In collaboration with Meta-Morphose, LOFA have tailored an exclusive, top-tier sales and coaching program for LOFA members, tackling the challenges of the evolving garden leisure industry head-on.

Through engaging modules and personal coaching, this programme is designed not just to teach, but to integrate essential sales and negotiation skills into your work force.

What's even better? It's free for LOFA members! Open exclusively to all their employees under 30, this is a stellar opportunity to not just grow professionally but shine within the outdoor leisure industry.

There are ten spaces available each year, put your name forward, and you could be one of the first selected in the draw by GTN Editor, Trevor Pfeiffer on Friday 10th May, embarking on a journey of sales mastery, culminating at SOLEX 2025 with a trophy for the top performer. 

Unlock the sales potential within your business with the launch of the LOFA Sales academy. Transform your sales approach and take on the business world like never before.

The LOFA Sales Academy is your golden ticket!

Ready, set, grow with LOFA! 

Applications need to be submitted to gina@lofa.com by Friday April 26 

N.B One candidate application per member only per year.

Based in Cheltenham, Meta-morphose have been established for 30 years training sales agents from leading blue chip corporations including Westland & Fiskars. 

Westland Horticulture, home to market leading brands such as Jack’s Magic, Big Tom, Boost, Resolva, Peckish, Unwins and Kent & Stowe, is thrilled to announce the launch of The Westland Garden, a newspaper for garden centres to give away free to their customers.

A quality guide to gardening success

The 32-page newspaper is designed and written to be a gardening friend to anyone, written by gardeners, for gardeners. The free newspaper aims to be a quality guide that helps consumers achieve success in their garden, from what to plant, dig, sow, water, cut, prune, and everything in between. Readers will enjoy news and features, guest interviews, practical advice, and even puzzles and competitions.

The Westland Garden is packed with editorial content written by expert horticultural journalists, whilst highlighting Westland’s key brands and products. The newspaper aims to inspire consumers to get the best from their outdoor space as well as their indoor jungle.

Far-reaching publication

The first issue of The Westland Garden is expected to reach over 400,000 households, making it one of the largest print publications dedicated to gardening, and will be available for retailers to give away free to their customers from the first Bank Holiday weekend in May.

This issue will focus on spring/summer, and retailers can also expect a second issue later this year that motivates consumers to keep on gardening even as the days start to shorten. 

Each publication will be delivered alongside a fully branded freestanding display unit, that can be placed by garden centre entrances, tills or in cafes.

Driving consumers back in store

Retailers can reap the benefits of this publication by ensuring they stock a wide variety of Westland’s products. Within each issue the content aims to inspire readers to head back in store to purchase products that help them achieve gardening success – from the right tools for the job and plant feed for an abundance of blooms and vegetables, to bird feed that attracts the most colourful birds to gardens.

Keith Nicholson, Marketing Director, at Westland, commented: “Westland want to support customers in every possible way, from social media, through to the newly created Westland Garden publication. The newspaper will inspire consumers with helpful advice on how to create and maintain beautiful gardens. Offering the Westland Garden to our retail partners to provide free advice-led content to their customers helps drive traffic back in store and maximise sales from each visitor. We hope retailers are as excited by the prospect of a new publication to the gardening world as we are.”

From big feats to small wins, Miracle-Gro is encouraging consumers to celebrate their ‘Gro-ments’ – the feelings of joy sparked by growing achievements - in its multi-channel campaign with an important peat-free message.

Coined by the leading gardening brand to express those special moments such as seeing a seed sprout or taking a first bite from homegrown veg, Gro-ments encapsulate the emotion of gardening and the importance of quality compost.

The initiative is part of a wider £1 million peat-free campaign being rolled-out by Miracle-Gro’s parent company, Evergreen Garden Care. It has already seen Colin Stephens, Managing Director of the compost manufacturer, call on DEFRA to make the Responsible Sourcing Scheme (RSS) legislation in an open letter. The letter has since been signed by the likes of the RHS and Homebase, and Stephens is continuing to push its agenda forward.

The Gro-ments consumer campaign, is fronted by budding gardener and lover of the outdoors, Rob Rinder, and is underpinned by a study of 2,000 people. The research found that over three-quarters of people feel intense achievement when growing their own plants – a feeling that Evergreen Garden Care says can be helped along by starting with the right growing foundation. 

Colin Stephens, UK and Ireland Managing Director, Evergreen Garden Care, explains: “Often people blame themselves for gardening fails – but it is much more likely to be the fault of the compost. This campaign is about educating consumers on the importance of good quality peat free compost, to both the health of the planet and their garden.

“Miracle-Gro has spent over 30 years developing the best product and as part of our commitment to peat-free and doing things a better way, we want to help consumers understand the difference it can make.”

Launching next week, the Gro-ments initiative will be backed by a far-reaching consumer campaign, including press, broadcast, strategic advertorial placement and social media content creators.

Renowned hospitality professional, Robert Cook, has joined Dobbies as a board advisor to support the strategic development of its restaurant business. 

A seasoned hospitality CEO, Robert has led a number of the UK’s hospitality and leisure businesses including TGI Fridays, Malmaison & Hotel du Vin, and Virgin Active.

Robert Cook said: “Dobbies restaurants have something for everyone, serving thousands of customers every week. For so many people, a visit to Dobbies is not complete without a stop off to enjoy the great food and drink on offer. I’m looking forward to supporting the team to strengthen the offering and ensure customers have the most memorable experiences possible.”

David Robinson, CEO of Dobbies, said: “Robert has worked for some of the biggest and best names in UK hospitality and we’re delighted to have him share that wealth of industry knowledge and experience with us. Our restaurants are at the heart of our business with significant opportunity for growth.”

Dobbies has 77 stores across the UK, employs 3,800 people and has welcomed over 30 million customers in the year-to-date.

Corby + Fellas are delighted with the successful launch of Yorkshire Garden Centre Group's Green Card Loyalty App.

Both YGC and C+F have worked incredibly hard to design, develop and deploy this fantastic App! As you can see from YGC Managing Director Mark Farnsworth comments below, their launch has been very impressive indeed.

“On Wednesday we soft launched our new loyalty scheme - the Green Card. We then raised the noise on Thursday as the teams grew in confidence and readiness. We’ve had 5,300 customers sign up in 5 days - we are chuffed to bits with the start.

This has been months of hard work and I want to thank all those involved. Firstly, led by our marketing team it’s been a complex integration of systems and our team have worked tirelessly to iron out the issues! Jo and Leigh have led the team at this end and I’m grateful for all their hard work. Our tills and retail teams have then trained and executed brilliantly, finally big thanks to all our catering and play area teams who have embraced this wholeheartedly.

The second thank you is to Alan McCammon and his team at Corby and Fellas who have developed the App and integrated our ticketing platform, DigiTickets. Particular thanks to Claire, Adam and Gary at C&F and to Barnaby and Josh at Digitickets. Thank you all….we got there!

So, thanks to all who have got us this far. We are really excited by the opportunities that this can provide our business and we are working hard to make it a success. Today though, let’s celebrate an encouraging start and thank those who got us there!”

-Mark Farnsworth, MD at YGC

The benefits of this new App to both YGC and its customers is vast. Ranging from exclusive, personalised, promotions and offers, discounts on monthly deals on in-store products. Add to that, surprises & early access for events – It also offers increased customer engagement and boosts footfall, and is linked to our enhanced CRM+ ,module to analyse and target customers behaviour.

Congratulations to Mark, Jo, Leigh, Katie and all the team at YGC - it’s a pleasure to work with you.

Please get in touch if you want to elevate your Retail System to the next level sales@corbyfellas.com

From bats to worms right through to weed control and tree planting, the 11 GCA and Westland Rising Stars for 2024 are already making headway into their retail projects. All have a focus on sustainability and regeneration and, for the first time, they unveiled their ideas to the group at a meeting held at NIAB, in Cambridgeshire.

After an update on Westland Horticulture’s range from Stuart Staples, the company’s Head of Technical, it was time for each candidate to stand in front of the group to present their ideas so far. The Rising Stars programme not only gives opportunities for candidates to carry out projects in their own garden centres and monitor success, but also builds on valuable public speaking experience.

Coordinated by mentor Gordon Emslie, the event was the second time the group has got together. He suggested the group trust their projects but be prepared to be flexible. “The more you do, the more you will know and your journey may change, so go with it,” he said.

A behind-the-scenes visit to NIABs research and growing facilities gave the Rising Stars a better understanding of plant and product trialling plus a peep into the world of testing grass seed.

The Rising Stars are now back in their garden centres working on their projects which mostly run from May to August.  Next time they meet will be in June at Ellesmere Port to see Westland’s growing media manufacturing plant, followed by visits to Allensmore Nurseries and Glee. In the autumn the ‘Dragon’s Den’ will whittle the 11 down to five who will go on to pitch their ideas at the GCA conference in 2025. 

This year’s Westland Rising Stars are:

• Ben Clarke, Knights Garden Centre, Naggs Hall
• Jasmin Rogers, Haskins Garden Centre, Ferndown
• Dian Philips, Pugh’s Garden Village, Radyr
• Dan Furley, Millbrook Garden Centre, Gravesend
• Will Harris, Klondyke Garden Centre, Garforth
• Erin Tuchscherer, Charlebury Garden Centre
• Gayna Barnard, Bents Garden and Home
• Josh Rigg – Klondyke Garden Centre, Wilmslow
• John Enright - Bournville Garden Centre, BGC
• Nat James – Harrow Garden Centre, BGC
• Sarah Lyons – Tring Garden Centre, BGC

The Barometer of Trade figures from the Garden Centre Association for March 2024 have been revealed today (April 19, 2024) and are ‘very strong’ when compared with the same month last year.

According to data submitted by the organisation’s member garden centres, none of the categories recorded were down when likened to March 2023 and the year-to-date variance was +9.12%.

GCA CEO, Peter Burks says: “March has been a very strong month for our members. It was definitely helped with Easter being in the month this year. Customers were clearly out in their gardens with hard landscaping showing the biggest increase in sales compared to March 2023.

“Plants and garden sundries also showed big increases, which is very good news. All categories showed a positive result, all garden centres of all sizes/turnovers were up, and every member region was up too. Our smaller garden centres, those in the under £3 million turnover bracket, made the biggest percentage increases, +27.17%, with our East region showing the best regional increase by far at +22.62%.”

