Former garden centre manager, GCA Inspector, garden centre business consultant and trainer Ian Boardman died suddenly last week.

GTN Xtra understands that that Ian died suddenly at home in the night of a heart attack. He is to be cremated near his home in France.

Ian's wife, Sylvie told GTN Xtra: "It is with great sadness that I have to let you know that my husband Ian Boardman had a heart attack last Thursday and died. He would have been 66 on 4th October.

"We will hold a celebration of his life later on in England and will be in touch to let you know."

Our thoughts and condolences are with Sylvie and Ian's family.

Garden Centre Association Chairman, Tammy Woodhouse, said: “Everyone at the GCA is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our former Inspector, Ian Boardman.

“We thoroughly enjoyed working with Ian when he was as an Inspector for us, and he was instrumental in improving our inspection process. He was a huge part of the horticultural industry, with a fantastic knowledge, which he shared with many of our members.

“Our thoughts and condolences are with Ian’s wife, Sylvie, and the rest of his family at this very sad time.”

A Staffordshire garden centre established 36 years ago has been put on the market with an asking price of nearly £1.5m.

Strawberry Garden Centre and Strawberry Farm in Bramshall near Uttoxeter is being offered for sale along with agricultural land as a whole package for £1,475,000 or as three lots. 

Lot One includes the garden centre and farm, standing in 13.64 acres, is looking for offers in the region of £1,250.000.

Lot Two is 7.78 acres of grassland with an asking price of £10,000-£12,000 per acre, and Lot Three is 6.15 ccres or land and fishing pools with offers in the region of £150,000.

Estate agents Graham Watkins & Co of Leek states in its marketing of the property: “Strawberry Farm offers an exciting opportunity to purchase a very versatile property with a diverse range of possibilities. The property has been run as a successful garden centre for a number of years but also offers the potential for numerous alternative commercial uses due to its scale and prominent location. 

“The property briefly comprises a large detached bungalow (formally in two parts), a brick and tiled building utilised as a café and over five acres of buildings and yards together with additional agricultural land, totalling 27.5 acres or thereabouts in all, available as a whole or in three lots. 

“The property is of interest to developers and speculative entrepreneurs, or those looking to re-locate or establish a business in an excellent location.”

Owners Sarah and Russell Heath (pictured above on their Facebook page) said: “We feel that the timing is now right for us to take a step back and enjoy some quality time together.

“Since the business was started in 1986 the family has worked unstintingly to build the business to its current level.  

“In the meantime, we want to reassure all of our customers that business will continue as usual for the foreseeable future until a purchaser is found.”

Leon Boots are fast becoming a regular site in UK garden centres. And the company has seen a rapid growth since it first happened upon these shores in November 2018. Currently holding over 1,500 mixed pairs of wellingtons across 9 different styles including kids & just over 2,000 pairs across 6 colours in Ankle Boots. We promise delivery to any stockist within 5 working days.

This is quite a journey from the single pallet in 2018!!

We recently relocated to a new Head Office with a much needed larger warehouse!

We are rapidly becoming a core supplier of footwear into this industry, now supplying over 300 Garden Centre locations across the UK with our ULTRALIGHTAnkle Boots.

Why not find out more by contacting either Kevin or Charlie? 

Kevin: 07525 772427 

Charlie: 07917 548729

Office: 01934 315386

Leon Boots Co. Ltd (UK Office)

Unit 57, Buckingham Road

Weston Trading Estate

Weston-Super-Mare

North Somerset

BS24 9BG

Email: kevin@leonbootsco.com or charlie@leonbootsco.com

Web: www.leonbootsco.com

Meadow View Stone unveil their new brochure for 2023, featuring a selection of over 20 new products including an award-winning Alpine Range, further positioning the company as leaders in product innovation within the decorative aggregates sector.

The extensive collection echoes current and future trends in outdoor living, with modern colours, styles, and sizes, to complement a more diverse range of uses within hard landscaping.

