Garden centre sales volumes are still running at 15% up on 2019 levels after the driest and hottest summer for years.  GTN Bestsellers weekly garden centre EPOS data analysis shows total sales volumes to date this year have dropped on 2021 levels by 3% but with an influx of promotional sales lines post Glee trading volumes stayed above 2019 levels and even beat 2020 August levels for a few weeks.

Plant sales, however, did not fair so well during the summer with several weeks seeing the lowest volume of plants sold for any of the previous 5 years.  As of week ending Sunday 18th September 2022 the GTN Bestsellers All Plants sales index sits at 9.6% down on 2021, 7.2% up on 2019 but 0.4% down on 2018.

Post Glee promotional lines helped maintain garden product sales during the summer but year to date GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Products sales volumes are now 14% down on 2021 and down 6% on 2019 levels.

Garden lighting and fire pits were notable sales success during August and now autumn lawn care products are selling through well.

Growing Media sales, the best indicator of core gardening activity, have continued to considerably outstrip 2019 levels during August and September, even beating 2021 levels for 3 of the past 8 weeks.  Year to date Growing Media Top 50 Bestsellers products volumes are now 4.4% down on 2021 but 21.0% higher than 2019.

Watch out for the first GTN Bestsellers Christmas Charts for 2022 at the start of October.

For more information about GTN Bestsellers please contact: trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk

Leon Boots are fast becoming a regular site in UK garden centres. And the company has seen a rapid growth since it first happened upon these shores in November 2018. Currently holding over 1,500 mixed pairs of wellingtons across 9 different styles including kids & just over 2,000 pairs across 6 colours in Ankle Boots. We promise delivery to any stockist within 5 working days.

This is quite a journey from the single pallet in 2018!!

We recently relocated to a new Head Office with a much needed larger warehouse!

We are rapidly becoming a core supplier of footwear into this industry, now supplying over 300 Garden Centre locations across the UK with our ULTRALIGHTAnkle Boots.

Why not find out more by contacting either Kevin or Charlie? 

Kevin: 07525 772427 

Charlie: 07917 548729

Office: 01934 315386

Leon Boots Co. Ltd (UK Office)

Unit 57, Buckingham Road

Weston Trading Estate

Weston-Super-Mare

North Somerset

BS24 9BG

Email: kevin@leonbootsco.com or charlie@leonbootsco.com

Web: www.leonbootsco.com

Meadow View Stone unveil their new brochure for 2023, featuring a selection of over 20 new products including an award-winning Alpine Range, further positioning the company as leaders in product innovation within the decorative aggregates sector.

The extensive collection echoes current and future trends in outdoor living, with modern colours, styles, and sizes, to complement a more diverse range of uses within hard landscaping.

Further improvements have also been made to their packaging.  Their Foundation Collection gets a rebranding to bring it more in keeping with their current ranges and with colours more associated with construction products, along with a much-improved display crate for all rockery stone. The new robust, wooden, low-profile display crate is supplied prefilled with stock and greatly improves the presentation and shop-ability of the rockery stone collection.

Product innovation remains a key strength for Meadow View Stone and has facilitated the companies, and its customers, rapid growth over the past two years, by providing the ability to freshen up ranges, grow sales, and improve the visual appearance of the area with the widest collection of exclusive, superior quality products on the market.

To request a copy of Meadow View Stones 2023 Brochure email info@meadowviewstone.co.uk

One of the Derry’s largest and best loved garden centres has been put up for sale for the first time, after over four decades of ownership by the same family. Altnagelvin Garden Centre, on Irish Street, is being marketed by commercial property estate agent Ernest Wilson with an asking price of £1.25m.

The 1.25 acre garden centre, which is well known for its wide range of high quality plants as well as Christmas trees and pet supplies, is a favourite destination for Derry shoppers and also attracts regular repeat visits from customers from as far afield as Omagh and Fermanagh.

The garden centre’s owners Pauline and Ian Peilow are selling the £1m-turnover business, which employs ten staff, in order to retire. Started by her parents in 1977, Pauline had lived in the four-bedroom bungalow on the garden centre site since she was born, moving away for 12 years as a young adult, before returning home to run the business with her husband in 1996.

“Gardening has changed so much since we started out at Altnagelvin all those years ago,” said Pauline. “There was a huge upsurge in gardening as a hobby in the 1990s which continued to develop, but the love that people began to show to their gardens during the pandemic certainly looks like it’s an obsession that’s here to stay and this year we have been busier than ever.”

She added: “It’s the end of an era for us. In many ways we will be sad to leave Altnagelvin, but the amazing feedback we get from our customers, who return season after season to buy our top-quality plants, as well as garden products such as furniture and pots, is something we will take with us as proof that we have created a fantastic business.

“In the hands of enthusiastic new owners I’m confident Altnagelvin will absolutely flourish.”

Since 2018 the garden centre’s annual turnover has grown by 40% from £716,000 to £1m.

Included in the sale of the 1.25 acre site is an extensive shop, greenhouses and a large car park. The on-site private bungalow is also part of the sale. With four bedrooms, a conservatory and home office, the property is set within its own private gardens.

