GTN May/June 2021 - Garden Trade News, UK

In this issue of news and information for garden centre professionals:

• Westland Driving Growth
• The Peat Issue – Retailer Comment from Alan Roper - Blue Diamond, Adam Wigglesworth - Aylett Nurseries, Paul Cooling - Coolings, Marcus Eyles and Graeme Jenkins - Dobbies, Justin Williams - Fron Goch, Charlie Groves - Groves Nurseries & Garden Centre, Martin Breddy - Squires, Matthew Bent - Bents Garden & Home, Mike Burks - The Gardens Group, Roger Crookes, Tammy Woodhouse - Millbrook Garden Centres, Andy Bunker - Alton Garden Centre
• Woodmansterne – A fresh approach to card sales
• The Peat Issue – What about the alternatives
• The Peat Issue – Responsible sourcing for the future    
  The Peat Issue – Seabrook on Peat
• The Peat Issue – How does Peat emit Carbon?  
• Dobbies Boston – Before and After
• M42 Garden Centre Photo Tour – Planters, Melbicks, Rosebourne Solihull, Notcutts Solihull, BGC Studley
• The Berkshire Gardener Photo Tour
• HTA Column – Solutions please…
• GIMA Column – We have achieved so much

Dobbies claims to be the first UK garden centre business to launch an own-brand, peat-free compost with added John Innes.

The company pledged in 2020 that it aimed to be 90% peat free during 2021 and 100% during 2022 in relation to bagged compost. The new peat-free compost went on sale in all Dobbies stores from today (Monday 14 June).

Last month, the UK Government launched the England Peat Action Plan supported by an expected over £50 million between 2021 and 2025. The Scottish Government also has a £22 million fund to undertake peatland restoration projects.

Ahead of the launch of the new product, a survey commissioned by Dobbies from Censuswide found significant consumer demand for more environmentally-friendly products, driven in part by the covid pandemic.

• Just over 3 in 5 (61%) respondents said using peat-free compost is important* to them, with over a fifth (23%) saying very important.
• A quarter (25%) of respondents said their primary reason for buying eco-friendly, sustainable gardening products is environmental concerns.
• Over half (55%) of respondents do* buy their own eco-friendly, sustainable gardening products, with just over 1 in 7 (15%) saying they do so regularly.
• Nearly half (47%) of half respondents agree* with the statement ‘I have made significant changes to my lifestyle to lessen my environmental impact’.
• Nearly half (47%) of respondents agree* with the statement ‘I make a conscious effort / go out of my way to buy products which are environmentally friendly’.

Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies, said: “Even before the pandemic it was clear that businesses needed to be providing more environmentally-friendly options for customers. The research we’ve carried out underlines that point with people taking a fresh look at what’s important to them. We started on our own peat-free journey in 2018 and the launch of our own brand, peat-free compost with added John Innes is another important milestone. We have further products launching soon.”

The compost is ideal for all plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables​ and is perfect for use in pots, containers and baskets. It works well for sowing larger seeds, taking cuttings, young plants and established plants. One notable feature is that the wood fibres and bark give the compost a different look but it grows just as well ​as other products. It is not suitable for ericaceous plants.

Dobbies’ own-brand peat-free products, including this new item with added John Innes, are priced competitively when compared to the products containing peat, so that there is no financial disincentive for consumers.

Planning permission has now been granted, so Perrywood can now move ahead with their £8-10m investment in an inspirational new Garden Centre at their existing site in Newton Road, Sudbury. Existing buildings will be repurposed with the potential to be leased out to other rural businesses and organisations.

Perrywood worked with Paul Pleydell and the team at Pleydell Smithyman to prepare and submit the application. It received overwhelming support from the local community because it will attract visitors to the area and create new jobs.

Simon Bourne, Retail Director, told us: "This is fantastic news for our business, our team and the community. We are growing the Perrywood family as we move closer to opening day. This week, we have announced we are searching for a plant area manager and a health and safety manager. We also have vacancies for a grounds person and chef, and it's an exciting time to join our expanding team." 

The build is expected to take at least two years. During that time, Perrywood is inviting local businesses interested in becoming tenants on the site. They must align with Perrywood's vision and values and complement the garden centre.

Simon adds, "We'd like to work with like-minded businesses over the next five years to develop the wider site into an exciting retail destination. If your business would complement our business, please email info@perrywood.co.uk with the subject heading 'Sudbury' and ask for an expression of interest form." 

Tristan Bourne, Operations Director and lead on the new build project, commented: "In the two and a half years since we took over the business, we have significantly grown the turnover. In fact, we expect to triple it by the end of our third year of trading. This gives us great confidence in the new garden centre, and we are keen to get going with the aim of opening in 2023. With planning permission secured, we can now proceed with a whole host of projects, including confirming a building contractor and working on enabling works and infrastructure."

Perrywood's mission is to offer a memorable garden centre experience, deliver wow customer service, and give employees, customers, and the community a reason to smile. The current garden centre building isn't the high standard customers, and the team would expect, so they are planning to invest in this site and build a stunning new garden centre surrounded by plants and trees, that will grow with our business.

In line with their vision and values, the brand new centre at Perrywood Sudbury will:

• Be a modern purpose-built garden centre, where Perrywood can look after their customers and inspire more people to bring plants into their lives.
• Improve the site to be the best that it can be with a fabulous range of facilities including a new restaurant.
• Create a space where their team enjoy coming to work, with new job opportunities for local people.
• Put Perrywood Sudbury at the heart of the local community with event spaces, wildlife areas, and leisure opportunities for local people.
• Teach visitors about and protect the sites flora, fauna and wildlife.

The overall site is larger than at Perrywood Tiptree, but the garden centre plans are similar to Tiptree's. As a family-run business, they are looking forward to growing Perrywood Sudbury to create a special place among the plants that customers, the team and local people will enjoy.

Mr Fothergill’s Seeds announces a new partnership with Italian seed brand, Franchi Sementi and UK based Italian goods supplier, Seeds of Italy for the coming 2022 gardening season. 

Mr Fothergill’s has added a single stand collection of 54 vegetable seed varieties, selected to give a broad choice of authentic vegetable seeds from Italy to compliment its already extensive wholesale offering.

Both Franchi and Mr Fothergill’s are family run seed specialists. Franchi can trace its roots back as far as 1783. Mr Fothergill’s, established in 1978, is the younger company but both share the same values and passion for seed for home gardeners.

Franchi seeds were brought to the UK in 1999 by Paolo Arrigo, owner and Managing Director of Seeds of Italy, who continues to supply them alongside a wide range of other Italian products including food and gift lines.

The new agreement will see Seeds of Italy continue to sell its wide range of Franchi flower and vegetable seeds to new and existing customers. Mr Fothergill’s will sell just a limited single stand range of vegetable seeds but use its national sales force and wide coverage to increase the distribution of the Italian brand while providing incremental choice to its customers.

All Franchi seeds are packed and supplied direct from Bergamo, Italy.

Mr Fothergill’s Joint Managing Director, David Carey said, “as a company we have known Paolo for many years and seen his passion for Italian produce and particularly seeds for the home gardener” he adds, “we are delighted to be able to join forces with Seeds of Italy and Franchi Sementi to promote this long-established Italian brand to more UK gardeners”.

The range is available whilst stocks last – contact your Mr Fothergill’s sales representative for more information or telephone 01638 554111.

Marking the return of in-person events, the 11th annual GIMA Charity Golf Day was a fun-filled day of friendly competition, reunions, networking, fundraising, and glorious summer sunshine. 

Held at the new location of Belton Woods Hotel & Golf Club in Grantham, Lincolnshire, the event brought together garden industry suppliers and retailers with twenty-four four ball teams competing for the highly coveted GIMA Golf trophy.

Post-golf the teams enjoyed an alfresco barbeque and drinks, where prizes were given for a series of golf competitions including nearest the pin, Beat the Pro, and longest drive, with Andy Bestwick lending his excellent compéring skills to the occasion. A raffle and auction - including generous donations from Leisuregrow and Woodlodge as well as Haemmerlin, Leon Boots, Primeur, Elho, Capi Europe, Evergreen Garden Care, A Perry & Co. and CJ Wildlife - also took place, helping to raise thousands of pounds for the event’s charity beneficiary, Greenfingers. 

