With two full weekends to go until the big day it’s crunch time for serious seasonal promotion. Stars for Europe, the pan-European poinsettia campaign have been busy with a range of projects all aimed at helping you sell more. But this time they just want you to sit back and let yourself be inspired by their range of videos.

The Stars for Europe YouTube channel, MyPoinsettia, is updated with films for consumers and trade, featuring all things from serious floristry to DIY décor ideas for the home and in-store presentation tips.

The selection dedicated to garden centres features a film full of tips to promote sales with poinsettia presentation; clever display ideas to share with staff to really boost those impulse buys.

Plus there’s a care guide to share with your team so you can sleep soundly knowing your precious poinsettias are in good hands.

Check out the production films to see the back-story behind how hundreds of thousands of the popular Christmas classic are grown... it’s far more complicated than you’d expect and it’s sharing this knowledge with customers that will make you stand out from the crowd and the supermarkets.

Each year there’s also a brand new range of consumer-focussed films sharing creative ideas for making homes magical with your key seasonal product... From techniques for making poinsettia bracts chopped from the plant last as a cut flower to design inspiration for the dinner table and fun crafts for kids.

Have them playing on a screen by your poinsettia display or use your social media channels to share them with your customers so they’re inspired to come in-store and have a go themselves. You could even have staff doing live demonstrations.

Feeling creative? Have a go!

For more poinsettia tips and information visit sfe-web.com.

Trade videos...

How to promote sales with poinsettia presentation ideas

Poinsettia care guide

Behind the scenes: the story of poinsettia production

Consumer videos...

Cut flower poinsettias in DIY bottles

Upcycled poinsettia lampshade display

Poinsettia chair back designs for the dinner table

Fun sweet vase décor idea

With the bad weather approaching fast many Garden Centres will be assessing their requirements for Rock Salt.

Salt in general provides huge potential for winter sales, in what can be a quieter time for many centres.  However retailers must be vigilant in ensuring that the product that is sold contains no less than 90% salt in order to comply with British Standards BS3247.  Ensure that you are purchasing your salt from a reputable supplier who not only certifies that the product conforms to British Standards, but is someone you can trust for continuity of supply and product quality.

Meadow View Stone supply Garden Centres with either pure White Marine or pure traditional Pink Road Salt, both of which have not been diluted by blending in any grit or sand, meaning they are over and above the British Standards compliance amount.  Furthermore as our salt is pure it provides a much cleaner solution in clearing ice and snow as it leaves no residue, when compared to cheaper alternatives such as winter grit which tend to leave a trail of slushy sand.

Our salt is supplied in strong durable white bags with a colourful design, that is unique in its manufacture by having an inner black layer which serves to prolong the shelf life of this product by up to two years in comparison to standard bags.

We look forward to supplying you with any of your future rock salt requirements of either pre-packed, loose or bulk bagged and we are currently offering exception deals on Rock Salt, please call us for information on Tel: 01948 841607 or email info@meadowviewstone.co.uk

The property, which had a guide price of £2 million, went under the hammer at the auction in the Holt Suite at Aston Villa FC on Thursday.

The garden centre closed when the owner Mark Tredwell retired earlier this year. The business had its roots in the flower shop his grandmother started in Sparkbrook in 1900. Her own father had sold chrysanthemum plants from his back garden in 1881.

A second shop was opened on Sparkhill where seeds, plants and garden sundries were also on offer.

Mark’s father took over the business from his mother and in 1952 he bought a nursery on Solihull Road, which supplied plants and cut flowers to the shops.

When Mark joined the business in the 1960s, the flower shops were sold and the nursery was turned into a garden centre.

The Woolmans business still exists, selling chrysanthemums, dahlias and plants online.

The HTA in association with Garden Trade News are arranging an inspirational Study Tour to the Netherlands in February 2016 that will include the 6,000 sq metre concept garden centre at The Tuinzaken Garden Retail Experience in Boskoop, and there is still some very limited availability for this opportunity.

As well as visiting some creative garden centres and a tour of Edelman, the Study Tour will also take in the Garden Retail Experience in Boskoop for its 5^th Edition, including the event’s gala dinner.

