Click on the links below to see The Greatest Christmas Awards judges photo tours of the 17 Gold Award winning garden centres at Christmas 2022:

Altons - The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team, Barton Grange - The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team & The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team, Blue Diamond Newbridge - The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team, Gates - The Greatest Gardening Gifts Sales Team, Gouldings Santa Experience - The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team, Groves Bridport  - The Greatest Christmas Community Event Team, Klondyke High Legh - The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team, Little Dobbies Richmond - The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team, Longacres Bagshot - The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team, Meadowcroft - The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team, Pengelly - The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team, Pugh's Radyr - The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team, Pugh's Wenvoe - The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team, Rosebourne Aldermaston - The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team, Rosebourne Weyhill - The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team, The Old Railway Line - The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video, Woodlands Ash - The Greatest Festive Garden Centre Catering Team.

See all the photos from the Awards presentations at Spring Fair here.

Watch out for more judges photo tours over the coming weeks.

Organised by Associated Independent Stores (AIS), the UK’s leading buying group for Fashion, Home, and Leisure, the INDX Toy & Gift show will return to Cranmore Park on 14 – 15 March 2023 and visitor registration is open. 

In line with supplier and Buyer feedback, the 2023 show has been brought forward by one month, allowing greater accessibility to a wider audience of retailers and the news has been well received by the industry.  

The theme of the show is licensed toys, and the organising team are also using their combined 45 years of industry expertise to further expand the gifting sector.

“With the earlier dates, retailers will be able to see the latest products and trends in time to prepare for the Easter holiday trade… and the product offer available will reflect our diverse visitor footfall, which includes specialist toy and gift retailers, department stores, garden centres, farm shops, and leisure attractions.” Rosie Marshall, Head of Toys & Children's Gifts, AIS

Confirmed Toy suppliers include Character Options, Depesche (Top Model), Hasbro, Funko, Moose, Ravensburger, Spin Master, Schleich and Ty, whilst Gift suppliers will include Hippychick, Orange Tree Toys, Tonies, Happy Horse and Bam Bam.

Admission is free and attendees also enjoy free onsite parking, plus complimentary barista coffee and refreshments. 

Don’t miss this unrivalled opportunity to meet suppliers, source new ranges and network with the industry, register now!

Follow @INDXHome on social for all the latest news and updates:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/INDXHome

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indxhome/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/indxhome/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/INDXHome

Contact Details:

info@indxshows.co.uk

View the Special Edition of GTN Xtra featuring INDX Toy & Gift 2023, CLICK HERE

Online registration for the International Festival of Garden, Leisure and Pet, Glee 2023 – taking place at the NEC in late June (27th – 29th) - is now live. Join the show to see over 400 established and emerging brands, access unrivalled networking opportunities, discover thousands of new products as well as the latest market intelligence and trend-led insight.  

This year’s registration process – accessed via www.gleebirmingham.com/visitor-registration - is slightly different as the Glee team wants to ensure that they send the right information to visitors, to help them to make the most of their visit. All visitors just need to answer a few questions about their business via the online link. These details will then be checked and an email confirming their free digital ticket will arrive within one to two working days. 

Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director, said: “Glee’s role has always been to facilitate the growth of garden and pet retailing and the 2023 event - strategically positioned at the end of June - is poised to brilliantly fulfil that role, all with a fun, summery festival feel. The event is well placed to enable buyers from across the retail spectrum to meet with exciting new innovators and existing suppliers, source new products and place orders for the latter end of the 2023 season as well as looking ahead to 2024. Whilst onsite at the show, buyers can also glean invaluable information about future trends, pick up advice about all aspects of the business and understand the issues that are shaping our industry today.”

Don’t miss Glee 2023

As the International Festival of Garden, Leisure and Pet, Glee 2023 will connect the garden industry to inspire change, drive growth and launch innovation​ across three-action packed days.   Join the all-new Talent Store to learn more about the power of visual merchandising from the industry’s newest and emerging talent or visit Glee’s Green Heart to source the latest plant varieties.

The relocated Fire, Grill & Chill will be the place to see grills, barbeques and firepits in action, making it the go-to place for leisure buyers to source 2024 ranges. Innovation and ‘the next big thing’ can be seen at Glee’s dedicated New Product Showcase, often the first port of call for buyers who are looking for exciting new ranges.

Elsewhere, Glee will be packed full of added-value content including The Stage, where education will be the order of the day, whilst the industry’s leading buyers and buying teams are celebrated within the Buyers’ Power List.

Find out more

Glee connects the garden industry to inspire change, drive growth and launch innovation​.

To keep up to date on the latest Glee news visit www.gleebirmingham.com.  To enquire about exhibiting at Glee 2023, which will take place June 27th – 29th at the NEC, please call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.

Colin Wetherley-Mein, GIMA Membership Ambassador, has decided to officially call it a day and retire from GIMA, the leading garden retail supplier organisation. 

Colin has been a familiar face within the garden retail industry for 48 years, during his time having worked for Tufflink, Hurn Bros., and more recently, Vitax, where Colin spent 27 years.  During this time Colin also played an integral role on the GIMA Council, eventually becoming President in 2015.

Following his first retirement from Vitax in 2017 Colin wanted to keep supporting the industry he loves by working closely with the team at GIMA through his role as GIMA Membership Ambassador; a role originally created specifically with Colin in mind.  During his time with the association, Colin has been a fantastic support to so many GIMA members starting out in the sector, providing invaluable advice and information about how to succeed. 

Vicky Nuttall, GIMA Director said ‘Colin has been a great support to our members and also to me personally during my time at GIMA. There is no question that we’ll miss his energy and enthusiasm for our industry.  I know that everyone who Colin has worked with over the years will want to wish him a very long, happy and heathy retirement.’

Although Colin is retiring from GIMA, we may still see him around from time to time as he continues his work as Greenfingers Charity Trustee.  He also hopes to spend more time on his other passion as a cricket umpire.

Find out more

For  further information about GIMA and its wide range of member benefits, or if you would like to be part of the GIMA team, please contact the GIMA Press Office on (01959) 564947 or info@gima.org.uk

Fordingbridge installed a bespoke staggered taper trellis canopy at Notcutts Cranleigh, designed to enhance customer experience outside of their garden centre building, sheltering customers and products, whilst allowing full use of the business space whatever the weather. 