Further improvements have also been made to their packaging.  Their Foundation Collection gets a rebranding to bring it more in keeping with their current ranges and with colours more associated with construction products, along with a much-improved display crate for all rockery stone. The new robust, wooden, low-profile display crate is supplied prefilled with stock and greatly improves the presentation and shop-ability of the rockery stone collection.

Product innovation remains a key strength for Meadow View Stone and has facilitated the companies, and its customers, rapid growth over the past two years, by providing the ability to freshen up ranges, grow sales, and improve the visual appearance of the area with the widest collection of exclusive, superior quality products on the market.

To request a copy of Meadow View Stones 2023 Brochure email info@meadowviewstone.co.uk

Overall, garden centre sales in August 2022 were down -7% on August 2021 as consumers faced another month of high inflation, price increases on energy and drought restrictions, according to the HTA's market update.

Within this figure, garden/gardening sales were down -6% on August 2021 and non- garden/gardening sales were down -11% as consumers were likely adapting their leisure budgets from the rising costs of essentials.

In addition, the August bank holiday may not have driven footfall as consumers had multiple leisure options available to them. Our analysis of transaction numbers shows that overall garden centre transactions were 12% down on August 2021.

Overall sales in comparison to July 2019 were up +23% on a more ‘normal’ trading period comparison. Garden/gardening sales were up +24% and non-garden/gardening sales were up +19% within this compared to July 2019.

However, these increased sales are likely reflecting the price increases seen within the 3-year period instead of demand. Consumer financial confidence dropping each month is likely impacting consumers’ willingness to spend on leisure.

One of the Derry’s largest and best loved garden centres has been put up for sale for the first time, after over four decades of ownership by the same family. Altnagelvin Garden Centre, on Irish Street, is being marketed by commercial property estate agent Ernest Wilson with an asking price of £1.25m.

The 1.25 acre garden centre, which is well known for its wide range of high quality plants as well as Christmas trees and pet supplies, is a favourite destination for Derry shoppers and also attracts regular repeat visits from customers from as far afield as Omagh and Fermanagh.

The garden centre’s owners Pauline and Ian Peilow are selling the £1m-turnover business, which employs ten staff, in order to retire. Started by her parents in 1977, Pauline had lived in the four-bedroom bungalow on the garden centre site since she was born, moving away for 12 years as a young adult, before returning home to run the business with her husband in 1996.

“Gardening has changed so much since we started out at Altnagelvin all those years ago,” said Pauline. “There was a huge upsurge in gardening as a hobby in the 1990s which continued to develop, but the love that people began to show to their gardens during the pandemic certainly looks like it’s an obsession that’s here to stay and this year we have been busier than ever.”

She added: “It’s the end of an era for us. In many ways we will be sad to leave Altnagelvin, but the amazing feedback we get from our customers, who return season after season to buy our top-quality plants, as well as garden products such as furniture and pots, is something we will take with us as proof that we have created a fantastic business.

“In the hands of enthusiastic new owners I’m confident Altnagelvin will absolutely flourish.”

Since 2018 the garden centre’s annual turnover has grown by 40% from £716,000 to £1m.

Included in the sale of the 1.25 acre site is an extensive shop, greenhouses and a large car park. The on-site private bungalow is also part of the sale. With four bedrooms, a conservatory and home office, the property is set within its own private gardens.

Paul Williamson, managing director of Ernest Wilson, the specialist commercial property agent that is marketing the garden centre, and which buys and sells hundreds of businesses across the UK every year, said: “The chance to buy a local landmark business like this one, and in a market which is so buoyant, doesn’t come along very often. Altnagelvin garden centre is an incredibly successful business, with an unrivalled reputation that Pauline and her family have worked tirelessly over more than four decades to build.

“The potential to develop the garden centre further as a business is enormous, and needless to say we have already had a great deal of interested from prospective buyers.”

Anyone interested in the sale of the garden centre should contact the Leeds head office of Ernest Wilson on 0113 238 2900, or at www.ernest-wilson.co.uk.