Event Background: Retail reality is forever changed. Consumers are empowering, well informed and hypermobile due to their smartphones and tablets. They are looking for entertainment, hospitality and experience, shopping 24/7 and expects the widest range at the best price.

How do you translate these developments to the shop floor and how can you actually sell more? How do you deal with the new consumer? And how can your business remain profitable in the garden industry in the near and far future? The GARDEN RETAIL EXPERIENCE  offers inspiration and answers and helps in the transition to a new shopping model.

As well as exclusive access to the Retail Experience our tour party will also attend the Retail Gala on Wednesday 17 February. The full tour itinerary is as follows: 

• Wednesday 17^th  Feb 2016 – Fly out in the morning to Amsterdam – from airport begin tour of creative Garden Centers in the Netherlands throughout the day. Speculatively one in Osdorp and a second De Bosrand in Wassenaar. In the evening attend the exclusive Retail Experience Gala in Boskoop including speakers and entertainment.
• Thursday 18^th Feb – Attend Retail Experience with full experts guided tour. www.gardenretailexperience.com

In the evening attend a locally based meal for additional networking opportunities.

• Friday 19^th Feb -  Visit to Intratuin garden Centre followed by a Tour to Edelman, lunch and in the afternoon fly home to the UK.

The cost for the entire trip is £380 per person, this covers accommodation and travel once in the Netherlands as well as lunch and Dinner on Wednesday and Thursday evening but the HTA and GTN request those attending the tour to make their own way to Amsterdam Schiphol airport as travelling from all over the UK and attendees can then organize as best suited to their location.

The tours intended start time is 11am from Schiphol airport and once in the Netherlands Martin Simmons of the HTA will host alongside Trevor Pfeiffer from Garden Trade News, Garden Retail Experience team members and Edelman and as such have been able to keep any related costs for this to a minimum.

If you would like to book on to the event or need any more information please don’t hesitate to contact the HTA – events@the-hta.org.uk

See the gallery below for images from GTN's visit to the Garden Retail Experience 2015.  You'll see from the images that if you want great inspiration to improve and develop your retailing for the next few years this really is a visit not to be missed.

• Garden Products - down 9%
• Christmas Products - up 47%
• Growing Media - up 24%
• All Items Index - down 5%

New to the team are three new Area Sales Managers who will be working across the LG Outdoor, Grillstream barbeques, NOMA seasonal decorations and Erin horticulture brands:  Jacqui Sutcliffe in the Midlands, Lisa Brierley in the North West, and Catriona Exeter in Scotland.  

Jacqui Sutcliffe will be familiar to many customers having been in the industry for 15 years, and specifically working within Christmas for the past five years.  Lisa Brierley joins from a market leading company with 7 years’ proven track record within the core gardening sector of the industry.  Catriona is widely known to many garden centres in Scotland with over ten years’ experience in the gift industry.

Joining to look after NOMA seasonal decorations are two new National Accounts Managers:  Colin Armitage (below), who has been working with retailers in the gift industry for more than 30 years; and Lee Kennerley (left), who brings his 20 years’ experience of home, gift and seasonal decorations to the NOMA brand.

Meanwhile Mark Nickerson, who has been with LeisureGrow for 7 years’ has been made National Sales Manager; and Stuart Warren returns to East Anglia from the North-West, servicing customers he previously looked after for many years.

Jody Grimmer, Managing Director of LeisureGrow said:  “We want to ensure all our customers get the great service and reliability they expect from LeisureGrow, which is why we’ve picked the people who we believe are the best in the business to be a part of our sales team.  As products and technologies across all our brands – NOMA, LG Outdoor, Grillstream and Erin – become more and more sophisticated we are ensuring our personnel matches this in expertise, product knowledge, and customer service that’s second to none.”

Ten months on from the first “Love the Plot You’ve Got” Masterclasses for garden centre teams – what’s been happening in garden centres?