The day was made possible thanks to the generosity of the many sponsors including Durston Garden Products, Rollins Bulldog Tools, Westland Horticulture, Mr Fothergill’s Seeds, Gardenforum, Zest 4 Leisure, Decco, Leisuregrow, Smart Garden Products, Hozelock, Hornby Whitefoot PR, Darlac, Woodlodge, Vitax, Imprint, and the Patio Black Spot Removal Company.

Speaking about the day, GIMA Director, Vicky Nuttall said: “What a fantastic day. The first in-person event since March 2019 certainly delivered. It was great to see the industry come together for a day of fun and networking and we are so grateful to everyone for joining us safely and securely. It was clear that such events had been missed, so it was wonderful to be able to facilitate this. A huge thank you must go to everyone that took part including our sponsors, those that donated auction and raffle prizes, and all those that dug deep and donated to the Greenfingers charity.”

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at the Greenfingers Charity said: “On behalf of everyone at Greenfingers Charity, thank you GIMA for another fabulous charity event. Your generosity throughout the day and into the evening is hugely appreciated by us all but more importantly the hundreds of children and families we support.”

GIMA Charity Golf Day Results

The Zest 4 Leisure team was crowned 2021 Golf Day champions with 96 points. They were followed by Woodlodge in second place and Imprint in third. The booby prize was presented to the Charles Bentley team.

Hole 11 was home to the ‘beat the pro’. The winners were Nick Griffin, Stuart Jenks, Andy Bestwick, Charlie Rowe, Antony Dawson, Alan Burdon, Greg Ronald, Ian Dunnaker, Paul Facey, Simon Neate, Richard Newton, James Boodle, and Dave Bullivant – each winning a free ‘four-ball’ at Belton Woods.

Other nearest the pin challenges took place on the holes, 4, 8, 11, and 15, with Chris Owen, Phil Hodges, Simon Neate, and James Parr winning respectively, whilst the player with the longest drive on the 18th was James Mitchell. Chris Owen was also awarded the prize for the nearest to the pin in two on the 9th.

Upcoming GIMA events

The annual GIMA Awards will be making their return in November 2021. Taking place on Thursday 11th November at the Celtic Manor Hotel, Newport, the event will be celebrating its 40th anniversary. To find out more please visit https://gima.org.uk/gima-awards/ - but be quick as tickets are almost sold out!

For further information please contact the GIMA team on (01959) 564947 or info@gima.org.uk

GIMA Golf Day 2021, Belton Woods, full results:

1    Zest 4 Leisure
    
2    Mr Fothergills
    
3    Imprint
    
4    Westland A
    
5    Hartman
    
6    Leisuregrow
    
7    Evergreen B
    
8    GIMA
    
9    Evergreen A
    
10    Westland B
    
11    Garland/GLEE
    
12    Sunshine Garden Centre

13    Woodlodge B
    
14    Woodlodge A
    
15    Haemmerlin
    
16    Bathgate Silica
    
17    Durston/Leon/GTN
    
18    Vitax
    
19    Smart Garden
    
20    Boughton Loam
    
21    Southern Trident
    
22    Garantia
    
23    Strawberry Corner Garden Centre
    
24    Charles Bentley

Beat the Pro at the 11th    

Nick Griffin, Stuart Jenks, Andy Bestwick, Charlie Rowe, Antony Dawson, Alan Burdon, Greg Ronald, Ian Dunmaker, Paul Facey, Simon Neate, Richard Newton, James Boodle, Dave Bullivant

Nearest the Pin at the 4th    Chris Owen
    
Nearest the Pin at the 8th    Phil Hodges
    
Nearest the Pin at the 11th    Simon Neate
    
Nearest the Pin at the 15th    James Parr
    
Longest Drive at the 18th    James Mitchell
    
Nearest the Pin in 2 at the 9th    Chris Owen

Summer 2021 sales are bucking the trends of past years. Usually, sales start falling during the first week of June but this year the reverse has happened with sales increasing to the highest volume sales level of the year and almost matching the post Lockdown#1 closure peak of 2020.

Plants and gardening items flew through tills as total volume sales were 30% up on the first week of June last year. Plant sales volumes zoomed up by 5% to be 38% higher than last year and even growing media volumes, which currently stand at 65% up on last year to date, were up by 25% on the same week in 2020.

The weather can be blamed for May’s overall sales performance. Sales volumes for the month were 2% down on the average for the nine years before 2020, in line with temperatures being below average for the month.

Despite that drop for May, year to date sales are now 12% up on 2019 volumes and 15% up on 2018. With continued warm weather forecast for the next few weeks we could now be looking at reaching the half year between 15% and 20% up on previous garden centre sales highs.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 23.

• Garden Products Top 50 – up 7%
• Growing Media Top 50 – up 25%
• Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – down 17%
• Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 19%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 23.

• All Plants with Barcode index – up 38%
• All Items with Barcode index – up 30%

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales returned to Rainbarrow Farm on Wednesday to formally open the next exciting development that will contribute further to the site's overall sustainability. He originally opened the UK's first commercial biomethane anaerobic digestor (AD) plant on the site in October 2012. 

Since then, the business has expanded to generate and supply biomethane to reach 7,500 homes in winter and 100,000 in summer, Poundbury being around 2,800. In 2017, with support from His Royal Highness, the team launched Bloomin Amazing - a by-product from the AD plant which has since become a leading brand in the soil conditioner, mulch and planting mix segment of the growing media market.

The purpose of the visit yesterday was to celebrate the latest innovation at Rainbarrow Farm which will see the capture and sale of all the waste carbon dioxide from the AD plant. CO₂ is collected and sold on to local horticultural businesses where it is used in fruit growing and the production of local beer and cider.

The Prince of Wales spent time touring the site and spoke with the team before unveiling a plaque marking the occasion.

Nick Finding, Managing Director, commented: "This whole project would never have happened without The Prince’s influence and enthusiasm. He has been a strong advocate and supporter of the whole project right from the start. We are delighted to have been able to welcome him back for another visit to see how the whole business has grown and developed."

Bloomin Amazing has featured consistently in the GTN Growing Media Best Sellers chart since 2018 and is now listed in over 350 garden centres nationwide.

Plant sales in the last two weeks have been enormous, with last week’s plant volumes in the GTN Bestsellers Epos data beating the first week of June 2020 by an incredible 38%.

After the coldest April and May we’d normally be bemoaning a poor spring for plant sales but instead we reached the end of May at year to date record levels, 14% ahead of the average for 2019 to 2017.

With some plants only just becoming ready for sale after the cold period, last week saw the re-entry of showy Agapanthus and Delphiniums. As new gardeners continue to seek out instant colour for the garden decoration we could expect plant sales to stay high through towards the end of June.

• Zonal Geraniums stayed at No 1 last week, but only just ahead of Petunia sales at No 2.
• Agapanthus sales soared so they re-entered the GTN plants chart at No 13.
• Digitalis sales doubled to move them up 14 places to No 25.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

Squire’s Garden Centres celebrates its 85^th Anniversary this year. The company was incorporated on the 8^th July 1936 and the original certificate of incorporation, though faded over time, still hangs on the boardroom wall alongside the first handwritten bank statement.

Sarah Squire is now Chairman, and she tells us a bit about the changes in gardening and garden centres over the last 85 years.

How did Squire’s come about?

My grandfather D.J. Squire (1905 – 2003) started our business. He was head gardener and sports coach at the Police orphanage in Twickenham and a keen long-distance runner with Thames Valley Harriers. When the orphanage closed in the mid-1930s he was made redundant. This was a time of high unemployment and unable to find alternative employment and with a young family to support he decided to start his own nursery and landscape gardening business. He worked hard and was soon able to rent a nursery and then buy a nursery. During the Second World War the company built Anderson air raid shelters in the Twickenham area and turned the nurseries over to food production. Land Girls were enlisted to help on the nurseries and later in the war Italian and then German prisoners of war were brought in to assist from the large prisoner of war camp at Kempton Park Race Course. 

