Blue Diamond MD, Alan Roper, said there will be 2 more Blue Diamond Garden Centres by Easter, taking the group to 44 centres and well on track to hit a turnover projection of £330m this year during his "Greatest Showman" introduction to the Blue Diamond Awards 2023.

Alan told GTN Xtra: "We have 2 acquisitions in process. Heads are agreed and we are aiming to get them both completed by Easter."

Commenting on the 1920's themed event, with around 700 attendees from across the garden centre group and key suppliers, which was held at the Athena in Leicester, a restored art-deco cinema, Alan said: It's hard to believe its a work function, the friendship in the room is tremendous.  I've spent 24 years building this culture.  It was hard at the beginning but it is the glue and it becomes infectious.  So many of the team love the job, they like the people they work with and it comes through on a night like this; the sense of belonging and camaraderie.

As Alan announced the Garden Centre of the Year Awards he said: "None of these awards are easy, but you look at the quality, the sense of team, of course the figures and those centres that made the grade on all of those factors with profitability being very important meant the quality this year was so high."

Blue Diamond Awards 2023 – Full results

Garden Centres of the Year

OAK Garden Centre of the Year: Grosvenor

Nominees:

• Cardiff
• Derby
• East Bridgford
• Endsleigh
• Grosvenor
• Newbridge
• Sanders
• St Peters

ACORN Garden Centre of the Year: Brambridge Park

Nominees:

• Brambridge
• Coton Orchard
• Evesham
• Harlow
• Lower Morden
• Nailsworth
• Trelawney

Restaurants of the Year

OAK Restaurant of the Year: Cardiff Restaurant

Nominees:

• Cardiff
• Derby
• Endsleigh
• Grosvenor
• Springfields

ACORN Restaurant of the Year: Nailsworth Waterside Cafe

Nominees:

• Brambridge
• Hereford
• Lower Morden
• Nailsworth
• Worcester

Kipling of the Year: Bicester

Nominees:

• Bicester
• Cadbury
• Sanders

Pastry Chef of the Year: Paula Cummings - Springfields

Nominees:

• Donna Kerr & Emma Cliff – Derby
• Ellie Leathwood – Fryers
• Kinga Wachowska – Sanders
• Paula Cummings - Springfields
• Trixie Hutchings – Fermoys

Head Chef of the Year: Dom Steffanelli - Grosvenor

Nominees:

• Adam Gellender – Brambridge
• Andrew Mellor – Chatsworth
• Andy Williams – Trelawney
• Dom Stefanelli – Grosvenor

Barista of the Year: Viegas Felisberto - Bicester

Nominees:

• Celeste Crook – Redfields
• Laura Thornley – Chatsworth
• Nick Margery = Lower Morden
• Viegas Felisberto – Bicester

Food Retailer of the Year: ACORN Jo Nicholls – Cardiff, OAK Michelle Richardson - Trentham and Jane Glanville - Endsleigh

Nominees:

• Bridgemere
• Cadbury
• Cardiff
• East Bridgford
• Endsleigh
• Fermoys
• Lower Morden
• Sanders
• Trentham

Furniture & Outdoor Leisure Award: ACORN Dennis Ridson - Trelawney, OAK Jacinta Butler - Derby

Nominees:

• 3 Shires
• Bridgemere
• Chatsworth
• Derby
• East Bridgford
• Grosvenor
• Hereford
• Lower Morden
• Matloock
• Sanders
• St Peters
• Trelawney
• Trentham

Christmas Award: ACORN Amy Roberts - Fryers, OAK Malcom Baines - Newbridge

Nominees:

• 3 Shires
• Bridgemere
• Derby
• Fermoys
• Fryers
• Harlow
• Le Friquet
• Lower Morden
• Melbicks
• Newbridge
• Wilton

Wild Animal Award: ACORN Daniel Underhill - Nailsworth, OAK Sophie Dawson – Le Friquet

Nominees:

• Canterbury
• Cardiff
• Le Friquet
• Nailsworth
• Rake
• Trelawney

Growing Media, Features & Containers Award: ACORN Philip Hayes - Trelawney, OAK Andy Gontier – Le Friquet

Nominees:

• Fermoys
• Harlow
• Le Friquet
• Lower Morden
• Nailsworth
• St Peters
• Trelawney

Seeds and Bulbs Award: ACORN Daniel Underhill - Nailsworth, OAK David Roberts – Percy Throwers

Nominees:

• 3 Shires
• Canterbury
• Derby
• Evesham
• Nailsworth
• Percy Throwers
• Sanders
• Springfields
• Trentham

Garden Care and Décor Award: ACORN Patrick Hurley - Harlow, OAK Zoe Gillyett – St Peters

Nominees:

• Cadbury
• Canterbury
• Harlow
• Le Friquet
• Lower Morden
• Nailsworth
• St Peters
• Trelawney
• Weybridge

Indoor Plants Award: ACORN Lisa Ceaser - Weybridge, OAK Tom Watkins -Cardiff

Nominees:

• Canterbury
• Cardiff
• Coton Orchard
• Fermoys
• Matlock
• Percy Throwers
• Tunbridge Wells
• Weybridge

Hardy Plants Award: ACORN Dee Stuart McDonald – Tunbridge Wells, OAK Kevin Flemming - Bridgemere

Nominees:

• Bridgemere
• Cardiff
• Harlow
• Lower Morden
• Nailsworth
• Newbridge
• Orchard Park
• Rake
• Tunbridge Wells

Seasonal Plants Award: ACORN Jonathan Feasey - Harlow, OAK Kyle Bartram - Bicester

Nominees:

• Bicester
• Grosvenor
• Harlow
• Lower Morden
• Matlock
• Orchard Park
• Rake
• Redfields
• Tunbridge Wells
• Wilton
• Worcester

The Fashion Award: ACORN Matt Evans - Cardiff, OAK Lyndsay Smith - Brambridge

Nominees:

• 3 Shires
• Bicester
• Brambridge
• Cardiff
• Chatsworth
• Coton Orchard
• East Bridgford
• Endsleigh
• Evesham
• Grosvenor
• Hereford
• Lower Morden
• Melbicks
• Newbridge
• Springfields
• Trelawney
• Trentham
• Weybridge
• Worcester

Customer Engagement Award: ACORN Canterbury, OAK Cadbury

Nominees:

• 3 Shires
• Cadbury
• Canterbury
• Lower Morden
• Sanders
• Trelawney

The Home Award: ACORN Laura Ross – Coton Orchard, OAK Vicki Gisbourne - Evesham

Nominees:

• Coton Orchard
• Evesham
• Fermoys
• Harlow
• Redfields
• Springfields

The Stock Management Award: Sanders

Nominees:

• East Bridgford
• Grosvenor
• Harlow
• Sanders

See GTN Xtra's full photo gallery from The Blue Diamond Awards 2023 below:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, The Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP, met with the Mercer family who own Hillmount, a portfolio of garden centres in Belfast, Ards, Bangor and Cheshire. 

Fourth generation owners of the family business, Robin, Edith and Alan Mercer, welcomed the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to their flagship garden lifestyle store in the Castlereagh Hills, in east Belfast, where they spoke with him about the impact of Brexit on their business and their hopes for the opportunities the Windsor Framework may bring to the day-to-day operations. 

Robin Mercer said: "We were honoured to welcome Chris Heaton-Harris to visit us at Hillmount. 

“We have been lobbying the government since Brexit began to cause problems with the great relationships we had built up over 50-plus years with our suppliers in GB. 

“As a family business, meeting customer demand is our priority and we look forward to any strides the government can make in helping us to do business easier so we can stock the plants and giftware that our customers want to see on our shelves.”

British Garden Centres collected the keys to a large, state-of-the-art, nursery production unit in Warwickshire this week. The glasshouse, tunnel and open-bed nursery site were built to the highest specification by the team at Hawkesmill Nurseries in 2017.

"As British Garden Centres, it won't surprise anyone that we are increasing our production facilities in the UK," explained Boyd J Douglas-Davies, Plants & PR Director for the group. "I've known the incredible plants that Hawkesmill has produced for years from this unit and their other sites so jumped at the opportunity to take on this nursery". The new nursery, to be known as Temple Nursery in recognition of the local area, will complement the growing the business already undertakes at its Woodthorpe Nursery - the birthplace of the BGC group - and Fretherne Nursery, a site leased from Glendale Horticulture.