Over 100 staff from 36 businesses attended the Award Winning GIMB/HTA Masterclasses in the early spring. The aim was to try new things to attract and inspire anyone to add some zest and zing to their plot – no matter how small – no matter if only a window box.

Those who attended reported extra sales of patio sets – especially tea for two, plants, pots and planted containers.

What they said:

Sarah, Lynne, Sue & Karen from Gordale Nurseries attended the LTP Masterclass held at Sinclair and go on to say:

“Here are a couple of photos of some of the displays that have we built since the Masterclass. The owner of a local pub in Neston has used the planted wheelbarrow as inspiration for his own display outside the pub. 

"We also did a large display in the foyer of the garden centre for the Weber BBQ event that we held in May. We believe that increased sales in tickets and sales on the evening were generated by the display. Weber have reported to us that our event was the largest attended so far this year. 

"The 4 staff that attended the course were thoroughly inspired and will continue to use the new knowledge gained in the future.”

From the Plant Area At Fosseway Garden Centre, Jayne Homer explains:

“Here at Fosseway garden centre we have really embraced this project. A space has been allocated with two plots of identical size. We had a large back drop printed of two houses. One is a traditional Cotswold stow and the other is red brick with PVC windows. To date we have changed the gardens twice. The cottage garden style encouraged sales of roses and the veg garden sold directly twice the amount of veg thugs and veg. The gardens create much interest and is a focal point in our plant area. We often use it as an opportunity to talk with our customers and have so far had positive feed back.”

You’ll see from the photos that there are great visual ideas to inspire customers. Remember that “Love The Plot You’ve Got” is a three year campaign so the more people get behind it – the more it will build each year.

Building on the success of 2015, here is a Masterclass in your region covering how to develop successful ideas for 2016:

• What we learned from Year One
• How to do even better in Year Two
• Principles of visual merchandising and driving sales
• Practice building displays to sell more plants and garden goods in 2016 – prize for the best on the day
• National Competition for the best display – winner announced at the GTN Greatest Awards at the HTA Futures Conference 2016

Target audience – anyone wanting to improve their display skills indoors or out – and whether you attended the Year One Masterclass or not.

Masterclass Timing:  9.30-4.30

Book your place by emailing i.boardman@btinternet.com – see next page for dates & venues

Only £95 per delegate plus vat. Payment in full in advance – non-refundable. Refreshments provided

Members of the garden industry are taking part in the London Santa Run which takes place today, 6^th December, in Victoria Park.

London stone have entered a team of 10, along with Greenfingers Trustees Paul Ormond and Carol Paris.  

Linda Petrons, Head of Fundraising said: "It would be great if more peoplecould sup[port our runners to help us reach our overall fundraising target of £5,000 from the event."

If you're not running as Santa but would like to support this great seasonal fundraising initiative go to:  https://www.justgiving.com/Sarah-Lioveri1/

or you can sponsor Greenfingers trustee and HTA CEO, Carol Paris and her two spaniels, Max and Murphy who will be running in Santa outfits again at: https://www.justgiving.com/carol-paris1/

As we head towards the busiest weeks of the year it’s time to ask your customers to vote for you as The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Team.

All you have to do is download the voting posters and voting postcard artworks from GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards Dropbox folder or these links:


Xmas Awards postcards 2015.pdf



Xmas Awards Poster A1.pdf

Xmas Awards Poster A3.pdf

Xmas Awards Poster A4.pdf


Post Your Votes.pdf


Print them out and get your customers voting.  They can post them to our Greatest Christmas Awards office or you can create "Post your Votes" here boxes for votes to be posted in store.

You can also ask your customers to vote for you on line this year - see seperate story.

The closing date for votes, both on-line and posted in-store is 4:00pm on Christmas Eve, 24^th December.  If you collect votes in-store, please send them through to us on a regular basis to help with the counting and then make sure you send your final batch of votes off directly after Christmas.  The Greatest Christmas Awards are presented in Harrogate on January 10th 2016 so the cut off for final votes to be received and counted in our office is Monday 4th January 2016.  Remember to look through all your votes before you post them to us - your staff will love to know all the wonderful things your customers say about you as they vote for The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Team.