Paul Williamson, managing director of Ernest Wilson, the specialist commercial property agent that is marketing the garden centre, and which buys and sells hundreds of businesses across the UK every year, said: “The chance to buy a local landmark business like this one, and in a market which is so buoyant, doesn’t come along very often. Altnagelvin garden centre is an incredibly successful business, with an unrivalled reputation that Pauline and her family have worked tirelessly over more than four decades to build.

“The potential to develop the garden centre further as a business is enormous, and needless to say we have already had a great deal of interested from prospective buyers.”

Anyone interested in the sale of the garden centre should contact the Leeds head office of Ernest Wilson on 0113 238 2900, or at www.ernest-wilson.co.uk.

LOFA has announced a partnership with Perennial, a charity working to support and promote the health of those who work in horticulture. As part of this partnership, LOFA has pledged to donate £20,000 to help Perennial in their efforts. 

LOFA is supporting Perennial to promote positive health and wellbeing through sponsoring an Interactive Health Kiosk that provides a unique opportunity for individuals to take a quick, private and confidential snapshot of their physical and mental health. The kiosk carries out a Health MOT which includes Wellbeing Age™, Weight, BMI, Body Fat Content, Blood Pressure and heart rate which was identified as a critical issue from Perennial’s research. Taking a Health MOT can take from as little as 8 minutes enabling people to self-test key indicators of their general health and wellbeing and walk away with a personal confidential printout of their results with a comparison to medical accepted standards.

The Interactive Health Kiosk is effective as an early warning system for potential health problems such as high blood pressure. These checks will be provided in a LOFA sponsored health kiosk, which will be located at industry events up and down the country starting with the Landscape Show in 28/29 September 2022, Hall 3, NEC, Birmingham. These free health checks will help contribute towards helping those who work in our industry stay healthy and safe. We are excited to be working with Perennial on this important initiative and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on those who work in horticulture. 

Founded in 1839, Perennial is the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping everyone who works in horticulture, including gardeners, groundskeepers, nursery and garden centre staff, landscapers, and arborists. Over the years, Perennial has helped countless people through difficult times, providing free and confidential information and advice on a wide range of issues. Today, Perennial is more important than ever, as the economic downturn has put immense financial pressure on those working in horticulture. In addition, social pressures can be equally challenging, as horticulture professionals are often low-paid and have to contend with physically demanding work. As a result, Perennial provides a much-needed lifeline for many people working in horticulture. Every year, the charity helps over 1,600 people, and it will continue to support the horticulture community for many years to come.

LOFA are excited to be partnering with Perennial on this important campaign, it is just one of the ways that LOFA shows its commitment to helping those who work within the industry as a whole. 

Register today for the

LANDSCAPE Show 28/29 September 22, Hall 3, NEC, Birmingham

SOLEX Exhibition 10-12 July 23, Hall 5, NEC, Birmingham

100-year-old commercial nursery Johnsons of Whixley has won a contract to supply Lake District hotel, Another Place, situated right on the shores of Ullswater.

Over 60 varieties of hedging, trees, herbaceous plants and shrubs will help shape ‘Outside’, a new selection of rooms and spaces at the hotel to bring guests closer to the wild, while enjoying the inspired design and interior comforts the 47-bed hotel is known for.

The project was designed by landscape architect, Laurel Truscott, who has worked on major landscape projects including the Olympic Park.

Included in the supply, which totalled a whopping 4,063 pieces, was a wide range of plants and trees, including 31 Betula jacquemonti, 275 Deschampsia ‘Goldtau’, 250 Knautia Macedonia and 315 Pennisetum Orientale.

The plants have been used across the new spaces which feature a large, contemporary treehouse with floor-to-ceiling views of the lake, six handcrafted oak and tin shepherd huts with stargazing roofs over freestanding double beds, a Victorian-style Glasshouse, and a rebuilt ‘Sheep Shed’ lakeside cabin, for warm year-round changing, showers and wetsuit drying.

Another Place, The Lake’s CEO, Will Ashworth, said: “The treehouse is one of a kind, and the biggest accommodation on offer in any of our locations.

“But the whole set – the treehouse, shepherd huts, Glasshouse and Sheep Shed – brings a new energy and buzz. We’re blending great hospitality and novel experiences with a sublime natural environment.”

Ellie Richardson, marketing manager at Johnsons, added: “This was such an exciting project for us to work on with Laurel and her team, including the hotel’s head gardener, James Cox. We were tasked with enhancing the new spaces and ensuring the ambiance and design of the hotel’s landscape flowed seamlessly into the new outside spaces.

“The plants we supplied include a range of species to create a beautifully biodiverse garden with drifts of herbaceous planting, sculpted evergreen shrubs and trees with varied seasonal interest. It has been transformed into a sanctuary of seasonal scents, shapes and colours. It’s a year-round sensory experience.”

Landscape architect, Laurel Truscott, also commented: “I chose to work with Johnsons because I prefer to use a plant supplier based in the North to ensure hardiness of plants, they have been recommended by fellow professionals too, so I knew I’d be in safe hands.

“I found the Johnsons team offered a good wholesale service, were quick to respond and sorted out any problems helpfully.

“We all worked really hard, and it’s been fun seeing it take shape. It’s gone from a bit of a quagmire to this beautifully contoured space with sweeps of grasses and shaped hedges and vertical planes with trees.

