GTN Xtra has learned of the sad passing of Pat Coutts, the long-time event director of the Four Oaks trade show.

It is understood that Pat had been suffering from cancer and had been in hospital for the past five weeks. She died on Monday.

Friend and former colleague Pat Flynn, trade association manager of the Commercial Horticultural Association, paid tribute to Pat.

“As well as being a wonderful person, Pat was the ultimate professional. She worked incredibly hard and really cared about her exhibitors.

“Pat was always looking at ways at enhancing the exhibitor experience, including being the first show director to introduce free packed lunches on the exhibition stands.

“We worked together at Nexus Media in the late nineties, and it was a joy to be alongside her at events and shows. I spoke to her just over a week ago and she said she was hoping to leave hospital and spend time at home.”

Pat added: “Four Oaks was due to celebrate its 50^th event but unfortunately the show was cancelled this year and last year because of the pandemic. It’s such a shame that Pat wasn’t able to see this milestone being reached.

“She will be sadly missed by everyone who knew and worked with her.”

Monkton Elm Garden Centre was awarded Garden Centre of the Year in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category and the Old Railway Line Garden Centre scooped the award in the Garden Centre (GC) category in the Wales & West region.

Staff at the garden centres celebrated after scooping the awards during a presentation evening at Pugh’s Garden Centre The Vale in Wenvoe.

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “It’s been a difficult year for everyone, but it was wonderful to hold the first of our award meetings since 2019. The Wales & West awards’ evening last night was a huge success, and it was fantastic to see so many of our members turn out for the occasion. 

“It was great to hear our GCA Inspector, Gordon Emslie’s feedback from his inspections on the centres. Now our members can take this vital information back with them to their centres and make any changes needed.

“A big thank you must go Pugh’s Garden Centre, the team there were fantastic hosts for the evening. Our next regional award meeting will take place today at Stratford Garden Centre in Stratford-upon-Avon, also with Gordon, who will present his findings for the Midlands.”

The Old Railway Line also won The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Creativity and Innovation, the GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer in the Garden Centre category and the Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service.

GCA Inspector Gordon Emslie was responsible for inspecting member centres in the Wales & West area.

He said: “People are at the heart of The Railway Line’s ethos and this comes through with the calm way that everyone is looked after. It just feels like you are visiting friends. Its level of operational consistency throughout all departments is what sets it apart from other centres.

“For the Destination Garden Centre category, Monkton Elm is a great example of a centre that focuses on its customers through the delivery of excellent customer service. Its real strength this season was its depth and range in both seasonal and hardy plants, along with strong merchandising, which really stood out when inspecting.”

Huw Lewis, Finance Director at The Old Railway Line Garden Centre and Wales & West Area Chairman, organised the regional awards evening.

“The awards were extremely well attended with approximately 45 attendees from the following centres: Pughs Radyr, Pughs Wenvoe, Brimsmore Gardens, Groves Nurseries, Monkton Elm, Raglan, Bernaville and The Old Railway Line.

“It was great to see so many people in attendance from a variety of garden centres from across the Wales and West area. My sincere thanks go to Nicola, Roger and the team at Pughs garden centres for hosting the awards and for their hospitality throughout the evening. The food was especially good and was admired by all! 

“Gordon provided us with a superb presentation. What really shone through was some of the great displays and merchandising that all the garden centres across the area had achieved despite the challenges we have faced with Covid-19, social distancing and the various issues with the supply chain. My thanks go to everyone who attended and congratulations to all those that won awards.”

The full results for the Wales & West region GCA area awards are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:

Garden Centre of the Year: Monkton Elm Garden Centre (DGC) and Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC)

The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Old Railway Line Garden Centre

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Pughs Garden Village Radyr

Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Old Railway Line Garden Centre

Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: Brimsmore Gardens

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Cadbury Garden Centre (DGC) and Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC)

Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Cadbury Garden Centre (DGC) and Whitehall Garden Centre – Whitchurch (GC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Sanders Garden World (DGC) and Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC)

Staff from GCA member centres in the Midlands received awards during a presentation evening at Stratford Garden Centre in Stratford-upon-Avon.

St Peters Garden Centre was awarded Garden Centre of the Year in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category and Planters at Bretby picked up the accolade in the Garden Centre (GC) category.

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “We’d like to say a huge ‘congratulations’ to all of our winners at our second award meeting, they all thoroughly deserve the recognition and are a testament to us.

“We’d also like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to our inspector, Gordon Emslie, for visiting each centre and providing extensive feedback on what he found. The feedback really is invaluable to our members and one of the main benefits of our membership.

“A big thank you must also go to Stratford Garden Centre for hosting the meeting and to Gwyn and Helen Lloyd and their team for looking after us so well.”

St Peters Garden Centre also won the Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills and the GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer in the DGC category.

Will Blake, Managing Director at St Peters Garden Centre, said: “We’re extremely proud of this result particularly considering the year we have all had. There was tough competition in our area as well, so it’s a testament to the hard work from the whole team and a thoroughly well-deserved result for them!”

GCA Inspector Gordon was responsible for inspecting member garden centres in the Midlands areas.

He said: “Key to this year’s success at St Peters was the welcoming and homely feeling you receive from staff when you visit the centre. Their overall operational consistency across all key elements during the inspection process was extremely strong. Plus, a solid ethos on environmental awareness.

“For the Garden Centre category, Planters at Bretby had focused and delivered very high and consistent retail standards throughout the centre which made for a compelling visitor experience for customers. Their plant area in particular was extremely strong.” 

The full results for the Midlands are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:

Garden Centre of the Year: St Peters Garden Centre (DGC) and Planters at Bretby (GC)

The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: East Bridgford Garden Centre

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Percy Thrower’s Gardening Centre

Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Webbs of Wychbold

Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: St Peters Garden Centre

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: St Peters Garden Centre (DGC) and Webbs, West Hagley (GC)

Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Webbs of Wychbold (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre – Ashbourne (GC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: East Bridgford Garden Centre (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre – Ashbourne (GC)

Garden Centre Association members in Scotland and Northern Ireland are celebrating after picking up awards during a presentation at Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre.

In Scotland, Simpsons Garden Centre (pictured above) was awarded Garden Centre of the Year in the Destination Garden (DGC) category and Klondyke Mortonhall (pictured below) in the Garden Centre (GC) category. In Northern Ireland, Creative Gardens Bushmills (GC) received the accolade.

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “Our third regional awards meeting of the week was a resounding success and it was great to hear from inspector Colin Farquhar, who presented his findings from his inspections, which took place earlier in the summer. The rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland were slightly different during the pandemic too, so it was interesting to see the results.

“We’d like to thank Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre for being fantastic hosts for the evening and all our attendees, who were super positive and proactive throughout. We know they will be sharing it with their colleagues at their own centres to make any improvements when they return after the meeting.”

Simpsons Garden Centre were also the winners of the GIMA Award for Best Garden Projects Retailer (DGC), the Best Outdoor Living Retailer and Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer in the DGC category.

GCA inspector, Colin Farquhar, was responsible for inspecting member garden centres in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

He said: “Simpsons is a really great garden centre that caters for all possible customer requirements, they have managed to maintain the highest standards during their huge renovation and additions, which are due to open soon.

“In the Garden Centre category, the team at Klondyke’s Mortonhall Garden Centre delivered the highest standards of customer care coupled with an industry leading garden centre proposition. As an inspirational centre, Mortonhall delivers throughout the year and is well worth an extended visit.

For Northern Ireland, there is no Destination Garden Centre Category, so Creative Gardens Bushmills won the top award, as well as the Barton Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity, the Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre, the Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills, the GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer and Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer.