Speaking of the lease deal, Richard Evans Director of Hawkesmill Nurseries said "My brother, John, and I have weighed up our many options and decided that the team at British Garden Centres were best placed to take on the unit at Temple and develop further the original vision for it. Their ambitious production plans and the guaranteed customer will ensure many jobs are available for the local workforce".

British Garden Centres has taken on five growers for the new site, including the newly appointed Group Nursery Manager, Nigel Coombs, and will be looking to recruit additional colleagues this year.

Talking of what will be grown at Temple Boyd said, "Whilst this additional unit will give us the potential to produce 2 million retail ready plants a year it won't take away anything from our UK suppliers as our rate of growth, combined with our planned move towards more British plants, will absorb these plants and more."

British Garden Centres operates 62 garden centres in the UK. It sold over 8 million plants in 2022. The group is very focused on all things gardening, plant sales account for nearly 30% of the business.

Employing 3,000 across the business it is the UK's largest family-run garden centre business. Founded by brothers Charles and Robert Stubbs in 1987 it continues to be led by the Stubbs family.

Following on from past Best Buy recommendations on the ClipGlove brand in consumer gardening magazines, Treadstone Garden (Treadstone) have been recognised by BBC Gardeners World magazine for two of their new products for 2023.

Treadstone are building a reputation for innovative and sustainable gardening solutions and the recent launch of eco products ‘Recycled Bottle Gloves’ (by ClipGlove) and ‘Rope Trellis’ (by The Good Life) have been well received.

This includes being recommended as useful and innovative eco gardening solutions as part of the ‘Growing Greener’ feature in the March 2023 issue of BBC Gardener’s World magazine. 

Natural Jute Trellis

Available in five sizes, Rope Trellis (from RRP £19.99) is a clever alternative to fixed trellis using a natural jute material to create flexible trellis which can be used all around the garden.

In the Growing Greener feature BBC Gardener’s World highlighted the best new green kit for 2023 for the eco-conscious gardener. They wrote:

 “Inspired by cargo nets, this trellis is handmade using natural biodegradable jute rope and is carefully tied so that it hangs tight and straight, giving consistent support for plants. It comes rolled up, so is easy to store and simple to install – just fix it to walls or fences by the corner loops or simply tie between posts.”

Rope Trellis is not only an eco-solution, but it can also be used to create a stunning garden feature and can be treated in a preservative to add longevity and extra colour. Take a look at the range here for more information - Rope Trellis – Treadstone Website.

Hard-to-Lose Recycled Gloves

ClipGlove Recycled Bottle Gloves (from £5.99) are a sustainably made stylish collection of Men’s and Ladies’ gloves made using recycled plastic bottles. Each pair of gloves is held together with an Aluminium Carabiner Clip.

This Clip holds each pair together in store and means that gardeners will never lose their gloves again by attaching the clip to a belt or a garden bag.

In the ‘Growing Greener’ feature BBC Gardener’s World highlighted the user-friendly design of the clip as well as the sustainable benefits, writing:

“This new range from ClipGlove is made from 95 per cent recycled plastic bottles, with added elastic for comfort and a textured natural latex coating for protection and grip. Bright colours make them hard to lose out in the garden and, like all ClipGlove products, they are supplied complete with a carabiner clip that can be attached to the gloves for easy stowing on your belt loop.”

The range features a standard Bottle Glove and a Bottle Glove Plus option which features the same construction as the Bottle Glove, but with an extra coating of latex, which stretches up the back of the hand to provide increased durability and protection against moisture. Visit the website to find out more – Recycled Bottle Gloves – Treadstone Website.

Retail support to Stand Out

With increasing demand for these eco-conscious products, Treadstone have full retail support for all stockists, with high impact displays for both ranges to fully stand out in store. DARE TO SELL DIFFERENT and get in touch to enquire about Treadstones’ latest eco products, email - sales@treadstoneproducts.com to find out about pricing and other information.

Flowerland Home and Garden are one of Buckinghamshire's largest and most popular garden centres, with over 60 years of experience in growing plants and now so much more.

They have just implemented WinRetail, the acclaimed Stock Control and Retail Management System from Corby + Fellas, at their centres in Bourne End and Iver.

Hugh Evans, Flowerland's Director and co-owner, is full of praise for C+F. He said: "A big thank you to Alan, Steven, Grant and all the team at Corby & Fellas for a successful transition to our new C&F EPOS system.

"Team Corby & Fellas have been working relentlessly behind the scenes, preparing our transition: we have just gone live with the new system.

"From our business perspective, it has been completely seamless, and perhaps this is the highest praise we can give.

"We have been able to continue trading as normal; the transition was extremely smooth, and all our old data has been brought along.

"We now have a bright future of a new system with much greater functionality, and the prospect of this benefiting our customers and business.

Any business facing a transition from an old EPOS system to a new EPOS system has a great anxiety hurdle to overcome: how will it work?

"Well it works perfectly, the transition has been seamless, and we are already reaping the benefits of the move.

"Our staff are full of praise: the system is 'excellent, 21st century' and that the team at C&F are 'fantastic'.

"Many thanks, looking forward to great futures together."

Taylors Bulbs has presented Royal Horticultural Society Long Service Awards to four staff members.

The RHS award is to recognise working in the horticultural industry for 40-plus years.  Recipients each receive a RHS engraved medal and a certificate.

Di Beales started working full time for Taylors in February 1983. She has always been renowned as the quickest flower cropper at Taylors – nobody can beat her! Di has been involved in many aspects of Taylors activities from planting the daffodil bulbs from which the flowers are displayed at the Chelsea Flower Show to packing flower bulbs that go to garden retailers nationwide.

Sue Venni has worked for Taylors for 41 years holding different roles within the Horticultural department and has worked very closely with Di all that time. Sue has more recently become responsible for the field-selection of and the successful bulb harvest of our special daffodil collection, and making sure that 500+ varieties are kept healthy and separate from each other is no mean feat! Unfortunately, Sue could not make the presentation due to ill-health but was able to join the event by video call.

Kevin Haynes was first employed by Brian Taylor when he left school and has been at Taylors ever since. He is now Horticultural Operations manager and is responsible for, amongst many other things, overseeing the planting harvesting of all the daffodils grown here in Lincolnshire by the company, both the cut-flowers and the bulbs. Kevin will have clocked up 42 years with Taylors in May 2023. Not only did he follow in his father’s footsteps in working for Taylors but both of his sons have also worked for Taylors at times.

John Taylor is a well-known figure in the horticultural industry having worked in it for 56 years; 37 years with Taylors and 19 years previous to that with Geest Horticulture. John started working for Geest in 1966 as Trainee Bulb Manager, joining Taylors in 1986, and has been involved with bulb growing throughout his entire career. Although now more office based than previous years in his career, John still walks the fields, inspects the harvest and is regularly to be found either on the trial plot or in the sheds with his hands in a tray of bulbs keeping an eye on bulb quality!

Taylors Bulbs director Adam Taylor said: “We are very proud to present these RHS awards in recognition of Di, Sue, Kev and John’s contributions to the Horticulture industry. What the four of them have achieved is amazing but it is remarkable that they share 160 years of service to Taylors between them and for that we are all very grateful.”

British Garden Centres is supporting Garden Re-Leaf Day (Friday 24th March) yet again with the family-run group hosting several special events nationwide to raise funds for this wonderful charity.

British Garden Centres has got more than ever planned for Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023.  Tring Garden Centre is playing host to the sponsored South Walk and Cycle which will see lots of intrepid walkers take on a 10 or 20-mile walk through the picturesque Chilterns 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. For bike enthusiasts, the Cycle Challenge takes in laps of 25 miles, 50 miles, 75 miles or 100 miles of the local countryside.

Amy Stubbs, Development and Project Manager, John Wallis, Regional Manager, and Iain King, Operations Director will be walking the circular 20-mile walk starting and ending at Tring. Tring Shop Manager, Steve Descombe, will be taking on a 25-mile cycle challenge route with both taking in scenic views, woodland and gently rolling hills in the picturesque Chilterns. You can sponsor them at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/british-garden-centresteam-page-grd23

Alongside the 20-mile walk and cycle challenge starting from Tring, there will be exciting fundraising events at all the BGC stores across the country. From tombolas to cake sales, treasure hunts to balloon modelling, face painting, raffles and car washes, all 62 British Garden Centres will be taking part in Garden Re-Leaf Day.  From Cheshire to Kent, the West Midlands to Lincolnshire, there is a wealth of fantastic, fundraising events across the country that span all interests and ages and raise money for such a worthy cause.

