Christie & Co, the agents handling the sale of 145 Wyevale Garden Centres have told GTN Xtra the deadline for first round bids is 26th June 2018.

A spokesperson for Christie & Co explained that full details of all the centres can be accessed via a website: www.wyevalegardencentres.christie.com.  By registering on the site and completing a Non Disclosure Agreement interested parties will have all the relevant information about the sites so that offers can be placed by the end of the first round process on June 26th.

Offers are being sought for multiple site purchases and also individual sites.  "This is a very open process," Christie & Co explained. "Once we have all of the offers at the end of the first round we will invite the selected bidders for each site to conduct more detailed legal due diligence and confirm or adjust initial offer."

John Colley of the Warwick Business School in Australia said at the weekend: "This is one of the great all time disasters in the M&A world and it is against some very stiff competition. Both the strategy and the execution were disasters.”

Writing on thehrdirector.com he added: “Entering a shrinking market through a weak third position was always going to be problematic and increasingly UK households now get someone else to do their DIY, who buy materials through traditional builders merchants.

“Assuming what works in the Australian DIY market will work in the UK with its different climate was a great leap in faith. Wesfarmers underestimated the costs of conversion to the Bunnings format, which does not seem to work.

“Then they fired the top 160 managers who knew anything about the UK market and replaced them with their own limited knowledge. Finally they delisted the top selling lines.

See the full comment from John Colley at: https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/economy/homebase-1/

Here is the statement from Wesfarmers issued on 25 May 2018:

Agreement to divest Homebase

Wesfarmers today announced it has agreed to divest the Homebase business in the United Kingdom and Ireland to a company associated with Hilco Capital.

Under the terms of the agreement, the buyer will acquire all Homebase assets, including the Homebase brand, its store network, freehold property, property leases and inventory for a nominal amount. The 24 Bunnings pilot stores will convert to the Homebase brand promptly following completion.

Wesfarmers will participate in a value share mechanism whereby it would be entitled to 20 per cent of any equity distributions from the business. This obligation is not limited by time, allowing Wesfarmers to participate in any profitable divestment of the business in the long-term.

Wesfarmers Managing Director Rob Scott said the agreement follows a comprehensive review of the Bunnings United Kingdom and Ireland (BUKI) business which considered a range of options to improve shareholder returns. “A divestment under the agreed terms is in the best interests of Wesfarmers’ shareholders and will support the ongoing reset and repositioning of the Homebase business,” Mr Scott said.

“While the review confirmed the business is capable of returning to profitability over time, further capital investment is necessary to support the turnaround. The materiality of the opportunity and risks associated with turnaround are not considered to justify the additional capital and management attention required from Bunnings and Wesfarmers.

“Homebase was acquired by Wesfarmers in 2016. The investment has been disappointing, with the problems arising from poor execution post-acquisition being compounded by a deterioration in the macro environment and retail sector in the UK. While it is important that we learn from this experience, this should not discourage our team from being bold and diligent in pursuing opportunities to create shareholder value.

“We acknowledge the past six months have been particularly challenging for the BUKI management and our team members in the UK and Ireland and we thank them sincerely for their hard work and commitment.

The operating performance of the business has improved in recent months under the new management team led by Damian McGloughlin and he will continue to lead Homebase in delivering management’s turnaround plan.

“We wish Damian and the team well during the transition and as they take the business into its next chapter under a new owner with a track record of retail turnaround in the UK.”

With the conclusion of the review, Wesfarmers advises that it expects to record a loss on disposal of £200 million to £230 million in the Group’s 2018 full-year financial results, subject to completion and review by Ernst & Young.

The divestment is expected to be completed by 30 June 2018.

After last years successful regional trade shows. Westland and Crest are touring again with 3 UK dates and 1 in ROI where you can come and view some of their exciting developments for 2019 covering brand new ranges from Peckish Wildbird Care, Unwins Seed, Aftercut Autumn Lawncare, Deadfast Rodent Control, Flo-Pro & Kent and Stowe.  

There will be cracking show offers, dramatic merchandising solutions, full details of our comms plans, technical experts, plus an exclusive preview of our 2019 garden New Product Development.

Follow this link to book your free place(s) or make contact with your sales rep. Book your free place here or or e-mail jknights@westlandhorticulture.com

Perth Racecourse, Scotland

Tuesday 12th June 2018, 9am - 5pm

Wednesday 13th June 2018, 9am - 5pm

The Heart of England Conference & Events Centre, Coventry

Monday 18th June 2018, 9am - 5pm

Tuesday 19th June 2018, 9am - 2pm

(Pro tip - the 19th of June event is 20mins away from the HTA plant show in Stoneleigh - why not combine the two )

Newbury Racecourse, Newbury

Thursday 21st June 2018, 9am - 5pm

Friday 22nd June 2018, 9am - 5pm

GLAS, Citywest Event Centre, Dublin

Thursday 19th July 2018, 9am - 5pm

Follow this link to book your free place(s) or make contact with your sales rep. Book your free place here or or e-mail jknights@westlandhorticulture.com  See you there!