LOFA has announced a partnership with Perennial, a charity working to support and promote the health of those who work in horticulture. As part of this partnership, LOFA has pledged to donate £20,000 to help Perennial in their efforts. 

LOFA is supporting Perennial to promote positive health and wellbeing through sponsoring an Interactive Health Kiosk that provides a unique opportunity for individuals to take a quick, private and confidential snapshot of their physical and mental health. The kiosk carries out a Health MOT which includes Wellbeing Age™, Weight, BMI, Body Fat Content, Blood Pressure and heart rate which was identified as a critical issue from Perennial’s research. Taking a Health MOT can take from as little as 8 minutes enabling people to self-test key indicators of their general health and wellbeing and walk away with a personal confidential printout of their results with a comparison to medical accepted standards.

The Interactive Health Kiosk is effective as an early warning system for potential health problems such as high blood pressure. These checks will be provided in a LOFA sponsored health kiosk, which will be located at industry events up and down the country starting with the Landscape Show in 28/29 September 2022, Hall 3, NEC, Birmingham. These free health checks will help contribute towards helping those who work in our industry stay healthy and safe. We are excited to be working with Perennial on this important initiative and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on those who work in horticulture. 

Founded in 1839, Perennial is the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping everyone who works in horticulture, including gardeners, groundskeepers, nursery and garden centre staff, landscapers, and arborists. Over the years, Perennial has helped countless people through difficult times, providing free and confidential information and advice on a wide range of issues. Today, Perennial is more important than ever, as the economic downturn has put immense financial pressure on those working in horticulture. In addition, social pressures can be equally challenging, as horticulture professionals are often low-paid and have to contend with physically demanding work. As a result, Perennial provides a much-needed lifeline for many people working in horticulture. Every year, the charity helps over 1,600 people, and it will continue to support the horticulture community for many years to come.

LOFA are excited to be partnering with Perennial on this important campaign, it is just one of the ways that LOFA shows its commitment to helping those who work within the industry as a whole. 

Register today for the

LANDSCAPE Show 28/29 September 22, Hall 3, NEC, Birmingham

SOLEX Exhibition 10-12 July 23, Hall 5, NEC, Birmingham

The Knight family of Knights Garden Centres at Godstone and Betchworth have been paying tribute to Brian Knight who died in September.

"Goodbye Brian. Dad, Grandad, Mr. Knight, Skip. A gardening life now ended, digging, sowing, and watering is done. A love of God’s creation, passed to many generations, a precious gift that lives on. Rough hands that cultivated natures beauty, held us safe with a loving touch. Grateful hearts poured out for a loving father, and a life that has provided so much.

"Dad lived and grew up in Tandridge and after leaving school set to work helping his father start market garden production supplying the local community and from humble beginnings a business has grown. Dad had a simple faith, never took anything or anyone for granted and considered it a blessing to be tending plants. He loved his family dearly, but it was a love that was given freely and every member of staff, every customer and anyone he knew was special to him.

"Dad – wash off you boots, hang your coat, and take off your gloves one last time. Your work is done – Gardens will continue to flourish as Your legacy lives on."

Like so many in the very early days of the garden centre industry Brian saw an opportunity in market garden production. He became a member of the HTA and from there became involved with the newly formed GCA. He loved attending the GCA South Thames meetings, conferences and International GCA Congress’s. As well as the great amount of banter back in those days, he would actively partake in the giving and receiving of advice, support and general sharing of information that really became the cornerstone of our industries success.

He made so many friends within the industry that he loved, and many of you will have some special memories.

Brian Knight 14/12/28 – 17/9/22

Haskins Garden Centre has donated £6,215 to its national charity of the year, Greenfingers Charity, to contribute towards the cost of supporting children and their families who require hospice services. 

The donation was raised through the Garden Re-leaf fundraising week in March and proceeds from carrier bag sales at Haskins’ centres across the south and will help create inspiring garden spaces for therapeutic rest and relaxation at hospices around the country.