Big on scale and simple on design; this canopy blurs the line between inside and the outdoors introducing customers to open areas of the garden centre which may otherwise be missed due to the weather. 

This striking structure allows for plant displays performing at their best, regardless of the time of year, thanks to Fordingbridge’s bespoke fabric roofing; Opal 60. With this sheeting, natural light can flood the canopy whilst its waterproof properties can keep the rain at bay, rejuvenating customer interest and creating a signature to the outdoor retail spaces of Notcutts Cranleigh.

Contact Fordingbridge’s Technical Sales team today to arrange complimentary site visit to your Garden Centre – info@fordingbridge.co.uk, or alternatively call us on 01243 554455.

For more information visit: https://www.fordingbridge.co.uk/case-studies/notcutts-cranleigh/

LOFA has announced the addition of two experienced professionals – Steve Millington and Chris Newman – as Vice Chairman and Council Member, respectively. 

Steve. Sales Director at Tom Chambers, has been in the industry for 30 years. He will be instrumental in steering a successful future course for LOFA alongside existing Chairman Pravin Patel. 

Similarly, 4 Seasons Outdoor UK Ltd Managing Director Chris Newman, looks forward with enthusiasm to contributing his expertise towards helping and supporting members during this new chapter at LOFA.

GTN Xtra visited Bernaville Nurseries in Exeter on Thursday afternoon and found a vibrant centre doing great business.

We had a brief chat with Zoe Jackson, a member of the Jackson family who have run the centre for over 65 years.

"January was ok and February has been good," Zoe explained. "Hopefully the sun will continue to shine and business will stay brisk."

It certainly seemed brisk on Thursday with both the cafe and restaurant thriving. The plantereia looked great and had plenty of custom, and the atmosphere around the whole centre was sprightly.

See photo tour below

Garden Centre Association members unable to attend the organisation's recent annual conference are now able to view presentations from its inspectors on its website.

The presentations made by Alyson Haywood, Phil McCann, Colin Farquhar and Gordon Emslie are available to view via www.gca.org.uk.

Peter Burks, GCA Chief Executive, says: “Our annual conference is always extremely informative for our members, so any that are unfortunately unable to attend miss out on lots of helpful advice and insights.

“As our Inspectors’ presentations are so informative, we have made them available to view via the news section on our website www.gca.org.uk. Members will be able to download them and catch up on what they missed and still take some of the advice away to use in the everyday running of their garden centres.”

Colin talked to conference attendees about best practice through the eyes of a customer. His presentation included examples of member garden centres that are doing things right.

Alyson Haywood spoke to attendees about houseplants and indoor and outdoor living with some more examples from member garden centres that she had spotted while out and about visiting them.

These included centres promoting the importance of bees, the health benefits of plants and how indoor plants can be used.

She also talked about greener clothing and advised centres to tell their green story wherever possible.

Gaining customers loyalty and improving the environment were covered by Inspector Phil McCann. Gordon Emslie talked about support and the importance of promoting businesses in the community nearby.

Peter added: “Also, during the conference, our Inspectors presented their findings as part of our Christmas Competition. Judging began on November 1 and finished on November 30, 2022 and highlights included The Old Railway Line Garden Centre’s own Christmas video, which racked up more than 120,000 views with no paid ads or sponsorship.

“Another social media champion was Pugh’s Garden Village. They used social media to achieve their Christmas marketing success and won our Worrall Cup award.

“The presentation also included our Inspectors’ key take-aways from the judging process and lots of examples of these, as well as member The Gardens Group’s, Louise Burks with her presentation on moving Christmas into a more sustainable direction. These are also available to download via www.gca.org.uk. We’re all about sharing best practice and helping all our members get the most from being part of our organisation. We’re a friendly and helpful organisation and our members like to support each other as best they can.”

Haskins Garden Centres is celebrating the achievements of two employees, Jason Froggatt, Group Catering Manager at Haskins, and Mike Morath, Commercial and Operations Manager at Birdworld, after they achieved their Level 4 Award in Managing Food Safety and Hygiene in Catering.

The award was achieved through Highfield Qualifications, after Jason and Mike undertook a five-day course to learn in more detail about the most up-to-date food safety measures to ensure optimal food management and hygiene.

Jason and Mike will now introduce their useful learnings to the wider team at Haskins and Birdworld to improve the wider functioning of the business. This will guarantee that Haskins’ employees continue to practise the most up-to-date food safety measures, something that the business is dedicated to implementing across all its centres and at Birdworld.

Jason Froggatt, Group Catering Manager at Haskins, said: “It was great to enhance our own knowledge by completing this qualification. We had lots of interesting talks and look forward to taking useful insights from the course back to the wider team at Haskins. As leaders in our teams, it’s really important that we are able to pass our expertise on and train employees appropriately with the most up-to-date measures, and this course has certainly helped us do that.”

The Haskins group aims to promote personal development and growth of its employees as often as possible to input these learnings back into the business. This ensures that the business has sufficiently trained leaders across all its departments.

Mike Morath, Commercial and Operations Manager at Birdworld, added: “I think it’s really positive that Haskins promotes the personal development of its leaders and employees; it has allowed Jason and I to achieve this qualification which was great to be able to do together. We are keen to pursue other opportunities for development in the future, and it’s fantastic that Haskins, as a business, actively encourage us to do so.”

Plants For Europe Limited, the leading independent plant breeders’ agent, celebrates 20 years of trading this week. The company was incorporated on 12 February 2003.

Established and owned by Graham Spencer, Plants For Europe Limited works with plant breeders to evaluate their new plants, protect their intellectual property, manage licensing and marketing, and collect royalties from growers.

Graham said: “The business started in such a small way. I was lucky enough to be entrusted with some very good plants at the beginning from excellent breeders, including Spiraea Walberton’s® Magic Carpet/WALBUMA from David Tristram and Nemesia Amelie/FLEURAME from Martine Tellwright. These plants provided the foundation of the business - it gave me something to build from.”

From the small beginnings, the business has grown steadily. Plants For Europe Limited now manages more than 400 plant varieties from more than 60 breeder clients.