Colin added: “Creative Gardens Bushmills is an exceptional garden centre, which produces a great experience for customers looking for top notch products and service. The coffee shop, outdoor barbecue area and plant offering are of the highest standard not matched amongst their competition. It was a pleasure to visit.”

On Tuesday, August 31 inspector Phil McCann will present his findings at the South Thames region meeting at Haskins Garden Centre, Snowhill in Sussex.

The North Thames area awards meeting will follow on Wednesday, September 1 at Perrywood Garden Centre in Sudbury with inspector Andy Campbell. 

Alyson Haywood will then be presenting her findings on Thursday, September 2 for the North East and North West region at Tong Garden Centre in Bradford.

The full results for the Scotland and Northern Ireland GCA area awards are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:

Scotland

Garden Centre of the Year: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Mortonhall Garden Centre (GC)

The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Klondyke Group – Garden Wise Dumfries

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Dunbar Garden Centre

Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Klondyke Group – Mortonhall Garden Centre

Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: Klondyke Group – Mortonhall Garden Centre

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Garden Wise Dumfries (GC) 

Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Garden Wise Dumfries (GC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Garden Wise Dumfries (GC)

Northern Ireland

Garden Centre of the Year: Creative Gardens Bushmills

The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Creative Gardens Bushmills

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Creative Gardens Bushmills

Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Creative Gardens Donaghadee

Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: Creative Gardens Bushmills

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Creative Gardens Bushmills

Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Creative Gardens Bushmills

Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Creative Gardens Galgorm Castle

Online registration for Glee (12th – 14th September, NEC Birmingham) is now live, enabling buyers and retailers to get online and book their free ticket to the first in-person garden trade exhibition anywhere in Europe within the last 18 months!

With the absence of live events having been felt across the industry, retailers from independent and multiple garden centre chains, DIY and high street stores, e-commerce sites, pet shops, home & gift and outdoor leisure specialists, builders’ merchants and landscapers alike will not want to miss out on securing their free ticket to Glee 2021 where over 300 brands – including 100 companies never before seen at the exhibition - come together to showcase eight thriving products sectors and also launch thousands of new products.

To register for Glee 2021 simply visit www.gleebirmingham.com and click the ‘Register Today button to confirm your attendance at the show.

In addition to bringing together the biggest and most exciting showcase of established and emerging brands, Glee will also be a hotspot for cross-industry networking and will benefit from a rich educational and inspirational programme of content that is designed to arm retailers with invaluable advice to help grow their businesses despite challenging trading conditions.

Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director, said: “Whilst visiting gleebirmingham.com view the wealth of wider information that is available, helping you to plan your trip around the show. With so much content and so many exhibitors ready and willing to do business, a visit to Glee can be a fully-packed three-day agenda so time spent pre-planning will pay dividends onsite.”

Important details on the latest Safe & Secure measures put in place to ensure a safe reopening of Glee – including the introduction of Covid-19 Status checks – can also be found at gleebirmingham.com/the-community/safe-secure. All attendees are advised to view this information before travelling to the show.

To keep up to date on the latest Glee news visit www.gleebirmingham.com

or read the Glee Daily News here

With the Bank Holiday weekend sales figures still to be analysed and added into the GTN Bestsellers database we are headed for an all time record August for garden centre sales.

The GTN Bestsellers garden centre EPOS data for the first three weeks of the month shows sales for the month to date were 10.% up on 2020 (the previous record high for the month) and 38% higher than August 2019.

See the full analysis of August sales in the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter, subscribe here.

With less than a month to go until the doors open on the first in-person Glee event in two years, retailers from across the garden retail sector will be busy planning their trip around the show. These retailers will be pleased to learn that this year’s event will be home to both established brands and exciting new grass-root innovators, and during recent weeks the show has welcomed a plethora of companies to the 2021 roster; companies’ retailers will not want to miss out on seeing!

This year Glee is set to welcome over 100 new brands, across its eight thriving product sectors. From exciting pet brands looking to expand their reach into garden centres and new innovators of furniture for the garden and home to unique gift suppliers, fencing experts, firepit designers, lighting experts and soil improvers, Glee will be a varied hotbed of the newest products and suppliers that the garden retail sector has to offer.

Edgard Cooper will be showcasing its new range if naturally tasty pet foods, which includes its first-ever plant-based offering. Backed by sustainable packaging, Edgard Cooper will also be using Glee to tell the market more about its Zero Pawprint Plan – a special strategy to make a positive impact upon the planet by 2025.

Brand new for the 2022 season will be Altico who will be showcasing its complete range of decorative aggregates including Scottish pebbles and Indian stone, plus winter and landscaping essentials. This new company has been brought to market by industry stalwart Antony Harker and marks an exciting new chapter for the aggregates market.

Birkdale – self-penned as “by fencers, for fencers” – will be showcasing a selection of its wholesale gates and fencing products, including its DuraPost fence post system and the recently acquired Ellumiere by Birkdale range - the simplest and most effective 12V garden lighting system in the UK.

Lighting will also be displayed on the Forum Lighting stand. As one of the largest suppliers of lighting and radiant heating solutions, Forum Lighting’s stand will be a must for buyers from across the DIY, garden and wholesale sectors.

Furniture and home accessories will be represented by several exciting brands at Glee 2021 including Italian-based Bizzotto who will be making its debut, whilst Norfolk Leisure, one of the UK’s most passionate outdoor leisure brands will be making its return to Glee after a number of years away from the show. Joining them both will be RiverCo Trading, which will be launching its 2022 range of ergonomically designed furniture for the home and garden at the exhibition.

Elsewhere, Useful and Practical Ideas Limited, also known as the ‘10 Minute Garden’, will be launching its new Flower Tower ahead of the 2022 season. Manufactured using only recycled materials, and designed and manufactured in the UK, the Flower Tower will tap into the trend for vertical growing which has witnessed stratospheric growth during lockdown.

Handmade in Sussex, Corincraft Limited’s range of home fragrances, including aromatherapy stones, will appeal to home and gift buyers who want to bolster the uniqueness of their offering, whilst the team at Top Banana Group UK Ltd will be providing access to thousands of unique gifting products, all designed and manufactured by the UK’s best small creative businesses.

Creativity is at the core of Scrunch Kids’ 2022 offering. Debuting at Glee this September, buyers will no doubt be impressed by the company’s range of buckets, spades and seaside paraphernalia which can be rolled, folded and scrunched to make them virtually indestructible and a godsend for parents packing for family vacations.

Other names confirmed for Glee 2021 include planter suppliers, ArrayGRP Ltd; family-run Christmas tree growers, Ballykelly Christmas Trees; Biomation, a micro-R&D company developing hygroscopic soil improvers from organic waste materials; DSL Group is the company behind superior quality products with mass appeal, as seen on forecourts across the country; crop enhancement and nutritional products will be on display at Engage Agro Europe Ltd’s stand; Moolenaar BV who will be providing both private label and brand flower bulbs, perennials, seeds and plants; Galeabel Studios will be showcasing handcrafted garden décor and art including carved plant labels, birdfeeders and planters; and Hull Fire Pits who will be bringing the heat will its range of flat pack and collapsible firepits as well as Fire Globe Firepits

Register now!

To secure your free ticket to Glee 2021 simply visit www.gleebirmingham.com and click the ‘Register Today’ button to confirm your attendance at the show.

New Miracle-Gro Nourish & Protect is a pesticide free, sustainably packed and sourced range of products. An industry first, each product has two uses: providing the necessary nourishment for healthy garden growth, whilst protecting the garden from unexpected weather changes, as well as unwanted bugs and slugs.

The four new products in the range include: Nourish & Protect for Rose, Shrub & Ornamentals; Nourish & Protect for Flowers, Fruit and Veg; Nourish & Protect Seaweed Plant Food and Nourish & Protect Seaweed Lawn Food.