Summer is on its way, so it’s time to start thinking about your customers hanging baskets and patio planters. Getting the compost right is key to creating beautiful displays that continue to flourish throughout the Summer months.

Bathgate Horticulture’s Tub & Basket Compost is formulated with additional slow-release fertiliser that encourages extended plant development. Furthermore, a moisture-storing polymer is incorporated into the blend to reduce watering frequency and sustain the plants during drier periods. This polymer also helps to retain nutrients and prolong vigour.

Our light-weight Tub & Basket Compost is easy to handle, and not formulated with recycled waste. It is ideal for a range of seasonal basket plants and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use for ornamentals and edibles.

Tub & Basket Compost is available in 50 litre bags. Delivery from a single pallet to a full load nationwide across the UK.

The extensive Bathgate Horticulture product range comprises of carefully formulated growing media and associated products for both professional and retail horticulturists, that are manufactured to market leading standards.

All Bathgate Horticulture retail products are attractively packaged in conveniently sized, recyclable bags.

Bord na Móna Growise would like to congratulate John Everiss and Francesca Murrell winners of Silver Gilt medal for their design of The Myeloma UK Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018.  RHS Gold medal winners John Everiss and Francesca Murrell  conceptualised the design of the garden which raises awareness about myeloma, a form of blood cancer originating in the bone marrow, which, while treatable, is not yet curable. Bord na Móna Growise is a proud sponsor of The Myeloma UK Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018.

Bord na Móna Growise has donated its award winning product which is a key ingredient to the garden’s make up, and contains all the essential plant nutrients and trace elements to ensure bigger, brighter blooms and healthy plants.

Rising from the centre of the garden is a giant sculpture, which is set to stand at 12 feet high. This was constructed from layers of transparent blue Perspex® acrylic. The design team part-assembled the sculpture ahead of the show and, as the gates at Chelsea are nine feet high, was fully constructed on the grounds. The garden is nearly 40 x 20 feet and located in the Space to Grow section.

About the Bord na Móna Growise brand:

• Bord na Móna Growise is at the forefront of developing top quality growing media.
• The range includes peat-free and peat-reduced multipurpose composts, specialist composts and grow-your-own planters, in addition to a range of barks, soil improvers and fertilisers.
• Bord na Móna Growise is the partnership of nature and technology, with a focus on sustainable and responsible product, and investment in eco–technology. Bord na Móna uses sustainable materials to produce eco-friendly fuels, using composted green waste for making its growing media and soil improvers.
• Bord na Móna Growise uses clean, green waste – last season’s plants, grass cuttings and hedge clippings – forestry by-products and naturally sourced nitrogen, using computer-controlled technology to ensure the mix is completely sanitized and free from weed seeds, pathogens and contamination.

Bulldog Tools Childrens Premier Range is widely promoted at this years 2018 RHS Chelsea Flower Show and proudly supports the RHS Campaign for School Gardening.

The RHS Campaign for school gardening inspires and supports schools to provide children with gardening opportunities to enhance their skills and boost their development. Bulldog is very proud to be working with the Royal Horticultural Society to support the campaign and help develop further relations with the nations schools and community groups.

Registration to the scheme is free at - www.schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk and includes a welcome pack containing seeds, stickers, plant labels, posters and more. You can also receive great rewards, certificates and support as you progress through the School Gardening Awards which range from levels 1 to 4. You can also take inspiration from what other schools are doing their gardens via regular newsletters, school stories and various competitions that run throughout the year.

Bulldogs Premier range is famous for it's strength, reliability and heritage. Skill and craftsmanship have been central to the companies success for over 238 years. Our forged spades and forks are made from a single piece of steel with no welds or weak points. We use sustainable timber to make the shafts and then bury the shaft deep within the socket ensuring longevity for all future budding gardeners.

For more information go to www.bulldogtools.co.uk

As B&Q announced sales down by 9% for the first quarter, and Wesfarmers sell off Homebase for £1 after dreadful sales performances, garden centres across the UK are faring much better because of their core product line – plants.

A second bumper week of plant sales, up 34% on the same week last year means the GTN Bestsellers Plant Sales Index has risen not only to parity year on year but to an incredible 3.1% up on 2017 for the year to date. 

And that is driving a fast recovery for all garden centre sales.  Our index now sits at minus 4.4% and several garden centre owners and managers are speculating about being level year on year by the end of May.