The annual fundraising event was set up by Greenfingers Charity in 2012 as its flagship fundraiser that kick-starts the gardening season. The national charity builds gardens in hospices used by children with life-limiting illnesses and their families across the UK. All the Greenfingers’ gardens are unique and created to help improve life for children and families in hospices.

British Garden Centres Director, Greenfingers trustee and founder of Garden Re-Leaf Day, Boyd Douglas-Davies said: “British Garden Centres has raised over £13,243.05. from Garden Re-Leaf Day in 2022, helping hundreds of families get respite and relaxation in magical outdoor spaces when they need it most. This year, we hope to beat that total with every store taking part on the day. Our dedicated and hardworking garden centre teams have come together to create a thriving day of activities and fundraising events across the country for Garden Re-Leaf – now the biggest charity fundraiser on the gardening calendar. Every penny makes a huge difference to those that use Greenfingers-funded gardens, so we are looking forward to the start of the gardening season, raising money with some fun activities and increasing awareness of the work Greenfingers do with our customers in-store.”

For a full list of British Garden Centres stores and their Garden Re-Leaf Day activities, please visit https://britishgardencentres.com/garden-re-leaf-day-2023/

The Garden Centre Association has announced that the location of its 2024 annual conference will be Cirencester in Gloucestershire.

The GCA’s 57th annual event, organised by Chairman Elect for 2024/25, Will Blake, will be held at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel near Cirencester from January 28 until 31, 2024.

Will, who is helping organise the conference alongside the organisation’s CEO, Peter Burks, explained: “We are thrilled to reveal our 2024 conference will take place at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel and we are currently working hard to make sure it is bigger and better than ever, with a top quality line-up of speakers and plenty of opportunities to catch up with friends, colleagues and associates from the industry in person.”

Set among the honey-coloured villages and gently rolling hills of the Cotswolds, the De Vere Cotswold Water Park is in the heart of 152 lakes that spread across the unique Cotswolds Water Park.

Peter Burks, GCA CEO, said: “During the conference, we’ll be officially welcoming our new Chairman, Will Blake, who will be taking over the reins from Tammy Woodhouse. He will be integral in the planning of the conference this year with me.

“We will be keeping our members updated throughout the year when we unveil details of our speakers and when booking goes live. In the meantime, they can keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest news.”

A group of intrepid Bramblecrest walkers, joggers and runners are collectively aiming to overcome at least 400 kilometres of undulating Cotswold countryside in a 'RambleFest' on 2 April 2023.

Team members hope to raise at least £20 each and Bramblecrest will make a contribution towards every kilometre walked. 

All gratefully received donations (however large or small) will be made to The British Red Cross in support of desperately needed humanitarian relief for Turkey-Syria following the devasting impact of the recent earthquakes.

To donate use the following link https://gofund.me/8ca0cfc1

Bramblecrest launched their 2023 PR and marketing campaign "Moon Garden" last week to throng of daily newspaper and glossy magazine journalists.

The countdown is on for the INDX Toy & Gift Show, brought to you by Associated Independent Stores (AIS) – the UK and Ireland’s leading buying group for fashion, home, and leisure for independent retailers.

Focussing on value for money, this year’s show, running from Tuesday 14 March to Wednesday 15 March 2023, promises an enviable list of exclusive show offers during the two-day event.

Over 90% of exhibitors have an exclusive offer available to all UK retailers, as well as AIS Members who attend the show. In addition, the revamped show will be welcoming a host of new suppliers including Hippychick, Abrams and Chronicle, Ziggle, and The Carat Shop. Familiar brands will also be returning including, Bandai, Character Options, Hasbro, Spin Master, Keycraft, Moose, and TY.

Rosie Marshall, Head of Children’s Toy and Gift, commented: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming visitors to the show and are pleased to be able to offer so many exclusive deals, perfectly timed for retailers to secure stock ahead of Spring trade and beyond. We encourage all our visitors to take advantage of these while at the show.”

Jonathan Swallow, Sales Director Ty UK adds: “Ty UK is proud to be part of the AIS Buying Group, as we've built our business within the Independent trade, and the INDX (Toy & Gift) show allows us to reach out and support all AIS Members at the show, and then afterwards at their businesses.  

“The INDX (Toy & Gift) show allows us to showcase our brand to an array of customers including; garden centres, independent gift shops, and department stores.”

There’s still time to register for the INDX Toy & Gift show, simply visit the dedicated event page to register at www.indxshows.co.uk.

If you’re planning a visit to the INDX Toy & Gift show, and interested in becoming an AIS Member, please drop-by the AIS stand to find-out about member benefits, or visit www.aistores.co.uk for details on becoming an AIS Member or Supplier.

New and exclusive to Gardenex, exhibitors can display a product within the high profile Boulevard of Ideas in a dedicated British Product display area. 

UK companies are being urged to utilise the many advantages available to exhibitors within the Gardenex-organised UK group at spoga+gafa, which will take place in Cologne, Germany, from 18-20 June 2023.

UK companies wishing to take a stand at the world’s largest garden lifestyle trade show have the opportunity to either join the UK Pavilion or exhibit on an independent stand. Whatever choice you make, by joining the UK exhibitor group you will gain the benefit of all the support, information and advance publicity offered by the multi-lingual Gardenex team.  

Gardenex has organised strong UK groups at spoga+gafa for over 30 years and as well as providing expert help, advice and promotion before the event, the team will be based on the Gardenex industry information area within the pavilion in a prime location at the show. The federation’s team will be offering additional support for every UK exhibitor during the exhibition and hosting international buyers who visit the UK group to learn more about the exhibitors and their products.   

Director General Amanda Sizer Barrett said: “The Gardenex association is looking forward to supporting UK exhibitors at spoga+gafa. We provide a comprehensive show support package for exhibitors, which includes organising space and stand build if required, plus advice and information on all aspects of exhibiting.” 

“We also organise excellent international PR coverage before, during and after the event and publish a multi-lingual Product Innovation brochure, which will be sent to international buyers drawn from our exclusive database. Then after the show we offer help to maximise sales leads and provide guidance on converting these to new export sales.” 

Gardenex’s comprehensive UK Pavilion and stand package is designed so that participating exhibitors can just turn up and display their products. The association’s dedicated event organisers will help with freight, travel, accommodation and other logistics.

• spoga+gafa’s last edition featured around 1,000 exhibitors covering an area of 230,000m² over 10 halls.
• The 2022 show attracted around 25,000 trade visitors from 112 countries with over 67% of the visitors coming from outside Germany; a 2% increase on the previous edition in 2019.
• Broad spectrum of buyers attend: garden centres, DIY stores, mail order / internet sales, supermarkets, discounters, department stores plus other general retailers, specialist furniture retailers, landscapers and many international distributors and wholesalers of garden products that support the retail and contract trade from around the world, including some of the leading players from the UK.
• It covers all aspects of practical and leisure gardening and is focussed on all the main garden hardware sectors. The show is divided into the following product sectors: garden living (Garden Furniture, Decoration, Garden Equipment, Sports and Games, Camping and Leisure); garden creation & care (Landgard Plants, Plants & Flowers, Bio Chemistry and Soils, Machines and Accessories, Tools and Accessories, Garden Equipment and Sheds, Water and Lights); garden bbq(Grill and BBQ); and garden unique (exclusive presentations in the outdoor living sector).
• Germany is by far the largest market for garden products in Europe; worth around €20.8 billion.  

If you are a UK company looking to enter or to increase your export sales into Europe and beyond, spoga+gafa is the world’s premier annual trade showcase for garden hardware and leisure products.

NEW for 2023: Gardenex British Group of exhibitors will be able to display a product in the Boulevard of Ideas area on a British Product display area – this opportunity is exclusively on offer to the Gardenex British Exhibitor Group.  The Boulevard of Ideas walkway links all the halls and entrances to the show, so a prime location to introduce your latest products to visitors.  

A broad spectrum of buyers is expected to attend spoga+gafa, including representatives from garden centres, DIY stores, mail order/internet sales, supermarkets, discounters, department stores, specialist furniture retailers, landscapers and many international distributors and wholesalers of garden products that support the retail and contract trade from around the world.

Previous British group exhibitors have seen buyers from countries across Europe as well as leading distributors and retailers from markets across the world such as the US, Canada, Dubai, Israel, China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia, as well as from the UK.

