A new Greenfingers Charity therapeutic garden at Grace House, Sunderland was officially opened by the Mayor of Sunderland on Monday (21^st October).  This inspiring new garden will provide a peaceful place for relaxation and enjoyment for the seriously ill children and their families that call Grace House ‘home’.

The Nest and Rest Garden - Greenfingers 58th garden project to be completed - was designed and created by Sean Murray, who most famously won the BBC’s Great Chelsea Garden Challenge in 2015.  Working alongside Sean was landscaper Keith Ball. Together Sean and Keith have transformed a previously blank space into a stunning garden that provides a range of sensory experiences, complemented by sweeping paths that provide a journey through the landscape, and spots of colour that brighten even the darkest days.

The Grace House design focuses on bringing more wildlife into the garden, with pollinator friendly plants taking centre stage, providing a splash of colour and gorgeous fragrances throughout the space. A special ‘nest’ has been created by grouping tree trunks together, which provides a secluded spot to sit and relax, or as a hub for play and group activities. Elsewhere, an interactive water feature and additional sheltered areas provide a choice of places to stop for a moment, whilst the fun brightly coloured fences add a touch of playfulness to the space. Together all these elements create an invaluable outside space for respite and relaxation, as well as stimulating features that can be used for therapies and reflection.

At the garden opening Sean said: “It has been a great honour and privilege to have designed a Greenfingers Charity garden. Having previously worked in the NHS and seeing the powerful difference a well-designed outside space can make; whether it’s overcoming access issues or having a private space to escape the reality of what’s going on inside the building, I hope that this new garden provides a special place for all those who spend time at Grace House to enjoy.”

Victoria Brown, CEO Grace House said: “We would like to thank Sean for his design and  Greenfingers Charity and their supporters for the effort, patience and kindness they have shown Grace House.  This stunning garden is now a wonderful space in which the young people, children and families who spend time a Grace will be able to enjoy for many years to come.”

As with all Greenfingers gardens, the Grace House project would not have been possible without the generosity of the charity’s benefactors.  As well as donations from grant-making trusts, local businesses have also been kind enough to dig deep, with Cowell’s Garden Centre and Johnsons of Whixley supporting the project. Elsewhere, funds were raised during the charity’s annual Garden Re-Leaf Day event, Rolawn, the ongoing fundraising and volunteering efforts of the endlessly enthusiastic Kew Green Hotels team and many other friends of Greenfingers Charity. 

Linda Petrons, Greenfingers’ Director of Fundraising & Communications said: “Our sincerest thanks to Sean, his team and all the people that have helped to make the Grace House ‘Nest and Rest’ garden a reality. The garden space has been completely transformed, and now offers a safe and peaceful place to spend time; perfect for the children who use the facilities, as well as their families and even the Grace House staff. The garden is a perfect demonstration of how careful design and considered thinking can come together to create a space that offers a true retreat away from it all. I know for sure that this garden will be enjoyed for many years to come and will become an important backdrop for memories to be created.”

Find out more

To find out more about Greenfingers Charity, and how to get involved in a range of fundraising events please email Linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk.

You can also join in the conversation by joining Greenfingers on social media - https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/, @GreenfingersCha on Twitter, and @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Donations to help fund other ongoing and new garden projects can be made to the Greenfingers Charity via this link: https://www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk/get-involved/ways-to-donate

British businessman, Sir Terry Leahy, will top the programme at the Cultivating Retail conference which takes place on 19 November 2019 at East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham. The former Chief Executive of Tesco PLC, who has an active interest in the garden industry as a shareholder of Dobbies, will talk about the opportunities and interest around horticulture and draw on his experiences to talk about sustainability and the customer.

HTA Chairman James Barnes comments, “We are delighted that Sir Terry will be joining our Cultivating Retail programme which focusses on sustainability issues facing the garden industry. This provides a unique opportunity for all of us to hear from one of the key business leaders of our time and his thoughts on some of the opportunities within horticulture, supply chains and how issues around sustainability might influence the consumer.”

Sir Terry Leahy, was appointed Chief Executive of Tesco PLC in March 1997 and retired from this position in March 2011. He was instrumental in driving the sustainability agenda at Tesco. He received a Knighthood for services to food retailing in the 2002 New Year’s Honours and in the same year was made a Freeman of the City of Liverpool and is a member of the Liverpool Enterprise Partnership Advisory Board. He has received many accolades as a business leader including Retail Leader of the Year by retail Week (2008), Britain’s Most Admired Leader by Management Today (from 2005 to 2010) and in 2010 he received the Daily Telegraph’s Award for a Decade of Excellence in Business. Sir Terry is now a part-time senior advisor to Clayton Dubilier & Rice, the US private equity firm and holds various Chair and Executive Committee memberships.

Graham Corfield, Chief Operating Officer for Just Eat, joins the high profile line up of speakers at the Cultivating Retail Conference, sponsored by Evergreen Garden Care, which takes place on 19 November 2019 at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham.

Graham will be talking about the challenges involved in operating Just Eat - the leading global brand hybrid marketplace for online food delivery. This will include how they are working to eliminate single use plastic, running a larger operation with many different ‘suppliers’ and the sustainability of a business both economically and environmentally.

As Chief Operating Officer at Just Eat, Graham is responsible for the commercial performance of Just Eat markets, overseeing and coordinating trading and new business globally. Graham joined the business in 2011 as UK Finance Director, taking on the role of UK Managing Director in 2013. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in June 2019. As UK Managing Director, Graham oversaw countless success stories for the business, evolving the brand and championing their restaurant partners to drive their success and was instrumental in helping scale Just Eat UK into its market leading position.

