The much-anticipated official opening of Rosebourne, the stunning new purpose-built garden and leisure destination in Weybridge near Andover on the Hampshire and Wiltshire border, will take place on Saturday 22 October, 2016...
The much-anticipated official opening of Rosebourne, the stunning new purpose-built garden and leisure destination in Weybridge near Andover on the Hampshire and Wiltshire border, will take place on Saturday 22 October, 2016.
The doors will open at 8.30am and visitors can expect a host of special attractions, activities and exclusive opening offers.
TV celebrity gardener David Domoney, who presents ITV’s Love your Garden and a regular face in ITV’s This Morning will officially ‘cut the ribbon’ at 11am. He will also be holding a series of talks (at midday and 2.30pm) offering visitors top tips and garden advice.
Rosebourne will be a champion of locally sourced fresh produce within its Food Hall and table-service Restaurant where customers can enjoy a sumptuous breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea throughout the week. One of the key suppliers to both the Food Hall and Restaurant will be Owton’s Butchers, one of the UK’s premier wholesale butchers and farm shops, and now Rosebourne’s in-house butchery.
At the opening, a number of regional suppliers will also be offering food and drink tastings to whet the appetite, including cakes from Fatherson Bakery, savoury pies from Hambletons, beers from Andwell Brewery, cordials from Yarty’s, juices from Hill Valley Juices and fish cakes from Catch!
Rosebourne’s Garden Nursery will be packed full with traditional and varied plants which have been sourced from across the country and internationally, while those looking for home and kitchenware, and unusual gifts will be spoilt for choice.
For car enthusiasts, Thruxton Motorsport Centre will be showcasing a variety of cars at Rosebourne’s opening, from single-seater racers and off-road vehicles to karts specifically geared for younger petrol heads. A one-off competition will be run, giving Rosebourne visitors the chance to win a track day experience at Thruxton Circuit.
Rosebourne will be running a special opening offer – all customers who spend £25 or more in-store will receive a £5 Rosebourne voucher which can be redeemed in the Garden Nursery, Food Hall, Restaurant and gift section.
Neville Prest, Managing Director at Rosebourne, added: “With the final touches being made to Rosebourne, we are delighted to finally announce the official opening date. We’re really looking forward to showcasing the Rosebourne experience in just a couple of weeks’ time so be sure to come along with family and friends, sample the region’s best food and drink, and take advantage of our opening offer.
“We would like to thank all the teams of people who have helped to realise our vision for Rosebourne and, of course, the suppliers and staff members who will make Rosebourne a fantastic destination for locals and visitors to the area for many years to come.”
September sales volumes in garden centres for 2016 were 4% above the average for the previous five years but only 0.5% up on 2015 levels despite the higher than normal temperatures and hours of sunshine...
September sales volumes in garden centres for 2016 were 4% above the average for the previous five years but only 0.5% up on 2015 levels despite the higher than normal temperatures and hours of sunshine.
In the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, only Growing Media outperformed last year, up by 30% - whereas Garden Products were down by 1% and Veg-2-Gro plants and seeds down by 13%.
Notably the last week in the month saw a big swing in Christmas product sales as displays are completed and opened for business but this coincided with a 28% drop in garden product sales compared with the same week last year. That may be the effect of garden product sales areas being shrunk to accommodate Christmas earlier than normal.
Are you making sure you still have great displays of your bestselling Autumn gardening products in good traffic areas? The high levels of growing media sales indicate people are still actively gardening!
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year...
Taylors Bulbs director Adam Taylor has joined the HTA Board as vice-president elect...
Taylors Bulbs director Adam Taylor has joined the HTA Board as vice-president elect.
O.A.Taylor & Sons Bulbs Ltd., based in Holbeach in Lincolnshire, is the largest bulb company in the country supplying garden centres, nurseries and landscapers throughout the UK and Ireland. The company’s specialist daffodil division, Walkers Bulbs, has won 23 consecutive gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Adam Taylor said he was honoured to be appointed to such a prestigious position. “I look forward to working on behalf of our industry with the rest of the board, making sure our voices are heard where needed.”
Taylor’s father, the Rt Hon the Lord Taylor of Holbeach CBE, is the government’s chief whip in the House of Lords.
Also, in a statutory appointment, HTA finance director Alex Vick has joined the board with Anne Clark, Martin Simmons and Raoul Curtis-Machin (HTA directors of HR, Operations and Horticulture respectively) joining as executive directors.
All these appointments will be ratified at the HTA AGM which takes place on 6 December at the new HTA offices at Horticulture House, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX110RN.
Carol Paris, HTA chief executive, said: “We welcome Adam Taylor to the HTA Board as vice president-elect and look forward to his contribution representing growers. Taylors Bulbs is a long established family business and I am sure that Adam will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. Furthermore, the additional appointment of HTA directors to the board strengthens our core executive team, enabling us to deliver the very best for our members.”
One of the UK’s original seed packet brands has been resurrected by G Plants, who launched a rebranded Bees Seeds range to retailers at Glee alongside its range of growing gift products...
One of the UK’s original seed packet brands, Bees, return to the industry this autumn. G Plants launched a rebranded Bees Seeds range to retailers at Glee alongside its range of growing gift products.
Die-hard seed collectors and heritage gardening fans will remember Bees Seeds, which dates back to the early 1900s. The company developed a reputation for quality vegetable and flower seeds and helped Woolworths to become the number one garden products supplier in the 1930s. G Plants has given Bees Seeds’ heritage packaging an updated old-English style with hand drawn illustrations that will appeal to buyers looking for premium seeds, bulbs and gifts for the core mature garden centre audience.