After extensive research of 13,000 gardeners carried out in 2018, Miracle-Gro identified that gardeners from novice to full green-fingered felt the market for products to care for their garden was a confusing place; the number of products available, their potential effect on the environment and that the need for multiple applications of a product often left them bored and meant they rarely completed the task at hand (Kantar, 2018).

In response to the consumer insight, Miracle-Gro Nourish & Protect was born to resolve the above barriers and simplify gardening in one simple application, with a main goal to encourage gardeners to feed their plants and use preventatively, rather than to treat pests and or disease once it has taken hold.

Mark Portman, Managing Director of Evergreen Garden Care says: ‘‘The launch of the Miracle-Gro Nourish & Protect Range is another exciting development from the UK's leading garden care brand and puts the gardener at the heart of our innovation launching protects the protect the environment, whilst also helping gardeners to nurture their gardens in a simpler way.' 

Nourish & Protect for Rose, Shrub & Ornamentals

Nourish & Protect for Rose, Shrub & Ornamentals is a dual benefit, pesticide-free sprayer combining the feeding action of Miracle-Gro Plant Food with the unique addition of natural castor oil creating a protective barrier against garden pests and diseases (Aphids, Mealybugs, Red Mites, Black Spot, Powdery Mildew and Rust). From early Spring simply spraying the leaves every two weeks will lay a transparent layer of feed and protection on the plants.

Packaging: Nourish & Protect for Rose, Shrub & Ornamentals comes in a ‘Bottle For Life’ that is made from 100% Recycled plastic with the option of an Eco-Refill capsule that saves 94% of plastic.

Price: Nourish & Protect for Rose, Shrub & Ornamentals is priced at £7.99 RRP for 800ml. The Rose & Shrub eco-refill is priced at £4.49 for 24ml concentrate.

Nourish & Protect for Flowers, Fruit and Veg

Nourish & Protect for Flowers, Fruit and Veg is a dual-benefit, pesticide-free formula combining the feeding action of Miracle-Gro Plant Food for healthy plants with natural lava rocks as a physical protective barrier against slugs. Placed around each plant, it feeds the plant and prevents slugs from eating the fruits and vegetables. It is suitable for organic farming can be used also for ornamentals like Dalias and Marigolds.

Packaging: Nourish & Protect for Flowers, Fruit and Veg packaging is 100% Recyclable and made from 30% Recycled plastic.

Price: Nourish & Protect for Flowers, Fruit and Veg is priced at £7.99 RRP for 1kg and £12.99 for 2kg.

Nourish & Protect Seaweed Plant Food

Nourish & Protect Seaweed Plant Food is a dual benefit, natural growth stimulant that combines the feeding action of Miracle-Gro Plant Food with the addition of seaweed that if used regularly, will improve plants' resistance to frost and heat (abiotic stress).It provides the full nutrients that all plants need to stimulate roots development and enhance flowering and fruiting. - It is Rich in organic matter that stimulates soil bio activity and it is also Organic & Vegan.

Packaging: The bottle is made from 100% Recycled plastic and it is recyclable. The bottle is made from 100% Recycled plastic and it is recyclable.

Price: Nourish & Protect Seaweed Plant Food is priced at £6.99 RRP for 800ml.

Nourish & Protect Seaweed Lawn Food

Nourish & Protect Seaweed Lawn Food is a dual-benefit, pesticide-free lawn food that contains seaweed and as a result, if used regularly, helps improve plants' resistance to frost and heat (abiotic stress). It is a natural lawn growth stimulant that supplies Ca, Mg and trace elements for turf growth and all-round lawn health.

Packaging: The Seaweed Lawn Food is packaged in a 100% recyclable carton box.

Price: Nourish & Protect Seaweed Lawn Food is priced at £6.40 RRP for 80m2 and £12.50 for 360m2.

The Nourish & Protect range will be available from January 2022.

For more inspiration, please visit www.lovethegarden.com.

A leading Northern Ireland garden lifestyle business has expanded to open its first retail outlet in Cheshire, bringing to four, the number of garden lifestyle stores operated by Hillmount, a fourth generation family owned business.

Opened by the Mercer family, Hillmount Cheshire represents a £500,000 investment and will initially create five new jobs for the local area.

Speaking about locating the newest member of the Hillmount family of garden centres in England, Robin Mercer, Managing Director of Hillmount, said: “The past 18 months have provided us with challenges and opportunities the likes of which we have not witnessed before.

"The timing to expand into GB felt right, simply because we have developed a strong customer base in England, Scotland and Wales and we want to provide our GB customers with the same excellent customer service that our loyal customers in Northern Ireland enjoy.

“As our online sales to GB have grown steadily in the past 18 months we decided to grasp the opportunity and expand our business to include a physical presence in Cheshire in line with customer demand.

“As well as creating the presence of a new garden lifestyle and outdoor living experience for residents in the local area, Hillmount Cheshire makes liaising with our GB suppliers easier and provides us with an opportunity to expand our online reach further.”

Hillmount Cheshire stocks Weber barbecues and accessories, a wide selection of Kettler garden furniture and gardening equipment. The giftware range offers gifts for all occasions and the clothing area includes outdoor and leisure brand Regatta.

For the latest deals and promotions at Hillmount Cheshire, please visit www.hillmountcheshire.co.uk or follow Hillmount Cheshire on facebook.

Hillmount also has garden lifestyle centres in Belfast, Bangor and Ards.

Non-profit wildflower company, Seedball continues to report a surge in wildflower seed orders following the boost in popularity brought about following the Coronavirus pandemic, as Brits spent more time at home and in the garden, embracing nature. This increase in demand, together with a poor harvest last autumn, has contributed to a nationwide shortage in supply across the UK. 

Seedball Co-founder & Director, Dr Emily Attlee, said: “Unfortunately, the harvest did not produce enough seeds to meet the demand, following the unusually hot spring in 2020. With increasingly variable and extreme weather patterns being recorded, and dire climate change reports, there may be further seed shortages on the horizon. The impacts of rising temperatures on wildflower growth reinforces the urgency for all of us to push climate change much higher up on the agenda.  This calls for urgent action, looking at environmental issues on the whole.”

In addition to the demand for home gardening among consumers, many large landscaping projects that require seeds have restarted after being delayed during the pandemic. This industrial demand has put a strain on seed resources for companies like Seedball. 

Dr Attlee added: “We’re of course delighted to see the demand for wildflower seeds skyrocket, as this means that more people are growing these massively important plants in their gardens, but the seed shortage highlights a wider issue that needs addressing.”

Seedball had the foresight to prepare for the looming seed shortage so sales have been unaffected,  but the industry as a whole has suffered from the combined impact of Coronavirus and climate change.

Yorkshire Wolds artisan drinks producer Raisthorpe Distillery has won a contract to supply its award-winning gins to Tong Garden Centre, Bradford.

One of the biggest independently owned garden centres in Yorkshire, food and drink has long been a key part of the Tong Garden Centre visitor offer and the gins will be stocked in its expanded, new look food hall.

Rebranded as ‘Hearty’s’, the food hall boasts a specialist butchery, deli, bakery and a tempting range of Yorkshire products.

Heartys will stock a range of five liqueur gins including Sloe, Sweet Violet, Raspberry, Rhubarb and Rose and a Damson port under its own label, along with the Yorkshire Tonics range and four varieties of Raisthorpe’s branded gin in Oak Aged, Bramble and Saffron, Elderflower and Gooseberry flavours.

Sarah Dwyer at Tong Garden Centre said: “Our visitors look to us for not only thoughtful food and drink gifts, but also treats and ideas for dining. We have doubled the size of our food hall which has enabled us to offer an even more tempting choice of lovingly-made, hand-crafted and carefully selected produce. 

