GTN Xtra - GTN Xtra - issue 22 2017

Bunnings second UK store opened just before Easter at Hatfield Road, St Albans. GTN Xtra paid a visit this week to see how the Bunnings concept had been delivered in a much smaller footprint than the first store at Griffiths Way, St. Albans...

See the GTN Xtra exclusive picture tour of the centre here

Garden centres count the cost of Easter Sunday closing

After a long period of great gardening weather which continued over the Easter weekend this year, the sales data analysed by GTN for Bestsellers gives us the best indication of the cost of losing a whole day’s trading at a time when our customers are in the mood to decorate their gardens and prepare for the summer...

Woodstock Chimes – musical perfection with a Lifetime Tuning Guarantee
GTN Xtra Promotion

Woodstock Chimes have a strong commitment to precise tuning. The company are so proud of the music made by their chimes, all the metal-tubed musically tuned chimes come with a Lifetime Tuning Guarantee...

Pictured: Woodstock Chimes UK’s best-selling Bells of Paradise – Large, Pacific Blue is tuned to an ancient Chinese scale.

Growing is on the up at Aylett Nurseries

Wonderwalls, veg growing frames and hanging baskets galore. Growing is definately on the up at Aylett Nurseries this year...

Transformation of garden centre into shopping complex

Smiemans Projecten has transformed a traditional garden centre into an inspiring shopping environment of the well-known chain Avoca in Ireland, Dublin...

Westland Gro-Sure TV campaign starts this week

Westland’s ‘Be Sure with Gro-Sure’ campaign returns to TV screens this week as part of an ad campaign designed to reach 14 million consumers between now and the end of May...

We're committed to retailers says T&M's new owner

Thompson & Morgan has reiterated its commitment to retailers following the recent BVG takeover by multi-channel retailer BVG...

Dramatic van fire at Perrywood caught on video

A dramatic van fire in the car park at Perrywood Garden Centre was caught on video and can now be viewed on YouTube...

Watch the video here

From Mosquito Bombers to first UK garden centres

Martin Stewart, Managing Director of the Dorset based Stewarts Garden Centres, achieved a lifelong ambition to sit the cockpit of a World War Two de Havilland Mosquito bomber, the type that his father flew in action with the RAF’s 82 Squadron in Burma...

Chessington expands into lucrative new business areas

Chessington Garden Centre is using an innovative Microsoft system to launch into new areas including garden design and a new 'click and collect' service...

A month later the Scotsdales' Plant-a-thon comes to an end

The team from Scotsdales Cambridge couldn't hold their Plant-a-thon on Garden Re-Leaf Day because they were organising and taking part in The Great Garden Re-Leaf Day Greenfingers Walk but it didn't stop them from staging the event at a later date...

See pictures from Scotsdales Palnt-A-Thon

EGO ramps up its petrol takeover with sponsorship of Britain’s Best Lawn 2017
The hunt to find Britain’s Best Lawn is back!

EGO Power+, the specialists and leaders of cordless technology, is now the proud sponsor of Britain’s Best Lawn, leading the garden tools revolution that is tackling petrol tools head on...

Pictures from Garden Re-Leaf Day Down Under

Leigh Siebler from the Garden Centres Association of Australia has sent GTN Xtra some pictures from Garden Re-Leaf Day Down Under...

Easter Flowers at the Vatican

Last week we brought you pictures of flowers leaving the Keukenhof in Holland destined for the Vatican City in Rome. Here are pictures of the displays created...

See pictures of the flowers in the Vatican at Easter 2017

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No rush to appoint new CEO at HTA

HTA President Adam Wigglesworth confirmed to GTN Xtra last week that the board of the HTA were not in a rush to find a new CEO to replace Carol Paris...

Plants lead the way at Easter

Sales of plants led the way during the first week of Easter 2017 – they were the only GTN Bestsellers index to increase week on week. Alyssum saw the highest percentage growth...

Celebrated jump jockeyto host GIMA Charity Golf and Activity Day Dinner

This year’s GIMA Charity Golf and Activity Day dinner will be hosted by Richard Pitman...

Lights and lawns take the spotlight

Grass seed, lawn dressings and garden lighting were the gardening lines that saw the biggest increases during he first week of Easter trading 2017...

Fern sales up 44% year on year, say Wyevale Nurseries

Fern sales have seen a surge at Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford as it announces a 44% year on year increase. Adam Dunnett, Sales and Marketing Director, said: “It’s fantastic news."

Tomato plants outsell pot geraniums

Sales of tomato plants continue to grow and this week’s analysis of all plants sold in the GTN Bestsellers database showed that tomato plants outsold Pelargoniums (pot and bedding geraniums) by 12%...

Easter closure hits growing media growth

Ten percent less trading hours and a 10% drop in sales volumes means growing media sales have slowed. Westland Gro-Sure Smart Cover (100 litres) was the highest new entry...

Selbooks Ltd takes over Selnews

Selnews, has been trading continuously for the past 47 years. Alan Seviour and David Maguire the owner/managers have been supplying garden centres with books for over 35 years...

GIMA names awards judging panel

The judging panel for the 2017 GIMA Awards, which will be presented at a ceremony on 13 July, has been announced...

Hillier's Chelsea garden will feature a Memory Tree

Alan Titchmarsh will place the first tag on a 'Memory Tree' in the Hillier garden at next month’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show...

Babycare changing room wins award for Dobbies Edinburgh

Dobbies Garden Centres Lasswade branch has been voted ‘Best Independent Retailer’ in a baby care products company's Changing Room Awards...

Royal FloraHolland trades 12.5 billion flowers and plants in 2016

It has been a flourishing year for the floriculture industry. Royal FloraHolland traded a total of 12.5 billion products in 2016, an increase of 0.3%...

13 orchid growers combine their inspiration during Orchid Inspiration Days

Thirteen specialists will be throwing open the doors of their nurseries for the premier commercial orchid event Orchid Inspiration Days from 6 to 13 June...