Graham continued: “There are two main strengths to our business. First is that we work with excellent independent breeders who have developed some of the best new varieties that the market has seen in the last twenty years. The second is that we have built great relationships with growers around the world, especially in our core markets of the European Union and United Kingdom. This has allowed us to place the finest quality plants with the finest quality growers with whom we have good relationships built on trust.”

Euphorbia Ascot Rainbow (above) is the best-selling variety in the PFE portfolio, developed by David Glenn in Australia. Ajuga Black Scallop/BINBLASCA from Mike Tristram and Geum Totally Tangerine from Tim Crowther have also been big successes for PFE. But there are also many other exciting new plants coming through for 2023 and future seasons.

Graham highlighted Sambucus nigra Laced Up/SNR1292 from Phoenix Ornamentals as a plant that is going to be popular in future seasons. “This is a great plant for modern gardens, with striking foliage and an excellent habit, better than older upright Sambucus varieties. We now have good quantities in production and expect excellent availability in 2024 and beyond.”

Graham also picked out the GardenZest™ herb programme from GardenGenetics as an interesting project. “We have not seen a broad controlled breeding programme for herbs until now. Rick Grazzini at GardenGenetics has been really focused on developing varieties with improved taste, improved appearance, and improved production qualities. We particularly like his new sage, Salvia officinalis IntenseSage (pictured right) – it has a great plant habit, is really tasty, and shows outstanding tolerance of downy mildew, and has been launched by Elsner PAC this year.”

What is the future for Plants For Europe Limited? Graham says: “We expect to continue to launch some of the best new plants to growers over the next few years. We are also expanding our procedural representation activities, managing intellectual property rights applications in the UK and EU for variety owners who do not have the knowledge, skills or facility to do that themselves – this has become especially important since Brexit, as variety owners outside the UK now need a representative based in the United Kingdom before they can apply for Plant Breeder’s Rights.”

A massive sum of £3,500 has been raised for an NHS cancer unit thanks to the generosity of suppliers and buyers at the Choice Marketing annual conference. 

Highfield Garden World’s Deputy Planteria Manager Ian Byrne was diagnosed with cancer last Summer and has received treatment at the Macmillan Renton Unit in Hereford.  Based in Gloucestershire, Highfield Garden World is one of 47 members of Choice Marketing – the leading buying group for independents in the UK and which holds a conference every Autumn.  Ian’s positive cancer care experience prompted a fundraising raffle at the conference dinner event, with trade exhibitors generously donating prizes and Choice members and guests buying raffle tickets to the tune of £3,500.

Ian commented;  “I’ve been really touched by the generosity of all those attending the Choice event.  The care I have received at the Renton unit has been fantastic - such a caring, friendly and quietly professional experience - just when as a patient you need it most.”

Wye Valley NHS Trust Fundraising Manager Katie Farmer commented;  “Ian’s done an amazing job and helped raise a really significant amount for The Macmillan Renton Unit.   We all know the NHS is under pressure, and we’re massively grateful for the generosity shown by all the people attending this industry event.”

Michelle de Lavis-Trafford, CEO of Choice Marketing, commented;  ““The garden industry is quite a close knit world in many ways – with lots of people having known each other for many years.  It was lovely that our annual conference helped bring people together in more ways than one, and to raise money for such a worthwhile cause close to so many hearts.  Our thanks go to all our members and suppliers for their generous contributions in making this donation possible”.

As Google searches for ‘portable generators for sale’ surge by 743% and ‘generators for the home’ see a 303% search increase compared to this time last year, Cobra Garden Machinery suggests that this demand will see generator sales skyrocket in 2023.

Generators have offered hospitals, hotels, shopping centres, and countless other commercial properties and businesses the insurance of a backup energy supply in the event of a power shortage for many years. Designed to prevent the disruption of daily activities or business operations, they have long been seen as an invaluable and necessary appliance.

But with the gas supply crisis deepening and threatening country-wide blackouts, soaring energy costs, and the weather becoming increasingly unpredictable, it seems that portable generators are becoming a vital appliance in households too, with sales in 2022 seeing a 203% increase already. Many are investing in their own portable generators to provide a secure energy supply during these difficult periods, particularly with Ofcom encouraging us all to reduce the amount of power we are using.

Whether it’s bringing power to gardens and allotments or powering caravans, motor homes, camper vans, sensitive electronics such as computers and TVs, or a wider range of domestic and commercial uses, inverter generators are becoming a backup energy supply for households up and down the country. Growth is not expected to slow down any time soon either as the portable generator market is estimated to be worth over £4.89 billion ($5.87 billion) by 2026, compared to £3.2 billion ($3.8 billion) in.2018.

Peter Chaloner, Managing Director of the UK’s leading manufacturer of garden tools, Cobra, discusses the recent surge and says: “It is evident that we are facing some difficult times here in the UK and, as a result, we’ve seen the demand for our inverter generators increase. We anticipate that this demand will only continue to grow over the next year, as the gas crisis and energy costs show no sign of slowing down. While many manufacturers have increased the price of generators to profit from the demand, we’re proud to say that the price of our portable inverter generators has stayed the same, offering a more affordable and cost-effective source of power.”

Cobra’s range of inverter generators are convenient and cost-effective sources of power, offering a quiet, clean and reliable appliance. Each generator is compatible with E10 fuel, and with a 230 voltage, they can power sensitive electronics, such as computers, DVD players, TVs, kettles, irons, and larger domestic and commercial items, including refrigerators and ovens.

Cobra’s IG10SI 1.0kW 4-Stroke Petrol Generator is the smallest in the range, with a run time of up to five hours and a 3.6L tank capacity. Its larger counterpart, the Cobra  IG20SI 2.0kW 4-Stroke Petrol Generator offers an increased six hours of running time and a larger 4.2L tank capacity. Similarly, the IG32ESI 3.2kW 4-Stroke Petrol Generator boasts a 7.4L tank capacity and up to six hours of running time.

To use, simply fill the generator with petrol and plug in the devices and items into the socket on the side of the generator as if it were a normal mains plug and it will keep them up and running.

Cobra products are available to buy online at www.cobragarden.co.uk or via a network of expert dealers across the UK.

The Bransford Webbs Plant Company has won Squire's Hardy Plant Supplier of the Year. Voted for by the plant area managers, the company said it was delighted to have won this award in recognition for the hard work of the entire team involved in growing of high-quality plants. 