HTA President Boyd Douglas-Davies comments, “We are delighted that Graham is joining the Cultivating Retail line up. It is always invaluable to hear from businesses outside of our own industry. Whilst they may operate on a larger scale and with different products many of the challenges they experience with regard to sustainability and supply chains are similar to those experienced in the garden industry. There are always great takeaways from sessions like this – excuse the pun!”

With the theme of Creating a sustainable future for the garden industry visit www.hta.org.uk/cultivatingretail for further programme information and to book your place at Cultivating Retail.

Cultivating Retail – for a sustainable future

Creating a sustainable future for the garden industry is the key theme behind this year’s Cultivating Retail event which takes place on Tuesday 19 November 2019 at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham. This year’s conference and dinner will be hosted by journalist and broadcaster Daisy McAndrew with Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards providing the after-dinner entertainment.

The event, sponsored by Evergreen Garden Care and jointly hosted by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and Garden Industry Manufacturers Association (GIMA), brings together retailers, suppliers and growers to provide a mix of strategic and inspirational content. The programme will include the latest consumer attitudes and thoughts on what sustainability means for the garden industry including key topics such as biosecurity, growing media, plastics, labour/skills, water and pesticides.

HTA Vice-President and Cultivating Retail Steering Group member Boyd Douglas-Davies comments, “This year’s Cultivating Retail conference focuses on the sustainability of the industry in the widest sense. By bringing together the supply chain this event gives us a fantastic opportunity to look at what actions we need to be taking now to ensure that we have a robust, viable and relevant industry fit for the future. You really can’t afford to miss this one!”

Host Daisy McAndrew was the Special Correspondent for ITV News, having previously served as Economics Editor and Chief Political Correspondent. Formerly Andrew Neil’s co-host on The Daily Politics, Daisy has also presented Heaven & Earth and reported on Westminster for BBC Breakfast. She now co-hosts the mid-morning show on Talkradio discussing the latest headlines and opinions.

Dr David Bek, a Reader in Sustainable Economics from Coventry University, will focus on what sustainability means for the garden industry. Dr Bek has extensive experience in undertaking research into sustainability within horticultural supply chains, especially cut flowers. He is especially interested in developing an evidence base to demonstrate how innovations within sustainability practice can lead to improvements in businesses’ resilience, productivity and profitability.

Guy Topping, Managing Director of the Barton Grange Group will be telling the story of their Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre. Complete with its undulating design and grass roof Guy will talk through the development from the birth of this new recreational concept to the challenges of delivery and lessons learnt from a sustainability perspective.

The networking opportunities continue into the evening with the business dinner. This year the after-dinner speaker has been confirmed as Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards. With little skill for his sport, Olympic skier Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards won the hearts and minds of the public with his heroic failures, and he remains one of the best loved athletes today; in fact, his life has been depicted in the biographical film Eddie the Eagle (2016), and he has also appeared as the coach on Channel 4 programme 'The Jump'.

The Cultivating Retail Steering Group, responsible for shaping the event, consists of the following industry representatives: Mark Butler (Vitax), Boyd Douglas-Davies (Hillview Group), Neil Grant (Ferndale Garden Centre), Caroline Owen (Scotsdales Garden Centre), Richard Pyrah (Ames) supported by HTA’s Director of Membership Martin Simmons, GIMA Director Vicky Nuttall and the HTA events team.

Cultivating Retail takes place at the East Midlands Conference Centre set within the beautifully landscaped parkland of Nottingham University’s campus. This purpose built venue, complete with auditorium, is adjacent to the Orchard Hotel. Built in 2012 this eco-friendly hotel has been awarded a BREEAM rating of excellent and using the latest technology to reduce carbon emissions benefits from plenty of daylight.

Look out for further news on a keynote speaker in due course. For further information and to book your place please visit www.hta.org.uk/cultivatingretail or email events@hta.org.uk.

For information about sponsorship opportunities at the event please contact Tim Bell, HTA Commercial Manager on 07808 775177 or email tim.bell@hta.org.uk or Vicky Nuttall, GIMA Director on 07766 135060 or vicky.nuttall@gima.org.uk

Cultivating Retail takes place at the East Midlands Conference Centre set within the beautifully landscaped parkland of Nottingham University’s campus. This purpose built venue, complete with auditorium, is adjacent to the Orchard Hotel. Built in 2012 this eco-friendly hotel has been awarded a BREEAM rating of excellent and using the latest technology to reduce carbon emissions benefits from plenty of daylight.

After four weeks of Christmas sales reporting the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Christmas Products index is showing sales values up by 9% year-to-date and at the highest level for any of the past five years.  If this week’s sales during half term live up to expectations, October could be the best ever for Christmas in garden centres.

With plenty of berries on trees and shrubs, wise country folk are predicting a harsh winter ahead, so perhaps consumers will decide there is no better way to beat the weather and any Brexit blues than by decorating the house and garden to create some mid-winter cheer.

Great Christmas displays, warm and wholesome food and drink, plus stunning and memorable Christmas events means garden centres across the country will be the retail destination of choice for many.

Creative Products Bottle Lights are really providing a boost for garden product sales. This line has now been the No.1 GTN garden products best-seller for three weeks in a row and its sales volumes this week are four time that of the No 2 best-selling line.

Indeed, if this were a Christmas product, it would sit at No 3 in that chart.

• Smart Garden’s Balloon Magic Large Multi-coloured garden decorations are the highest new entry into the chart at No 7.

• Westland Fish Blood & Bone 1.5kg is the highest chart re-entry as gardeners look to replenish their soil.

