was selling waterfeatures by the tens of thousandswith the single biggest customerbeing QVC USA. At itspeak it sold36,000 water featuresinone day with atrade value of $3 million.“Butwhenthe credit crunch hit in 2007

Jonathan Stobart,Managing

on ajourney from the company’s

today as aleading supplier of solar powered lights

and economies gottighter,Ithought we should move towards lowerpriced products, so we refocusedand elevated our lighting business. It wasagood strategic move because it enabled us to pick up some of the bigger retail accounts that we still havetoday,” explains Jonathan.

All sorts of product ideas came from internal development and perhaps the most well-known was the Bright Eyesconcept. These resinowls and other creatures with eyes that litupatnight, were also sold in vast number.Many morecould havebeen sold but, at that time, SmartSolar didn’thavea strong routeinto garden centres. Theywereincredibly successful and are still sold today under the Décor by Day,Solar by Night trademark. He also puts the success of his waterfeatures down to having products that were protected. “We were very proactivewith product development, we had international patents and were generating decent cash in the businesstofundnew developments. And then, of course, Paris bought the business, so we applied that to all the other categories,”says Jonathan.

SmartSolar becomes SmartGarden Products

In 2013,Paris Natar,who finding retirement after selling Gardman wasnot for him, bought amajority shareinSmart Solar.The newcompany,SmartGarden Products significantly stretched the solar range and took on fivenew garden categories. Turnoverwas predicted to reach £30 million in the first fiveyears but this wasactually achievedinjustoverthree.

One of the first brands taken on wasOutsideIn Designs, arange of clocks and thermometers which was subsequently supplemented with door mats and lanterns. Chapelwood wild birdcarefollowedsoon after.Initially birdfeedwas in the range but wassubsequently dropped as it wasdifficultfor food to be profitable and Smart wasn’table to offer enough value to the customer.

As well as extending ranges, the company also made sureitwas highly competitive, had excellent merchandising and afantasticsales team. “Around 12 years ago,solar was90% of our business,”says Jonathan. “Today,while it is still our king categoryand revenues havegrown massively,itnow accounts for around athird of our turnover.”

Each year newproducts areadded to the SmartGarden Products line up and this helps to maintain material sales in garden centres. Jonathan says it is moredifficult in today’s market to find runaway products likeBrightEyesand the Eureka! Solar Lightbulb (see panel)but the company is determined to grow with newproduct development and acquisitions. This includes Zoon petproducts, strategically important because it has lessofaseasonality spike compared with traditional gardening categories.

Smartacquired the Briers brand of glovesand boots in 2019.Thisisa SKUhungryproduct group –for example one style of boot has to be stocked in eight or more sizes. Sincethen, SmartGarden Products has slimmed the range, made pricing much morecompelling,ceased any third-party licenses and added newnessalong the

way. “Anadditional bonus with Briers is the Kids range,”says Jonathan. “It’s averytidyextralump of businessand is one of our non-solar product groups that disproportionately sells well on theContinent, especially in Franceand Germany.”

Thelatest addition is arange of Havana outside firepits and heaters which is showing early promise. “Webudgeted to havemodest success in ourlaunch year although this year it looks as though we aregoing to do slightly better than anticipated,”says Jonathan. He adds the range also had a good receptioninFrancewhen it wasexhibited earlier this spring.“Butaswith all our product groups, we areinfor the long term andwe’re comfortable with agradual build.”

Warehousing

SmartGarden Products has its HQ in Abingdon, Oxfordshirewith its ownwarehousing at the Eurka Building in Peterborough builtsix years ago.“Forthe first year or so,wewereactively looking to sublet spacebut within twoyears we filled it,”says Jonathan. “With athirdparty warehouse, yousimplydon’thavethe same levelof control. Youcan havethe best products in the world, the most competitivepricing,amazing product innovation and superb packaging and merchandising,but if youcan’t get the products delivered to the customer on time when theywant it week in,week out, then youwon’tsucceed. Customer serviceisparamount.”

Enter the Three Kings

Eveninhis Smart Solar days,Jonathan knew Christmas wouldbea good markettobreak into.“Thesun mayormay not come out,but Christmas will happen…it’s your onebig banker!But we neededtofind an appropriateproposition because we neverwant to go into any product groupunless we can add value,haveanelement of expertise,and offer somethinga bit differentand enticing forour retail partners. We couldn’tfind that with Christmasinitially and youcan’t really dabble in that sector.”

Fiveyears ago,and after afew visits to the Harrogate Christmas Fair,SmartGarden Products decided the time wasright, so launched the Three Kings brand. Starting off with afew hundred SKU’s, the range has increased and Three Kings is nowacorepartofmany garden centre listings for Christmas. In ashort time, product groups such as Christmas Gonks and Nutcrackers, with aplethoraof newdesigns everyyear,havebecome firm favourites.

Wheretonow?

“Westill haveambition to keep growing the business,” says Jonathan, adding the company wasinthe £120 million turnoverzone at the height of the covid pandemic. “This year we have budgeted for amodest reduction in sales although Ithink we’regoing to slightly outperform our morecautious expectations. But we arenot standing still and planning howtomove the businesstowards £150m +

turnover.”Traditionally such growth has come from both organic development and acquisition, and this is the likely wayforward.“We carefully consider anynew product group beforecommitting to developing anew range, to ensurewecan add value, havethe necessary expertise, deliver innovation and get traction in the market. Another option is to look at acquisitions, but theyhavetobeconsidered very carefully and fit into our overall businessstrategy.”

Evennow the businessismuch larger,SmartGarden retains afamily feel with many staff having been with the businessfor morethan 10 years. WhileJonathan’s children at present havenoplans to join the business, Paris’s son Anthony is aSeniorSales Manager and Sarah attends boardmeetings.

The storyofthe Eureka!

Solar Lightbulb

Launched in 2016,Eureka! SolarLightbulbsbecame an overnight success. Taking into accountfeebackatit’sGleelaunch,Smart initiallydecided to commit to 250,000 units. However, demand far outstripped supply andinthe first year alone1.5millionunits were sold. “Fromthen on, we were playing catchup. It wasoff the scale!” callsJonathan whowondersifitmightbethe biggestsingle selling oduct in thegarden centreindustryever? In thesame year Smart Garden Productswon the GIMASword of Excellenceand other prizesalong the way. “IfIcan be really honest, Ithinkitwas utterly deserving.This wasa perfect fusion of agreat product idea with phenomenal commercialsuccess.”

Theproduct went on to become available in around 20 SKU’s and although this has nowbeen slimmeddown, it still sells well and has spawneda Eureka rangeofLED battery operated lights.“It has becomeastapleline.Ialwaysremind myself that when you’ve had aproduct that sold incredibly well,while youmissthat headylevel sales, youmust relish thesuccess you’ve had.Overthe yearswe have enjoyed big volume of sales withsingle productormini-product oupssuch as silhouetteanimals,solar flowers,Eurekalightbulbs, Cool Flame lanterns to name afew,but you can’t rest on your laurels and need to focusnot just on the‘nextbig thing’ but developing oductsthat willsellsuccessfullyevery year.”

Making the most of the growing season and beyond

Vitavia Greenhouses extend the growing season so areawin-win proposition for retailers and consumers.

Vitavia Greenhouses is the British partner of the Vitavia Group,the leading name throughout Europe for quality hobbygreenhouses and greenhouse accessories.

From their warehouses in Suffolk, theyprovide home and trade deliveries throughout the UK together with acomprehensivegreenhouse installation service. They areproud to supply quality hobbygreenhouses, widely regarded as being the best value for money, backed up by exceptional customer service.

