Make the most of the next eight weeks
Some sunshine, albeit still cold, has started to turn the GTN Bestsellers sales charts in the right direction, and with significant warmer weather forecast for this weekend, you never know the season could be just about to go into hyper drive...
Some sunshine, albeit still cold, has started to turn the GTN Bestsellers sales charts in the right direction, and with significant warmer weather forecast for this weekend, you never know the season could be just about to go into hyper drive.
As our prediction chart shows, if we have great weeks of sales between now and the end of May we can recover all that we’ve lost and be almost 3% up year on year.
To stand a chance of that, of course, we need the weather to be on our side. And we also need every single member of a garden centre’s staff to be at their best when it comes to linked sales.
You need to make sure your customers buy everything they need for their gardening project during their visit to your store. Don’t leave them to think about going elsewhere. They are more likely to come back to your centre if you’ve sold them everything they need.
This week’s GTN Bestsellers charts show the desire is there as the keener gardeners have been out shopping even in the cold – more garden products were sold last week than in the same week last year. Remember the cold spell that came after a warm March?
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year:
- Garden Products – up 14%
- Veg-2-Gro – up 9%
- Growing Media – Down 19%
- All items index – Down 9% (compared to Easter last year).
See the full GTN Garden Products Bestsellers Chart here. Subscribers Only
To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business. Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
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Garden centres told to keep an eye on stock levels
Concerns grow amid reports of plants being dumped
Garden centres are being urged to ensure plant stock levels can meet demand if there is a sudden buying rush. The warning follows news that commercial growers are being forced to throw away vast quantities of spring plants due to slow sales at garden centres...
Garden centres are being urged to ensure plant stock levels can meet demand if there is a sudden buying rush...
The warning follows news that commercial growers are being forced to throw away vast quantities of spring plants due to slow sales at garden centres.
As temperatures rose this weekend, GCA interim Chief Executive Iain Wylie (below) said: "We're all hoping for a prolonged spell of warm weather and if we get it then garden centres must be able to cope with the demand.
 "The big concern is there may be shortages of plant stocks if reports of growers dumping flowers are correct. I have every sympathy for the growers because they are in a no-win situation.
"We know that poor sales can't be blamed on a lack of enthusiasm from gardeners. The desire is there – we just need some good weather, and the rest of April and May could help businesses to recover."
Peter Burks, Chairman of the GCA and Regional Manager of The Garden Centre Group, said: "I've heard suggestions that instead of dumping unwanted plants they should be given to worthy causes. But we are talking about a huge amount of plants, not a few trays here and there, so logistically it would be too big a task. Anyway, if the demand for these plants was there, then growers and garden centres wouldn't have unsold stock."
Growers of early spring plants destined for gardens are reporting "catastrophic" impacts on their businesses from slow garden centre sales, cancelled retail orders, and poor consumer demand, according to the National Farming Union.
Ian Riggs from the NFU said retailers are "abandoning" the spring season, forcing their suppliers to throw away large quantities of unsold stock.
"With consumers not showing much interest in getting out into their gardens during the cold weather retailers are abandoning the spring season and moving their attentions to summer stock.
"This leaves growers holding vast quantities of unsold stock, which will most likely have to be thrown away as there is no other market."
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A levy on carrier bags came into effect on Monday this week in Northern Ireland, the second part of the UK to impose the charge. Wales was the first, in 2011. The move has proved unpopular with Northern Ireland retailers, who must now collect 5p for every bag used. Diana Gass, MD of Creative Gardens, who have garden centres at Donaghadee in County Down and Bushmills in Country Antrim, said: “We were initially worried about it. We felt it is very bad customer service to charge for bags, especially for more expensive items of clothing or giftware. “By and large customers seem to have taken it in their stride and understand the issue. It has been quite well publicised so many bring their own bags with them.” She said consumer reluctance to pay the levy had dramatically reduced their use of bags. “We are selling our own reusable bags, as we always have, but not many. We of course can, and do, supply boot liners and plant trays and boxes free of charge. “Customers are inclined to take the shopping basket to the car so we may find that any saving we make on bags will be taken up by replacing baskets!” The Irish Republic introduced a bag tax in 2002 and has raised £180m to date for environmental protection projects. The Northern Ireland Minister says the new levy will be spent in a similar way. He is also considering a further 10p levy on reusable bags.