• As the nights draw in, feeding indoor plants is a high priority.  Fito Foliage Plant Drip Feeder is the highest chart climber, up 26 places to No 23.

Bookings open this week for the Garden Centre Association’s 2020 Conference at the Mercure Grand Hotel in Bristol (Sun 26 – Wed 29 January). 2020

The Mercure Grand is set in a historic grade II listed building in the heart of Bristol city centre. The 186-room property's interior draws inspiration from the city's independent art scene and includes over 500 pieces by local artists.

The conference will kick off on Sunday afternoon with the annual Greenfingers event where retailers and suppliers will be competing in a Touch Rugby game to raise funds for the Greenfingers charity. The afternoon's event is followed by an informal evening.

On Monday, there are presentations from the GCA’s inspectors and competition judges together, with other speakers focusing on business operations. The day is rounded off with the annual Associates Networking Night followed dinner with optional fancy dress on a 'Seafaring' theme.

Tuesday features some high-profile speakers with business strategy the centre of attention.  Sustainability, wellbeing and economic insight will be covered. Tuesday afternoon is earmarked for the annual supplier exhibition.

Phase one of the redevelopment plan at Haskins’ Snowhill centre has been completed, including:

* New temporary building

* Half of the new car park

* A re-located car park entrance

* New landscaping and trees

The redevelopment is a 12-month project with the main centre due to re-open in spring 2020. In the meantime, Haskins will continue to trade from its temporary building.

Haskins worked with Barnwood Construction Ltd to install the interim building, which covers an indoor retail space of 1,575sqm and boasts a 900 sq.m. outdoor plant area as well as a 180-seat café.

Phase two of the redevelopment plan, now under way, includes:

* Demolition of the old building

* Starting the new build

The new centre will have a retail space of 11,813 sq.m., including an outdoor plant area and 440-seat restaurant with 170 outdoor patio seating. Car parking will also be improved with 346 spaces available.

Staff at Langlands Garden Centre in Shiptonthorpe rallied together last week to support breast cancer charity Breast Cancer Now, raising over £1000 during the annual Wear It Pink day.

The team had just two days to organise the event after being asked by a regular customer if they would help with her own fundraising efforts. Rose Deeth is a regular at Langlands café, so when she suggested the business might be able to help her raise money for Wear It Pink day, staff were only too happy to get involved.

Rose (pictured below), who dyed her hair pink for the occasion, said: “There are so many people today living with breast cancer and, having been through it myself 15 years ago, I know what it takes to keep fighting every day. Charities like Breast Cancer Now need all the support they can get to keep researching cures and providing support to people who need it.”

Breast Cancer Now’s annual Wear It Pink day is one of the biggest fundraising events in the UK.

During the day, Langlands helped customers to support the charity while adding a touch of pink to their own garden by donating 10% of all sales from its pink garden planters. A cake stall provided by retired Langlands team member and breast cancer survivor Irene Featherstone and a raffle for a £50 Langlands gift voucher also helped to boost the total.

Langlands managing director James Ducker, said: “What made Friday such a fantastic event was the amazing team spirit that went into pulling everything together so quickly. In particular, our farm shop supervisor Trish Elvidge and plant area manager Mandy Warry along with all our team in Shiptonthorpe really took the challenge of organising the event to heart and before we knew it the whole place was pink! Thanks to their amazing efforts we were flooded with pink balloons, decorations and cakes, as well as costumes for staff, including a tutu for myself.

“What our staff achieved in just two days is nothing short of incredible; it’s been a real team effort and to see our community all rally round to raise money for this fantastic cause is really inspiring. Having lost one of our members of staff, Sally Bowron, to breast cancer in 2006 it’s a cause that’s really close to our hearts and we’re very happy to be able to do our part to support Breast Cancer Now. The team did such an amazing job they are already planning what Langlands is doing to support Children in Need. This is going involve all three Langlands centre, I dread to think what they have planned so watch this space!

Work has started on an extension to Selby Garden Centre in Yorkshire that will double its turnover over the next five years and return it to profitability.

MD Mark Noble chose Chris Primett of Malcolm Scott Consultants to prepare plans for 40,634 sq ft of additional space. The £1.5m development includes a 250-seat restaurant, a new 17,000 sq ft open sales area, shop refurbishment and 70 extra parking spaces.

Chris Primett said the existing site was too small to be profitable; the enlarged retail footprint would allow the business to more than double its sales.

A welcome evening at Squire’s Garden Centre at Wokingham was attended by customers old and new, along with representatives from Wokingham Borough Council, Crowthorne and Wokingham Without Parish Councils, Heathlands Grow Your Own plotholders, and COATS Crowthorne, which is Squire’s local charity of the year.

Squire’s acquired the centre from Wyevale during the summer. The company says it is keen to get to know the local community and showcase some of its new ranges in the run-up to Christmas.

Customers enjoyed complimentary Prosecco and canapés, live music from The Piano Man and singer Jean Claude, street magic from Mike The Magician, and a curry in Squire’s Café Bar.

Chairman Sarah Squire said: “We really believe in being part of the local community. We like to get to know our customers and tailor our ranges for them, and we like the fact that each of our garden centres are different and have their own unique character. We will be investing in the centre and making improvements over time but we are keen to learn what our customers would like to see from their local garden centre first.”

Above: Two members of the plant team at Squire’s Wokingham – Les Ellis and Wendy Baron.

A Wyevale Nurseries employee will take part in a sleep out next month to raise money for a homeless charity.

Sara Bowie, a despatch and stock controller, will join in the annual fundraiser in Bristol on 14 November in aid of 1625 Independent People (1625ip).

