“We want Chapelwood to be the biggest brand in bird care in 3 years.”  That is the success criteria set by Scotts Miracle-Gro UK General Manager Sheila Hill.  “It’s not rocket science; we are just looking at it from a consumer angle.  The brand will be supported by consumer activity; our re-launch package will be out there in a couple of weeks and we intend to double our 5% market share next year, moving to market leader in 3 years time.”

During GTN Xtra’s interview with Sheila on Friday she also told us that Scotts Chairman and CEO Jim Hagedorn was fully supportive of the decisions and the future plans for the UK division.  Jim has been over in the UK and at Chelsea where he met some of the 100 schools who took part in the Miracle-Gro Academy this year (see Chelsea coverage story in this issue of GTN Xtra.)  “Jim is really supportive.  We talked about the future, he is pleased with current performance, and about how we will grow the market for Chapelwood next year.  We have strong support from the USA, he wants to move on.”

“Jim called it a ‘New Dawn.’ A new team brings change, all we’re going to do is grow, be more flexible and do more of what customers are asking for.”

Shelia explained that as a result of her many garden centre visits earlier this year future activity will include interactive in-store POS and in store training to sing about the Scotts products USP’s and deliver in-store excellence.  “We have always been well known for having great products and spending money on TV, now we also want to be famous for in-store execution and training.”

Talking about the decision to invest in Chapelwood and divest the other Solus Brands, Sheila said: “The Solus Brands were bought with the vision of a one stop shop with an extended gardening offer from Scotts.  However, due to events, delays in the purchasing process and market activity in categories with many other players we’ve now decided to make our investments only in areas where it pays back.  Bird food is the most relevant.  It’s a regrettable decision but right.”

“Bermuda is the brand furthest away from our core business.  We are now looking at what we can do with the brands, anyone interested in them should contact me or Rainer Schubert.”

Sheila and her teams immediate priority is managing the people situation.  “We have started consultation with the people involved.  I can’t comment any further on that at present.”

Both Sheila and Paula Parker, Marketing Manager, were very confident about this season, the coming Chapelwood re-launch and Glee.  ““This decision will strengthen us in the UK.  So far 2015 has been a really great year.  Last year was our best ever and so far we are ahead of that.”

“There has been a price war on weed killers and despite the price difference it’s good to see RoundUp holding the No 1 position despite the price difference.”

“After Scotts major Hydroponics acquisition via the Hawthorne Group in the USA, we are reaching out to younger consumers” explained Paula, “there are other acquisitions on the radar, it’s about making core gardening more accessible.  For example Grow Your Own packaged up for customers.  You will see some of this at Glee.”

As GTN Xtra headed off to catch up with the Miracle-Gro Academy team in the Chelsea Great Pavilion, Shelia signed off with a thank you to garden centres: “I appreciate their continued support.  There has been uncertainty in the market so I really want to communicate the positivity of this decision.  I look forward to wowing retailers with the Chapelwood re-launch.”

Smart Garden Products are on the move again with the recent acquisition of Outside-in Designs, the UK gardening industry’s most successful range of home and garden clocks.

The new range of best selling clocks will be launched in June with a new packaging design for stock availability in September.

“So many of our customers approached us, unprompted, last year saying they wished we could do the Outside-in range of clocks for them as they were having trouble getting hold of them,” commented Paris Natar, Chairman of Smart Garden Products, “and after discussions with their MD, Simon Grimes, he decided to sell the business to us, together with its designs and brands.

"With Simon’s guidance, we are now planning on launching a re-invigorated range in early June and taking orders for delivery from September onwards, in plenty of time for the pre-Christmas gift season.

"The range will include all of the best sellers at absolutely the right price points.....and bespoke POS displays will complete the offer. We are very excited about the prospects for this new brand and business within the Smart family of products!”

Simon Grimes added: “The Outside-in business grew so quickly that frankly we struggled to keep pace with the stock investment required to maximise its potential. So placing it in the experienced and financially strong hands of Smart is the perfect solution and in everyone’s interests”.

For details of this exciting new range of clocks, contact your Smart Garden Sales Manager.

Dobbies Garden Centres are helping to bring a new American craze called 'parklets' to the UK where the public can enjoy an urban garden in an area previously used by cars. The first parklets have been created in the centre of Edinburgh.

The seeds for parklets were first sown in the USA, and they have since sprouted in cities from the Big Apple to Seattle.

Two enchanting spaces have been built in Edinburgh's flagship thoroughfare of George Street. The two parklets – the term was coined in San Francisco when the first “parklet” was established in 2010 – will see space previously used for cars used in an imaginative way for people to enjoy instead.

Dobbies Garden Centres, Essential Edinburgh and The City of Edinburgh Council have joined forces to create two mini gardens. The creative work has been taken on by Dobbies, who are designing, building and planting the urban gardens – with one themed to reflect the street’s high fashion offering and the other to emphasise its outstanding food and drink.