Vitavia is also the UK distributor for Janssens greenhouses and garden roomsfromBelgium.Janssens specialises in developing,producing and distributing greenhouses, garden rooms, verandas, orangeries, conservatories and much morevia theirnetwork of agents based acrossEurope and in the USA. Theymarket middle and high-end products developed in-house for customers who attach paramount importanceto quality and style. Over the years Janssens haveearned a reputation for high quality design and innovation so are the perfect complement to the already well established Vitavia range.

forcustomers whoattach paramount importance to qualityand style

Does your garden centresell greenhouses?

If not, why not? If youdo, areyou happywith your current supplier? We appreciatechange can sometimes seem effortful and tiresome but we’reheretomakethings seamlessand worthwhile.

Letustell youhow:

• We visit your garden centretosee the spaceavailable and advise on the display models we think would fit.

• We havespecialist installers who will come and put up the greenhouses as agreed.

• We supply POS to be displayed in the greenhouse in case a customer wantstoknowspecifics.

• Oncethe customer decides on the model with or without installation, theycome to youtomakepayment.

• Yousend the order to us and then can forget all about it.

• Our Operations team contact the customer directly to arrange delivery.

• We haveateam of drivers who deliver the greenhouse to the chosen location on apreferred date.

• We havealist of recommended installers who will arrange an installation dateand time to suit the customer directly with them.

• If the customer decides to install the greenhouse themselves, we haveafantastic Customer Serviceteam who deal with any installation queries.

• If the customer has any greenhouse questions thereafter, theycan contact us directly

• Most importantly of all, ourgreenhouse prices remain thesame.Whetherthe purchase is made online or in store it is an equal field andfairtoeveryoneinvolved, supplier and consumer

So thereyou have it. It really is simple and hassle free. Please get in touchtodayand let Vitavia transform your garden centre. Email: info@vitavia.co.uk visit www.vitavia.co.uk

Enjoyearlyspring

New from Vitavia for 2023 is the Zeus 6200 designed for passionate hobby gardeners with a 1.89m eaves height and generous growing space

New garden of reflection

The Greenfingers Charityofficially opened the Reflective Garden at Haven House Children’s Hospice in Essex.

For morethan 14 years Aasam and Mariam Ali havebeen using Haven House to help carefor their late daughter Aiza, so it wasfitting theycut the ribbon to officially open its newgarden earlier this spring

Aasam and Mariam were also in initial discussions with designer TomHoblyn about plans for the woodland garden. “It wassuch aprivilege to havebeen partofthe consultation forum for this improvedand inclusivearea. Thereissomething special and enchanting about this newspacethat offers something for everyone.For us, it will be areminderofour little girl.This beautiful corner of the hospiceoffers aspace to connect emotionally,spiritually and be at one

with yourself,yourfamily and friends. Youcan experiencethe benefits through just being silent,”says Aasam.

Aformer unused spaceatthe rear of the hospice, is nowthe 300m2 Garden of Reflection with aseriesofboardwalk-style pathways leading to secluded and private refuges for children, families, and staff to spend quiet time together.Itisalso a haven for wildlife with planting that has something newtooffer everyseason.

Haven House in WoodfordGreen, is a nurse-led hospiceproviding round-theclockcaretobabies, children and young people under 19,and their families 365-days of the year.Siân Wicks its CEOsays: “Our hospiceteamcan run therapysessions

out herewherethe children also enjoy playtimes, storytimes andpicnics -all with the lovely light dappling through the trees.”

Handing overa garden is always a magical moment and Linda Petrons, Greenfinger’s Director of Fundraising and Communications says: “Haven House’s Garden of Reflection is atruly stunning space, and youcan see all the love and passion that has been poured intoevery elementofthe design.”

Joining in on the day were SBM Life Science, Adam Taylor from Taylors Bulbs, representatives from Toolbank and

TheGarden of Reflection wasonly made possible thanks all those involved, including Clarins UK, The Postcode Lottery, Evergreen Garden Care, TaylorsBulbs, Toolbank, Bridgman, AMES UK, Scotscape Landscaping,SmartGarden, TheSolar Centreand otherswho donated funds, bulbs, garden equipment, benches, compost, lighting and their time.

New products, new trends, new ideas

The summer show season is nearly upon us so now’s the time to plan your visits to the plethoraoftrade and public shows that will provide you with new ideas, new trends and most of all new plants and products that may be your bestsellers for 2023. The starting point for two months of shows is in Holland for the Flower Trials, followed by azig zag across the UK and Europe to takeinevents at the NEC, Koln,Stoneleigh, Oxfordshire, Hampton Court and ending at Tatton Park in Cheshire.

Glee.27-29 June. NEC, Birmingham

With thousands of fantastic products on offer across10 keyproduct sectors,Glee is the destination for garden industryinspiration. Over 400 exhibitors, over300 NewProduct Awardentries, plus livecontent and industryaward ceremonies. www.gleebirmingham.com

BBC GardenersWorld Live. 15-18June.

NEC, Birmingham

ShowGardens, Floral Marquee, Garden Experts and Celebrities. Co-located with BBC Good Food Show www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com

Blenheim Palace FlowerShow. 23-25 June.

Oxfordshire

Plantsmen, florists, flower arrangers, floristrystudents and artists come together and showthe world what theycan do in the Grand Floral Pavilion andFloral Street. Newfor 2023 is The Insect Trail. www.blenheim flowershow.co.uk

HTANational Plant Show. 20-21 June.

NAEC, Stoneleigh

ABritish showcase of everything from seeds, bulbs, house plants and awiderange of garden plants to labelling and product information, growing media, display benching and machinery. www.nationalplantshow.co.uk

RHS Hampton Court

PalaceGarden Festival. 4-9 July.Hampton

Court, Surrey

Glorious gardens, focus on flowers, home to the wonderful RHS Allotment to showcase Grow Your Ownand ashoppers’paradise with hundreds of tradestands to choose from.

www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-hamptoncourt-palace-garden-festival

SOLEX 2023. 10-12 July.

NEC, Birmingham

Acelebration of Summer,Solex brings together all the leading manufacturers of outdoor living products and provides ashowcase for newdevelopments in design, environmental manufacturing, sustainability,and products for both the retail and contract markets. www.solexexhibition.com

Flower Trials.

13-16 June. Holland

60 breeding companies in three regions present their latest innovations and future developments in pot and bedding plants. www.flowertrials.com

Ball Colegrave

2023 Summer

RHSFlowerShow

Tatton Park.19-23

July.Tatton Park, Knutsford

Tatton Gardens, Greener Front Gardens and some of the UK's finest growers at the Plant Village and Floral Marquee. www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhsflower-show-tatton-park

Showcase. 1113,18-20,2527 July.West

Adderbury, Oxfordshire.

Over 2,000 Experimental Annual and Perennials –your potential newvarieties of the future! Displays of showstopping patio plant varieties in basket, containers and retail benches www.ballcole grave.com

Spoga+gafa. 18-20 June.

Cologne, Germany

Thelargest garden lifestyle trade fair in the world.

Over 1,000 exhibitors from 52 countriesin14halls. www.spogagafa.com

Social Gardens

The focus of spoga+gafa 2023 is the diverse possibilities of the garden as aprivate living space, be that agarden, abalcony or aterrace.

With moreexhibitors, morespace and even more innovations and trends, the world’s largest garden lifestyle fair promises to be particularly excitingthis year

International companies from the green sector and trade visitors from all overthe world, will meet at the world’slargest trade fair for garden lifestyle from 18-20 June in Cologne. With the central theme Social Gardens, spoga+gafa 2023 is dedicated to gardens, balconies and terraces as connecting,diverse and sustainable places of encounter.The focus is on the diverse possibilities offered by the garden as aprivateliving space, newtrends and innovativeproducts: from varied outdoor furnitureand sustainable plants to clever solutions for BBQ and modern garden tools.

