From the information available it would appear that the restaurant opens a week on Monday, it doesn't look that far away from being ready front of house.

The customer information desk told local shoppers that Dobbies restaurant was opening soon, she said that Dobbies had taken that part of the Tesco store over.

Another member of staff said it was a trial in the Kingsway West store and if it was successful then it would be rolled out into other stores. 

Could Tesco be developing Dobbies as a restaurant and coffee shop brand to make way for the sale of gardening retailing to someone else?

Paul Chessum’s Home & Garden group has acquired its eighth garden centre -  Plowmans at Ferndown in Dorset, right opposite major local competitor Golden Acres. It takes the turnover of the group, which has said its target is 10 centres, to more than £6 million.

The site, managed by former Blue Diamond manager John Blackstaff, has the best sales growth potential in the group, the company says.

The buyer at Plowmans is Andy Schofield.

The Rising Stars 2015 Programme has received a record number of entries from garden centre staff looking to get ahead in the world of horticultural retailing.

Demand for places and the calibre of the applicants was so high that a second workshop has been planned for early April to accommodate everyone.

The programme, run by Westland Horticulture and the Garden Centre Association (GCA), is now in its seventh year and has been hugely successful to date, welcomed by the industry and participants alike.

This year a total of 31 people signed up for the programme and ultimately one will achieve the title of Rising Star of 2015.

The first Masterclass kicked off at Westland’s Merchandising Lab in Peterborough, where Ian Boardman, IBBIS (UK) director and Rising Stars facilitator, put the entrants through their paces. Ian gave hints and tips on how to increase sales and profits from every square metre in their garden centres and more importantly, how to ensure that customers have a great experience each time they visit. The Rising Stars must now put the merchandising tips they were taught into practice and measure the impact, ready for the next Masterclass in June. A follow-up session will be held at the start of April for those unable to attend yesterday’s session.

There will be three Masterclasses throughout the year in which participants will be given extensive coaching and mentoring in different aspects of retail merchandising. After the first two Masterclasses, the most successful participants will be taken through to the next round.

Keith Nicholson, Marketing Director for Westland Horticulture said: “Each year the Rising Stars Programme gets more and more successful and the standard achieved higher and higher. This demonstrates that horticultural retailing is a strong career choice, which is fantastic for the industry as a whole. We are proud to be once again supporting this initiative.

“I would like to wish all of the 2015 candidates the best of luck. I’m certain, regardless of whether they go on to win or not, they will get a lot of benefit from the experience.”

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA said: “We are all really excited about this year’s programme. Due to popular demand we will once again put forward the top five candidates to deliver their presentations at the GCA’s annual conference in January 2016 before the ultimate winner is announced at the gala dinner a day later on Tuesday 26 January 2016. Best of luck to all those taking part!”

Anyone interested in applying for the April 1 Masterclass should contact the GCA on 0118 930 8918 or visit www.gca.org.uk and complete an application form. 

Above: This year's Rising Star winner Kirsty Clark of Perrywood Garden Centre.

Waltham Abbey-based plant wholesalers Classiflora Zelari attracted hordes of buyers from across the country this week on two cold but generally sun-soaked open days. Business was brisk and the nursery was widely applauded for the quality of this year’s offer.

 “Customers have been telling us they have never seen the nursery looking so good,” said marketing manager Andrew Dayes. “They can see how we’ve changed in recent times. We’ve gone from being just an importer of Italian nursery stock to a truly European nursery. The core offer is still from Zelari but we now source plants not only from all over Italy but from Holland, France, Portugal, Sicily, Belgium and here in the UK. We have a comprehensive range that can meet most retailers’ and landscapers’ needs.”

 Wednesday was the busiest day, with numbers only slightly down on last year, while Thursday saw a steady stream of buyers throughout the day.

 The nursery’s ‘Shelfies’ promotion was going down well when GTN Xtra called in. “We’ve had loads of orders for our competitive shelf deals on a range of popular plants for immediate delivery,” Dayes confirmed.

 Buyers were encouraged to choose one of three purchasing options to suit their business – direct shipments from Zelari selected on one of their ‘Fly & Buy’ visits to Tuscany (minimum order value €10,000); shipments from Zelari (with ‘Fly & Buy’ visit)  via Classiflora (minimum €5,000); or ‘Little and Often’ ordering from the Classiflora site (minimum £500 carriage paid, average two trolleys).