The 55-year-old, who lives in Norton Canon but grew up in Bristol, said: “1625ip is a Bristol based charity that has been supporting homeless 16-25-year-olds for more than 30 years. It works with around 2,000 young people in the south west every year.

“This will be the second time I am taking part in the sleep out. It will take place at the Lloyds Amphitheatre on Explore Lane in Bristol. Having spent a night last year sleeping rough it gave me the smallest taste of what it’s like for someone who has to sleep out in the cold.

“1625ip give these young people options to learn skills, find somewhere to live, help with mental health issues, soft skills and job opportunities. I am asking the horticulture industry to help me to help them. People can donate anything, even the price of a coffee. It all goes to help this great charity and our wish to eradicate homelessness from our streets.

“£10 provides an hour of mental health support, £20 pays for a young person to attend a life skills session and £50 funds a start-up kit to help them on their way to living independently.  We need to break the circle of homelessness and help these vulnerable young people.”

1625ip provides essential services to young people and partners with agencies across the South West so together they can change lives. 

The charity offers a broad range of care for young people from securing homes, teaching life-skills, offering advice, helping access training and job opportunities. Its aim is to help young people to live happily and independently.

Lincolnshire based multi-channel garden retailer YouGarden founded by entrepreneur Peter McDermott seven years ago, has completed an MBO.

The company’s annual revenues have increased by an average of 35% over the past five years, topping £17 million in the past year. The MBO was backed by buy-out specialists Kester Capital, who have known McDermott and his business since the start-up in 2012.

In addition to its direct-to-consumer brand YouGarden, the company also acts as gardening category manager for prominent retailers like Amazon, Groupon, Ideal World TV Shopping and Shop Direct. It reaches around 800,000 consumers.

Peter McDermott, who is MD, said the partnership with Kester Capital would give them extra firepower to accelerate expansion plans. “The team at Kester really understands our business and have a long track record of supporting growth in UK businesses. We are excited to work with them in order to take YouGarden to the next level.”

Kester focuses on UK businesses that require capital to unlock their potential.

Employees of Zest 4 Leisure have raised more than £15,000 for Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith, the company’s chosen charity for 2019.

Collectively, employees have smashed the £10,000 fundraising target by pounding the streets, taking to the skies and getting covered in foam bubbles as they conquered giant inflatables.

Zest’s finance director Andrew Baker has lead the charge with his pledge to run 1,600 miles before the end of the year. So far, he has raised more than £2,450 by completing 199 runs, clocking up at least 1,360 miles in the process. With just a couple of months left to achieve his goal, Andrew completed the Yorkshire Marathon last week and is considering taking part in the Santa Dash in Flintshire in December for fun.

“I’m really pleased with my progress so far and I should hopefully have completed all 1,600 miles by early December,” Andrew said. “The support I’ve had has been fantastic and I can’t thank everyone enough who has made a donation and helped me raise £2,450 – here’s hoping it continues to go up.

“Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith are amazing in the support they give to children and young people, but they can’t do it without our help. That’s why, as a father of four who loves running and keeping fit, I wanted to raise as much money for them as I could, hence my 1,600 mile challenge.“

Across the company, Zest 4 Leisure employees have been putting their best foot forward to raise money for Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith. Back in June, a team of 25 successfully completed the 5k Gung-Ho! Chester course. Covered in foam bubbles, the team tackled enormous inflatables up to 50m long and eight metres high, raising £1,634.

Proving they have a head for heights, 10 gutsy employees took to the skies in May to perform tandem skydives, jumping from an eye-watering 10,000 feet and freefalling for 30 seconds before the rip cords were pulled. All were relieved and delighted to make it back to terra firma, especially the one employee who had never even been on a plane before!

Zest 4 Leisure MD Steve Morgan, said: “It’s great news that we have smashed our fundraising target and we still have a couple of months to go before the end of the year.

“I’m really proud of the team at Zest 4 Leisure. Every year they go above and beyond to raise money for charity, however, they really excelled themselves this year with a tandem skydive! Andrew has also done an incredible job and is close to completing his personal 1,600-mile challenge.

“I’d like to thank each and every employee for their commitment to raising money for charity.”

Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith children’s hospices provide care and support to children and young people with serious illnesses and life limiting conditions, and their families, from Shropshire, Cheshire, North and Mid Wales. This is the second year Zest has chosen to support the charity.

A family run business, Zest 4 Leisure is committed to employee fitness and long-term well-being, as well as supporting the community and raising money for charity.

The Australian Hardware Journal reports in its October issue that a small independent retailer has launched a campaign to get the government to legislate against what it considers to be unfair competition from big corporate rivals. 

Loganholme Mitre 10 shares a car park with a so-called ‘big box’ store but it also has two more big boxes within an 8km radius, says the magazine's editor, Christine Bannister.

The intense battle for sales has led store owner Ian Gill (pictured outside his store) to take his fight to the Federal Government. He is currently distributing two petitions – one pushing for government legislation that will prevent corporate stores moving into the immediate target market of small independent businesses. The second advocates action to prevent corporate businesses from obtaining brand exclusivity.

He says the petitions are all about securing more protection for small independents.

The politics in Westminster this summer may have been somewhat disappointing, but Ball Colegrave’s displays of SunPatiens have certainly been outstanding!

Occupying much of the central area of Greater London, the City of Westminster stretches over eight square miles and is world renowned for its theatres and entertainment, as well as national landmarks and districts which include Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Marble Arch, Mayfair, Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus, Soho and Trafalgar Square.

So with more than 1 million people setting foot in Westminster every day and serving over 65 open spaces and gardens, for David Creese, Westminster City Parks Manager, there can be no compromise when it comes to garden performance in his planting schemes.

