New products will be launched by most of the 34 UK garden and leisure product suppliers exhibiting in the British group at spoga+gafa in Cologne in September
Numerous new growing accessories are on show, ranging from micro-grow light gardens and portable greenhouses to novel garden netting designs, plant supports, link stakes and garden arches. Among the revolutionary watering accessories are a mobile telephone operated control system, a daylight sensored water controller and a weather responsive system. There are new lightweight and multi-purpose hand tools, outdoor clocks, garden storage buildings, patio brooms and barbecue accessories. Items to meet the demands of the expanding wildlife market include funky-style bird boxes and feeders.
Two-thirds of the British group have been awarded £1,500 UKTI government cash grants towards stand space and fitting costs under an arrangement secured by Gardenex.
Within the main British exhibitor pavilion is a UK garden industry information stand, manned by the Gardenex federation’s team of multi-lingual staff.
A new feature this year is a British Innovation and Business Zone that will display new, innovative and first time products or services. The Zone will be adjacent to the Gardenex stand and UK garden industry information stand.
The British exhibitors are:
ALM Manufacturing (Hall 9.1, Stand C38a) Parts for garden power machinery, including trimmer spools and line and plastic blades suitable for almost every electric grass trimmer on the market, including private label brands. The company also supplies oils, safety equipment, chainsaw chains, lawnmower blades and greenhouse parts.
Bambrella (Hall 9.1, Stand C40/D41) Strong parasols made from laminated bamboo are supplied to some of the most prestigious hotels, drinks companies, restaurants and retailers in more than 30 countries. Due to demand, they will launch a range of aluminium parasols that are as strong as the bamboo range and have been wind-tunnel tested up to 90kmph.
BarbeSkew (Hall 7.1, Stand D59) Charcoal and gas rotisserie barbecuesthat enable the user to cook using two individual rotisserie motors. As the meat is turned, it self-bastes.
Bosmere (Hall 9.1, Stand E30) Their garden covers ranges feature new colours, new packaging and new technically advanced materials. There will be a new Thunder Grey added to the successful Storm Black range of urban chic covers.
Briers (Hall 10.1, Stand B029) are showing rubber clogs and boots, gloves, umbrellas and garden product collections. The company’s Historical Royal Palaces collection is selling worldwide.
Catwatch by Concept Research (Hall 9.1, Stand D34) UK manufactured animal deterrents from ther inventors of the original cat deterrent, Catwatch. A new range of European packaging is being introduced.
Crest Garden (Hall 9.1, Stand E33) offer traditional hand-crafted garden tools manufactured by Kent & Stowe since the 1600s, based on designs as close to original versions as possible. A brand new range of eight lightweight garden tools is being introduced.
G Plants (Hall 9.1, Stand D38) UK manufactured retail packages of seeds, flower bulbs and garden products both under the company’s brand name of G Plants and own label for supply to local, regional and national multiple retailers.
Gardenskill Ltd (Hall 9.1, Stand E35) Pop-up fruit and vegetable cages, poly houses and tunnels. New products include a range of plant supports, suitable for shrubs, perennials and vegetables such as peas and beans.
Garland Products/Worth Gardening (Hall 9.1, Stand C30) have more than 70 new products, including a compact tidy tray, a colander trug, a one-top electric propagator and a micro grow light garden. A new garden basics range of garden sundries comprises more than 40 lines such as plant labels, tree ties, greenhouse fittings and coils of garden wire.
Greenman Garden Tools (Hall 9.1, Stand D31a) New ergonomic garden tools that takes design cues from traditional British farm tools, with ease-of-use and functionality as the main aim. Initial lines include a digging fork and spade with extra-long handles that have been steamed and bent.
Grumpy Gardener by GreanBase (Hall 9.1, Stand D36) Flagship product of the Grumpy Gardener Range is the Wheelbarrow Booster, a novel way of extending a wheelbarrow’s capacity by up to 300 per cent. New for 2016 are the Cultimate Weeder multi-purpose hand tool and the Plantwell watering aid for basket and pot plants.
Harrod Horticultural (Hall 9.1, Stand D37) UK designed and manufactured arches, obelisks, plant supports, crop cages and grow-your-own innovations. New silk-grey and lichen green powder coated finishes have been introduced for the arches and obelisks.
Haws Watering Cans (Hall 9.1, Stand C32) Quality metal and plastic indoor and outdoor watering cans, including a hand painted Union Jack design traditional 4.5 litre can, together with a range of hand tools, leatherware, gift products, jugs and vases.
Hozelock (Hall 6.1, Stand B10/C11) The new Hozelock Cloud offers an easy way to control garden watering from a mobile phone, via an App (available on Apple and Android operating systems) that allows you to remotely set, pause and adjust watering schedules, as well as informing the user about current conditions and changes to weather. A hub that will link with up to four remote taps in the garden is connected directly to an internet router.