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Greenfingers Charity, said: “Everyone at Greenfingers would like to thank Haskins Garden Centres for the team’s amazing support. The outdoor spaces that we create provide a safe space for many children, families, and carers, allowing them to take a relaxing break and embrace the benefits of fresh air.

“At Greenfingers, we believe that time spent outdoors and away from bedsides can offer an escape from the considerable stress that families and carers are under, providing an opportunity for children to have fun and appreciate nature.

“Greenfingers relies on charitable support from communities and businesses to deliver our work, creating magical gardens for life-limited children. The generous donation from Haskins will allow us to continue providing this vital support, making a huge difference to the lives of so many children and families in hospices across the UK.” 

Julian Winfield, Chief Executive at Haskins Garden Centres, added: “We would like to say a big thank you to all our Haskins’ customers, without their continued support of our charity initiatives and raffles, Haskins wouldn’t be able to contribute these funds to worthy causes like the Greenfingers Charity. As always, it brings the Haskins’ team much happiness to see our contributions making a real difference to those in need, especially the children supported by Greenfingers.”

Haskins Garden Centres supports several charitable causes annually, and will continue to support the Greenfingers Charity as its 2023 National Charity of the Year.

Haskins Garden Centres is an independent family business that has five centres located in the south of England. Haskins’ centres include Ferndown (Dorset), West End (Southampton), Snowhill (West Sussex), Roundstone (West Sussex) and Forest Lodge (Farnham).

Please visit www.haskins.co.uk and www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk for more information. 

Plastics resource efficiency and recycling charity RECOUP launched their inaugural awards at their annual conference to celebrate excellence in plastics recycling and resource efficiency, the first in its 32-year history.

The awards, presented by Stuart Foster, CEO, RECOUP generated a lot of interest from across the plastics resources and recycling value chain with strong entries received for both categories. The first winner announced was for the ‘Best Development or Innovation to enhance recyclability or re-use' award which was presented to Berry Global with their Paint container recycling programme. Berry Global overcame the problem of recycling residual paint containers by partnering up with Paint360 to devise a circular partnership which combined paint and packaging recovery with recycling. 

The winner of the second award for ‘Recycled Plastic Product of the Year’ was presented to Beko, for their recycled plastic washing machine tub. Stuart Foster, CEO, RECOUP commented “Not only did the entry prove to increase the recycled content by replacing some PP and fibreglass with recycled PET flakes and reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumptions with its patented production method, but the product is scalable to use not only across washing machines, but also tumble dryers and some dishwashers. The market scale was the most impressive aspect of this entry.”

The surprise Chairman’s award, presented by Jim Armstrong, Chairman, at RECOUP was awarded to recognise an individual outside of RECOUP and the Board who has enabled the organisation to fulfil their aims of driving forward plastics recycling and resource management through dedicating their time, knowledge and support. The award was presented to Francesca Hawes, MRF Operations Manager, Amey. 

Stuart Foster, CEO, RECOUP continued “There were quite a few nominations from the team for this Chairman’s award, but the standout was someone who really went the extra mile, not just over the last 12 months, but over the last few years.  Fran Hawes from Amey has been instrumental in improving packaging recyclability through facilitating sorting and technology trials and tests and is well deserving of this award.”   

Francesca Hawes, MRF Operations Manager, Amey, commented “Supporting RECOUP and their members by testing new packaging designs in the practical setting of Waterbeach MRF over the last 5 years has been a joy. Seeing the innovative designs that come through gives me great hope that the entire packaging chain are actively challenging the status quo and will be successful in fulfilling ambitious goals to achieve true circularity.” 

Don’t miss out on submitting an entry to the RECOUP annual awards next year. The deadline will be announced in due course.

British home and giftware supplier, Ivyline, is delighted to present its latest outdoor furniture collection, which includes a series of beautiful dining sets and garden bench for the perfect social settings in the great outdoors.