If Wyevale Garden Centres are seeing the same increases no wonder Guy Hands is looking for the good life and selling all 145 centres to close his investment fund.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 20

• Garden Products Top 50 – up 26%
• Growing Media Top 50 – up 32%
• Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 3%
• Wild Bird Care Products Top 50 – down 20%
• All Plants index – up 34%
• All Items index – up 19%

Another booming week for plant sales sees the GTN Bestsellers Plant Sales Index rise not only to parity year on year but to an incredible 3.1% up on 2017 for the year to date.  Who would have thought that when we had all that snow, rain and cold weather in March and April? And now we have the potential boost of Chelsea influenced sales…

• Lupin’s moved up 10 places to No 37 even before all of the Chelsea Flower Show coverage.  How far will they move up post Chelsea?
• Salvia’s were the highest chart climber, moving up from No 33 to No 20 with a 48% sales increase.

Stanstead Park Garden Centre, formerley part of the Home & Garden Group, has been acquired by Paul Richards and Tim Mason and will be run under the Your Local Garden Centre brand, as a sister
centre to Mappleborough Green Garden Centre.

Stansted Park sits on the Hampshire/Sussex border between Chichester and Portsmouth overlooking the coast. Its many attractions offer a great day out for the family, in a heritage setting.

Employment of the existing 32 staff is secure and exciting new plans are in place to redevelop the centre to create a premium garden centre to match the outstanding setting of Stansted Park. In 1983 the 10th Earl of Bessborough gifted the house and grounds to the nation and it is now run by a charitable trust, The Stansted Park Foundation.

The garden centre is a central part of the visitor experience and the business has now been acquired by Paul Richards and Tim Mason. Between them Paul and Tim have over 60 years’ experience in the garden centre industry. Paul owned the Golden Acres garden centre group until selling the business to Wyevale in 2015. Since then he has gone on to develop Mappleborough Green Garden Centre using garden centre business consultancy Sea Pop Ltd. owned by Tim, to help manage the project.

Stansted Park Garden Centre will be run under the Your Local Garden Centre brand, as a sister centre to Mappleborough Green Garden Centre which has become one of the leading garden centres in the Midlands.

Both the Foundation and its new garden centre tenant are investing in the garden centre and wider estate to ensure Stansted Park continues to grow as a major tourist and horticultural destination.

Other attractions at Stansted Park include:

 Stunning House and Servants’ Quarters
 Victorian Walled Gardens
 Children’s Outdoor Play Areas
 Pavilion Tea Room
 The Stansted Park Farm Shop
 Magnificent Maze
 Miniature Railway
 Sawmill and timber products
 Woodland walks

An account manager from natural home and garden care solutions supplier SBM Life Sciences recently took up the challenge of running the Hackney Half Marathon with his family to raise money for Greenfingers Charity.

The team included SBM National Account Manager, Peter Clowes and his family members, sons Sam and Harry, as well as future son-law Sam Beath. The family lined up with over 20,000 other runners in Hackney on May 20 after putting themselves through a tough training regime for the past few months. The age range of the team varied from 17 years old to 60 years young, all determined to complete the course and make a difference.

The family started the race together and managed to all finish within an impressive three hours. This was their first marathon together as family and they hope to raise in excess of £700 which will go towards building inspirational gardens, supporting life-limited children and their families who spend time in hospices around the UK. Their Just Giving page is open until the 14th June and you can sponsor them at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hackneyhalfers2018

Peter Clowes of SBM Life Sciences said: “Completing the Virgin Hackney Half Marathon was an idea conceived last November. Despite various training injuries picked up along the way, we made it to the start and from that point we knew we had to finish! It is great that Greenfingers is SBM’s nominated charity and we are delighted to have raised money for such a fantastic cause. Thanks to everyone who supported us”

Linda Petrons, Head of Fundraising and Communications at Greenfingers Charity said: “We know these challenge events take time to prepare for and are rarely as easy as they may sound when first registering, so thank you to Peter and his family for the time and commitment and the brilliant sum they have raised. I was particularly touched that his family wanted to raise money and awareness for other families and the children we support. We really do appreciate the effort and continued generosity.”

2018 marks the 10^th Anniversary for Vitavia Garden Products Ltd and over the last decade Vitavia has become a major supplier to both the UK and European greenhouse markets.

Managing Director, Tony Hutchinson says “We are part of a truly international business and can arguably claim to be the market leader in Europe.”

From their warehouse in Suffolk, Vitavia provide home and trade deliveries throughout the UK together with a comprehensive greenhouse installation service. They pride themselves on suppling hobby greenhouses, widely regarded as being the best value for money, backed up with exceptional customer service. Moving forward they hope to expand their market in the UK and in Europe through continued development of the Vitavia Range. “New product development is a key element of our cooperation with our European partners.”

Vitavia has grown considerably from when it started in April 2008 and has had to adapt to the forever changing market. The trading environment has changed dramatically over the last 10 years, with the emergence of the internet and web retailing.