It’s an exciting experiment to show what can be done in a busy city centre street, and fits in with the ongoing one-year trial to look at various ways in which George Street can be an even more attractive and enticing place for both residents and visitors.

Each urban garden will be 12m x 4m in size, and they have been designed and planted by the experts from Dobbies Garden Centres to create peaceful, colourful, scent-filled oases in the heart of the city. One will be between Castle Street and Frederick Street and will be themed “Colours” to reflect fashion, with the other “Cocktails” to reflect the street’s hospitality offering situated between Frederick Street and Hanover Street.

Flowers, herbs, shrubs, trees will all be creatively employed along with quality seating, planters and garden structures to create a blaze of bold colour to be enjoyed by all. The urban gardens will be in situ until September when the traffic order which enables the George Street trial is due to end.

Andy King, Managing Director of Dobbies said: “These urban gardens show that whatever the size of the outdoor space you have, you can still do something wonderful with it.  We believe we’ve created mini oases in a space that was used for traffic in what is a UK first.

“Dobbies celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, and we expect to see thousands, if not tens of thousands of people benefitting from the gardens over the summer.  Creating the parklets seemed like a very fitting way to thank the people of Edinburgh for their support over the last 150 years by bringing beautiful gardens into the heart of the city.”

City of Edinburgh Council Transport Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “Recent changes to the layout of George Street have allowed shoppers, pedestrians and cyclists enjoy a relaxed, more attractive environment, and these gardens will really add to the street’s atmosphere.

“Our trial is all about making the city centre a better place for people to live, work, dine and shop, and spaces like these will provide passers-by with the perfect haven to enjoy.”

Roddy Smith, Chief Executive of Essential Edinburgh, said: “This is a fantastic pilot and we are delighted that Dobbies has come on board as a partner. The gardens will be terrific spaces for people to enjoy, and will show what can be done in the street setting alongside some of the other things that are being trialled to bring the bars and cafes out onto the pavement to create a vibrant café culture.

“George Street is a great street, with stunning architecture and wonderful shops, bars and restaurants and we very much believe the urban gardens will be a further enhancement.”

Pictured above: Craig Roman, head designer at Dobbies, fashioned the parklets bringing to live two themes – SS15 and cocktails.

As Chelsea grabs the headlines and gardening gets incredible amounts of air time, the GTN Bestsellers All Products Index moves above the last two years for the first time in the past five weeks.

With the weather forecast looking good for the Whitsun Bank Holiday and through half-term these could be the weeks everyone is waiting for to get volume sales back into much higher year-on-year figures.

The last 11 weeks cumulative volume sales in the GTN Bestsellers Index are just about even with last year at minus 0.3%. The sales for the rest of May and June need to be up by about 15% to get to positive territory at the half year.

As well as all the Chelsea air time, did you hear Matthew Bent on BBC Radio 5 Live’s ‘Wake up to Money’ on Monday?  

You can listen via the BBC iplayer: bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05vc9kg#auto, Matthew’s interview is at 39 minutes 15 seconds into the programme.

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

• Garden Products – down 4%
• Veg-2-Gro Products – up 76%
• Growing Media – down 4%
• All items index – up 5%

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

Peter Burks has taken up the position of Manager at the Blue Diamond Group's Fermoy's Garden Centre in Devon.

The immediate past-Chairman of the GCA is moving to Fermoy's near Newton Abbot after 17 months with Trelawney Garden Centre in Cornwall, which is also part of the Group.

He said: "I am really looking forward to seeing some of my friends and former customers, and welcoming them to Fermoy's.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for me and I am looking forward to working with the team at Fermoy's and continuing to do the job I love."

Managing Director of Blue Diamond, Alan Roper, said: "Blue Diamond garden centres put plants at the heart of their business and this is why Peter is the perfect person to take on this role at Fermoy's.

"Peter has excellent knowledge of plants and garden centre management along with a wealth of industry experience. In addition, Peter's focus on customer service will further enhance the visitor experience.

"We bought the Fermoy's business in October 2013 and since then we have concentrated on the garden centre's core horticultural values enabling us to provide the most credible plant offering in South Devon."

New for Glee 2015, the Buyers Power List is designed to provide suppliers and retailers with a platform to recognise the individual buyers and buying teams who have gone above and beyond to make a difference, and whose decisions are helping the garden retail industry to thrive. 

The awards will be divided into five categories, and votes are invited from across the industry, with everyone from heads of purchasing to suppliers eligible to vote.  Nominations can be submitted via the dedicated Buyers Power List pages at www.gleebirmingham.com/BPL, with July 3 marking the cut-off point to nominate your favourite buyer or buying team.   