With the full offering presented at Glee 2022, Ivyline’s furniture collections were well received by garden centres and other outdoor living retailers, who appreciated the fact that no minimum order value is set and there is no need to buy in bulk and then worry about storing and shifting large quantities of stock.  This means you can regularly update ranges to suit customer demand and harmonise with the latest outdoor living trends. The furniture collection beautifully complements the wider Ivyline offering of home and garden accessories, firepits, and water features.

A beautiful series of tables with matching seating headlines the furniture collection, with sustainable FSC-certified wood used throughout on tabletops, stools, and benches. With options to suit all sizes of garden and patio, the furniture is extremely versatile and will look just as fabulous indoors as it does outside, where it is robust enough to weather all the elements.

Flexible Ordering

Making it easy for retailers, Ivyline has created a system that means retailers simply order what they need, as and when they need it, even if they only want one set of furniture to display in store. This not only helps to save on warehousing costs and simplifies floorspace allocation, but it also minimises the amount of cash that is tied up in stock as consumers everywhere feel the cost-of-living squeeze and rein in spending.

Ivyline can also offer guaranteed rapid delivery, ensuring shorter lead times for transporting goods from its extensive UK warehousing. All furniture in the collection, which is sustainably constructed from FSC-certified Acacia Wood, is supplied with a two-year warranty.

Furniture orders will also be fulfilled with the help of a two-man delivery team, meaning retailers won’t need to worry about asking your own staff to lift heavy item.

Ivyline’s Managing Director, Scott Thomas said: “Furniture sales may have surged in recent months, but the season was very slow to start as consumers spent their money elsewhere. Recognising this we wanted to offer a system that alleviates the stress that comes from excessive stock holding. Our approach provides ultimate flexibility so no matter what next season throws at us, we have a proposition that offers peace of mind.

“It is important to note however that all this work to create a flexible system has not been at the detriment to the quality of the products on offer. As expected from Ivyline, all our furniture styles are built of the highest quality materials in ethically audited factories and always created to eloquently highlight the latest trends whilst reflecting style elements that flow throughout the home and garden space. These are inclusive designs that are built to look beautiful season after season.”

Ivyline outdoor style – a brief look at key ranges

Borough

At home in the most elegant of gardens, the luxurious five-piece Borough set, in polished FSC-certified acacia wood, features stunning oval table, two benches, and two stools, with robust frames that are finished with a kiln-baked protective powdered coating that will safeguard the pieces against rust and scratches.

Spitalfields

Perfect for patios and large balconies, the contemporary Spitalfields collection includes a robust, sizeable table in acacia wood, also with frames finished with the protective kiln-baked powdered coating. A combination of square stools and benches help bring a sleek, modern feel to outdoor living areas.

Broadway

Ideal for placing in the garden, the sophisticated five-piece Broadway dining set in beautifully polished acacia wood with cream wooden frames is created in a relaxed, rustic style. This set is complemented with the striking Broadway bench, which will bring a touch of class to any corner of the garden, porch or patio. Constructed from the same FSC-certified acacia hardwood as the rest of Ivyline's furniture collection, this beautiful outdoor seating will elevate any outdoor space.

Ivyline also offers a very extensive range of accessories – including pots, planters, mirrors, lanterns torches and citronella tealights - that will complement any table setting whilst offering great upselling opportunities and stylish in store merchandising.

Find out more

To find out more about Ivyline’s furniture ranges please visit www.ivylinegb.co.uk, email sales@ivylinegb.co.uk or by calling 024 7633 9180.

Garden centre sales volumes are still running at 15% up on 2019 levels after the driest and hottest summer for years.  GTN Bestsellers weekly garden centre EPOS data analysis shows total sales volumes to date this year have dropped on 2021 levels by 3% but with an influx of promotional sales lines post Glee trading volumes stayed above 2019 levels and even beat 2020 August levels for a few weeks.

Plant sales, however, did not fair so well during the summer with several weeks seeing the lowest volume of plants sold for any of the previous 5 years.  As of week ending Sunday 18th September 2022 the GTN Bestsellers All Plants sales index sits at 9.6% down on 2021, 7.2% up on 2019 but 0.4% down on 2018.