Sales representative Trina Cole was presented with the award at the Squire's trade show held at Squire's Garden Centre West Horsley. The Bransford Webbs stand featured a fantastic range of ‘looking good crops’, including Hebe and Phormium, along with a display on sustainability practices. 

David Chilvers, Sales Manager, commented: “Winning an award voted for by people who work with our plants everyday is very special, even more so coming from Squires who hold plants at the heart of their business.“ 

The first spring edition of PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt, which took place on 7 and 8 February, marked an excellent start of the new garden-plant season. The fair’s visitors from all over Europe and far beyond were very enthusiastic about the full, directly available range of products.

Fair director Linda Hoogendoorn–Veelenturf looks back on this spring edition with great satisfaction. “Another positive aspect of the fair, besides marking the start of the new season - so important for the standholders - was the possibility of providing politically important information on the sector,” says Linda. During their working visit, Liesje Schreinemacher, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Jeannette Baljeu, Deputy for the province of Zuid-Holland, and the board of Mayor and Aldermen of the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn showed a keen interest in the problems encountered by entrepreneurs in the world of international trade. At the end of her visit, the minister said she was impressed by the sector, and certainly intends to tackle the issues raised by the entrepreneurs.

The exhibitors were enthusiastic about their participation in the fair, where they presented their complete ranges of products, talked to existing and prospective customers, and recorded orders. Indeed, their enthusiasm was evident to the fair’s organisers in the number of standholders who expressed their intention to participate in the autumn edition of the fair, scheduled for 23 and 24 August 2023.

Visitors’ Favourite

The central plaza, reached directly from the entrance to the fair, featured a presentation of the products submitted for the Visitors’ Favourite contest. Visitors were invited to vote for what they considered the best novelty via a balloting system with green balls. The indisputable winner at the end of the fair was Rhododendron Hybrid ‘Grifie’ submitted by Jules Block from Lochristi (B). ’Grifie’ has attractive large leaves, buds and flowers. The bicoloured flowers – white petals with red/pink serrated edges – are quite exceptional in the Rhododendron range. ‘Grifie’ is a naturally early flowering hybrid (early March) with frost tolerance down to -10°C. 

AMES UK has taken a step closer to achieving its goal of being the supplier of choice across all of its brands, thanks to the implementation of a new-and-improved dedicated Transport team managing all Kelkay orders. 

The new dedicated team will be responsible for consistently fulfilling all Kelkay deliveries within a five-day service level agreement and ensuring the highest possible service levels are maintained, even during peak periods, where in excess of 100 loads are shipped daily.

Kelkay’s new transport team will now have improved control of planning and routing. Direct access to both hauliers and customers will provide more open dialogue across the supply chain to better manage expectations and communicate any delays before they happen via live updates for all customer deliveries.

Nick Jones, AMES UK Commercial Director said: “Greater supply chain visibility, improved relationships with our logistics partners and resulting smoother yard operations means that we are now more confident than ever in our delivery offering to support the Kelkay brand. As the spring season ramps up, we hope that this latest development will offer our existing customers valuable peace of mind, whilst also demonstrating to the wider market – including potential new customers – that we will not rest until we created a business that delivers market-leading processes and customer service levels.”

Find out more

To find out more about Kelkay’s paving and aggregate offering please visit www.kelkay.com. The 2023 product catalogue can also be viewed by visiting www.kelkay.com/brochure

Further details about AMES UK can be found at https://ames-uk.com/

The VegTub is a new no-dig bed from VegTrug, the market-leading raised bed company. This corrugated steel planter is ideal for all kinds of growing spaces. 

With multiple build configurations, the VegTub can fill little plots or big allotments. It can be built to a size and shape that suits any area, whilst the extra-tall 45cm height gives ample depth for long roots in a no-dig bed.

Manufactured from double-sided powder coating and entirely stainless steel fittings for next-level toughness, the VegTub will weather anything. Tool-less assembly allows for an easy build whilst the double-sided powder-coating resists rust and corrosion, ideal for all year round growing.

Joe Denham, VegTrug CEO, said: “the VegTub is a super alternative to our previous raised bed products. It is unique in that several shapes of raised beds can be created from one product. 

“We are looking forward to finally seeing the product being used in the market place. It’s easy to build and will make a fantastic addition to any garden and allotment.”

The VegTub comes in a choice of Sage Green or Charcoal and is currently available on VegTrug.com for £199.99 (RRP).

A full 2023 catalogue and price list is now available to view the new product range in printed form and as a pdf. Contact Mark Crowley for all in store trade sales at mark@vegtrug.com and James Allan for all online sales at james@vegtrug.com.

Organic grower and gardening fanatic, Steph Young – known for her social media account, Stephs_allotment – has been a RocketGro ambassador for 12 months now and credits the incredible range of organic, peat-free, low-carbon products for giving her one of her best growing years yet!

Here, Steph tells us about the success she’s had with RocketGro, why sustainable products are so important to her, and what’s next on her GYO journey.

The magic of mulch

“I have been growing my own since I was just 17 and now spend all my time gardening and growing – I just love it! I used RocketGro Magic Mulch the year before I became an ambassador and had great success with it. I have to say, Magic Mulch is probably my favourite RocketGro product! I use it everywhere; pots, baskets, garden beds, allotment beds and in the greenhouses.

“When I became a RocketGro Ambassador in 2022, it was so exciting being able to work with and promote this new product. Over the past year I’ve used RocketGro for all my growing which has given me one of my best growing years yet!”

Making a difference

“Using sustainable products is really important to me, both in gardening and daily life. This past year, I’ve been pushing myself to focus on a more sustainable lifestyle: re-using all my plastic pots and plant labels, composting everything possible, growing and preserving my own food. I believe the more we can do the better; even little changes make a big difference.

“The fact that RocketGro is made in the UK is just amazing! Plus, the whole process of how it’s made is truly fascinating. I feel that using products produced in the UK is incredibly important to both gardeners and non-gardeners alike. Zero air miles, a natural, organic product and knowing exactly where it has come from are all important factors.”

Peat-free products that give superior results

“RocketGro is a super compost that is continually improving. The brand is still very new to the gardening community but I would highly recommend giving it a try. All RocketGro products are peat-free and give superior results. The great thing is that RocketGro provides products for every gardening need, including using pots and baskets, boosting the lawn, improving the soil, and everything in between. The packaging made using recycled plastics and is also recyclable, which gets a big thumbs up from me.”