Social Gardens is also thefocus of the event programmeatspoga+gafa 2023.The BoulevardofIdeas,the trend showfor outdoorfurniture,decorationand BBQ,

theconcept of the POSGreen Solution Island as well as guided tours also take up the leading theme.Inaddition, visitorscan expect lectures and talk formatswith international experts from thegreen industry, exclusiveBBQ showareas,livecooking stations and much more.

Formoreinformation: www.spogagafa.com

2023 in

World, which hasgrown once againand will be thefocus of the world’slargest BBQ fair

BBQ experiences forthe urban environment ie small andmobile with variousheating options such as gas, coal, electricity and pellets,aswellas completeoutdoorkitchens,willbepresentedin

all year

The AI-controlled is the place for and network with contacts in the industry in a targeted manner and per year

The platform forms an exhibitors and suppliers to prepare for and follow up on the fair.

“The number of exhibitorsinthe BBQ segment has increasedbya good third comparedtolast year.All relevant brands will be inCologneand will present themselves to visitors from thetrade and the wider sector,” says StefanLohrberg, Director of spoga+gafa. In addition to the annual industrygettogether in Cologne, spoga+gafa nowalso offers the garden lifestyle sector avirtual home all year round. TheAI-controlled matchmaking platform spoga+gafa 365 is the placefor suppliers buyers to network with truly relevant contactsinthe industryina get manner and 365 days per year eplatform forms an important tool for exhibitors and suppliers to prepare and followuponthe fair

or the brand for

We are now transferring this we have kept to date in our exhibition halls, to a digital all year - and not on the three of the fair in

“For decades, the spoga+gafa brand has stood bringing together supply and demand. We arenow ansferring this promise, which we havekept to datein our Cologne exhibition halls, to igital platform all year round -and not just on the three days of the fair in Cologne.”

Fordecades,the spoga+gafabrand has stood forbringing together supply and demand…

The best of UK plants on show

HTA National Plant Showisback at the NAECStoneleigh on 20-21 June 2023 for its biggest showever. Visitors areencouraged to register nowat nationalplantshow.co.uk so theycan enjoy free, quick and easy access to the showand makethe most of everything on offer This year’s show,whichseesover140 exhibitors across twoadjoining halls,provides an unrivalled opportunity to view thevery best plants from UK nurseries,alongwith everything thetrade needs to sell plants under oneroof

Top5 things to do at the show:

What not to miss when you visit HTANational Plant Show

1Meet afull spectrumofsuppliers withawealth of innovationand expertise from seeds, bulbs, house plants andawiderange of garden plants to labelling andproduct information, growingmedia, display benching, and machinery.

2Explorethe NewPlant Awards at the heart of the show, wherethe newplants will takecentrestage, bursting with colour and inspiration. Take alookaroundthe exciting new varieties on display for 2023

3Vote in the NewPlantAwardsVisitor Vote With over100 plants to vote for,you’ll be spoiltfor choicewitha toughdecision on your hands deciding which oneisyourfavourite plant.The Visitor Vote is announced on the second dayofthe two-dayshow, giving all visitors the chancetoname their winner.

4Head overtothe Seminar area and watch the first ever HortTalk Live! and listen to insightful, expert-led discussions to keep on topofthe latest market trends, political updates, apprenticeships and environmental sustainability

5Visit the HTAVillage to meet the HTA team. The village provides an opportunity to find out about the latest HTAinitiatives and showcases everything it has to offer including membership,the latest policy updates, market information, sustainability initiatives and National Garden Gift Vouchers.

Registration to attend the National Plant Show, which includes free access is nowopen, so don’tmissyour opportunity to attend!

We look forward to seeing youatthe HTA National Plant Show, on 20-21 June 2023 at the NAECStoneleigh.

Getset forGlee

This summer,Glee celebrates 47 years of bringing buyers and suppliers together.Businessesand visitors from morethan 50 countrieswill be welcomed to the showfrom27-29 June to see the latest in the garden, leisureand petindustries. Hundreds of newbrands will join the exhibitor line up,alongside an awe-inspiring selection of innovativeproducts in the New Product Showcase and Talent Store, an exciting,never beforeseen showfeature.

Newproducts, designs and innovation arealwayscrowd pleasers and in 2022 morethan 300,fromdog beds to decorativeaggregate,wereentered to competetobethe best in their category. Nominations arealready flooding in for this year’s showand will be displayed at the New

Product Showcase in Hall 6. Winners will be announced on the afternoon of Wednesday 28 June. Last year,Zest’sGarden Bar and TwoStool Set won the Garden Leisure& Entertaining category. “A Glee NewProduct Awardisagreat asset for the sales team in driving next season’sbusinessinterms of exposure and confidence,”says Simon Davison, Zest’s Head of Commercial Development. “Anaward attracts significant attention from the trade and is agreat supportwhen reaching out to garden centrebuyers”. Forexciting concepts whichcould turn out to be new products of the future, head to the Innovators Zone, dedicated to start-up companies looking hoping to turn pre-commercial ideas intomarket-ready products.

With morethan400 suppliers and 200 new brands, Glee is wherethe gardening communitycomes together.

Nurturing display talent

Visual merchandising skills from garden centrestaff, resulting in twoexciting,on-trend displays for indoor and outdoor plants will gracethe atrium at Glee. The 12 candidates from 10 garden centres havebeen chosen from the Talent Storeinitiativecreated by Glee and the GCA. Theywereselected from 24 garden centreteam members who took part in avisualmerchandising training day back in March at Millbrook Garden Centre, Gravesend, Kent. Talent Storementor,Debbie Flowerday,aVisual Merchandising Consultant, TrendBible’sHome &Interiors

Trend Editor,Wendy Lowe and Michael Perry, aka Mr Plant Geek, offered acrash course andpassed on their valuable insight intothe secrets of visual merchandising and howto use trends intoinspirebeautiful in-storedisplays.

Those chosen come from: Perrywood Garden Centres Sudburyand Tiptree; Ongar Garden Centre(BGC),Pugh’s Garden Village, Wenvoe; Bents Garden &Home, Harrogate Garden Centre(BGC);Braintree Garden Centre(BGC); Millbrook Garden Centre, Staplehurst; Chessington Garden Centre; Thurrock Garden Centre.

PAW(Petand Animal Wellbeing) at Glee is wherepet careand wellbeing come together and is the prefect opportunity forgarden retailerstoreviewtheir pet offering and competefor the ‘pet pound’. It’sthe placetodiscover newtrends, corelines, services and gifting opportunities to ensure ‘pet parents’can find everything they need.

10 exciting sectors

To plan your days andmakethe most of your time at NEC, Birmingham, Glee exhibitors will be sited across10show sectors.

Garden Care

Landscaping &Garden Decoration

PAW (Pet and Animal Wellbeing)

DIY (newfor 2023)

Home, Gift &Clothing

Outdoor Entertaining

Plants

Sourcing at Glee (newfor 2023)

Retail Experiences &Services

Food &Catering.

Features and zones not to miss

Fire, Grill &Chill

Green Heart

Innovators Zone

International Buyer’s Centre

NewProduct Awards and Showcase

Plants of the Future

Talent Store

The Stage

Here comes the summer

SOLEX 2023 has all the latest and future trends in outdoor living.

Avisit to SOLEX 2023 offers a myriad of opportunities to help elevate your outdoor living departments and give a welcomed uplift in sales Under one roof, expect to see the latest products and innovations in design from some of the UK’s finest luxury outdoor brands for this year and into 2024 Explore retail and contract market solutions and establishnewrelationships with buyers and business professionals and find moreabout thesustainable initiatives being taken by these prestigious exhibitors as they look towards providing better products for the marketplace while also caring for the environment.