The new restaurant at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre is on schedule to open in April with the internal fit-out well underway. Above is an artist's impression of the restaurant's interior.

The new build, which has a footprint of nearly 1,000sqm and a brand new kitchen with state-of-the-art equipment, will seat 350 people, offering Taunton diners greater choice.

Mike Lind, Managing Director at the award-winning, independent, family-run garden centre at Monkton Heathfield near Taunton, explained: “It’s brilliant news that we’re bang on schedule as we are really looking forward to the space being filled with families and visitors of all ages feasting on freshly prepared meals cooked on-site by our team of catering specialists.

“We’ve got the roof, walls, concrete floor and glass in so we’re now looking forward to a soft launch in April and a grand opening in June.

“As well as the main restaurant, which will serve meals throughout the day, the facility will be home to a coffee house that will offer wonderful coffee and freshly brewed tea, including speciality teas that will complement an expanded range of delicious cakes and biscuits from our new bakery.”

There will also be a function room available for events and to be booked out for business meetings, private parties, anniversaries and even wakes.

For more information visit www.monktonelmgardencentre.co.uk

Garden centres throughout the UK will be hoping that this weekend's forecasted mild weather will help to boost sales. 

“It’s going to be 15 degrees this weekend,” were the optimistic words from new Scotts UK General Manager Sheila Hill as GTN joined her for a day of visits to garden centres.  

The visits to Van Hage Peterborough, Baytree and Waterside garden centres revealed that stores are well stocked and ready for the season. They, like gardeners across the country, are just waiting for the ground to warm up so that they can get on.

At Van Hage Peterborough, manager Chrissie Hills proudly reported to Sheila that they had sold more volume of Evergreen Complete last week than either of Van Hage Great Amwell and Chenies.  Lawn care looks set for a good season when the grass gets growing – Evergreen Complete re-entered the GTN Bestsellers chart at No 11 this week.

A check of the Met Office Weather forecast as GTN Bestsellers goes to press shows that whilst temperatures may not quite meet Sheila’s 15-degree wish, they won’t be far behind. With sunshine and no frost that should be enough to uncoil the spring!

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

• Garden Products – down 38%
• Veg-2-Gro Products – down 39%
• Growing Media – down 11%
• All items index – down 26%

A notable change between the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart for week 9 this year vs last year is that there were five gardening glove lines in the Top 50 in 2014 and there are none this year. That’s another great indicator that customers are just not able to get on with their gardening at the moment.

• Growth Technology Orchid Focus Bloom Fertiliser 100ml is this week’s highest re-entry.
• Westland Fish Blood & Bone 3.5kg is the highest chart climber, up 35 places to No 10.
• Gardman Solar Swirl Marker Lights are the highest new entry at No 24.

Landscapers Hambrooks have re-launched their Titchfield site as a design-driven Destination Garden Centre featuring what will almost certainly be the biggest display of show gardens in UK garden retailing.

The concept, the brainchild of MD Norman Hambrook, who founded the landscaping business 45 years ago, has involved the creation of 16 display gardens, both indoor and outdoor spaces, designed to inspire consumers.

Mr Hambrook says there will be no gifts on sale, only garden-related items – but there is a café bar. He describes the centre as “Hampshire’s very own mini Chelsea”.

Head designer is Mike Hodges, whose team is on hand to advise customers on their own aspirations.

The centre has installed a new PA system and Garden Radio provided by GTN’s parent company, The Garden Communication & Media Company, taking advantage of the royalty free service that is available to all HTA members as part of the CRoP cost reduction scheme.  For details contact trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Warrington-based Bents Garden & Home is looking for a new general manager to take on day-to-day responsibility for the £20m turnover business.

Bents employs more than 400 staff to handle an average annual footfall of 1.5 million, a figure expected to rise significantly following the expansion. 

The centre’s vision is to become ”the ultimate garden, home and leisure destination”.  The third and final phase of its long-term development is still in the pipeline. 

Matthew Bent said:  “Whoever joins the team as our new general manager will join us at an exciting time as we start the planning process for our next stage of development. They will have the opportunity to help grow and develop the most recent additions to the business whilst also helping to shape our future.