Tony Hutchinson explains: “Over 90% of our business now involves home deliveries and the logistics team have had to adapt accordingly. Our marketing strategies have also had to adapt to the arrival of Google and Google ads, facebook and twitter.”

As a family business they are certainly in good shape to take on the future challenges of the changing trading environment.

Last year, to commemorate the first RHS Chatsworth Flower Show, Fryer’s Roses, part of the Blue Diamond group of garden centres, launched a new rose named in honour of the Duchess of Devonshire, which Chatsworth is the home of.

The “Duchess of Devonshire” rose is a beautiful, glowing red, hybrid tea, with a sweet fragrance and compact habit.

Fryer’s Roses agreed to donate £1 from every Duchess of Devonshire rose sold through Fryer’s Roses/Blue Diamond to Helen’s Trust, a local charity nominated by the Duchess.

Helen’s Trust was established in memory of local Derbyshire woman, Helen Louise Lyon (nee Astley) who tragically, at the age of 40, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Despite the constraints of this illness, Helen was determined to lead a normal life in her own home.

Soon after Helen died, it was decided to launch a charity to enable others to have the same choice that Helen had done, helping others to be cared for and to die in their own home.

Helen’s Trust was launched in 2001 and is an important source of support in North Derbyshire and the High Peak for people of all ages with terminal illness to have the help they need to stay at home.

Fryer’s Roses are continuing to support this charity through sales of the Duchess of Devonshire rose. The rose will be available to buy from this year’s RHS Chatsworth Flower Show at the Fryer’s Roses stand PV6.

The rose is also available to buy (subject to availability), from all Blue Diamond Garden Centres. The cost is £17.99 for a potted rose and £12 for a bare root rose with £1 from the sale of each of these roses, going to Helen’s Trust.

Bare root roses will be available from November 2018.

For more information about Helen’s Trust please visit their website at www.helenstrust.org.uk

For more information about Fryer’s Roses and to see our full range of roses, please visit www.fryersroses.co.uk or www.bluediamond.gg.

HTA has announced today that it will be adding to its horticultural expertise and industry experience with the appointment of two new posts in the coming months. A Horticulture Manager and a Policy Executive will build on the lobbying success achieved by Director of Horticulture, Raoul Curtis-Machin that has significantly raised the profile of ornamental horticulture with UK government, and begun to address issues such as biosecurity and sustainability.

Against this background Raoul Curtis-Machin is taking the opportunity to pursue a new challenge and will leave the HTA at the end of June.

Raoul comments, "I am sad to be leaving the HTA at this exciting time, but this is a great opportunity for me to return to Scotland to be closer to family. I have been thrilled at many of the things that we have achieved at the HTA, and in working collaboratively across the industry. Ornamental horticulture is in a strong position to sell itself as a key provider of environmental, health and wellbeing benefits, and there is a real opportunity to boost UK production, biosecurity, skills and jobs. It's been a real honour to represent the industry."

The responsibilities for horticulture and policy activity will be consolidated within those of the current Senior Leadership Team of Alex Vick, Martin Simmons and Anne Clark and will be supported by a newly formed Horticulture Team.

HTA President Adam Taylor comments, “My thanks go to Raoul for all his hard work and commitment to the HTA for the past five years. We all wish him and his family every success in his new career path and their future. I am particularly excited about our two new members of staff who will bring additional industry knowledge and will assist the team at the HTA to continue to engage with our professional lobbyists on behalf of the membership.”

Woodlodge, the UK’s leading supplier of garden planters and containers is celebrating after the two exhibits it contributed to at the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018 won prestigious medals.

The Sun’s Container Revolution Garden in the Grand Pavilion at Chelsea - the brainchild of renowned garden writer and broadcaster, Peter Seabrook - won a Silver Gilt medal after impressing the judges. Focussing on the ease and maintenance of container gardening, this stunning garden demonstrates how pots of show-stopping plants and foliage can brighten up an outdoor space, no matter how small.

A wide range of Woodlodge pots made their home on The Sun’s Container Revolution Garden, including designs from the Duxton, Rustic Garden, Chelsea Terrace and Heritage Garden ranges. Utilising a variety of shapes and sizes - square planters, cylinders and rectangular troughs, and made from materials such as terracotta, slate, and lightweight fibre clay – the pots are displayed to best demonstrate how groups of pots can make a homeowners’ container plants look more attractive, as well as change the mood and feel of a garden.

At the show the containers are overflowing with a wide range of flowers sourced by Peter and the industry’s top growers, breeders, as well as plants grown by school children and colleges. The Sun’s exhibit is also home to the Chelsea Plant of the Year winner, Hydrangea hybrid Runaway Bride 'Snow White' by Thompson and Morgan.