The Buyers Power List categories have been confirmed as:

• Garden Centre Buyer or Buying Team (fewer than 5 stores)
• Garden Centre Buyer or Buying Team (more than 5 stores)
• DIY store or Builders Merchant Buyer or Buying Team
• Other Retailer Buyer or Buying Team(including supermarkets, department stores and high street)
• Online Retailer Buyer or Buying Team

Once all nominations have been received a shortlist will be drawn up, with the top 10 names from each category being announced on July 13.  This list of the top 50 buyers and buying teams will then be subject to peer nominations, where those shortlisted have the opportunity to cast one final vote, to decide on an overall winner in each of the five categories.

The Buyers Power List ‘winner of winners’ will then be announced during a special ceremony at Glee 2015. Taking place on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 15, the ceremony will see representatives from both the retail and supply side of the garden industry come together to celebrate another impressive 12 months of trading.

Glee’s event director, Matthew Mein said: “So often the buyers and buying teams are overlooked, so we wanted to introduce something that will reward the hard work and dedication that they demonstrate every day.

"These teams or individuals not only help to bring to market thousands of products every year, but they help to shape the retail environment, which has seen garden centres develop into destination centres recognised for their innovation, product selection and aspirational lifestyle on offer.

"I’ve no doubt that the Buyers Power List will be a popular part of Glee’s ongoing offering, and I look forward to seeing who scoops the awards at this year’s inaugural ceremony at Glee 2015.”

To keep up-to-date on all the latest Glee news log onto www.gleebirmingham.com.  For details on exhibiting at Glee, call 0203 033 2160. 

With 70% of UK garden centres featuring a dedicated pet section, and this number growing year-on-year, pet products offer not only a substantial profit opportunity, but  they can also help any garden centre to achieve a wider ‘one stop shop’ reputation.  Recognising this, the organisers of Glee have confirmed that this year’s event will benefit from the introduction of the PetQuip Business Village.

This exciting new area will see PetQuip - the UK’s leading trade association for suppliers of pet products, accessories and services - bring together member and non-member pet suppliers to create a leading showcase of those pet brands wanting to build a presence within garden retailers.  Under the leadership and support of PetQuip, the Village will provide pet suppliers of all sizes with a platform to launch and showcase their 2016 ranges to garden retail buyers and key decision makers.

The dedicated ‘Business Village’ will be located close to the centre of Glee within NEC Halls 17-20, delivering a strong footfall of garden retailers looking to boost their in-store pet offering. As a division of The Federation of Garden & Leisure Manufacturers Ltd (Gardenex), PetQuip has access to over 55 years of experience of bringing suppliers and buyers together and building world-wide supply networks. It is these values which will underpin the activity within the village.

Over 20 companies are expected to make their home within the village, with additional PetQuip members such as Gardman and Westland also featuring throughout the wider show. Three special, all-inclusive stand packages have been created, making taking part as easy as possible. Additional benefits will include an online presence at gleebirmingham.com, as well as ongoing marketing and PR support in the lead up to, and during, the show itself.  The PetQuip team will also be on hand throughout Glee to provide unrivalled business and exporting advice to both new and existing suppliers.

Amanda Sizer Barrett MBE, Director General of PetQuip said: "The PetQuip team is pleased to be able to expand the comprehensive range of sales generating services the association offers pet product manufacturers. The PetQuip Business Village at Glee not only offers a cost effective stand package for suppliers, it also gives them an excellent opportunity to meet with buyers of pet products representing garden retailers in the UK and internationally. 

"Exhibitors will also be well placed for introductions with the broad range of buyers attending Glee from related sectors such as DIY stores, department stores and high street chains from the UK and abroad, who are interested in expanding their pet product consumer offer and are looking for new suppliers."

Glee’s event director, Matthew Mein added: “Garden retailers are always looking at ways to focus on ‘family’ within their retail offering, and pets should certainly form part of this picture. Recent PetQuip stats show that 1 in 3 UK households have a dog, whilst 31% own a cat.

"Additionally PetQuip stats state that the food and treat sector alone is worth in excess of £1billion. This valuation clearly demonstrates the significant investment which pet owners are willing to undertake, and this doesn’t even take into account other areas such as toys, bedding, healthcare, housing, grooming and clothing! 

"I’ve no doubt that any garden retailer wanting to grab a slice of this huge profit opportunity, will benefit from attending the PetQuip Business Village at Glee 2015. With 20+ suppliers ready and willing to do business with garden centres this really is one area of Glee not to miss.”

A ground-breaking training scheme is returning for its third consecutive year to offer young people a once in a lifetime opportunity to kick start a career in gardening.

The Garden Academy was set up in 2013 between Homebase and multiple award-winning garden designer Adam Frost (above at Chelsea) to help raise the profile of a career in gardening and inspire the gardening talent of the future.