“As well as the visual look of the space, it was important to me to incorporate other senses. Wherever there’s an intersection of paths, or you cross from one threshold into another, we’ve planted gorgeous scents to elevate the experience.

“I’m always keen to minimise waste. We’ve transplanted plants we’ve dug up to use elsewhere on the site, so we aren’t losing them. I love doing that in a garden, giving plants a new lease of life rather than throwing them away. It’s been a really rewarding project.”

Johnsons of Whixley have been operating from the heart of Yorkshire for over 100 years, and have supplied plants to numerous projects across the UK, including the National Memorial Arboretum Centre, Ripon’s Grantley Hall, and Whinfell Forest, Center Parcs.

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation, the charity which supports students studying horticulture, has  announced that horticulturalist and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh has agreed to be its new Patron.

The Foundation embarked on a strategy for growth at the begining of 2022, its 29^th year of supporting students with bursaries and scholarships. This growth has seen the appointment of 3 new Trustees, extending social media links and new website, a new administration team and now the important step of welcoming Alan Titchmarsh as Patron.

Chair of Trustees, Jeff Colegrave said: “Speaking  for all our Trustees, we are delighted to welcome Alan as our Patron and thank him for his time and support of what we do. We are already building our corporate sponshorship with the support of businesses like Majestic Trees, Blue Diamond and BPOA, with others keen to establish scholarships with us in their name. With the new scholarship season having opened at the begining of September, we are in a strong position to support more students and have a bigger impact on the issue of attracting the needed skills for our industry’s future, something Alan is  keen to promote."

Alan Titchmarsh is a well known and respected industry figure, who with his own training and teaching career along with his strong gardening journalist credentials, is well placed to help the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation drive forward  it’s activity and support of students.

Alan himself left school at 15, taking up a horticultural apprenticship with his local parks department before going on to Kew to study and ultimately teach there too.

Alan said in a recent interview how he loved growing things from seed;  no matter how small a patch or windowsill, you can sow seeds, take cuttings and grow things. “It’s all a learning experience,” he said and was keen to prescribe nature as the antidote to today’s chaotic, fast-paced living. To achieve this “we need more people seeing the value of horticulture as a career choice as well as gardening as a hobby.”

Some people find it difficult to get in touch with the natural world because life is so fast and the natural world has a pace of its own, which tends to be slower than our daily grind. 

Alan’s family share his passion for nature – though he admits it’s more for being in it and looking at it, rather than doing it.

He added: “I am so pleased both my daughters love nature. I remember one of them saying to me, we couldn’t live anywhere that wasn’t green and I thought - mission accomplished."

Alan Titchmarsh said about his appointment as Patron of the charity: “The Trustees of the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation deserve our support – nurseries, product manufacturers and retailers as well as fellow hortciulturists should get behind the work they do. People getting into horticulture, enjoying doing what some of us have been doing for years, is crucial to all our futures."

To find out more about the work of the Foundation and how you can support what it does more details are available on the website www.colegraveseabrookfoundation.org.uk or by speaking to one of the Trustees.

Commenting on the Chancellor’s announcements today, Jennifer Pheasey, Director of Public Affairs said: “HTA members across the breadth of the UK horticultural sector have seen energy and other business costs mounting; that is why we called for immediate action to support horticulture businesses and provide certainty. We welcome action by the government to take steps to ease this pressure and for listening to our calls. It will however not be until businesses see their bills, that the reality of these measures and reliefs are fully understood.

“After summer droughts, weakening consumer confidence, energy costs and wider economic pressure, this will be a challenging winter.

“We also need clarity on measures to ‘reform the supply side of the economy’ – with the Chancellor’s reference to ‘agriculture production’, the importance of ornamental (environmental) horticulture must not be underestimated. There is significant potential to support investment in R&D, innovation and automation. This will provide both economic and environmental return on investment.

“HTA represents 1500 members, in a sector which supports nearly 700,000 employees and contributes almost £28bn to UK GDP. We are keen to work with Government and policy-makers to ensure horticultural businesses are able to benefit from today’s announcements. With the right policies and support, our sector is ideally placed to contribute to green growth ambitions.”

Furniture and barbecue sales remained positive throughout August according to the Garden Centre Association’s Barometer of Trade report.

Sales in the outdoor entertainment department were up 26.93% compared to the same month last year (2022), despite other areas flagging in the heat.

GCA Chairman, Tammy Woodhouse, explains: “After the heatwave in July, we continued to see good weather in August, which meant people spent more time in their gardens, hosting get togethers and generally enjoying the sunshine. Furniture was discounted early in the season to help clear stock, meaning many customers took the opportunity to get a great deal.

“Unfortunately, the extreme heat during the month had a detrimental effect on more traditional categories, which meant sales were down for most.”

Clothing sales were up 1.9%. Catering was down -0.8% and food hall and farm shop sales were also down -6.47%.

Sales in traditional categories such as outdoor plants were down -24.69%, seed and bulb sales were down -6.67% and houseplants sales were down -15.89%.

Garden sundries sales were down -17.25%, pets and aquatics sales were down -15.12% and gift sales were down -17.52%. Hard landscaping sales were also down -25.37%.