With D.J.’s blessing his son, my father, Colin Squire who is also 85 this summer, developed the company into one of the first garden centre businesses in the UK when he opened Squire’s in Twickenham in 1964. Today we operate 16 garden centres located in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and Berkshire. This relatively tight geography means that the senior team can visit each centre frequently and we all know many of our colleagues very well and are privileged to get to know some of our customers too. It means we can do our best to keep the family feel of our centres. I believe our centres should have the freedom to have their own character and personality, like siblings, but that there should be a family resemblance because we share the same standards and values.

Three generations of gardeners - Sarah Squire (Chairman of Squire’s), father Colin Squire receiving his OBE for services to horticulture, and grandfather D.J. Squire on an early lawn mower.

What does gardening mean to you?

Gardening is very much a family tradition, it is in our DNA, and we are very proud to be an independent family-owned garden centre group, firmly rooted in the communities we serve. 

Gardening is great because it gets you out in the fresh air, is good exercise, connects you with nature and gives you space to think and clear your mind. It is so therapeutic to nurture plants and see them grow. I defy anyone not to feel relaxed and let the cares of the day slide away in the garden.

How have garden centres changed?

The early garden centres were a far cry from today’s businesses. They sold plants and gardening products, usually from converted greenhouse buildings that were nowhere near the shopping environment customers quite rightly demand today. From the 1980's, garden furniture and BBQs started to take off, and then cafes became an intrinsic part of the experience. At the same time garden centre businesses invested in their buildings to create more attractive, better insulated and water tight places to shop. Today we aim to provide our local communities with superb quality plants and gardening products as well as attractive ranges of garden furniture, BBQs and allied products, and a truly enjoyable garden centre experience.

Have plant trends changed over the years?

Plant trends come and go but many plants are just as popular now as they were 85 years ago, and for good reason - because they do well in people’s gardens and are reliable performers. Roses, Clematis and Lavenders are perennially popular, and there’s increased demand for ‘grow your own’ fruit & veg and large statement plants. Planting for wildlife is a trend which quite rightly keeps on growing in popularity. Our gardens have become such an important resource for native wildlife with the urbanisation of the last hundred years or so. We are also seeing a resurgence in bright colour schemes this year as we all look for something cheerful.

Proud to be British

We are proud that 80% of our plants are grown in Britain, many very locally indeed - this supports local producers and means that customers can choose from the freshest possible stock which hasn’t travelled far from nursery to garden centre. 

How gardening helped people get through lockdown, and why it’s cool again

Gardens became sanctuaries for many people during lockdown, especially with more people working from and spending more time at home. Gardens and open spaces have become more important to people and gardening, dare I say it, has become cool again. And its popularity continues to rise with research by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) showing that lockdown in 2020 created 3 million more gardeners.

With people spending more time at home again in 2021 it is the perfect opportunity to make your garden, no matter what its size, look its best. But it is not just about looks. It is a fact that gardening makes many people feel happier, healthier and more in tune with nature.

I am so proud of all my colleagues who have done, and continue to do, their utmost to keep our customers and each other safe during these extraordinary times. They have faced everything the last eighteen months has thrown at them - from shutting down during the first lockdown to re-opening with rigorous Covid precautions and challenges with the availability of stock - with care, commitment and good humour, not to mention sheer hard graft.

What are you doing to celebrate the 85^th Anniversary?

Look out for special flowerbeds our garden centre teams have designed to celebrate our ‘85 years’ in plants. We are also offering a special Anniversary Cream Tea in our Café Bars in July and August.

Find your nearest Squire’s Garden Centre or buy online for local delivery at: www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk

A new name in wellington boots is helping to drive year-round sales, whilst also showcasing new material innovation to mix up the gardener’s favourite footwear category. Introducing Leon Boots Co Ltd – the name behind the all-new ‘revolutionary’ ULTRALIGHT garden ankle boot, the lightest and most comfortable wellington boot to ever hit the UK market. 

Every garden retailer will recognise the value of stocking wellington boots. Whether established gardeners, hobbyists or just for those consumers that want footwear that withstands days spent outside, wellington boots are a long-term proven seller. However, with several established brands largely monopolising the market, consumers are often left with little choice, faced with the same colours and designs. Until now that is.

Leon Boots Co., has been created to shake up the wellington boot category, bringing new colours, designs and unique characteristics to help drive year-round sales and maximising vital gifting potential. To date, the Leon Boots Co. offering has found its home within forty UK garden centres, with further expansion earmarked following the launch of the new garden ankle boot collection.

Drawing on over a decade of expertise within the outdoor footwear sector, Leon Boots Co. has brought to market a material which enables the company to create ULTRALIGHT wellington boots that are up to 65% lighter than traditional boots. Manufactured from award-winning, injection moulded EVA/TRC polymer, a pair of Leon Boots Co. boots can weigh as little as 219g – that’s the same weight as an adult hamster! 

Lightweight doesn’t mean a compromise on functionality, however. Leon Boots Co. proudly boast a wide range of features which offer longevity for users including full insulated working against temperatures as low as minus 30°C, split and crack resistant, 100% waterproof, and featuring a removable and washable sock liner. The lightweight ergonomic design also allows for exceptional comfort and support, making the boots suitable for long-term wear and happy feet.

New-for-2021 Garden Ankle Boots

As the name suggests the new garden ankle boot is a shorter length and features an easy to pull on design thanks to the incorporated hand grips, whilst the removable sock liner offers a stylish contrast. Available in traditional green, as well as black, fuchsia, red and yellow, and with an RRP of just £29.99, these are boots designed to drive impulse sales and increase the gifting potential of the footwear category.

In addition to the all-new garden ankle boots, the Leon Boot Co. also offers a longer length Explorer (unisex style available in black and green - RRP £49.95),  Montana (ladies style available in navy and green - RRP £39.95) and the Froggy range for children (available in pink and blue - RRP £22.95).

Merchandising support from Leon Boots Co.

Recognising that footwear can often be a space hungry product range, not to mention the fact that displays can quickly become unruly thanks to customers keen to find their right fit, the team at Leon Boot Co. has launched its products boxed, supported with dedicated displays stands to minimise shelf space required. The display units also enable the stock to be flexibly located around the store, helping to improve cross merchandising potential and ultimately driving up the average basket spend.

Each of the three displays available take up just 0.25m², and can include 10 pair of kid’s Froggy boots, or six to eight pairs of the new garden ankle boots or unisex styles. These display units can be ordered directly with carriage paid (for 15 mixed styles), making them a quick and easy solution for retailers wanting to increase their footwear offering. 

Kevin Burgess, UK Director at Leon Boots Co., said: “We are an exceptionally proud family business that is passionate about bringing to market products that challenge the norm and delight consumers, and we truly believe that our new garden ankle boot will open up new sales opportunities for retailers. The price point – up to 60% cheaper than the leading brands – will make our range much more accessible to shoppers and will open up the gifting potential of this popular footwear style. More than this, retailers can also arm themselves with some great customer communication fodder. It’s not until you touch, feel and wear the boots that you really understand just how light they really are. This is something that retailers can generate conversation about, inviting customers to come try them for themselves. It’s a unique talking point, and one we know works. We’re excited for more garden centres to join in!”

Find out more

To find out more about the Leon Boot Co. please visit www.lbcboots.com. Retailers interested in stocking the product offering are invited to email kevin@leonbootsco.com or charlie@leonbootsco.com

Thousands of keen gardeners headed to the brand-new BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair last bank holiday weekend. The beautiful grounds of Beaulieu in Hampshire were the stunning backdrop to the latest event from Immediate Live, which was officially opened by Beaulieu’s Lord Montagu with BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine editors Lucy Hall and Kevin Smith. 

The Beautiful Borders and Small Spaces brimmed with inspirational planting ideas and were enjoyed by visitors and the Garden Assessors alike. Local Beaulieu garden centre Fairweather’s was awarded the accolade of Best Border for their recreation of ‘Patrick’s Patch’, the plot which supplies their café with fresh homegrown produce. Hampshire-based Longstock Park Landscapes team taking home the Best Small Space award for their design that embodied their ethos of reuse and recycle. 