A match made in heaven

“The best part of being a RocketGro ambassador is getting to see all the new products first-hand and trying them out too. It’s been great experimenting with the different composts when I’m growing.

“I’m looking forward to another year of working with the RocketGro brand and seeing where it takes my grow your own journey. This year I’m going to be trying to grow a few different things, such as sweet potatoes.

“As I said, I have been growing since I was a teenager. I worked in a garden centre and was given a bag of seed potatoes that had sprouts as long as my arm! I planted them and, at that very moment, I planted a bug that would turn my fingers green. I instantly wanted to grow more.

“Fast forward a few years and I’m now a Scottish lass living in beautiful North Yorkshire, working in a gorgeous, family-run garden nursery.

“I’ve just loved using the RocketGro products this past year and I’m looking forward to seeing what 2023 brings, with both RocketGro, and my ‘grow your own’ journey.”

Find out more

If you want to learn more about RocketGro or are keen to discuss adding its product portfolio into your 2023 offering, please contact Toby Thomas via hello@rocketgro.co.uk or by calling 07936 928981. Discover more about the RocketGro story at www.rocketgro.co.uk

Having greenery around the home has been shown to boost mood, reduce stress levels, and create a sense of peace, so it is unsurprising that the desire to grow houseplants as a hobby is booming (and blooming!). Looking after houseplants is a hobby that’s inclusive to all, even those with limited space in the home.

The trend for vertical planting has opened up the world of indoor gardening to everyone, no matter the available space! Hanging plants from the ceiling is a creative, yet simple, way to bring nature into a home and means that houseplant enthusiasts can take their greenery collections to new heights.

Sustainable plant pot innovator elho’s new b.for swing pots have been creatively designed to provide endless opportunities to get creative with planting.

The new range of elegant, suspended pots allow houseplants to brighten up any room without taking up any surface space. From a busy house with no garden, to a small city apartment, elho’s b. for swing hanging pots are a fun and stylish addition to any home.

The cords come in two lengths and are both adjustable, meaning unique dimensions can be added to a room by hanging the pots at differing lengths. Try suspending the pots above a balcony for another great way to optimise space and add a tasteful touch.

With a clever, easy-access waterspout design, it’s easy to keep plants hydrated and happy without having to take the plants down from their suspended position. For those hanging just out of reach, pair with an elho self-watering insert so the plant can effortlessly thrive!

A great sustainable choice, the b.for swing pots are made from recyclable plastic, created using wind energy, and are 100% recyclable.

Creating a vibrant vertical display with stackable pots or a grid system is a useful, well-known trick used in the garden to optimise a limited available area. Now, with elho’s hanging pots, everyone can make the most of the benefits of vertical gardening inside the home, as well as out.

To find out more about elho, its products and its commitment to sustainability, visit www.elho.com

Spring Fair welcomed one of retail’s most forward-thinking entrepreneurs – TV Dragon and #Small Business Sunday Founder Theo Paphitis – as part of the show’s continuing ethos to support and guide up-and-coming design and retailing talent.

Speaking to a packed audience of retailers, Theo Paphitis, interviewed by The Sun’s Business Editor Ashley Armstrong, said, “I’ve had an incredibly vibrant career being an entrepreneur, it was never a career in my day. Hunger and passion is key, but it can’t be taught. There are different levels of entrepreneurial success. Most entrepreneurs are dreamers. I’m still dreaming, the dreams drive us, but you have to make those dreams come true and that’s the difference, having the drive the realise it.”

He continued by discussing the support he gives to start-ups through #Small Business Sunday, saying “#Small Business Sunday came about as I’d just joined Twitter and got all these followers from starting on Dragon’s Den. One Sunday I thought why I don’t I use these 50k followers to some benefit and thought the first half a dozen that tweet me telling me a little bit about their business I’ll retweet. We read them all, picked 6 and left it at that. The following Sunday my phone goes off again and #SBS was coming in. On the third week I took it to the office, retweeted on the Monday. Every Monday morning we did it and now it’s grown to our event, self-help groups, and forums.”

Offering advice to small businesses, he said, “Business is common sense - don’t be shy, stick your elbows out and know your numbers”, adding that “50% of all small businesses fail in the first 2 years because people don’t know their numbers, they haven’t done their homework. Lots who fail the first time, go on to succeed the second. Learning from their mistakes, finding places to get help, understanding the things that really matter in business. The things you need to sweat and the things you don’t need to sweat because they don’t really matter.”

Asked how can small business manage cash flow post pandemic and cost of living? Theo responded, “You’re absolutely right it has been difficult. You couldn’t make it up, with Russia and Ukraine, cost of living, inflation and energy costs, it’s been very difficult for us to plan. We have to build in what we’re doing with some margin for error, but I still believe there is opportunity. As a small business, if you remain agile and survive for the next 3 years and do it in this market you’ll have great foundations.”

Spring Fair continues to champion the most innovative and inspiring start-up businesses who have been trading for less than 18months in its expanding newcomer areas. Buyers can now discover the latest new talent in Beauty First, Kids First, Fashion First, and Gift First, as well as the GCA Debut area in collaboration with the Greetings Card Association (GCA). Following a successful four-year partnership with Autumn Fair, which has supported around 40 start-up businesses so far, Theo Paphitis’s #SBS Small Business Sunday winners are now hosted in the #SBS Village at Spring Fair.

Twelve new winners and two past winners, who had been unable to exhibit previously due to Covid, presented their designs with some having such a successful show so far that they have confirmed to attend at Spring Fair 2024.

Claire Towers from The Fox Glove Tree said, “This is my first time at a trade show, it's been brilliant. It's been a game-changer actually, we've got to re-think and expand our production. We've had loads of orders, loads of leads, and big organisations that are interested so we need to tweak the packaging for them. It's been really positive, we would've never had the opportunity at this stage to take the gamble and come to this show. Everybody's been lovely even the huge companies - obviously, we're new so we're tweaking and growing but they've been giving us some guidance which has been really helpful. It's actually great because there are so many businesses here, we've even found a packaging company that we're liaising with now.