The 12-month programme will offer 40 people aged 16 and above the chance to spend time learning from Adam about garden planning and design, work with key partners and suppliers to develop detailed product knowledge covering planting and landscaping, as well as learning practical horticultural skills to earn a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Level 1 Award.

At other times, students will be working full-time at Homebase stores up and down the country, putting what they’re learning into practice by helping customers make the most of their outside space.

Garden Academy mentor, Adam Frost explained the thinking behind the programme: “It can be challenging for our industry to attract young people to gardening and show them that it can be an exciting career.

“Over the last two years the Garden Academy students have really impressed me with how much they’ve achieved – especially putting all of the skills they’ve learnt into practice by helping me build two Homebase show gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

“The Academy is a fantastic opportunity for people from different backgrounds and ages to come together to share their passion for gardening and the outdoors and develop it into a great career.” 

Graham Heald, Retail Director for Homebase, said: “The Garden Academy has been a great success over the last two years and we’re delighted to be able to offer young people such a fantastic opportunity for the third year running.

“Being able to support and train the future talent of our industry is really important to us. A few of our previous academy students have gone on to work within our plant buying teams, and one of our first year students Kate Saville, is a finalist in this year’s RHS Young Garden Designer of the Year competition, which is an amazing achievement.

“As well as learning and training with some of the best in the business, all students who complete the training scheme will be offered a permanent job at Homebase. “

Sarah Cathcart, RHS Head of Education and Learning, said: “The RHS passionately supports young people starting a career in horticulture, and I’m delighted that the Homebase Garden Academy is using RHS Qualifications to develop the skills of their students. With a shortage of trained and skilled horticulturalists, schemes such as this are key to encouraging the next generation to understand the breadth of careers in horticulture, the exciting opportunities and the immense value to our wider society.”

To apply for a chance to be one of 40 places on the Garden Academy, visit www.homebasegardenacademy.com before Sunday 21 June 2015. Successful applicants will be invited to assessment days in July.  

Gardman supplied garden tools to Harry and David Rich for the construction of The Cloudy Bay Garden in association with Vital Earth.

The landscape architect brothers had won Gold and Silver Gilt medals at Chelsea over the past two years and last year became the youngest ever designers of a show garden – the headline-grabbing ‘The Night Sky’ display – and this year the brothers struck gold again.

  

Above left: The stunning Cloudy Bay Garden designed and built by the Rich Brothers with the help of Moulton Mill tools supplied by Gardman. 
Above right: Behind the scenes…the Rich Brothers essential tool kit. 

Cloudy Bay is an award-winning winery in Marlborough, New Zealand and the Chelsea project will explored a contemporary red and white garden for wine lovers.

Harry and David, 27 and 24 respectively, remain amongst the youngest ever Chelsea show garden medal winners. Brought up in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons, they have an approach to garden design that promotes reconnecting people with their natural surroundings.

Moulton Mill’s made a second ‘guest appearance’ at Chelsea – on a striking exhibit by the FSC (the Forest Stewardship Council) who built a ‘tree’ made entirely from FSC-certified timber and products, built around a plywood skeleton. The FSC incorporated Moulton Mill garden tools into the ‘tree’ design and used Moulton Mill digging forks to display their information boards. The display won an RHS Silver medal.

For more information about Gardman’s Moulton Mill brand, go to www.gardman.co.uk/gardentools



The silver medal-winning FSC display, which incorporated Moulton Mill tools from Gardman.

If you’re having a great time selling garden furniture and BBQs this year then you’ll probably be looking for even more great ideas, inspiration and new products for 2016. That’s what the team at spoga + gafa 2015 in Cologne have on offer for you – eight halls of garden living, one hall of garden unique premium garden furniture and for the first time this year a complete hall full of BBQ and grill exhibitors.

spoga + gafa runs from Sunday 30th August to Tuesday 1st September this year so it’s the ideal time to take a European summer break and take in some business opportunities as well.

Last year 1,400 visitors from the UK attended spoga + gafa and 93 UK exhibitors joined the 2,000 other companies from over 60 countries. 

“spoga + gafa unites a worldwide unique top offer of garden products,” explained Katharina Hamma, CEO of Koelnmesse to GTN at last week’s European Press Conference.

As well as garden furniture and BBQs spoga + gafa covers plants, garden sundries and garden care, machines, tools, garden equipment and sheds.  In total the show will occupy 12 halls.

Outside Hall 7, 'the epi-centre of the BBQ industry', there will be a grill park where BBQs and grills will be demonstrated by exhibitors.

This year for the first time there will also be a consumer garden show; Garden Day that runs on the Saturday and Sunday in one of the Koelnmesse halls and outside in the adjacent Rhinepark.  This event will host the German Championships of the STHIL Timbersports series and 'Grilling in the Sky' powered by Weber.  Visitors to spoga + gafa will have free entrance to the Garden Day.