Overall sales for the month were down -8.89% with a year-to-date variance of -1.46%.

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.

The BoT reports allow members to compare their trading positions with other centres.

The GCA represents nearly 200 garden centres nationwide.

Through sharing information and its inspection programme the GCA helps members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.

For further information, please visit www.gca.org.uk.

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has announced the winners of its inaugural Ornamental Grower of the Year Awards. The Awards, in their first year, were announced at the HTA’s annual conference, Horticulture, The Conference, which took place at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on Wednesday 14 September. 

The new Awards programme celebrates the UK’s best ornamental growers and recognises best practise in sustainable ornamental production. As well as proving their track records in high quality production, nominees were tasked with demonstrating their commitment to the environment and how they are working towards specific targets such as Co2 reduction, peat removal or water resilience. 

Chairman of the HTA James Barnes and newly-elected President Alan Down presented a total of 10 awards across five categories, including overall winners and highly commended. Allensmore Nurseries was named Best Finished Plants Grower, while Ball Colegrave was named Best Young Plants Grower and Palmstead Nurseries won Best Inspirational Business. A number of individual industry professionals were also awarded, with Eliot Bardon of Majestic Trees winning Best Young Grower and Gareth Edwards of New Leaf Plants winning Best Staff Member. 

Speaking at the Awards, James Barnes, Chairman of the HTA said: “It is with great pleasure that we present the winners of the inaugural Ornamental Grower of the Year Awards. The commitment to sustainable ornamental production shown by all nominees is truly inspirational, and the winners and highly commended entries demonstrated outstanding innovation. We’re delighted to recognise the excellent work being done by horticulture businesses, which is instrumental in helping the UK to meet its environmental goals.” 

The full list of award winners and highly commended entrants is as follows: 

Best Finished Plants Grower 

• Highly commended: New Leaf Plants 
• Winner: Allensmore Nurseries 

Best Young Plants Grower 

• Winner: Ball Colegrave 

Best Inspirational Business 

• Highly commended: Allensmore Nurseries 
• Highly commended: Majestic Trees 
• Winner: Palmstead Nurseries 

Best Young Grower (under 35) 

• Highly commended: Mollie Higginson of New Leaf Plants 

• Winner: Eliot Barden of Majestic Trees 

Best Staff Member 

• Highly commended: Maria Bengsston, Majestic Trees 
• Winner: Gareth Edwards, New Leaf Plants 

The Awards were launched in June this year at the HTA’s National Plant Show and nominations closed in July. Nominations were submitted by retailers, suppliers and individuals working in the industry. 

The panel of judges for the Awards consisted of Alan Down, newly-elected President of the HTA; Tim Briercliffe, Secretary General of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH); Martin Cowell, Co-Director of Cowell's Garden Centre; and Andrew Wilson, Technical Manager at ICL Specialty Fertilizers. 

The winners of the Awards were presented with a certificate and trophy on the night and have been automatically entered into the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards. 

Horticulture, The Conference took place at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on Wednesday 14 September and was attended by 140 industry professionals from all over the UK. Discussions focused on envisioning what the industry could look like in 2030, with topics including the retail revolution, automation, artificial intelligence and the metaverse. 

Hosted by Bob Warman, speakers at the conference included TV presenter and author Simon Reeve, garden designers Arit Anderson and Mark Gregory, digital influencers Michael Perry (Mr Plant Geek) and Tayshan Hayden-Smith and Vicky Pryce, Chief Economic Advisor at the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr). 

Usually annual, this was the first time the conference had taken place since 2019, having been postponed the last two years due to the pandemic. During his opening address, James Barnes spoke about the challenges facing the horticulture sector, commenting: “Notwithstanding the issues of the now, it's imperative that we scan further ahead – accelerated change will make the horizon become our foreground pretty quickly. Having the ability to sense change will allow us to seek out opportunities; the issues we’re facing into right now might be great, but the opportunities might be even greater.” 

Two-thirds (66%) of garden owners in the UK would choose wood when buying new sheds and other garden items according to a new survey by OnePoll for Forest Garden.

The survey also discovered that millennials are the most environmentally conscious garden shoppers with 57% of them choosing to buy wooden garden furniture because it is more sustainable compared to 44% of 25 – 34-year-olds.

Almost half of those surveyed said that they are likely to buy from UK-based garden furniture makers whilst 1 in 10 also admitted that they look for FSC certification and carbon neutral manufacturers when purchasing wooden items for their garden.

People also admitted that over the last two years they have been adding new elements into their gardens such as wildlife ponds, hedgehog feeding stations, wildflower meadows and have generally tried to make their green spaces more wildlife friendly.

Jenny Davis, head of marketing for Forest Garden said: “It’s great that gardeners are thinking to the environment and interesting that it’s the younger adults that are really embracing wood in their gardens as a sign that they are doing that right thing by buying more sustainably. Overall, wood is the preferred choice in the garden compared with 15% that would prefer plastic and 7 % metal. Interestingly over two-fifths (41%) said that they believed wood to be cost-effective.