“As a family run business we offer a very different prospect to a national chain but we are a business with huge ambition and one where our management team feel they can really make a direct difference.”

Staff and customers at Baytree Garden Centre in Spalding and at Bosworths Garden Centre in Kettering have been getting in the mood for Garden Re-Leaf Day on Friday 27 March by taking ‘Glovies’ of their staff at work.

‘Glovies’ are the new Selfies and they’ve caught on a big way since glove suppliers Briers put their promotional weight behind the idea. Posted on social media (#glovies), they’ve been drawing attention to Garden Re-Leaf activities at garden centres throughout the country.

At Baytree Garden Centre the Holbeach Chapter of the Fen Fatales were first to get in on Glovies directly after General Manager Nigel Wallis recieved his copy of GTN along with the complimentary pair of Greenfingers Gloves from Briers.

Bosworths have a competition online, Facebook and Twitter for the funniest #Glovies to win Afternoon Tea for Two.  They are also holding a special Garden Re-Leaf quiz at the centre on Thursday 26 March, when they will aim to raise funds for Greenfingers, Garden Re-Leaf’s nominated charity.

If you have not yet organised events or activities for Garden Re-Leaf Day, there’s still time to check out the ideas on the website (www.gardenreleaf.co.uk).

Crest Garden announced two new marketing appointments this week.

Marie William (far left) has joined Crest Garden as a product manager, with responsibility for the Kent & Stowe, Flopro, Plantpak by Crest ranges. She will also seek promotional opportunities and help to develop the brands.  Joining from Gardman, she brings a wealth of knowledge from the garden and home-style markets where her priorities included sourcing, negotiation, range simplification and analysis. Before Gardman, Marie was at London-based Brand Addition, where she was responsible for creating, sourcing and developing promotional merchandise on behalf of leading brands.

Natalie Searle joins Crest from the Royal Horticultural Society, where she spent five years as their marketing manager in the media and events teams. Natalie brings with her a vast knowledge of the garden market and expertise in traditional and digital marketing, including web development, SEO, analytics, social media and advertising.

Natalie will focus on developing the marketing propositions, brand position, packaging, display, overall group literature and social media.

The 2015 Edible Garden Show opens at Alexandra Palace on Friday 20 March - the day of a solar eclipse, which is due to plunge much of the UK into eerie darkness.  Opening day speaker Charles Dowding, an expert veg grower, says it the perfect time to put down your trowel and prick up your ears.

Charles, who will be giving a talk in the Experts Theatre on starting a vegetable garden (a subject covered in detail in his excellent new book), said: “Eclipses are reckoned to be unfavourable for sowing or planting, so it’s an ideal time to come to the show. It’s an unusual weekend with the solar eclipse on Friday then two planetary eclipses on Saturday of Uranus and Mars.”

Charles is known for a biodynamic approach to gardening, a practice he sums up as “harnessing unseen energies for greater plant health and quality”. He added: “The biodynamic approach is about working with subtle energies to improve health and nutritional quality of plants. It began in the 1920s with the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. Biodynamic gardeners and farmers use special preparations on soil, plants and in the compost heap. Another aspect is sowing and planting by the moon, although this is not unique to biodynamics, and has been practised for much longer.”

Charles’s own interest on the effect of the lunar cycle on growing patterns goes back more than 30 years and early tablets from ancient Babylon testified to the belief in the infertility of the land around the time of an eclipse.

As Britain’s love of growing its own flourishes, so does the show dedicated to inspiring gardeners and would-be gardeners. Charles’s new book(‘ How to Create a New Vegetable Garden’) fits in perfectly with The Edible Garden Show, which is dedicated to inspiring novice and experienced gardeners. During his talk Charles will explain how to turn unpromising ground into a productive space, simpler weed control and also mention some ‘new’ vegetables, like oca, yacon and stevia.

This year’s show from 20-22 March has more than triple the number of attraction areas and a huge variety of experts sharing their passion for grow your own.  

It runs alongside a new lifestyle event, Good Life Live, which will showcase a vast range of outdoor living experiences from adventure activities and country pursuits to home comforts and livestock.

Pippa Greenwood, James Wong and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall  are among the star attractions, while, for toddlers, the highlight will undoubtedly be the high-energy appearance of the green-fingered Mr Blooms of CBeebies fame on the Saturday.