SOLEX 2023 highlights

• This year SOLEX is delightedtowelcome

MarcusBawdon also known as the BBQ Whisperer.Heisa true expertand passionate member of the barbecue fraternity.Hewillbe judging the Best BBQ Award, and in the Loving OutdoorLiving Zone conducting interviews with exhibitorsand giving aBBQ masterclass

• SOLEX 2023 is partnering with The Landscape Show,anexhibition forgardenand outdoor design. As part of this collaboration, ateam from TheLandscape Show is buildinga landscape featureareaatSOLEX so visitors canexperiencethe bestnatural conceptsfrom

leading landscape and gardening companies across the UK

• SOLEX 2023 isproud to becollaborating with Perennial and LOFA to roll out its new Promote Health Campaign The Interactive Health Kiosk, sponsored by LOFA, provides a confidential way for show visitors and exhibitors to get a quick assessment of their physical health including weight, blood pressure, and heart rate Taking a free health MOT at the show, which can take fromas littleaseight minutes, will give a personal confidential printout of results with a comparison to medically accepted standards

Tempting treats

Those that pre-register are in with a chance of winning a £200voucher for Virgin Experience Days from getting behind the wheel of an Aston Martin, relaxing in style in a luxury spa, or enjoying a Japanese whisky masterclass Plus, there are three Fortnum’s Summer Picnic Provisions Boxes to win

each packed with enough delicious food to satisfy four hungry picnickers

SOLEX 2023.

Monday10July -Wednesday

12 July.NEC, Birmingham. Forinformation, inspiration and to register visit www.solexexhibition.com

April sales recover

GTNBestsellers Charts and Volume trend analysis

The volumes of all items sold, including plants, in the GTNBestsellers Garden CentreEPOS data for April 2023 saw twoweeks up on last year at the startand end of the month, and twodown. However, by the end of the month the data showedvolume sales to be up 0.2% on April 2022 and 19% up on both 2019 and 2018 volumes.

Year to datecomparisonsatthe endof April were 2.9% down on 2022, 17.2% up on 2019 and 31.9%upon2018.

BestsellersCharthighlights for April

All PlantSales Volumes forApril 2023 in the GTNBestsellers EPOS datawere37% of the total GTNBestsellers sales volumes,down 1.9% on 2022 but12.5% up on 2019

WithTomato plants hittingthe topof the GTNPlants Volume saleschart,its no surprisethenthatEvergreen Garden Care

Levington Tomorite1L+ 20% ExtraFreewas the No 1April Garden products Bestseller Westland’s Erin Multipurpose Compost 50LstayedatNo1 in the Growing Media chartascustomerstakefinaladvantage of buying apeat-basedcompost

Although Tomatoplants held the overall plantNo1 positionitwas Cheers Cucumber Female Femspot 9cm that was thesingle Bestselling Veg2Gro line of the month.

In Wild Bird Care, Westland’sPeckish Xtra GoodnessEnergy Ball, Pack of 6plus6 Free, movedupform No 7inMarch to be the April Wild BirdCarevolume bestseller forApril.

See the full GTNApril Bestsellers charts in GTNXtraand the newGTN Bestsellers e-mail newsletter at www.gardentardenews.co.uk

Here’sthe Top50Bestselling plants for April 2023:

And intothe future

It’s difficult to forecast trends in arapidly changing market but retail gurus and consultants John Stanley and Sid Raisch areupfor the challenge. Between them, the networks of Sid based in America, and John in Australia and with strong international contacts, cover almost all of the world’s horticultural industry putting them in the perfect place to provide aglobal forecast for the garden retail sector.

Webegin with this bold declaration, so readers areproperly prepared for the adventureahead

This is not going to be your usualtour de garden centreideas article. We arethrowing down the gauntlet to the challenging situations in our futuretogether.Itistime to open arealdialogue on what is to be,and commenceleapfrog evolving as if we areturning from apes to mankind. Consumers are‘different animals’than just three years ago,anare rapidly becoming even morediverse in the waytheyshop for things and experiences. We need to recognise these changes in order to be therewith them on their journey. Will youjoin us?

The communications chain

The industryused to havea long communications chain. It startedwith the propagator who then sold plants to anursery who may then sell on to adistribution nurseryand then they wouldselltoagarden centrewho sell the plant on to a consumer.The chaincould be overfour organisations long and the original growergot lost in the chain. This was not something that wasuniquetohorticulture, agriculturehad the same long supply chain.

Thefarmindustryhas made largestrides forward and

nowinprogressiveretailoutlets it is the farmer who is the herorather than the retailer.The result is theretailer has often become the storyteller on behalf of the farmer for consumers who want to knowwheretheir food is coming from. The same should be true for the nurseryindustry. We should be promoting the growerand tellingtheir story. This is happening occasionally,but thereisabig opportunity for independent retailers specifically to be seen as apartner with local growers.

Growerheroes can savethe planet

Most governments areaiming to havezeroemissions of carbon by 2030 and halveby2025sothis decade is critical. In the UK, the plan is to plant the equivalent of 30,000 hectares of woodland ayearuntil 2050.With the UK government’sTreeProduction Innovation Fund to encourage growers to produceenough trees to meet this target, commercial growers havebecomea vitalpartthe plan. They areinfor aboomperiodand will become leaders in climate change if this is played well

This is also amarketing opportunity for the industry with trees becoming the next equivalent to the indoor plant boom. If thereisachallenge, it is getting labour.We suspect most businesses need another 20% but whereare the workers? Some will be replaced by automation, some by streamlining,some by paying higher wages.

“If youare not average, youare going to have agreat futureinhorticulture.”

Sustainability is key

If we aregoing to be the‘green’ industrymoving forward,we havetomakesomemajor changes to be truly relevant and not exposed to be greenwashing.Isour industryonly one, or maybe twopublic relations disasters, away from atotal meltdown? We say this related to ourdirect contributions to landfills and ocean dumping of horticultural waste.How green is that? Areweshippingour waste, cleverly disguised as “packaging”aroundthe actualproduct and with our names all overittothe consumer as aburden theytakeontodispose of?How can we defend ourselves in real time in ameltdownof controversy that couldoccur overthis?

We havetobecomea plastic free industryand the disposable,evenrecyclable black, white, and branded plastic pot will become an item of the past. We already havepot suppliers developing containers out of sheep’swool, maritime waste, corncobs, cork and of course we cangoback to the past and use terracotta pots.

The other challenge is what we grow plants in. Peat is nowa dirty word in theUKand the US,and the same is true for native forest wood mulchinAustralia. The industrycan’tseemtoget ahead of this issue no matter howmuch positivespin is applied. Alternatives havetobefound and found quickly.Companies arelooking at ricehusks, oat husks, coconut-based materials, expanded clay,bentonite(natural clay) perlite, pine bark and xylitol (lignite) among other products. Many of these are sustainable conceptually,but what about the transportation and carbon footprint of that? Composting local food waste and other natural materials is of growing interest and will become moreimportant, or will therebe

othersolutions? Should weturn focus on this end game first?

One thing is clear,the commercial nurserywill be going through some major changes overthe next fewyears.Among the challenges is keeping up with inflation to ensure profit margins aremaintained. The industryhas been bad at this in the past and we hope thoselessons havebeenlearned.

What is the answer to inflation? We have to takeadvantage of the newlevel of perceived value of our products and charge moreinorder to makeends meet. Production costs go up and can be squeezed only so much. The answer is to increase wages, growerfamily profits, and prices in lockstep.But we have to startpaying closer attention to howwecreateahighervalue product as perceived by the consumer.Thenwemustbewilling to charge enough for it to sustain ahealthy businessmodel, building our bridge to the future.

What about the customer?

Generation Xnumbers around 65 million, while BabyBoomers and the millennials (GenY)each havearound72million members. BabyBoomers will begin shrinking through attrition in coming years. The newgenerations aredemanding a differentapproach in their consumption of our industry’s products, and also in the opportunities for those who wish to be employedinit.