Woodlodge also appear in The Discovery Zone on the Horticultural Trades Association’s exhibit ‘The Great Escape’ which received a Bronze medal. Designed by horticulturist and ex Blue Peter gardener, Chris Collins, the exhibit aims to educate people of all ages on how to enjoy their outdoor space as a place for relaxing, growing, playing and engaging with nature.

Woodlodge’s terracotta ranges Sahal Cinnamon and Dill, Viking, Genoa and Bavaria from the Duxton collection are all on show on the interactive exhibit. The Rustic Garden Collection also features showcasing the diversity of the Woodlodge portfolio.

Woodlodge Managing Director, Michael Wooldridge said: “We are delighted by the recognition that each exhibit has received. All of the plants showcased in Woodlodge pots, demonstrate how easy it is to transform an outdoor space. There is no doubt that Chelsea, with its extensive media coverage, including primetime TV, plays a great part in enthusing people to give gardening a go and we hope it encourages the public to get out into their gardens over the bank holiday weekend and create some show-stopping container displays. "

To find out more about how Woodlodge’s market leading product offering, please visit www.woodlodge.co.uk

With all the e-mails floating around regarding GDPR, at GTN Xtra, we would like to assure you that our Data Processing policies remain the same in that we actively mange the security of data we hold and that we never share data with any third party unless prior permission has been granted.

GTN Xtra sends useful information about the garden retailing market to our reader database and the last thing we want to be doing is adding to the volume of e-mails landing with people at the moment and also we do not want to get confused with SPAM, which is of course what the GDPR regulations are all about, plus data security too.

Instead of sending bulk e-mail requests, over the next few months we will contact each of our readers individually to check that the data we hold is correct and ask about communication preferences.

In the meantime, we hope you keep enjoying and benefitting from the e-mail newsletter service we deliver.

If of course you wish to stop receiving GTN Xtra you can do so by clicking the unsubscribe link which appears in each issue of the e-mail newsletter and here.

Potting Shed Press Ltd, the publishers of GTN Xtra are registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner's Office under registration reference: ZA248717

Garden Décor lines saw the biggest increases last week as the country celebrated the Royal Wedding and watched the FA Cup.  But there are great signs of real gardening activity getting going as plant feeds, pest controls and weedkillers occupy eleven of the Top 20 places in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products Chart.

• Fountasia’s Mini Union Jack Windmill’s were the highest chart climbers moving up 36 places to No 9.
• Westland’s Resolva Pro Weedkiller, 1 litre, enters the chart at No 29 on the back of the new TV ad campaign.
• Scotts Levington Tomorite, 1 litre + 30% Free, is No 1 for the fifth consecutive week.

The outstanding achievements of John Athwal, managing director of leading Christmas supplier, Premier Decorations has been recognised by the gift industry as he was presented with an Honorary Achievement Award at the Greats Gift Retailer Awards in London last week.

Having already received an OBE from the Queen earlier this year, this new award is another great honour for John who not only celebrates his 65th birthday this year, but also the 30th anniversary of Premier Decorations.

Sponsored by the Giftware Association, the Honorary Achievement Award acknowledges John’s entrepreneurial skills which led him from humble beginnings when he arrived in the UK from Punjab at the age of eight in 1961 – to now heading one of the most successful companies in the Christmas and gift industry today.

John comments: “I am overwhelmed to been given this prestigious award, it was totally unexpected and a great tribute to have been recognised by industry colleagues and peers, a number of whom I have worked with for many, many years.”

More information about John’s achievements can be read on Premier Decoration’s website.

While Tomatoes sell most in total volume for Veg plants, it is a single line of Courgettte plants that tops our Veg 2 Gro chart this week.  Quantil Courgette, 8cm pots, have sold more than Runner Bean White Emergo which is usually No 1 at this time of year.

• Quantil Tomato Sweet Aperitif, 8.5cm, is the highest chart climber of the week, up 28 places to No 16.
• Sweetcorn Earlibird from Barnsfold in 12 Packs is the highest placed new entry at No 41.
• Farplants Novelty Tomato Tumbling Tiger is also a new entry at No 44.

The world’s biggest grass seed supplier, DLF (parent company of Johnsons Lawn Seed) is the chosen lawn seed supplier for eight out of 12 stadiums for this year’s world cup in Russia (14th June - 15th July).

Set to be one of the most visually spectacular World Cups yet, with tens of billions of dollars having already been spent on upgrading stadiums and host cities, Johnsons Lawn Seed is now looking to help its retail partners make the most of premium lawn care sales this summer.

The Russian climate presents a string of performance challenges for turf grasses, and each stadium, located within completely different areas of the country, has had to take this into account when choosing its tournament grass. What works in one stadium may not work so well in another, however, the tetraploid perennial ryegrass variety included in both DLF professional turf mixes and Johnsons Lawn Seed’s latest consumer blends are exactly the same – both offering high tolerance to stress, a deeper root system, and a deep green colour.