You can find out more about spoga + gafa 2015 at www.spogagafa.com.

If you’ve never been to Cologne for spoga + gafa before Koelnmesse have a team that can help with travel and hotel arrangements. If you contact GTN via trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk we will liaise with the koelnmesse team and pass on your details.

Plant Buyer (ref:BP7298)

Location: Romsey
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent

MorePeople have been retained by Hilliers to help them find an outstanding Plant Buyer to join the team at their Head Office in Romsey.
 
As well as being one of the most renowned Garden Centre groups in the UK, Hilliers are also one of the country’s leading growers of hardy nursery stock and have been awarded a Gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the past 69 years! They are justifiably proud of their worldwide reputation for quality, plantsmanship and innovation and are keen that the business continues to expand and develop.
 
This role will have total responsibility for developing and sourcing the range of plants available at Hillier Garden Centres and will work with the garden retail team, and the Head of Purchasing, to create a robust and innovative selection for their customers.
 
The Right Person will……  

• Be an outstanding plant buyer with experience in the UK and international market.
• Have a strong horticultural pedigree and be passionate about plants.
• Be an experienced negotiator and knowledgeable in using market and statistical data to help deliver optimal performance.
• Have the relationship building skills to develop existing partnerships as well as develop new sources.
• Be a self-confident and assertive buyer, with the insight and creativity to help the business develop a unique offering.

 This recruitment assignment is being handled exclusively by MorePeople and any direct or third party applications will be forwarded directly to them.
 
Please apply by sending your cv to info@morepeople.co.uk or for more information please contact Guy Moreton on 01780 480530 or 07932 161444 for a confidential conversation.

Plant Area Supervisor (ref:BP7345)

Location: Kent
Salary: 15k
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent

I am seeking a talented horticulturist to join the team of a large established Garden Centre in Kent. 

This person will be responsible for the entire plant area in the plant area managers absence, I am looking someone with ambition to progress within garden retail and who can take on man management.

Good horticultural knowledge is a must, could suit a graduate looking to embark on their first step into garden retail.

Please submit your CV in the first instance, or to discuss further please call Brad Peck at MorePeople on 01780 480530

Production Site Manager (ref:DS7360)

Location: Herefordshire
Salary: 25 to 30k per annum
Date: 21 May 
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent

Our Client is a leading growers of perennials and pot bedding to Supermarkets, DIY stores and quality garden centres. 

They are looking for an enthusiastic manager/grower to run one of their 3 sites in Hereford which total 60 acres of production. 

For this they are seeking an experienced, commercially trained manager who must have experience in growing volume bedding or HNS in a commercial technical style.

Please submit your CV in the first instance or to discuss further call Dianne Saunders at MorePeople on 07929013910

Key Account Manager (ref:DS7352)

Location: Herefordshire
Salary: 25 to 30k per annum
Date: 21 May 
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent

Our client is one of the country's leading growers and distributors of quality plants and added value products to Supermarkets, DIY stores and quality garden centres across the UK. They supply from over 60acres of their own production as well as plants from specialist growers around Europe and unique added value lines. They are looking for an enthusiastic candidate to manage some of their major key accounts.

The ideal candidate would have a proven track record and experience in supplying to multiple buyers, be an excellent communicator, have a good understanding of plant ranges and also be capable of account managing their production and niche ranges from other growers.

Ideally the successful candidate will be based in Hereford but there will be a need to visit customers around the UK as required. Candidates already in a similar role and aspiring high calibre candidates should both apply.

Please submit your CV in the first instance, or to discuss further please call Dianne Saunders at MorePeople on 07929013910

Ambitious plans to demolish and rebuild a £3m garden and antiques centre on the “gateway to Harrogate” in Yorkshire have been unveiled.

An application has been submitted to council planners to demolish the existing Harrogate Antiques Centre on the A61 Leeds Road in Pannal.

The two-year plan, which owners have revealed will cost £3m, would see a striking new building created in its place to house the hugely popular garden and antiques centres.

The development would allow for the creation of a ‘Victorian Street’ complete with traders and shops, restaurant overlooking the Crimple Valley and an outdoor courtyard area.

“We want to offer something different right here in Harrogate,” said owner Graham Watson, who purchased Brookside Nurseries last January and the antiques centre the October before.

“The antiques centre is a big draw - there’s 50 businesses in there and more than 20,000 cars pass every day - but it’s in a dilapidated building.

“This is the gateway to Harrogate. It’s vitally important that we create something special here to give people a positive first impression.”

Thousands of people have signed an online petition which urges Wokingham Borough Council to withdraw the enforcement notice that could lead to Hare Hatch Sheeplands Garden Centre being permanently closed. 