Members in the South saw an increase of +13.87%, in the North, Scotland and Northern Ireland it was +12.1%, and in the Midlands, Wales and West +10.77%.

Excluding Christmas and the miscellaneous section, the GCA’s top performing category in March 2024 was hard landscaping, up +38.42%, when compared to the same month in 2023.

This was followed by outdoor plants at +32.39%, garden sundries at +28.86% and clothing in at +22.07%.

Food hall/farm shop also recorded a positive return in March, in comparison to the same month last year, and was up +20.21% and seeds & bulbs was at +16.24%. Catering was in at +16.21% and pet & aquatics at +13.8%, houseplants at +10.39% and gifts at +8.99%.

The GCA BoT reports are compiled using actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement. They are made available mid-month following the end of the prior month after all member garden centres have submitted their results.

As the Greenfingers Dragon Boat Race fast approaches, the team has revealed more about what paddlers – and spectators – can expect from this adrenaline fuelled day!

When: Join in the fun on Sunday 23rd June 2024, with the first race earmarked to start at 10:30am

Where: Grendon Lakes, Northamptonshire.

Set in 150 acres of stunning Northamptonshire countryside, Grendon Lakes features 12 lakes, two of which are devoted to watersports with the remaining 10 making up some of the finest fishing water in the area. The complex is also home to ‘Hostile Fire’ - the Midlands' premier paintball site. The on-site Alpine clubhouse overlooks the main watersports lake and houses a fully licensed bar, café, toilets, showers and changing rooms, making it the perfect location for friends and families to join in the fun on the day. 

Team info: The Greenfingers Dragon Boat Race can accommodate up to 14 teams, each made up of 10 paddlers and one drummer.

To date, the YPHA, the AMES Companies, Evergreen, Westland, British Garden Centres, Deco-Pak alongside GIMA, and Woodlodge have signed up to battle it out on the water.

Don’t worry if you have a smaller team or want to enter as an individual, subject to numbers there may be the option to create mixed teams to ensure everyone can join in the fun!

Cost: Team entry is priced at £900, with the Greenfingers Charity asking each team member to raise a minimum of £100.

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising and Communications at the Greenfingers Charity, said: “The Greenfingers Dragon Boat Race is just one of the events we will be running to celebrate our forthcoming 25th anniversary, so we hope that supporters will come together to make it yet another superb occasion. The response has, so far, been great, with teams already ramping up the sense of competition! As always, interested parties are urged to book their place now to avoid disappointment, and for those already signed up – we’ll see you on the water very soon.”

Anyone wanting to secure a spot at the Greenfingers Charity Dragon Boat Race is invited to register by emailing Linda Petrons via linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk

In the meantime, you can follow all the latest updates from Greenfingers on social media - @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn, https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/ and @GreenfingersCha on Twitter.

Step into the world of career opportunities, explore the latest insights, strategies and success stories in recruitment and beyond. Join us as we interview our wider team, our clients and big names in our industries on current affairs, career journeys and more!

Whether you’re a job seeker or a hiring manager join us as we unlock the secrets to finding the perfect fit.

You’ll find new episodes launching every Friday morning, we hope you can learn more about our industries and what’s going on by listening to a new episode each week.

Andrew, CEO, comments: “‘What the world needs is one more podcast’. Said no one ever.

Nevertheless, MorePeople is blessed (well, we worked hard at it to be fair) with an amazing network that has been built and invested in over the past 24 years so, we figured why not leverage that in another way for the greater good. The value that a recruitment partner can bring is not just filling jobs. We are always looking for opportunities to add value and the MorePeople Podcast is going to be another feature.

"Over the coming weeks and months, we want to showcase some really interesting people from all the various markets we recruit in. There’ll be some internal chat as well as industry gossip and genuine thought leadership. Like anything, you get better at the stuff you practice so please stick with us on our journey and let us know if you’d like to get involved and join the conversation.”

Richard Hanwell, MD, continues: “At MorePeople, we've been cooking up connections in the food industry for over two decades. Now, we're spicing things up with our very own podcast. Join us as we dish out conversations with people from every corner of the food world. From industry leaders to rising stars, we're serving up insights, industry gossip, and genuine thought leadership.

But hey, we're not just here to fill your ears with chatter. We want you to be part of the conversation too! Stick with us on this journey, and if you've got something to say, we're all ears!”

You’ll find episodes launching every Friday morning, watch on YouTube and LinkedIn listen on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon Podcasts!

Episode One with Paul Willgoss, former Technical Director of M&S is available now

The Horticultural Trade Association (HTA) released its April 2024 Market Update, showing that despite another wet and rainy month in March, garden centre sales surged by +22% compared to March 2023, helped by the earlier Easter. Catering sales were also up by +17%. Consumer confidence also remained stable from February, showing a +15-point increase over March 2023.  

Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the HTA, commented: “Wet weather continues to dominate this year's narrative, presenting historically wet and dull conditions, with 127% of the long-term average rainfall across the UK. Although drier and sunnier than in March 2023, the month posed challenges to crop production. However, we saw garden/gardening categories and non-garden/gardening categories with food-related categories such as catering and food & farm shop contributing greatly to these sales percentages, doing impressively well last month, up +17% and +32%, respectively, compared to March 2023. Footfall was also strong for both comparisons between March 2023 and March 2022. This was likely helped by Mother’s Day sales and the Easter bank holiday falling almost a month earlier this year. Nevertheless, the weather still dictated the trends with notable variation amongst retailer sales, aligned with weather variations in different regions of the UK.​

"All reported garden/gardening categories were up on March 2023. Core garden categories, such as Bedding plants and Hardy plants, benefited from the Easter trading period, with sales up +43% and +38%, respectively, compared with March 2023.  However, this was not reflective of comparisons to March 2022, when the weather was much more favourable. All categories were down except for indoor plants, which were up +13% compared to March 2022.​ Year-to-end of March comparisons were also positive. The top 3 performers were bedding plants (+25%), bulbs and outdoor containers (up +20%). ​However, we should expect some year-to-date sales comparison rebalancing in April once the impact of an earlier Easter is removed.

“In addition, catering sales continue to experience notable growth, up +17% from March 2023, and consumer confidence remained stable, stalling at -21 points but maintaining a notable +15 points above March 2023 levels. This underscores positive consumer sentiment amidst economic uncertainties.

“Oil prices have crept up once again as the situation in the Middle East remains uncertain, and crude oil prices have increased in response. Shipping container costs are still considerably higher than in the same period last year but are on the decline.

"Looking ahead, as reported last month, we are still expecting significant challenges for the industry with the impending changes on 30 April to imports from the EU, including the introduction of Border Control Posts and switching off the Point of Destination checks that currently happen. This puts huge pressure on our members to ensure a steady supply of plants available within garden centres at a suitable price point. We continue to lobby hard on this issue and keep our members informed.

“In the meantime, at the time of writing, we hope improved weather will drive expectations of increased consumer activity in the coming months, peak gardening season. The garden industry is in a good position as we enter the second quarter of 2024.”

Another year and another fantastic Garden Re-Leaf Day complete!  Taking place on 15th March, individuals, brands, companies and Greenfingers supporters all came together to ensure that this year’s FUNdraising event was bigger and better than ever.

To date, the Garden Re-Leaf Day FUNdraising total pledged stands at £50,000 with more good news pledged in over the coming weeks. From walkers battling the elements, to cake sales, raffles, quizzes, curry nights and the ultimate in pedal power, the activities were varied but all had two things in common – fun. Lots and lots of fun! Raising funds for the Greenfingers Charity and introducing the work it undertakes at children’s hospices throughout the country, was also central to the activities and helped to bring a host of new supporters to the charity.

One such event that was introduced to support Garden Re-Leaf Day 2024 was the Gardengram Ball, which saw 130 of Instagram's gardening stars come together for a night of networking and good camaraderie that celebrated the boom of Instagram gardeners. With fundraising opportunities throughout the evening, including a raffle full of enviable prizes, the Gardengram Ball raised over £6,800 for Greenfingers, a total which will go a long way towards developing even more therapeutic garden spaces in 2024.

Garden Re-Leaf walkers entertained by local choir.

Kickstarting the garden season

The timing of Garden Re-Leaf Day is not merely a coincidence but has been positioned to help kickstart the spring season in garden centres. With shoppers flocking to stores with gardening on their minds, Garden Re-Leaf Day provides a fun and interactive way to welcome them back after a long winter.

This year the likes of Haskins, Klondlyke, Millbrook Garden Centres, The Old Railway Line, Longacres, Pulborough Garden Centre and all British Garden Centres’ 62 stores, pulled out the stops to ensure that this year’s event was a success, with British Garden Centres already confirming a fundraising total in excess of £15,000!

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at Greenfingers,said: “The biggest thank you to every single person that took the time out of their busy schedule to engage with Garden Re-Leaf Day 2024. We are continually in awe of the support that we receive, and this year was no different. From those that took part in our annual Sponsored Walk and Cycle Challenges, to those that held events at their offices and warehouses, and all the garden retailers that made their centres a hub of Greenfingers FUNdraising activities, we are so grateful and can assure you that every penny raised will be put to good use in both our forthcoming gardens and those about to receive a Re-Fresh.”

Garden Re-Leaf Day 2025

As the team already looks ahead to the 2025 event, it has been confirmed that 21st March 2025 will be the date for your diaries! Taking place before Mother’s Day, next year’s event is set to see the return of the Garden Re-Leaf Plantathons, the perfect way to create plenty of floral displays ahead of this key gifting period.

Further details regarding Garden Re-Leaf Day 2025 will be unveiled at this year’s Glee exhibition.

Find out more

To stay up-to-date with all the latest news from the Greenfingers Charity, join the conversation on social media - @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/ and @GreenfingersCha on Twitter.

A shift in consumer behaviour over the past few years now means many gardeners are increasingly searching for ways to rewild their outdoor spaces and make them beneficial for nature. As part of Hedgehog Awareness Week, taking place from 5-11 May, Gardman, part of Westland Horticulture, is urging garden centres to ensure they have a varied range of products in store that inspire consumers to provide nature with a home. 