Garden retail vs football

Grass is also expected to take centre stage in consumers’ minds this summer – which Johnsons Lawn Seed hopes will boost sales of grass seed, particularly when merchandised with sprinkler systems, rollers, aerators, edging shears, rakes and mowers.

DLF/Johnsons Lawn Seed Consumer Manager Guy Jenkins says: “Although we will of course see an abundance of immaculate grass playing surfaces on our television screens this summer, it’s not necessarily going to make people jump up and buy lawn seed. However, it does give garden centres an ideal opportunity to prompt customers into stocking up on products that will help them achieve the ideal lawn for their gardens.”

What to recommend

“Those with football mad families will be searching for solutions to key summer lawn problems, particularly patches in high traffic areas, and will need recommendations on hardwearing grass seed for quickly and efficiently filling in the gaps. For this particular issue, I recommend Tuffgrass (fine leaved Dwarf Perennial Ryegrass and Creeping Red Fescue) as it does what it says on the packet and is especially easy to merchandise in relation to summer sports with its package featuring a football theme. But for the fastest and most advanced solution we have available I have to recommend our latest green lawn technology breakthrough; Lawn Thickener. An especially resilient product containing tetraploid perennial ryegrass with a unique dual coating of fast and slow release fertiliser, it’s safe to use around children and pets - but will deter birds from pecking at freshly sown areas.”

There is an expert guide to use for reference on our website at www.johnsonslawnseed.com/repairing-patches - and clear how-to information is also available on every pack.

More key sales opportunities

Wimbledon starts half way through Russia 2018, from the 2nd to the 15th July, and then once both that and the World Cup finishes, a few weeks later the new premier league football season starts up again on the 11th August, prolonging summer/autumn lawn seed promotions and displays. Contact your local Johnsons Lawn Seed sales representative for more advice or call the sales team on 01386 791113.

Find out more

To find out more about Johnsons Lawn Seed products please visit www.johnsonslawnseed.com

Thirty eight out of the Top 50 Wild Bird Care lines in the GTN Bestsellers chart increased sales week on week as popular Gardman lines come back on stream and garden centre footfall is high. With Springwatch starting on BBC on Bank Holiday Monday now is a good time to make the most of summer WBC sales opportunities.

• Gardman’s Feeding Station and Bird Bath re-enters at No 32.
• And Gardman Seed Mix, 12.7kg pack size is the highest re-entry at No 16.
• Tom Chambers Hungry Hedgehog Blend, 0.75kg, is the highest new entry at No 46.

Another record mid May week for Growing Media sales sees the GTN Bestellers year on year volume gap slim down to 6.8% on last year and sit at 4.2% up on the same point in 2016.  Thankfully gardeners are still improving soils, planting in pots and generally getting growing again now that the weather has improved.

• Westland Cambark Chunky Chip Bark, 60 litres is the only new entry of the week, in at No 40 after more than doubling sales.
• Peat Free composts move up the chart as less keen gardeners buy growing media:  Westland New Horizon Multi-Purpose Compost, 50 litres moves up to No 20 and Scotts Miracle-Gro Eco Sense Peat Free Compost, 56 litres is a re-entry at No 33.
• Westland Multipurpose + John Innes, 40 litres, is the highest climber, up 21 places to No 26.

After dropping hints yesterday at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show that the business would be for sale within the next year, Guy Hands' Terra Firma has announced today that the garden centre group is officially up for sale either as a whole, as sub groups or as individual garden centres.

Here is the statement in full:

Wyevale Garden Centres (WGC), the UK’s biggest garden centre operator, has been put up for sale by Terra Firma as it seeks to complete a full exit for investors from its third fund, TFCPIII.

Christie & Co, the specialist business property advisor, has been appointed to explore a range of sales options for the business, from a sale of the whole business to individual garden centres. The centres are expected to be attractive to a wide range of buyers, from financial institutions through to existing garden centre operators and local entrepreneurs.

The sale comes at an advanced stage of a turnaround programme for WGC, which has seen significant investment in the core business. Customers and colleagues have responded positively to these improvements with the business now achieving sales and profit growth.

The business has enjoyed exceptionally strong sales in recent weeks, with a record breaking Mayday bank holiday weekend, the highest one-week’ sales ever and May on track to be the most profitable month in the company’s history.

WGC is the UK’s biggest garden centre chain, with 145 garden centres, ranging from local horticultural centres to major leisure destination venues. The garden centres include 144 restaurants and cafes and 700 concessions with 240 partners. These have been significantly developed during Terra Firma’s ownership and have been key to driving footfall and de-seasonalising the business, making the centres attractive all-year round destinations.