Horticultural celebrities from TV and radio are busy recording questions, wearing Glovies of course, for the 2015 Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day Quiz.

Popular stars of TV and radio Christine Walkden and Chris Beardshaw are currently recording questions for the quiz, along with their BBC Radio 4’s Gardener’s Question Time colleague Eric Robson and BBC weatherman Peter Gibbs. Other well-known gardening experts such as Anne Swithinbank, Bob Flowerdew, Pippa Greenwood, Bunny Guinness, Matthew Biggs and Matthew Wilson (Greenfingers Chairman) are also contributing to the esteemed quiz.

All monies raised from the quiz, with questions this year written by Andy Bunker of Altons Garden Centre and produced in the studios of Garden Radio, will once again go to the Greenfingers ‘Rosy Cheeks’ campaign. The campaign aims to provide much needed gardens for children who spend time in hospices around the UK, along with their families, by creating inspiring gardens and outdoor spaces for them to relax in and enjoy.

The 2015 Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day Quiz is available to all garden centres, gardening societies and other organisations and is the perfect way to participate in the fourth, annual Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day, which takes place on 27th March 2015.

For £100 participants will receive a pack containing all they need to host the quiz – it includes a special CD or Mp3 download of pre-recorded questions (and answers) to play to the audience, everything needed for the picture round, and a bonus pack of fundraising ideas, hints and tips.

Bosworth’s Garden Centre in Burton Latimer were one of the many garden centres that received great interest in last year’s Garden Re-Leaf Day Quiz. Marketing Co-ordinator, Jonathan Biggs, said: “The quiz was so easy to run, our teams were delighted to hear celebrities’ voices asking the questions, and the ‘heads and tails’ game was great fun.”

Garden centres wanting to take part should register on the Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day website, and can also take advantage of free publicity for their events, by filling in the simple form online at www.gardenreleaf.co.uk/register-an-event. Once registered, each individual event appears on the site’s ‘events’ section, and is searchable by area to help the public find their local participating garden centre.

The quiz is just one of many ways to raise funds for Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day. Other retailer participation ideas include in-store sponsored cycle rides, as well as fun family day activities such as making cress heads and sowing Sunflowers – the Home Garden Association’s plant of the year for 2015. Suppliers can also get involved with the Loose Change promotion.

To ensure maximum exposure for your event, make sure to register soon via www.gardenreleaf.co.uk/register-an-event. To order your 2015 Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day quiz pack, explore other opportunities for supporting the 2015 event as a supplier, or participate as a retailer, email info@gardenreleaf.co.uk.

Garden Pride Marketing have successfully turned to crowd funding to bring manufacturing of their Christmas tree stands back to Sussex.

Garden Pride have supplied metalwork and other garden products to garden centres for 25 years. While they have a factory and warehouse facility in Sussex, less and less has been made there over the years. To remain competitive, more manufacturing, including the lower priced, bulk selling Christmas tree stand, was moved to the Far- East.

Now crowd funding through Funding Circle has enabled them to introduce an innovative manufacturing method that makes it cost effective to produce the stands in the UK once more.

MD Stephen Vincent said: “Twenty-five years ago I started making Christmas tree stands in an old chicken shed and then later expanded into an industrial unit. Eventually the bulk of the manufacturing went to the Far-East so that we could remain competitive. Now, with this funding and our new state of the art manufacturing methods I am very proud to say that not only are the UK manufactured Christmas tree stands competitive with the Far East imports again but we can now beat them on price! We are looking forward to the 2015 Christmas period, which starts for us now!”

Information 01903 761222 or Email: sales@gardenpridemarketing.co.uk

Colourful new garden spades and forks designed by Safe-n-Easy inventor Graham Smith are due to arrive in garden centres later this spring. 

Taking a completely new approach to traditional gardening tools, Smith has come up with a solution designed to be safer, easier to use and carry a strong recycling message.

Customers handing in an old or broken tool at a participating garden centre will be offered £10 off the cost of a Safe-n-Easy fork and spade. The unwanted tools will be repaired in a prison workshop through The Conservation Foundation’s Tools Shed recycling project and then given free to school and community gardeners.