How long will it be, we wonder, before England and Scotland follow suit?
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New lorry gives Vitax exposure on the move
Vitax Ltd is taking to the road in a fully liveried vehicle with the support of Graylaw Freight Group...
Vitax Ltd is taking to the road in a fully liveried vehicle with the support of Graylaw Freight Group.
The horticulture and garden product manufacturer took its first look at the branded 13.6 metre, double-decker trailer at its Skelmersdale office as it prepared to make its first deliveries across the UK.
Graylaw Freight Group has been working with Vitax for seven years and the new lorry represents the growing partnership.
Graylaw was established in 1985 and specialises in direct daily services to Isle of Man, Ireland, UK and Channel Isles. This particular lorry will transport goods from Vitax’s factory in Skelmersdale to its nationwide suppliers.
Carl Welsh, Vitax’s General Manager at Skelmersdale, says “This is a new concept for us and it’s great to see the Vitax brand on the road.
“It will give Vitax a visual presence on the road and increase awareness of the brand.”
To find out more about Vitax and its products visit: www.vitax.co.uk
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Lawn care products in big demand
Finally, the nation’s gardeners are starting to get outside and do some serious work, with lawn care being uppermost in their minds, according to this week's GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart...
Finally, the nation’s gardeners are starting to get outside and do some serious work, with lawn care being uppermost in their minds. There has been a significant increase in demand for weed and feed products now that Spring has finally arrived.
The three main accolades in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart – Highest Climber, High Re-entry and Highest New Entry – are all lawn care products from Westland with Lawn Feed & Moss Killer (400 sq m) being the highest place, moving up 27 places to No 11. Scotts Evergreen Complete has also seen a 50% increase in sales to move up to No 19.
Another sign that gardeners are becoming more active is the number of gardening gloves in the Top 50, headed by Gardman Premium Ladies Suede Work Gloves at No 2.
There is a broad range of products in the chart this week with seed sowing items still proving very popular.
Lighting is also proving to be a popular item – both Gardman and Smart Solar figure in the Top 10 – and orchid product sales continue to sell well with the Fito Drip Feeder reclaiming its No 1 position.
See the full GTN Garden Products Bestsellers Chart here. Subscribers Only
To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business. Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
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Natural & Organic Products Europe marks best ever show
The 17th annual Natural & Organic Products Europe trade event has announced record breaking attendance figures for its 2013 edition, which took place at London’s Olympia...
The 17th annual Natural & Organic Products Europe trade event, organised by Diversified UK, has announced record breaking attendance figures for its 2013 edition, which took place at London’s Olympia.
With 8,810 industry professionals from 76 different countries packing the aisles over the two days, the show enjoyed an unparalleled 20% increase in unique attendees (excluding revisits) compared to 7,352 in 2012.
Carol Dunning, who took over as Natural & Organic Products Europe’s event manager last year, is delighted with the phenomenal feedback the show has inspired so far: “Having just had the best attendance in the show’s 17-year history, it proves that the natural and organic industries are getting stronger and becoming more mainstream than ever before.
"Consumers are showing increasing awareness of the benefits of following a natural and healthy lifestyle, and this sector is reacting to that demand. We had a record number of innovative launches this year and the hall was packed with knowledge-aware retailers and buyers – I must say I’m excited about the future for this hardworking industry!”
Exhibitor Angela Walker, sales director at Viridian Nutrition, was equally upbeat in praising the “fantastic energy” at this year’s show. Whilst Martin Greaves, sales director at Natupharma UK commented: “I have been in the industry for 15 years and this is the best trade show I have ever done!”
“We’ve developed more leads at Natural & Organic Products Europe 2013 than 4 days spent at Biofach!” said Natracare’s Sophie Ottoway. “We have met buyers from health stores, pharmacies and have developed international contacts from UK to Pakistan and Eastern Europe to Scandinavia. We re-booked on the first day of the show!”