The garden centre sector is vibrant and growing with Mintel forecasting a growth rate of around 3% per annum through to 2021.

Justin King, Vice-Chairman of Terra Firma and Chairman of WGC, said:

“The improvements made by the new leadership team at Wyevale Garden Centres supported by 6,000 dedicated colleagues, means that now is the right time to seek new, long term ownership for the business.”

Roger Mclaughlan, Chief Executive of WGC, said:

“Wyevale Garden Centres has transformed beyond recognition over the last few years, and our customers are responding really positively to all the improvements we’ve been making, with improved ranges, high stock availability and exceptional garden centre standards. Our improved business has engaged colleagues and put customers at the heart of what we do. Thanks to the hard work of all of our colleagues, we remain firmly on track to grow our sales and profits this year.”

For further details on the garden centre estate please go to:
www.wyevalegardencentres.christie.com

"In 2017 we achieved an 8% increase in profit before tax and maintained a strong debt position in the year, which is a creditable result considering the wider environment." That is the opening statement from Blue Diamond Chairman  Simon Burke in the groups Year End Accounts for 2017.

Managing Director Alan Roper adds "in a challenging year profit before tax increased from £8.4m to £9.2m. This profit increase was predominantly delivered through customer average spend, and gross margin growth."

"In 2017 average spend grew by 5.6% against a Garden Centre Association (GCA) average growth of 1.4%."

The report details the average GCA spend for 2017 at £20.75 while the average Blue Diamond spend was £23.19.

The full Blue Diamond Report and Accounts can be seen at: https://www.bluediamond.gg/financial-reports

Speaking to GTN Xtra this weekend, Alan Roper said that after the Bank Holiday week; "there is now a distinct possibility that we will be up on 2017 year to date by end of May."

Asked about his vision for the size of the Blue Diamond Group in the future, Alan added: "The operational structure which I implemented a few years ago is scalable and is designed to ensure retail standards are maintained. The recent adjustments to allow managers to focus on customer service alongside more resources being applied should also ensure high standards are maintained. Continuing to develop the teams and appoint people who share the values of standards and service is paramount.

"Existing staff in new acquisitions have been successfully retained and trained where necessary to embrace the culture of our business whose values are high retail standards, high service levels delivered with a point of difference.

"The Group is on course to surpass the budgeted £110m and I can see us being able to double the turnover and still retain those values."

Profits before tax rose by 24% to £5.2m at Westland Horticulture for the year ending 31st August 2017.

Sales rose by a modest 2% to £130.5m, much slower than the previous years growth when the acquisition of Sinclair Horticulture added almost a third to company turnover.

The group, which employs almost 600 people, reported a profit before tax of £5.2m despite the writing off of a £2.6m bad debt.

The directors said they were satisfied with the results and the business’s encouraging performance since the year end, which saw cash at bank increase £4m to £14m. Short term creditors increased by £10m.

The full report can be found at: https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/NI027321/filing-history

“It was just like an old fashioned Bank Holiday Monday” enthused Sarah Squire to GTN Bestsellers this week as garden centre plants sales hit a a record high,

were at the forefront with sales reaching almost 50% higher than the same week last year to set a record GTN Bestsellers plant sales week to bring the year-on-year total back almost to parity. We now have only 0.7% to make up over the next few weeks for plants to be up year-on-year. Who’d have thought that six or seven weeks ago!

Only 10 weeks after we reported the lowest sales week in garden centres, GTN Bestsellers can now report that the week beginning with the May Bank Holiday Monday was the highest week ever for garden centre sales volumes. Record Bank Holiday Monday temperatures and a week of "good" gardening weather sent sales volumes soaring to a record high, so high that the increase over the same week last year was greater than the shortfall from the last week of February when the record low was set in all that snow. Now, after 19 weeks of the year, the GTN Bestsellers All Product Sales Index is running at 6.3% down year on year to date. That is a huge swing back from the minus 16.6% it was sitting on at the end of March. If the weather holds, the bedding sales season should still have life in it.

Johnny Walkers (above) won his 25th consecutive Gold Medal for Taylors Bulbs this morning and there were also Gold Medals awarded in the Chelsea Flower Show Floral Pavillion for Hilliers, Dibleys and Cooks Garden Centre of Stourport (below.)

You can see the full list of Floral Pavillion Awards here and see the first GTN Xtra gallery of photos from Chelsea 2018 below where Lupins are the star plant - have you got plenty in stock and on order?

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 2016 as well as 2017 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 Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

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

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

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care 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.

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 £120m.

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.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call 01733 775700.