The range currently comprises:
Large format seed packs, 32 different varieties of flowers and vegetables. SRP £1.99 each.
Seed shaker Tins – five different mixtures, packaged in attractive reusable gift tins. Easy to sow by shaking over prepared soil – just cover and water. SRP £3.99 each
Gardeners Starter Kits – combining seeds, compost and sundries in various combinations, also available in a gift tin. SRP £9.99 each
This preliminary range was made available to buyers at Glee for the first time, delivered as part of a quality wooden display stand.
Future Bees Seeds releases will include ‘Novel Seeds’ (packaged in a wooden book-box to reflect the title of the ‘book’, flower varieties chosen to give blooms throughout the whole year, winter to winter), Wooden Trug Gardening kit (including seeds, gloves and wooden dibber), an Allotment Vegetables and Flower Garden Kit, Wooden Planter Growing Kits (including seeds and compost), and Lily and Dahlia Hessian Bulb Gift Bags.
Information: 01254 790 350 or emailsales@gplants.com.
Marketing teams at Garden Centre Association member garden centres are this month being invited to compete for the chance to win the Worrall Cup.
This year’s Worrall Cup winners, The Old Railway Line Garden Centre, with (second from right) GCA Chairman, Julian Winfield and (far right) radio and TV comedian and host of the 2016 conference, Hal Cruttenden.
Marketing teams at Garden Centre Association member garden centres are this month being invited to compete for the chance to win the Worrall Cup.
The team that has provided the best marketing campaign or initiative for its garden centre will be awarded the prestigious cup during the GCA’s annual conference at St Andrews in Scotland between January 22 and 25, 2017.
Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “This represents a great opportunity for members to showcase their marketing skills to win this significant association award.
“We’re on the hunt for the garden centre that has come up with the best, most inspiring marketing campaign or initiative in the last 12 months. We want our members to show flair and creativity and most importantly inspire other members to follow suit.
“As this award is not influenced by the annual inspection all entries have an equal chance of winning when the judging panel meet to assess the merits of each submission and decide the winner. The entries will be judged by an independent panel of judges with marketing expertise. This is an opportunity for members to win a prestigious award, where both flair and commercial success are rewarded.”
Members are asked to submit an entry by completing a short entry form, which can be downloaded from www.gca.org.uk or requested via email, to the GCA office, no later than Monday, January 16, 2017.
The submission of supporting material, such as photographs, print examples and web-links is encouraged. An additional sheet of written detail is acceptable along with the entry form, if required. Entries can be sent electronically via info@gca.org.uk or by post to the GCA office.
Iain added: “The winner will be announced during our annual dinner and awards evening, which takes place at on the evening of Tuesday, January 24.
“As always our conference will provide attendees with pertinent information on key aspects of the garden centre industry to assist members in achieving their business goals.
“The information shared will focus on a wide range of topics, including merchandising, marketing and management. There will also be plenty of opportunities for delegates to network and socialise.”
The deadline for Worrall Cup entries is 5pm on Monday, January 16. Entries can be submitted via email at info@gca.org.uk or by post to the GCA office.
Pictured above: This year’s Worrall Cup winners, The Old Railway Line Garden Centre, with (second from right) GCA Chairman, Julian Winfield and (far right) radio and TV comedian and host of the 2016 conference, Hal Cruttenden.
Heat Beads, Australia’s No.1 barbecue fuel, is launching new products to the UK market for 2017...
Heat Beads, Australia’s No.1 barbecue fuel, is launching new products to the UK market for 2017.
Widely accepted as the ultimate fuel and highly recommended by the British BBQ Society, Heat Beads offers total reliability and consistency to barbecuers across the world. The briquettes offer stress-free long cooking times of typically 4 hours, at high temperatures, for thoroughly cooked dishes. The product is equally at home on open grills, and perfect for indirect kettle cooking.
Joining the best-selling 4kg bag of briquettes will be a new economy 10kg bag, aimed at those who barbecue on a regular basis and require bulk supplies.
In a break from their traditional briquettes, Heat Beads are also launching a new lump wood charcoal in a 10kg bag. Produced from quality hardwood, it offers high heat over a shorter period than briquettes. Some barbecuers find using a mixture of Heat Beads lumpwood and briquettes to be a winning combination; the lumpwood being easier to light assists with ignition and briquettes provide extended cooking times.
The fuels are complimented by the best-selling Heat Beads odourless Firelighters, based on highly refined n-paraffin, compared to commonly used, high odour, kerosene which can taint foods.
Accessories from the No.1 brand also include, Heat Beads Grill Soaker and their refillable long-barrel gas lighter. The soaker overcomes the impossible chore of trying to a clean large barbecue grill in a modern sink. Grills of up to 57cm are simply soaked overnight in a mixture of hot water and soda crystals for a thorough clean and the Heat Beads refillable long barrel gas lighter makes lighting the barbecue so much easier featuring a flame adjuster and child lock.
The British BBQ Society will continue to recommend Heat Beads as their preferred fuel at a number of their barbecue cookouts and public events throughout the UK.
UK and Irish distributor: Hilton Banks Ltd, 74 Oldfield Road, Hampton, Middlesex TW12 2HR
Kettler GB Limited plans to fire up the UK barbecue market as the UK and Ireland distributer for the ‘Everdure by Heston Blumenthal’ BBQ range.
Following a successful launch at SPOGA, Mike Westrup, CEO of Shriro Australia Pty Ltd, the leading Australian consumer products company that developed the range with Heston Blumenthal, and Paul Bevington, Kettler GB managing director, signed the deal.