Additional Borders, including a woodland edge Border by Maggie’s of Southampton with Sparsholt College, and a Small Space by Rolawn with The APL, captured the essence of spring and gave plenty of design ideas to recreate at home.  

An advice-packed schedule on the What To Do Now Stage saw special guests including Gardeners’ World presenters Adam Frost and Arit Anderson join the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine editors. The advice didn’t stop there as a bountiful Allotment feature, created by master growers Jon Wheatley and Terry Porter, was staffed by the Hampshire branch of the National Vegetable Society, with their veteran experts sharing top tips all day long.  

The Hillier Experience garden feature was pride of place in the heart of the show and took visitors on a floral journey from dawn to dusk, culminating in the twinkling lights and heady scents of the evening garden and the relaxing ambience of the night garden. Hillier experts were on hand at the garden, answering gardening queries 1-to-1. 

To celebrate the brand-new Spring Fair, Hillier introduced two brand new plants - the striking new glossy red plant, Cercis x canandensis ‘Eternal Flame’ and the Deutzia x ‘Cherry Dream’, to much excitement from visitors and the industry. Hillier Chairman Robert Hillier, OBE VMH, attended the Fair on Sunday as part of the celebrations of the new Spring Fair. 

Nurseries and gardening exhibitors did a roaring trade, and the food producers in the pop-up BBC Good Food Market also went down a storm. Visitors enjoyed the dulcet tones of the Polka Dots and Adam Christopher-Rhys from the Jersey Guys, on the bandstand sponsored by Vodafone. 

Managing Director for BBC Gardeners’ World events, Rachel Poletti-Gadd said: “It was an absolute joy to host our first event in over a year. To see so many smiling faces enjoying the flowers, food and glorious setting, is what it’s all about.  

Rachel continued “Our visitors seemed keener than ever to learn more about how to enhance their outdoor space and our Gardeners’ World experts and presenters loved sharing their passion and knowledge with them.” 

BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Arit Anderson said of the new Fair: “The atmosphere here has been so lovely and relaxed. It’s a boutique Fair, with everything easily accessible including all the wonderful plant stands to shop from.”  

Arit follows, “I’ve been on the What To Do Now Stage and it’s been really fun talking to the audience, giving them top tips and techniques, and nice to get questions and answers going back and forth – everyone’s learning.” 

Next stop for the team is BBC Gardeners’ World Live Special Edition, taking place at The NEC from 26 – 29 August. Please visit bbcgardenersworldfair.com  for details.

Since launching in May, the Spring & Autumn Fair Online Marketplace has seen astonishing growth and response with the first trade taking pace within 48 hours of going live.  

The Online Marketplace, a global digital trading arena enabling trusted brands and vetted buyers to trade all-year-round on a secure wholesale platform, already features over 4,500 products from 50 brands including established favourites Felt So Good, Lisa Angel, Rex International, and Sass & Belle, as well as amazing boutique brands including Betty Hula, Seedball, and Vent for Change. 

With newness and curation at its heart, the Online Marketplace showcases a regular flow of new collections and enables brands and buyers to deepen relationships started in person at Autumn and Spring Fair.  

Karin Hausmann, Project and Digital Marketing Director of the Online Marketplace, says: “After lengthy research we knew there was a big appetite for an easy-to-use online trading platform that builds on the physicality of our live shows, offering a continuous flow of newness and a growing cross-section of products. We are delighted by the response and eagerness in the industry to showcase on and use the Online Marketplace. New brands are signing up daily and we’re also very excited to see a large focus on sustainable products. With our long-standing heritage and experience we are so pleased to have built an innovative platform that meets the trading needs of both the brands and buyers.” 

The Online Marketplace currently offers gifts, home décor, stationery, toys, fashion accessories, beauty and jewellery with more lines being added regularly. 

Other brands include Chalk UK, Powder, Keel Toys, Wild Olive, The English Soap Company, Kushboo, White Leaf Company, Hippychick, Kikkerland, Paper Salad, The Little Dog Laughed, Willsow, and Scream Pretty.

Gardeners and pond lovers are being offered the chance to create an attractive, easy to maintain and cost-effective solar-powered water feature or fountain without the need of electrical cables.

Blagdon’s Liberty 200 mains-free pump with LED lights is battery and solar run and can be used as a fountain, in a self-contained water feature or as a feature pump.

Andrew Paxton, Development Manager at Blagdon, the UK’s leading water garden product specialist, says: “Our homes and gardens have become more and more important to us during the last year or so. With demand for staycations in the UK this year outstripping supply, many will be holidaying once again at home and in their outdoor spaces this summer.

“There has never been a better time to create an oasis of calm using running water in a garden, patio or balcony setting. A water feature or pond is the perfect addition to outdoor living arrangements, creating a calming ambience.

“Our Liberty 200 offers a simple and quick way to bring water into a small or large space where mains electricity isn’t available. It’s a great opportunity for people to express their water gardening creativity with attractive and flexible applications, and no running costs. So, the Liberty represents a perfect project for this summer that’s fun and rewarding, as it allows everyone to create their own pretty little solar-powered water feature!”

The Liberty 200 mains-free pump is a battery and solar pump with LED lights suitable for use in three different set-ups: in a pond as a fountain, using the float and anchor, and the four different fountain features provided. It can also be used in a self-contained water feature; either purchased or home-made, to create a fountain using the four heads provided. Or, finally, as a feature pump in something like a sink and tap set-up.

Andrew adds: “Run by the long-lasting Lithium-ion battery and re-charged using the high-powered solar panel, gardeners won’t need to add power and can locate their feature wherever they wish.

“It’s a great DIY project allowing individuals to bring their own touch to a pond feature and to recycle any pots or unwanted household items, like a tap and sink, to make something that is great for their wellbeing, as well as being stylish and attractive, and beneficial to wildlife too.

“Once it’s up and running it’ll be relaxing to listen to the burble of water, boosting mental wellbeing and helping to restore inner balance. Any water that is introduced to an outdoor space using our Liberty will help benefit the natural environment, as it will become an essential place for wildlife to drink and for birds to bathe. You will be able to spend many pleasurable and restful hours being at one with nature, as you enjoy the natural sights and sounds in your garden.”

There are various options available for using the Liberty 200 pump. Visit the Blagdon YouTube channel for simple creative ‘how to’ videos on water feature projects and step-by-step guides on creating them.

They include using the Liberty 200 to:

• Create a solar pot water feature: (40) Liberty 200: How to create your own solar Pot Water Feature - YouTube
• Create a bespoke solar water feature: (40) Liberty 200: How to create your own Bespoke solar Water Feature - YouTube
• Create a solar pond fountain: (40) Liberty 200: How to create your own solar Pond Fountain - YouTube

This mains-free feature and pond pump has flexible applications and can be used as an in-pond fountain, water feature fountain or water feature. It includes: Pond float, anchor and four fountain effects to suit your preference, as well as a LED light ring and flexible timer functions, and a low maintenance pre-filter to prevent fountains and features from blocking.

The Liberty 200 Pond/Feature Pump has a SSP of £74.99.

The Liberty 200 is available for members of the trade to order now. Stockists should contact their Area Sales Manager, call/email Blagdon’s sales office or sign-up to its new online ordering system here: https://trade.interpet.co.uk.

Blagdon is part of Interpet group of brands. Covering all areas of the pet and aquatics market, Interpet’s aim is to educate and support pet owners, and to encourage the enjoyment of sharing life with a pet at all experience levels.

Interpet offers one of the largest pet and aquatic ranges in the UK, incorporating many different brands including: Interpet, Blagdon, Kent Marine, Mikki, Nylabone, PetLove, Kaytee, Four Paws and Interpet Publishing.

It has been a major player in the UK and international pet and aquatic market for more than 65 years.

For more information, visit www.blagdonwatergardening.co.uk. Or visit https://www.youtube.com/blagdonwatergardening for product feature videos.

Leaders from the horticulture sector have come together to write to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) backing the principles of the recently announced Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) consultation on packaging, but tempered by concerns around the short timescales and lack of detail. If introduced, the scheme would see packaging producers liable for the full cost of managing packaging once it becomes waste. 