Working in partnership with Ball Colegrave and Sakata Seed Corporation, David for the first time introduced SunPatiens® as the dominant variety in four of his most prestigious gardens; Whitehall Gardens, Marble Arch, Leicester Square and Soho Square. With each location providing a different environmental challenge, this was real test of endurance for any bedding plant. Whitehall Gardens are formal tree lined gardens on the Thames Embankment receiving a mix of full sun and dappled shade throughout the day. Marble Arch sits on one of the busiest roundabouts in London, hot, dry and constantly busy with passing road traffic. Leicester Square and Soho Square are in the heart of London’s entertainment area and with a high level of pedestrians, the flower beds here take a lot of wear and tear from passing visitors and party goers.

The results were outstanding. In each of the areas, the plants established fast and provided unstoppable colour from June right through September. David comments; “The SunPatiens® have proved an outstanding success, delivering all the qualities I am looking for in a bedding plant and providing the public who visit our Parks with a stunning display. SunPatiens® has an outstanding colour range, a long and continuous flowering season right up to November when we changeover to the Autumn bedding, exceptional soil coverage in the flower beds which assists our Contractor in reducing the maintenance work, the ability to withstand a drier climate, great disease resistance and good value for money, all qualities which amateur gardeners also require.”

The plants grown by Fresh Acres were planted at the end of May and were maintained by contractors Continental.

Steve Mills, Contract Manager at Continental Landscapes comments; “The SunPatiens® performed extremely well in the hot dry summer. The plants were quick to establish and within no time had joined together to form an uninterrupted mass of colour. An added advantage of the spreading habit that it soon smothered any weed that tried to grow, reducing the cost of weeding the flower beds during the summer. Marble Arch is a very hot and sunny site and the SunPatiens® coped with the harsh conditions. They did not require excessive watering and never wilted in the mid-day sun, unlike normal Impatiens. Some of the other gardens where they were planted have a dense canopy of plane tree leaves, resulting in dry shady conditions. Once again, the SunPatiens® performed well much to the delight of the public.”

“We too have been delighted with the results, although not surprised” says Stuart Lowen of Ball Colegrave. “The thicker petals and tough foliage of SunPatiens® are less prone to disease, and their strong sturdy stems tolerate high heat and humidity, rain and adverse weather conditions. These attributes make SunPatiens® a perfect choice for municipal planting schemes”.

Breeder of SunPatiens®, Sakata Seed Corporation, has been agreement with the Indonesian Government (IAARD) in relation to the botanical species of Impatiens from which SunPatiens® is partly derived. SunPatiens® is a unique hybrid Impatiens which, in contrast to standard New Guinea Impatiens thrive in full sun and keep flowering three seasons long! The plants are resistant to downy mildew – a common enemy of Impatiens – and also easy-care; all they need is water.

The agreement between Sakata and Indonesia was a forerunner of the current Nagoya Protocol. This protocol determines rights and obligations for the countries that signed it. This means that for every SunPatiens® plant that is sold, a contribution is made to Indonesia for local research into the maintenance of the biodiversity in that country.

SunPatiens® are available as plugs from Ball Colegrave in 12 distinct colours across two ranges; Vigorous and Compact habit. All 12 colours were used in the Westminster Parks planting scheme.

GIMA’s Knowledge Exchange Workshop autumn schedule sees the return of negotiation skills and sales development planning sessions.

Back by popular demand for the fourth year running, the sessions will be led by corporate training specialists Cedar Associates. The first session – Negotiation Skills – will offer hints and tips on how to develop rapport, identify the different stages of negotiation, the role of concessions and how the Dual Concerns Model can impact the outcome of negotiations.

During the Sales Development Planning workshops delegates will focus on how to get more from their sales territory plans and how to develop a consultative approach to selling. Topics covered will include linking territory plans to actions, analysing workloads and time management, the ‘Consultative Sales’ process, and proactive sales – link, cross and upselling.

Dates will be confirmed shortly.

Places are filling fast for the Optimising Instagram & LinkedIn for Business, and Advanced Microsoft PowerPoint workshops.  Interested parties – both GIMA members and non-members are advised to book now to avoid disappointment.

Taking place on 6 November  and led by PR agency Hornby Whitefoot PR, Optimising Instagram & LinkedIn for Business  will look at the impact these online media have had on business and will break down how brands can optimise a presence on each platform to boost their engagement. From handy hints and tips on how to create a winning strategy, and how to better interact with your audience, as well as basics such as setting up pages/accounts, the workshop will also explain the difference between the two platforms and outline how they achieve different goals.

The Advanced Microsoft PowerPoint workshop, led by Paul Brown Training, will cover PowerPoint’s most advanced tools, enabling users to quickly and confidently create impactful presentations.

All GIMA Knowledge Exchange Workshops will take place at Horticulture House, Didcot, OX11 0RN.

Bookings can be made for individual workshops (GIMA Members: £200 + VAT / Non-members: £230 + VAT) or as a suite of two or more places (GIMA Members: £180 + VAT/Non-members: £210 + VAT).

The organisers of IPM ESSEN (28-31 January 2020) have announced that France is to be the show’s partner country for next year’s event.

A partner country traditionally accompanies the fair. Under the slogan ‘Quality & Innovation. The French Touch!",  visitors will be offered the opportunity to discover innovative new products from top breeders and producers from all over France. A wide range of products produced in the varied climatic conditions in France will be on display.

Mikael Mercier, chairman of VAL'HOR, the French trade body for the national ornamental plant industry, said IPM Essen had become the most important platform for French plant exporters.