“Provenance is important to us so we’ve focussed on introducing more produce from some of Yorkshire’s finest artisan makers and we’re pleased to welcome Raisthorpe to the ‘Heartisan’ club.”

Julia Medforth, founder of Raisthorpe Distillery, said: “We are delighted to be in fine company at Tong Garden Centre and to see our gins take centre stage at Hearty’s.”

Raisthorpe is a family business, launched more than 10 years ago by Julia Medforth at the family farm in Thixendale. The company produces a range of award-winning Yorkshire Tonics as well as gin liqueurs, vodkas and dry gin from its own still on the farm.

Raisthorpe has won recognition for its products with 16 Great Taste Awards for its gins and tonics. Products are made using locally sourced ingredients and are also sold through farm shops, delis, independents and the hospitality sector as well as online at www.raisthorpemanor.com.

Thousands of hectares of vital peatland will be restored under ambitious proposals launched this week to help tackle climate change and protect biodiversity.  

Five new landmark projects to restore England’s peatlands to a natural and healthy state will benefit from millions of pounds through the Government’s Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme.  

The Government intends to invest over £50 million in peat restoration, building on its pledge to restore approximately 35,000 hectares of peatland in England by the end of this Parliament.  

As England’s largest carbon store on land, peatlands play a vital role in trapping carbon and also provide a wealth of wider benefits such as improved ecosystems and biodiversity, better water quality and natural flood management. However, only 13% of England’s peatlands are in a near-natural state.

These new projects mark a big step towards achieving our goal to reverse the decline of England’s peatlands and will contribute to the ambitious Nature Recovery Network. 

The successful projects include:

• Northumberland – Led by Forestry England in partnership with the Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Northumberland National Park Authority, Natural England, Newcastle University and the Ministry of Defence, this project aims to restore 827 hectares of peatland on nine closely connected sites in the Border Mires.
• Lancashire and Cumbria – Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Cumbria Wildlife Trust will collaborate to carry out important restoration works on 16 degraded lowland raised bog sites stretching from Merseyside up to the Scottish border. This encompasses former extensive areas of the Solway Plains, Witherslack Mosses, Lancashire plain and Pilling Mosses, Manchester Mosses, to the Mersey floodplain, and is aiming to restore 227 hectares over the scheme’s duration.
• Greater Manchester – The RSPB, in partnership with United Utilities, will deliver a peatland restoration project that aims to restore degraded blanket bog on their partnership site at Dove Stone, aiming to restore 941 hectares of peatland restoration.
• Cornwall, Devon and Somerset – Led by South West Water, this project will restore some of the UK’s most southerly blanket bogs on a total of 42 sites, including Bodmin Moor, Penwith, Dartmoor and Exmoor, aiming to restore approximately 2,634 hectares of peatland.
• Yorkshire, Manchester and Durham – Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, together with the North Pennines AONB Partnership and Manchester University, will carry out restoration work on degraded blanket bog across 15 sites in a new collaboration called the Great North Bog Initiative. This project expects to deliver 3,510 hectares of peatland restoration in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks as well as the Nidderdale and North Pennines AONBs

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “Our peatlands are remarkable habitats which provide homes for many precious species and hold enormous amounts of carbon. By restoring 35,000 ha of damaged and degraded peatlands in England, 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide would be prevented from being released by 2050 which would make a significant contribution to combatting the devastating impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss.  “The projects being awarded funding today will bring about much-needed peatland restoration across the country. We have committed to triple our historic average annual peat restoration figures and these landscape-scale projects will provide a great contribution to achieving this and accessing the wealth of benefits healthy peatlands offer.”

Natural England Chair Tony Juniper said: “Our peatlands exemplify the multiple benefits society can reap from healthy natural systems. They store a vast quantity of carbon, captured from the atmosphere by plants living long ago, they purify and store water, enabling rivers to run steady and clear while at the same time reducing flood risk. “They are also wonderful wildlife habitats, supporting some of our most iconic species, and peat covers some of our most beautiful landscapes, including in the National Parks that we hope even more people will enjoy during the years ahead. By restoring peatlands, we can protect and increase all of these valuable benefits. “I am delighted to see grants being awarded to ambitious and extensive proposals to restore the integrity and quality of peat systems across large landscape areas, contributing to a wider Nature Recovery Network. I am looking forward to seeing how the projects get started and progress.” 

Applications for restoration grants opened in April, as part of the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme, a great step towards reversing the current decline in England’s peatlands. The recently announced England Peat Action Plan also sets out a host of further actions we will take to ensure our peatlands are functioning healthily for the needs of the planet. There are also Discovery Grants available for organisations to scope sites and develop plans for peatland restoration, enabling them to bid for future Restoration Grants. The application window for the first round of Discovery Grants is currently open, closing Wednesday 1 September. The second round of Peatland Restoration Grant applications are due to be launched in early 2022.

In a year that saw Sipcam Home & Garden enhance its ecofective range of products with the introduction of bottles made from 100% recycled materials and refill options across the full range, it comes as no surprise that the brand has witnessed significant growth and has further strengthened its market position.

Retailer response to these latest introductions has far exceeded expectations, with the new refill option proving popular with over 29% of sales having already converted to this greener solution. The Sipcam Home & Garden team expect this conversion to grow further in the 2022 season as replenishment orders are prioritised throughout the buying cycle and retailers look to offer something different to those customers that prioritise minimising plastic waste. Additionally, the team believe that its firm stance on environmentally sensitive garden care products is helping retailers to stock the ecofective portfolio with confidence. 

Nigel Thompson, Head of Sales at Sipcam Home & Garden said: “As experts in pioneering biotechnology, we created the ecofective brand to provide more sustainable products, and the recent updates to our packaging and additional refill solutions is illustrative of our commitment to furthering this into all aspects of our business. For us, there are no grey areas – the consumer and the planet are demanding greener alternatives – so we are making to our mission to deliver. In doing so, we are making the choice easier for retailers, as they know they are stocking a brand that does not compromise on sustainability whilst continuing to deliver products that work.”

The ecofective refill works to reduce plastic waste by utilising 60% less plastic than large pre-diluted bottles. Each 200ml refill contains a concentrated formula that, when mixed with water, can be used to create a new ready-to-use product in an existing ecofective bottle. This means gardeners can continue using their larger bottle and simply recycle the smaller refill. Refills are currently available for ecofective‘s Bug & Mildew Control, Bug Control, Plant Disease Defence, Rose Defender, Slug Defence Spray, and Organic Pour & Feed. 

An additional benefit of ecofective’s refills is the fact that the smaller bottles have a reduced footprint on the shelf, helping to free up space and increase the ROI for retailers. To further support this, Sipcam Home & Garden is currently developing enhanced instore POS solutions to enable its growing distribution channels to confidently communicate ecofective’s eco credentials. Revised POS material expected to be made available ahead of the 2022 season will include new shelf talkers and shelf wrap around displays.

The ecofective brand primarily strives to arm gardeners with very effective alternatives to conventional chemical garden care products and, as testament to its performance, is also used by professional growers. All ecofective formulas are pesticide-free, with eye-catching packaging clearly highlighting all products as ‘child and pet safe’, helping consumers make informed decisions at point of purchase. 

In addition to ecofective the wider Sipcam Home & Garden brand portfolio includes SPOT-ON, GET OFF, FITO and Aeroxon.

Find out more

To find out more about the leading product range from Sipcam Home & Garden, visit www.ecofective.uk.com.

Ellen Mary and Michael Perry, much-loved hosts of the chart-topping podcast, the Plant Based Podcast, are set to take on a 20 mile walk across the Norfolk countryside next month to raise funds for The Feed - a Norwich based not for profit social enterprise on a mission to lift local communities out of poverty, hunger and homelessness.