“It's all about choosing the right products that work for you whilst also having one eye on the life span of that of that product,” she continued. “Many wooden items of quality are pressure treated and have a 15-year guarantee and simple maintenance will ensure a long life. It is a natural resource so, if you choose, it will feed the ground from which it came, unlike plastic, leaving no particles that could be potentially harmful or have a lasting impact on the environment.

“What’s more, you can paint and style wood easily and creatively as fashions change. A wooden shed could become a bar or an office. Other items could be reused and repurposed which is something that 27% of people in the survey admit to doing. Wood is something that can adapt to what it needs to be whilst also looking incredibly stylish according to 71% of 18 – 24-year-olds.”

Forest Garden, the UK brand leading manufacturer of timber sheds, fencing, structures, garden furniture and planters, is the first large-scale producer in the sector to become carbon neutral. Using mainly FSC® certified timber grown in UK and sawn at its own sawmill in Lockerbie, it ensures that everything from sourcing to sawing, manufacturing to haulage is now carbon neutral. 

For full details and to find the nearest Forest Garden stockist, visit www.forestgarden.co.uk

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The Horticultural Trades Association has appointed Fran Barnes as its Chief Executive, following the recent appointments of Directors of Public Affairs and Marketing. 

Fran Barnes joins the HTA from the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales (NFU), where she has worked for over 10 years, first as Head of Strategic Communications and subsequently as Director of Communications. Prior to joining the NFU, she held a number of editorial roles on food and farming programmes at the BBC. 

Fran’s appointment follows the recent appointments of Jennifer Pheasey as Director of Public Affairs and Elia Johnston as Director of Marketing, with the HTA strengthening its senior leadership team as the horticulture sector focuses on building upon the growth in the number of domestic gardeners witnessed during the pandemic and delivering the “Unlocking Green Growth” strategy launched in September last year, even more relevant in the current environment. 

Commenting on her appointment, CEO of the HTA, Fran Barnes said: “I am delighted to be joining the HTA as Chief Executive. The horticulture sector delivers so much for the country’s economy, wellbeing and environmental sustainability, and the HTA’s reputation for supporting and representing its members – and the wider industry – is first class. I look forward to building upon its impact, as well as continuing to develop the services offered to members.” 

President of the HTA, Alan Down said: “I’m very pleased to congratulate Fran on her appointment as the HTA’s first Chief Executive – she has demonstrated hugely effective leadership at the NFU and has a wealth of knowledge about rural affairs, which will greatly inform how we serve our members. 

“Fran’s appointment is complemented by those of Jennifer Pheasey and Elia Johnston who recently joined us as Directors of Public Affairs and Marketing. Their appointments will strengthen our senior leadership team at a very exciting time for the industry and for the HTA, with horticulture playing an increasingly important part in people’s lives, not to mention the vital role it has in addressing environmental challenges. I very much look forward to working with Fran, Jennifer and Elia in their new roles.” 

Chairman of the HTA, James Barnes said: “I am very pleased we have recruited such a high-calibre leader for our trade association. Over the past six months we have put in place a fantastic senior leadership team, culminating with Fran’s recruitment. Her experience and expertise, particularly in the field of communications, will lend itself extremely well to taking the HTA to the next level. I’m very excited to work with Fran in further developing our strategy to support all our members in these ever-challenging times.” 

Renowned impressionist, comedian, satirist and columnist, Rory Bremner, has been confirmed as the host of the 2022 GIMA Awards.

Taking place on October 20th at the prestigious Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales, it will be Rory that will help to reveal the 17 winners that will walk away with one of this year’s highly coveted GIMA awards.

Best known for his comedy work on the likes of Whose Line is it Anyway, Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week, QI, The News Quiz and, most famously, Spitting Image, Rory has carved out a long and illustrious career. A mainstay of Channel 4’s comedy circuit for the past 20 years and the proud recipient of three BAFTAs, three Royal Television Society and two British Comedy awards, Rory is considered one of the UK’s leading lights from the world of comedy and satire.

GIMA Director Vicky Nuttall said: “We are so pleased to be able to confirm Rory Bremner as our 2022 GIMA Awards host. Having been on our screens for so long, I know Rory’s presence at this year’s event will be met with great approval from our gala guests. We cannot wait to welcome Rory to the stage to not only enjoy his unique sense of humour but to also learn who will be crowned GIMA Award winners following a hectic and innovative 2022 season.”

Book your place now!

With just short of 500 people in attendance, the 2021 event was a sell-out in record time. GIMA is urging interested parties to secure their tickets for the 2022 event now as only a few tickets are left remaining to join the gala dinner only. Tickets for the dinner are priced at £175 + VAT (for members) or £245 + VAT per person.

Find out more

For further information about GIMA and its wide range of member benefits, please contact the GIMA Press Office on (01959) 564947 or info@gima.org.uk

Dates for the 2023 RHS Flower Shows have been announced with early bird tickets released from this week to RHS members.

Each show has its own unique identity representing the best in horticultural talent from across the UK, all located within magnificent surroundings, from the Royal Hospital in Chelsea to Tatton Park in Cheshire.

Tickets go on sale to RHS members from 22 September with the benefit of discounts available on full-price admission. General on sale follows on 29 September.

All ticket sales help to support the work of the UK’s leading gardening charity to deliver scientific research, projects with schools and communities and advice to Britain’s 30 million gardeners.