Post Glee promotional lines helped maintain garden product sales during the summer but year to date GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Products sales volumes are now 14% down on 2021 and down 6% on 2019 levels.

Garden lighting and fire pits were notable sales success during August and now autumn lawn care products are selling through well.

Growing Media sales, the best indicator of core gardening activity, have continued to considerably outstrip 2019 levels during August and September, even beating 2021 levels for 3 of the past 8 weeks.  Year to date Growing Media Top 50 Bestsellers products volumes are now 4.4% down on 2021 but 21.0% higher than 2019.

Watch out for the first GTN Bestsellers Christmas Charts for 2022 at the start of October.

For more information about GTN Bestsellers please contact: trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk

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The Horticultural Trades Association has appointed Fran Barnes as its Chief Executive, following the recent appointments of Directors of Public Affairs and Marketing. 

Fran Barnes joins the HTA from the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales (NFU), where she has worked for over 10 years, first as Head of Strategic Communications and subsequently as Director of Communications. Prior to joining the NFU, she held a number of editorial roles on food and farming programmes at the BBC. 

Fran’s appointment follows the recent appointments of Jennifer Pheasey as Director of Public Affairs and Elia Johnston as Director of Marketing, with the HTA strengthening its senior leadership team as the horticulture sector focuses on building upon the growth in the number of domestic gardeners witnessed during the pandemic and delivering the “Unlocking Green Growth” strategy launched in September last year, even more relevant in the current environment. 

Commenting on her appointment, CEO of the HTA, Fran Barnes said: “I am delighted to be joining the HTA as Chief Executive. The horticulture sector delivers so much for the country’s economy, wellbeing and environmental sustainability, and the HTA’s reputation for supporting and representing its members – and the wider industry – is first class. I look forward to building upon its impact, as well as continuing to develop the services offered to members.” 

President of the HTA, Alan Down said: “I’m very pleased to congratulate Fran on her appointment as the HTA’s first Chief Executive – she has demonstrated hugely effective leadership at the NFU and has a wealth of knowledge about rural affairs, which will greatly inform how we serve our members. 

“Fran’s appointment is complemented by those of Jennifer Pheasey and Elia Johnston who recently joined us as Directors of Public Affairs and Marketing. Their appointments will strengthen our senior leadership team at a very exciting time for the industry and for the HTA, with horticulture playing an increasingly important part in people’s lives, not to mention the vital role it has in addressing environmental challenges. I very much look forward to working with Fran, Jennifer and Elia in their new roles.” 

Chairman of the HTA, James Barnes said: “I am very pleased we have recruited such a high-calibre leader for our trade association. Over the past six months we have put in place a fantastic senior leadership team, culminating with Fran’s recruitment. Her experience and expertise, particularly in the field of communications, will lend itself extremely well to taking the HTA to the next level. I’m very excited to work with Fran in further developing our strategy to support all our members in these ever-challenging times.” 

Renowned impressionist, comedian, satirist and columnist, Rory Bremner, has been confirmed as the host of the 2022 GIMA Awards.

Taking place on October 20th at the prestigious Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales, it will be Rory that will help to reveal the 17 winners that will walk away with one of this year’s highly coveted GIMA awards.

Best known for his comedy work on the likes of Whose Line is it Anyway, Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week, QI, The News Quiz and, most famously, Spitting Image, Rory has carved out a long and illustrious career. A mainstay of Channel 4’s comedy circuit for the past 20 years and the proud recipient of three BAFTAs, three Royal Television Society and two British Comedy awards, Rory is considered one of the UK’s leading lights from the world of comedy and satire.

GIMA Director Vicky Nuttall said: “We are so pleased to be able to confirm Rory Bremner as our 2022 GIMA Awards host. Having been on our screens for so long, I know Rory’s presence at this year’s event will be met with great approval from our gala guests. We cannot wait to welcome Rory to the stage to not only enjoy his unique sense of humour but to also learn who will be crowned GIMA Award winners following a hectic and innovative 2022 season.”