Michael and Ellen will walk alongside Chris Elliot, marketing manager of The Feed, and Gordon Simpson, director of Howes Percival, on Thursday 16th September in the hopes of raising £600 for the charity.

All money raised will go directly to The Feed, which was founded in 2014 with an aim to help those who have faced unemployment, homelessness, mental health problems, and addiction, as well as a host of other hardships and barriers.

It offers individuals a 40-hour work experience opportunity to equip them with the best chance at moving into employment and other training programmes, whilst aiming to improve their mental health and wellbeing.

The team hopes to raise the amount needed to fund life-changing training for at least one individual who is facing challenging circumstances.

A cause close to both Michael and Ellen’s heart, the duo are champions of the healing power of nature and are involved in a host of local charity work throughout Norfolk and Suffolk.

Ellen Mary commented: “It’s so great to see organisations like The Feed helping to lift those in need out of poverty, and it’s even more heartwarming to see it happening in my local community! I’m delighted to be taking part in the initiative and making a small difference to the lives of those in our local area.

“The 20-mile walk will be a long and challenging one, but spending time in the great outdoors, whether gardening or walking, is therapeutic to me – and what better reason to get outside than to help support such a fantastic cause.”

Michael Perry and Ellen Mary host the Plant Based Podcast, a chart-topping gardening podcast which celebrates the importance of nature and plants in all areas of daily life. Each episode welcomes a plant-loving guest to share their knowledge of plants whilst focusing on a variety of different themes, from vegan bodybuilding and buildings made of plants to bamboo clothing and beekeeping.

It’s fourth series, sponsored by Cobra, saw an impressive array of guests, including TV presenter, Nicki Chapman; comedy writer, Lynn Ferguson; investigative journalist, Nelufar Hadayat and TV presenter, Chris Bavin amongst others. Recording of the firth series is currently underway.

You can donate to the Plants Based Podcast’s fundraiser here.

Dobbies has announced its first Little Seedlings Club in-store event this year, taking place on Sunday 5 September in selected stores across the UK.

Free for children aged 4-10 years old, the Little Seedlings workshops inspire families to encourage their children to get growing, where they can develop their skills and learn about plants, wildlife and the environment.

The first in-store event since March 2020 will be centred around recycling in your garden ahead of Recycling Week (21-26 September). Budding gardeners across the UK will have the chance to create pots from household waste, turn food scraps into fertiliser and explore all the ways in which they can look after the environment and have fun in the garden at the same time. There will be two sessions on offer; session one which is aimed at children aged 4-7; and session two which is aimed at children aged 8-10.

Children will receive a welcome pack when they become a Little Seedlings member, filled with everything they need to get started. When attending the in-store events, children can gain certificates as they go, with bronze, silver and gold awards on offer for attending more than three events. Post event, attendees will take home a guide to help them support and care for the item they’ve created, in addition to an activity sheet to work through.

Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director of Dobbies, said: “At Dobbies, we are constantly looking at ways to get children involved in gardening, and we’re thrilled to have relaunched our in-store Little Seedlings workshops.

“These events are a wonderful way to encourage the next generation to get into gardening and enjoy all the benefits it can bring. The Little Seedlings workshops really do give children a chance to begin a lifelong passion for gardening.”

The in-store workshops in selected stores are free to attend, but booking is required to secure a space. Parents are advised to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

Those that are unable to attend the in-store workshops but would like to be part of the Little Seedlings Club can visit the website for all things gardening. Packed full of activities, tutorials and educational content, the children’s gardening club is a fantastic place for parents and children to go to get gardening ideas and learn all about wildlife, plants and the environment.

Little Seedlings Club workshops will be running on Sunday 5 September at the following stores: Aberdeen, Ashford, Atherstone, Ayr, Birtley, Braehead, Brighton, Carlisle, Chesterfield, Cirencester, Dundee, Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Gillingham, Gosforth, Hare Hatch, Huntingdon, Inverness, Kings Lynn, Lisburn, Liverpool, Livingston, Milngavie, Morpeth, Northampton, Perth, Peterborough, Ponteland, Preston, Reading, Sandyholm, Shrewsbury, Southport, Stirling, Stockton, Swindon and Woodcote Green.

For more information on the Little Seedlings Club, or to find out how your little one can participate in the ‘recycle in your garden’ instore workshop, visit www.dobbies.com/little-seedlings.

Colin Squire OBE, Chairman Emeritus of Squire’s Garden Centres, has been awarded the prestigious Dean Hole Medal by The Rose Society UK in recognition of his work with and love of roses. 

The award was presented by John Anthony, Chairman of The Rose Society, in Peter Seabrook’s rose bed exhibit at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC in Birmingham.

The Dean Hole medal was introduced by the National Rose Society, the forerunner of today’s society, in 1909 for ‘service to the genus rosa’ and is the most highly regarded honour in the field of roses. Notable past recipients include Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and The Queen Mother in 1980, and David Austin in 1999.

Derek Lawrence, Chairman of the ‘Honors Committee’ at The Rose Society UK said: “We are delighted to bestow the ‘Dean Hole Medal’ to Colin Squire OBE. He has given such an outstanding contribution to the rose world with his selfless determination to ensure that the general public are aware of the sheer beauty, fragrance and attributes of the rose. Since 1977, he has lavishly hosted the National Amateur Rose Show at Squire’s Garden Centres. He also graciously agreed to become President of The Rose Society in 2017, and has steadfastly given both moral and practical support to the Society, whenever required.

Colin loves roses, and actively promotes the sheer charms of the ‘Queen of all Flowers’. It was the Reverend Samuel Hole (known as Dean Hole) who instigated the first national rose show back in 1858, and who famously quoted; ‘He who would have beautiful roses in his garden must have beautiful roses in his heart’. This admirably sums up Colin, who richly deserves this most prestigious of Honours.”

Colin Squire OBE, Chairman Emeritus of Squire’s Garden Centres, commented: “I feel so very honoured and privileged to have been awarded the Dean Hole medal by The Rose Society. Roses hold such a special place in the history of gardening and in the hearts of many people. I would encourage anyone with a love of roses to join The Rose Society UK.

"I am often asked to name my favourite rose. I am always drawn to ‘Peace’. It is an excellent Hybrid Tea Rose with pale yellow flowers on a hardy and vigorous plant. It was developed by famous French grower Meilland shortly before World War Two. To ensure the survival of the variety he sent cuttings to friends overseas just before France was invaded. The Americans called the rose ‘Peace’, announcing the official name on the day Berlin fell. A rose was given to each of the United Nations delegates who met in 1945. So this is a very special rose indeed, and we certainly need a little more Peace in the world right now.”

Pictured from left to right:  Ray Martin (The Rose Society), Colin Squire OBE (Squire’s Garden Centres), John Anthony (The Rose Society) and Peter Seabrook.

Antony Harker is back - Garden industry investor embarks on a new venture with Altico.  

In the August issue of news and information for garden centre professionals:

• Patio Black Spot - Bloomin Marvellous on Patios.
• Antony Harker launches Altico at Glee.
• Made to measure merchandising from Primeur.
• Meadow View Stone Delivers.
• Miss Marple Afternoon Tea – Alan Roper’s new dining concept.
• Blue Diamond Springfields, GTN Photo Tour.    
• Downtown Grantham, GTN Photo Tour.
• Glee 2021 is ready to refuel retail.
• HTA Column – Job for life?
• LOFA Member profile – Traeger.
• GIMA Column – A Celebration of newness.

GTN August 2021 Issue

As there will now be a break with no live football on TV until Sunday, it's coming home, how about gorging yourself on a smörgåsbord board of SOLEX videos.  Here's the SOLEX SUN video showreel, enjoy!  And if you want to watch even more just go to the SOLEX On-Line website and watch to your hearts content.