When all the votes are counted, size of centre and number of staff are taken into account, so there is as much chance of a small centre winning this ultimate Christmas accolade as that of a big centre.

If you have any problems downloading any of the files please e-mail thegreatestawards@tgcmc.co.uk and we’ll send you them by e-mail straight away.

Good luck!

This will kick off next week, on 8th of December, with a host of live radio broadcasts which will air on radio stations across the country.

Gardman who work closely with the British Trust for Ornithology, Britain’s leading wild bird research organisation, to develop their Ernest Charles range, have appointed Clare Simm from the BTO as their campaign spokesperson.

Clare Simm who also helps run the ‘Big Garden Birdwatch’ will centre the radio interviews around the importance and benefits of feeding garden birds year-round. 

An informative video, which will be promoted over the winter months, will further push the campaign’s messaging through print and digital consumer PR, competitions, giveaways and editorial.

The Ernest Charles Co. range includes 100% wheat free seed blends, high-energy suet balls and beautifully crafted bird tables and nest boxes that are all handmade in the UK and carry a 15-year guarantee.

Make sure you’ve got your radio station tuned in and follow Gardman’s social media for live updates.

www.facebook.com/gardmanltd   

www.twitter.com/GardmanUK

To make you nomination and vote, please send an e-mail today to: thegreatestawards@tgcmc.co.uk with your name, garden centre name and your job title, telling us who is your Greatest Christmas Supplier of the Year, what they do that makes them great and what is the thing they do best.

The results of The Greatest Christmas Awards will be announced at The Greatest Christmas Awards Party on Sunday January 10^th 2016 in the Majestic Hotel, Harrogate.  To book your tickets please call The Greatest Christmas Awards on 01733 775700.

Pictured: The current Greatest Christmas Supplier of the Year Premier Decorations receiving their award.

Do you have good horticultural skills, and understanding of conservation and some teaching/training experience? Would you like to be part of an organisation that counts on the professionalism, insight, expertise and passion of its staff to inspire individual recovery for the people they work with? Then join us as a Horticultural Trainer. 

Recovery Focus are expert partners with the shared aim to inspire individual recovery nationwide. Between us we have a track record of more than 200 years of developing and running personalised services that work with people with mental health, substance misuse and other complex needs to achieve their ambitions. Each partner organisation has its own rich history of success, but together we believe we can lead the way in evidence-based recovery pathways that we can tailor to meet local and individual needs. 

Right now, one of our partners, Richmond Fellowship, is looking for a Horticultural Trainer to join the team at The Old Moat Garden Centre in Epsom. An integral part of the local community, we provide retail and horticultural services to the public and training and work-based opportunities to adults with mental health problems. But, it’s only possible with the help of people like you.

Day-to-day, you’ll assist with the supervision and training of clients, both on and off site, and contribute to the development of the service. We’ll also rely on you to open the garden centre and serve customers to enable the sale of plants and associated products during the week and weekends as well as selected bank holidays and weekends. Providing horticultural advice and maintaining all plant stock in good condition will be important too, as will helping to assess risk and getting involved in team evaluations and reviews. And, when it comes to promoting an environment of service user involvement and recovery, again, you’ll be there, ready and willing to play your part. 

As well as a proven ability to motivate and train others, including running group activities, you’ll need good time management skills and a creative yet practical approach to problem solving. We’ll also be looking for lots of initiative and an enthusiastic, flexible and innovative approach to work. A commitment to working with people with mental health problems is, of course, a given, while a flair for maintaining appropriate records and implementing new procedures is also essential. 

In return, you can expect some great benefits, including 25 days' annual leave plus 8 public holidays, contributory pension scheme and life assurance cover. 

So, get inspired today. Visit our website and take the first steps towards a more fulfilling future. http://www.richmondfellowship.org.uk/

Please quoteref: 15/316 when applying. 

Closing Date: 31 December 2015

Bedding Department Head - (full time, including alternate weekends)

West Horsley KT24 6AR

Squire’s is a family owned group of 15 garden centres based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and Berkshire, with GCA award winning plant areas.  We are committed to growing our business and to promoting the highest standards in plant and horticultural retailing.  We want our employees to enjoy working with us in a friendly, energetic, customer focused environment. 