She highlighted the importance of face-to-face networking and the community environment created by the show, “It's great to be able to have that face-to-face conversation with people rather than via email or over the phone, you get to know the brands so much better. It's great to connect with other people in the industry, we've developed a little community and everyone helps each other out. It's been really enjoyable. We've had such a positive response and experience. We didn't have many expectations, but we've absolutely smashed the orders. On the first day, we had a lot of small retailers show interest but these last two days all the big retailers rolled in. It's amazing how two days can completely change your trajectory, we're really happy. It's been a life-changing show, all in just two days.”

Tanya Cassidy from Glamavan said, “This is my first trade show, I’m part of Small Business Sunday. It’s been really nice to gauge interest in our products. We’ve taken a lot of orders as well as collected leads and contacts, some even returned today and placed orders. We had licensing companies approach us with opportunities that we didn’t expect, so you really don’t know who’s going to be here. We’ve been getting some really good feedback, so moving forward we’ve collected marketing materials that we’ll use throughout the year, and we’ll follow up with leads. We came here with the objective of making orders and we’ve achieved that, the rest is a bonus. I’d definitely like to attend again now that I have more of an idea of what it’s like.”

Nilu Dona from Fashion First newcomer Elizabeth James, said, “This is my first time showing at Moda and I will definitely come back! There has been a steady stream of visitors passing through and we have made some great contacts. We have a number of new accounts and lots to follow up with. The show has been very successful for us and we're very happy.”

Ollie Stott from Kids First exhibitor Happy Little Doers commented, “Spring Fair is amazing, the size of it is incredible. We have met lots of new buyers, made lots of new connections and met lots of other new brands - it’s been really exciting. The majority of buyers who have visited us are new retailers, lots of ones we don't have, and we have seen a few familiar faces. The highlight of the show is being in this environment because there are so many diverse brands, you've got the little brands like us, and then you have got some very well-known names, and it is just great to be amongst them.”

Buyers at the show welcomed the opportunity to discover newness. Chris Nethercot from Sainsbury's says, “It’s a good opportunity to see new products and innovations, and I always encourage my team to come to Spring Fair.”

Alison Mabberley from Gifts Made Easy said, “We have seen our existing supplier Cardology and also found a new supplier Gin Etc, whom we have bought from today. We also found some mosaic craft kits. We like to build relationships with our existing suppliers and also source new products. Both is important for our business.”

David Edmont from Bridge Quirky Emporium, Antrim said, “Every year we get at least 1 new supplier, and we have got 2 today. We are looking for suppliers who are small independent businesses who have a social conscience and ideally who give something back - sustainable and handmade is important to us.”

With only one day left to go at Spring Fair 2023 visitors can still register to attend at  www.springfair.com.

Autumn Fair, the UK’s leading and most trusted marketplace for wholesale home, gift, and fashion taking place from the 3rd – 6th September 2023, sees the launch of Connect @ Autumn Fair. Endorsed by leading UK retailers such as John Lewis, WHSmith and Choice, Connect @ Autumn Fair is a transformational new approach to buying, designed to revolutionise the traditional trade show model by connecting retailers and brands on a scale never achieved before.

As the definitive ‘shop for shops’, Autumn Fair organised by Hyve Group plc, has supported the retail industry for over 30 years. The home, gift and fashion markets are worth billions of pounds and Autumn Fair is where retail’s bestsellers are found, relationships are forged, products are launched, new ideas and the latest trends for bricks and mortar and e-commerce stores are discovered.

From this September, Connect @ Autumn Fair will lead the way for the retail community and transform the buying experience by fuelling thousands of pre-arranged buying meetings before the show even opens. Viewed as the dawn of a new era for retailers, Connect @ Autumn Fair will connect thousands of the UK’s leading buyers and retailers with all 600+ Autumn Fair exhibitors before the show. Buyers will be able to discover the brands and products their businesses need, by selecting from hundreds of data points important to them. Exhibitors can create leads, orders, and opportunities with the buyers they want to meet most - all in an incredibly efficient and effective way - turning chance meetings into guaranteed connections. 

Ellen Bonsink, Buyer, WHSmith says; "I think Connect @ Autumn Fair will be really good. It’ll be really easy for us as buyers to be in the right hall at the right time so we’re not lost or missing suppliers. It sounds like it’ll be nice to have a curated programme so we can find the best products and find suppliers who are a good match for the business, rather than leave it to chance and miss suppliers.”

Sophie Burton, Buyer, John Lewis adds; "I would definitely get involved with Connect. It’s great to get a tailored schedule ahead of the day’s events."

Over 6,000 meetings are anticipated to take place at Autumn Fair. Each meeting is 15 minutes long and all meetings are double opt-in, meaning both parties have agreed to meet. Meetings take place on the stand, so buyers can explore the full product range. Buyers can participate in as many double opt-in 15-minute meetings as they’d like limited only by availability and mutual interest. If more than 15 minutes is required, a follow-up meeting can be arranged at or after the show.

Nicola Meadows, Portfolio Director at Spring & Autumn Fair says, “Buyer’s time is precious, and justifying time away from the retailing space has never been harder. Connect @ Autumn Fair changes all this. Visiting a trade show should not be about chance; buyers can now source and plan their time at the show in advance, and know they are meeting suppliers that will meet their needs. With access to extensive information on every exhibitor and product category, from origin and sustainability credentials to pricing and minimum order values, retailers will be able to pre-select meetings with brands whose products most suit their needs. Exhibitors will, for the first time ever, be able to discover and connect with buyers, based on over 100 datapoints. Through this revolutionary meetings programme, powered by cutting-edge but easy to use technology, we connect the right people, at the right time, and deliver game-changing impact to our customers, their businesses and their industries. With Connect, we remove all the potential anxiety, and the element of the unknown, and allow buyers and exhibitors to be prepared and informed. This is the biggest investment we have ever made in Spring & Autumn Fair’s history. Connect @ Autumn Fair is ripping up the rule book on events and creating value our customers didn’t realise was possible.”

Sarah Ward, CEO of the Giftware Association is equally positive of the impact of the launch on the industry; “Connect @ Autumn Fair is the evolution of the trade show model that the retail industry needs. Exhibitors will be able to find and meet more interested buyers more easily, creating more opportunities and ultimately doing more business! Being able to fully promote their product ranges, price points and delivery times before the event in the Connect @ Autumn Fair platform and pre-schedule meetings with buyers they want to meet is a step change in helping exhibitors and buyers get the most out of Autumn Fair. I believe that this is what the industry has been missing.”