Richard Anderson, product manager at The Health Store was just one of thousands of visitors who left Natural & Organic Products Europe with a host of new business contacts: “There is a really positive vibe this year, some great new and interesting products and it’s also been great to catch up with existing suppliers. I’ve been coming to the show for 9 years and think it’s the best show yet!”
 As ever, the show’s New Product Showcase was a hive of activity – and for the first port of call for many visiting buyers. Featuring a record total of 297 entries for 2013, showcase visitors cast over 1200 votes for their favourites on Sunday 7 April.
The winning exhibitors were presented with their trophies by BBC wildlife presenter Michaela Strachan at the industry’s prestigious Natural and Organic Awards later that night.
This year’s winning products included Little Big Shot by Little Big Shot Energy (drink); Organic Sea Salted Dry Cured Rasher by Friland Økologi FMBA (organic food); Coyo Mango Coconut Milk Yogurt by Marigold Health Foods Limited (special diet); Rawlicious Raw Kale Chips by Inside Organics (food); Palm Leaf Retail Pack by The Wholeleaf Co (natural living & home); SOLGAR 7 by Solgar Vitamins (VMS); and Nourishing Brightener by Pukka Herbs (natural beauty & spa).
See some of the products that caught he eye of the GTN Xtra team below.
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Soccer star Carlos Tevez pots plants at Macclesfield Community Garden Centre
Manchester City player Carlos Tevez starred in front of 76,000 fans at Old Trafford on Monday...then spent Tuesday potting plants at Macclesfield Community Garden Centre...
Manchester City player Carlos Tevez starred in front of 76,000 fans at Old Trafford on Monday...then spent Tuesday potting plants at Macclesfield Community Garden Centre.
The Argentine international has been sentenced to carry out 250 hours of community service for breaching a driving ban and was ordered to do the work at the garden centre.
Tevez arrived in his Porsche, just as he had done on day one of his punishment when he spent time cleaning an industrial estate. The striker spent two hours potting plants in a grey jumper and blue tracksuit bottoms.
On Sunday he will take to the Wembley turf to lead City's charge against Chelsea in their FA Cup semi-final.
GTN Xtra contacted Macclesfield Community Garden Centre but a spokesman said there was no comment to be made on Tevez's appearance at the centre.
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Poplars GC pair to skydive for children's cancer charity
Poplars Garden Centre general manager Alastair Jackson and leisure assistant Mikala Cornwell are doing a charity skydive in July to raise funds for charity...
Poplars Garden Centre general manager Alastair Jackson and leisure assistant Mikala Cornwell are doing a charity skydive in July to raise funds for charity.
Mikala’s godson Rhys Kiernan was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2011 so the Children’s Cancer Charity CLIC Sargent seemed the perfect charity to support. The skydive will take place at Sibson Airfield near Peterborough on Saturday, July 20.
Both Alastair and Mickala have always wanted to do a skydive – it was one of the things Mickala said she'd do before turning 40 while Alastair admits to having a midlife crisis.
 Rhys was diagnosed with a slow growing, cancerous brain tumour at the age of four and he has undergone several life-saving operations.
After the tumour was successfully removed, Rhys had other complications. He developed a form of Meningitis and also Hydrocephalus (water on the brain). He then had a shunt inserted directly into his brain, which controls the fluid and disperses it into his abdomen.
Rhys spent many weeks in hospital and for most of this time, he was bedridden. It was a very difficult time for his family but he still managed to smile and make everyone laugh!
Thankfully, Rhys is now a healthy, happy and very lively five-year-old. He still has to have 6 monthly check-ups and for his family, every little ache or pain is a constant worry!
While Rhys was in hospital, money was very tight for his family. Mum Keely lived at the hospital and dad Leigh ran the family home, looking after their two other sons Ethan and Harvey and holding down a job.
They were introduced to the work of CLIC Sargent, and were given a grant which helped Leigh to afford the two-and-a-half hour journey to the hospital every day.