The council's decision to refuse the garden centre's lawful use application could force its closure, but over 3,000 people have leapt to the support of the centre by adding their signatures to the ' Save Hare Hatch Sheeplands ' petition.

The council refused Hare Hatch Sheepland's application on March 31 and then initiated legal proceedings to force them to comply with the enforcement notice for illegally expanding into the green belt .

The petition implores WBC to withdraw the notice and re-enter negotiations with Hare Hatch Sheeplands to resolve the dispute, which began in October 2012 when the first enforcement notice was issued.

Heather Mailley, a local resident who organised the petition, said: "So many people in Twyford and the surrounding area don’t want it to close. I do not work there, I am a customer, but it really would be unfair on the community if the centre was closed.

"They (WBC) are being very unfair towards Hare Hatch. All Hare Hatch wants is to be able to trade on a level playing field with Wyevale garden centre and other centres in the area.

"When you look into all the technical details the council are right about what they say, because a few rules have been broken. But that is the only way they can compete with the other centres."

She added: "I’m currently looking into what else can be done to save the centre."

Furniture and barbecue sales at garden centres across the country were on the rise during April, according to the Garden Centre Association’s Barometer of Trade (BoT) results.

Sales of furniture and barbecues were up 26.73% compared to the same time last year (2014).

Iain Wylie (left), GCA Chief Executive, explained: “The Easter holidays at the beginning of the month had the potential to boost sales as families had the time and opportunity to spend their time browsing at garden centres.

“The weather was not as kind as we would have wished on the first two days of the Easter weekend and of course centres were closed on Easter Sunday but the fantastic weather on the Monday seemed to make up for any shortfall in earlier footfall and spending.”

During the month sales of outdoor plants were up 12.09%. Sales in pet and aquatics departments rose by 7.31% and catering sales increased by 10.22%.

Lucy Nixon, Director at Thetford Garden Centre in Norfolk, said: “April saw a large increase in our coffee shop sales, predominantly due to a higher average spend achieved through additions of tempting lunchtime specials.”

Sales in houseplants increased by 9.17% compared to 2014.

Mark Winchester, Managing Director of Blackbrooks Garden Centre in East Sussex, said: “I am happy to report that my April sales were positive and our footfall was up 5%. Most categories reported positive sales growth.

“The biggest category increase by far was garden furniture which was up by 56%. Landscaping, garden sundries and giftware all reported more than 20% increases. Clothing and catering were up 17%.

“Plant sales were looking strong for most of the month but fell sharply towards the end due to cold weather finishing at 5% up. Overall we fished the month a healthy 18% up on last year. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for May.”

Clothing sales remained up for a second consecutive month at 17.95%.

Christine Pimm, Deputy Shop Manager at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre in Somerset, said: “We have seen good sales in our clothing department during April. The improved weather at the beginning of the month saw our customers stocking up on summer clothing and shoes a little earlier than usual.

“We have also recently streamlined our clothing stock and been more selective with the brands we sell. We have kept to a core range, which has proved to be a hit with the customers.”

The BoT results are the only official GCA trading figures to be released.

The GCA BoT reports are compiled using actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement. They are made available mid-month following the end of the prior month after all member garden centres have submitted their results.

Pictured top: The Palma Lounge suite from Kettler will be showcased at SOLEX in July.

Napoleon Grills has reported 2015 sales to date exceeding all expectations. By the end of the first week in May the company had already overtaken its total sales figure for 2014.

Martin Sobey, UK Sales Manager, commented; “It has been an extraordinary start to the season and the rate of sales shows no sign of abating. Our new top-of-the-range gas grills have sold particularly well which we attribute partly to some really exciting product features and an improving economic climate which is making buyers more confident.”

Napoleon Grills believes there are three further reasons the season has been successful thus far:

• The weather conditions for much of the UK in April got the season off to a great start.
• The company has increased its distribution, with a 40% increase in stockists since 2014.
• An increasing awareness of the brand as a direct result of marketing and retailer support activities, which it believes is having a very positive effect on demand*.

Martin continues; “I believe that 2015 will be the year Napoleon Grills comes of age. We are one of only a couple of brands that can offer a full range of product; portables, charcoal and gas standalones, built-ins and accessories. We are a realistic and profitable alternative with the added advantage of being a small, friendly and flexible team. These are very exciting times for us and our retail partners.”

The GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart shows signs that more gardeners are getting out and active in their gardens.  While solar lighting sales remain high there are notable increases in sales of plant feeds, pest control and weed killers. Hanging baskets look to be in favour too with six liner lines in the Top 50.

Star performers this week include:

• Scotts Weedol Gun Pathclear, 1 litre, is the highest new entry at No 35.
• Gardman Jumbo Multi liner packs had a sales increase of over 100% to re-enter at No 44.
• Smart Solar’s Cornish Jar Lantern continues at No1 for the second week.