John Halliday, Director of Membership & Marketing at British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) is positive about the benefits on ROI and time; “Bira is delighted to see Hyve further investing into the Spring & Autumn Fair programme. The new meetings tool, Connect @ Autumn Fair, will provide all exhibitors and visitors with a completely new experience and position the show as a sector leader. The technology behind this new platform will fundamentally transform the event experience, enabling a far better return on time, investment, and value. This is a no brainer and will enable companies to search, meet and do business on their stand with the right people at the right time.”

Feedback from buyers has been positive as they welcome the time efficiencies and the revolutionary approach to buying.

Jason Farmer, Buyer, Choice Ltd; "Connect @ Autumn Fair sounds really good. I think it’s good that it’s opt in opt out, so you can pick suppliers and they can pick you, instead of wasting time on someone who might not be on the same wavelength. I think that’s fantastic."

Niel, Buyer and Merchandise Manager, Denby Retail; "Connect @ Autumn Fair sounds really good. It sounds like a good way of finding new suppliers without doing the leg work for it. We’re really excited by it."

Peter Allinson, CEO, Whirlgig Toys; “Connect @ Autumn Fair sounds great for me. It means I get a really detailed conversation with someone and they’re prepared to meet me. It means they’ve done their homework and I’ve done mine and we can actually talk about something that’s relevant.”

Priya Crowe, Buyer, Lark London; “Connect @ Autumn Fair sounds brilliant because it enables you to plan your day and speak to the people you really need to.”

Connect @ Autumn Fair is powered by the leading meetings technology company Personatech, that developed and operates the largest meetings programmes for retail events including ShopTalk and GroceryShop.

For buyers to join Connect @ Autumn Fair, the first step is to register for a FREE ticket to Autumn Fair. Registration opens in April 2023. Or book in a call with Autumn Fair’s community development team on Tel: +44 20 3545 9735 to find out more today.

For more information on Connect @ Autumn Fair visit Connect @ Autumn Fair Suppliers - Autumn Fair 2023.

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Peter Dawson, a respected journalist on a number of consumer and trade publications, including Nurseryman and Garden Centre magazine, has sadly passed away at the age of 82.

His funeral will be at Surrey and Sussex Crematorium (Memorial Chapel), Balcombe Road Crawley West Sussex RH10 3NQ at 1.15pm on Thursday 16th February 2023. It will be followed by a reception at Heathy Farm, also in Balcombe Road, at 1.45pm. The family has asked for donations instead of flowers, to go to the RNLI. CLICK HERE to go the donations page.

Peter was born in Surbition on the 19^th December 1940. As a young man Peter was interested in print and journalism and initially went to London to study typography. A job opportunity arose and he moved to Hereford to join a company, in what we would call today, their marketing department.

His passion and keenness for journalism grew and he saw advertised an opportunity in Croydon on a caravan magazine called Practical Caravan. It was whilst working in Croydon, he met Billie and they married in 1968. Their initial home was a flat but it wasn’t long before they moved into a house with a good sized garden but they soon wanted a much larger garden and they found this in 1981 when they moved into a bungalow with a 1/3rd of an acre of land. They were in their element.

His employers, Haymarket Publishing, knowing his passion for the garden and all plant life, approached him to launch a new magazine called Garden Answers. His contacts and his knowledge of the industry grew. As time moved on another approach led him to join a trade magazine, Nurseryman and Garden Centres. This broadened his knowledge of the industry further and his  support of the industry, through the printed word, was widely known. Throughout his career Peter was always there for the launch of new products and plants and he travelled extensively on press trips throughout Europe, Costa Rica, Africa, California to name but a few.

When he retired from full time work he still continued to be involved with the industry doing PR work, supporting Exhibitions, press days and launch of new products. In latter years he worked for George Bullivant on Garden Forum. Peter loved to travel and had 54 years with his wife traveling around the world, during breaks from work, but he always made sure that the garden was left ok. With Peter the garden came first.

Peter was always warmly welcomed by his colleages and the trade. He was a person they could trust to be there and to give a fair report. He was an avid computer user and in his spare time took up painting. He enjoyed working with and supporting his local Horticultural Society and art group.

He was an avid computer user and over the years did a lot of work for the local Horticultural Society and local art group where, with Billie, his love for painting grew.

The Guernsey Clematis Nursery Ltd has appointed Andy Jeanes as a member of its management team. He will take over the position of Sales and Marketing Manager at the end of 2023, when Lindsay Reid retires from her position of Director and Sales Manager.

Raymond Evison said: “We are delighted that Andy has joined our management team and will bring a great deal of both retail and wholesale trade knowledge to the both our companies – The Guernsey Clematis Nursery Ltd and Raymond J.Evison Ltd, our breeding and development company.”

Andy Jeanes commented: “I am delighted to have joined the management team at Guernsey Clematis and Raymond J.Evison Ltd in what is a very exciting time for both businesses. I very much look forward to meeting our customers and associated companies.”

Dobbies and British Garden Centres will both be addressing GIMA members at the forthcoming Day Conference being held on 14th March at Wyboston Lakes, Bedfordshire.  

Graeme Jenkins, Dobbies CEO, will be addressing the GIMA membership. As the UK’s largest garden centre retailer operating over 75 stores and following a busy acquisitions and new store opening programme, Graeme will be updating members on Dobbies’ plans for the future. 

Also addressing the delegates will be British Garden Centres’ PR Communications and Plant Director, Boyd Douglas Davies, and Project and Development Manager, Amy Stubbs. Together Boyd and Amy will bring members up to speed with the current progress and development plans for British Garden Centres.

Further industry speakers will be announced in due course but with what is likely to be a popular event, members are being encouraged to sign up early in order to guarantee attendance.

Find out more

GIMA Member Delegate Rate:  £80 + VAT and £40 + VAT for subsequent delegates, lunch and refreshments included.

Further details regarding the forthcoming GIMA Day Conference please visit www.gima.org.uk. Additionally, for further information about GIMA and its wide range of member benefits, please contact the GIMA Press Office on (01959) 564947 or info@gima.org.uk

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation will be launching a new initiative at the Garden Press Event aimed at growing an inspirational and educational tool that will provide students with insights into the multi-faceted career opportunities available within the horticultural profession.