CLIC Sargent also offered support, advice and someone to talk to.
"We are so happy to be able to help raise funds and awareness for this fantastic charity to enable them to continue helping families deal with cancer," said Alastair and Mikala.
Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/alastair-jackson1 or www.justgiving.com/mikala-cornwell
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All National Gardening Week needs is the weather…
Garden centres are hoping for good weather for National Gardening Week...
Garden centres will be hoping that the weather for next week’s National Gardening Week (15-21 April) is better than the conditions that dulled the impact of last month’s Garden Re-Leaf Day. National Gardening Week is being driven by the RHS, with trade backing from the HTA. The aim is to urge people to get outside and fall back in love with their gardens. Key activity themes include sowing wildflowers to make Britain beautiful and buzz with wildlife and promoting the value to the economy and the environment of a career in horticulture. The RHS will promote its Perfect for Pollinators plant lists and there will also be advice and ideas online to help people sow and grow wildflowers and other plants to help pollinating insects’ source pollen and nectar. The HTA say many garden centres will are be hosting localised events, including hanging baskets and container workshops, grow your own demonstrations and how to make a herb planter. HTA director general Carol Paris said: “Following a disappointing start to the year, there is a lot of pent up enthusiasm from the public who want to get outside and garden. We are delighted to support the RHS National Gardening Week which will kick start the long overdue season. This also echoes the HTA’s ‘Spring into Summer’ campaign which aims to inspire consumers throughout the season.”
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Get your entries in for the GIMA Awards
GIMA have launched their awards for 2013 and are now urging companies to submit their entries...
GIMA have launched their awards for 2013 and are now urging companies to submit their entries.
In total there are eight product categories, three marketing and two special achievement awards.
The eight product awards are:
- Garden Care
- Garden Tools, Machinery and Implements
- Outdoor Leisure, Garden Structures & Features
- Plants, Seeds and Bulbs
- Garden Landscaping
- Garden Retail Related Products
- Pet Care, Aquatics and Wild Bird Care Products
The GIMA Sword of Excellence is presented to the best of the winners from the eight product categories above.
The marketing categories are:
- Best Point of Sale Material
- Best Consumer Product Packaging (consumer packs only)
- Best Marketing Communication Award
Special achievement awards:
- Export Achievement Award (sponsored by Gardenex)
- Supplier of the Year Award (sponsored by The Garden Centre Association)
 Roundup Gel was a multi-award winner at the GIMA Awards 2012, and capped an amazing year for the bestselling product. Gary Philpotts said: “These Awards are impressive because they are judged by your trade customers and peers – you can’t get a better endorsement than that.
"The Gel product has just been amazing and the awards it picked up were just amazing. As a result we received tremendous coverage in the media, giving Roundup Gel even more great exposure. It was good to know the trade appreciated and understood what we were trying to do with this product.”
 Solus Garden & Leisure won the Supplier of the Year category at the GIMA Awards in 2012. “It gave everyone, from our drivers to the office staff, a massive boost,” said Nick Davies.
“Winning the award was a combined team effort, and it is something we’re very proud of. We have used the accolade in a lot of our sales and marketing material because we felt it was important, and we wanted to tell people about it.”
The GIMA Awards will take place at a gala dinner on July 18 at The Queens in Leeds,
To enter for the awards click here or use the button (GIMA Awards Ad) on the front page.
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T&M's plant breeder scoops RHS award
Thompson & Morgan’s plant breeder Charles Valin has been awarded the 2013 Reginald Cory Memorial Cup by the Royal Horticultural Society. This prestigious award is given to encourage and reward the production of new garden hardy hybrids...
Thompson & Morgan’s plant breeder Charles Valin has been awarded the 2013 Reginald Cory Memorial Cup by the Royal Horticultural Society. This prestigious award is given to encourage and reward the production of new garden hardy hybrids.
Since 2005 it has been presented to a plant breeder whose work in the hybridisation of a particular species has resulted in the introduction and general availability of exciting new hardy hybrid varieties.