There’s no sign of the demand for veg plants abating just yet. This week sees three 1 litre herb plants enter the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart in the Top 20. 

Carrot, parsnip and sweetcorn young plants also re-enter the Top 50. There’s plenty of veg growing going on – are you making sure you sell plenty of veg plant care products?

Star performers include:

• Farplants Parsley Moss, 1 litre pot size, is the highest new entry, coming straight in at No 2.
• Quantil’s Baby Round carrots are the highest re-entry at No 37.
• Runner Bean White Emergo is No 1 for the third week in succession. Are you ready to sell plenty of bean canes?

Growing activity continues to build as we move towards the last Bank Holiday weekend of the spring. In previous years GTN Bestsellers data has shown peak sales of growing media have occurred around the Whitsun Bank Holiday and with the continued increased veg plant sales activity and good weather forecast there’s every chance this year could be no exception.

Star growing media performers this week include:

• Westland’s Jack’s Magic All Purpose Compost sees big sales increases this week – the 60-litre pack moves up nine places to No 4 and the 40-litre pack is a new entry at No 19.
• Scotts Levington Multipurpose with John Innes, 56 litres, continues at No 1.
• As less committed gardeners get active, sales of smaller compost bags are on the up.  Westland Gro-Sure All Purpose Compost, 25 litres, sees a 155% increase to re-enter at No 41.

Complete your customers’ gardens this summer with a beautiful rose, one of the most popular garden plants and the Horticultural Trades Association’s Plant of the Month for June.

There is a rose for every garden situation, from Hybrid Teas to miniatures, climbers to floribundas, the choice is endless. They can be large or small, contemporary or traditional and boast both fragrance and colour.

As a perfect addition to any garden environment and being relatively easy to grow, the rose is an ideal plant to support the Love the Plot You’ve Got, the industry wide campaign to get people to make the most of their outdoor space. There are varieties for planting in flower beds, borders and planters as well as for walls and pergolas.

Chris Collins broadcaster, former Blue Peter Gardener and Love the Plot You’ve Got champion says: “I suppose the choice of a Rose as a favourite may be considered an obvious one when gardeners talk about plants. The English garden is incomplete without one or possibly many. These plants really just give and give and with minimum fuss. They are a must have in any horticultural situation and would make Plant of the Month for me all year round”.

Recommended RHS AGM varieties include: Rosa 'Zéphirine Drouhin', Rosa 'Nevada', Rosa Golden Wedding 'Arokris' and Rosa Rugosa 'Alba'.

Those looking for companion plants to complement the rose in the garden are recommended to try:

• Lilium regale hybrids - a perennial to 2m in height, with large fragrant, trumpet-shaped white flowers that are yellow in the centre and flushed with purple on the outside.

• Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ - perennial forming a clump of aromatic, grey-green leaves, with lavender-blue flowers in spikes.

• Lavender ‘Munstead’ – a compact variety of English lavender with masses of dark purple-blue flower spikes. Its fragrant stems are ideal for cutting or drying, and the nectar-rich flowers are particularly attractive to bees.

• Philadelphus ‘Beauclerk’ - a deciduous shrub, with ovate leaves and short racemes of fragrant, single white flowers, with a purplish zone near the centre. 

Nominated and agreed upon by British growers and retailers, the HTA’s Plant of the Month campaign highlights the plants that are widely available and looking especially good each month.

For more details, please visit www.the-hta.org.uk/plantofthemonth

Ben Gregory from Worcester has been promoted to Product Development Coordinator at Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford.

The 23-year-old will liaise with the sales and production teams at the company to define areas to investigate and innovate.

Adam Dunnett, Sales and Marketing Director at Wyevale Nurseries, said: “I would like to congratulate Ben on his promotion.

“Within his role Ben will investigate methods of adding value by the evaluation of new stock to the nursery and different ways of presenting current lines and ranges to our customers in the amenity and retail sectors.  

“It is a new and really exciting role within the company and will be critical in our drive to stay as market leaders in product development and innovation.”

Ben won the Wyevale Nurseries’ Peter Williamson Travel Award in 2012 while studying at Pershore College and worked at Poppelaars Nurseries in the Netherlands for a summer. He then joined the company and completed a Management Training Programme.

Ben, who has a degree in Horticulture, explained: “I am really excited to start trialling new and improved varieties to develop, progress and modernise our range to bring to market.

“I hope to help lead Wyevale to the forefront of the industry to become known for our new, exciting and exclusive plant offers.”

Ben is originally from Yeovil in Somerset and enjoys cycling in his spare time.