If you are interested in joining leading UK suppliers exhibiting at the show by taking a stand on the UK Pavilion at spoga+gafa 2023 with Gardenex, please contact Emma Brazier at emma@gardenex.com or Lydia Stubbs lydia@gardenex.com. 

To obtain more information about the comprehensive business and export services the Federation provides to its members, please email info@gardenex.com or visit www.gardenex.com.

The Horticultural Trades Association marked International Women’s Day with the launch of its drive to improve equality and inclusion in the UK’s horticulture sector.

The trade body that represents businesses across the country is to make diversity a key push in 2023. The drive will cover communications, external engagement and member support, and will include what the HTA itself is doing on equality and existing leadership in the sector. This will be expanded into more specific member advice and wider discussion, followed by data gathering to benchmark horticulture and track future progress.

Anne Clark, Director of HR & Learning at the HTA said: “The horticulture sector has championed a number of new initiatives aimed at becoming more inclusive in recent years, such as Access All Areas and Women in Horticulture. Whilst we celebrate the progress that’s been made, we also have a responsibility to keep that conversation and action going, so we’re pleased to be launching this promotional drive today that will include refreshing our own approach as well as scaling up the guidance and resources we offer to members.”

HTA’s refreshed approach to diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) includes three elements:

Sector leadership and championing: as well as reviewing and updating its internal DEI policies, the HTA will be active in the ‘Access all Areas’ initiative, as well as other key fora working on DEI.

Member support: the HTA supports 1,500 member companies in the garden sector with advice and guidance on an array of issues, from navigating economic and supply chain challenges to complying with regulations and making industry connections. It will develop dedicated advice for members on how to better embrace DEI and embed it into their businesses. This includes the latest episode of the HortTalk podcast. This week’s episode will feature guests from the new Women in Horticulture initiative and the HTA’s own Pippa Greenwood interviewed by Alex Jenkins, Learning & Development Manager at the HTA. They discuss the state of DEI in the sector, the HTA’s new drive and the opportunities available to horticulture businesses to progress their DEI.

Benchmarking and best practice: as part of its refreshed approach to DEI the HTA is seeking to gather data and establish best practice in the area.

The HTA’s latest full Member Wages & Labour Benchmarking survey, conducted in 2021, showed that women make up 64% of the permanent workforce in garden centres and 44% of the permanent workforce in ornamental grower businesses. Across both garden centres and ornamental growers, 44% of senior roles are held by women. HTA members and non-members alike take part in the annual survey, which acts as a benchmark against which horticultural businesses can examine their DEI credentials, as well as their salaries, HR practices and talent recruitment and retention levels.

A separate survey, conducted by YouGov for the HTA in 2022, found that 28% of women in the UK regularly garden in their spare time as a hobby, compared to the national average of 25%. 70% of women who responded to the survey had visited a garden centre at least once in the last year, with 84% reporting that gardens and public green spaces benefit their state of mind, compared to the national average of 81%.

TV gardener Danny Clarke will be helping to launch a Rose for Hope at a Hertfordshire garden centre which is raising vital funds for a cause close to his heart – Brain Tumour Research.

Danny, who shot to fame in 2015 as BBC’s Instant Gardener, will be among gardening enthusiasts at the launch event at Burston Garden Centre in St Albans from 10am-1pm on Friday 24 March. 

Jill Wharfe, Burston's Customer Services Manager, said: "We have been supporting Brain Tumour Research here at Burston since 2021, due to Shay Emerton being diagnosed with a brain tumour in the spring of that year.

"Along with a lot of fundraising along the way, we have linked with a grower to have a dedicated rose called the Rose for Hope developed. That beautiful rose is now ready and we are excited to be able to launch it here on Friday 24th March.

"Brain Tumour Research have arranged for Danny Clarke, who is a celebrity gardener and one of the charity ambassadors, to be here for the launch, and he will be joined by Shay.

Shay's story can be viewed here https://www.braintumourresearch.org/stories/in-hope/in-hope-stories/shay-emerton

Momentum is building behind Water Alive, the new consumer show for fishkeepers, which will run alongside trade exhibition AQUA 2023 in October. 

News of the event was announced last month and the aquatic and watergardening world has been buzzing with excitement – already over half of the available stand space has been reserved.

AQUA 2023 is being held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 12-14 October, with Water Alive being open to consumers on the final two days (Friday and Saturday). The Thursday of AQUA 2023 will be a trade-only day as in previous editions.

The idea of Water Alive is to help consumers become more engaged with their hobby and feel part of an amazing industry. They will be able to see and touch all the latest launches from leading manufacturers and suppliers as well as buy products from specialist retailers.

Organisers of Water Alive are keen to stress there will be strict commercial guidelines in place at the event to uphold the industry’s principles and keep the show professional. As a result, all direct-to-consumer sales taking place at the show will be handled by retailer stores, who must hold an OATA retail membership.

“Water Alive is an exciting addition to the aquatic and watergardening industry,” said Mark Winter, chairman of organisers OATA Impact Exhibitions. “We will ensure the highest standards are upheld so that everyone can enjoy a professional and successful show. All UK retailers with OATA membership are invited to take a stand at the show – this is a perfect opportunity to put your store on the UK aquatics map.”

As well as finding out what’s new to the market, visitors will be able to learn more about their hobby from experts giving talks at a special seminar area called Speakers Corner, plus a range of other hobbyist focussed features. 

Companies wishing to exhibit at AQUA 2023 and Water Alive and retailers seeking more information about taking a stand should call the organisers on 01892 862848 (office open 9am-5pm Monday-Friday).

Mr Fothergill’s is gearing for growth in 2023, targeting new gardeners. David Carey, CEO of Mr Fothergill’s, led a buyout backed by private equity in 2022 and is targeting to double the size of the business in five years.

“We’ve commissioned research that people become interested in gardening in their mid-20s, but there are a lot of barriers to entry in terms of knowledge and skill,” explains David. “We are launching a campaign that specifically targets those gardeners and encourages them to get into gardening, even if they have no space.”

The campaign, which is supported by PR and digital spend, goes live across social and national press in March, will encourage people to join a windowsill gardening revolution, and is headed up by TV gardener David Domoney.  

Continues David: “It’s great to be working with the team on this campaign. Growing plants on the windowsill is many people’s first experience in gardening and it really couldn’t be easier. Growing herbs and salad leaves indoors has many benefits, including feeding the family with fresh, healthy, and flavorsome produce, generating excitement at the first signs of germination, and the true happiness at watching it grow before our eyes.”

The research of over 2,000 adults has identified an emerging trend that people have a desire to get into gardening, but are being put off by perceived challenges. 

66 per cent want to do more growing, from plants to vegetables to keep themselves fed.

But many feel they are stopped from pursuing it more by a lack of time (39 per cent), not having any outdoor space (37 per cent) and not knowing enough about how to do it (35 per cent).

Despite wanting to do more, one in four don’t believe they have the right equipment to successfully grow their own, while 23 per cent are too frightened of bugs and spiders to get their hands dirty.

https://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/windowsill

FPM has won the prestigious Stanley Lord Bowl Award for its exhibit of Autumn Fruits at the Malvern Show 2022. The award is presented for the best display of fruit shown to the RHS during the year at any of its shows.

President Mr Keith Weed CBE presented Steph James with the award at the RHS Awards Ceremony in Lindley Hall on Monday 6 March.

“We are thrilled to have won this award,” said Steph. “We love exhibiting the amazing array of fruit you can grow in your garden. Our mother orchards have thousands of different varieties and we carefully pick the very best for shows. This award makes all the hard work worthwhile and is a testament to the brilliant teamwork here at FPM.”

The FPM displays for 2023 shows are already in development so watch this space!

Garden centres are being reminded to get their orders in for eight new varieties including four award-winners that were launched at the Horticultural Trades Association National Plant Show last year.

The plants were entered by leading commercial nursery Wyevale Nurseries for the New Plant Awards at the show and four of them received top accolades.

Andy Johnson, Wyevale Nurseries’ Managing Director, explains: “The New Plant Awards at the HTA National Plant Show showcase the best in new plant introductions from UK plant suppliers. It’s seen in the industry as the place for retailers to find the next bestselling new plant to inspire their customers.