The spades and forks are the first in a range of everyday products Smith is redesigning to make them safer and easier to use, particularly for older people.  “Some 2500 people a year have to visit hospital following an accident with a fork and spade according to ROSPA and many of these are older gardeners,” he explains. “I had the idea for the Safe-n-Easy fork and spade when my father had an accident while digging. He’d also been bothered by backache and so I went back to basics and came up with something that is safer, lighter and needs much less bending and lifting.”

www.safe-n-easy.com

Burglars stole 30 trees worth more than £3,000 in a daring break-in at a garden centre in Cardiff.

The thieves apparently dragged the trees, all around 2.5m tall, over two fences and onto a truck waiting on the motorway hard shoulder adjacent to Dutch Garden Centre in Pontprennau. They left a trail of soil leading to the getaway point.

Staff believe the burglars kicked off the pots to make the plants easier to carry as they dragged them over two fences towards a vehicle parked on the hard shoulder near junction 30.

Police believe the raid took place between 4pm last Sunday, March 1, and 9.30am on Monday

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: “The premises is clearly visible from the motorway and anyone leaving the motorway at junction 30 in an eastbound direction may have witnessed something which may assist the police in their investigation.”

The centre is offering a reward.

Our client is a well-respected and established company who supply the retail sector via traditional and also new media, internet and TV shopping avenues. They are currently looking to recruit a buyer who will be responsible for purchasing live product, hard goods and Christmas gift product for all sales areas against a list of dedicated suppliers.

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Purchase plants/bulbs/tubers/fruit/packaging/potatoes/sundries/fertiliser, based on the forecasting model, ensuring quotes are obtained in advance.
• Place reserves ahead of forecasts to secure exclusives/unique crops by liaison with sales heads.
• To monitor product sales information to keep excess plant purchases to a minimum with ideally no surplus by financial year end.
• To assist with a report to sales and management teams on surpluses every week.
• Responsible for Product availability information (Delivery Window for Product availability).
• Communicate changes in product specification (plug/pot size changes etc) to all relevant parties and ensure any BOM changes are actioned. 
• Date management – responsible for product date changes.
• Where stock available is less than required sales, make timely decisions in liaison with sales, to allocate who gets what and action any other relevant decisions… 
• Delay/Status Change/Refund items as required.
• Substitutions – Recommend substitute product where appropriate (in line with company horticultural guidelines), and then organise information for Customer Care to do sub notes for dispatch on a timely basis.
• To be actively involved in purchase negotiations to ensure maximum discount and best terms are achieved without compromising product quality.
• To visit trials and to attend shows globally.
• To ensure that amendments to purchase orders are always complete for both quantity and timing.
• To control and manage budgets assigned to job holder.
• Liaise with Production for the despatch plan on capacities.
• Quality control – visit every supplier once a year, and major suppliers quarterly, or more often if dictates 
• Be aware of all quality claims, month end stock, and wastage.
• Responsible for stock at other locations. 
• To continually improve company and intercompany communication through team meetings and feedback mechanisms.
• To assume responsibility for own training and development in partnership with the line Manager.
• Continually update own commercial and company knowledge in order to make effective contributions towards the running of the company.
• To perform any other reasonable duties as required by the Head Buyer.

For a confidential discussion, please call Brad Peck at MorePeople on 01780 480530 quoting reference #7146

Our client is a leading nursery who supply their own garden centres with bedding and other top quality plants they are looking for:

A candidate that can demonstrate their ability to Plan, organize, direct, control and coordinate activities of workers at all stages of growing, harvesting, packing, distribution and selling to the highest standards in terms of quality and efficiency.

A hands on manager of people with past experience of growing on a commercial seasonal plant (ideally bedding plants) nursery with excellent I.T skills to include Microsoft office and ideally some experience of a stock control system.

We need someone who can hit the ground running, quickly identifying quality and efficiency improvements and put systems and procedures in place to meet the business demands. Working under their own initiative, they will be responsible for all day to day activities within the nursery.

This is a development role with the expectation that a successful candidate would progress to Nursery manager in the future.

For a confidential discussion, please call Brad Peck at MorePeople on 01780 480530 quoting reference #7115

I am currently seeking an assistant manager for a site that belongs to a chain of garden centres based in the midlands. 

I am seeking a competent retail manager to join the senior leadership team of this centre to help drive the turnover of the store with a real emphasis on customer service.  

The centre is plant focussed but also has a good deal of indoor departments. The number of departments will grow as planned investment at group level will develop the site. 