Charles’ most fabulous - and now famous - creation to date is the foxglove, ‘Illumination Pink’, which won the 2012 RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year award.
Thanks to Charles’ work, Thompson & Morgan will be launching further colours in the ‘Illumination’ range this year, including an apricot version named ‘Chelsea Gold’ to mark the centenary of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Originally from France, Charles has been breeding plants at Thompson & Morgan for nine years and is responsible for creating some of the company’s most impressive new plant varieties.
His achievements include the hugely successful dwarf, branching buddleja, ‘Buzz’™, which now comes in 5 colours, and the highly popular fuchsia ‘Lady in Black’ which is renowned for its ‘flower power’ and which can be used as a climber.
Charles was also the first breeder to create an F1 hybrid laurentia and is also well-known for his work with hollyhocks, hellebores, fuchsias and begonias.
Charles says that he feels very lucky to have a job that he enjoys so much and that he finds it both fun and exciting to see what he can create through his work.
Thompson & Morgan’s managing director, Paul Hansord, commented: ‘We are very proud of Charles’ and pleased that his work has been recognised by the RHS’.
To find out more about Charles’ work in plant breeding, go to his web page at www.thompson-morgan.com/discover-new-plants
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Axida ‘revolutionised’ home delivery for Shire Garden Buildings
Shire Garden Buildings has implemented the UK’s leading two-man home delivery software to keep pace with its growing order book.
Shire Garden Buildings has implemented the UK’s leading two-man home delivery software to keep pace with its growing order book.
Axida’s HDi software is taking care of the Shire’s delivery service from the point of order to fulfillment.
The family-owned business in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, has become synonymous with Britain’s garden culture. It is a top manufacturer and supplier of timber buildings and other outdoor structures to major retailers and leading garden centres.
Dee Shore, general manager at Shire, said: “Shire delivers directly to the end customer on behalf of the retailers and we had grown to a point where we needed a more sophisticated system in place. Axida’s HDi has revolutionised the delivery process for us, allowing us to keep track of orders, and become much more efficient and informed.
“As a result of implementing Axida’s HDi, we now have a delivery service to match the quality of our products.”
HDi allows businesses to dramatically improve customer service and their bottom line through increasing first time delivery success, maximising drops per vehicle, reducing time resolving problems and cutting the cost of customer contact.
Wayne Holgate (pictured), director at Axida, said: “Shire has taken advantage of our new cloud-based version of HDi which is ideal for mid-market retailers, delivery companies and manufacturers. The solution is ideally placed to assist the growing number of drop ship vendors supplying marketplace retailers.
“Shire operates its own fleet of vehicles and customer services centre, and HDi has enabled them to make the delivery process more reliable, efficient and cost-effective. It has greatly improved service levels to the end customer and is satisfying the retailers they supply, without requiring further resources and staff.
“We are very pleased to be working with Shire as the company is a great example of successful British manufacturing,” he added.
Shire is also utilising HDi’s self-service module, a new feature of the software that allows customers to take control of their deliveries via their smart phone, tablet or PC. The company has reported that 46% per cent of consumers are making use of the module, providing convenience to the customer whilst simultaneously reducing outbound contact costs.
Recent developments of HDi with major benefits for SMEs include secure, resilient hosting via Microsoft Azure, removing prohibitive cost barriers to entry and enabling a per-transaction pricing model. In addition, the modular nature of the software enables Axida to support businesses of varying sizes across sectors without infrastructure upheaval and extensive development.
Longstanding customers of HDi for two-man and other forms of delivery include Laura Ashley, IKEA, Wickes, and third party logistics companies CEVA Logistics (which provides delivery services for a range of customers including Tesco Direct, J Sainsbury, Multiyork and Silent Night) and Wincanton (which provides dedicated services to M&S).
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Veg sales start to pick up
This week’s GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart makes cheery reading as sales of seeds, onion sets and plug plants start to pick up after the bitterly cold weather conditions...
This week’s GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart makes cheery reading as sales of seeds, onion sets and plug plants start to pick up after the bitterly cold weather conditions.