The 2023 Shows have a new creative identity as part of the RHS’ rebrand. The colourful, bespoke floral images have been inspired by original botanical illustrations from the RHS archive using flowers synonymous to each show, from Chelsea’s peony to Hampton’s rose.

RHS Malvern Spring Festival

Dates: 11-14 May 2023

Location: Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcester, WR13 6NW

Tickets from £23.00 (plus admin fee)                                                                                                         

Website: rhs.org.uk/malvernspring

Kick-starting the 2023 flower show season, the RHS Malvern Spring Festival features flowers, food, and family fun set amongst the greenery of the spectacular Malvern Hills.   Expect to see gardens showcasing vibrant and contemporary design ideas, demonstrations and expert talks, with plant displays by first class nurseries to inspire gardening projects, whether big or small. 

RHS Chelsea Flower Show sponsored by The Newt in Somerset

Dates: 23-27 May 2023

Location: Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR

Tickets from £37.00 (plus admin fee)                                                                                                        

Website: rhs.org.uk/Chelsea

An iconic event in the gardening and social calendar, RHS Chelsea Flower Show represents the very best in horticulture from UK and international designers and growers. Bursting with sensational gardens by world renowned names, alongside impressive displays of award winning spring plants and flowers by the UK’s finest growers filling the Great Pavilion with their incredible sights and smells.

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

Dates: 4-9 July 2023 

Location: Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU

Tickets from £23.00 (plus admin fee) Children £8.00                                                                                              

Website: rhs.org.uk/Hampton

Set in the stunning historic grounds of Hampton Court Palace, this family-friendly summer festival offers inspirational garden designs, a variety of plant displays in the floral marquee and the fragrant festival of roses. Each day offers a programme of live entertainment, expert talks, demonstrations and floristry workshops. A chance for visitors to shop from carefully selected nurseries and specialist tradestands, as well as time to relax beside the Palace’s Long Water with a selection of artisan food and drinks stalls catering to all tastes.

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

Dates: 19-23 July 2023

Location: Tatton Park, Mereheath Lane, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN

Tickets from: £22.00 (plus admin fee) Children £8.00

Website: rhs.org.uk/Tatton

The North West’s favourite flower show brings gardening inspiration, boutique shopping, and family activities set in the leafy surrounds of Tatton Park. The summer show celebrates the region’s gardening talent with small gardens created by local designers, vibrant borders by community groups and fun ways to get young people into gardening from local schools, along with the annual Young Designers competition, supporting the next big names in horticulture.

Following the enormous success of earlier collaborations, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced the launch of a Christmas collection from licensee Dexam, a specialist supplier of kitchen cookware, bakeware and accessories.

The RHS Mistletoe collection includes a cake stand, cake slice, mugs, water and milk jugs, a table runner and set of four napkins, adult apron, double oven gloves, gauntlet and a set of two tea towels. The textiles in the range are made from sustainably sourced 100% cotton from India.

Available to order now, the ranges will be on sale at independent retailers and garden centres and online at Dexam.co.uk. 

The Mistletoe collection has been designed using a unique mistletoe sprig illustration sourced directly from the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art, containing more than 25,000 superb images. The illustration was updated and adapted into a repeat pattern to sit across the products.

Mistletoe (Viscum album) is an evergreen plant that is smothered in white berries from winter to spring. The fresh and sophisticated sprig design is a subtle nod to the festive season and allows the products to stay out in people’s kitchens and dining rooms well into spring – just like the real plant does.

Previous RHS collaborations with Dexam included the 2021 Home Grown and the 2022 I Bug You collections of backpacks, lunch bags, lunchboxes, aprons and more for children, plus two adult textile ranges called Benary Vegetables and Sunflower. More products are in the planning stages for 2023.

Helen Boardman, Product Manager of Dexam, commented: “Our RHS Mistletoe collection lends itself to the botanical and wellness trend that has been big news this year. It takes nature-inspired colours, inviting the calming energy and natural materials from the outdoors inside. This is a collection that can be used year round and is not just for Christmas.”

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager at RHS, commented: “This is a delightful collection that is not only stylish but also innovative and useful – as you would expect from a specialist supplier of high-quality kitchen cookware, bakeware and tableware. We’re delighted to be collaborating with Dexam on the RHS Mistletoe collection.”

Horticulture 2030 was the theme of the HTA Conference held at the ICC in Birmingham last week.

HTA Chairman James Barnes opened the day with a plea to government to change ornamental horticulture to environmental horticulture to make it more relevant for the current agenda and perhaps more attractive as a career for young people.  He said that garden retailers should congratulate themselves on becoming the retail destinations of choice for now and the future.  With new technology and government help he sees an optimistic green growth agenda.

Listen to James Barnes opening address here.

After a day of presentations from research consultants, senior economists, award winning Chelsea designers, renowned TV documentary presenter Simon Reeve and influencers Tayshan Hayden-Smith and The Plant Geek, Michael Perry, TV Gardener Arit Andersen and HTA Immediate Past President Boyd Douglas-Davies summed up the day.

Listen to their summary of the day here.

At the after conference dinner, also held in the ICC, the first ever Grower of the Year Awards were presented.