Wyevale Nurseries is one of the largest family-run wholesale nurseries in the UK. It was established in 1928 by Harry Williamson, a horticulturist and entrepreneur. It became the company it is today under the leadership of his son, Peter, who sadly passed away in 2011.

The Williamsons saw the opportunity to sell their product to an undeveloped retail market, creating one of the first garden centres, followed by a chain. In 1987, the retail side needed to expand and the 19 garden centres were sold as a PLC.

The family then turned its focus to Wyevale Nurseries Ltd. It continues to be a family-run business with ownership and joint chairmanship currently being held by the third generation, Heather and Simeon Williamson, with plans for the fourth generation to takeover in the future.

Wyevale Nurseries has a significant product range and is regularly introducing new plants. It offers a large variety of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants to garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners.

For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk.

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

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

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2012 as well as 2013 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

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

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

Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

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

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

Latest food trends, integrating catering into your garden centre offer, managing people and the growing gluten free market are just some of the key topics for discussion at Catering Matters – the HTA Catering Conference, dinner and exhibition. This popular event, sponsored by Vision Commercial Kitchens, takes place at The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands on 9 and 10 June 2015.

Book now at www.cateringconference.co.uk to benefit from the extended early bird rate which runs until 29 May 2015. The full conference package offers the best value but, with dedicated themes on each of the days, it is possible to attend just a single day, with prices held at last year’s rates.

Latest workshops and seminars announced include:

• Boyd Douglas Davis, CEO of Hillview Garden Centres Ltd, talking about ‘Integrating catering into your garden centre offer’.
• Charles Banks, Co-Founder and Director of thefoodpeople, will talk about ‘What’s Hot and What’s Not’.
• Edwin Harrison (right) of the Artisan Coffee School will join us to discuss his experience in ‘Managing People’. 
• Rebecca Rayner, joint Managing Director of Glebe Farm Foods, will also talk on Day 2 about the growing market of Gluten Free.

Tuesday 9 June – Focus on Strategy and Operations

Hosted by Paul Pleydell from Pleydell Smithyman topics include where we are as an industry, latest trends, growing and expanding your catering offer, driving footfall and reaching out to a wider audience, managing people and how to create ambience on a budget.

Speakers include: Ron Bent (Bent’s Garden & Home), Chris Brown (Turpin Smale Consultancy), Charles Campion, (food critic and MasterChef judge), Felicity Down (Cleeve Nursery), Tim Greenaway (Highfield Garden World), Anthony Hester (Dobbies), Alan Roper (Blue Diamond Group), Jason Danciger (Wyevale Garden Centres, pictured top), Will Armitage (Armitages Garden Centre), Helen Joyce (Thirsk Garden Centre), Boyd Douglas Davies (Hillview Group) and Edwin Harrison (Artisan Coffee School).

The conference dinner, also held at The Belfry, will round off an inspirational day one. The dinner will be another chance to network and share experiences with fellow industry colleagues. 

Wednesday 10 June – Focus on Food

Hosted by Doug Stewart, CEO of Waring Stewart Associates, topics include innovation and inspiration, provenance, menu planning and cost control. Speakers include: Charles Banks (thefoodpeople), Guy Topping (Barton Grange), Tim Godwin (Fosseway Garden Centre), Rebecca Rayner (Glebe Farm Foods), Salim Sajid (Blueberry Consulting), Brian Turner (Chatsworth Estate), Emma Milton and Beverley Spindler (Mains of Drum), Sarah Dunning (Westmorland Family) and Valentine Warner (TV chef and author).

Alongside the seminars, panel discussions and workshops there will be plenty of time for networking, with the conference exhibition providing a great opportunity to meet with catering product suppliers.

Exhibitors include: Vision Commercial Kitchens, Garden Trade News, Haymarket (Hort Week), Illy, Barclaycard, Beanworks, R & R Ice Cream, Catering Design Group, Tea Fusion, i2i,  Towergate Insurance, Cawston Press, Creed Food Services, Eden Farm, Easitills, Swan Retail, Fentimans, Cozy Bay Furniture, Planglow, IFSE, Tea from the Manor, Destiny Foods.

Book now at www.cateringconference.co.uk

If your menu is not celebrating the seasons then you are missing a trick argues Garden Centre and Catering Consultant Doug Stewart.

Delighting customers by adding seasonality to your food offer can be much easier than it may appear.

For example, even the traditional ham salad can be brought into summer with, for example, a salpicon (or "hodgepodge/medley") of pineapple and mint served on the side.

As well as adding seasonality the use of these delicious embellishments to our menus, be they the addition of a parmesan crisp or a hodgepodge of finely diced pineapple with fine ribbons of mint running through it add a unique specialness to our offer.

And with High Street Coffee Shops snapping at our heels, specialness is what it is all about.

Doug can be contacted through his website, www.waringstewartassociates.co.uk