Experience as a retail manager previously would be ideal but enthusiasm and attitude will be just as important in finding the right candidate. Supervisory level would be required but it does not have to be in a garden retail environment.

For a confidential discussion, please call Brad Beck at MorePeople on 01780 480530 quoting reference #7072

I am currently seeking a home & leisure manager to join the team of a large independent garden centre. 

Retail management experience is a must for this role as you will be leading a large team in a busy shop floor environment.

Experience at supervisory level may be adequate but will be evaluated on an application by application basis. 

I am looking for someone who is a driven retailer. The goal of this store is to be the best and their managers need to lead from the front.

Experience from a similar quality focussed environment would be preferred

For a confidential discussion, please call Brad Beck at MorePeople on 01780 480530 quoting reference #7076

Stuart Burgin has been appointed Chief Executive of William Sinclair Horticulture, the growing media, fertilisers and chemicals producer.

He succeeds Peter Rush, CEO for the past two years, who has left the company having commissioned its new £25m compost facility in Ellesmere Port and re-launched the J. Arthur Bower’s, Growing Success and Deadfast product ranges.

Mr Burgin, 52, has extensive senior management experience, most notably in the food and grocery sector where he worked for RHM, Robert McBride and, most recently, Oscar Mayer as CEO.

He will spearhead phase two of Sinclair’s transformation from a traditional peat harvester to a world-leading producer of locally sourced, ecologically sustainable growing media as the company responds to the changing regulatory climate.

A turnaround expert, Mr Burgin will devise and implement a programme to streamline operations and return Sinclair to profitability following a period of heavy capital investment.

“I am joining a first class team,” said Mr Burgin, “and I look forward to leading this great British company into a new era.”

Early signs are that it could be a great year for home tomato growing.  While the overall Veg-2-Gro sales were struggling along with the rest of garden centre sales, tomato plug plant volumes held their own year on year, growing sales by 98% on last week, with seven varieties in the GTN Bestsellers Top 50.

Star performers were:

• KinderGarden Tomato Gardeners Delight moves up eight places to No 4.
• KinderGarden Tomato Sungold is the highest chart climber, up 29 places to No 14.
• KinderGarden Tomato Alicante is the highest new entry at No 18.

Award-winning retail pest control product supplier, STV, has launched Live Pest-Free TV, a YouTube channel with a selection of ‘How-To’ videos from The Big Cheese range.

The short videos have been designed to help end-users fully understand how STV products work and also as a training aid for retailers. The videos are available on STV’s YouTube channel - just search STVPest-FreeLiving. Retailers with an approved STV trade web account can log in and download the videos for free from the site and use them as a training aid for themselves.

Packed with informative step-by-step instructions, the videos are clear and concise.

STV’s marketing manager, Claire McDermid, says: “The videos prove easy viewing and have been produced to enable end-users to achieve the best results from the product they’ve bought.

"All of our products come with full text instructions, but a visual instruction is quicker and easier to follow. With the current increase in people searching for ‘how-to’ and DIY product videos online, we felt producing these videos came at an appropriate time.

"They are on our YouTube page, so users can easily access the videos from their computers, tablets and mobile devices wherever they are.”



Link to Live Pest-Free TV from STV

Future plans for videos over all four of STV’s brands are underway, so customers can expect to see more videos over the coming months.



See the STV Special Issue of GTN Xtra here

White Stores, the independent online retailer of garden furniture and accessories, have pledged their support for Greenfingers. The company will be donating 10% of their net sales* made on Greenfingers' Garden Re-Leaf Day (Friday, March 27).

"Our Garden Re-Leaf Day 2015 donation to Greenfingers is a practical way of showing our admiration for the amazing work this charity does to improve the well-being of children and their families on a daily basis," says James Whiteley (pictured), Founder and Managing Director of White Stores.

"We hope our customers will be thrilled to be a part of this special day and that White Stores can make a valuable contribution to Greenfingers and the hospices they help."

"It's great that White Stores would like to support Greenfingers by donating 10% of net sales on 27th March," comments Linda Petrons, Head of Fundraising at Greenfingers.

"Garden Re-Leaf is going to be another fab event for Greenfingers and we're delighted that so many old and new supporters are getting right behind it. We would like to pass on our very grateful thanks to James Whiteley and the White Stores team for choosing to support Greenfingers, and for helping to make a difference to the lives of children being supported by hospices, and their families."