Gardman offer a wide range of products that support biodiversity in gardens, and its hedgehog collection offers shoppers the opportunity to create a sanctuary for them in their garden, from safe shelters to specially developed food that gives them all the vitamins and nutrients they need. 

In addition to its range of products, Gardman will also be raising awareness of how consumers can care for hedgehogs and driving them in store to where the brand’s captivating POS inspires shoppers to create a retreat for wildlife in their garden.  

Below is a collection of hedgehog-friendly tips from Gardman that retailers are urged to share with their customers ahead of the national awareness week: 

• Open the ‘door’ and invite them in! Modern gardens are often surrounded by high fences but creating a 13cm x 13cm (5” x 5”) gap at the bottom of a fence allows for easy passage between neighbouring gardens, known as ‘hedgehog highways’. Keep the area clear of netting and plant growth so visitors don’t catch their spines as they travel through.
• Offer them a safe and comfortable home. If you have access to logs and dry leaves you can create a welcoming hedgehog haven, but if you don’t have a plentiful supply, then a Gardman Hedgehog House will provide the perfect accommodation. Constructed from a sturdy rust-resistant steel frame, and covered with a natural camouflage finish, it blends in nicely with the surroundings. 
• Water is a must for hedgehogs so ensure there are plenty of clean, shallow bowls of water available around the garden. Top them up regularly, particularly during hot weather. Adding stones and slate to the water creates landing spots for birds, butterflies, and bees too, so they can also pause for a drink.
• Keeping your guests happy relies on them having a good supply of quality food. Many consumers think milk is a good source of food for hedgehogs, but in reality, it gives them an upset stomach. Gardman Hedgehog Bites have been created with the essential vitamins and minerals hedgehogs need. These high-energy, tasty bites supplement the natural food they will find in gardens. The food can be placed on the ground or in a Gardman Ground Feeding Tray. 
• Make gardens safe for visiting hedgehogs. Ponds provide a wonderful wildlife habitat but must always have an escape route – a ramp or series of semi-submerged ledges will enable an easy exit. 

Following these simple tips will make gardens a much more welcoming place for these enchanting creatures. 

In common with all Westland products, the Gardman range can be ordered 24/7 via Westland Live, and frequent top-ups are easy as part of a Westland weekly delivery. Scan here to login in or sign up. 

As the Glee exhibition gets set to celebrate half a century at the heart of the garden retail sector, the organising team is looking for your input. In the past 50 years, Glee has seen thousands of exhibitors pass through its doors, with hundreds of thousands of new products launched since the show’s humble beginnings in 1974. To celebrate the newness and passion that have shaped Glee and the broader garden centre market during this time, the hunt is now on to find the people and product that have driven the most change over the past five decades.

Whether advocating for sustainability or using their influence to increase the reach of horticulture, many diverse people have left their mark on the world of garden retail. They might be suppliers, retailers, industry pundits, or those who have undertaken roles across the full spectrum. Whatever their role, all of them have been integral to Glee's growth, and their work has helped maintain gardening as one of the nation's best-loved pastimes.

Or perhaps the best memories of Glee involve a larger-than-life character. This person may play a starring role in Glee’s memoirs, providing endless smiles, friendly advice and happy recollections from those that knew them pacing the aisles of shows gone by.

Like the people who create them, gardening products have also generated pivotal moments of change. From finally tackling an age-old problem, formulating an innovative bestseller opportunity, opening a meaningful dialogue about gardening's impact on the planet, or simply using technology to make gardening more accessible for the modern consumer, there have been many hero products over the past half century.

Now is the time for Glee's audience to vote for their own heroes and celebrate the people and product they think have had the most impact on Glee's future and that of the garden retail sector.

How to vote

Working in partnership with Glee's media partner, Garden Trade News, nominations are now open using this link. The deadline for making nominations is 31st May.

• Most Influential Person of the last 50 years, click here
• The Character of Glee's 50 years, click here
• Hero Product of the last 50 years, click here

Or send your nominations by e-mail to: trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk  (All nominations will be dealt with in the strictest confidence)

Following the nominations round, a panel of judges will draw a shortlist of names and products before readers of GTN Xtra can place their final votes throughout June and July.

The winners will be announced onsite at Glee 2024, the 50th edition of which will run from Tuesday, 10^th September, to Thursday, 12^th September, at the NEC in Birmingham.

Matthew Mein, Event Director at Glee, said: "The gardening world has changed so much from the early 70s, with each decade ringing in exciting new trends and innovation. Throughout all of this, Glee has maintained a constant presence, year-after-year providing a place where the garden retail sector can come together to inspire, network and educate. Now, we want to celebrate those who have left a mark in a fun and reflective look back on Glee's half-century. We're excited to see the nominations, find out the eventual winners, and are prepared for a tidal wave of nostalgia and questionable haircuts!"

Glee connects the garden industry to inspire change, drive growth, and promote innovation. To find out more or to register your interest in exhibiting, please visit www.gleebirmingham.com or call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.

In its 30th year of awarding scholarships to students studying horticulture in the UK or Ireland, the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation bursaries are always sought after, but a record breaking number of applications made the task of selecting this year’s Colegrave Seabrook Foundation scholarships a particularly difficult one.

Colegrave Seabrook Foundation Trustee, Neil Gow said, “With approaching 100 applications to sift through, choosing the scholarship winners was even more difficult than normal this year. There was a high proportion of very good candidates to choose from and we had to be sure that we were selecting the best of the best. In the end, it was those students who clearly showed their passion for horticulture and were able to demonstrate that they were going to make a career in the industry, that won through.”

Chair of the trustee board, Jeff Colegrave, added, “What is so gratifying about receiving such a high number of applications is that this really shows that the work we, and others, are doing to raise the profile of horticulture as the modern, worthwhile and skilled career choice it is, is beginning to bear fruit. More and more young people and career changers are seeing the benefits of training in horticulture and realising what a huge range of different career paths are available to them as a result of gaining a qualification in horticulture. The successful applicants are from colleges and universities the length and breadth of the UK and range from apprentices to Masters students. We are so grateful to our sponsors and the industry as a whole for their continued support, which means that we can continue to help students and our work of trying to raise the profile of horticulture as a career for at least the next 30 years.”

The final scholarships awards, for the 2024 season were made to:

BPOA/Peter Seabrook Scholarship: Jacob Payne, Cirencester College

John Gibson Environmental Scholarship: Robyn Caple, Lackham College

Brian Crosby Scholarship:  Isabelle Cantillon, Edge Hill University

Smart Garden Products Scholarship: Jessica Johnson, Suffolk New College; Gracie Burandt, Nottingham Trent University; Ross Dyke, Pershore College; Richard Murray, CAFRE; Alice Cook, The Eden Project.

Blue Diamond Scholarship: Hannah Branch, Pershore College; Fay Hunter, CAFRE; Sally Witheford, Pershore College; Danielle Miller, The Eden Project; Lily Draper, RHS Harlow Carr; Ella Miles, Bicton College; Daniel Cairns, University of Newcastle

Congratulations to all the students who have been awarded scholarships this year.

Further information about the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation and the scholarships that are offered through them can be found on their website Home - Colegrave Seabrook Foundation or by contacting Nicci Gow, the administrator for the Foundation on info@colegraveseabrookfoundation.org.uk

Haskins Snowhill Garden Centre, Crawley, is celebrating the success of restaurant supervisor, Adam Kelly, who recently won the regional heats of Costa Coffee UK’s Barista of the Year competition to progress to the UK and Ireland final.

Adam initially came top of Haskins internal competition, before also emerging victorious in the fiercely competitive Costa Coffee franchise heats. He will now compete against the best baristas across Costa Coffee’s UK and Ireland stores for his place in the International Barista of the Year competition.

Praising Haskins’s contribution to his development, Adam said: “I am thrilled to have progressed to the national Costa Coffee competition, and the support Haskins has provided has been brilliant. One of the biggest reasons I love working here is that Snowhill is one tight unit, we love working together and that puts a spring in your step when coming into work every day. It feels like a family.”

The 24-year-old, who has been a part of the Snowhill team for five years, follows in the footsteps of Haskins’s own Michaela Wilson. Michaela finished third in 2023’s International Costa competition and has been supporting Adam in preparing for the next stage of the process.

Adam continued: “I have a passion for coffee, and love to spend my spare time experimenting with different types of coffee beans and methods. I know better than anyone that having an awful or amazing coffee can make a huge difference to your day. I am so excited to have the opportunity to take part in the national competition and have the opportunity to demonstrate the skills I have developed as a barista.”

Jason Froggatt, Group Catering Manager for Haskins, said: “We have been running our in-house Barista of the Year competition for several years, which is a great opportunity to support our colleagues’ personal development and growth.

“The Snowhill team are proud to have Adam representing the wider Haskins brand in 2024. We’ll all be cheering him on and helping where we can so that he receives the recognition he deserves as he progresses through the Costa Coffee competition stages.”

Haskins is proud to have been a Costa Coffee partner business for over 14 years and is the only garden centre brand in the United Kingdom to serve Costa Coffee within its centre restaurants.

For more information on Haskins Garden Centres and the huge variety of plants and gardening advice available, please visit www.haskins.co.uk.

The team at a Bradford-headquartered garden centre group is celebrating after winning a national HR award for the second consecutive year.

Yorkshire Garden Centres Group won the Retail Company of the Year Award at the British HR Awards that took place in London on 16th April.

"The HR awards celebrate organisations and individuals that are driven by delivering a world-class people experience, so we're proud and delighted to have won this award on behalf of our great team," said Yorkshire Garden Centre's Head of People and Culture, Neil Barwise-Carr.

Yorkshire Garden Centres beat industry giants Heron Foods, Holland & Barrett and Selfridges to win the Retail Company of the Year Award for a second time.

Nate Harwood, Founder of New Possible and British HR Awards judge said: "The British HR Awards celebrate the talented, dedicated, and passionate teams and individuals who are fueling thriving workplaces across the UK and beyond. I'd like to extend my congratulations to all the Winners and Finalists."

The British HR Awards is powered by New Possible, a next-generation employee insight platform. New Possible helps leaders build healthier organisations by providing meaningful insight that can drive real change.