Book your place now!

With just short of 500 people in attendance, the 2021 event was a sell-out in record time. GIMA is urging interested parties to secure their tickets for the 2022 event now as only a few tickets are left remaining to join the gala dinner only. Tickets for the dinner are priced at £175 + VAT (for members) or £245 + VAT per person.

Find out more

For further information about GIMA and its wide range of member benefits, please contact the GIMA Press Office on (01959) 564947 or info@gima.org.uk

Dates for the 2023 RHS Flower Shows have been announced with early bird tickets released from this week to RHS members.

Each show has its own unique identity representing the best in horticultural talent from across the UK, all located within magnificent surroundings, from the Royal Hospital in Chelsea to Tatton Park in Cheshire.

Tickets go on sale to RHS members from 22 September with the benefit of discounts available on full-price admission. General on sale follows on 29 September.

All ticket sales help to support the work of the UK’s leading gardening charity to deliver scientific research, projects with schools and communities and advice to Britain’s 30 million gardeners.

The 2023 Shows have a new creative identity as part of the RHS’ rebrand. The colourful, bespoke floral images have been inspired by original botanical illustrations from the RHS archive using flowers synonymous to each show, from Chelsea’s peony to Hampton’s rose.

RHS Malvern Spring Festival

Dates: 11-14 May 2023

Location: Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcester, WR13 6NW

Tickets from £23.00 (plus admin fee)                                                                                                         

Website: rhs.org.uk/malvernspring

Kick-starting the 2023 flower show season, the RHS Malvern Spring Festival features flowers, food, and family fun set amongst the greenery of the spectacular Malvern Hills.   Expect to see gardens showcasing vibrant and contemporary design ideas, demonstrations and expert talks, with plant displays by first class nurseries to inspire gardening projects, whether big or small. 

RHS Chelsea Flower Show sponsored by The Newt in Somerset

Dates: 23-27 May 2023

Location: Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR

Tickets from £37.00 (plus admin fee)                                                                                                        

Website: rhs.org.uk/Chelsea

An iconic event in the gardening and social calendar, RHS Chelsea Flower Show represents the very best in horticulture from UK and international designers and growers. Bursting with sensational gardens by world renowned names, alongside impressive displays of award winning spring plants and flowers by the UK’s finest growers filling the Great Pavilion with their incredible sights and smells.

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

Dates: 4-9 July 2023 

Location: Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU

Tickets from £23.00 (plus admin fee) Children £8.00                                                                                              

Website: rhs.org.uk/Hampton

Set in the stunning historic grounds of Hampton Court Palace, this family-friendly summer festival offers inspirational garden designs, a variety of plant displays in the floral marquee and the fragrant festival of roses. Each day offers a programme of live entertainment, expert talks, demonstrations and floristry workshops. A chance for visitors to shop from carefully selected nurseries and specialist tradestands, as well as time to relax beside the Palace’s Long Water with a selection of artisan food and drinks stalls catering to all tastes.

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

Dates: 19-23 July 2023

Location: Tatton Park, Mereheath Lane, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN

Tickets from: £22.00 (plus admin fee) Children £8.00

Website: rhs.org.uk/Tatton

The North West’s favourite flower show brings gardening inspiration, boutique shopping, and family activities set in the leafy surrounds of Tatton Park. The summer show celebrates the region’s gardening talent with small gardens created by local designers, vibrant borders by community groups and fun ways to get young people into gardening from local schools, along with the annual Young Designers competition, supporting the next big names in horticulture.

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 2018 as well as 2019 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 07973 504214, e-mail karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

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

Highlights of the GTN Plants Bestsellers chart for last week are here

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

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

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care Bestsellers chart for last 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.

Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.

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 £100m.

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.

For further information contact karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call 07973504214.

Buy your subscription today and start receiving the GTN Bestsellers charts this week.