Post covid, youngconsumers wanttobeinacommunity with their peers, but need to get out of the city,and arenow looking for rural escapes together.Rural garden centres who provide the right consumer package arebecoming one of the benefactors. While internet ordering of plants shipped from who knewwheregrewrapidly during covid, that growth has levelled, and it will be interesting to see if the carbon footprint of shipping plants that were purchased online will be tolerated as easily.However, shifting the buying process online will continue,but forlocal pickup,which is enhanced by the experienceofthe expedition and pilgrimage to the more distant garden stores.

The keyisthat the consumer is looking for an experience, rather than just aproduct. The product becomes the trophy of the experience.

The garden centreofthe future

The model of destination garden centres built in the last decade will become difficultmainly because of international building codes, planning regulations, and the cost of having all the boxesticked. Owners nowand in the futurewill need to reinvest in theirgarden centres to create freshnessand appealing appearances. Adapting and creatively reusing facilities formerly used for other purposes, as well as up-fitted aging garden centres and nurseries, will be amoresustainable method than developing rawland from scratch. But will these be garden centres at all?

Newretailers will need to focus on their target market. One of the best examples is The Motorist near Leeds. This model focuses on motorists and sells car autoparts, but the keyisthe restaurant and theatrical displays. This model of presentation is ideal to tailor for the futuregarden centre.

One of the positivefactors in the sector is the amount of youngpeopleentering the industryand focusing on establishing retail plantcentres. This will increase and will help keep theindustrydynamic

Marketing

We all knowsocialmedia is the wayforward,but TikTok?We were sceptical of the value of TikTok. But, plants are

being purchased by youngerpeople and theyare usingTikTok. Presuming security concerns of government areaddressed adequately,thiswillcontinue. The average TikTok user spends 52 minutes aday on the app and it has 1billion monthly activities.

Groovy Plant Ranch in the USA was encouraged by Sid, andthen by its youngstaff to promotethe businessand especially the plants on TikTok. This led to quickly doubling the business, largely with anew audienceofyounger consumers who travel further to get there. Those youngconsumers view the journeyasmuch apartofthe social experienceasthe destination, or what theybuy oncetheyarrive. Ihavedonethe same at Chestnut Brae, my farmstay in Australia, getting young backpackers to promotethe businessvia TikTok.

TikTok is nowmainstream, and it is time for PlantTok?. BookTok, shortfor Book TikTok, is acommunity of users on TikTok who arepassionateabout books, has over13 billion users and recommends books to friends. As aresult, booksellers havecome on board.

The Future

“If youare notaverage, youare going to havea great futurein horticulture.”Thereitisagain, that bold statement that may havegrasped your attention earlier.Yes, average is not going to be agoodplaceinthe future, when consumers havemoved ahead to doing businesswhere theywant, when theywant, with whomevertheybring with them.Ifyou hate andresist change it is going to be achallenge for you. But, if youhatechange, yet embraceit, until it becomes you, thereisagreat futurefor you in horticulture. The innovation is out there. It just happens to be coming from unlikely places whereyou wouldn’t normally see it or hear about it. Except youjusthave!

The futureiswhatwemakeours to be, as long as we’re awareofwhere the consumer is looking and endeavour to not just meet there, but to invitethem there–asa garden retailer (not garden centre) of the future.

•John and Sid’s inspiration forconsidering the future of horticultureonaglobal scale came afterthe 2022 Global Garden Retail Conference.Email: john@johnstanley.com.au

What will change?

Garden retail outlets willhaveless:

• Shelves of garden chemicalsasmore consumersresistthem.

• Anything mass produced in factories in Asia.

• Giftware,and home and garden décor andhardware thatcan be purchased in big boxstores.

Garden retail outlets will have more:

• Food and cateringservices is acategorywith 20% growth in some countries. They canaccount fora fifth of salesespecially where theyhaveagreat viewonto thecountrysideoragarden. Food truckparks will also work well.

• Markets and Food Halls selling local produceand local makerproduced goods.

• Romanticised displays of plants ratherthanongrid layouts.This is oneour biggest opportunities with consumers engaging with the theatreand buying into the stories.

little dobbies Cheltenham is number six

Aqueueofpotentialcustomersformed priortothe ribboncutting ceremony of thenew littledobbiesinCheltenham which opened at the endofApril. It will, no doubt, quicklymakeits markinthe local market place. Within ashortspaceoftimethe storewas buzzing andtrading wasbrisk as customers chose products from theenergetic displays

Experienced horticulturalists, plant enthusiasts and acouple of ‘first job’young people are among theteamofnine to operatethe seven day aweek outlet. GeneralManager of the new store, Kayleigh Wheeler, hasbuiltthe team around heroverrecentweeks.Kayleigh has been with Dobbies foraround 18 months and is an experiencedretailerwitha background in high street fashion retailmanagement. Sheis passionate about getting the right people with an inspiring attitudetotheir product. “Dobbies havedeveloped excellent inhousetraining forall their team,and with the right attitude, product knowledge can be learnt by us all. We areabout giving customers confidence in their ownability throughours,”she says.

Dobbies opens the door to its new high street store.

The philosophy behind the concept of little dobbies includes:

• Seeing little dobbies as agenuine profit contributortothe overall group

• Helping build brand awarenessofthe Dobbies name. Thenew Cheltenhamstore is around10 miles from thenew anchor storeinTewksbury which opened justbeforeChristmas2022and the same distancefromDobbies Gloucester

• Developing an earlier awareness of plants, gardening andhorticultureamong our target audience.

GraemeJenkins, DobbiesCEO who at the openingsaysofthe newsite: “On one of the keyshoppingstreets in the centreoftown and within close proximity to other retailers who haveasimilar customerprofile to what we lookfor,isone of our keycriteria.”

We areabout giving customers confidence in their ownabilitythroughours

Barking up the right tree

Melcourt Industries opened its doors for GTNtogobehind the scenes of its peat-free growing media factory.

MelcourtIndustries has been barking up the right tree since 1983.The company,now celebrating its 40th year,was formed by agroup of investors involved in different aspects of the timber industry, whowereon the hunt for viable uses for wood processing industryresidues. Of the thousands of acres of coniferwoodlands stretching acrossthe UK,only approximately 60% of each tree is timber.Whenthe tree is harvested, thereis aquestion about what to do with the ‘lop and top’, rootsinthe ground and the bark. Around 7% of atreeisbark and until the late 1970’s, this wasconsidered to be awaste product.

Melcourtoriginally supplied bark for mulching and play surfaces, primarily to local authorities. Then it began supplying bark and other materials as ingredients for growers who were mixing their owncomposts for plant production. Creating its owngrowing media and supplying growers wasthe next logical step.Melcourtwas ahead of the game.

Today,around80% of the product coming out of Melcourtisgrowing media made from ablend of bark, coir and base fertiliser.There

may also be an element of other materials such as topsoil or digestate. Aquarterofits growing media goes to growers, with the majority of the balancegoing for retail sale to domestic gardeners. Melcourtsuppliesonly independent garden centres, small chains and builders’merchants preferring not to get involved in the ‘volume and pricechase’ of supermarkets and sheds.

But what about peat free?

The scurry by existing growing media suppliers, and theplethora of new companies jumping on the‘peat-free’ bandwagon with various coir andgreen basedproducts, createdone day and offered for sale thenext, is not something Melcourthas hadtodo. Conceived as a businesstocreategrowingmedia using bark as abaseingredient, today,21years after the launch of its firstpeat-free compost,it continuesits quest forthe ultimate peatfree growingsubstrate

Melcourtbelieves in keeping things simple.Two in-house trial facilities, which include laboratories and growing greenhouses,

areindifferentgeographical locations to eliminate weather vagrancies in testing Theseare both run by horticulturalists who understand growingand howcompost needs to perform. They arecontinually checking what theyare producing is right, whilealsolooking to thefutureand seeking improvements. Once they havea newor improvedproduct, it is trialled by selected professional growercustomersbefore beingreleasedand marketed forgeneral sale. “Hard work anddiligence is keybut thenadd in somelight bulb moments and that makes it even better,”saysAndy Chalmers, Melcourt’sManagingDirector

“For example, coir was tooexpensive, or contaminated when we first looked at it 25 years ago.Weare nowusing it againsince identifyingareliable source of consistently good material. Throughour continual R&D we arealso using recycled coir from soft fruit growers which is proving particularly effective.