West Horsley, a traditional GCA garden centre and nursery with a strong horticultural background set deep in the beautiful Surrey countryside between Guildford and Leatherhead.  An enthusiastic team who know their customers as well as their subject and who strive to make the centre a hub of the local community.  

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our forward-thinking family-owned company, which is committed to our staff, growing our business and setting high standards.

You will be responsible for the bedding plant department at our West Horsley Garden Centre which has an extensive and well stocked plant area. 

You will have extensive knowledge and experience of working in a retail bedding department and/or a horticultural qualification. A passion for customer service and the ability to thrive in a fast paced environment are essential. 

You will be flexible, enthusiastic and highly motivated, commercially aware and have the ability to create dynamic displays. Free parking on site.

To apply, please visit our website www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk 

Plant Area Manager (Full time, including alternate weekends)

West Horsley KT24 6AR

Squire’s is a family owned group of 15 garden centres based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and Berkshire, with GCA award winning plant areas.  We are committed to growing our business and to promoting the highest standards in plant and horticultural retailing.  We want our employees to enjoy working with us in a friendly, energetic, customer focused environment. 

West Horsley, a traditional GCA garden centre and nursery with a strong horticultural background set deep in the beautiful Surrey countryside between Guildford and Leatherhead.  An enthusiastic team who know their customers as well as their subject and who strive to make the centre a hub of the local community.  

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our garden centre at West Horsley. You will be responsible for managing the outdoor plant department which has an extensive and well stocked plant area.

You must have experience and/or horticultural qualifications and garden centre retail experience.

You will be able to manage your department to achieve sales and profit targets whilst motivating your team to maximise all sales opportunities and inspiring them to offer the highest standards of customer service.

You must have the ability to thrive in a fast paced environment, have a passion for plants, be highly motivated, commercially aware and able to create dynamic, inspirational display

Free parking on site

To apply, please visit our website www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk 

We have an immediate vacancy for an experienced Key Account Professional to manage a portfolio of 8 – 10 national accounts.

The job will involve some overseas travel, mainly to S. E. Asia and attendance at our Oldbury head office for 2 – 3 days each week.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record of managing and developing business with major retail accounts, preferably with Outdoor Living / Gardening products.

Consideration will also be given to anybody currently working in a field sales position selling Outdoor / Conservatory furniture.

The successful candidate can expect a substantial basic salary, bonus scheme and fully maintained company car.

Initially, please email your cv, in complete confidence, to john.chester@a-mir.co.uk

Bedding Department Head - Full Time including alternate weekends

Twickenham TW2 5PA

Squire’s is a family owned group of 15 garden centres based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and Berkshire, with GCA award winning plant areas.  We are committed to growing our business and to promoting the highest standards in plant and horticultural retailing.  We want our employees to enjoy working with us in a friendly, energetic, customer focused environment. 

Squire’s oldest site with a new centre built in 1993, and is about to undergo a significant facelift.  A garden centre that takes a very high turnover for its size, with a strong horticultural focus in plants and sundries, often winning GCA category awards, with the recent addition of new Pets & Aquatics and Craft areas.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our forward-thinking family-owned company, which is committed to our staff, growing our business and setting high standards.

You will be responsible for the bedding plant department at our Twickenham Garden Centre which has an extensive and well stocked plant area.

You will have extensive knowledge and experience of working in a retail bedding department and/or a horticultural qualification.  A passion for customer service and the ability to thrive in a fast paced environment are essential. 

You will be flexible, enthusiastic and highly motivated, commercially aware and have the ability to create dynamic displays. Free parking on site.