Young Plant Grower of the Year: Ball Colegrave
Finished Plant Grower of the Year: Allensmore
Inspirational Business of the Year: Palmstead
Young Grower of the Year Elliot Barden, Majestic Trees
Staff Member of the Year: Gareth Edwards, New Leaf Plants

See GTN Xtra's photo gallery from the conference and the awards below and read more about the conference content in the October issue of GTN magazine.

A leading British commercial nursery has started work on a new reservoir to help it capture, save and recycle more water.

Wyevale Nurseries is creating its new water conservation and storage system at its King’s Acre container site as part of its ongoing sustainability plans and annual environmental targets.

Steve Reed, Production Director, Container Division, says: “As water becomes an increasingly fragile resource, we’re delighted to be installing this new reservoir to secure our long-term future. We currently recycle 34% of our water and are building this reservoir to dramatically improve this percentage.

“As part of our annual ISO 14001 environmental accreditation, we have regular targets for recycling water and we’re at our maximum. Our last two years figures are similar, averaging at around 35,000 m³, which is still about 14 Olympic-sized swimming pools, but we are going to increase that figure with the extra storage.

“In order to recycle more water, we need the new reservoir and gained planning permission to build one just before the pandemic hit, but we’ve only just been able to start work now. It’ll be fully lined and hold 20,000 m³ of water when full.

“It will also help us increase our water recycling ability from run-off from structures when we have rain and reduce our reliance on our onsite boreholes. It’s connected to our Container Tree Production site, which means we’ve already had to lay pipe under two roads in readiness for when the reservoir is working and in action.

“We’re proud holders of our ISO 14001 environmental accreditation and are always looking at ways of improving and innovating with regards our water conservation.”

ISO 14001 is an internationally accredited standard outlining how organisations can put an effective Environmental Management System (ESM) in place.

It’s designed to help businesses remain commercially successful without overlooking environmental responsibilities and impacts.

It can also help firms develop sustainably while reducing the environmental impact of their growth.

Wyevale Nurseries’ product selection is envied across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.

Its main business is to supply garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.

For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk.

We are UK Greetings, one of the largest direct to retailer publishers of greeting cards in the UK. We produce innovative, award-winning greetings cards, gift dressings and social expressions products. We supply all sectors from small Independents to large multiples including Garden Centres, supplying this year’s Retas award winner for the ‘Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards’ category! 

We are completely focussed on customer service, winning ‘Best Service to the Independent Retailer’ award winner for 11 consecutive years, something we are extremely proud of!

We believe ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ and carefully curate our product displays to cater for customers ever differing needs. Our Homegrown initiative is the perfect example of how we have done this, specifically tailored to garden centre shoppers. 

Homegrown offers a comprehensive display planning service including product brokerage, a quick and easy one stop solution ensuring your displays are filled with the most sought-after designs, full display sales analysis and an excellent merchandising service! Its modern and stylised display units offer a perfect showcase solution for our distinct and established brands which have been developed with the differing consumer lifestyle choices in mind, as well as offering a differentiated retail solution.

To learn more about what we can offer your business, make sure to visit our website, or get in touch. We can’t wait to hear from you! 

Weblink: 

https://www.ukgreetings.co.uk/

Contact details:

Robert Marsden

Email: Robert.marsden@ukgreetings.co.uk

Tel: 07779 348196

Chris Beioley

Email: Chris.beioley@ukgreetings.co.uk

Tel: 07738628139

Corby & Fellas are thrilled to announce that Raemoir Garden Centre, based in Banchory, Aberdeenshire, have chosen WinRetail.

Raemoir Garden Centre, which is one of the leading garden centres in Aberdeenshire, implemented C+F’s powerful WinRetail Stock Control and Retail Management System in August 2022, and are now beginning to benefit from the wealth of information that they can glean from the system and the level of control that it gives them.

Raemoir Garden Centre have been growing their business for over 30 years and felt that the time was right to invest in the digital side of their business. Upgrading their existing EPOS system and implementing new digital marketing plans, to deliver greater efficiencies whilst improving customer service levels.

The management team are certain the new system will unlock many new sales opportunities and will deliver future growth plans. Given the diversity of stock from Gift, Gardening to Catering they felt that we were the perfect partner for them.

In addition to the WinRetail Core System, Raemoir have implemented the fully integrated Restaurant table service application, which Raemoir have said has been an easy and seamless transition and will be activating the WinRetail to Shopify API next month. 

This takes Corby + Fellas Garden Centre businesses to 57 across the UK and Ireland, with a further 8 GC businesses scheduled to be implemented until June 2023. 

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

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

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2018 as well as 2019 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 07973 504214, e-mail karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

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

Highlights of the GTN Plants Bestsellers chart for last week are here

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

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

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care Bestsellers chart for last week are here

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

Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.

GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £100m.

Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.

For further information contact karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call 07973504214.

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

Quality – and quantity – were the themes of the bumper PATS Telford 2022 show, with exhibitors and visitors alike commenting on the amount of great business being done across the two days.

The second day started off as busy as the first with pet retailers and industry professionals flooding through the doors eager to see the array of innovations coming to market.