World-renowned chef Heston Blumenthal was actively involved in the design of the barbecues, using his 20 years of professional experience and extensive cooking knowledge. From quick-starting charcoal, to the convenience of gas, each product has been designed from the ground up and promises to change how people think about barbequed food.
The range comprises of three charcoal and two gas powered BBQs, plus a number of accessories including roasting racks, cooking gloves, apron and BBQ covers. Each product has a host of modern, innovative and, easy to use features.
The charcoal products include the HUBTM and the FUSIONTM, which are packed full of innovative patented features such as Fast Flame Ignition SystemTM - an exciting electric start ignition system which allows for cooking in 10 minutes, Rotiscope TechnologyTM - a unique integrated rotisserie system, Cliplock ForksTM and retractable power cord. All of which are complimented by a sharp, contemporary design. The range also includes the CUBETM, a smaller but equally unique BBQ, ideal for camping, picnics and trips to the beach.
The gas powered range features the three burner FURNACETM, and the two burner FORCETM. Both feature high performance burners, a die cast aluminum construction and high hood for convection cooking, as well as matt vitreous cast iron plates, large cooking areas, space saving drop-down servery and super-fast heat up.
The gas barbecues and the CUBE are available in a range of contemporary colours including graphite, mint and stone.
Heston Blumenthal said: “I am very excited to hear Kettler GB Limited will be distributing Everdure by Heston Blumenthal. The smell, the sound, the flavour of the food - barbecuing is a wonderful sensory experience and great way to cook with friends. Despite our seasonal weather there’s a huge demand for professional BBQ’s in the UK, and the technology behind my new range means that anyone can get started.”
Commenting on the deal Kettler MD Paul Bevington said: “We are delighted to be working with the Shriro team. The ‘Everdure by Heston Blumenthal’ range will revolutionise the outdoor cooking market in the UK. The products are unique, stylish and offer superior performance and of course are backed by internationally renowned chef Heston Blumenthal. Heston’s personal involvement in the product development and his enthusiasm for barbequing will bring a new momentum to the UK BBQ market.”
Squire’s Garden Centres are pulling out all the stops this Christmas to wow children (and adults!) with their new and interactive Enchanted Grottos and “Santa’s Got Talent” Christmas Circus.
Squire’s Garden Centres are pulling out all the stops this Christmas to wow children (and adults!) with their new and interactive Enchanted Grottos and “Santa’s Got Talent” Christmas Circus.
The Enchanted Grotto – a magical new interactive grotto experience – will be at Squire’s in Shepperton (Middlesex) & Milford (Surrey)
Children will get to meet “Chris Moose” (Milford) a story-telling moose, or “Bruce Spruce” (Shepperton), a story-telling Christmas Tree, followed by a visit to see Santa where they will received a wrapped gift.
The Enchanted Grotto opens on 19th November until Christmas Eve. Tickets cost £9 for children and £3 for adults, and there is a 10% discount if you book by 31st October.
Garden King has unfortunately lost touch with Santa Claus. The Newhall based garden centre had a direct line to the North Pole until recently, but communication issues have meant they are not able to get in contact with the jolly fellow to ask him to come along to the store's grotto...
Garden King has unfortunately lost touch with Santa Claus. The Newhall based garden centre had a direct line to the North Pole until recently, but communication issues have meant they are not able to get in contact with the jolly fellow to ask him to come along to the store's grotto.
The centre are sending out an SOS to the local community and offering a £200 reward to the person who helps establish contact with Santa.
For each successful applicant, Garden King will offer the referee £100 and a further £100 on Christmas Eve after Santa completes his grotto visit for 2016.
If anyone can help the garden centre in their quest to find Santa - call 01283 550516 or email grotto@gardenking.co.uk
The festive spirit is already in place at Garden King, and Santa's grotto will be open from November 19. The reindeer will make a return in the run up to opening weekend with 'Benny' the youngest and newest member of the reindeer family taking residence with his mother Frida and aunty Wilma.
NOMA Christmas Lights and Trees mix cutting edge technology with beautiful design, for a Christmas to be proud of...
NOMA Christmas Lights and Trees mix cutting edge technology with beautiful design, for a Christmas to be proud of. So whether you’re decorating a flat in Dulwich, a Downton Abbey-style estate, or a semi-detached in Dunstable, they’ve got the perfect lights and trees for creating a magical Christmas.
Christmas 2016 Trends
Established in 1939, NOMA definitely knows Christmas! This year’s trends according to NOMA’s design team include:
LED lit wall art: this is a trend for Christmas Art on the walls. Frank Kaminski, marketing director for NOMA says: “This is really indicative of a bigger trend for seasonal decoration where people are refreshing and replacing things like artwork or cushions and throws in the living room as each season changes. So at Christmas time people are increasingly looking beyond the Christmas tree and table decorations as a way to bring Christmas into their home – so it becomes about the walls, soft furnishings, and sometimes even furniture”.
Collectible pieces that can be added to each year and passed down through the generations are also a growing trend. NOMA has been creating its Heritage range of wooden pre-lit buildings for more than 50 years, and rather than waning, their popularity is on the up. Kaminski continues: “There is a growing trend for items of beauty that have longevity, and when you add to that the nostalgia-factor at Christmas time, this is a trend that’s set to stay.” Easy Treeasy
With NOMA’s 1, 2 Tree system, the days of tweaking and pulling branches into shape and then struggling with chains of lights are gone: simply take the tree out of the box, assemble the three parts, and plug the tree in and watch as all the branches fall into place automatically, with each branch lit with just the right number of lights.