The Yorkshire Garden Centres (YGC) group comprises Tong, Tingley, Otley and Bingley Garden Centres and the recently acquired Dean's York and Scarborough. Otley and Bingley Garden Centres were known as Stephen H Smith's before they were acquired by YGC in 2022.

Members of the Scottish Gardening and Horticulture Cross-Party Group (CPG) have written a joint letter to three Ministers advocating for the health benefits of horticulture and gardening in healthcare settings. The letter emphasises the role of environmental horticulture in enhancing health outcomes and urges policymakers to provide sustained funding for therapeutic horticulture initiatives.  The letter was sent following a set of visits and a meeting facilitated by the charity Trellis and the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), where MSPs and their staff saw firsthand how therapeutic horticulture fosters health and well-being among communities.   The Ministers contacted were Minister Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, Minister Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport and Minister Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity.  The Gardening and Horticulture CPG highlights the potential of horticulture and gardening as a policy solution to bolster patient recovery and mental health while enhancing healthcare professionals' welfare. The group also emphasises the economic benefits of Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) projects, including reduced healthcare service utilisation and medication dependency.  To address the critical need for standardised training and professionalisation within the field, Trellis Scotland is collaborating with educational institutions to develop the first accredited course in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture in Scotland. Additionally, Trellis is spearheading the establishment of the UK Association for Social and Therapeutic Horticulture to uphold quality standards and provide essential support for practitioners in the field.  The letter's signatories also invite policymakers to participate in World Therapeutic Horticulture Day on 18 May 2024, which will precede a week of activities dedicated to highlighting STH's benefits. The letter expresses gratitude for the Scottish Government's past support but emphasises the need for sustained funding to safeguard the continuity and expansion of essential initiatives in therapeutic horticulture.  Stan Green, who represents the HTA in Scotland, commented: “We are delighted by the reaction and engagement The HTA continues to have at Holyrood. This reflects the substantial progress regarding the profile of Environmental Horticulture, and a recognition of the role it has benefiting all in the health sector, whether general wellbeing or treating people with severe illness or in need of social support.”

The Pelargonium for Europe (PfE) marketing initiative aims to improve the image of geraniums and promote their sale. To achieve this, PfE combines consumer campaigns with offers specifically for the garden retail trade. In 22 European countries, PfE informs consumers and specialist garden sector retailers about the care, history and many different varieties and uses of geraniums.

 The programme also raises awareness of the high standards in European plant breeding and production. PfE supports the garden retail trade with a variety of free marketing materials. These include advertising media such as posters and banners, professionally produced images, text templates for PR, videos and up-to-date specialist information to support retailers with boosting sales. All these materials are available at https://pfe-trade.com/, which is currently available in 12 languages.

Cost-effective, time-saving and adaptable

The content and materials developed by PfE make it easy for garden centres, florists and retail nurseries to carry out their own marketing activities quickly and cheaply, helping them positively influence their customers' views of geraniums and increase their own sales of these plants. Garden sector retailers can choose from a wide range of products, adapting their marketing activities to their own individual needs. PfE informs these retailers about its free support services via specialist communication, industry co-operations and at trade fairs and other events. It provides a range of opportunities to increase geranium sales by simple means. These include ideas for product presentation, press relations or addressing and informing consumers at the point of sale or via social media. As a result, PfE helps strengthen the marketing expertise of the garden retail sector, giving fresh impetus to specialist retailers and encouraging them to break new ground in product presentation and customer communication. 

Overview of our offers for garden retail trade

POS materials - PfE produces a range of indoor and outdoor advertising materials every year that can be used right at the point of sale. Some media, such as posters and banners, are available for free download from the PfE trade website. Simply download and print them out for immediate use.

Image database - The image database at https://www.pelargoniumforeurope.com/bilddatenbank offers a huge selection of professional geranium photography in a variety of styles. It contains images of geraniums in range of colours, sizes and uses. Whether the aim is to show customers the variety of geraniums available, provide them with design ideas for balconies, terraces and gardens, or offer inspiration for creating table decorations or DIY projects, the image database has the right image for every need. Specialist garden retailers can use the images for public relations, advertising, social media or the development of their own POS materials at no cost.

Press releases - The press releases at https://my-geranium.com/press-releases/provide extensive information about geraniums, from decoration and DIY ideas to care tips and interesting facts about geranium history and the different species. PfE encourages garden centres, florists and retail nurseries to use all or part of the texts for their own purposes, for example to create press releases or adverts for local PR, helping them position themselves as experts and a trustworthy source on all questions relating to geraniums.

Videos - PfE publishes a series of short and longer videos showing decorating ideas or care tips every year. Retailers can post these films on their own websites or social media channels. The new videos are uploaded to PfE's own YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mygeranium686 throughout the geranium season.

Social media content - from Facebook to Instagram, Pinterest to YouTube, PfE operates a range of social media channels. There, garden retailers will find a wide range of helpful and inspiring content, they can quickly customise and share via their own channels, making their own social media presence lively and interesting with very little effort. For further information see:

https://www.instagram.com/mygeranium/

https://www.pinterest.de/europeinbloom/

https://www.youtube.com/@mygeranium686

Reproduction free of charge, please credit "Pelargonium for Europe".

Pelargonium for Europe

Pelargonium for Europe is the marketing initiative of the European geranium growers Dümmen Orange, Elsner PAC, Florensis / P. van der Haak Handelskwekerij, Selecta One and Syngenta Flowers. The initiative was founded in 2016 with the aim of promoting and securing geranium sales in Europe in the long term. The campaign is now running in 22 countries. In Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary, the marketing measures are subsidised by the EU as part of the "Stars Unite a Europe in Bloom" campaign.

The UK’s largest retail marketplace for Home, Gift & Fashion, Autumn Fair returns on the 1-4 September at NEC Birmingham offering retailers the opportunity to elevate their gifting game with over 800 quality exhibitors including Kikkerland, Widdop & Co, Sifcon, Lesser & Pavey, Joe Davies, Willsow, Gift Republic, Keel Toys, Ty, Toasted Crumpet, Bomb Cosmetics, Gentlemen’s Hardware, Powell Craft, Cognitive Surplus, Burton Blake, Spice Kitchen, William Lamb, Esdevium Games, and more.

The UK's launchpad for new collections, new innovations and product inspiration, Autumn Fair will deliver an inspirational, vibrant, and all-encompassing Gift destination with everything a retailer needs to stock their store for the peak season. From the most desirable gifts, pampering essentials and licensed gifts to greeting cards and toys, Autumn Fair offers retailers the opportunity to meet with over 800 of the most sought-after UK and international wholesalers and explore thousands of high-quality new products – all under one roof.

The 2024 show will also see a greater focus on new and original products, local ‘Best of British’ suppliers and products, and sustainable suppliers.

Soraya Gadelrab, Event Director, Autumn Fair says, “The Gift destination is shaping up to be exceptional. As the largest seasonal showcase in the latter part of the year, retailers will delight in discovering their next best-sellers and taking great products from our show floor to their shop window in time for retail’s peak season. The destination that keeps on giving, Gift is the largest source for gift inspiration, wellness products, stationery, toys and more. We showcase a treasure-trove of personalised and licensed gifts, playful products and beauty essentials. With 800 plus suppliers and a diverse range of products, the show prioritises every step of the buying journey.”

As the indispensable destination for buyers to explore a wealth of new and captivating products from the most coveted brands in retail, Gift has been edited to comprise five sectors; Gift, Beauty & Wellbeing, Greetings & Stationery, Kids, Toys & Play, and Everyday.

In the Gift sector retailers will find everything from contemporary designs and trend-led ranges to unique, personalised and licensed gifts. Explore bestsellers from Rex London, Kikkerland, Professor Puzzle, Gift Republic, Gingko, Gentlemen’s Hardware International Ltd, Big Potato Games, Selbrae House and the latest licensed gifts from brands including William Lamb, Heroes Inc, Grupo Erik UK .

Brand new to Autumn Fair, science meets design in Cognitive Surplus’s innovative science-themed collection of stationery, notebooks, bags, apparel and glasses. Also first-timers, discover Toasted Crumpet, who brings its British-made collection of fine bone China mugs, eye-catching range of beautifully designed stationery and giftware, and luxury greetings cards inspired by the glory of British nature.

Find unique trinkets, ceramic mugs, coasters and personalised gifts from both established brands and small designers including Joe Davies, Lang’s, Powell Craft, Forever England and Widdop & Co. From children’s books to informative non-fiction, cookbooks, coffee table books and fiction find the latest releases from Thames & Hudson and. Foodie gifts will sweeten and spice things up in store with products from The Bottled Baking Co, The Chocolate Gift Company, JoyPots, Spice Kitchen, TTK Confectionery.

The Beauty & Wellbeing sector features feel-good products that pamper, groom, spritz and energise. From scented candles, diffusers and home fragrances to beauty staples, hair care and grooming, this is where the most sought-after beauty and wellbeing products glow.  Spark your inspiration with the newest designs from The English Soap Company, Sting in the Tail, Sevin, Fancy Metal Goods, Wild Olive, Bomb Cosmetics, and Psychic Sisters.

Find everything you need to mark the occasion in Greetings & Stationery. Bringing together the most creative, joyful, fun and colourful greeting cards, wrapping papers, stationery, themed calendars and diaries, and paper decorations, this sector continues to flourish with vibrant, unique and beautifully crafted collections.

Seal the deal on your gift collection with a colourful selection of ribbons from Ribbonly and beautifully designed wrapping paper from The Art File, Paper Salad and Emotional Rescue. An expansive greetings and notecards selection to suit every sentiment can be explored with Five Dollar Shake , Brainbox Candy, Lola Designs, Twizler, Rush Designs and Cardgains. Pencil in time to explore a wide selection of both practical and thoughtfully designed stationery, notebooks, pens and highlighters from Manuscript Pen Company.

Home to the finest, most magical children’s toys, gifts and gadgets, tap into the hottest play trends and elusive Christmas hits in the Kids, Toys & Play sector. A celebration of the latest and most joyful toys, brain-teasing puzzles and must-have high-tech gadgets, captivate children’s attention with an extensive selection of licenced products from well-known brands such as Winning Moves, Willsow, and William Lamb. Explore carefully crafted wooden toys that are built to be treasured for a lifetime from House of Marbles and Lanka Kade and an enormous collection of cuddly animals and heatable plush toys from Warmies, Keel Toys, TY UK and Mary Mayer.