In a letter coordinated by the Horticultural Trades Association, the HTA, Garden Industry Manufacturers Association (GIMA) and the Garden Centre Association (GCA) have highlighted five key areas where they believe the EPR proposals can be improved. 

They say that for the vision of a circular economy to be fulfilled and the EPR scheme to deliver against its aims, it needs to better recognise the business impact, particularly on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) - which make up most of the UK horticulture industry and that there must be greater clarity of cost obligations and reporting requirements of all businesses. 

A more detailed understanding of the recyclability of materials with consistent and reliable collections of these across the UK within a more realistic timeframe and a consideration for the essentialness of the packaging for safety and environmental reasons is needed. 

James Clark, Director of Policy & Communications at the HTA, said: “As an industry intrinsically and positively linked to the environment, we recognise that we all have a part to play to minimise the impact of packaging. We want to ensure that the potential impact on our unique supply chain is given proper consideration and to make suggestions for where government support could make a real success of the proposed scheme.” 

Mike Burks, Chairman of the Garden Centre Association (GCA) said: “Whilst we are entirely supportive of targets for recycling, it is important that garden centres have clarity around the point at which they would become responsible for the packaging associated with plants imported from abroad. Government must provide good, clear guidance to accompany the scheme and they must do this in good time, ahead of its introduction. We also need assurances that the modulations for fees will consider if the packaging is essential for the safety and survival of live products throughout transport.”  

Vicky Nuttall, Director of Garden Industry Manufacturers’ Association (GIMA), said: “The complex nature of plastic recycling means that schemes such as this must take a joined-up approach to ensure that no one industry is put at a disadvantage and look to work with industries like ours to find solutions.  

“Some horticultural products, like the flexible plastic used for growing media/compost bags could be unfairly excluded from recycling schemes, because of concerns about contamination and whilst most garden concentrate treatments are already packed in fully recyclable HDPE, these are excluded from household waste streams which will render then ‘unrecyclable’. This contrasts with other household chemicals, such as bleach, which can be recycled kerbside. 

With government support it would be possible to develop industry-led circularity schemes to recapture flexible plastic, but right now we have real concerns that with no alternatives to this packaging available and despite huge efforts made to ensure their packaging is recyclable, our members will at a real disadvantage because of this scheme.”  

The consultation closes at midnight tonight (Friday) and the proposed timeline from Defra shows the first element of the scheme is due to be introduced, alongside requirements to record data on packaging, as early as next year.

Stewarts Garden Centres are nearing completion of a £3 million agritech glasshouse and education facility at Broomhill, made possible thanks to funding from Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Low Carbon Dorset. 

Stewarts Agritech Glasshouse will allow Stewarts Garden Centres to grow a wide variety of plants and supply other south coast garden centres and farm shops with Dorset grown plants, reducing reliance on imports and safeguarding rural jobs. Stewarts Agritech Glasshouse will not only ensure commercial success, but it will also be a base of horticultural education for local schools and colleges, showcasing horticultural practice, agritech machinery, and low-carbon technology.

Cecilia Bufton, Dorset LEP Chair, said: “Dorset LEP allocated approximately £300,000 of the UK Government’s Local Growth Fund to this project. This innovative agritech facility will be a much-needed home for practical horticultural education in Dorset.”

Luke Rake, Dorset LEP Board Member and Principal of Kingston Maurward College, said: “This project is not just an example of an innovative business succeeding in agritech. This is a key education facility which will be used by local businesses, schools, and colleges like Kingston Maurward College. 

“Agritech is a high-growth sector in Dorset and that’s why Dorset LEP has featured it within the Local Industrial Strategy for Dorset. Projects like this will boost the agri-tech sector and benefit our local economy.”

The new 10,000 square metre glasshouse growing facility will enable the garden centre to grow 500,000 plants during any one year.

Martin Stewart, Managing Director of Stewarts Garden Centres, said: “Ten years ago, it was a dream of ours to build a glasshouse like this. We built this for commercial reasons, but we also built it to teach people about modern horticulture. We will have up to seven classroom facilities that could be used for primary schools through to education classes with Kingston Maurward College.

“We’re very proud to say that this is a sustainable venture, and we hope this is absolutely carbon neutral when fully operational.”

Katie Dawes, Communications and Engagement Officer at Low Carbon Dorset, said: “Low Carbon Dorset has provided financial and technical support for the low-carbon aspects of this project which included a ground-source heat pump and solar thermal screening for the new glasshouse, and LED lighting and solar panels at Stewarts Garden Centres Broomhill and Christchurch sites. Combined these measures will save around 450 tonnes of CO₂e and £50K in energy costs each year.”

Stewarts Agritech Glasshouse is expected to be completed later this year and opened to the public in Spring 2022. Education facilities will be completed and ready to invite students by September 2022. More information can be found on their website: https://stewarts.co.uk/

Farplants Garden your way to Wellbeing range is now heading to UK garden centres. The launch of the range was impacted by last year’s lockdown restrictions but can now make its debut in 2021. The range has been carefully crafted to promote plants that can give a mood boost and create a sense experience. 

Before the pandemic, Farplants had noticed the increased public awareness of the importance of wellbeing, which is one of the main inspirations behind the range. Now after several lockdown’s, the focus on the nations wellbeing is front and centre. Add to this the 3m new gardeners from 2020, according to research from the HTA, and the industry have a great opportunity to help encourage consumers create their own green escape. 

Brett Avery, Farplants Managing Director, is delighted that this range supports the industry’s mission to promote the benefits of gardening.

“Never has wellbeing been so important and people now have a renewed appreciation for access to green spaces. We want to help support the message that gardening is good for you and we feel our new range does just that. 

"We have thoroughly researched the many benefits different varieties bring, to design an engaging collection. It helps consumers consider the various ways that plants can have an effect on your mood and sense of wellbeing. I believe that the fresh and modern feel will appeal to both new and experienced gardeners alike.”

The new range will be­ available this month in garden centres and the supporting POS helps garden retailers to create an enticing display. 

Wellbeing is an important focus for the Farplants Group, not only with their new product development but for their staff. Throughout June and July the group are undertaking a large scale mental health first aid training programme. This will help raise awareness, remove stigmatism and provide additional support to teams across all 14 sites. 

www.farplants.co.uk

A garden, originally intended to mark the bicentenary of the birth of Florence Nightingale in 2020, will be built by award-winning landscape company Bowles & Wyer and unveiled at RHS Chelsea 2021 to celebrate the importance of nursing in the 21st century. 
 
Sponsored by the Burdett Trust for Nursing and created by designer Robert Myers, The Florence Nightingale Garden – A Celebration of Modern Nursing will see Bowles & Wyer introduce innovative bio-based building materials to create an imagined hospital garden, inspired by Florence Nightingale’s pioneering views on nursing, at a time when the global spotlight is centred on health and well-being.
 
The bio-based timber being used in the construction is a 21st century representation of key materials that Florence Nightingale advocated for hospital construction in her work promoting the benefits of hospital environment on patient recovery.

Work has already begun on the construction of a large 60ft timber pergola, that will stretch the length of the garden and enclose it on three sides to form the central feature of the courtyard garden. It has been built using cross-laminated timber (CLT) – an engineered wood that has become known as the ‘concrete of the future’ due to its potential as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional building materials.  It is the first time that Bowles & Wyer has worked with CLT and it will be the first time it has featured on this scale at RHS Chelsea.
 
The low-impact, non-toxic timber, made from honey-coloured Douglas Fir, has been constructed in modular parts and is ready to be transported to the showground in September. Pre-cambered rods and tubes will support the timber, reducing the need for steel to a bare minimum and allowing for easy relocation at the end of the show.  

Dan Riddleston, Managing Director at Bowles & Wyer, said: “The irony that a worldwide pandemic should be the reason a garden celebrating the founder of modern-day nursing was cancelled in 2020, is not lost on us. Having progressed so far with the development of this garden in the last year we are now delighted to have the opportunity to finally bring it to the Chelsea showground. 
 
There is a lovely synergy between the modern materials and techniques we are using to build the garden and Florence Nightingale’s own advocacy of modern materials to ensure healthy environments in the hospitals she inspired.
 