“Our entries, which are now available for garden centres and plant retailers to order for spring and summer delivery, depending on the variety, included some great ones for attracting pollinators and others that are perfect for anyone who has a smaller space, and wants to have something stunning in a pot on their patio. These are two key trends for 2023 that consumers will be looking for when making their purchasing decisions.

“Among the plants we submitted for the awards was Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Magic Ball’, which scooped a Best in Show and a Gold in the Shrubs and Climbers’ category.

“Also, we entered the new thornless Rosa ‘Cutie Pie’, which won Gold in the Shrubs and Climbers’ category and the bee magnet Delphinium ‘Red Lark’, which was awarded Silver in the Herbaceous section.”

Wyevale Nurseries’ eight new plants for 2023 are:

Rosa ‘Cutie Pie’

A wonderful new rose to hit the market, that’s dwarf and completely thornless!

Sarcococca ‘Purple Gem’

The new accompaniment to bestselling Winter Gem, Purple Gem boasts deep purple/red stems, which stand out clearly against its dark glossy foliage.

Chionochloa ‘Taupo Lights’

Hailing from New Zealand, this new variegated grass is compact and the perfect architectural garden plant.

Olearia phlogopappa ‘Spring Bling’

This aromatic shrub, commonly known as the Daisy Bush provides a literal haven for pollinators as the evergreen silver foliage becomes engulfed in masses of white daisy-like flowers from April to June.

Lomandra longifolia ‘Arctic Frost’

Lomandra Arctic Frost is an evergreen grass-like perennial that thrives in sun or part shade. Hardy down to -10°c, this plant provides shelter for insects and other invertebrates as the foliage expands.

Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Magic Ball’

Physocarpus Magic Ball is a stunning new shrub to hit the market offering nearly year-round interest. Pink flowers erupt in July until September.

Escallonia hybrid ‘Showstopper’

A beautiful, full hardy down to -8°c, shrub reaching a max height of 1.2m and spread of 80cm.

Delphinium ‘Red Lark’

The best new herbaceous plant to enter the market! Stunning red plumes of flowers from April-June. The ultimate pot plant but striking grown at the back of borders too. Attracts bees in particular.

The product selection available from Wyevale Nurseries is envied across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.

Its main business is to supply garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.

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

Plastics resource efficiency and recycling charity, RECOUP, expands its service provisions by introducing a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA ) service and its own state-of-the-art laboratory to complement its recognised RecyClass certification service and facilities.

The addition of LCA to RECOUP’s repertoire, will enable the organisation to assess the environmental impact of products, goods, and services across their life cycle from raw material extraction through to end-of-life. 

RECOUP believe that the use of LCA can assist with informing evidence-based decisions on product development and design, support supply chain and procurement decisions, track performance over time of packaging changes, improve overall environmental outcomes in line with strategy and policy, and challenge misinformation and greenwash.

Katherine Fleet, Head of Sustainability & Circularity comments: “RECOUP has been working on building LCA capability to assist members and the wider industry to better inform decision making related to product design in order that decisions are based on environmentally sound evidence rather than emotion."

RECOUP currently test members’ plastic packaging samples for sortability at a Materials Recovery Facility, free of charge to members as a benefit of membership. The addition of the in-house laboratory has enabled RECOUP to further enhance its testing of plastics samples and material identification.

In particular, the RECOUP laboratory uses near-infrared (NIR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify the constituent components of a pack and help determine recyclability. 

Richard Cham, Packaging Projects Officer comments: “ I am excited about our future plans for the laboratory, in particular the introduction of FTIR microscopy which will enable the investigation of smaller, hard to see imperfections and contaminants, and give RECOUP the ability to analyse and identify microplastics from separated samples.”

Alongside the laboratory, RECOUP is also a UK provider for RecyClass certification which assesses and evaluates plastic packaging in terms of its recyclability.

Kate Bedford, Packaging Projects Manager at RECOUP comments: “RecyClass assesses the recyclability of plastic packaging, with certification for brand owners and compatibility for packaging manufacturers. RECOUP work as auditors for RecyClass in the UK; offering both members and non-members the opportunity to gain the certification.”

If you are interested in learning more about RecyClass certification email recyclass@recoup.org, for LCA email LCA@recoup.org or lab enquires, email enquiry@recoup.org.

Tong Garden Centre in Bradford has relaunched its butchery offering following feedback from customers. Hearty's Food Hall has introduced a new butchery department in partnership with East Yorkshire-based Yorkshire Wold butchery.

Yorkshire Wold's MD, Christopher Smith, is excited by the opportunity: "This is our first retail partnership, and we're delighted to be working with the Hearty's team, who share our passion for provenance and excellence. We're looking forward to getting to know the customers and being able to advise them about cuts of meat, recipe ideas and cooking instructions."

Yorkshire Wold will also supply its quality produce to the nine restaurants across Tong's parent company, Yorkshire Garden Centres' four sites.

Of the change, Yorkshire Garden Centres' Head of Food, Sarah Dwyer, said: "We're very excited to team up with Yorkshire Wold butchery both within Hearty's at Tong and group-wide in our restaurants. We look forward to delighting our customers with great value, high-quality local produce combined with the return of the popular multibuys."

Tong Garden Centre occupies a 19-acre site in Tong village. It is one of Yorkshire's biggest independent garden centres, with 11,600m2of retail space and parking for up to 700 cars. It is part of the Yorkshire Garden Centres (YGC) group that also owns Tingley Garden Centre and the former Stephen H Smith's Garden Centres in Otley and Harden, Bingley, renamed Otley and Bingley Garden Centres, respectively.

Pictured, from left to right: Christopher Smith, Mark Sibson and Andrew Pickering.

The team at a Bradford garden centre is celebrating after being shortlisted for a national HR award.

Tong Garden Centre has reached the final in the Retail Company of the Year Award of the British HR Awards that celebrate the organisations and individuals that are driven by delivering a world-class people experience.

"This is the first time that we have entered a national people and culture award and we're very proud to have reached the final in the face of such strong competition," said Tong Garden Centre's Head of People and Culture, Neil Barwise-Carr.

Nate Harwood, founder of New Possible and British HR Awards judge said: " With over 220 entries received from organisations all across the UK, from start-up innovators to public sector heroes, tech superstars, global titans and everything in between, competition proved to be especially tough.

"This year saw 125% more entries than last year making judging a real challenge but also a great privilege. Congratulations to all the finalists who are flying the flag for the HR profession and having a positive impact on the working lives of so many people."

The stellar lineup of nine judges includes representatives from Shelter, Monzo, Apple and Iceland Foods.

In an all-Yorkshire final, Tong Garden Centre faces competition from Hull-based Heron Foods. The winners will be announced at a celebration event in Central London on Wednesday 22nd March.

In this issue:

• Hillier grows – Interview with Chris Francis,
• GCA Conference 2023 – Big, bold, sustainable and £100k raised for Greenfingers,
• GCA Winners – All the winners from the GCA Conference,
• PATS Sandown Show preview,
• BeefEater – LOFA Member profile,
• Beautiful stonework from The Patio Black Spot Company,
• GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards Presentations at Spring Fair,
• Pictures from all The Greatest Christmas Award winning centres: Barton Grange, Rosebourne, The Old Railway Line, Pughs, Gates, Longacres, Gouldings, Alton, Groves, Meadowcroft, Brimsmore and Poundbury, British Garden Centres, Pengelly, Blue Diamond, Klondyke, Gordale, Silverbirch, Woodlands, Little Dobbies, Azure, Stratford    , Chessington, Chacewater, Coolings, Sapcote, Wentworth, Perrywood, Garsons Titchfield, Keydell, The Grange, Tingley, St Peters, Garden King, Fron Goch, Ellerker Lodge, Chepstow, Birkacre, Bennybeg,
• Thank you to the judges and sponsors of The Greatest Christmas Awards 2022,
• Encouraging signs for Spring – HTA Column,
• Cash is king – GIMA Column.

with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox.  The best news service every weekend and all the breaking news as it happens.

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Treadstone Products have made a major appointment for their garden products division to help support their on-going strategy. Tom Stolworthy has joined the company as Head of Sales, where he will help drive sales on their range of innovative garden products.

In the last 4 years Treadstone Garden have successfully launched numerous new products into the UK garden centre market. This has resulted in many more stockists and growth for their brands.

Within this brand portfolio is the multi award winning ClipGlove garden glove range. The Good Life is a core garden sundries range which includes the award-winning Pot Trellis range and Recycled Pots. Finally, Peter Rabbit is a children’s gardening and outdoor adventures range which also features a collection of character garden ornaments.