From well-known classics to new and exciting games, spark the imagination with a vast games collection from Winning Moves, Bubblegum Stuff, Professor Puzzle and Big Potato Games. Explore the latest innovations in gadgets, electronic toys, tablets and educational toys with Wilton Bradley and many more exhibitors such as Get Retro and The Leftfield Group,

Designed to bring laughter and learning to little ones, look out for HippyChick’s range of educational and playful nursery toys, and gifts from Halilit and Bounce Sales & Marketing. The sector also showcases brain-teasing puzzles and the newest board games that will appear on everyone’s Christmas lists from Cheatwell Games, Asmodee and  University Games.

At this year’s show retailers will discover Everyday, the sourcing sector for everyday affordable items and unmissable offers, within the Gift destination. Everyday re-energises the traditional ‘volume’ visitor and attracts independent retailers in search for a better price, product and promotion.

Discover volume and value from a diverse range of products across giftware, home décor, stationery, pet products, and practical storage to electrical goods, domestic appliances, and vaping items from exhibitors including Rysons, CK supplies and Ecom. Feast on a vast array of confectionery, branded deodorants, sweet smelling shower gels and other FMCG wholesale items that are sure to fly off the shelves.

To discover why Autumn Fair is the largest trade event in retail's peak season and explore the brands, products, content and more that make this an unmissable show for retail buyers and independent businesses visit www.autumnfair.com.

Autumn Fair

1st – 4th September 2024

NEC Birmingham

Leading battery-powered outdoor power equipment specialist, EGO Power Plus, is launching a new product range aimed at landscaping and groundscare professionals.

Designed to meet more heavy-duty demands, the Pro X range features pioneering battery charging technology and six new tools including a mower, chainsaw, hedge trimmers and grass trimmers.

Chris Buck, Product Manager at EGO, said: “Our new Pro X range ensures heavy commercial contractors and local authority workers have the tools they need to tackle the toughest tasks. These applications require robust and powerful outdoor power equipment, combined with a trailblazing battery charging solution.

Launching later this year is EGO’s new commercial charging system, giving professional groundscare, gardening and landscaping teams the power they need to do a full day’s work without running out of charge.

The PGX™ Professional Charging system is a flexible charging solution that scales to meet the specific needs of any business. The system is powered by the PGX1600E-H 1600W Charging Hub, which runs off any standard electrical outlet, meaning no electrical infrastructure upgrade is required.

A modular system, PGX allows for each user to adapt it to their specific power needs. The PGX1600H Hub connects to any combination of up to 30 PGX3000D 3-Port Docks, or PGX1400PB Power Banks (available separately), to provide charging power to 90 battery ports. The system manages charging intelligently, meaning all batteries can be charged without the need for manual intervention. The charging power means that the PGX system can effectively charge up to 70 EGO 56V ARC Lithium batteries, or up to 250Ah of battery capacity overnight (in 12hrs).

This new solution will support the Pro X series, starting with six new tools including the CSX5000 chainsaw. With a 50cm bar length and adjustable chain speed of up to 30m/s it is designed for light forestry work and landscaping tasks and comfortably deals with felling and clearing.

It is joined by the HTX5300 hedge trimmers, available in two versions.

The HTX5300-P is a short-reach fixed pole hedge trimmer with a carbon fibre shaft for reduced weight and improved strength. The blades themselves are triple-sharpened with a cutting edge on the side, front and back. This combination makes it much easier for the teeth to catch when cutting branches.

The HTX5300-PA offers all the same benefits but with a longer pole, plus the ability to angle the head for more manoeuvrability. It also comes with an optional front loop handle, enabling the operator to use it safely for trimming above head height.

For grass trimming or clearing thicker vegetation, users can choose either the BCX4500 or STX4500. Both have a carbon fibre outer shaft to reduce weight while maintaining durability, and a 45cm cutting width.

The new STX4500 is a grass trimmer/brush cutter with a quick adjustable loop handle, making it ideal for landscapers, facilities operations and municipal users. Features include EGO’s Rapid Reload head and 2.7mm twist line, making it quick and easy to reload the line; plus a tool-free adjustable handle for enhanced ergonomics.

The BCX4500 bike-handled version ensures the user can cover wide areas with ease and comes with a variable speed trigger plus safety lock-off.

Grass cutting is covered by the new LMX5300 mower, designed to provide all-day power for tough cutting conditions. The backbone of the mower is its cast aluminium deck which ensures it is robust and stable. It has a 53cm cutting width, self-propelled variable speed adjustment, and adjustable handle height.

The LMX5300 features EGO’s Peak Power™ technology, with two batteries working at once to power the 1600W motor. Standard features include a large 85L grass bag and dual axle cutting height adjustment.

“The Pro X range is specifically designed to stand up to the rigours of heavy-duty use,” added Chris Buck. “This means there is no longer any excuse to use petrol over battery power and the many benefits it brings.”

For more information on the new Pro X series from EGO, visit; www.egopowerplus.co.uk.

GIMA Buyers Guide & New Product Digest Spring 2024.  

New Products for the UK Garden Trade for 2024 from GIMA Members: AMES Apta, AMES Home Delivery, AMES Tools, Auto Pot Global, Azpects, Bulldog Tools, CJS Display, Coir Products, Durstons, Edelman, elho, Evergreen Garden Care, Fargro, Forest Garden, Gardena, Handy Distribution, Glee, Hortiwool, Hozelock, Johnsons Lawn Seeds, Leon Boots, Museums & Galleries, PlantWorks, Primeur, Pot Mate, SharkNinja, The Solar Centre, Treadstone, UK Greetings, Vitavia, Westland Horticulture, Witt UK & Ireland, Woodmansterne, Zest Outdoor Living & GIMA Member Directory.

with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox.  The best news service every weekend and all the breaking news as it happens.

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In a move to further strengthen its position as the ‘partner of choice’, the AMES Companies has confirmed that it has recently appointed a new Sales Director, responsible for driving the garden centre channel.

Patrick Thick, who joined the company in 2023, has been appointed to the role, bringing with him a wealth of experience and knowledge of the opportunities and challenges that are currently shaping the garden retail sector.

As Sales Director for garden centres, Patrick will be responsible for overseeing sales operations, establishing brand presence and leading the sales teams.  Working alongside Patrick will be the 20-strong sales agents, together focused on a service-first approach which will encourage a stronger dialogue with garden centre customer to better identify local pain points, recommend relevant product development sales opportunities and encourage utilisation of cross-category ranging. Patrick will also work closely with the nationwide merchandising team to energise retail spaces.

Talking about his new role, Patrick said: “The potential that the AMES Companies portfolio of products can offer garden centres is currently unrivalled within the marketplace, and I want to make it my mission to ensure that our retailers understand the opportunities available to them. For us, being an AMES customer means delivering excellence and confidence in the customer journey, and these values will be at the forefront of my role as we move forward. 

“I’m lucky to be surrounded by such a dedicated and passionate team and am really looking forward to developing our offering for garden retailers in 2024 and beyond.”

Nick Jones, AMES Companies’ Commercial Director, added: “I’m delighted to confirm that Patrick Thick has been promoted to the role of Sales Director for the garden centre channel. During his time at the AMES Companies, Patrick has demonstrated great strategic skills and has mobilised clear improvements in our business in how we serve our customers. Under his new role I have no doubt that Patrick will remain a superb asset for both business and our garden centre customers.”

Find out more

Further details about the AMES Companies and its family of brands, including Kelkay, La Hacienda, and Apta, can be found at  www.ames-uk.com

The team at Ball are inviting the horticultural trade to visit their West Adderbury Trial Grounds facility for the 2024 Summer Showcase as the company takes guests on a journey of inspirational retail ideas, growing solutions and new varieties.

This is always a perfect opportunity to review your current plant range with your colleagues to identify new products for 2025 and view experimental lines being assessed for future introduction.

Highlights include:

• See the latest New Varieties for 2025
• Join the ‘New Varieties’ presentation at 11am every day!
• Retail Concept and Product Solution displays
• Pergola ‘Garden Room’ displays of all your Annual and Perennial Heroes
• Displays of showstopping patio plant varieties in basket, containers and retail benches
• Over 2,000 Experimental Annual and Perennials – your potential new varieties of the future!
• Perennial and colour themed Gardens
• Greenhouse Pot Trials
• Vote for your ‘Favourite Variety’

… plus, always lots of friendly advice from our team of experts!

Tea, coffee, cold drinks and a complimentary packed lunch will be provided on the day of your visit.

CLICK HERE to book in online

The 2024 Ball Summer Showcase
9-11, 16-18, 23-25 July (Tuesday – Thursday)
9am to 5pm

Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), responds to the outcome of Theresa Villiers MP's Ten-Minute Rule Motion on the prohibition of the sale of peat.

“The Horticultural Trades Association and wider environmental horticulture sector have been working incredibly hard to transition away from peat use. At current reduction rates, with an estimated 10% or less of peat in bags of compost in 2023, the sector is already heading close to zero by the end of this year. This decrease is attributed to the collaborative efforts of UK suppliers, retailers and gardeners to adopt peat-free practices.

“Therefore, we find it curious that parliamentary time was given to something already happening. The industry is on track to phase out peat use in bags of compost in retail settings without the need for legislation.

“We urge MPs, who will debate this subject at its second reading, to give in-depth consideration to the UK’s tree and plant growers and allow them the time and grant support for trials, equipment and analysis towards a 2030 deadline for peat-free growing (with the notable exceptions needed for conservation reasons). Some of our grower members have already made the transition to peat-free, while others are still on this complex journey with thousands of different plant species being propagated. With the right support, we can eventually achieve this milestone; without support, there will be a significant contraction in the plants and trees that British environmental horticulture will be able to produce.

Keukenhof Flower Exhibition is holding a special anniversary exhibition to celebrate this famous flower park’s founding 75 years ago. The exhibition Keukenhof Turns 75 brings stories from the past to life with memorabilia, nostalgic items and video fragments. Visitors can learn what goes on behind the scenes at Keukenhof, from 1949 to the present day, and see what’s in store for the future. 