We are constantly looking at ways to reduce our carbon footprint, particularly at Chelsea where the gardens are often transitory, and the use of CLT means that the pergola can be constructed very quickly, will require minimal transport and will create very little waste. Added to that, the trees used in the production of CLT actually absorb carbon, thereby off-setting the carbon produced through its manufacture.”

Elsewhere in the garden, a reflecting pool will reference Florence Nightingale’s insights into drainage and cleanliness and plants will symbolise her own pressed flower collection as well as those with strong medicinal properties that were used in the 19th century.  In addition, images of Florence Nightingale will appear in slightly opaque windows and echoes of her handwriting will seem to be inscribed onto the walls to embody her extensive writing in support of healthcare reform.

Surrounding the pergola, perimeter walls will reference the ‘pavilion’ hospital layouts advocated by Florence Nightingale and a striking installation at the front of the garden will also display the recently redesigned Nightingale Nurse badge, denoting both her enduring legacy and her ability to inspire the next generation of nurses.
 
With sustainability central to the build, Bowles & Wyer worked hard to find specialists to meet the brief and has worked with a number of suppliers including CLT expert Jim Johnstone of ConstruktCLT Ltd.
 
Approximately 3,700 plants will be planted in the garden as part of a new autumn planting palette for the September show.  Trees, hedges and shrubs already reserved have been overseen by Deepdale Trees in the last year, while other plants have been sourced by Hortus Loci for the 2021 garden.
 
Robert Myers said: “Dan and I had spent many months developing the garden before the show was cancelled, so it is really exciting that we will finally see it come to life on Main Avenue in September.  Having Bowles & Wyer on board has taken a huge amount of pressure off allowing me to really enjoy the process.  Dan is renowned in the industry for producing work of the highest standard and is brilliant at handling any of the challenges that Chelsea throws at him.  Work to date has progressed with assiduous care and attention  and I’m certain the garden will be built to the highest standard.”

Shirley Baines, Chief Executive at the Burdett Trust for Nursing added: “Bowles & Wyer are highly regarded and our experience of working with them in 2020 has shown that they will deliver Robert’s vision for the garden exactly as his beautiful plans and drawings envisage. Having never sponsored a garden at RHS Chelsea before we were keen right from the start to work with a team who would help guide us through the process with their knowledge and experience.  I’ve no doubt that it can be achieved this year.

Whartons has unveiled a genuine innovation in the world of roses called Zepeti (Meibenbino). At its peak it looks quite unreal, a mass of fire engine-red blooms over neat glossy foliage. This is one for the urban or starter gardener and anyone with limited space.

The impression of endless flowers and continuous colour from late spring until first winter frosts is a combination of new flowers forming and older flowers softly fading whilst still holding their shape and colour.

Health is a given as Zepeti hales from the Meilland breeding facility in France.

At home on balconies and patio pots, Zepeti also makes an excellent border plant. Virtually evergreen  with flower colour well into late autumn. Height & Spread 25 – 35cm

Available now in a 3L pot with free  POS and images available for social media, instore and on-line promotional purposes.

Garden centres became go-to destinations during the last Coronavirus lockdown, with the food and beverage offering becoming an essential part of the shopping experience. According to the latest UK Food to Go Market Report from Lumina Intelligence, people now increasingly prefer to socialise in outdoor spaces, and it is younger consumers who are most likely to walk around with a takeaway coffee.

Choosing the right food and drink packaging for your garden centre catering operation adds value for your customers while building your brand’s reputation. Tri-Star’s range of stackable quick-serve foodservice packaging is not only convenient, hygienic and fit for purpose, but also easy to store and use, therefore speeding up service.

Printed packaging is also an effective way to promote instore messaging for things such as offers and membership cards. Tri-Star Packaging’s digitally printed bags are available in short production runs so be frequently updated throughout the year and are perfect for seasonal promotions. 

“Tri-Star is best known for its foodservice packaging, and we were certainly able to offer lots of advice to garden centre restaurants and cafés as they switched to takeaway,” says Tri-Star Packaging Senior National Account Manager Mike Clough.

“But we’re not just experts in packaging. With a heightened focus on cleanliness and hygiene, we supply everything a garden centre needs to operate safely and efficiently. Our Essentials Range now includes: personal protection equipment (PPE); convenient and flexible janitorial solutions; cleaning chemicals; paper hygiene products; and cloths and wipes.”

Be prepared for Natasha’s Law

“Garden centre caterers need to ensure they are properly prepared for the full implementation of Natasha’s Law in October,” says Mike Clough. “Ever since the new legislation was announced, we have been urging the industry to act immediately.

“Correct allergen labelling is vitally important for customer wellbeing and as the foodservice industry prepares for change, Tri-Label has been rebranded to Gen-Label, to offer a next generation food labelling solution and give full compliance with Natasha’s Law.

“Gen-Label makes complying with Natasha’s Law simple and straightforward. The online software solution allows food outlets to build and maintain lists of ingredients including specific allergens and then simply print them off onto pre-formatted blank labels using a standard PC and laser-jet printer.

“Whether you require bespoke labels supported by a full in-house design service or the convenience of simply using a wide range of off-the-shelf options, Gen-Label is a great service to guide you through the upcoming changes in the law.”

Improve your green credentials

According to Boston Consulting Group, the Covid-19 crisis has caused people to pay more attention – not less – to urgent environmental issues such as climate change. Choosing the right packaging can improve a garden centre’s green credentials by ensuring that it is responsibly sourced and is able to be properly composted or recycled at the end of its life.

Tri-Star Packaging stocks one of the industry’s widest ranges of sustainable foodservice packaging products, including some recent new additions.

The innovative 100% compostable BePulp range combines sustainable design with exceptional performance and is made from bagasse – a material that comes from natural fibres, which are both abundant and renewable. Meanwhile, the new microwavable and fully recyclable Infinity range represents the next generation of sustainable packaging and is made from EPP (expanded polypropylene). Tri-Star Packaging is also introducing a new range of home-compostable products, including the UK-manufactured EdenPak^® range.

“With a focus on reducing the use of single-use plastics, Tri-Star Packaging offers many compostable and recyclable alternatives made from renewable resources,” concludes Mike Clough. “Garden centre caterers should seek advice to initially reduce, substitute out and eventually eliminate all single-use plastics. By reviewing all of their packaging choices with expert advice it’s possible to ensure that only the most suitable sustainable, long term solutions are specified.” 

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The rules are being changed. Last week saw a 35% increase in garden product sales in the GTN Bestellers Garden Centre Epos data.

Even last year when we saw the first of the new gardeners coming into garden centres products started to drop off at the start of June. It’s a good job centres were well stocked at the end of May, summer demand has been enormous especially for plant feeds and pest controls.

• Evergreen Garden Care Levington Tomorite 1L + 30% Free stays at No 1, outselling the second and third ranked products combined.
• Hozelock 2691 Metal Rose Head Spray Gun is a re-entry at No 25.
• Smart Garden’s Fence & Balcony Hanging Pot Ivory is a new entry at No 33.

A colder than average May resulted in the lowest Top 50 Garden Products sales volumes recorded in the GTN Bestsellers Epos database since 2014. After the great start for the year this may actully end up being a benefit as it’s allowed shelves to be re-stocked ready for a summer of gardening. May 2021 sales were 14% below May 2019.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

Veg-2-Gro sales held their own against last year for May, but were 18% down on the month high set in 2019.

Year to date, however, 2021 Veg-2-Gro sales are 14% up on 2019 levels and 71% up on 2018 volumes.

• Tomato plant sales continue at a pace into June with 13 of the Top 20 lines in the GTN Chart. Gardeners Delight continues to be the most popular Tomato plant.
• Quantil’s Courgette 8cm stays at No 1 for the second consecutive week.
• Quantil Heritage Tomato St Pierre 10cm is the highest chart re-entry at No 30.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

Growing Media sales just keep on growing. Year to date sales are now 20% up on 2019 and 32% up on 2018 volumes.

Over all the years and weeks we’ve been analysing the GTN Bestsellers garden centre Epos data there have only been three weeks when volume sales were higher than last week. They were the two weeks after last year’s re-opening and the week before we went into Lockdown #1. And last week was the first week of June! Sales were more than double those of previous first weeks of June.