 *10% of all sales excluding VAT made at White Stores (online, telephone and showroom) on 27^th March 2015.

http://www.whitestores.co.uk

Mr Fothergill’s Seeds is the latest supplier to show support for the industry-wide Love the Plot You’ve Got campaign which kicks off this spring.

As well as providing 15,000 packets of Love the Plot-branded seeds, the contribution from Mr Fothergill’s pays for the support of horticulturalist, broadcaster and television gardener Chris Collins at the Love the Plot You’ve Got roadshows taking place across the country.

The Love the Plot Roadshows will showcase four specially constructed show gardens built on the base of shipping containers and replicating the size of an average UK back garden. There will also be a balcony garden feature to provide inspiration, advice and to demonstrate different ways of turning a neglected outdoor space into a haven for relaxation, entertainment and fun. 

Chris will help to bring the roadshow events to life providing demonstrations, interactive children's gardening activities and top tips supported by an accompanying blog.

 Tim Jeffries, commercial director at Mr Fothergill’s Seeds, comments: "We are delighted to support the Love the Plot You've Got initiative, which we hope will inspire and enthuse the next generation to get involved in growing plants and take a real interest in their outdoor living space."

Love the Plot You’ve Got is designed to help and inspire 30-45 year olds who have access to a garden or outdoor space, but do not currently make great use of it. Industry research has revealed that skills and knowledge, once handed from one generation to another, are being lost, and that while lots of people want to improve their outdoor spaces and environment, a lack of knowledge and confidence is holding them back.

The inspirational Love the Plot You’ve Got feature gardens Roadshow will be visiting city centre venues, Home & Garden Shows and selected garden centres across the country with the first roadshow taking place on 20-22 March at the new Good Life Live Show at Alexandra Palace in London. Visit www.loveyourplot.com for full details of each Roadshow venue.

Westland Horticulture are providing the transport for the roadshow gardens with Scotts Miracle-Gro providing content and support for the media and website activities.

Love the Plot You’ve Got Roadshow dates

•  20-22 March: Good Life Live, London
• 11-13 April: Van Hage Garden Centre, Great Amwell
• 18-19 April: Scotsdale Garden Centre, Cambridge
• 25-26 April: Webbs of Wychbold, Worcestershire
• 2-3 May: Bute Park, Cardiff (tbc)
• 8-10 May: Garden Show Ireland, Belfast
• 23-24 May: George Square, Glasgow
• 29-31 May: Gardening Scotland, Edinburgh
• June: Garden centres (to be announced)
• 17-20 July: Home and Garden Show, Stratford upon Avon

To find out more contact Garden Industry Marketing Board Campaign Manager David Arnold. Tel: 07876643638. Email: daaltd@virginmedia.com

Consumer gift card and voucher sales continued their strong growth by 6.14% into the fourth quarter of 2014, according to statistics from The UK Gift Card & Voucher Association (UKGCVA), the trade body representing key players in the £5 billion gift voucher, cards and stored value solutions market.

The figures are backed up by a new report compiled independently by consultants at BDO, which shows that in Q4, the gift card and voucher industry grew by 8.43%, bringing growth for the full year to 8.07%.

The most popular product within consumer sales is still category specific-gift cards, which made up 55.75% of total consumer sales.  Growth in consumer gift cards and vouchers during Q4 was also driven by Christmas purchases, with sales representing 59.43% of the total market compared to just 39.61% during Q3.

Andrew Johnson, director-general of the UKGCVA, consumers were clearly reacting well to the growing variety of voucher products on offer, particularly that could be redeemed in multiple outlets. “Overall 2014 has been an incredibly successful year for the gift card and voucher market, and although we predicted B2C growth, the rate at which it has occurred has far outstripped our expectations.”

Even growing media sales took a dip last week, the first drop year on year for six weeks. 

That still leaves cumulative volumes up significantly but clearly gardeners are now waiting for their soil to defrost.  

Let’s hope this weekend is the trigger. In the meantime the Top 3 bestselling lines in the GTN growing media chart continue to be:

• Westland Multipurpose 50L at No 1.
• Scotts Levington Multipurpose + John Innes 56L at No 2.
• Arthur Bowers Multipurpose Compost 50L at No 3 for a third week running.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

The British Home Enhancement Trade Association Meet The Buyer day with multi-channel retailer, Argos enabled 45 suppliers to hold more than 75 appointments with 10 members of the Argos buying team, including online buyers.