Christmas Timings Sorted in 3 Seconds
With NOMA’s EasyTimer, setting Christmas lights to come on couldn’t be easier. Simply press the Easy Timer button for 3 seconds at the time you want the lights to turn on each day, and the set will automatically come on and then turn itself off 8 hours after.
At HTA Futures on Wednesday, PY Gerbeau will deliver a ‘recipe’ for succeeding and will talk about the 4 things you need in order to survive this crazy global market: flexibility, adaptability, agility, and common sense...
HTA Futures Keynote speaker – PY Gerbeau
How to transform your business in order to survive and strive in new business reality
In this very uncertain world and volatile markets, new leaders must transform their businesses and inspire their teams in order to undertake extraordinary changes and transformation, to invent a business as a lean and mean machine and drive it forward by over delivering with less or no resource than its human capital.
PY Gerbeau will deliver a ‘recipe’ for succeeding and will talk about the 4 things you need in order to survive this crazy global market: flexibility, adaptability, agility, and common sense.
Leaders must remember that their best asset is not their product or their business strategy but their human capital. To succeed one must develop a virtuous circle made of 4 equations: People, Brand, Knowledge and Partnerships.
Paving specialist Deco-Pak’s new Milano range offers a unique combination of the attractive look – and feel - of newly sawn timber flooring, without the maintenance, rot or the danger of slipping. At the Glee garden and outdoor living trade show this year, new product judges awarded it the overall best landscaping product for 2016...
Paving specialist Deco-Pak’s new Milano range offers a unique combination of the attractive look – and feel - of newly sawn timber flooring, without the maintenance, rot or the danger of slipping. At the Glee garden and outdoor living trade show this year, new product judges awarded it the overall best landscaping product for 2016...
Deco-Pak Milano Porcelain Paving Large – RRP £29 per large tile (0.48m2)
1.2m long, 40cm wide and 20mm thick. Available in Grigio (grey), Pino (pine) and Marrone (brown), each timber effect design is anti-slip, frost resistant and repels mould and moss.
Deco-Pak Milano Porcelain Paving Small RRP £17 per small tile (0.24m2)
60cm long, 40cm wide, 20mm thick. The smaller size tiles allow for easier staggering, and like the large slabs can be laid using traditional paving slab laying techniques – no specialist materials required.
Outdoor wood flooring - with none of the disadvantages
This brand new Mediterranean influenced range includes three different styles of wood effect finish, and comes in two different sizes to facilitate the easiest possible staggering of slabs. Laying the paving as normal, using patio and slab mix, the finished effect is one that effortlessly passes for timber, thanks to its timber look non-slip surface. Jobs such as washing the decking are set to be made redundant as the porcelain’s surface is resistant to mould, moss, algae or any type of non-vascular plants or fungi. The slabs are frost resistant too, and can survive harsh winter – or summer - weather, having been engineered to keep its original colour long after other surfaces deteriorate. Don’t be fooled by the name of porcelain, each slab can withstand up to 1,000kg of weight with its unique composition.
Porcelain paving - ready for retail
This al fresco option is most likely to appeal to those that enjoy cooking and dining outside, and it would suit merchandising as a bridge between barbecues, furniture and other outdoor living products. The extension of the kitchen on to the adjacent patio is a more recent trend that has consumers buzzing about their outdoor spaces again, and Deco-Pak believe the time is right to introduce this range for its retail customers to create the complete outdoor offering.
Accepting the Glee New Product Award at the show with the rest of the team, Deco-Pak’s General Manager, Rod Slater said: “We’re absolutely chuffed with the Glee award, it means a great deal to have won in the face of fierce, worthy competition from our industry counterparts. We put a great deal of effort into our new product development, and we firmly believe in the quality and attractiveness of our products, so it’s always reassuring when others - especially industry experts - agree. But the best award for any new product, in my mind, is seeing those first repeat orders come through after achieving successful sell through on the shop floor.”
The point of sale will use a compact 1.5m x 1.2m area to demonstrate the product in situ so customers can touch, test and get a realistic feel for how the product would look in their own gardens. The header board - which covers the same space, only vertically – carries on with a lifestyle image providing inspiration and catching the eyes of shoppers from further away.
NEW Italian style Cobbles and Pebbles
The Milano Porcelain Paving range is further bolstered by a new range of cobbles and pebbles, all designed to further enhance retail offerings with more sophisticated aggregate lines. For the ideal monochrome look there are 50-75mm Black or White Cobbles, 30-40mm Black or White Pebbles, or for a natural, warm Mediterranean tone there are also 50-70mm Rainbow Pebbles made from rainbow sandstone that features heavily in Deco-Pak’s new Eastern Stone Co. ranges.
For more information, contact Deco-Pak’s sales office on 01422 204 394, or email via the form on the website, www.deco-pak.co.uk.
Deco-Pak has just held its first Charity Golf Day playing host to over 35 garden retailers at Crows Nest golf club in Brighouse, 5 minutes away from Deco-Pak’s head office...
Deco-Pak has just held its first Charity Golf Day playing host to over 35 garden retailers at Crows Nest golf club in Brighouse, 5 minutes away from Deco-Pak’s head office.
Celebrating a successful year in the company of customers old and new, the hard working, fun loving team also managed to raise hundreds of pounds for Greenfingers on the day.
Deco-Pak General Manager Rod Slater said: “We’re really pleased with our inaugural Golf Day, it was well organised by the team and with the excellent weather it made for a fitting tribute to the end of a successful season.
"An extra special thank you must go to all that took part, as well as all of our sponsors, who together helped us to raise extra funds for Greenfingers, something we are planning to do a lot more of this year from donations made from sales of our relaunched play pit sand.”