“Some retailer’s criteria [for apeat-free product or plant]inrecentyearshas been ‘if there is no peat in it, we will have it’.But compost has to work.Ithas to be able to grow stuff.For professionalgrowers,peatbased composts had been improvedsince their earlydays in the1970’sand crop specific composts were beingcreated.Melcourt hadtoproducesomething that wasbetter Getting thegrowertodotheirown trials was key, but if it worked, they wouldbesceptical thatitcould be that good!”

The result of this rigorous quality assessmentprocess is productyou can rely on and perhaps whyproduct endorsements aregiven to Melcourtby twoRoyal Warrants;Royal Horticultural Society; JohnInnes Manufacturers Association;SoilAssociation; Responsible Sourcing Scheme andthe Forest Stewardship Council.Many of its composts, soilimprovers and soil conditioners arealso‘vegan friendly’. BGC's own-grownprinmulas.

Melcourtproduces enough compostto fill 80 Olympic sized swimming pools everyyear

Above:The Which? Gardening Best Buy status awarded should give consumers added confidence.

Below: Melcourthas invested in technology to print ‘on bag’ production dates to help retail staffand consumers ensuretheir compostis fresh and fit foruse.

“Consistency of product can only come from continualevaluation,testing, and QA of rawmaterial. Specification standards of rawbark, which we screen, and with new raw material sources being systematically researched, trialledand tested,using the company’s in-house researchand development facilities, is what gets us to thequalitystandardsthatgrowers andretailers canexpect from Melcourt products.”saysVictoria Wright, Melcourt’s Technical Manager

Recipe for success

Victoria describes the ingredient’syardas her ‘pantry’ and as anygoodcookknows, youcan only rustle up thebestdish if youstart withthe finest ingredients

Each product has itsown specific recipe that is followedevery time, with precise measurements. Continualmonitoring and samplingisdone at everystage through theproductionprocess andpost production samples arekept in library storage fortwo years

Peat is inert,inactive–ithas been in the ground 10,000 years-and that, in part, is why it hasbeen so valuabletothe horticultural industryasanearperfect

base for growing media.Bark,onthe otherhand, is microbially active. Even though it hasbeen throughprocesses, stripping,grading,composting,milling, it is, in essence, still a‘living’ material, therefore consistency at everystage is vital.Melcourtrecognises its composts have ashelf life so everybag is clearly stamped with the date of manufacture and recommendations that thecompost is used within 12 months.

Melcourtisnosmallbusiness.Ithas a £15m turnover(andgrowing) with ample supplies of suitableraw materials forthe foreseeable future, themajority of which come from itsown managedsources. It has thephysical spacetogrowand with newmachinery, has the capacity to increase productionfromits current 200,000 cubic meters ayear. This equates to around 500 pallets aday andwith all productsbeing mixedand packed to order, turnaroundtimemeans this is a slick, lean operation.

The future

Theban on peat-based compostmay be achallengefor many producers but for Melcourtitisonlyone part of thesustainability issue. Working with its UK supplier of theplastic product used forits bags, Melcourthas reduced its use of virgin plastic.Toachieve therequiredstrength and durability of bags,Melcourtusestwo layers. A blackinner layer made from recycled plasticand aprintedouter layer. It has set the target to reduce theuse of virgin plasticfromtwo thirdstohalf. The challenge is notdefeating the team at Melcourt as itcontinues to research plastic alternatives and alternative

Factoryvisit

ingredientsfor its composts.Ongoing projects involvefarmedsphagnum moss and sheep’swool.Past ones haveincluded horse manure,cocoshell, sewage sludge andold banknotes!

Thereare issues with green and household recycled wasteincluding inconsistencyofproduct input, herbicide residues and microplastics. Acouple of Melcourtproducts includeanelementof green waste, sourced from just one outlet, which is constantlymonitored andquality checked.Digestatefor its ownfarmyard soil improver is from crops specifically grownfor theelectricity industry. The resultisa digestateguaranteed to be trulygreen andconsistent, hencethe Soil Association approval and ‘vegan friendly’ claims on many Melcourt products.

Melcourt’sdrivefor sustainability extendsto its production methods as much as product and packagingand thereislittle doubt it will continue to be seen as oneofthe leadinggrowingmedia producers in the UK.

All ingredients going in have to be consistent to get reliable product coming out. Good product, even digestate, is virtually odourless.

Keypoints of producing agood growing media

• Consistency of the source and quality of ingredients.

• Attention to detail with constant checking, monitoring and control adjustment.

• Specialist knowledge and

understanding allowing adjustment, adaptation and development.

• Working to astandard not aprice

• Continual search for improvement.

Keypoints for asuccessful growing media retailer

• Compostasa perishable product andhas ashelflife. Display pallets under cover and rotatestock.

Attention to detail, even on theautomated packaging lines, is vital forconsistent results.

• Maintain good profit marginpotential through non-competitive pricingand minimal waste/damage.

• Product is available by the bag or palletthrough local stockists and wholesalers, or full andhalfloads from Melcourt. Consumers are notsupplied directly.

• Trainedand knowledgable staff that have usedthe productand benefitedfrom the technical expertise of theMelcourtteam areonhand. Retail staff arewelcomed to the Melcourtfacilitytosee for themselves

• Melcourt offers technical andmarketingback up Garden centre staff are welcometovisitMelcourt’s facility

Sept 5-6 2023

Sept 5-6 2023

Lessons in rebranding

New look for Webbs Garden Centres

Heading into the summer with anew brand identity is WebbsGarden Centres which has unveiled a refreshed logo,updated colour scheme and stamp to indicateWebbs’own products. It is being rolled out acrossall four Webbs Garden Centrelocations and its online store.

Therebrand reflects the company's 200year heritage in the horticultural industry with an artdecoinspired logo which nods to thecovers of Webbs’ magazinesand

seed packets from the previous century. Theorganic flowing wordmark also takes cues from the natural world.

“Weare excited to shareour newbrand identity with our customers,”says owner Ed Webb

“Webelieve our newlogo better reflects our connection to the natural world and we hope the stamp will makeiteasy for our customers to find products made or grown by us or in partnership with local companies

we trust. We look forward to continuing to provide our community with the highest quality products and customer service.”

The logo has been teamed with amodern font acrosssignage andliterature, and the colour purple -synonymous with the Webbs brand -has been givenasophisticated update and complementarytonal palette.

Anew stampwill makeiteasy for customers to identify products that are grownormade by Webbs. Wherethe stamp is shown, customers can be reassured of aquality product, produced with the utmost careand attention. The company currently growsmany of its ownplants on its Wychbold based nurseryinpeat-free growing media, using harvested grey water as irrigation.

Webbs’own honeycan be found in the foodhall ,extracted from the beehives in the Riverside Gardens, and Webbs also partners with local craft businesses to producelimited edition food and drink offerings.

The newbranding can be seen also on a table cider being produced in partnership with Herefordshirebased Little Pomona and launching this autumn.

Amazing compost backedupbyunrivalled customer service

Asthe spring gardening season finally finds its stride, garden centresneed look no further for an outstanding compost offer from areliable,family-run business.