The first steps towards the creation of Keukenhof, the brainchild of a group of flower-bulb farmers and bulb-export firms looking for somewhere to display products from the floriculture industry, were made in 1949. Only a year later, the park opened its doors to visitors and was an immediate success: 236,000 people came to see the flower exhibition in that first year. Since then, the park has achieved global fame.

The original park was designed by Zocher in the English landscape style, with Keukenhof’s inspirational gardens and other styles being added later. Every year, 100 exhibitors send flower bulbs to be planted in the park, where 600 nurserymen tend the flowers and plants for the flower displays in the pavilions.

The exhibition is more than just an account of how this spring-themed park has evolved over the years; it also narrates the history of Keukenhof when it was a country estate with a castle of the same name. In addition, the exhibition reveals the origins of the tulip and tells the story of Jacqueline of Bavaria, the noble lady who symbolically represents Keukenhof. Visitors will be able to build a vivid image of the park’s history, thanks to the large variety of the objects, on loan or donated by private individuals and institutions, and the abundance of pictures and footage on display. The Groei&Bloei [Flourish&Flower] information team will be on hand in the pavilion, to help visitors with more details about the exhibition and to encourage them to brighten their gardens at home with flower bulbs.

This year, Keukenhof will be open to the public between 21 March and 12 May. While it is open, visitors can visit the anniversary exhibition in the park’s Juliana Pavilion.

Creation and graphic design by Wybe Klaverdijk, execution by Kloosterboer.

Keukenhof would like to thank everyone who has lent or donated items for the exhibition; Keukenhof is also extremely grateful to the photographers who have provided the images and videos as well as the archives for the retrieval of historic footage and pictures.

spoga+gafa, the biggest garden and BBQ trade fair in the world, is launching a new online magazine. Diverse formats such as interviews, videos and specialised articles examine the current developments, innovations and trends and grant exciting insights into the market and its players.

With a special emphasis on the main focuses of spoga+gafa - garden unique, garden creation and care, garden bbq, garden living – and this year's key theme "Responsible Gardens" – with immediate effect the magazine offers valuable; industry-specific information and inspiration for professionals of the green industry and interested parties.  

Highlights of the new magazine:

1. Expert interviews: Leading industry experts give insights into the latest developments, strategies and future visions of the garden and BBQ industry.
2. In the garden with...: The TV format "In the garden with..." takes a broader view of things. In a detailed spoga+gafa Talk, the Director, Stefan Lohrberg, speaks with alternating and inspiring guests.
3. Specialised articles: In exclusive articles industry experts report about the current market trends, innovative technologies and give practical tips and tricks for the garden and barbecuing. 

As such, in its capacity as an added value and theme platform, the new magazine also takes a look behind the scenes of the world's largest garden and BBQ trade fair and invites the readers to expand their knowledge and gain inspiration. 

First TV highlight online 
The first spoga+gafa expert talk with the leading trade and future researcher in the DACH region, Theresa Schleicher, is already online. In the first part of the TV series "In the garden with...", the Trade Fair Director, Stefan Lohrberg, holds an in-depth discussion with Theresa Schleicher about the influence of global trends and the changed consumer behaviour and customer needs on the garden industry. 

The online magazine of spoga+gafa is available free of charge on the official website of spoga+gafa with immediate effect.

Click here to view the magazine. 

About spoga+gafa 
spoga+gafa is the biggest garden and BBQ fair in the world. As an international trade fair at the location in Cologne, it sets impulses for the entire garden world. At the leading global trade fair, the green industry talks about the line-ups and trends of the coming season and presents solutions for current and future challenges. The focus of spoga+gafa lies on trends and innovations from the sections garden bbq, garden creation & care, garden living and garden unique. The unique range of offerings turns the trade fair into the place-to-be for the purchasing managers of all trading forms. The Industry Garden Association e.V. (IVG) is the industry sponsor of spoga+gafa. 

The coming edition of spoga+gafa is being staged from 16 to 18 June 2024 under the key theme "Responsible Gardens".  

Further information is available at www.spogagafa.com

The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) has granted its exhibition approval to International Horticulture Goyang Korea 2024.

The Goyang International Flower Foundation (GIFF), an AIPH Affiliate Member, has been organising the International Horticulture Korea (IHK) and other flower-related events annually since 1997. These events take place in Goyang, a satellite city of Seoul located in the Gyeonggi Province in the north of South Korea.

Through GIFF’s support of the farmers and the floriculture export industry, Goyang is known as ‘the best flower city in Korea’. The IHK and various flower-related events attract approximately 8.4 million domestic and foreign tourists annually.

The IHK is not just a cultural phenomenon but also a significant economic driver. With a cumulative import and export contract amount of approximately 300 million dollars, the event has generated an economic effect of over 1 trillion won, demonstrating its potential for businesses in the floricultural industry.

GIFF’s application for AIPH recognition of the IHK was supported by AIPH Member the Korean Association for the Advancement of the Flora Culture (KAFC), underlining the collective spirit of this event.

So, this year, the International Horticulture Goyang Korea 2024 (IHK) is an AIPH-approved International Horticultural Show (Category C) and Trade Expo (Category D) that will bring together horticulturists and flower enthusiasts from around the world. It will take place from April 26 to May 12, 2024, at Ilsan Lake Park in Goyang, South Korea.

The exhibition’s captivating theme, “Flora of the Earth: Flowers of the Earth”, will showcase a diverse array of flowers and plants, highlighting the earth’s vitality.

The outdoor horticultural show will cover an area of 240,000 square metres and feature many garden landscapes for visitors to enjoy, including the Welcoming Garden, Themed Garden, Nature Education Centre, Ecological Garden, Flower Explosion, Rose Garden, and Smart Garden. These gardens will showcase the beauty of flowers and plants from different regions and their importance in promoting well-being.

Three prominent international garden designers have designed and created the World Writer’s Gardens. The trio have each won Gold at past RHS Chelsea Flower Shows: 2023 winner Jihae Hwnag (South Korea), 2023 Winner Paul Hervey Brooks (UK), and double winner Leon Kluge (South Africa) in 2010 and 2012.

The outdoor and indoor garden displays include international gardens from the following participating countries: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Colombia, Ecuador, Chinese Taipei, the United States, Netherlands, Japan, Belgium, and Singapore. These gardens will feature flowers and plants produced from their regions. In particular, Thailand’s garden will feature exotic and rare plants, including a hundred new breeds and novelties.

The event will feature a few public art projects by famous installation artist Choi Jeong Hwa. Also, in the Singing-Fountain Square, a flower wall art project entitled “Flower-wall of Hope”.

After the garden show ends, many outdoor gardens, installations and artworks will remain for the locals to educate and improve the local greenery.

The indoor horticultural show will feature more than 300 participants from 25 countries to showcase the latest trends in horticulture. You will also get to witness new breeds of flowers and plants from ten domestic corporations, including the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Korea Seed & Variety Service, Agricultural Research & Extension Services from each city, Goyang Agricultural Technology Center, and individual breeders.

The International Horticulture Goyang Korea 2024 (IHK2024) promises its visitors a host of unique experiences. It will feature the first international flower design contest in Korea, showcasing the talents of ten designers from eight countries, with international judges from five countries. The event will also host flower arrangement competitions, botanical gardens, and hands-on programs, offering visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the world of flowers and plants. These unique experiences will make the event memorable for all attendees, sparking a sense of excitement and anticipation.

Professional ornamental horticulturists and suppliers can find new partnerships and network at the Flower Business Centre, which will host a five-day Global Business Day. The goal is to provide 180 consulting meetings during the event. There will also be a chance to conduct 1:1 business matching meetings in the Flower Business Centre or via Zoom. There will also be guided tours to local farms and logistics centres.

For further information, visit www.flower.or.kr

Home and garden retailer Robert Dyas is reintroducing its Plant & Pause campaign, after a hugely successful launch last year. This initiative focuses on the benefits of utilising your outdoor space to promote good mental health and wellbeing, kicking off during Stress Awareness Month and running until August.

For the second year running, Robert Dyas has teamed up with the gardening-for-health charity, Thrive. With over 40 years of experience, using gardening alongside Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH), to help improve people’s physical and psychological health, they’re a great fit for the project. 

Thrive’s CEO Ben Thomas said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Robert Dyas. We know that being out in the fresh air, surrounded by plants and nature is incredibly beneficial for mental and physical health. Evidence suggests just twenty minutes spent in gardens or the countryside can significantly reduce stress hormone levels. That’s why this campaign is so important, and we are proud to be associated with it.”

In 2021, the RHS released research that revealed those who garden every day have wellbeing scores 6.6% higher* and stress levels 4.2% lower than people who don’t garden at all. Surveying more than 6000 people, the research showed a significant association between gardening more frequently and improvements in wellbeing, perceived stress and physical activity.

New this year, Robert Dyas is kicking off Plant & Pause with a nationwide competition, Nominate Your Community Space. They are encouraging people to nominate a green community space in their local area which has the potential to be transformed for the mental and physical health of their community. A prize of £2.5k worth of gardening equipment will go to the winner. The Robert Dyas team will visit the project as it evolves to highlight the progress across social media and to share it on the Robert Dyas website.

Whether it’s a community garden or space, or a charity looking to create a sensory garden, entrants are invited to send their nominations to nominateyourspace@robertdyas.co.uk. Shortlisted entries will be assessed by the retailer’s esteemed panel of judges: Robert Dyas’s Garden Guru Rich Redman; Chairman and owner of Robert Dyas, Theo Paphitis; Thrive’s Training, Education & Consultancy Manager, Damien Newman; The Sun’s gardening columnist Veronica Lorraine; and multi-RHS-award-winning influencer the Cloud Gardener, who will be supporting Robert Dyas for a second year with his tips on gardening for mental health. 

As one of the UK’s leading home and garden retailers for over 150 years, the team at Robert Dyas advocates gardening for physical and mental health, and encourages the nation to use their outdoor space and reap the benefits. Robert Dyas’s Garden Guru, Rich Redman, says: “Even the simplest of garden tasks can lift your spirits and just taking a moment to pause, check in with how you’re feeling and connect with nature is so good for the soul. It also doesn’t matter what size space you have – gardening is accessible to everyone of all ages, backgrounds and abilities!”