The landscaping and decorative aggregates supplier has seen uplifts in sales of its core ranges as well as its newly expanded range of birdhouses and feeders throughout 2016, as the team took on new accounts and took on larger orders from customers fed up with poor availability and service elsewhere.
Deco-Pak recently won a Glee New Products Award for its Milano Paving range, which is now available to order direct from the company. To find out more, visit www.deco-pak.co.uk, contact the Deco-Pak sales support team on 01422 204 394, or email via the form on the website.
Customers at garden centres across the country made good use of their gardens during the warmer weather with purchases of furniture and barbecues according to the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Barometer of Trade results...
Customers at garden centres across the country made good use of their gardens during the warmer weather with purchases of furniture and barbecues according to the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Barometer of Trade results.
Furniture and barbecue sales were up 12.10% with hard landscaping sales close behind at 8.74%.
Iain Wylie, GCA Chief Executive, explained: “We did enjoy some good weather this summer and from the results of sales in furniture and barbecues it looked like the Great British public spent a lot of this time in their gardens, which is great to see.
“They also bought clothing as sales were up 13.96%. Seed and bulb sales were generally down -16.50% due to the time of the year and outdoor plants were up just 2.55%. Houseplant sales were up 1.48% and garden sundries 6.48%.”
Pets and aquatics sales were up 4.07%, food hall and farm shop sales up 1.92% and catering 4.55%. Gift sales were down -3.26%.
Sales showed a Year to Date increase of 4% and August’s overall increase was 5%.
Iain added: “The regions that saw the biggest increase in sales during the month compared to the same month last year was South Thames at 6.77% up and Wales and West at 6.37% up. The Midlands area saw the biggest YTD change of 18.84%.”
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.
Steven Palmer, Finance Director at Squires Garden Centres, said: “August was a good trading month for our garden centres with strong sales in plants and lifestyle categories. Our Café Bars continue to trade strongly reflecting the increasing UK trend for eating out.”
The BoT reports allow members to compare their trading positions with other centres.
Philip Gass, Director of Creative Gardens Ltd, said: “August was a decent month trading for us, weather was mixed but nonetheless sales across the board were up around 3% at each of our centres compared to the same month last year.
“Some of the noticeable improvements on August 2015 was the bird care department, which was up more than 200%, helped by a club customer promotion. Plants were up 8.7% and gardening general was up 15.7%. Coffee shops and gift shops struggled a bit in August, partly as a result of less customer club promotion in the café. Our transaction count was down slightly but average sales increased by 8.1%.”
Mike Burks, Managing Director of The Gardens Group, said: “It’s been a good summer with all parts of the business working well. Summer is a growth time at the moment albeit on a much smaller scale than the key seasons.”
The 2017 Young Horticulturist of the Year competition, which has a £2500 travel bursary as its top prize, opened for entries last week...
Left: Lawrence Wright, the 2016 winner, who is considering a trip to Australia.
The 2017 Young Horticulturist of the Year competition, which has a £2500 travel bursary as its top prize, opens for entries this week
For anyone under the age of 30, the YHoY competition, organised by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, is an opportunity to explore an interest in horticulture, test their knowledge and get the opportunity to network with horticultural enthusiasts all over the UK and Ireland. The IOH meets thousands of horticulturists every year as they battle their way through three challenging rounds.
Lawrence Wright, the 2016 winner may use his Percy Thrower Trust Travel Bursary for a trip to Australia. He is currently working as a horticulturist and plantsman at the Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall, having completed his studies at RHS Gardens Wisley.
The 2015 YHoY winner Jessica Evans, senior gardener at the National Trust’s Tintinhull Gardens in Somerset said: “I would encourage others to take part as it is vitally important to celebrate the quality and knowledge of young horticulturists.”
Students, apprentices, trainees in the industry, or simply those with a love of horticulture, can take part. Heats are held at venues all over the country or via Skype and each region selects eight its top scoring entrants to attend a regional final, with prizes and monetary rewards provided by the sponsors at each stage.
The Grand Final is at the University of Chester in Shrewsbury on 6 May 6. The University is home of Percy Thrower and the Shropshire Horticultural Society, platinum sponsors of the competition and the travel bursary.
Entrants under 30 on 31 July 2017 can take part and can start to enter from today by emailing susan.nicholas@btinternet.com to declare an interest in competing..
The David Colegrave Foundation (DCF) has unveiled a new look to kick off its current scholarship season...
The David Colegrave Foundation (DCF) has unveiled a new look to kick off its current scholarship season.
The new branding represents the horticultural minds that DCF supports through its scholarships, creating opportunities for those with a passion for plants but limited funds to invest.
In line with its support for students, DCF worked with a team studying graphic communication and typography at Reading University to produce its new logo and promotional materials. The team was tasked to help the charity better demonstrate its relationship with horticultural students using an attention-grabbing visual that they could relate to and be attracted to. The brand project was run as part of a ‘real jobs’ scheme.
This is the second time DCF has worked with students on one of its projects. Previously its orchid collection was produced for retail with the input of horticultural pupils.
Following on from the rebrand, a new website will feature an online scholarship application form to streamline the application process as well as a resources section for students and tutors.
DCF Trustee Jeff Colegrave says he hopes the new branding connects with students and encourages them to apply for a DCF scholarship. “Ultimately this is all about investing in the industry's future,” he added.
DCF's scholarship season is open until 31 January 2017. Several scholarships are available reaching support of up to £1,500, including Student Scholarships as well as Sponsored Scholarships by Ball Colegrave, Floranova, the South West Growers Show and the British Protected Ornamentals Association (Peter Seabrook Bursary).