The CEO of Messe Essen, Oliver P. Kuhrt, said France had been one of the most important exhibiting nations for decades and is a popular horticultural country internationally. “We are delighted to be able to give the French exhibitors an exclusive platform with IPM ESSEN 2020 and our trade fair visitors real added value," he added.

The French flower and plant breeders will move from the Galeria into the new Hall 6. The French nurseries will be in Hall 7 as usual. Many other French plant exporters, substrate suppliers and plant pot manufacturers will also participate.

French horticulture employs around around 19,000 people across 3,600 companies, with a combined turnover of €1,6 billion. Horticultural retail and wholesale trade in France comprises 19,000 companies, 58,000 jobs and €7billion turnover.

Tong Garden Centre near Bradford is again collaborating with West Yorkshire business Sneaky Experience for its popular Christmas Grotto.

The Sneaky team will entertain children (and grown-ups) throughout the 30 minute interactive experience that includes a magical journey to see Santa in his Grotto.

Marketing manager Jo Dales said: “The team at Sneaky engage brilliantly with both children and adults to create a memorable experience through storytelling and performance. We really enjoy working with them and we can't wait to welcome them back to Tong."

Julia Benfield, director at Sneaky Experience, said: “Many of our performers have been part of this magical family experience since the very start and love coming back each year - it just goes from strength to strength.”

The grotto was a sell-out last year.

Pictured: the Sneaky Experience directors with Jo Dales (right).

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Sue Allen, founder of Millbrook Garden Centres, has joined the Greenfingers charity’s board of trustees.

Sue, a well-known face in the garden retail sector, established the first Millbrook Garden Centre in Crowborough, East Sussex, in 1979, alongside her late husband, Dick. Millbrook has since grown to incorporate three centres in the south east and is now run by the extended family, including daughter Tammy, her husband Ben and sister Kirsty, with Sue as chairman. She also sits on the board of trustees for the Garden Centre Association and is chairman of the GCA Trust.

 “Having been involved with Greenfingers from the very early days, when the first ever garden was created at Demelza House in Kent, I am delighted to now feel able to give my time and energy to the charity once more as a Trustee,” Sue said.  “Having spent many years on the management committee, it is a bit like coming home, although that home has seen great expansion and lots of improvements and is now a much larger, higher profile charity.  I’m looking forward to working with my fellow trustees to ensure this great work continues.”

John Ashley, Chairman of Greenfingers Charity, added: “On behalf of all of us at Greenfingers I’d like to officially welcome Sue to the Board of Trustees. I am sure that Sue’s input will be pivotal for future growth and development of the Greenfingers Charity.”

Christmas 2019 is off to a rousing start, now up 9% year on year and set to be the biggest October for Christmas sales ever.

Time will tell if that means total sales will stay that far ahead or if it’s just a factor of people buying early this year. Whatever, the sound of money through the tills for Christmas this early is welcome.

 • Lotus Imports Ivy & Berry Mini Pick was the highest re-entry.

 • Sage Décor’s White Polar Bear Hanging Decoration was the highest new entry.

 • Smart Garden’s Kings & Queens Santa & Friends festive doormat climbed furthest up the chart.

Following a summer of slow growth, the new school year and change of season failed to inject the boost that retailers needed in September, with online sales recording a rise of just +0.6% year-on-year, according to the latest IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index, which tracks the online sales performance of over 200 retailers.

In fact, despite the extended period of challenging results, September’s figures (excluding travel) failed to match the already low 6- and 12-month rolling averages (respectively +2.3%, +5.3%), and plummeted well below the 5-year average (+10%).

Delving into the categories, clothing saw its first negative growth in over two years at -1.2% against last year. This may have been reflective of a number of initiatives in September that aimed to shift consumer attitudes towards sustainable fashion. In stark contrast to previous performance where sales had major growth, menswear sales suffered significantly (-22.5%). Womenswear, footwear and accessories also declined with YoY growth rates of -13.3%, -9.8% and -9.0% respectively.

Elsewhere the picture wasn’t all negative. Health & beauty saw sales growing by +16.4%, while the warmer weather at the start of the month also led to a surprise increase in beers, wine and spirits sales, rising by +15.3% compared to -11.4% in 2018. Even home and garden saw a slight reprieve from last month’s decline, reaching +1.22% overall. However, with a number of the other categories continuing their downwards sales plummets, including electricals (-15.47%) and gifts (-18.2%), the few inclines weren’t enough to push up the month’s overall average.

Bhavesh Unadkat, principal consultant in retail customer engagement, Capgemini, said: “September’s results will have triggered some clear warning signs for retailers as sales are stuttering at the beginning of the ‘golden quarter’; online sales are up only +0.6%, and nine out of the 15 sectors we track reported negative performance in comparison to last year.”

Retailers will now be looking ahead at how to make the most out of the peak period. With Black Friday promotional discounting on the horizon and consumers expectations set for big reductions, this may prove challenging for retailers to manage after several difficult months.”

Andy Mulcahy, strategy and insight director, IMRG, said “September was another poor month for online sales growth; January-September the index is up just +4.9% versus a start-of-year forecast of +9%. Retailers just seem to be facing so many issues at the moment, with low shopper confidence driving the need to discount and very few categories performing well. There is only one possible positive factor, which might seem slightly surprising, that could help stimulate sales growth – Brexit.

In the six months following the June 2016 referendum result, many expected the economic impact to be negative but actually a lot of the indicators were stronger than anticipated. If the UK does leave the EU this week (by 31 October), while that brings challenges and disruption for businesses, in the short-term the average person isn’t likely to notice any immediate impact. Given that 2016 precedent, should Brexit happen, there might be a collective sigh of relief that the tedium of hearing about it is finally over. We could see a degree of buoyancy in spending just in time for Black Friday and Christmas, which though temporary could help get retailers through what otherwise might prove a tough peak trading period.