• Evergreen Garden Care Miracle-Gro Organic Peat Free 40 litres saw the biggest percentage sales growth to re-enter at No 41.
• Westland Alpine Planting Mix doubled sales to come back into the Top 50 at No 46.
• Melcourt SylvaGrow Peat Free Multipurpose 50 litres moved up two places to No 25.

Growing media sales bucked the trend of other cold weather inflicted sales performances. Matching 2019 sales volumes and not far behind 2018 levels when we had a bounce back after the ‘Beast from the East’. No-one expected sales to match last year, but after the huge post Lockdown #1 demand last May, being only 7% behind is a better result than most will have budgetted for.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

In a colder than average May, weather wise, we could have expected Wild Bid Care sales to grow but that just hasn’t happened in the GTN Bestellers Epos data. Sales for the month were 20% down on both 2019 and 2020 levels.

And the hot weather at the start of June didn’t provide a fillip to sales either, even with BBC’s Springwatch in full flow.  

• RHS Suet Balls 60 Tub continue to reign supreme as the No 1 WBC Bestseller in the GTN Epos data.
• Gardman’s Mealworm Pouch 200g is re-entry at No 6.
• Henry Bell Superior Seed Mix 4kg is a new entry at No 42.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

Tong’s new £14m garden centre on the edge of Wakefield was given the green light today (Thursday), as council planning chiefs approved plans for the site of a former golf course.

The company now has permission to build the new garden centre and soft play area at the former Acanthus Golf Club off Thorpe Lane in Tingley, which is expected to provide up to 250 jobs.

A meeting of Leeds City Council’s South and West Plans Panel approved the scheme after a document, written by council licensing chiefs, had recommended the site be approved in principle.

The document stated: “A Travel Plan has been prepared by the applicant and the findings have been influenced by surveys that have been carried out at Tong Garden Centre.

“Tong Garden Centre is run by the applicant of this proposal and is located within a rural setting that is comparable to the subject site. The bus services and frequencies are similar with Tong Garden centre being approximately 700 metres from the nearest bus stop and this proposal being 850 metres from the bus stop to the front entrance.

“The applicant has confirmed willingness to enter into a Section 106 Agreement, which will relate to the financial contribution of £150,000 towards the provision of six biodiversity units (this provides a scheme that is policy compliant and that achieves a net gain in biodiversity), together with clauses seeking local employment initiatives and the implementation of the proposed travel plan.”

It added that, of the 150 members of staff employed at Tong Garden Centre, more than two thirds of staff travel less than five miles to get to work.

The report concluded: “The applicant has provided various supporting information to ensure that the concerns raised by panel members have been addressed.

“The supporting information further supports the original recommendation that the proposal does represent a sustainable form of development through the provision of a range of social, economic and environmental improvements to the site and wider area.”

Plans submitted to the council last year included a garden centre with a restaurant, landscaping and car parking spaces for 612 vehicles. Outdoor adventure play areas are also included, which the applicant claims can help “tackle childhood obesity”.

Building work on Tong’s new garden centre is set to start in mid-July with the owners hoping to open the store to the public next Summer.

Tong Garden Centre MD Mark Farnsworth said: “We were delighted to have the plans approved after three years working on this project.  It’s been a big team effort and we’d like to thank all involved. All being well, we intend to start on the site in mid-July with the doors open to the public next July.

“We have learnt a lot over the last six years at Tong and we intend to apply that knowledge to help create a top class garden centre with something for all the family.  We hope it can be a great addition to the South Leeds area.  

“We are very excited about the addition of the adventure play area which, in addition to our Grasshoppers play area at Tingley, will offer children right up to the age of 14 an exciting space to enjoy themselves.

“Finally, our business is all about our people and we are so pleased that this will create career opportunities for our existing team as well as creating up to 250 jobs for local people.”

Pictured: Members of the team viewing the plans for Tingley – from left to right, Jo Dales, Katie Young, Leigh Quinn, Mark Farnsworth, Sarah Dwyer.

Britons could soon be paying up to fifty per cent more for their garden sheds due to a global shortage of timber.

Warm winters, an increase in home renovations and the impact of COVID19 have seen prices soar in recent months.

Now experts at leading shed manufacturer Kybotech are warning prices will rocket as summer approaches and customers could be left waiting months for their outdoor building.

They’ve vowed to lock prices on their sheds and garden buildings for now but warn an industry wide hike will eventually have an impact.

They say a combination of warmer winters, increased demand from China, inflation rates, a rise in home renovations and the impact of the COVID19 pandemic across the world have all played a part in the price hike.

And they believe smaller suppliers will be unfairly hit as they do not have the buying power of the bigger garden building manufacturers.

Warm winters in Scandinavian countries, like Sweden, have led to less trees being felled with muddy terrain being impossible for heavy vehicles to navigate.

Home renovations and DIY projects have gone up over the last year with locked down Britons stuck at home and there has been a huge increase in demand from China.

Kybotech, owner of BillyOh.com, has seen sales of Log Cabins increase by 142% over the last 12 months with an increased demand for outdoor living, working and storage space.

Kybotech founder, Charles Walton said: “We’re now in the second year of timber shortages and the impact is beginning to be felt. We’ve had two consecutive warm winters which has meant considerably less timber being felled and resulting in a massive global shortage. Other factors have come into play too which have compounded the problem.

“Combined they have the potential to push up timber prices by as much as 50% and at some point a proportion of that cost will be passed on to the consumer.

“It won’t just be businesses like ours which will feel the impact of the shortage. Construction companies and small builders will struggle to get the softwood they need to peg out buildings. It will be felt across many sectors.”

Walton continued: “We are committed to keeping our prices low for our customers, but the industry-wide price rise will directly impact our garden buildings. At some point and as the shortage worsens, we will be left with little choice but to increase our prices.

“It’s impossible to put a date on when customers should expect that, but our advice is to buy while prices are still low. Everything from our playhouses to our log cabins will inevitably be hit with a new price tag over the next few months.

“For now, we have the capability and resources to keep our prices as they are and we’re committed to doing that for as long as we can.”

Private equity group Duke Street has acquired COMPO, a leading producer and distributor of gardening soil, fertiliser, plant protection and lawn seeds. 

Headquartered in Münster, Germany, COMPO is currently owned by Kingenta Ecological Engineering Group Co Ltd, a publicly listed company and one of the leading fertiliser producers in China. Kingenta has owned COMPO since 2016. 

COMPO is the market leader across continental Europe, having established a wide range of technically superior products under the most respected and well-known brands in the industry. Its diverse product portfolio offers retailers and consumers ‘bio’ alternatives to traditional gardening product solutions, positioning COMPO ahead of its competitors in terms of sustainability. The organisation owns unrivalled production and distribution infrastructure, and has established brands that are widely familiar to distribution customers and consumers alike.

COMPO can trace its roots to the 1950s, and it has been supporting gardeners across Germany and Europe ever since. In February this year, COMPO was recognised as one of the ten strongest product brands in Germany, securing 6th place in the ‘Best Overall Brand’ category at the prestigious Best Brands Marketing Awards.

Duke Street is backing a very strong management team as it seeks to build and consolidate COMPO’s position in the industry across Europe. The team is led by Stephan Engster as CEO of COMPO, who joined the business in 2016 and has developed an exciting growth strategy for the company, which is underpinned by continuous innovation and aligns with Duke Street’s vision for the opportunities presented in the sector.  

The horticulture market has shown strong signs of growth as gardening boomed throughout lockdowns and has accelerated the trend of sustainable-conscious consumers seeking eco-friendly products to tend to their gardens. 

Paul Adams, Partner, Duke Street, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with management to acquire COMPO, the market leader in traditional and sustainable gardening products in continental Europe and a brand that has a clear ESG leadership position. We have seen a material increase in gardening and gardeners in recent years, with consumers embracing the broad benefits that the activity brings to their lives. We look forward to working with COMPO’s excellent management team as we implement its strategy, supported by significant investment and follow-on capital from us and our investors, that will enable the organisation to grow both organically and by acquisition across Europe.”