DCF debuted its new branding at the South West Growers Show in Devon last week (5 October).
Britain’s best lawn is in a back garden in Bolton, the judges of a prestigious national competition have decided...
Above: Danny Hibbert (left) and Keith Chuck receive their certificates, watched by judges Ian Small (rear, left) and Martin Fish.
Britain’s best lawn is in a back garden in Bolton, the judges of a prestigious national competition have decided.
Keith Chuck’s luscious lawn rivals many a top Premiership pitch, thanks to daily attention from his friend Danny Hibbert.
Keith was announced this week as the owner of Britain’s Best Lawn 2016, a competition run by petrol engine manufacturer for garden equipment, Briggs & Stratton. Mr Chuck joins an elite list of passionate lawn owners who have received the award over the past 11 years.
Keith, a keen gardener, meticulously maintains his garden and wanted to ensure that his lawn – which he believes to be the focal point of any garden – matched the high standard of the rest of his plot. Both Keith and Danny are big football fans so they set upon creating a Premiership pitch in the back garden. Danny, who has 17 years of lawn knowledge and expertise behind him, classes himself as a bit of a turf expert.
Seven years later, Danny now maintains the lawn for Keith and treats it as his own, visiting every single day in the height of summer to give it a daily mow – sometimes twice a day.
The competition judges were impressed by Danny and Keith’s rigorous maintenance regime and hard work which has produced amazing stripes on a high quality and healthy lawn that is entirely weed free.
Danny Hibbert said: “When Keith told me about the competition I knew we had to enter so it’s amazing to have won. I’ve been interested in lawns since I was a teenager but don’t have one of my own to look after so I treat Keith’s like it’s mine!”
Ian Small, head judge and sales and marketing manager for Briggs & Stratton UK, said: “The lawn is amazing, and there isn’t a weed in sight! Each year we set out with Britain’s Best Lawn to find passionate and dedicated lawn enthusiasts, and this duo are certainly that.”
The prizes include a Platinum Limited Edition Harrier 41 Autodrive lawnmower from Hayter, a selection of lawncare tools from Wilkinson Sword and a £150 voucher to spend in their local garden centre.
For more information about Britain’s Best Lawn please visit the competition website
At HTA Futures on Wednesday, Leonard Diepenbrock, Managing Director, TOX-Dübel-Technik GmbH, will give an inspiring wake-up call that will make you run out of excuses and start something tomorrow...
HTA Futures, Wednesday 12th October.
Start something new tomorrow
Why do profitable businesses lose the art of start?
Having systems, money and people in place, it should be easy for them to try new things and pave the way for complete new businesses.
Truth is: We are so caught in making things better and cheaper that we miss great opportunities left and right.
Leonard Diepenbrock, Managing Director, TOX-Dübel-Technik GmbH, will give an inspiring wake-up call that will make you run out of excuses and start something tomorrow.
Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis was at Poplars Garden Centre, Toddington on Monday 3rd October to officially open the Poplars Christmas Display...
Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis was at Poplars Garden Centre, Toddington on Monday 3rd October to officially open the Poplars Christmas Display.
As part of her role as Bedfordshire Business Ambassador, the visit began with an introduction to the Poplars Management Team by Chairman John Little, followed by a short speech on the brief history of Poplars.
After a tour of the Garden Centre, Plantarea and Restaurant, the Lord-Lieutenant then presented a cheque to ladies from the NSPCC Toddington branch for £1750, money raised from Poplars Grotto donations last year.
Then another very special guest, Father Christmas himself, was on hand to present the Lord-Lieutenant with a pair of garden shears to cut the ribbon and officially open Christmas.
Send us details of your Christmas opening and we'll report on it in GTN Xtra. Email your details and pictures to neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk. And remember to nominate your teams for The Greatest Christmas Awards 2016, e-mail trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk with your nomination then we'll contact you to arrange a visit to meet your team.
Are you an ambitious and inspirational manager with a proven track record in delivering high levels of commercial performance within a large aspirational retail environment? If you are then our client is looking for a candidate just like you to run one of their leading garden centres.
Sited in Essex this traditional garden centre originally started life as a family-run nursery and our client now has ambitious plans to transform this site from its current format, which generates £3m in sales per year, into a purpose built Garden and Living Centre capable of generating £10m+. This new centre is due to be developed during 2017/18 and once completed it will offer customers a truly unique retail experience, showcasing the very best in garden and home living products. With our clients unique store design, product range and exceptional standards in visual merchandising, they will be the destination garden centre for North London.
In line with these developments they now have an exciting opportunity for a strong and inspirational retailer to manage and lead this centre in its current format, through its re-development and onwards.
Can you offer their customers a truly unique retail experience in an aspirational environment where they can enjoy engaging with and buying fantastic products and receive exceptional customer service? Are you the dynamic and retail focused Centre Manager who can lead and develop a dedicated team?
You will have a fantastic opportunity to take full advantage of the redevelopment to ensure the team and the Centre reaches its maximum potential. They empower all of their Centre Managers to manage their centres as though they were your own businesses whilst enjoying full support from Head Office. As Centre Manager you will be responsible for all aspects of the centre including: Driving sales and maximising profit in order to consistently meet your KPIs . You will deliver exceptional standards of customer service. You will identify trends in sales and profit opportunities and you will translate these into sound retail action points. You will be at the helm leading, developing and motivating your team with a clear focus on driving exceptional performance and managing all controllable costs. You will ensure high standards of stock management and control are constantly maintained. And you will carry out daily floor walks of every department. You will understand and be able to easily connect with their AB1 customer demographic with an ability to ensure that retail standards and service levels constantly exceed their expectations.