Durston Garden Products Ltdhavestockonthe ground,ready

to go to help retailers react to spikes in demand,asthe sun makesanappearance andgardeners areout in theirmasses

It’s been awet startbut,asretailers prepare themselves forthe inevitable rush on growing media nowthe weatherispicking up, British supplier Durstons reminds garden centresthat they provide acomprehensive offer –fromMulti-Purpose Composttopeat-free vegetable planters,plus everything in between –supported by shortlead timesand unrivalled customer service

Best of British

Following afantastic 2022, withanamazing response to exciting new launches as well as existing products,Durstons arearmed andready to help givegarden centres’ compostsales asignificantboostthis year.The 150-year-old business,based in Somerset uses locally-sourced materialfor itsimpressiverange of composts,growbags,top soil and soilconditioner With their ownlorries out on theroad andaconvenient UK location, Durstons offer great lead times,added flexibilityand reliable service,helping retailers to reactquicklytoincreases in demand

Comprehensiveoffer

Durstons boast an impressivepeat-free collection, whichhas been developed to create new opportunities around thecategory. These exciting products join awell-established andcomprehensivegrowing media offer With a22-strong productportfolio, including severalbrand-new launches forthe 2023 gardening season, Durstons canhelp retailers buildanoffer that satisfies theneed of gardenersofall skillsetstosupportthem in awide range of growing endeavours

Within this qualityline-up is ahostofbest-sellers,including arange of multi-purpose composts that areguaranteed to drivesales andbecome a staple line forretailcustomers.Included in this range is Durstons’Multi-

Purpose Compostand Multi-Purpose CompostwithJohnInnes (50 litre pack),bothofwhichprovide excellent nutrient content anddeliver consistently outstanding resultsthankstoDurstons’ unique performance-enhancing ingredient,GRO BOOST

Also providing great value in this categoryisManor Farm Multi-Purpose Compost, another firm favourite with garden retailers, whohailthe range as an excellent value multi-purpose compostthat promotes healthy growth forall plantsand vegetables This competitively-priced compostis complementedbyManor Farm PeatFree Multi-Purpose Compost, which enablesstockists to offer apeat-free compostatagreat-value price point,making greenerproducts more accessible to awider crosssection of consumers

Durstons’ comprehensiveproduct portfolio includes awide range of composts,plus Enriched TopSoil, Soil Conditioner,FarmyardManure, Decorative Bark andGrowBags.

Dan Durston says: “Weworkclosely withour customersand listen to what they need from us.Weare constantly evolving ouroffering to meet demand,giveretailers choiceand ensureweare providing high-quality products that deliver impressiveresultsand keep gardeners flocking backto garden centresfor more!Weare investing backinto thebusiness,increasing bothour capacityand stockholding,all so that we cancontinue to offer exceptionalservice and supply to thegardencentre sector.”

Formoreinformation call 01458 442688 or visit www. durstongardenproducts.co.uk

We believe our new logo better reflects ourconnection to the natural world

Buying Power – Who wins through in 2023?

Nominations arenow open for the 2023 Glee Buyers Power List Awards, the winners will be celebrated at Glee in June.

Glee will onceagain be celebrating the best buyers of garden, leisure, and pet products in the Glee Buyers PowerListatthe NECinJune.

To acknowledge the high levels of professionalism acrossthe wide range of products which featureingarden, leisure, and pet retailingthereare twelveGlee Buyers Power List categories this year and nominations can be made in any of the categories for buyers from independent garden centres and retailers, buyers of high street and DIY retailersand buyers from on-line retailers.

Nominations arenow being sought from growers, suppliers, agents, wholesalers, and retailers for the following categories of buyers and buying teams:

1. Plants buyer/buying team of the Year

2. Garden Carebuyer/buying team of the Year

3. Outdoor Leisurebuyer/buying team of the Year

4. Landscape buyer/buying team of the Year

5. Home &Gifts buyer/buying team of the Year

6. Petbuyer/buying team of the Year

7. Retail Food &Drinks buyer/buying team of the Year

8. Christmas buyer/buying team of the Year

9. Online buyer/buyingteam of the year

10. Overall Multiple Retailer Buying Team of the Year –(hardware, DIY,highstreet)

11. Overall Multiple Garden Retailer Buying Team of the Year –6storesormore

12. Overall Independent Garden Centre Buying Team of the Year –up5stores

Nominations close on Tuesday 6th June 2023 after which voting will commencetodecide the winners of the Glee Buyers PowerListfor 2023 Nominations can be made using this form or by e-mail to: trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk.

All nominations will be handled in strictest confidence.

The Glee Buyers PowerListhas celebrated the excellenceofbuying in the Garden, Leisure and Petmarkets annually since2015. Last year’s winners included: The Bourne family @Perrywood -Matt Shorter@ Longacres-Nigel Gates @Gates Garden Centre-Andy Wrightson@ Webbs -Kati Taylor @FronGoch -The Old Railway Line -St Peters Worcester -Squires Badshot Lea– Crocus

-Dani Loftus @Marie Curie -British Garden Centres -The Mercerfamily @Hillmount

June 2023

Nomination Form:

Inominate the following buyers/buying teams for the Glee Buyers Power List 2023:

Plants buyer/buying team of the Year

Buyer/TeamName……………………………………… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Garden Carebuyer/buying team of the Year

Buyer/TeamName… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Outdoor Leisurebuyer/buying team of the Year

Buyer/TeamName… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Landscape buyer/buying team of the Year

Buyer/TeamName… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Home &Gifts buyer/buying team of the Year

Buyer/TeamName……………………………………… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Petbuyer/buying team of the Year

Buyer/TeamName……………………………………… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Retail Food &Drinks buyer/buying team of the Year

Buyer/TeamName……………………………………… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Christmas buyer/buying team of the Year

Buyer/TeamName……………………………………… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

On-Line buyer/buying team of the Year

Buyer/TeamName……………………………………… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Overall Multiple Retailer Buying Team of the Year –(hardware, DIY,high street)

Buyer/TeamName……………………………………… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Overall Multiple Garden Retailer Buying Team of the Year –6storesormore

Buyer/Team Name……………………………………… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Overall Independent Garden CentreBuying Team of the Year –up 5stores

Buyer/Team Name……………………………………… Retailer Name……………………………………………………….............

Why nominated:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….................

Nominated by:…………………………………………………….of:……………………………………………………………….....................

e-mail address:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………........................

All nominations will be handled in strictest confidence

5:00pm,

Sendyourcompleted nominationform to Glee BuyersPower List c/oGTN, Potting Shed Press, DairyDrove,Thorney, PeterboroughPE6 0TXore-mail your nominations to:trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk by 6th June 2023

Stand up and be counted

Itisall about perspective. Stand at the foot of alighthouse and it looks like amighty climb to the top. Makeitto the topand it looks likeamighty long drop! Either way,the distanceisthe same BUT the big difference… at the topthe view is so much brighter,AND the climb suddenly seems worthit.

The point? We need to shine alight on our wonderful industryand if that means we all need to climb to change the bulb then so be it. ‘The bulb’ needs to shine brightly and be constantly turning so it can light up all areas of horticulture. Ibelieve that is what the Ornamental HorticultureRoundtable Group is doing when engaging with the many relevant departments in both the government and shadowgovernment –yes, we meet with as wide an audienceaswecan to ensureall understand the importanceofwhat youdo.

Whydoweall need to climb? Well maybe youdon’t need to make theclimb butwhat I do need youto do is providemewith thefuel to keep the light shining. At arecentmeeting (facetoface, which is so much betterthan on Teams) it became apparentthatDEFRA wantsasmanyfacts and figures, that we can provide, to ensureitcan do allinits power to support horticulture. Ican load myself up withmuchfromthe HTA but there’s nothing

morepowerful than real talesfromreal business and people withinthe industry.