4Seasons Outdoor

A&E Leisure

Alfresco Chef

Ascalon Design Ltd 

Barlow-Tyrie  

Bramblecrest

Cadac UK

Dansons 

Daro   

Extreme Lounging    

Firmans Direct Ltd      

FLOGAS           

Ginique Ltd     

Grakka           

HartmanUK   

Kadai Ltd      

Kamado Joe    

LeisureGrow Products  

Lifestyle Appliances      

Lifestyle Garden @ ScanCom     

Maze    

Norfolk Leisure Lifestyle Ltd    

Pacific Lifestyle Limited          

Que Fresco       

Quest  

Rotospa    

Supremo Ltd   

Traeger Pellet Grills Europe        

Tramontina UK Ltd  

Zest4Leisure (P&A Fencing)      

Hornby Whitefoot PR are looking for a top notch, self-motivated PR Account Manager to come onboard and help us manage our extensive gardening and lifestyle client list. The successful applicant will have at least two years’ experience of managing all aspects of both B2B and B2C client PR needs, from planning, project management, copywriting and analysis to all-round client, media and supplier liaison.

Our team relies on highly competent individuals working from home as part of a wider colleague network, so you’ll need to hit the ground running and be able to deliver excellent, on-brief PR. We’re looking for digital and social media nous as well as traditional public relations, event and promotional skills. Plus you’ll need a love of all things gardening, home and lifestyle!

Salary dependant on experience and working hours. You’ll also find our team and our clients great to work with! So if you’d like a fulfilling new role at the best garden and home PR agency around, get in touch.

Send your CV to kimberley@hornbywhitefootpr.co.uk, plus a covering letter.

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With a goal of £150million revenue within three years, AMES UK has ambitious growth plans for the future. Driving the business to achieve this target is their recently appointed Commercial Director, Nick Jones, who now heads up sales, customer service, marketing and product management for the integrated business brands – Kelkay, La Hacienda and Apta.

Nick joins AMES UK having spent the past 10 years in another sector dominated by strong independent retailers. He has served in sales, marketing, customer service and product management roles in the Kitchen and Bathroom retail sector. This has given him a unique perspective on the opportunities and threats associated with independent retailing.

In his new role as Commercial Director, Nick is already overseeing an impressive 30% growth in the AMES business for 2021 and says that he now has clear visibility of further double-digit growth in the order book for 2022. He’s planning how to extend that growth even further through a focus on new product development and introductions.

“Following an essential range rationalisation programme, my focus now is on new products and the development of a strong pipeline of innovation. Our three-year plan will see a channel-specific product introduction strategy to create and protect value in our four brands to the benefit of all our customers,” said Nick.

Paul North, AMES UK MD says of Nick, “I’m so delighted to welcome Nick to the team. He will fit perfectly into the team where his practical skills and strategic leadership will be key to delivering our goals” 

Although Nick’s most recent commercial experience lies in the kitchens market, he confesses to being a bit of a closet gardener. “My ambition as a child was to become a landscape gardener, and I guess this role is about as close I am likely to get to that for now! Gardening remains a guilty pleasure for me and its one of the ways I enjoy spending my down time”

Nick’s young family and most recent addition, a 10 month old Jackapoo named Chester, mean that ‘down time’ is something Nick is unlikely to see much of in the near future.

Back by popular demand, Thursday at Glee is your chance to join in some light-hearted fun as we get all floral to raise money for Greenfingers.

Just come to the show in your brightest floral gear, buy a Floral Tursday raffle ticket and be part of a record-breaking floral gathering.

Who will be wearing this shirt on Floral Thursday? Find out at Glee.

Langlands Nurseries Ltd has appointed Daniel Lawton as Director. Dan started his new role on August 1 and is bringing over 18 years of industry experience into the business.

He first started working for the company in 2012 before acquiring an extensive range of skills and knowledge in other garden centres.

“My garden centre career began at the age of 15 in Heighley Gate Garden Centre where my role involved loading cars with compost and pushing trolleys. Developing a deeper interest then I went on to study horticulture for three years whilst working in the centre. Over the last 18 years I have gained a huge amount of experience being employed by a number of other businesses within this field," said Dan.

“I feel honoured and privileged to be joining James and Robert Ducker as a director of Langlands and I would like to thank them for this fantastic opportunity. Langlands has had a tough 18 months, but I am proud to say that the team have done an amazing job providing a great service to our customers. We will continue to focus on investing in the team and making improvements within the centres.”

James Ducker, Managing Director of Langlands Nurseries Ltd, added: “It is with great pleasure that I am announcing the appointment of Dan as a Director of Langlands Nurseries Ltd.

"He has been a crucial part in steering the company through the Covid pandemic and with Dan now on board as a Director, I am certain Langlands will continue to thrive.”

Langlands Nurseries Ltd is a well-established family business with remarkable community spirit. The company which trades from three sites Shiptonthorpe, Whinmoor and Loxley is running under the ownership of James Ducker whose grandfather Walter Ducker founded the business in 1955 and demonstrates a consistent track record of strong, continuous growth in revenue.

The Eden Project’s stunning wildflower fields are abuzz with activity as the harvesting season begins. 

The National Wildflower Centre team, with the help of their buttercup-yellow combine harvester Sunny, are hard at work collecting seeds sewn in the Spring. 

Seeds being harvested are mostly from cornflowers – the bright blue flower now largely extinct in the wild due to intensive agricultural practices and particularly attractive to bumblebees and birds. Also included among the haul are poppy seeds. 

In total, three fields near the entrance to the Eden Project are being harvested. For every gram, there is an average of 200 seeds collected. The project will see around 100 kilograms harvested over the three fields. 

Once collected, the seeds are bagged and laid out to dry at the Eden Nursery. After being cleaned, they will then be added to wildflower seed mixtures. 

The aim of harvesting the seeds at Eden is to increase the resources available for wildlife diversity and to help with nature recovery. 

The seeds are held in the National Wildflower Centre seed bank at Eden. Building up the stock allows the team and others to use them for future community service projects and creative conservation activities in the South West and nationally. 

Some of the seeds are also sold in packets through the Eden Project shop, allowing anyone to create their own wildflower garden in their own space. 

Richard Scott, Technical Director at the National Wildflower Centre, said: “These wildflower seeds from Eden’s glorious fields will help bring delight and colour into the lives of communities in the South West and nationwide, as well as supporting biodiversity throughout the country. 

“We named our combine harvester Sunny to reflect the notion that seeds are essentially condensed sunshine. We hope that the seeds harvested here help brighten up the many spots they will grow in.” 

Creative conservation is at the heart of the National Wildflower Centre’s projects. They create new wildflower landscapes in partnership with communities, businesses, local and parish councils, and other organisations, and run conservation projects that bring threatened species back from the brink. 

Their projects combine conservation, creativity and colour to make new wildflower habitats that support wildlife and connect people to the natural world.  

The National Wildflower Centre opened in the Knowsley borough of Merseyside in 2000 as a Millennium project, funded by the Millennium Commission and Big Lottery. It closed in January 2017 and in 2018, the Eden Project stepped in to save its legacy and build a new partnership that continues to flourish from its South West base. 

The largest European Home & Gift buying event of the year, Autumn Fair, taking place on 5th-8th September at NEC Birmingham, has announced that retail entrepreneur, TV Dragon, and founder of Small Business Sunday, Theo Paphitis will deliver a keynote conversation on Tuesday 7th September delving into the evolving shape of UK retail.