To apply, please visit our website www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk 

Job Title:

• Management of dedicated accounts with account development proposals & guidelines

Scope:

• Management of assigned key accounts
• Development of business within assigned accounts, the general customer base and through identified and agreed opportunities

The role is office based and required travel to customer premises and trade fairs

Key Responsibilities:

General:

1. Preparing sales budgets and forecasts
2. Identifying gap closing actions
3. Identifying business opportunities
4. Management of designated key accounts and development of account development plans
5. Preparation of promotional campaigns
6. Liaising with marketing to ensure that sales and customer collateral are available in a timely manner (copy, photographs, images etc.)
7. Prepare, produce and implement sales strategies, promotions & rep incentive plans
8. Attend trade shows in the UK, USA & Canada
9. Liaising with sales administration and logistics to ensure timely and accurate delivery of customer orders
10. Resolving customer issues, problems or concerns
11. Ensuring that cash is received within payment terms
12. Work with Marketing & PR Manager to manage, maintain and improve the sales routes to market, using them to increase brand awareness across our territories and monitor any competitor activity – always being understanding of and one step ahead of competition.

1. Work with the MD to coordinate budget preparations
2. Provide management information (pipeline metrics, KPIs etc.) for review & analysis
3. Appraise monthly the performance of within account base & a revised  forecast
4. Reporting weekly metrics and KPIs.

Administration

1. Monitoring invoicing and accounts receivable
2. Recording of travel and expenses
3. Maintaining accurate customer records.

Metrics:

1. Delivery of revenue growth and targeted GP
2. Timely preparation of budgets and forecasts
3. Communication of customer requirements and expectations
4. Development and timely reporting of key performance indicators and pipeline activity e.g. Customer based net promoter score.

Personal Attributes:

A leader through influence with specialism expertise required to support the company’s ambitious growth targets:

1. Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills
2. Strong business and commercial acumen.
3. Proven sales experience and analytic capabilities
4. Strong negotiation skills
5. Strong project management skills
6. Ability to deliver against tight deadlines
7. Competent in MS Office software packages incl. excel and PowerPoint.

Company Values: Able to demonstrate a good fit with the company values

• Honesty, integrity and respect
• Creativity
• Speed of thought
• Sparky and energetic
• Flexibility
• Problem solving / solution finding
• Always learning & remaining aware of & 1 step ahead of the competition
• Strong work ethic – work hard / play hard.

The successful candidate will:

• Be technically savvy with strong experience in the Microsoft Office software packages including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook as a basic requirement with experience in other software packages such as Sales Force, Infusionsoft, Adobe Photoshop and InDesign as a bonus. 
• Good written & spoken communication skills in the English language
• Have a full UK driving license.
• Have a passport & be able & willing to travel internationally
• Have experience of Sales
• A good understanding of a second language would be an advantage. 

Reports to: MD

Works with:

• MD, H.O Marketing and Marketing assistant, Sales & Administration assistant
• Assigned customers.

Apply here

Bedding Department Head - (full time, including alternate weekends)

Stanmore HA7 3JF

Squire’s is a family owned group of 15 garden centres based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and Berkshire, with GCA award winning plant areas.  We are committed to growing our business and to promoting the highest standards in plant and horticultural retailing.  We want our employees to enjoy working with us in a friendly, energetic, customer focused environment. 

Stanmore is a thriving site in a busy suburb of North London, winner of GCA category awards, also featuring a large Pets & Aquatics department and cafe.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our forward-thinking family-owned company, which is committed to our staff, growing our business and setting high standards.

You will be responsible for the bedding plant department at our Stanmore Garden Centre which has an extensive and well stocked plant area.

You will have extensive knowledge and experience of working in a retail bedding department and/or a horticultural qualification. A passion for customer service and the ability to thrive in a fast paced environment are essential.

You will be flexible, enthusiastic and highly motivated, commercially aware and have the ability to create dynamic displays. Free parking on site.

To apply, please visit our website www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk 

Your opportunity to join a forward thinking, fast growing business.

This is a key “front-line” position, directly connecting and working with the Vivid Arts customer base (and sales-force) to ensure individual customer display and turnover goals are achieved.

You will be required to merchandise product and assist in creating customer displays to best display practice guidelines. A creative approach and the ability to “communicate, transfer and implement” successful merchandising initiatives are vital to the role.