The event was headed up by Argos Trading Manager Yvonne Stinston. 
For many Argos buyers the event was a new experience and a number of follow up meetings are now scheduled as a result.  BHETA suppliers, particularly new members, were also complimentary, especially when they had managed to secure appointments they had failed to get through conventional means.

Typical feedback included Guy Weaver, chief executive of Qudos Marketing Limited, who said: “As new members of BHETA, Qudos appreciated the opportunity to get products in front of Argos category buyers. The 20-minute spot put the pressure on us to focus on the key features and benefits of our products, but they were well received and we are hoping to get listings for several new items.”  Lisa Scott of Gourmet Gadgetry said: “We found it really positive for business. The event was brilliantly structured and we went into the meeting prepared and confident having utilised the presentation suggested by BHETA. It's such a great way to get in front of the right buyer for your category.”

Samia Attia, chairman of Worldwide plc & Group, said: “As new members of BHETA, we have been very impressed with the quality of mentoring, service and member initiatives.  The Argos event was again well organised and we believe will lead to new trading opportunities for our company.”

Members were allocated a 20 minute appointment with the relevant buyer for a maximum of two people. 

Stewart Garden is reminding retailers to stock up on non-electric propagators ready for the growing season.

Stewart say every product manufactured at its state of the art facility in Banbury is of consistently high quality.

The Stewart Garden Essentials Unheated Propagator is available in two sizes, 38cm 52cm (SRPs £4.99 and £9.99)

The Premium model with high clarity styrene cover and adjustable ventilation, is available in four sizes from 22cm to 67cm (SRP £3.99 to 15.99)

Gavin Wray, channel manager at Stewart Garden, said: “Many gardeners are environmentally conscious about using energy. This range is for them.”

With support in place from the garden industry, the focus of the new ‘Love the Plot You’ve Got’ campaign switches to the consumer this month.

The promotion hits the road for a tour at events and cities around the country from 20 March, with the inaugural roadshow at Good Life Live at Alexandra Palace.

The promotion is designed to help and inspire 30-45 year olds who have access to a garden or outdoor space but don’t currently make great use of it. Industry research has revealed that skills and knowledge once handed from one generation to another are being lost, and that while lots of people want to improve their outdoor spaces and environment, a lack of knowledge and confidence is holding them back.

Visitors to the Love the Plot You’ve Got Roadshow will meet friendly advisors who will provide them with easy to understand, jargon-free information and achievable and realistic advice on how to transform their outdoor living spaces, small or large.

Love the Plot You’ve Got advisors will be on hand with four specially constructed show gardens, replicating the size of an average UK back garden, and also a balcony garden feature to provide inspiration, advice and demonstrate different ways of turning a neglected outdoor space into a haven for relaxation, entertainment and fun. 

The Roadshow will showcase a patio garden and an edible garden, which will be ornamental with edible flowers mixed among some very attractive vegetables. There will be a container garden which makes use of raised beds and portable planters that can be moved between properties, ideal for people who are currently renting. There will also be a feature balcony gardening so no-one need miss out, whatever the size of their outdoor space.

The events will be supported by horticulturalist, broadcaster and TV gardener Chris Collins, who will provide tips and demonstrations including planting a hanging basket, seed sowing, day to day gardening advice and free interactive kids gardening activities to inspire the next generation.

The roadshow will be visiting city centre venues, home & garden shows and selected garden centres:

20-22 March:, Good Life Live, London

18-19 April: ,Scotsdale Garden Centre, Cambridge

25 – 26 April: Webbs of Wychbold, Worcestershire

2-3 May: Cardiff (tbc)

8-10 May: Garden Show Ireland, Belfast

23-24 May: George Square, Glasgow

29-31 May: Gardening Scotland, Edinburgh

June: Garden centres (to be announced)

17-20 July: Home and Garden Show, Stratford upon Avon

To find out more contact Garden Industry Marketing Board campaign manager David Arnold (07876 643638, email: daaltd@virginmedia.com)

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

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

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2012 as well as 2013 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 Veg-2-Gro 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.