If you are interested in this opportunity then please send your CV to us to discuss this opportunity further.
Our client is a leading logistics company who collect and transport plants for redistribution to stores nationwide. They are currently seeking 2 full time Quality Assurance people to work at their Swindon Depot.
The Job
The SUCCESSFUL candidate will be responsible for Checking plants incoming and outgoing for quality so that it meets the clients standards and specifications
The Candidate
The IDEAL person will possess experience or an understanding of quality issues, excellent communication skills, good plant knowledge and an excellent eye for detail as to what makes a good garden centre plant. You will need to be flexible and able to work to shift patterns across a week and weekends
This is an excellent opportunity for you to join an established and innovative horticultural business. This new role will give you the chance to develop your skills whilst helping this nursery to expand and develop their business.
The job
This role will involve care and plant husbandry of trees, hedging, shrubs and herbaceous perennials. As nursery supervisor you will be required to organise your own work and schedule your time across our three production sites. You will support the team as a whole and deal with the trade where necessary to assist with sales and give advice. You should have previous growing experience and an understanding of current best nursery practice, combined with good tree and general plant knowledge.
The Candidate
The ideal candidate should posses spraying certificates PA1 & Pa6, a full UK driving license and knowledge of pest and disease will be required. Candidates will need to be self-motivated well organised and able to work well individually and as part of a team. Candidates may be required to help with driving and installation works during busy periods, as well as some weekend work.
Remuneration Competitive Salary circa £20-25,000 & Company pension scheme
Our client is a busy Northamptonshire garden centre who has a well stocked plantarea and a popular garden shop that offers customers a range of quality gifts and garden sundries. They are currently looking for a superb plants person to manage the Plant Section of the garden centre.
The Role
Will be to manage the plant section on a day to day basis ensuring plant stock is in tip top condition and merchandised to a high standard. Liaise with the Garden Centre Manager on managing supplies and staff etc. Supervising staff and ensuring that customer services are kept to a very high standard.
The Candidate
For this role candidates must have:
A proven track-record in the industry along with good man-management and supervisory skills.
Excellent plant knowledge and a good background in horticultural retailing is a must for this role.
Be a team player with the ability to offer superb customer service.
At HTA Futures on Wednesday, Paul Pleydell – Director – design and business consultants, Pleydell Smithyman, will explore some of the trends and opportunities that could shape tomorrow’s garden centre...
HTA Futures, Wednesday 12th October 2016.
Bravery, Diversity, Stability – Opportunities for tomorrow’s garden centre
Our industry is characterised by change and now, more than ever, this is vital for our businesses to excel.
Paul Pleydell – Director – design and business consultants, Pleydell Smithyman, will explore some of the trends and opportunities that could shape tomorrow’s garden centre.
This will include: building structure, being brave, fresh thinking, embracing diversity and knowing what makes a business stand out from the crowd; with ideas and examples that can be applied to our sector.
Scotts Miracle-Gro Growables spoil another Top 10 clean sweep for Taylors Bulbs in the Veg-2-Gro chart this week...
Scotts Miracle-Gro Growables spoil another Top 10 clean sweep for Taylors Bulbs in the Veg-2-Gro chart this week.
Last year Taylors onion sets and garlic bulbs occupied positons 1 to 10. This year it’s No 1 to No 13 apart from the one Scotts Growables line that enters the chart at No 8.
The main highlights this week were:
Taylors French Garlic Cristo is the highest re-entry at No 5.
Scotts Miracle-Gro Growables Courgette is the highest new entry at No 8.
Taylors Elephant Garlic, pack of 3, is the highest climber, jumping 37 places to No 11.
At HTA Futures on Wednesday, Dominic Harrison, Content Director, Future Foundation will outline the consumer context for 2017, highlighting emerging shopper expectations and innovations
HTA Futures, Wednesday 12th October 2016.
Every stage of the shopper journey - from browsing to buying to reviewing to replacing - faces disruption and fragmentation in our world of tech-progress and ever-expectant consumers.
In this session, Dominic Harrison, Content Director, Future Foundation will outline the consumer context for 2017, highlighting emerging shopper expectations and innovations - from wish-listing to pragmatic green aspirations to the arrival of "invisible commerce" - that are likely to characterise the shopping landscape of 2017.
Plant sales volumes dropped off last week but still remained higher than all of the August sales weeks according to the plant sales Epos data from garden centres analysed by GTN each week.
Plant sales volumes dropped off last week but still remained higher than all of the August sales weeks according to the plant sales Epos data from garden centres analysed by GTN each week.
With such high volumes of plants still being sold, how are you maximising on plant related linked sales despite the distraction of Christmas?
Cyclamen hold onto the No 1 spot with a 9% volume sales increase.
Pansies leapfrog Violas to No 2, also with a 9% sales uplift.
Camellias see the biggest sales increase to enter our chart at No 28.
Bord na Móna UK has launched an all-purpose premium range of uniquely-formulated fertilisers and a new high-performance compost...
Bord na Móna UK has launched an all-purpose premium range of fertilisers and compost.
Growise Pro 5 is a professional quality range comprising a 50-litre bag of all-purpose compost, a 7kg tub of all-purpose fertiliser together with two smaller boxes of all-purpose fertiliser sized at 2.5kg and 900g. It follows the launch of 18 fertilisers for the 2017 season and an expansion of the Growise growing media range.
The key benefit of the fertiliser product is a unique formulation, combining essential nutrients for complete plant feeding in ways not seen before in the retail market. Pro 5 All-purpose Fertiliser is premium grade slow release and works for up to 20 weeks. It contains ten essential nutrients plus humic acid and seaweed to improve plant growth and is suited to all-round garden use.