Theo Paphitis, small business champion through #SBS Small Business Sunday and well-known TV dragon and retail entrepreneur says; "Autumn Fair is always a fantastic opportunity for connecting retailers and suppliers.  After many months of making the best of the virtual world, this Autumn Fair is another sign that retail is getting back on its feet and people are wanting to attend these live shows.  It is always a much-anticipated event for my #SBS Small Business Sunday winners and an opportunity for them to further blossom as a business. I'm delighted to be attending once again in Birmingham, anticipating the live buzz of the event, talking about retail and of course visiting the #SBS Pavilion. I'll see you there!"

Suzanne Ellingham, Head of Content, Autumn Fair adds; “The last 18 months have left their mark on all retailers. However, with all change comes opportunity, and the chance to change the way that consumers think about retail. We are excited to welcome retail entrepreneur Theo Paphitis to the Inspiring Retail Stage to discuss some of the big questions around how independent retailers, who are potentially positioned to come out of this period stronger than ever, take advantage this period of change. From how they stay on top of consumers evolving expectations, and why they need to double down on the service no question is off limits in this frank and honest discussion with World Retail Congress editor and Forbes contributor Mark Faithful.”

Squire’s Garden Centres have announced their ‘Charities of the Year’ for 2021-2022. The charities include Challengers, LinkAble, JAC, Shooting Star, White Lodge, Royal Surrey Charity and many others.

Team members at each of Squire’s sixteen garden centres chose the local charity that they wanted to support, and they will be fundraising and helping raise awareness of their chosen charity throughout the year.

Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres commented; “We believe it is so important to work with and be part of the local communities in which we are situated, so every year each of our garden centres support a local charity that is close to their hearts. We will help raise awareness of our chosen charities as well as fundraise for them. As always, we are extremely grateful to our customers and colleagues for their support and generosity in helping these brilliant local causes.”

Becky Cox, Partnerships Manager at Challengers said; “Challengers are delighted to be chosen as Squire’s West Horsley’s Charity of the Year. Squire’s support enables Challengers to provide fully inclusive play and leisure opportunities for local disabled children and young people. At Challengers, the young people are able to play, make friends and try new activities while giving their families much-needed respite from care responsibilities. This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of our amazing cause, as well as raise much needed funds, and we are really excited to work with Squire’s over the next year!”

Rhys Parker, Fundraising and Communications Manager at LinkAble said; “We are delighted that LinkAble has been chosen by Squire’s Woking as their charity of the year. It is a great opportunity, and one we are looking forward to, for us to work together to raise funds and awareness of our work supporting children and adults with learning disabilities in Woking and the surrounding areas.”

Giving visitors the chance to experience the five RHS Gardens in a whole new light, the twinkling winter walks are unique to each location and highlight some of the season’s most spectacular sights after dark.

A new event on the calendar for 2021, RHS Garden Bridgewater will get its glow on for the very first time following its opening in May. Discover a colourful new perspective on iconic areas such as the Weston Walled Garden and Chinese Streamside Garden. Selected dates from 17 November – 30 December 2021. For more information and to book, visit www.rhs.org.uk/bridgewaterglow

At RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, exciting new light displays await visitors on an illuminated trail taking in the enchanting woodland for the first time, with the garden’s most iconic features lit up in technicolour. Selected dates from 18 November – 29 December 2021. For more information and to book, visit www.rhs.org.uk/harlowcarrglow

After the sell-out success of its first event in 2020, Glow returns to RHS Garden Hyde Hall, near Chelmsford in Essex. As well as an extended run of dates, a longer route for 2021 will see visitors journey through areas including the Australia and New Zealand Garden, while the famous Dry Garden will be all aglow. Selected dates from 10 November 2021 to 1 January 2022. For more information and to book, visit www.rhs.org.uk/hydehallglow

A brand new illuminated experience awaits at RHS Garden Rosemoor, in Great Torrington, Devon, with visitors enjoying a new, longer voyage through the magical, misty Lower Woodland Walk, with a shorter option available for less mobile visitors. Selected dates from 18 November – 30 December 2021. For more information and to book, visit www.rhs.org.uk/rosemoorglow

At RHS Garden Wisley near Woking in Surrey, where last year’s event sold out in days, the popular display inside the magnificent Glasshouse will return, with new light shows and atmospheric music to discover around the garden. Selected dates from 19 November 2021 to 4 January 2022. For more information and to book, visit www.rhs.org.uk/wisleyglow

Tickets for Glow at all RHS Gardens must be booked online in advance. Festive refreshments will be available at all gardens. For further information, visit www.rhs.org.uk/glow.

Buddleja davidii 'Botex 006' (BUTTERFLY CANDY LITTLE RUBY) has been named as the Best Novelty of SVB 2021 by the Nursery Trade Fair Foundation (SVB). The plant was submitted by Van Son & Koot bv from Kaatsheuvel.

Van Son & Koot bv submitted a series of compact Buddleja, the Buddleja Butterfly Candy series, for the novelty showcase. The plants bloom beautifully and are filled with neatly presented flowers. Buddleja davidii 'Botex 006' (BUTTERFLY CANDY LITTLE RUBY) was awarded gold, partly due to its distinctive deep red flowers, which are exceptional for Buddleja. One general comment by the jury on this series is that it is not clear whether or not the plants are sterile.

Gold, silver, bronze

Only the best novelty was awarded gold by the jury. Buddleja davidii 'Botex 005' (BUTTERFLY CANDY LITTLE PINK), also submitted by Van Son & Koot bv, was awarded a silver medal. The jury also awarded 17 bronze medals.

27 plants judged

For this edition of the novelty showcase, 30 novelties were submitted. Of these, 29 entries were accepted for the showcase. In the end, 27 plants were judged. Unfortunately, two participants were forced to withdraw their entries due to unexpected circumstances. The novelties are judged by a professional judging committee from the Royal Society for Boskoop Cultures (KVBC).

The plants that were judged, including of course the Best Novelty, can be seen during the GROEN-Direkt autumn trade fair, which takes place on 25 and 26 August from 7:30 to 16:00 at Noorwegenlaan 37 in Hazerswoude-Dorp, the Netherlands. Presenting the plants here helps attract the attention of international buyers from the public.

Nursery Trade Fair Foundation

The Nursery Trade Fair Foundation aims to promote trade in nursery stock products. Showcasing novelties is an extremely important element of this. That is why the board has decided to offer those in the field an opportunity to present their novelties to buyers through this showcase.

Garden Centre sales keep bucking “normal” trends this summer with sales volumes reported in the GTN Bestsellers aggregated garden centre Epos data staying at the high level of the first week in August when normally we’d all be expecting sales to be tailing off before the start of an increase for Autumn gardening.

That all meant sales for the second week of August 2021 were 19% higher than in August 2020 and a whopping 47% ahead of 2019 levels.

With bulbs only just being delivered into centres after the late harvest this year plant sales and Veg 2 Gro sales both were 15% up on last year.

Watch this space to see how Autumn gardening activity tracks against previous years…

Please note our last week, year on year comparisons, below, are now back to 2020.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 33.

• Garden Products Top 50 – down 8%
• Growing Media Top 50 – down 6%
• Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 15%
• Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – up 35%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 33.

•           All Plants with Barcode index – up 15%

•           All Items with Barcode index – up 19%

Taylors Bulbs are gearing up for what promises to be a busy season with high consumer demand for spring flowering bulbs. But, with the dual impacts of a cold, dry spring giving a late growing cycle and then heavy rain just before harvest was due to begin, the bulb harvesting programme is currently running two weeks behind what would be considered a normal season.

Varieties that would usually be ready for despatch in mid-August are only just being harvested and the impact on deliveries is likely to be a 10–14 day delay to planned delivery schedules.

Adam Taylor, director of Taylors Bulbs, said: “We are experiencing an extraordinary season with unprecedented delays for bulb harvesting. The growing season was late because of a cold, dry spring and then just as harvest was to begin, many bulb growing areas received exceptionally heavy downpours. Some areas received 130mm of rainfall in 36 hours and this has delayed and slowed harvest but it has also meant that the drying process has taken longer as well.