While the intention may be there to get gardening, as illustrated with the Garden Products chart, the reality is that seriously wet ground is stopping much of it happening.

Last week was another when growing media sales were down year-on-year but let’s not forget sales year- to-date are still running at nearly 6% up.

• Westland New Horizon All Plant Compost, 60 litres, moved up to No.2 in the GTN chart, the highest place for any peat-free compost in the history of GTN Bestsellers. Is this a sign of serious changes in buying habits or perhaps just a seasonal blip?

• Westland Cambark Premium Pine Nuggets, 50 litres, was the highest re-entry of the week, perhaps being used to soak up the wet, wet, wet…

• Evergreen Garden Care Levington Multipurpose with John Innes, 20 litres, was the highest chart climber, up 17 places to No.31.

The Garden Centre Association’s barometer of trade shows that sales in September were 1% down on last year

Of the 75 garden centres contributing to the survey, 34 reported that sales were higher than 2018, while 41 had seen a fall.

Sales of seeds and bulbs were7% down on last year, while plant sales were 6% lower and garden sundries fell 5%.

Gift sales fell by 1.5% and the increase of 5% growth in catering sales was lower than in the previous few months, suggesting lower-than-average footfall in what was a wet September. Houseplants, though, showed 12% growth.

GCA garden centres are running about 6% up overall this year so far.

The HTA’s market update figures also reflected September’s wetter conditions, which they say saw sales of hardy plants and outdoor living ranges remaining flat compared to the same month in 2018.

Houseplants and garden care products performed well, with houseplants seeing an increase of 13% compared to September last year, and garden care increasing by 9% in month-to-month comparisons.

All categories reported remain up on 2018 for year to date comparisons.

HTA Director of Membership Martin Simmons comments “Despite losing ground in September, year on year comparisons show that garden centre sales have maintained strong growth. Rolling year to September 2019, compared to 2018 show that sales are up 9%.”

September saw a mixture of weathers, including sunshine hours 15% higher and mean temperatures 0.5⁰C higher than the long-term average. By contrast, rainfall was 25% higher than average for the month of September, bringing the most rain in its month since 2000.

This issue of Market Update looks at garden centre sales and overall market performance. The topical feature in this issue looks at HTA member business confidence. HTA members are generally feeling positive about the outlook of their business over the next three and twelve months, with over eight in 10 leaning towards the positive end of the scale. Over half are looking to introduce new products or services, and a quarter are say they will engage in further training for their staff and businesses.

Sales of cyclamen, pansies, and calluna saw steady growth last week as gardeners took advantage of a brief dry spell to get out and replant their borders and containers.

• Cyclamen stayed as the clear No 1 best-selling plant of the week for the tenth week running.

• Chrysanthemum sales doubled, providing great splashes of instant colour, especially in pots on patios and balconies.

• Strawberry plant sales saw an uplift as grow-your-own gardeners start to prepare for next year.

All Plants volume sales change: Week on week DOWN 1.9%.  Year to date vs 2018 DOWN 6.9%; vs 2017 UP 0.8%

Pictured: Paradiso Pink, courtesy of Proven Winners.

Around 21 garden centres are likely to be affected after women’s clothing retailer Bonmarché went into administration 10 days ago.

Among the company’s 318 UK stores are concessions at Dobbies, Blue Diamond, Squires and Cherry Lane, plus a handful of independent garden centres.

The joint administrators at specialist advisors FRP said the retailer would continue to trade, with no immediate job losses or store closures, as they assesses the options and search for a buyer.

Christmas at Bents has been kept strictly under wraps for the past ten weeks, but on Wednesday the wait was over and this year’s themed displays were unveiled. 

Hundreds of customers joined Bents for the occasion and followed Father Christmas - who made a special guest appearance for the occasion - into this year’s magical wonderland.

Said Matthew Bent, Managing Director:  “Christmas has been a part of our family business for as long as I can remember and it never loses any of its charm or excitement, especially when we’re surrounded by such beautiful and inspirational displays.

“We have our very own team of set designers and joiners who work together to create our magical scenes and once again they have delivered another fantastic wonderland for our customers to enjoy.”

Bents were joined for the occasion by the Cllr Maureen Creaghan, Deputy Mayor of Warrington, who helped with the opening, and actor Daniel Jillings from Bents’ Charity of the Year, Once Upon a Smile who drew the raffle for two beautiful Christmas hampers.

Bents 2019 centrepiece, Make it Magical, is a stunning combination of blush pink, silver and white decorations and is just one of many expertly designed show-stoppers, which are full of inspiration and ready to be re-created at home.

Now that Christmas at Bents is open there is a full calendar of festive events planned at the Centre, starting with Father Christmas’ Arrival on Saturday 9^th November at 10am.

The run-up to Christmas this year sees the launch of Illumination Street, a national campaign to brighten up the streets of Britain with Christmas cheer.

Created by Cultivation Street, Britain’s most successful Community & School gardening campaign (now in its eighth year), Illumination Street will motivate the nation to brighten up their front gardens with the spirit of Christmas.

Organised by TV gardener David Domoney, it is sponsored by Safestyle and backed by the Sunday Mirror. The campaign is designed to enhance and celebrate the magic of Christmas with lights, plants and community spirit, which will coincide with National Illumination Street Awareness Week from 9th to the 15th of December 2019.

From the 3rd November 2019, Cultivation Street Ambassador Garden Centres will benefit from free national publicity as ‘must visit’ destinations for lighting ranges and advice, plus plenty of Christmas ranges to embellish the homes and streets of Britain.