Suttons dominate the top of the chart with eight entries in the Top 10, headed by Grafted Tomato Elegance. They have five other tomato varieties in the mix.
KinderGarden Tomato Gardeners Delight, 4 cell plugs, is another good seller at No 10.
Quantil have three new entries – Cucumber F1 8cm, Sweet Pepper Red 8cm, and Cucumber Mini 8cm – while Farplants Garlic Provence Wight 11cm enters the chart for the first time at No 30.
The highest climber is Taylors Onion Sets Sturon, moving up 31 places to No 11, and the same company has the highest re-entry with Onion Sets Stur BC 20 at No 14.
Other re-entries include Unwins Seed Potatoes Pentland Crown at No 21 and Thompson & Morgan Tomato Sungold F1 at No 32.
See the full GTN Veg 2 Gro Bestsellers Chart here. Subscribers Only
To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business. Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
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March retail footfall down across the board
Footfall in March was 5.2% down across the entire retail sector, according to the BRC's footfall monitor...
The British Retail Consoortium/Springboard monthly footfall monitor gives us proof, if any were needed, of just how badly the weather affected retailers in March. Overall footfall in the month was 5.2% down on a year ago (following February’s modest 0.8% rise). This is the weakest performance since April 2012, when footfall declined 6.9%. March 2012 saw unseasonably warm weather. High streets reported the greatest fall this year (down 7%), followed by out-of-town (down 4.2%) and shopping centres (down 2.4%). Helen Dickinson, British Retail Consortium director general, said the prolonged cold was the main culprit. “Although footfall did pick up around the Easter weekend, it couldn’t fully compensate for a weak showing across the month as a whole.” Diane Wehrle, retail insights director at Springboard, said the Budget and media attention given to the reform to the benefit system had also hit consumer confidence. All seven regions in England reported a decline in footfall, with the East Midlands, South West and the North and Yorkshire all returning counts below the UK average.
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Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre in Somerset is taking its expertise, plants and products to customers’ garden gates this month...
The centre plans to bus staff and products from most departments in a pop-up garden centre style to interested communities in the county
General Manager Norma Moore said: “We are very keen to meet the community’s needs. We thought it would be a great idea to take our business on the road and are looking to create a mini garden centre on wheels, we’re calling it the pop up garden centre concept. We think we’re the first in the country to do this.
 “This means people without transport, those who are less mobile or anyone wishing to save on rising petrol costs can still access our expertise, plants and products without having to travel to the garden centre.
“Experts from our plant, shop, pet and craft departments will be on the garden centre bus and will stop in any villages that would like a visit to offer free expert advice. Our plant specialists will be on-board and will be happy to visit people’s individual gardens to advise them on plants that might work for them or even how to care for their existing shrubs and flowers.”
The Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre mobile vehicle will also contain a selection of plants and products that people can purchase on the day.
Norma added: “Depending on the replies we get from villages we hope to roll out the scheme from April onwards, subject to response and resources.
“We are really excited about our new venture and are looking forward to getting out on the road. We hope to see lots of our customers along the way.”
Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre was awarded the Albert Goodman Family Business Award at the Somerset Business Awards in 2012.
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Big opportunities for growing media
It continues to be tough going for growing media sales but there are signs of increased gardening activity...and that offers great opportunities in the coming weeks...
It continues to be tough going for growing media sales but there are signs of increased gardening activity...and that offers great opportunities in the coming weeks.
Sales are up on the previous week although they’re still way behind the same week of previous years – down 19% on 2012 and 52% on 2011.
Bags of vegetable compost are starting to move, and the highest re-entry in the Growing Media chart is Westland West+ Rose, Tree and Shrub Compost.
See the full GTN Growing Media Bestsellers Chart here. Subscribers Only
To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business. Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
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The Old Railway Line Garden Centre at Three Cocks near Hay-on-Wye is offering customers using its Railway Restaurant free Wi-Fi access.
Katie Cleary (pictured), shop manager at the garden centre, said: “The service will give restaurant customers the opportunity to sit and relax with a drink or meal and surf the web for work or pleasure.