“Although later than normal, the British grown daffodil harvest is now complete and grading is well-under way, but it is our bulbs grown in mainland Europe that were hit particularly hard by the wet weather that made such awful headlines in Germany. We would encourage customers to unpack deliveries as soon as they arrive and display and store their bulbs in a well-ventilated place to help keep them in the best condition. We thank our customers for their understanding of the delays and look forward to a successful selling season.”

Taylors are exhibiting at Glee on 14-16 September at the NEC.  “We are looking forward to Glee and being at a trade show for the first time in two years.  It will be great to see familiar faces and to get to grab that person walking by for a catch-up”, added Taylor.

For further information, contact Adam Taylor by email. 

After a fantastic GLEE 2019, the team at Treadstone Products is looking forward to being back at the NEC this September.

“We can’t wait to show customers old and new our new developments for the 2022 season” explains Dean Winters, Treadstone’s Head of Brands. 

“2020 and 2021 have certainly been challenging, but at the same time, like many in the industry we’ve had 2 record years and we know the new products we are launching will ensure 2022 proves to be just as successful”.

Treadstone will be launching new ranges and products across all 3 of their brands:

• ClipGlove – the multi-award winning garden glove range.
• Peter Rabbit – children’s gardening and outdoor fun.
• The Good Life – core garden sundries.

“We are back in hall 8, stand A41, but this year we’ve increased our space by over 30%” explained Dean “we’re excited by the design of the new space and are really looking forward to showing the industry what we are planning to fill it with!”

Retailers interested in working with Treadstone Products can contact the company on 01978 664 667 or email sales@treadstoneproducts.com or for more information, visit www.treadstoneproducts.com.

Field Sales (Retail Support)

This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at Creative Products. 

We are a well-established, fast growing, Instore TV promotion company selling an exciting range of FMCG products using instore TV advertising to maximise sales.

We are seeking a hard-working, dedicated full time merchandiser/area representative to look after our accounts across London, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey.

Our customers are predominantly garden centres but also include High Street and out of town retailers. 

To see what we do visit https://www.creativeproducts.ltd.uk/in-store-tv/

The Role

• To make our in-store promotions as profitable as possible.
• Building excellent relationships within our customers stores.
• Product Changeovers.  
• New business store set-ups including installation of new promotional equipment.
• To be accountable for a set area of approximately 60 stores. • 
• Providing first-class customer service and support to all our customers.
• Ensuring our products are merchandised to the highest standard at the point of sale to ensure maximum sales.

Candidate requirements

• You will be confident, have a smart appearance with the ability to develop good customer relationships.
• You should have good commercial awareness and understand how the critical placement of products within retail stores affect sales performance.
• Have similar experience or experience of working in retail, preferably within the garden centre industry.
• Have good organisational skills.
• Be customer focused, with the ability to develop customer relationships and sales opportunities.
• Have basic computer skills, particularly with Microsoft Office features such as Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Hold a full clean  UK driving licence.

Some overnight stays may be required as well as visits to our head office in Lincolnshire every 3-4 weeks.

Company van, telephone and laptop provided.

Company Pension Scheme also offered.

Starting salary in the region of £23,000 with an increase after completion of successful 3-month trial period.

Applications to sally.ginver@creativeproducts.ltd.uk and richard@creativeproducts.ltd.uk

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

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

The Food Standards Agency has revealed it hasn’t found a causative link between recalled cat food and an outbreak of feline pancytopenia, which has killed more than 350 pets.

Along with the Royal Veterinary College, the FSA has been investigating the deadly disease since June when reports of cat deaths were first discovered.

Investigations led to the recall of three brands of hypoallergenic dry cat food produced by Fold Hill Foods, which were thought to be contaminated with mycotoxins. The foods – Applaws dry cat food, Pets at Home AVA and Sainsbury’s Hypoallergenic dry cat food – were recalled by the company while investigations were carried out.

The FSA has now issued an update on its investigations. It said: “The Food Standards Agency has been working closely with Fold Hill Foods over the course of the investigation into the recalled cat food. The company has co-operated fully.

“The results of extensive testing identified higher levels of mycotoxins in some samples of the recalled cat food. This includes specific compounds known as T2 and HT2. These products are no longer on sale.

“Mycotoxins are found in some types of feed and food and do not, in themselves, indicate they are the cause of feline pancytopenia. No causative link between pancytopenia and the recalled cat food products has been established.

“As a result of these findings, Fold Hill Foods is working with its local authority to take steps to resume production.”

A multi-agency approach will continue to try and identify the causes of the pancytopenia. As new information emerges, the FSA will review its approach on managing any identified risks in animal feed and inform industry so that they can take any action required as a result of its findings.

The FSA added: “We understand how upsetting the past two months have been for cat owners and know how important it is that the cause of the recent feline pancytopenia cases is established.  

“Our tests and analysis to date have not found a causative link to the pancytopenia cases, but our investigation is ongoing and we will provide an update once we have more information.”

Responding to social media posts suggesting that food containing mycotoxins was unsafe for cats, the FSA said: “The mere presence of mycotoxins in cat food does not necessarily pose a risk to cats. Mycotoxins are naturally occurring substances produced by certain types of moulds (fungi) which can grow on a variety of different crops and feedstuffs.”

The full FSA update can be viewed at https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/news/further-update-from-the-food-standards-agency-and-food-standards-scotland-following-the-rise-in-cases-of-feline-pancytopenia

Beaphar UK is returning to PATS Telford after several years of exhibiting at the Sandown exhibition, and is geared up to showcase a host of new products.

“It has been a challenging 18 months, so we are really excited to be able to see our friends and customers from the wider pet trade in person once again,” said Dr Sue Huggett, Beaphar UK’s business manager.

“PATS is always a highlight of the pet trade calendar, and this year we’re very excited to be returning to the Telford exhibition for 2021. We look forward to welcoming both existing and new retailers to our stand.”

In the run up to November 5^th, Beaphar UK will be highlighting the latest additions to its popular pheromone calming range – Beaphar CatComfort and Beaphar CaniComfort Calming Spot-Ons.  

“The new spot-ons are a unique product for the calming sector. The use pheromone technology to allow pet owners to provide comfort and reassurance to their cats and dogs for up to one week, wherever they go,” said Dr Huggett. “They’re a brilliant addition for the upcoming firework and festive season, and we’re looking forward to speaking to retailers about them.”

Alongside the spot-ons, Beaphar will be showcasing its extensive dental range for cats and dogs, and introducing another exciting new product, which will be available to retailers in early October. On stand there will also be a chance to win a fabulous prize, and some great show deals available too. 

CSJ, the natural dog food company, are delighted that their couriers, DPD, deemed the UK’s most sustainable delivery company, are doubling the size of their all-electric Green Fleet...

DPD have ordered 750 Maxus edeliver vehicles and are already delivering green to UK cities.

As an eco-conscious company CSJ are committed to an ongoing process of making their business as green as possible and actively seek to work with like-minded suppliers and partners.

CSJ’s owner and founder Ceri Rundle says, “We are consciously looking at everything we do and recently started encouraging customers to cut down on their number of deliveries by for example ordering in multiples of 2 bags so halving the deliveries and delivery costs to themselves. 

Also, earlier this year, we re-launched our Billy No Mates! flea, tick and mites easy use tincture in a bottle made from recycled milk bottle tops!

Ceri adds, “Last year’s March Covid 19 lockdown illustrated what a huge difference the lack of traffic made to air quality and the environment in a very short time and this reinforced our determination to continue to strive for sustainability and green opportunities in every step of our processes.”