The ideal candidate will be :-

• a highly organised, physically fit individual.
• preferably living on the East / South side of Manchester, ideally within 5 miles of the M60
• conscientious with the natural drive to maintain high standards in their daily work.
• computer literate
• willing and able to occasionally work away from home involving overnight stays 
• proficient driver with a clean driving licence

Closing date for applications is Sunday 29^th November.

Interviews will take place locally in December.

Initially, please submit a covering email and your CV to Paul McGuire : paul.mcguire@vividarts.co.uk

• Responsibilities will include
• Overseeing the implementation of contracts to strict deadlines and budgets
• Assisting in development and bidding for new works
• Liaison with clients
• Implementation and management of health & safety and quality procedures
• Supervision of Teams
• Maintaining contract files
• Reporting to the Regional Manager and Operations Director

• Vitax Poinsettia Drip Feeders are the highest chart new entry, in at No 26.
• Smart Garden Tree Tie 60cm and Woodlodge 6ft Tree Stakes have both blown into the chart as new entries.
• Gardman Solar Mini Ice Orb moves up to No 5 to match last year’s position.

• Bysel Candy Sweet Occasions Rainbow Candy Cane Tree Decorations 28g are the highest new entry at No 5.
• Premier Battery Operated Water Spinner Christmas Tree, 32cm, with timer, is the highest climber, up 15 places to No 4.
• Kaemingk LED Art Frame House, Battery Operated, moves up to No 3.
• Premier 10cm Battery Operated Sparkle Pillar Candles see a hige sales increase to enter at No 11.

• Westland Landscape Bark 100 litres moves up 20 places to No 2.
• Growise Landscape Mini Chip Bark 100 litres increases sales by 300%.
• Scotts Levington John Innes No2, 8 litre pack size, is a new entry at No 50.

The ‘Grow Your Own Profits’ roadshow sessions, running over February and March next year, are designed to help garden centres maximize sales of bulbs, seeds, plants, garden sundries, irrigation and bird care. A key aim is to increase footfall and average spend, particularly in core gardening, via as many channels as possible.

Topics will include:

• Why sales of core garden products and many plants fail to reach their full potential, despite customer demand
• How to target customers of all ages and abilities, using internal and external means
• Training for appropriate plant and product groups with quick and easy references to rapidly increase staff knowledge and enthusiasm
• Thinking outside the box
• Making the most of all resources and opportunities
• Implementing a sustainable and realistic strategy

The courses are intended for planteria and sundries staff, owners, managers and marketing employees. Delegates will take away a comprehensive set of training materials.

Liz Hutson says core garden products remain something of a mystery to many customers. “While many other departments may be peaking in terms of potential, there is still a long way to go in order to make the most of the sales opportunities in core gardening in most centres”

She adds: “Improving product knowledge and increasing staff motivation and confidence will have a marked impact on the bottom line and if this is combined with better internal and external communication with the consumer, it can only enhance sales further and help centres make the most of every square metre of selling space.”

Gardman’s Director of Business Development, Lolly Lee, said: “As leading suppliers of core gardening and bird care products, Gardman had no hesitation in offering its support for Liz’s initiative. Good product knowledge helps staff to engage with customers and improve the retail experience, and we believe garden centres will find this a great way to up their game.”

Dates and venues:

• Maidstone – 16 February (Marriott Tudor Park)
• Guildford – 18 February (Barnett Hill Hotel & Conference Centre)
• Cambridge – 23 February (Menzies Hotel)
• Birmingham – 25 February (Holiday Inn)
• Chester – 29 February (Carden Park Hotel)
• Perth – 2 March (Murrayshall House Hotel)

Prices start at £70 plus VAT per delegate (depending on numbers) for early bird booking. Lunch, refreshments and all course materials are included.

Garden centres may book via a special HTA mailing, direct through Liz Hutson (01531 631592, liz.hutson@ledburybband.co.uk) or online at www.bookwhen.com/growprofits

• Saturday 5th and 6th December
• Saturday 12th and 13th December

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

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

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2013 as well as 2014 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

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

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

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

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

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