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

With visitor registration now open for 2018, lunch! has released its first preview of some of the new Keynote speakers set to appear at the show over 20-21 September at London ExCeL.

lunch!’s two Keynote Theatres have become known for attracting some of the biggest names in the business, including all the leading lunchtime operators. For 2018, its stellar line-up now includes: Clare Clough, food & coffee director at Pret a Manger; Shereen Ritchie, operations director at LEON; MasterChef finalist Arnaud Kaziewicz, executive chef at EAT; Richard Morris, MD of Tortilla; and Angelina Harrisson, food & commercial director at Tossed, who has called lunch! her “favourite show of the year”.

They’ll be sharing their expert insights into the challenges and opportunities of competing in this dynamic market, alongside other (soon to be announced) industry leaders. Visitors will also benefit from the latest food-to-go research updates from MCA, The NPD Group, and IGD, plus lively panel discussions featuring a raft of award-winning smaller operators sharing their strategies on how to compete and thrive as an independent café, sandwich shop, coffee house, bakery or deli on a high street full of global brands.

“Running a hospitality (and especially a food-to-go) business is hard work. Being able to go to lunch! is a superb opportunity for operators of all levels to access information, products and samples, and listen to industry professionals speak about their experiences. It is a must visit,” says Peter Dore-Smith, founder and director of Kaffeine.

“lunch! is definitely the essential trade show if you’re in food-to-go,” agrees Patrick Crease, product development manager – food to go at Sainsbury's.

Bigger & better every year

Of course, at lunch!, the ‘big names’ aren’t just reserved for the Keynote stages. With only ten stands left to sell, the central exhibition will feature a record 370 companies (up from 335 last year) – showcasing the latest innovations in food, drink, packaging, equipment and catering technology.

Among the confirmed exhibitors are leading brands like UCC Coffee UK & Ireland, Rombouts Coffee, Douwe Egberts, Union Hand Roasted & Traders Coffee, Cawston Press, URBAN eat, Bord Bia, Adelie Foods, Propercorn, Hippeas, Natural Balance Foods, The Handmade Cake Company, Raynor Foods, The Food Doctor, Country Choice, Rude Health, Kepak, Europastry, Magrini, Glen Dimplex, Melitta UK, and Biopac UK.

While the visitors themselves represent all the leading food-to-go operators and retailers across the UK – from the high street multiples to local independents.

In the week since online registration opened, hundreds of buyers have already added their names to the visitor list. Among them are key decision makers from Greggs, Pret, Subway, EAT, Crussh, Tortilla, Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, SPAR, Welcome Break, Network Rail, Merlin Entertainments, Bourne Leisure, Searcys, Aramark, Sodexo, Compass Group, Brakes, Caterleisure Group, En Route International, Gate Retail, and many more.

“Britain loves food-to-go,” says group event director Chris Brazier. “As a nation, we made an estimated five billion food-to-go visits last year[1], and we’re likely to make even more in the years ahead. Our growing appetite for high quality, good value, food-to-go meals, drinks and snacks has created huge opportunities for food-to-go operators and retailers. And they’ll find plenty of inspiration, new ideas and world-class innovations at lunch! 2018.

“Everything that food-to-go operators need to run their businesses successfully is catered for. From their kitchen equipment to counter displays, from the food and drink they serve to how it’s packaged and how it’s paid for – it’s all here,” he says.

The industry’s favourite show

Annually attracting over 6,300 attendees, lunch! may need little introduction to the industry it serves. It’s frequently cited as the key annual event for discovering innovative new ideas and concepts. Since its launch in 2008, it’s enjoyed significant year-on-year growth in attendance (and floor space).

lunch! has also won an impressive three best trade show awards along the way. It’s hoping to secure its fourth in just a few weeks’ time, having recently been shortlisted for ‘Best UK Trade Show (2,000-8,000sqm)’ in the Association of Event Organisers’ Excellence Awards (it won the ‘under 2,000sqm’ category in both 2011 and 2012, and was also named Best Trade Show at the Exhibition News Awards in 2014).

For many repeat visitors, it’s already the best by far.

“lunch! 2017 was bigger and better. It continues to be the best trade show for the food-to-go sector with real innovation and passion at its core,” says Martin Hambleton, head of procurement at En Route International, and a regular judge of the show’s Innovation Challenge Awards.

“lunch! is a key date in the diary for the food-to-go and the coffee shop sector. It is great to see so much innovation from such passionate people under one roof,” says Hannah McKay, head of food & beverage at Caffè Nero.

“After visiting lunch! for ten years, I still find it the most inspiring event in our industry. It has become the must visit show for me every year,” says Adrian Liddiment, head of UK and international operations at Coffee Republic.

Free visitor registration now open

lunch! will return to ExCeL London on 20-21 September 2018. For further information and to register for a free trade ticket, please visit www.lunchshow.co.uk and quote priority code LU26 (direct link: http://www.eventdata.co.uk/Forms/Default.aspx?FormRef=Lun98Visitor&TrackingCode=LU26).