The publicity surrounding the campaign includes Illumination Street TV, National Newspaper coverage, TV news coverage, online blogs, advice and a full package of social media platforms to encourage the nation to engage.

David Domoney, the campaign’s founder, said: “it’s a perfect campaign to recognise and celebrate the great spirit we experience during the Christmas period. I remember as a child, the neighbourhood’s homes leaving their curtains open to show the lights on the Christmas tree to passers-by and as kids it was magical to see. Today, with the advance in technology, outdoor Christmas lights make a spectacular display; lifting our hearts and giving warmth to the community and neighbours. We want to encourage and inspire the nation to brighten up their front gardens and streets this Christmas. Garden centres are the best port of call for someone to get started and we will be encouraging the public to visit Cultivation Street Ambassador Centres for the best advice and home and garden Christmas displays.”

Martin Troughton, from Safestyle UK, said: “We are proud to support Illumination Street and the many people who bring a little light to our lives at a wonderful time of year. We are in awe of the incredible displays people create, some of which raise money for charity and light up people’s lives.”

Cultivation Street Ambassadors now number over 300 and are affiliated with industry-leading garden centres including Notcutts, Bents, Webbs, Dobbies, Ayletts, Hilliers, Klondyke, The Old Railway Line.

Like Cultivation Street, the Illumination Street campaign will be holding a highly anticipated national competition with a substantial prize pot up for grabs. There are no special requirements to enter, it’s open to the public and everyone who wants to spread the joy this festive season.

CATEGORIES

Best Front Garden Large Outdoor Display

1st £1000, 2nd £500, 3rd £100

Best Front Garden Small Outdoor Display

1st £1000, 2nd £500, 3rd £100

Best Community Christmas Tree

1st £500, 2nd £250, 3rd £100

Best Children’s Window Display

1st £200, 2nd £125, 3rd £75 and 10 runners-up £25

Best Front Door Display - New front door

Online Best Children’s Window Display

1st £100, 2nd £50

Online Best Front Door Display

1st £100, 2nd £50

GET IN CONTACT

Illumination Street is looking to grow its Ambassador network and any garden centres that would like to get involved can contact us on 01926 641 997 or email info@illuminationstreet.com

A bumper week for Christmas puts our GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Christmas products index at 8.3% up year on year after the first three weeks of the garden centre Christmas season.

Personalised Christmas products once again dominate the top of the Christmas chart taking five of the top 6 most popular lines. 

The Lindt Chocolate Teddy Bear is the only non personalised product in the Top 5.

• Suki’s Personalised Reindeer Hanging Decorations climbed 20 places to be at No 5.
• Kaemingk’s Flower On Clip with Glitter Silver is the highest new entry at No 12.
• Premier Decorations Colour Your Own Characters Tree Decorations were the highest chart climber for the week, up 21 places to No 28.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

The importance of storytelling and the need to be authentic in your social conversations were just two of the key points made at the HTA Marketing Forum which took place at Horticulture House, Chilton, on Wednesday.

With social media and digital technology becoming such an integral part of consumers’ lives, the need to be active in the ‘social’ arena is more relevant than ever.

David Denny, HTA Futures & Sustainability Manager spoke about new online tools which provide us with extra targeting capabilities enabling us to deep insights into customers on a scale never seen before. 

Julie Hall from The School of Marketing highlighted the fact that social media is about building community and engaging with your customers. ‘It is a relationship tool, not a sales tool – it is about relevance, context and connection’, she said.

Simone Bonnett, from The Social Managers, spoke about the importance of treating social media as your shop window as first impressions count. She emphasised the need to get all the basics right on your profile and include important information such as contact details, opening hours and including an image.

Across all the different platforms storytelling was a key theme. People relate to people and so on podcasts and video people want to know about you and your business.

‘Keep your videos personal, in the moment and authentic’ said Huw Richards from Huws Nursery, with Skinny Jean Gardener, Lee Connelly encouraging all to ‘do something different to stand out and don’t be afraid to share your opinions’. 

When it comes to writing online Alan Down shared his experiences from writing his Down to Earth blog. ‘Keep it light and chatty but authoritative and make sure you use bright relevant images and keep your content topical for maximum impact.’

Summing up the day HTA Council Representative Neil Grant from Ferndale Garden Centre, who chaired the day, comments, “It is clear from this insightful day that digital marketing is such a key component of our marketing strategy and we need to embrace it within our businesses. As an industry we have such great stories to tell – about our plants, our people.  We all need to make time within our businesses to ensure we are maximising the opportunity the power of social – in all its forms.” 

Many thanks to event partners Alpha Packaging, Eight Days a Week, Garden Connect and Swan Retail and Frobishers for providing refreshments.

Even though the wet weather of last week and the weekend deterred many from outside gardening activities, Christmas and indoor gardening had a great week which meant overall garden centre sales volumes, according to the GTN Bestellers All Epos Products index was up by 3% year on year and stays up 3% year to date.

While other sectors of retail are facing Christmas 2019 with trepidation the early indications are that garden centres are faring well.  Whatever the result of Brexit over the next few weeks, garden centres look to be the place of choice for people to go for some winter cheer.  Watch this space to see how the season pans out.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 41

• Garden Products Top 50 – up 3%
• Growing Media Top 50 – down 23%
• Wild Bird Care Top 50 – down 6%
• Christmas Top 50 – up 23%
• All Plants index – down 13%
• All Items index - up 3%

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

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Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.

The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2017 as well as 2018 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Christmas Products chart for this week are here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers.  Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.

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GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £120m.

Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.

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