With more than 240 companies and brands showcasing hundreds of new products in all three halls of Telford International Centre for the first time, it proved to be a record-breaker.

Exhibitors found they were busy from the start with a steady stream of inquiries. Tropiclean, which was represented by Pedigree Wholesale, experienced lots of interest in its New Product Award-winning product range. The company’s Paul Mercer said: “We’ve had a fantastic time. It’s great to see so much support for the show and I’ve been particularly impressed with the quality of buyers.”

First-time exhibitor Pawsome Paws Boutique was thrilled with its decision to take a stand with managing director Jason Chesman saying: “The professionalism of the exhibition has really stood out, and everyone has been extremely helpful. As well as raising the profile of our products, we’ve been able to network with so many people within the industry.”

Other first-time exhibitors have also been impressed. Matt Terrell of The Stately Hound said: “It’s been fantastic, generating a good number of leads, including some big retailers. We’ve been mainly an online business until now so it’s great to be able to show people the quality of our UK-made product and get such positive feedback.”   

And Maxime Courant, Export Manager at Milk & Pepper, said: “It’s so much more intimate than exhibiting at the big International Shows in Europe. It has been perfect for reaching the English market, with its groomers, independent and boutique shops.”

The show also got the thumbs-up from visitors, who flocked to the show on both days.

PATS Telford welcomed international visitors Mireia Sabate, a pet store owner from Spain, and her distribution company Petwork Marketing, which she jointly runs with her British partner Rob James. The couple travelled 1,000 miles from their base in Barcelona, and Mireia said: “Attending PATS proved vitally important and super-helpful to our business. The show was so really well laid out, organised and delivered.”

While pet store owners Nate Garton and Mary Ann Ferry, of DNA Pet Supplies in West Yorkshire, did not have quite so far to travel they were equally as impressed with the show. Nate said: “We come looking for specific products for our customers and we always know we will find something perfect. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the show to other retailers.”

Award-winning pet retail group Just for Pets agreed that PATS is a must-visit for pet stores. Senior merchandiser Leanne Blunn said: “It’s a great place to see everything that’s new to the market, and encouraging to witness so many new brands entering the scene.” 

With an increasing number of pet retailers introducing grooming salons into their stores, the PATS programme of seminars and demos, in association with Peanut & Pickle, provided invaluable insights into this side of the business.

On both days of the show expert groomers gave demonstrations of specialist grooming techniques, including Asian-style Grooming, Creative Grooming, Pet Trim and Traditional Trim, as well as advice on how to grow your grooming business.

Kara Boyd, who appeared in the BBC One hit series Pooch Perfect, said: “It was great to be able to share the knowledge I have gained over the years, and exchange tips and advice with other groomers. It is such a valuable occasion, being able to learn more about our pet industry, and meet new people.”

Dates for the diary:

PATS Sandown 2023 – Sandown Park, 26-27 March 2023

PATS Telford 2023 – Telford International Centre, 1-2 October 2023

The winners of the PATS Telford 2022 New Product Awards, sponsored by pbwnews, were chosen by a team of independent retailers and retail experts, who arrived at the show before 9.30am on Sunday, September 25th, in order to make their choices from a record number of over 340 new products entered. 

Their decisions took into account a number of criteria such as product innovation, design, quality, packaging, value for money and sustainability.

The judges agreed that the New Product Showcase had produced a high calibre of entries with a tremendous amount of innovation. They were pleased to see such a wide range of products, and felt the majority of items on display showed some great innovation.

The Awards were presented to the winners at 1pm on Sunday by David Rees, editor of pbwnews, and show organiser Gordon Thomas.

Here is a full list of the winners together with the judges’ comments:

PATS Telford 2022

New Product Award Winners (sponsored by pbwnews)

Cat Food and Products

Naturea Grain Free Cat Wet Food

BYMiT (stand M24)

Judges said: Good price point, good choice of flavours and it is nice to see good quality cat food with a high meat content.

Dog Food Products

Naturaw Forage

Naturaw (stand F32)

Judges said: Attractive packaging, well thought-out ingredients, great price point and compostable packaging.

Dog Treat Products

Odourless Braided & Straight Bull Pizzle

JR Pet Products (stand G50/G60)

Judges said: Great option for tough chewers without the smell. An amazing long-lasting chew.

Dog Accessories and Toys

Sotnos Earth Aware Natural Rubber Dog Toys

James & Steel (stand D64)

Judges said: This product uses renewable materials at a good price point. It also has lovely packaging.

Dog Harnesses, Leads and Dog Wear

Adventure Lead With Close Control

Twiggy Tags (stand M30)

Judges said: Great to see an adaptable lead with a locking clip, at a good price point.

Small Animal and Bird Products

Pig ‘n’ Mix Treats Range

HayPigs! (Stand A16)

Judges said: A sweet shop of goodies for guinea pigs that supports health and wellbeing in a fun way.

Pet Care Products

Doughnut Recovery Collar

Dirty Little Paws (stand J70)

Judges said: This recovery support is a great innovation for pets and softer to use than a traditional cone.

Grooming Products

Tropiclean Enticers Dental Care Products

Pedigree Wholesale (stand D10)

Judges said: These easy-to-use dental products will help to remove plaque and bacteria.