In appointing Tom as Head of Sales, Treadstone will now focus on continuous improvement of customer service and supporting their brands. Managing Director of Treadstrone Products Marco Abbiati said:

"Our company has grown in the last few years with more presence of our brands in the garden centre market. I am pleased to welcome Tom into our organisation to drive our strategy even further. He brings experience, dynamism, and further enthusiasm to our young team ".

Tom brings a wealth of experience with over 10 years working in the garden products industry. He will now head up Treadstone’s gardening division, working with the team to ensure their quality gardening products are delivered with excellent service levels and standards. A specific focus will be overseeing the delivery and sales on new eco ranges ‘Rope Trellis’ and ‘Recycled Bottle Gloves’, both of which have recently been recommended by BBC Gardeners World Magazine. Tom commented on his recent appointment: 

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the Treadstone family. Their continued commitment to quality, innovation and environmental responsibility has already provided a firm base, and notably seen some fantastic award-winning products. I’m looking forward to working with the team and driving continued success.”

With Treadstone Garden’s brands DARE TO SELL DIFFERENT and get in touch today to find out more about their range. Why not contact tom at tom.stolworthy@treadstoneproducts.com. View the full range on the Treadstone Garden Website.

The Horticultural Trades Association has appointed a new Media Relations Manager, strengthening its commitment to increasing communications and cut-through of the voice of UK environmental horticulture across the media.

Melissa Gerbaldi joins the team from the Royal Meteorological Society, where she was Communications Manager. Melissa’s career has included roles at English Heritage and also training as a journalist. With a wide-range of experience and personal passion for plants, Melissa will further boost the HTA team and delivery of valued communications for members.

Melissa said: “I am excited to be joining the HTA at a critical time when there are so many stories to share from our members and industry as well as the impactful work of the Association itself. It is a great opportunity to use my skills and experience in media relations to help our members prosper and grow and I look forward to getting know everyone.”

Jennifer Pheasey, HTA’s Director of Public Affairs, said “We welcome Melissa to our team at this exciting time for UK horticulture and the HTA. Melissa’s breadth of experience in communications and PR will help bolster the team and provide a key point of contact for media. We are a sector full of opportunities, fantastic businesses and stories, and this role will be key to delivering even more impactful communications for our industry.”

Sustainable home and garden product designer KIN has joined BHETA.  

The company develops products that offer ‘a better and more sustainable way to get jobs done in the home and garden’.  

Whatever the space, the Kin indoor storage is stackable and thoughtfully designed to make home organisation easier and more sustainable.  

The brand’s Clever Pots range for outdoors maximises the use of space from patio to porch, and windowsill to conservatory and helps to keep plants watered for longer and move pots around more easily.

Seema Grantham, BHETA’s sector manager for housewares said: “KIN is a great innovator in sustainable home and garden products and hugely committed to R&D.  I’m delighted that the company is joining BHETA and look forward to welcoming the team to BHETA events in future.”

For more information about BHETA and the retailer networking, market data, lobbying and business support opportunities it offers, contact Seema Grantham on 07946 078566 or view the website at www.bheta.co.uk.

UK companies are being urged to utilise the many advantages available to exhibitors within the CHA-organised UK group at GreenTech, which will take place in Amsterdam, Netherlands from 13-15 June 2023.

UK companies wishing to take a stand at this premier exhibition for commercial horticulture have the opportunity to either join the UK Pavilion or exhibit on an independent stand. Whatever choice you make, by joining the UK exhibitor group you will gain the benefit of all the support, information and advance publicity offered by the CHA team. 

The CHA has organised strong UK groups at GreenTech for many years and as well as providing expert help, advice and promotion before the event, the team will be based on the association’s industry information area within the pavilion in a prime location at the show. The CHA team will be offering additional support for every UK exhibitor during the exhibition and hosting international buyers who visit the UK group to learn more about the exhibitors and their products.   

Director General of the CHA secretariat, Amanda Sizer Barrett said: “The Commercial Horticultural Association is looking forward to supporting UK exhibitors at GreenTech in 2023. We provide a comprehensive show support package for exhibitors, which includes organising space and stand build if required, plus advice and information on all aspects of exhibiting. 

“We also organise excellent international PR coverage before, during and after the event and publish a multi-lingual Product Innovation brochure, which will be sent to international buyers drawn from our exclusive database. Then after the show we offer help to maximise sales leads and provide guidance on converting these to new export sales.” 

The CHA’s comprehensive UK Pavilion and stand package is designed so that participating exhibitors can just turn up and display their products. The association’s dedicated event organisers will help with freight, travel, accommodation and other logistics.

• The global meeting place for all professionals involved in the business of horticulture, GreenTech is the international horticultural exhibition that provides concrete answers to all essential questions in technology and innovation for the production of vegetables, salads, fruit, plants and flowers. 
• GreenTech was created in close co-operation with industry, sector organisations and market leaders to deliver a highly relevant event for the international horticultural industry; it has firmly filled the void left by the demise of HortiFair back in 2012 and established itself as a global meeting place for all professionals involved in horticulture technology.  
• The last edition attracted 10,890 visitors along with 495 exhibitors from over 121 countries.  Visitors to the next edition will see vertical farming, glasshouse equipment, climate and internal technology, horticultural supplies, machinery and equipment, R&D, propagation/breeding, medicinal cannabis, beekeeping and glasshouse construction. 
• There is an extensive educational seminar programme planned, focussing on food and flower crops, climate, water and energy and trends and innovation, that runs alongside the show.

GreenTech offers an exciting opportunity for both new and experienced British exporters to present their latest product developments, services and innovations to global growers and breeders, with the event providing everything they need to grow and to optimise production in vegetable, floriculture, glass and open field horticulture.

If you are interested in joining leading UK suppliers exhibiting at the show by taking a stand on the UK Pavilion at GreenTech, please contact Emma Brazier at emma@cha-hort.com or Lydia Stubbs lydia@cha-hort.com.

To obtain more information about the comprehensive business and export services the CHA provides to its members, please email info@cha-hort.com or visit www.cha-hort.com.

OASIS Schoolyard Project, Paris, France

The sixth AIPH Green City Briefing will showcase the role of schoolyards in becoming transformative spaces for climate ready cities with cohesive communities. Registrations are open for this online webinar, which takes place at 1pm GMT on 21 March 2023.

Organised by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) in collaboration with the Worshipful Company of Gardeners (WCoG) and sponsor Expo 2023 Doha Qatar, the AIPH Green City Briefings 2022/23 are a series of one-hour webinars focusing on cities around the world that demonstrate significant progress in including plants and nature in their city’s form and function.

Paris, France, winner of the Living Green for Social Cohesion category of the AIPH World Green City Awards 2022, is the feature city for this briefing. The city’s winning initiative, the Oasis Schoolyard’s project, launched in 2018 seeks to transform existing outdoor spaces through renewing and greening all 770 schoolyards by 2050. The project responds simultaneously to multiple urban issues such as thermal conditions, lack of green areas within the city, and the design of appropriate public spaces for children growing up in the city. This includes action for work in community cohesion improvement, which is achieved by providing the local community with free access to the schoolyards on Saturdays. By December 2021, 72 schoolyards had been transformed.

Dominic Regester of Salzburg Global Seminar will MC the webinar. He is Director of Education and Director of the Center for Education Transformation at Salzburg Global Seminar, where he is responsible for designing, developing and implementing programs on the futures of education.

Joining Dominic is Heidi Campbell, Senior Program Manager for Evergreen (Canada). Heidi is a design professional and educator who specialises in participatory planning and design approaches for healthy, inclusive neighbourhoods. She leads iterative placemaking processes that engage the public in realising vibrant, resilient spaces for their communities.

Raphaëlle Thiollier, Service Designer on school architecture in Paris, is the second speaker for the briefing and will introduce to the online audience the featured city project. Since 2009, Raphaëlle has worked for the City of Paris. She was a member of the Parisian Resilience team and is currently the Oasis Schoolyards Project Manager.

The subject of this webinar, as with all of the AIPH Green City Briefings 2022-23, resonates with the theme of sponsor Expo 2023 Doha, Qatar, in showing a commitment to creating better spaces for city residents. Recognising that community engagement is part of success, Expo 2023 Doha Qatar motivates that without a change in the mindset of the people and their perspectives on the future, the sustainability of any endeavour would not be possible. City greening, particularly in arid climates, is an increasingly urgent topic, because it can be an answer to global water, energy, and food scarcity problems. Expo 2023 Doha Qatar is open from 2 October 2023 to 28 March 2024 and anticipates 3 million local and international visitors.