“We’re very excited to team up with the gardening for health charity, Thrive, as this allows us to tap into their professional advice and expertise and to draw attention  to their great work on our social media channels, on our website and in stores. ”

Thrive delivers community programmes, outreach programmes to schools, hospitals and care homes, and more than 600 garden projects up and down the country. They also offer comprehensive training courses for members of the public to earn horticultural qualifications, as well as engage in horticultural research.

Robert Dyas will be encouraging their followers and members of the public to join in and share their Plant & Pause moments using the hashtag, #PlantandPause.

With warm weather here at last there’s no better time to get involved with this wonderful wellness initiative. So follow along online with tips and guidance from two gardening experts, Robert Dyas and Thrive, and #PlantandPause for body and mind.

On a once rugged 3 hectare volcanic site, Smiemans has built the 7,250 square metre climate-proof Gardheimar garden centre, which was recently inaugurated. 

Designed in collaboration with PK Arkitektar, the centre boasts a biophilic design that perfectly reflects the company's ethos. Notable features include large, heat-resistant windows at the front, a green roof, vertical wooden blinds and an architecturally striking façade adorned with continuous canopies.

An asymmetrical eye catcher

The garden centre's striking asymmetrical roofs have already become a prominent landmark, visible from the adjacent motorway. The central space is dominated by a towering 12 metre high section which houses an additional floor. This 25 metre wide roof serves as a central hall, while the second floor houses offices, a canteen and social areas for staff.

Built to withstand Iceland's turbulent climate

Designed to withstand Iceland's dynamic climate, the roof structure features specially designed gutters seamlessly integrated with 200mm thick sandwich panels. This design provides superior load-bearing capacity while minimising condensation. The wide insulated gutters also have an increased capacity to handle heavy rain or snow, ensuring increased comfort, safety and over 40% energy savings.

An enriching experience for visitors

In addition to a wide range of gardening products, Gardheimar offers an enriching experience for visitors. The centre houses a fully-equipped restaurant, a dedicated Stihl sales outlet and a collection of tempting shop-in-shops. A strategically placed canopy along the outdoor sales area ensures a comfortable shopping experience even in inclement weather.

The new owners of a popular Sheffield garden, nursery and aquatics centre are set to grow the site into a community hub after help from city lawyers Wake Smith Solicitors.

Reverend Dave Walker and his son William have bought Birley Moor Garden Centre and Aquatics from previous owners Chris and Margaret Dale, who are retiring having run the facility since the early 1990s.

The Mosborough-based duo, who have held the garden centre in high regard after Dave first went there with his father at six years old, plan to invest in, and improve, the site and also aim to convert the existing residential bungalow into a cafe and educational centre for the community, subject to planning approval.

They will keep the existing five staff employed at the centre on Moor Valley, with plans to boost the workforce by 15 people this year, and also plan to transform the adjacent 3.5 acre piece of scrubland into a community garden and orchard with help from local colleges.

Rebecca Robinson, director and head of the corporate team at Wake Smith negotiated the purchase with solicitor Joe Creasor, while commercial property director Paul Gibbon dealt with the property elements including simultaneous purchases of the freehold from the owner and the leasehold bungalow. Lydia Sadler from Sheffield planning advisors DLP Planning Ltd is leading on the masterplan for the site.

Rev Walker, who recently sold his interest in Lancashire based wastewater monitoring specialists Detectronic, and his son William, acquired all the shares in Globerock Ltd, trading as Birley Moor Garden Centre, through their company Maranta Leuconeura Ltd – which is the Latin name for the Prayer Plant.

Rev Walker, vicar at St John the Evangelist Church in Ridgeway, said: “The garden centre has always had a sentimental place in my heart since I first went there as a six year old, with my dad. He used to buy his tomato plants and compost from there. My schoolfriends have really fond memories of going there.

“Former owner Chris has done a great job and has kept the spirit of community alive at the centre. Now he has retired, he says he has passed the baton onto me.

“I’m all about community engagement and this project will focus on the garden centre, the cafe and the community hub. We have already reworked some of the centre and the renown aquatics centre will keep providing crucial knowledge, products and fish to keen enthusiasts. The garden and orchard will allow more people to enjoy the space and encourage biodiversity.

“This is only a small project, but I want to bring people together and make a difference to their lives.”

Plans for the centre, which has been there since 1977 on the site of the former Old Dent Colliery Mine, include sustainable drainage, eco roofs, solar and renewable energy and a water course project to reuse water and prevent flooding.

Wake Smith’s Rebecca Robinson said:  “The purchase is a wonderful opportunity for Dave and William and we were delighted to work on this project with them. We look forward to continuing to advise and support them in delivering the their vision for the community."

Rev Walker added: “I was very impressed by the response time from Wake Smith. They called me back straight away, held our hands through every step of the process and always kept me informed. It was a phenomenal service and we will be working with them on this project for the foreseeable future.”

Wincanton has been awarded extended warehouse and transport contracts with Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, to provide premium home delivery, store replenishment and eCommerce services.

Dobbies started working with Wincanton in 2020. To date, the partnership has seen Wincanton manage 110,000 units of stock per week to stores and customers across the UK.

The new contract reflects the leading supply chain partner's track record for high quality services for multi-channel retailers, particularly in the home and gardens market.

The transition will achieve over 16% improvements in efficiency and will allow Dobbies the capacity to increase volumes by 100%.

Wincanton seamlessly managed the relocation of Dobbies’ national distribution centre to a new shared-user site in Corby, Northamptonshire, to provide additional space, facilitating Dobbies’ growth potential.

James Wroath, CEO at Wincanton, said: “The extension of our partnership with Dobbies showcases the resilience, breadth and agility of Wincanton’s capabilities. We are proud of the strength of our change management capability which ensured a safe and secure transition to the new site, and the benefits this brings to Dobbies and its customers.”

David Robinson, CEO at Dobbies, said: “Having the right supply chain partner is crucial to ensuring a seamless operation for our colleagues and customers. Wincanton have been an excellent partner, and we’re looking forward to building on this moving forward, with a quality and reliable service that we can rely on.”

Husband-and-wife team Murry and Caroline Newbury, who have more than 25 years’ experience in the horticulture industry, have taken over at Hope Valley Garden Centre in the Peak District near Sheffield.

The established garden centre has been recently owned by Emma Proctor, who has now entrusted Murry and Caroline with the development of the business.

Murry and Caroline plan to introduce a customer loyalty scheme and an e-commerce website,  and hope to develop a large indoor showroom.

Murry revealed to Dronfield Eye that the couple called in at the garden centre and found the business was on the market.

He said: “We were looking to take on a new challenge so it was meant to happen.”

Millbrook Garden Centre, Gravesend,celebrated its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of serving the local community with gardening expertise, quality plants and much more! 

To mark the anniversary, Millbrook invited customers to join them for a day of celebration on the 30th March. Entertainment was provided by local group Rock Choir Kent, led by Paul Gostling and a 30th birthday cake was handmade by Millbrook staff.

As a gesture of thanks to its loyal customers, Millbrook delighted the first 300 customers who made a purchase on the day, with a special gift of a beautiful Dianthus plant, symbolising the company’s commitment to growing smiles and enhancing gardens across the county.

To add to the day’s celebrations, Millbrook’s Managing Director, Tammy Woodhouse, presented a giant cheque for the sum of £38,561.48, to Millbrook’s founder and Chairman Sue Allen, who is also Chairman of Greenfingers, the charity of the horticulture industry, which creates magical gardens for children’s hospices across the UK. Thanks to the generosity of customers and staff over the previous 3 years at both of Millbrook’s Kent-based centres at Gravesend and Staplehurst, the money was raised through a number of events, including shopping evenings, raffles, Garden Re-Leaf weekends, virtual plant purchases and children’s planting workshops. Their customers also made a huge difference through Pennies, adding a 25p donation to their transactions at the tills.

Money raised has already gone towards the construction and planting of a beautiful garden at local children’s hospice Demelza in Sittingbourne, Kent, to ensure life-limited children and their families can benefit from an inspiring outdoor space. 

Millbrook Garden Company is also marking another milestone this year with 45 years in the horticulture industry, after the business was set up by Dick and Sue Allen in 1979. 

Reflecting on the journey of Millbrook Garden Centres, Managing Director, Tammy Woodhouse, said: ‘It’s been a rollercoaster and a joy and there’s certainly never a dull day! I’m really proud of what my parents, Dick and Sue Allen, achieved. The business has changed a lot over the years. Most of our regular customers will know we’ve now got a 300-seater restaurant, Food Hall and butchers at Gravesend and we run events and focus on the experience of shopping at Millbrook. But in amongst that, it’s still the plants and the gardening that are at our core. Obviously, we are all aware that the world is changing and I’m proud Millbrook is leading changes in sustainable gardening with the greener products we’re selling and that is going to change even more as we go forward into the next 45 years. Thank you to all our customers - we wouldn’t be here without all of you - and thank you to our team who are hugely passionate and who really do grow smiles for our customers every day. Here’s to the next 45 years!’

Receiving the cheque on behalf of Greenfingers, Sue Allen, Chairman of Greenfingers, said: ‘Greenfingers has been going for 25 years and the first garden built was at Demelza House. Obviously, the cost of building these precious gardens is going up and up and the recent Demelza garden was around £150,000, so £38,000 is an amazing sum towards that. Every penny Millbrook has raised is so, so welcome. Thank you everybody!’

British grown peat-free houseplants  

At the new RHS Urban Show Manchester, Blue Diamond, Britain’s largest Garden Centre group, is championing the move towards British Grown peat-free, peat free and soil-free houseplants. Blue Diamond is committed to developing best practice in sustainable living as well as responding to the growing, eco-conscious customers demand to reduce environmental impact.

The Blue Diamond exhibit, stand C25, C40 and C41, will showcase a new range of British grown peat-free houseplants, in addition to a range of soil-free plants, grown using air, hydroponics and water.  

Blue Diamond aims to show visitors how to sustainably ‘green’ their homes or spaces with an interactive exhibit.  Visitors will wander through a typical urban apartment, with rooms containing examples of plants perfect for steamy bathrooms, warm, sunny living rooms, or rooms with lower levels of natural light. 