Stephan Engster, CEO, COMPO, said: “We at COMPO are thrilled to be partnering with Duke Street, who recognised and shared our ambition for this business. Together we are ideally positioned to build a diversified European business to better serve our customers and end-consumers. In particular, we have the right blend of experience, ability and vision to accelerate our growth by expanding our reach and providing consumers across Europe with the most extensive range of organic, sustainable and traditional products. After enjoying the support of Kingenta for a number of years, the business is poised for this exciting next stage of its evolution. Sustainability is of particular importance for Duke Street and that aligns perfectly with our careful stewardship of this business and with the growing priorities of our customers and end-consumers.”

The acquisition of COMPO follows Duke Street’s investment in Kent Pharmaceuticals and Athlone Laboratories, manufacturers and distributors of specialist generic pharmaceuticals, in 2019 and Great Rail Journeys, the world’s leading provider of escorted rail holidays, in July 2018. 

The transaction builds on Duke Street’s strong record of investment in Germany, having previously acquired A-Rosa, the German premium river cruise operator, in February 2018, and Medi-Globe, the medical diagnostics and treatment manufacturer, in 2016.

Duke Street sold Wagamama in October 2018 to The Restaurant Group plc, for an enterprise value in excess of £550 million, generating a 3.4x money multiple for the firm. 

Other successful exits by Duke Street include its investments in Baywater Healthcare (sold in 2017) and LM Funerals (sold in 2015), generating a total cash return of more than 5x and 2.6x respectively, for Duke Street and its investors.

A man has been arrested after a burglary at Greenacres Garden Centre on Aldermaston Road, Basingstoke.

Police were called just after 9pm on Wednesday (June 2) after two men were seen breaking into the garden centre. Several tubs of paint were stolen but have been recovered.

Ministry of Defence Police officers were first on scene and arrested a 27-year-old man from Wokingham. He remains in custody at this time.

Enquiries are ongoing to trace the second suspect.

Officers investigating would like to hear from anyone who has any information. Please phone 101 with reference 44210215218.

In advance of the launch of GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020, GTN's Northern Correspondent, Steve Myatt, paid a visit to Barton Grange to bring you this first GTN Xtra Christmas photo tour.

To add your garden centre Christmas photo tour to GTN Xtra simply get snapping and enter The Greatest Christmas Awards.  See the categories here.  Send an e-mail to trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk for more details

Here's a sneak preview of the photo tour submitted by Squires at Badshot Lea as part of their entry in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020.

There's over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020 so get snapping and enter your garden centre team today!

Full details are here.

Here's a sneak preview of Perrywoods photo tour entry in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards for 2020, including the vital ingredient for all entries, team photos. See the gallery of photos below.  Apologies for the wrong photos being included in yesterdays edition.

There's over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards so get snapping and enter today.  Full details can be found here.

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 Garden 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.

Pet trade specialist Vital Pet Group has become the exclusive distributor of 100% organic pet food range Yarrah.  With almost 30 years of experience, Yarrah is one of the leading organic pet food brands in Europe, with a full range of premium dog and cat food and treats.

In partnership with Vital, Yarrah has developed an innovative programme of marketing activity to support retailers ready to create or expand their organic range.  

Stockists will be able to order an attractive Free Standing Display Unit (FSDU), which stocks a wide selection of products from across the range. With each FSDU purchase, a marketing support budget will be available to help drive customers to the shop. Also, help from Vital’s marketing department is available to help retailers identify the right strategies to welcome environmentally conscious consumers and introduce the brand. For those ordering the large FSDU, the budget totals a generous £250.* Yarrah has also developed POS packs which include shelf wobblers, a poster and floor stickers to help improve communication about the benefits of organic. 

The demand for organic products is rapidly increasing in areas where the consumer has a high emotional involvement, such as personal health or baby care.  With the increased humanisation of pets, pet care is quickly following suit and the demand for organic pet food is growing. Organic food offers a clean answer to consumer concerns for animal welfare, an increased focus on health and the environmental impact of consumption.

With over 60% of consumers happy to pay more and change their shopping habits to help reduce negative impact on the environment, Yarrah is well positioned to be the product of choice. Having been awarded the Good Shopping Guide ‘Ethical Company Award’ they are committed to not using any pesticides, GMO’s, antibiotics or intensively farmed meat in any of their products. Packaging is plastic free or fully recyclable, which appeals to green consumers who are driving forces behind market growth. 

Cath Jesse, Product Innovation Consultant at Vital Pet Group, is happy to be welcoming a new demographic of shoppers into stores with this range, “The high loyalty that organic shoppers have to a brand is desirable for any business. Giving our stockists the opportunity to attract ‘green shoppers’ to their premises is really exciting. Yarrah embraces innovative approaches and is providing a generous marketing support budget, to help retailers realise the full potential of this opportunity.”  

Yarrah’s wet and dry food recipes have been developed in cooperation with top pet food scientists, with grain free and vegetarian options. 

UK sales manager for Yarrah, Gerwin Boer says “Pet owners are increasingly looking for healthy pet foods and trustworthy brands and we are proud of our transparency and ability to bring ethical, sustainable pet food into the UK. Our food and treats are of the highest quality for all stages of an animal’s life.”

Retailers wanting to know more can contact Vital on 01837 883000 or talk directly to Roy Farrell of Vital Pet Group on 07966 464512.

*Terms and conditions apply, offer available while FSDU stocks last.

Sniffers Pet Care is moving into larger premises and taking on more staff to cope with growing demand for its products.

The business will move to a new 22,500 sq ft home at the Lowfields Business Park, Elland, this month while director Simon Brown said three roles had been created as a result of the move, taking the headcount to 12.

Sniffers supplies healthy, ethically sourced pet treats to the wholesale market, including its own-brand Buffalo Natural Dog Treats and the Walter Smith range. The business also owns the exclusive UK distribution rights to the BowWow range of treats.

Sniffers has enjoyed an impressive growth trajectory over the past 12 months, taking significant orders from industry giants such as Pets At Home and Jollyes.

Turnover is currently up 50% year-on-year and the business is likely to hit its target for the next year end a full six months ahead of schedule. The company recorded its largest ever turnover of £1.3m in September and is on track to hit the £2m mark by September 2021 – and £3m by the following year.

Growth throughout the pandemic has been steep in response to the increasing number of people welcoming a dog into their home. Around a quarter of UK households now own at least one dog and, said Simon, demand for high quality, healthy treats was growing.

“We’re experiencing something of a golden age of dog ownership at the moment,” said Simon, “and we recognise that today’s owners are passionate about the health of their pets and what they feed them.

“There has been a definite move away from high sugar, unhealthy treats towards healthier options made from natural ingredients. As a specialist supplier of high quality, healthy treats, we have experienced a huge surge in demand for our products as owners seek out options that are natural but that their pets will love.

“It’s great news for us as a business and suppliers, who benefit from our superior service, but it’s also good news for the local economy as it means we can take on more staff and get more people from this community into employment.”

The new base will allow for palletised distribution and includes a dedicated finishing line. Simon added: “The extra space at the new warehouse will enable us to continue to grow, both in terms of sales and headcount. Creating employment in this area is something I’m passionate about, it’s a driving force behind the business.”

Sniffers Pet Care distributes a wide range of products to more than 1,000 pet care stores across the UK, from independent traders to household names such as Pets At Home. For more, go to the website https://www.snifferspetcare.co.uk/

Dog-loving visitors to the Royal residence at Sandringham in Norfolk can now treat their pets to a new lead and collar from an exclusive range.

Pooches in the parkland can look effortlessly stylish whilst enjoying a walk, wearing an elegant coat made in Sandringham Royal Tweed or a smart leather collar with matching lead. 

Dogs of all shapes and sizes can snooze on Sandringham fleece blankets or cosy up for the night on a Tweed dog bed. 

And natural treat biscuits have been developed using venison and game from the estate, all baked locally. 

The 11-piece range comprises a leather key tag (£6.99) and leather clip (£12.99), accessory pouch (£16.99), bandana (from £14.99), bone toy and treat pouch (both £19.99), collars (from £29.99), coats (from £39.99), leather leads (from £36.99), fleece blanket (£24.99) and pet beds (from £49.99). 

The new range can be purchased from the Sandringham Courtyard Shop on the Sandringham estate.