“Customers will be given the login details for the Wi-Fi on the bottom of their restaurant till receipt. This is part of the garden centre’s ongoing, award-winning customer service initiatives. It is free and delivers a high-speed internet connection.
“We’re always interested in new ideas and technology here at The Old Railway Line Garden Centre and are keen to provide our customers with the opportunity to have business meetings here, receive emails and use their laptops to visit their favourite websites.
“There’s definitely a customer demand for this service and we’re really pleased to be able to offer it at the garden centre.”
The award-winning, independent family-run garden centre was established in 1990 by owners, Mark and Christina Cleary.
The Railway Restaurant, which has views of the Radnorshire Hills, is open seven days a week and seats 150 people.
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Lechuza, the leading German manufacturer of self watering planters and pots, is launching in the UK.
The injection-moulded plastic planters and pots offer excellent design, high quality and value for money. The brand has been available on the European market since 2000 and to date, one in every three planters in German offices is a Lechuza. It has also been awarded numerous awards including the coveted Red Dot Award for product design.
The company hopes to replicate this success in the UK, where Lechuza planters can already be seen in hotel lobbies, airports and workplaces. The launch will be supported by an extensive marketing campaign including advertising and PR.
The pots, which are widely used by professional landscapers and green fingered consumers, are famed for their sub-irrigation system, which provides plants with the exact amount of water they need for optimum growth for up to 12 weeks. The Lechuza sub-irrigation system includes an easy to read water level indicator, water supply shaft for easy fertilising and watering, and separator with ‘pon’ layer, which ensures just the right amount of water reaches the plants. When outdoors, the removable drainage plugs prevent excess rainwater from damaging plants.
The wide choice of sizes and styles available makes Lechuza ideal for any type of planting, whether growing herbs or fruit, showcasing flowers or creating a larger focus point, with options for hanging baskets and windowsill planters. Each Lechuza plant pot is made from 100% recyclable plastic, meaning they are lightweight and, unlike materials such as terracotta, are both frost and shatter proof. The range also offers two styles of plant liners that allow easy transfer for repotting.
There are three main styles available:
Cottage
- Wicker style finish
- 11 colours available including mocha, granite, yellow, white, black, purple
- 7 styles including Nido hanging baskets, Balaconera for window sills, three sectioned Trio and cylindrical Cilindro
- Sizes from 18cm to 75cm in height with a wide variety of base widths
Premium
- High gloss finish
- 9 colours available including white, grey, black, purple, red, yellow
- 12 styles available including table planter Delta, square Cubico and rounded Classico
- Sizes range from 25cm to over 1m in height with a variety of base widths
Trend
- Matt finish
- 4 colours available including white, nutmeg, purple and slate
- 2 styles available include rounded Classico, and square Cubico
- Sizes range from 18cm in height to over 75cm with a variety of base widths
Jamie Dickinson, from Lechuza, commented: “Plants make a huge difference to the environment around us, but not everyone has the time to look after them or a big budget for expensive solutions. We noticed this gap in the market and used our experience and expertise working with plastic to address this. Lechuza planters harness the latest technology to provide self watering planters of a high quality, for indoor and outdoor use. With RRPs starting from less than £10, the range also suits all budgets.”
Lechuza was created by the makers of Playmobil toys, building on a longstanding history of working with high quality injection moulding.
To find out more visit www.lechuza.co.uk or phone 01268 548111.
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Vicky Nuttall, head of marketing at Forest Garden, was voted in as president of the Garden Industry Manufactures Association (GIMA) at this week’s AGM, attended by more than 60 members. Steve Millington, sales director at Bosmere Products, is the new vice president and Richard Pyrah from Kelkay has taken on the role of honorary secretary. Andy Simmons of Pest Stop Products continues as honorary treasurer. Six new council members were elected: Alan Sheppard (Burgon & Ball), Tara Truman (William Sinclair), Colin Wetherley-Mein (VITAX), Chris Holloway (Town & Country), Rebecca Fairbairn (Westland) and David Carey (Mr. Fothergill’s Seed). The new president said GIMA would be also be adding Meet the Buyer days to their calendar of events this year. GIMA would ensure that the supplier’s voice continued to be heard on issues affecting the industry through lobbying and working closely with other trade associations. Membership fees were frozen for the fifth successive year, and a break-even financial position is budgeted for the current operating year, including the successful relocation of the office facilities to the Gardenex federation in Kent. Membership of GIMA is open to all manufacturers and suppliers of retail garden products who have a UK or European base.