Ihaveanask of youand that is for you to tell me what is really happening in your businesswith peat-free growing media. You can’tpossibly havemissed talk of it being banned in the growing of commercial plants from NewYear’s Eve 2026.Haveyou really considered what will mean to your business? Idid some work for agarden centregroup recently and calculated that it could leave them shortofcirca 2million plants in the spring season of 2027.PLEASE takethe time to givethis some serious thought, do the calculations, and let me knowifitwill be an issue for you, or not. BUT don’tjust

say yesorno, please sharewith me your calculations and thoughts. Iassureyou it will help the light shine all the brighter

Celebrating 500

Well done to the Young People in HorticultureAssociation on achieving two great things in May.Theysigned up their 500th member,which is amazing as they were only formed in early 2020.Theyhave also spoken to the House of Lords via the Special InquiryCommittee.

Forthem to be recognised by the House of Lords is afantastic achievement in itself. What other voluntaryorganisation can yourecall that rose to such fame in such a shorttime? The passion and dedication of the committee is to be applauded. The way theyconduct themselves and represent our industryisanexample to all. If youoryour colleagues areunder 35 then youshould be joining,itdoesn’tmatter what your role is in horticultureasthis is truly for everyone.

Find out more

TheOHRGismade up of volunteers seeking to ensurehorticulture

flourishes forgenerations to come.We seek your supportbut most importantly, we want your input and feedback. Please do get in touchbyemailing: Boyd@TheBoydPartnership.co.uk

Opportunities knock

Alan Down, HTAPresident

Fromwhat I’mhearing it has been averypatchy spring so far and for many it really hasn’tgot going.But what I’malso hearing,and there’snothing newhere, it’sall about the weather.Footfall is good but plant sales and core garden items havenot yetreached their normal levels.

As Iwrite, it is raining hardand has resulted in alargely disappointing Coronation Bank Holiday for trade. We just don’tseem to be able to build any momentum largely due to the inconsistency of the weather.What is also evident, is the catering side of garden centrebusinesses is making up for the lessthan sparkling garden sales. In some quarters thereisaconcern we arerunning out of time but let’s

hope by the time youread this, Iwill havebeen provenwrong

I’ve been out and about visiting afew HTAmembers again. Sincelast month Ihavevisited both AllensmoreNurseries in Herefordshire, whereIspent time with GeoffCeasar,and Frank PMatthews in neighbouring WorcestershirewhereI wasdelighted to see expansion and import substitution in action. Theredoes appear to be atremendous opportunity to grow more plants hereinthe UK to replacethose we havepreviously imported. Iwas especially encouraged to see half amillion rose rootstocks being planted albeit in trying soil conditions.

Fantastic fruit and enthusiastic learning

Ialso visited the remarkable businessthat is Haygrove in Hereford. It’salways stimulating to be in the presenceofits founder Angus Davidson who startedthis enterprise as a university project. Nowwith morethan 500 hectares of fruit production worldwide this is one of the greatest horticultural businesses of our time. Isaw its latest polytunnels which are designed specifically to cope with an increasingly unpredictable climateand I’msurethese will be of interest to growers in our sector.Iwas also impressed with asimple software programme to measureHaygrove’s carbon emissions and feel this toocould be of interest to growers and retailers alike. Angus is keen this should be available to all and strongly makes the point that it is only the privately owned businesses that arenimble enough to deliver the change we need to avertthe environmental challenge we nowface.

Iwas also invited to see the horticultural department at Lackham College in Wiltshire. Iwas extremely impressed with the enthusiasm of the teaching and supportstaff. HoweverIcame away thinking that, if this is typical of all colleges offering horticulturetraining,weneed to support them more. This might mean offering to spend afew hours sitting on advisoryboards or even becoming agovernor.It is only by engaging with colleges that we can demonstrate our supportand get the trained work force that we need.

Finishing on abrighter noteI’m pleased to report our StateofTrade figures showconsumer confidence is returning and this is of course very encouraging!

TheHorticultural Trades Association is the UK industry’sleading membership organisation and welcomes all sectorsofenvironmental horticulture. To learn moreorjoinpleasevisit:www.hta.org.uk or email: services@hta.org.uk

Iwas delighted to see expansion and importsubstitution in action

Growing grassroots with GIMA

The joyoftrade associations is watching their members grow and bloom into industryjuggernauts. Over the years countlessbrands havelaunched intothe market with abright idea and bags of enthusiasm, and in what feels likethe blink of an eye, quickly become established brands with displays in garden centresupand down thecountry. Of course,the keytosuccessful growth is a little morecomplicated which is why at GIMA, we pride ourselves on creating asupport network for all members, whether theyhave been established for 150 years or 150 days.

Our latest initiativetosupport members is the newGIMA Buddy Scheme. Launched this year,itisdesignedtoprovide newbies intothe garden retail market –this includes grassroots businesses and those diversifying intogarden retail –withaccess to one of the 12 GIMA Council members. Taking them under their wing,the selected noncompeting council member will work with their ‘buddy’tohelpthem understand the garden retail landscape and will be an advocate for GIMA’s many membership benefits.

It’sapassion project of GIMA’s current president, Jenny DouthwaiteofPrimeur, who wants others to benefit from GIMA

membership in the same way that Primeur has sincelaunching to the sector just ahandful of years ago.New to garden retailand entering a newproduct category, Primeur has attributed an element of this success to the unrivalled access GIMA can provide. Whether it’sbusiness ‘speed dating’, market insight, trend data, or just ahelpful ear to listen, it is this that Jenny hopes to replicatethrough the scheme. Newmembers can use their buddy as asounding board, an unofficial ‘black book’orjusta safe pair of hands as theynavigatea newmarketplace. It’sanexciting prospect and already we’re seeing brands takeupthe opportunity

Backing innovators

GIMA’s newBuddy Scheme may be brand new, but the annual GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund (GISCF)isnow long established. In its eighth year,the GISCF has helped new, emerging brands and inventors secureaplaceatthe table, many of which havegone on to securerapid commercial success.Previous winners have included Green Digit (SeedCell), Natural Grower, PotMate, Vivagreen, Bloomin Amazing and Qwickhose, which scooped the awardin2022.

SupportedbyGlee, where the award is presented each year,winners of the GISCF

receivea supportpackage that GIMA believestakes some of thestressout of launching intoanew retailsector. Every winner has enjoyed a£6,000 fund which includesayear’sfullGIMAmembership, plus awiderange of businesssupport toolsincludingfreeexhibition spaceat Glee andfreePRsupportduring the event.Inaddition, the winners package also includes design, development and

GIMA dates for the diaryfor 2023

• GIMAGolfDay, 8th June, Belton Woods, Grantham

• GIMAatGLEE, 27th -29thJune, NEC, Birmingham

• GIMAAwardsJudging,11th -12th July, Warwick Racecourse

• GIMAAwardsGala Dinner, 19th October, Celtic Manor Resort

Plus look out for moreskills-based workshops, market data, Buyer Connect sessions,plus various webinars on ahost of different topics.

manufacturing or marketing cost support up to thevalue of £3,000;access to an industrybusinessconsultant; one-year Anti Copying In Designmembership;and an advert in thenextGIMA Product Digest. Forthe winners GIMA becomes a helping hand, remainingavailable to them throughout their membership to support, answer queries or just provide afriendly faceorvoiceonthe tougherdays. Who will scoop the awardthisyearisyet to be seen but whoeveritis, rest assured GIMA will be on hand to guide them as they taketheir next steps. Of course,wewill also remain available to all our members and want to remind everysingleone that GIMA is heretosupport. Not just for one day or for one event, but year-round. We love opening the door for grassroot development, but this does not minimise our supportfor established brands. So, whether you’re finding your feet or long into your journey, let GIMA walk alongside you.

• To findout more,and to see GIMA’s full calendar of events and unrivalled portfolio of member benefits, please visit www.gima.org.uk

New members can use their buddyasasounding board, an unofficial ‘blackbook’ or just asafe pair of hands

CO MFORT .D ESIGN. QU ALITY .

JOIN US!

Pre-SOLEX 2024 Season NewProduct Showcase

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Date: 12/06/23 -30/06/23

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