Pro 5 All-purpose Compost is a blend of peat and sustainable alternatives plus fertilisers promising superior performance for up to seven weeks. Vermiculite has been added to improve air/water balance and ensure strong roots, making it suitable for seeds and cuttings, tubs and baskets and all-round garden use.
Charles Farmer, Head of Sales UK Pro 5 is aimed at keen, discerning gardeners who appreciate the best in terms of performance and consistency. “This is a best in class proposition backed by security of supply,” he said. “Our mission is to ensure the consumer can buy the very best performing product whatever the task.”
Wilkinson Sword has unveiled a new look for its carbon steel collection, previously available in black but now in green...
Wilkinson Sword has unveiled a new look for its carbon steel collection, previously available in black but now in green.
The products feature the same quality carbon steel head as before, plus a hard-wearing green epoxy resin coating for added durability and riveted in place with long sockets. All feature the soft grip natural wooden handles that makes the range so popular.
The collection consists of five hand tools and 10 long handled tools, led by the digging spade and fork, which have extra-long sockets and double rivets. The two spades have tread plates.
The company says the latest evolution of the carbon steel range the aesthetically pleasing, traditional look with modern manufacturing techniques and durability that users seek.
Nick Hills, Garden Division General Manager, said: “We decided to rejuvenate the range following customer feedback where we learnt that gardeners want something where the aesthetics match the performance capabilities. It’s not style over substance - with the new range the design is just as good as the functionality.”
The new green look spans all materials, with redesigned hang tags, packaging and promotion collateral to appeal to customers at the decision buying point.
The HTA’s new Garden Market Analysis Report 2016 is now available...
The HTA’s new Garden Market Analysis Report 2016 is now available.
This report provides a detailed analysis of market and consumer trends over the past five years that have the potential to change the market in the coming years.
It includes the historical value of the market worth in excess of £5 billion including key categories and reviews what’s influenced this. More than this, it aims to help businesses to look forward. It describes factors that could change or disrupt the way consumers spend on their gardens.
The report is structured into three main sections:
1. Major market drivers – an exploration of the demographic, political, economic and technological changes that are affecting and will influence the size and structure of the market.
2. Market structure –an overview of the channels used by consumers and the competitive strategies at play in the market.
3. Market size trends – the value over time of the market and categories in it, as well as analysing the performance over time of different retail channels and garden spend by age and socio-economic group.
HTA Market Information Manager, David Denny, comments, “This report brings together a huge amount of knowledge of the size and prospects of the gardening market. It’s a must read for businesses looking to navigate opportunities and threats that the future holds.”
The report is available to non HTA members for £1,295 plus VAT. It is free to HTA members.
Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts...
Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.
The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra printed newsletter.
As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2014 as well as 2015 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.
Access is by subscription only. For £195.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales. To subscribe call 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.
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 delivered via the post for only £195.00.
GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £120m.
Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.
Independent coffee roaster Matthew Algie has launched its new 2016 Espresso Warehouse catalogue ahead of the winter season...
Independent coffee roaster Matthew Algie has launched its new 2016 Espresso Warehouse catalogue ahead of the winter season.
The latest line-up includes 11 winter warmers, along with all the ingredients needed to create them. From the goodness-giving Matcha Latte to the indulgent Honeycomb Mocha to tempting tea infusions like Mint & Raspberry and Chamomile & Peach, each recipe is created to drive seasonal spend, aided by eye catching point of sale.
Tea lovers can look forward to an expanded range of Suki Pyramid teabags, including Lemongrass, Ginger & Green Ginseng. The Suki Tea kit range also offers new retail presentation wraps for Suki Teapots and tea trays.
The catalogue welcomes a selection of new snacks and sweet treats with varieties added to the popular Willie’s Cacao and The Fine Cookie Co brands. For gluten-free snackers, there are new new Broderick’s bars – Gluten- Free Fruity Booty Nutty Crunchie and Gluten-Free Yummy Yoggy Mango Munchie.
New Espresso Warehouse equipment includes the Motta Latte Art Pen, the Hario V60 Drip Station and a new Matthew Algie-branded barista towel.
For the ethical consumer, the eco-friendly KeepCup range includes two new Matthew Algie-branded brew cups in orange or black, designed with longevity in mind but also recyclable.
Andrew Jack, Head of Marketing at Matthew Algie says the new catalogue, tapping into the matcha trend as well as demand for food and drink with health credentials, is brimming with creative drinks ideas. “Each recipe is supported by an eye-catching point of sale to draw customers in so that operators are able to attract new business and add value to every sale too.”
In a break from their traditional briquettes, Heat Beads are also launching a new lump wood charcoal in a 10kg bag. Produced from quality hardwood, it offers high heat over a shorter period than briquettes. Some barbecuers find using a mixture of Heat Beads lumpwood and briquettes to be a winning combination; the lumpwood being easier to light assists with ignition and briquettes provide extended cooking times.
HTA Futures Keynote speaker – PY Gerbeau
Accepting the Glee New Product Award at the show with the rest of the team, Deco-Pak’s General Manager, Rod Slater said: “We’re absolutely chuffed with the Glee award, it means a great deal to have won in the face of fierce, worthy competition from our industry counterparts. We put a great deal of effort into our new product development, and we firmly believe in the quality and attractiveness of our products, so it’s always reassuring when others - especially industry experts - agree. But the best award for any new product, in my mind, is seeing those first repeat orders come through after achieving successful sell through on the shop floor.”