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Charlotte Richards has been appointed a director of her family’s horticultural business – Golden Acres – which her father Paul started in 1980.
Nineteen-year-old Charlotte is currently working her way through every department of the business to gain experience.
The company is a large specialist grower of bedding plants – three million plants each year – and also owns five garden centres in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Warwickshire.
Charlotte said: “I’m learning the business from the bottom up and thoroughly enjoying the experience.
“I love plants especially bedding, which are so varied and colourful. That’s entirely what we focus on in our growing nurseries in Hampshire and Dorset. Then we sell the plants through our own centres and also supply to other garden centres around the south.”
Visit the company's website at www.golden-acres-nursery.co.uk
Supermarket garden shopping on the rise
Bankers Santander say that almost a third of supermarket shoppers now regularly buy gardening products with their groceries...
A bew study by bankers Santander reveals that almost a third of supermarket shoppers regularly buy gardening products with their groceries. Santander say eight million shoppers (16 per cent) claim they are now using supermarkets as ‘one-stop shops’ by purchasing all their non-food items as well as food products there. Around 98 per cent of people now purchase at least some non-food items such as clothes or electronics from their local supermarket, either for convenience or to take advantage of competitive prices and loyalty rewards. Regular gardening and DIY purchases at supermarkets were cited by 32 per cent. Alan Mathewson, CEO of Santander Cards, said: “While independent retailers continue to offer a more traditional high street experience, competitive pricing and generous rewards mean many consumers are looking to consolidate their purchasing habits under just one roof.”
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Design and marketing agency Chalk and Cheese still prides itself on its high creative standards after celebrating 30 years in business.
The company has many clients in the garden trade, including GIMA, Notcutts and Longacres.
David 'Chalky’ White and Adam Randall registered Chalk and Cheese Designs with Companies’ House on April 1, 1983, little expecting that the company would achieve 30 years trading.
“It all started with a hand painted sign for the Seckford Arms pub in Woodbridge”, explains founder member David White. “This was followed by more sign writing for Notcutts and Letraset projection slides for BT.”
Both David and Adam applied for a Government grant, courtesy of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, which was called the Enterprise Allowance Scheme. This provided the pair with £40.00 funding per week each for the first year, which enabled them to invest in modest premises and the specialist equipment required to become a working design and artwork studio.
Five years later the pair amicably parted and David formed Chalk and Cheese Advertising. The company grew and prospered as a full service agency specialising in the garden and motor trades, and employing a full compliment of creative and account management specialists, some of which eventually went on to run their own marketing companies in the region.
In 1998 David acquired Ruth Lowe Graphic Design and Chalk and Cheese Limited was formed. The company’s growth necessitated the purchase of larger premises at Friars Bridge Road by Portman Road football ground, where the team of designers enjoyed notable success when they created the well-known ‘Lock ‘em Inn’ crime prevention campaign which eventually became national.
“Running a design, marketing and publishing company with its characteristically fluid client base and full exposure to constantly changing economic conditions has been like riding a rollercoaster,” commented David.
“However, whilst riding the ups and downs the industry does have its compensations - for example, our recent new business drive has introduced a number of fresh accounts which are an absolute pleasure to work with.”
Throughout the last 20 years, David has worked with his Creative Director Richard Donald.
Today, Chalk and Cheese is starting its fourth decade in the design, marketing and publishing trade from its Neale Street, central Ipswich office and studio base. Despite having come through many changes the company’s core values remain and Chalk and Cheese still prides itself on the high creative standards which have been the key to its success over the last thirty years.
To find out more about Chalk & Cheese visit www.chalkandcheese.com
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