For more information and to register, visit the AIPH Website.

Water hyacinth will be returning to GB ponds after significant campaigning by OATA, but not in time for this pond season.

The good news comes as a result of a recent review from the Invasive Non-Native Species team in Defra which has published its list of flora and fauna which will be ‘de-listed’ as a species of ‘special concern’, making them eventually available to sell again.

However, the plants remain illegal until an official change in the statute books, which might not come for some time.

“This is very good news about water hyacinth because we have long campaigned to get this plant removed from the list of special concern,” said OATA Chief Executive Dominic Whitmee.

“We have demonstrated it is not an invasive risk within the UK because it cannot survive our winters and it’s good to see that Defra has listened to the evidence we put forward during the review process.

“Nevertheless, we remind the industry water hyacinth remains illegal to sell until the law has been changed so it’s unlikely this plant will return to garden ponds anytime soon.

“And of course pond season is always an excellent time to talk to customers about the Be Plant Wise campaign which aims to educate gardeners and pond owners about how to stop the spread of garden and aquatic plants beyond the garden boundary.”

The review has also identified a number of species which have been highlighted as potentially invasive. They are currently undergoing a risk assessment process and this could lead to them becoming illegal to sell. The species include the Chinese mystery snail (Bellamya chinensis), Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) and the Chinese pond mussel (Sinanodonta woodiana).

“We will now look at all the other species being proposed for listing as invasive and would encourage feedback from members on whether they sell these species. It is very welcome that Defra has a proper risk assessment process in place to examine the evidence. This is a detailed process and it looks like it could take as long as two years.”

Also delisted is the striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus) although it also remains illegal until the change in the law.

Find more about what’s planned here https://www.nonnativespecies.org/legislation/species-of-special-concern/#delisting

Volume sales in January were 15% down on 2022 levels and only 4% up on 2019 according to analysis of GTN Bestsellers weekly garden centre EPOS Data.  However volume garden centre sales in February 2023 were 14% higher than 2022 and 35% higher than 2019.  That meant we reached the end of February only 0.6% down year on year and 20% up on 2019.

January and February garden centre sales are always affected by the weather so using them as an indicator for the rest of the year can be tricky, but the fact sales volumes for the last week on February 2023 were the highest for that week in any of the previous five years does point to the possibility that when the weather is right, garden centres will be busy with customers looking to make an early start with their growing for the season.

With Mother’s Day, Garden Re-Leaf Day and Easter all in quick succession from the middle of March onwards there are plenty of opportunities to drive footfall and sales.

Watch this space for regular GTN Bestsellers updates.

The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales has announced a new collaboration with social enterprise, Life at No.27, founded by Annabelle Padwick, to help it scale up its mission to create therapy allotments and gardens that will provide mental health support for communities across South Wales.

To mark the announcement, Their Royal Highnesses visited the site today where the first garden will be developed at Brynawel Rehabilitation Centre, near the town of Pontyclun. The project will form the second in a series of ‘community impact’ pilots from The Royal Foundation, designed to leave a lasting legacy in the communities Their Royal Highnesses visit.

The new garden at the Brynawel Rehabilitation Centre will follow the format of existing Life at No.27 therapy gardens in Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and now South Wales, and include a collection of allotments where individuals can have their own space to learn and grow their own produce. This will sit alongside a communal sensory and herbal garden, a mud kitchen and an interactive learning space. The Royal Foundation has convened national and local organisations to support the design and build, as well as provide funding, tools, plants, seeds and materials for landscaping.

The allotments and garden are being developed over the coming months and will offer free and lowcost gardening therapy and mental health support sessions for the Centre’s service users and their families. In time, residents from the local and wider community who are experiencing mental ill health, low confidence or isolation will also have access to the garden through GP referrals.

Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive Officer of The Royal Foundation said: “Their Royal Highnesses are passionate about creating a lasting impact in the communities they visit, playing an instrumental role in bringing together local stakeholders to amplify the work of

organisations, and ensure support reaches those who need it most.

“We are absolutely delighted that the visit to Brynawel Rehabilitation Centre and collaboration with social enterprise, Life at No.27 will mark the second in a series of community impact pilots from The Royal Foundation.

“Their Royal Highnesses continue to prioritise our society’s mental health and spending time in nature is known to have a range of benefits, including reducing depression and anxiety. We are really pleased to be working with Life at No.27 and supporting its mission to help communities across South Wales.”

Annabelle Padwick, Founder, Life at No.27, said: “It’s an honour to have the support and partnership of The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales with Life at No.27. As the founder I have seen first-hand how working with therapy gardens can dramatically improve self-belief and your own mental health.

“Our unique therapy allotments and gardens are vital as they offer a safe environment for those experiencing mental ill health, to process and explore difficult experiences with trained therapists whilst at the same time learning new skills. We are also able to offer children and adults therapeutic opportunities to grow in confidence, resilience and self-belief, whilst experiencing positive human connection, contact with nature, sensory play and restorative conversation.

“Working with The Prince and Princess of Wales is so important as their support enables us to collaboratively raise awareness of the work we do, the growing vital need that we aim to meet and how much the experiences and relationships we have can shape our future."

Darren, Volunteer and former client, Life at No.27, said: “My experiences at Brynawel changed my life and were the best things that happened to me. The help and support I received was really helpful, and gave me the chance to come back as a volunteer. Being able to use the garden as a form of therapy has played a big part in improving my mental health which is why I can’t wait for the new allotments and therapy garden to be developed.” 

In time, Life at No.27 aims to scale this model to create six gardens across South Wales thanks to funds raised via Crowdfunder. To support this, The Royal Foundation are working with Crowdfunder to galvanise additional funds for the garden at Brynawel and for future gardens for Life at No.27.

Annabelle and her team are looking to work with businesses across the gardening industry to support the initiative either through donations or the provision of materials to bring the new site to life, to support the therapy sessions and activity sessions that will be on offer and to become part of this amazing collaboration between Life at No27 and The Royal Foundation.

To find out more visit the Crowdfunding page https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/lifeatno27-brynawel-house-therapy-garden or contact Annabelle directly at https://lifeatno27.com/contact/ to discuss ways your business can help.

A month after His Majesty the King visited Barcham Trees near Ely, Cambridgeshire, on 3 March, Barcham Trees welcomed the South Cambridgeshire MP, Lucy Frazer to the site.

The visit was organised by the HTA and provided Ms Frazer with an opportunity to receive an update on the value that this and other UK horticultural businesses bring to the environment, communities and the economy.

The MP toured Barcham’s potting barn and young tree production area and was also able to see where His Majesty had initiated the planting of a newly forming arboretum. HTA discussed some of the key challenges and opportunities for the sector – from the costs of doing business to transitioning from peat to recognition of the value of environmental horticulture.

Lucy Frazer MP commented: “I really enjoyed my visit to Barcham Trees to find out more about their role in the local community. Their business is not just a great local employer, but is also playing an important part in boosting the environment too. Seeing and learning about the range of beautiful trees they have, was a real inspiration and demonstrated why they are such a success.”

Jennifer Pheasey, Director of Public Affairs at HTA commented: “This visit was a chance to see first-hand the critical and valuable role the environmental horticulture industry plays in the UK and the exciting businesses which are creating jobs, mitigating climate change and boosting health. Being able to discuss the challenges and opportunities with Lucy Frazer MP was extremely timely.”

Warren Holmes-Chatfield, Director of Operations at Barcham Trees commented: “It was great to have our local MP visit the business, and see the changes we have made in recent years. We value the relationship with our local community and our customers – and are proud to have been developing and growing our business in a sustainable way. Barcham Trees is the largest tree container nursery in the UK, and we are committed to sound environmental management of the business, as is reflected by the nature of the business.”

Time might be running away too quickly but there is still time to book your place at the GIMA Day Conference, to be held on Tuesday 14^th March, 10.00 – 16:00 at The Willows Training Centre, Wyboston Lakes, Bedfordshire.

Attendees can look forward to hearing headline talks from Dobbies CEO Graeme Jenkins and British Garden Centres’ PR Communications and Plant Director, Boyd Douglas Davies & Project and Development ManagerAmy Stubbs. They will be joined by Phil Pond from trends agency, Scarlet Opus, who will offer invaluable insight into 2024 trends to help you get ahead of the curve in this rapidly changing socio-economic climate.