Irrigatia (Hall 9.1, Stand E31a) Weather responsive solar automatic watering systems (below) that can water from a barrel every three hours, apply more water when it is sunny and water during the owner’s absence.
Laura Ashley/Treadstone Products (Hall 9.1, Stand C33) New styles and new products in two popular ranges, upgraded with fabric manufactured in the UK. goatskin leather is now used in all gloves.
London Ornaments (Hall 9.1, Stand B1) Vintage style home, gift and garden ware. The company’s popular stone ornament range, hand made in the UK, inccludes bird baths, buddhas, gargoyles and animals.
Mac’s BBQ (Hall 7.1, Stand E23) Barbecues, food smokers and accessories under the ProQ brand. New products include commercial grade smokers for use in restaurants and outdoor catering events and a new barbecue accessory, the Flip ‘n Grate.
Oakthrift (Hall 9.1, Stand D30) Bird feeders, growing systems and plant ties, including their 100 per cent squirrel-proof bird feeders and the Home Farm Grow Tower, which trebles crop yields from a given ground space. Magnetic plant ties provide a plant-friendly method of adjustable and re-usable support.
Plantworks (Hall 9.1, Stand D34a) Rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi is the only product of its type to be licensed and endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society. It helps gardeners grow plants using sustainable, organic and natural methods. New products include a tomato starter, basket starter and a bulb starter.
Popadome (Hall 9.1, Stand D36a) have a new garden netting product based on a dome tent design, available in several sizes with cloche and fleece accessories. Its green credentials include copper tape sewn into the base and 10mm square netting to allow pollination by bees while keeping out cabbage white butterflies and other larger insects.
Porous Pipe (Hall 9.1, Stand C36a) Premium soaker hose in 16mm, 20mm and 5mm diameters for easy watering. New to the range are kits for raised beds, pots and planters, 4-row garden irrigation and ring irrigation.
Smart Garden Products (Hall 9.1, Stand C39) Decorative garden lighting and a new range of weather-resistant ‘Outside In’ clocks and lanterns.
Straight (Hall 9.1, Stand D32) Water butts (from 100ltr to 350ltr) and composters (220ltr and 330ltr) using recycled materials. New for 2016 is the multi-piece water butt stand that allows barrel style water butts to be delivered as complete kits, reducing transport costs.
Strata Products (Hall 10.1, Stand G58) Decorative plastic planters and garden sundries, including imitation wood, metal and new stone-effect planter designs for 2016.
STV International (Hall 6.1, Stand B20) Pest control products for home and garden. On view will be STV’s YouTube channel, Live Pest-Free TV, comprising videos designed to help retailers and end-users to fully to understand how STV products work.
Tildenet Gardenware/Haxnicks (Hall 9.1, Stand D31)Garden care, plant protection and propagation products. Haxnicks, now part of the Tildenet Group, will sow the versatile Sunbubble, a portable greenhouse that provides flexible protection for plants and a sheltered workspace for gardeners.
Town & Country (Hall 9.1, Stand E31) Gloves, footwear and sundries. A raft of new products includes new colours for the best-selling Master Gardener glove range and fleece-lined cloggies.
Trimetals (Hall 6.1, Stand A43) Metal garden storage buildings. They will launch a new version of the popular bicycle storage unit, incorporating a robust front ramp that can be quickly lowered to allow easy access to stored bicycles.
Tubtrugs® (Hall 9.1, Stand D35) Brooms, containers and tools for home, garden, construction and agriculture, including a new concept in broom design.
VegTrug (Hall 9.1, Stand D33) Raised bed planters along and three new product collections. The VegTrug Wildlife Range includes the Tweetie Pad bird box and the Tweetie Feeder bird table, available in a choice of natural wood or funky colours.
What More UK (Hall 9.1, Stand A11) Plastic houseware, storage and garden products. Among its exhibits are products from its Studio, Eden and Vista collections, all manufactured in Northern England.
Yardmaster International (Hall 6.1, Stand E30) DIY metal garden buildings flat packed for home delivery, from small pent-roof models suitable for balconies and patios to apex-roof models ranging from 2 sq m to 11 sq m.
Planters Garden Centre – Bretby (above) was awarded Best Garden Centre and Webbs of Wychbold (right) scooped Best Destination Garden Centre at the GCA Midlands region awards presentation hosted by Stratford Garden Centre last evening...
Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “Our second regional awards evening of the week was a huge success and it was great to see all of the lucky winners receiving their prizes. It is a testament to all of the hard work and effort they put in.
New campaign - 'Million Moments' 