Houseplants plants grown without soil

Blue Diamond is leading the way in British Grown peat-free houseplants through its collaboration with The Horti House, a collective of British growers and is keen to showcase the best of British growers and their environmental credentials. The move towards British-grown plants significantly reduces transportation and its corresponding carbon footprint and plants are grown using the latest developments in biomass heating, solar energy, and recycled roof rainwater as part of the growing process.  

The move towards British Grown peat-free and soil-free houseplants, most importantly, helps to conserve rare peatlands and their unique biodiversity, as well as combatting climate change. The new British Grown peat-free houseplant range has been grown in a variety of composts, including recycled coir as well as more novel waste materials such as green waste from cut flowers (such as lily and peony) and soft fruit production. The material is shredded and then steamed to create a perfect growing media with good water retention and ideal texture​. New point of sale and care instructions have been developed to help Blue Diamond customers identify the British Grown peat free collection and helping to facilitate a greater understanding of its importance.

Nick Jones, Head of Product Direction says, ‘We are proud to be supporting this initiative to help meet our responsibility as a retailer in eradicating the use of peat. The recycled growing media has produced plants to the highest standards, which we are excited to exhibit at RHS Urban Manchester and stock in all our Blue Diamond Garden Centres. We will continue to work with our UK growers to increase the peat-free collection, ultimately providing our customers with a 100% British grown peat-free range, whilst in the meantime, working with our European partners to procure other peat-free solutions’.

Our peat-free range of houseplants, including our British grown peat free range, is available to buy in all 44 Blue Diamond Garden Centres and selected varieties are available online at bluediamond.gg/all-about-houseplants. Plants includes favourites such as phalaenopsis orchids, calathea, dracaena and monstera in addition to seasonal products, in 12 and 17cm pots. 

Blue Diamond is also exhibiting at RHS Urban Manchester, a new and exclusive range of stylish and contemporary, plant pot covers. The range, called ECOMADE, are British designed and made in a purpose-built facility in Glastonbury, Somerset, using 30% UK sourced coffee grounds and 55% recycled and recyclable plastic.

In the UK, we drink approximately 98 million cups of coffee per day, which means that half a million tonnes of ground coffee waste go to landfill. When breaking down in landfill this releases harmful methane gases, creating a greenhouse effect 28 times higher than carbon dioxide. The aim is to reduce this waste destined for landfill. To give some context, with the initial order by Blue Diamond to the supplier of the ECOMADE pot covers, 530kg of coffee waste destined for landfill, was able to be recycled by Blue Diamond.  From bean to pellet to pot, we like to think it’s all about repurposing your morning brew!

The covers are made using renewable energy sources, including solar power. The site in Somerset has over 2000 solar panels and is committed to only use 100% green energy from 2025 onwards.

The range includes 4 colours, rose, dark blue, sage and light blue and 2 pot sizes 14cm and 18cm.  The RRP’s range from £5.99 to £9.99. The 18cm pots will be launched in 44 Blue Diamond Garden Centres in 2024. 

At Blue Diamond, we are aware that we are part of a greener, cleaner future. We are taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint and promote a greener, cleaner way of working and we know there is much to do to reduce impact on our environment.  For further information on Blue Diamond’s environmental strategy please visit https://www.bluediamond.gg/environment

The Venezia 80cm Grow Box has become the world's number one bestseller from Artevasi. With its moulded legs, built-in water reservoir, removable rubber stopper for drainage, 58-litre capacity, overall durability, and outstanding value for money, it is a firm favourite in garden centres across Europe, America and the Middle East. 

Founded in 2006, Artevasi has become a leader in producing eco-friendly, sustainable recycled plastic pots. With offices worldwide, they now export to over 50 countries on five continents. 

Available in two sizes, 80cm and 100cm, and in five contemporary colours, Anthracite, Dry Green, Taupe, Light Grey, and White, the Grow-Box range offers a high rate of sales coupled with outstanding value for money and attractive margins for retailers. In addition, both sizes of Grow-Box can be fitted with a transparent greenhouse lid to provide the ideal growing solution for a wide range of plants and vegetables. The lid is also compatible with the Venezia Plant Box XL, making it even more versatile. 

From pots to planters to hanging baskets, this range with traditional design offers a wide range of sizes and models with specific features to meet every need. Rooted in love for the plant, Venezia focuses on providing the best conditions for its growth. It offers different options suitable for indoor or outdoor use, with frost-resistant properties, produced with recycled materials and 100% recyclable.

For more information, please contact UK Director, Darren Boorman, speak to your local sales agent or email general@artevasi.co.uk

www.artevasi.co.uk

Greenhouse specialist Vitavia reveals why owning one is a gardener's secret weapon...

In the world of gardening, having a greenhouse is akin to possessing a superpower! It’s a game-changer that extends your growing season, protects delicate plants from harsh weather and opens up a world of possibilities for cultivating a thriving garden. As we step into March, let’s explore why owning a greenhouse is so beneficial and the wonders you can nurture within its sheltered confines during this early spring month.

Extend Your Growing Season
One of the most significant advantages of owning a greenhouse is the ability to extend your growing season. While outdoor gardens may still be waking up from winter dormancy, your greenhouse can provide a warm and cosy haven for plants to flourish. With controlled temperature and humidity levels, you can start sowing seeds earlier, giving your plants a head start and ultimately reaping the rewards with an earlier harvest.

Protect Your Plants
March can be a fickle month, with unpredictable weather patterns ranging from chilly mornings to sudden frosts. A greenhouse acts as a shield, safeguarding your plants from the whims of Mother Nature. No more fretting over late frosts or sudden temperature drops, your greenhouse provides a stable environment where tender seedlings can thrive without fear of damage.

Diversify Your Garden
With a greenhouse, you’re no longer limited to what can survive in your local climate. March is the perfect time to experiment with a diverse range of plants that may not typically thrive in your outdoor garden. From exotic fruits and vegetables to delicate flowers and herbs, the controlled environment of a greenhouse allows you to push the boundaries and explore new horizons in gardening.

What to Grow in March
As March heralds the arrival of spring, there’s a myriad of plants that you can start growing in your greenhouse:

• Early Vegetables: Kickstart your vegetable garden by sowing seeds of cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, kale and radishes. These fast-growing veggies will thrive in the mild temperatures of your greenhouse and provide an early harvest.
• Herbs: Fill your greenhouse with the fragrant aroma of fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley and chives. These culinary delights will flourish indoors, ready to add flavour to your springtime dishes.
• Flowers: Brighten up your space with a splash of colour by planting flowering annuals such as pansies, snapdragons and violas. These hardy blooms will add charm and cheer to your greenhouse while waiting for the outdoor garden to come to life.
• Perennials: Start perennial flowers from seed in March to enjoy blooms year after year. Delicate varieties like delphiniums, lupines and foxgloves will appreciate the protection of your greenhouse as they germinate and establish themselves.
• Fruit Trees: If you dream of harvesting your own fruit, consider starting fruit tree seeds or saplings in your greenhouse. Apples, peaches, citrus fruits and figs are just a few options that can thrive in a greenhouse environment, providing you with a bountiful harvest in the years to come.

Owning a greenhouse is not just a hobby, it’s a gateway to a world of endless gardening possibilities. As March unfolds, embrace the advantages of greenhouse gardening and let your imagination take root. With a little care and creativity, your greenhouse will become a sanctuary of growth and abundance, where the joys of gardening know no bounds.

Find out more at https://vitavia.co.uk/unlocking-the-greenhouse-advantage

SOLEX Exhibition, the premier event that gathers the best and brightest of the outdoor leisure industry, has announced an Awards Ceremony & Afterparty to kick off the excitement of the summer event on the Tuesday 9 July. Marking its 16th year, SOLEX Exhibition has curated a night of celebration, networking, and a thrilling football-themed evening to coincide with the highly anticipated UEFA Euro 2024 semi-finals.

With a captivating football-themed setting, the stage will be set with tv screens and hot food, as industry players gather, attendees can look forward to not only the prestigious SOLEX Awards but also to the electric atmosphere as the evening blends business recognition with the shared love for the beautiful game.

Adding to the excitement, former Ex - England footballer Dion Dublin will be joining us for the event to share insights and predictions ahead of the semi-final clash, (which we hope will feature England) as well as taking part in a Q&A session. The evening begins with a Welcome Drink and Hot Buffet, leading into the hotly awaited match on the big screen. The SOLEX Awards will be presented by Dion at half time. The afterparty, will be a chance to mingle outside the usual professional environment and promises to be as thrilling as the game itself.

The evening won't just be about football. We will have delicious food and drink, exciting entertainment, and a chance to unwind and socialize with exhibitors and visitors. So even if you're not a fan of the beautiful game, we've got you covered.

Don't miss out! Add your name to the guest list today BOOK NOW

Ready your grills, sharpen your knives, and stoke the fires! SOLEX Exhibition 2024 is about to welcome back the crowd-pleasing, taste-bud-teasing Fire Food and Outdoor Living Evening incorporating our BBQ Competition, which is set to light up the evening with charm and flavour.

Scheduled for Wednesday 10 July, the evening now in its second year, is the event that celebrates not only the mastery of the grill but the communal joy of al fresco dining.

Attendees eagerly anticipate the BBQ showdown, where teams of both exhibitors and visitors will vie for the prestigious BBQ Trophy. The stakes are high.  Each team aims to impress the judges, including industry experts with a signature dish.

Competition is set to heat up under the open skies outside Hall 5, be it under a radiant sun or cheering each other on beneath the shelter of gazebos, all competitors and spectators are poised to make beautiful bites of every challenge.

The essence of the evening is more than just the BBQ prize it embodies the thrill of the grill and the unifying spirit of good food shared.

Don't miss out! Add your name to the guest list today BOOK NOW

In order to ensure that everyone can fully immerse themselves in the Exhibition and exciting SOLEX Evening Events, we have secured Special Hotel Rates For Visitors who wish to attend these events and stay overnight on Tuesday 9th or Wednesday 10th July.

For the exclusive price of £100 per room, per night, SOLEX visitors can take advantage of this offer and enjoy a comfortable stay while attending the exhibition and events. This offer is not to be missed!

Don't miss out! Follow the link to book your stay BOOK NOW

or scan this QR Code:

N.B. Hotel rooms are subject to availability. Offer ends 30 April 2024.