Also confirmed to speak at the event are Jack Sweeny of JDS Strategists, who will be discussing The Power of Insight - tomorrow's only competitive advantage - and Tor Newcombe from specialist recruitment business More People will address challenges in the current labour market and how to recruit and retain staff.

With such an excellent speaker line-up this is sure to be a popular event and those who are interested in attending are encouraged to sign up quickly to secure their place. The cost of the event includes a buffet lunch and refreshments:

• The rate for GIMA members is £80 + VAT for the first delegate and £40 + VAT for each additional delegate.
• The non-member rate is £160 + VAT for the first delegate and £80 + VAT for each additional delegate.

For more details visit www.gima.org.uk or contact the GIMA Office on (01959) 564947 or info@gima.org.uk

Dobbies is launching its 2023 Helping Your Community Grow campaign. Designed to enhance communities local to its stores, this initiative will see 76 community groups receive gardening product, support and expertise from the Dobbies’ teams.

Now in its 13th year, Helping Your Community Grow has sustainability at its core and encourages people across the country to care for, nurture and protect their green spaces.

Dobbies is calling on local groups that want to help their community space thrive in a sustainable way to get in touch. Whether it's a school allotment project that allows kids to learn about the health and environmental benefits of growing fruit and vegetables; a community garden or space, looking to bring the outside in; or a charity looking to create a sensory garden to encourage everyone outdoors, Dobbies wants to positively impact communities through its love of gardening.

This year, Dobbies will offer advice, gardening products and tools to community groups across Britain to help them transform their space. Dobbies’ award-winning peat-free compost, recycled and recyclable pots, UK-sourced plants, and safer pest control products are among the many products the garden centre will donate.

Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies said: “Community is at the heart of what we do at Dobbies and we're proud to bring back Helping Your Community Grow for the 13th year.

“Riding for the Disabled Association in Glasgow is just one of the many projects we supported in 2022 and highlights the diversity of the projects we aim to collaborate with. Thank you and well done to the Milngavie team for their excellent work on this project.

“As we’re committed to environmentally-friendly practices, we’re especially interested in hearing from projects with sustainability at their core. As always, our teams will share their expertise in products and practices to ensure an eco-friendly approach.”

Lynda McKeeman, Yard Manager at Riding for the Disabled Association Glasgow, was thankful for the support.

She said: “Dobbies’ support and funding allowed us to create a bright and fragrant sensory trail through the woodland area and out into the pond circuit which has been great for stimulating the senses of the riders and horses.

“We support over 80 people with disabilities and give them the opportunity to learn to ride or spend time with a horse. Our youngest participant is just 2 years old, and our most senior is in their 70s. Many of our attendees have physical disabilities, psychological problems or just need a confidence boost, and horsemanship is a great way to help rehabilitate them.”

Taking part couldn’t be easier and applications are now open. Eligible groups must be located within 20 miles of a Dobbies store or five miles of a little dobbies store. A shortlist of community groups for each store will be made and Dobbies will call on members of the public to vote for their favourite project. Based on the public vote, there will be one winner per store, with the project receiving the most votes securing the national winner title. They will receive additional funding and support.

In addition to Helping Your Community Grow, there will be further opportunities for community groups looking for support, with small grants available from their nearest Dobbies or little dobbies store.

For more information about how to take part in Dobbies’ Helping Your Community Grow campaign, visit Helping Your Community Grow | Dobbies Garden Centres

Hillier Garden Centres has announced the introduction of four new additions to its nurseries in 2023, some of which will be exclusive to Hillier Garden Centres.

This year’s selection is a beautiful mixture of flowering and foliage plants suitable for garden beds and planters and includes:  

• Erysimum ‘Colour Vibe’ collection,  
• Lavandula x intermedia ‘Exceptional’ 
• Cordyline ‘Magic Star’ 
• Dicentra ‘Amore Titanium’ 

All four plants will launch at the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair (28-30 April, Beaulieu, Hampshire), where Hillier are headline Fair partner. Visitors will see be able to see the plants in situ, incorporated into the Hillier Experience garden feature, and buy them from Hillier’s retail area, situated alongside the garden.

The Erysimum ‘Colour Vibe’ collections are available in red and orange and are the first two colours to be exclusively launched by Hillier this year. Chosen for their bright hues and large flowers, these hardy plants are a statement piece, perfect for garden beds and patio planters. Erysimum bloom from March to early summer and can be grown in either full sun or light shade.

Developed at Hillier Nurseries, and exclusively launched this spring, Lavandula x intermedia ‘Exceptional’ is an easy-to-grow, drought-resistant plant with wonderful silver foliage and a rich aroma that attracts a range of pollinators. Ideal for low hedges, mixed borders or patio containers, this unique hybrid is a hardy plant, that holds its silver foliage making it attractive all winter long.

Its prolific flowering and strong upright stems bearing pure white flowers complement Echinacea and Alliums which add colour and height.

Launched for the first time in the UK, the unusual Cordyline ‘Magic Star’ is a simple-to-grow, drought-tolerant foliage plant selected for its striking green and pink colouration. Bringing an exotic feel to any garden. The ‘Magic Star’ is an excellent feature plant, bringing an architectural feel to any mixed patio container. Planted alongside Dahlias and Crocosmia, the dramatic ‘Magic Star’ can create a bold and fiery display in the garden.

Dicentra ‘Amore Titanium’ is another plant that Hillier is launching this spring. Integrating well into many different types of gardens, its attractive blue-silver foliage is an ideal complement to other plantings, attracting bees and butterflies with its unique repeating flowering period. Flowering from May through to October, the Dicentra can be planted in partial shade, creating a colourful display throughout the summer and autumn.

“We are thrilled to be launching our new range of plants this spring. We’ve been developing these for a long time – there are some really unique plants in our 2023 line-up and I can’t wait for people to see them,” comments Charles Carr, Head of Wholesale Nurseries. “There is a wonderful mix of flowering and foliage plants, perfect for adding colour and texture to a whole host of gardens this spring. We will officially be launching these new plants at the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair in April, where they will feature in the Secret Garden inspired garden that Hillier is creating at the fair”.

All of the new plants will be available to purchase in a 2L pot. Retail prices for the plants are;

• Erysimum Colour Vibe Orange - £12.99
• Erysimum Colour Vibe Red - £12.99
• Lavandular intermedia Exceptional - £11.99
• Cordyline australis Magic Star - £19.99
• Dicentra Amore Titanium - £12.99

All new Hillier plants will be available exclusively at all 22 Hillier Garden Centres and online shop from Spring 2023. For more plants and seasonal gardening advice visit www.hillier.co.uk

Following last year’s success, Easitill Ltd has signed up once more to exhibit at the Four Oaks Trade Show to be held in Cheshire, 5 & 6 September 2023. 

Easitill’s director Keith Plekker said: “From the fantastic success and record number of visitors to our stand last year, we are delighted to return to Four Oaks again in 2023 for our 20^th year at the show. This year is of particular importance to us as we celebrate our 35^th anniversary of supporting the horticultural industry with EPoS systems, our labelling solution and more recently websites. We are looking forward to meeting lots of businesses for the first time, as well as having the opportunity to talk to our existing customers. We will be showcasing our latest EPoS developments as we continue to develop our robust EPOS and labelling system.”

For more information about the Four Oaks Show visit www.fouroaks-tradeshow.com

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.

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.

Click on the links below to see The Greatest Christmas Awards judges photo tours of the 17 Gold Award winning garden centres at Christmas 2022:

Altons - The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team, Barton Grange - The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team & The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team, Blue Diamond Newbridge - The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team, Gates - The Greatest Gardening Gifts Sales Team, Gouldings Santa Experience - The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team, Groves Bridport  - The Greatest Christmas Community Event Team, Klondyke High Legh - The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team, Little Dobbies Richmond - The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team, Longacres Bagshot - The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team, Meadowcroft - The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team, Pengelly - The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team, Pugh's Radyr - The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team, Pugh's Wenvoe - The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team, Rosebourne Aldermaston - The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team, Rosebourne Weyhill - The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team, The Old Railway Line - The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video, Woodlands Ash - The Greatest Festive Garden Centre Catering Team

See all the photos from the Awards presentations at Spring Fair here

Watch out for more judges photo tours over the coming weeks.