“Assistance with work placements, internships and industry knowledge and contacts is becoming an increasingly important aspect of what we do along with educating people of the avenues that are open to them to build a career in horticulture,”  said Foundation Trustee Neil Gow. 

“At this year’s Garden Press Event we will also launch the new, hardy, scented Nemesia Melody series from which the family breeding company Kerley & Co from Cambridgeshire are kindly donating half of their income to the Foundation. The Melody Nemesia  follows Erysium Sugar Rush from Ball Horticulture, the range of Orchids for the home by Garden Centre Fresh and the summer bedding plant  Begonia Sweet Spice all of which,  as great plants, have been a successful funding stream for the charity . 

“A proportion of the funds we raise come from the support we enjoy from plant breeders and growers. The Foundation is reliant on individuals and companies within the horticultural and garden retail sectors for the funding it channels towards students by way of scholarships and bursaries. We thank them all for their support.”

Scholarships are often sponsored by supporters of the Foundations work and include the likes of Ball Horticulture, Majestic Trees, Smart Garden Products, The Worshipful Company of Gardeners and Blue Diamond Garden Centres.

The Foundations Chair of Trustees, Jeff Colegrave commented: “We continue our ambitious and successful fundraising drive and through initiatives such as our Named Fund, it is now bearing fruit which will allow us, this spring, to be in a position to award more scholarships, and of a greater value, than ever before. The more money we raise, the more we can do to encourage horticulture as a career choice.  Our work is only possible thanks to the support we receive from all those organisations who support the what we do. It’s not just about making a contribution, it’s about making a difference.”

Visitors to the Garden Press Event, being held at the Design Centre London on February 21 will also be able to see (and smell!) the new Nemesia Melody and hear from Trustees of the initiatives from the Foundation to persuade others including careers advisors, teachers and parents, as well as students themselves, how horticulture can be the profession for young people to grow into as a career that covers so many branches.

With rising energy and production costs, countries like Portugal are proving to be increasingly important for a growing ornamentals market. For this reason, the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) invites industry professionals to attend the AIPH Spring Meeting in the country’s capital: Lisbon.

Taking place from 12th-15th March 2023, the AIPH Spring Meeting will provide delegates with a packed schedule focused on learning and sharing together.

With the support of the Portuguese Association of Producers of Natural Plants and Flowers (APPP-FN), the Ornamental Horticulture in Portugal Conference will bring together experts from the country’s industry to discuss how the sector operates in the country and lessons learned by those who have moved there. One such speaker is Miguel Costa, a professor and researcher at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon. Miguel’s research over the last decade has focused on stress and sustainability issues in viticulture and horticulture.

AIPH’s vision is to be a hub for knowledge exchange in the ornamental horticulture industry. As such, the Spring Meeting will provide a unique opportunity for AIPH Members around the world to learn from each other. Members will present and discuss the state of the industry in their country and the current challenges and opportunities they are facing. This will provide an excellent opportunity for international collaboration.

AIPH Secretary General, Tim Briercliffe said: “In AIPH we are always looking to see how we can tackle the challenges of today in order to create a stronger industry for the future. For this meeting we have a unique opportunity to experience ornamentals production in the Portuguese climate while also enjoying amazing local hospitality.”

The Spring Meeting will also include the AIPH International Expo Conference where organisers of AIPH approved events will present their progress reports. Delegates will receive updates from two A1 category international expos: Expo 2023 Doha Qatar and World Horticultural Exhibition 2027 (Japan). There will be progress reports concerning AIPH approved B and C category events.

Finally, the Spring Meeting will conclude with insightful tours of key Green City locations in Lisbon and professional visits to producers in the local area including: Florineve, which utilizes the microclimate of Montijo, Portugal, to produce 50 varieties of cut flowers; and Sjaak van Schie, a Dutch hydrangea producing company that expanded to Portugal over 20 years ago.

For more information and to book tickets, please visit the AIPH Website.

AIPH thanks Headline Sponsor Biblo Event, Event Partner APPP-FN, and media partners FloraCulture International and Guiaverde for their support of the AIPH Spring Meeting 2023.

GROEN-Direkt has started the 2023 garden season with a good feeling thanks to the positive trade mood at its Spring Fair.

On 7 and 8 February a large international public found its way to the largest green market in Europe. On top of the fair’s more than 5,000 unique sample batches, concepts, novelties, trend plaza and 170 growers’ stands, GROEN-Direkt used the opportunity of this Spring Fair to introduce its own Mediterranean imports. All this combined to create the most complete range of products ever. The positive feeling was further enhanced by the consistently good trade and a visit from the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

Trade mood

GROEN-Direkt looks back on the two busy days of its Spring Fair with great satisfaction. An extremely high percentage of the public attracted to this edition was once again international in character, including many visitors from Germany, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia in particular. Impressive was the high number of returning visitors, having found their way back to GROEN-Direkt after a couple of years’ absence due to Covid. So trade was once again the main focus of the Spring Fair.

The good trade mood among the European visitors reflected the refound positive outlook of the professional garden plant buyers and traders. “I’m terribly satisfied with the sales. We haven’t repeated last year’s turnover, but then that would have been like comparing apples and oranges. The market has meanwhile changed, and customers understand that things won’t readily go wrong for them this spring. So there’s less pressure to buy things early. And the weekly updated seasonal ranges make GROEN-Direkt the ideal purchase channel,” says Hans Cok, GROEN-Direkt’s assistant director.

Visit from the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation

The focus on international garden plant retail did not go unnoticed. GROEN-Direkt’s Spring Fair was also visited by Liesje Schreinemacher, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. She talked to various standholders and was taken on a tour of GROEN-Direkt’s beautiful sample batches by Hans Cok, who discussed international aspects of the trade in garden plants with her.

New: GROEN-Direkt’s own Mediterranean imports

New at this edition were the Mediterranean plants imported by the company itself such as herbs and shrubs from Southern Europe. Visitors from all over Europe were very enthusiastic about the new wide range of Mediterranean plants, in which they showed a remarkably keen interest – so, all in all a great success! The large range of Mediterranean products will remain available at GROEN-Direkt after the Spring Fair too.

Largest range of green products ever

The more than 5,000 sample batches, concepts and novelties offered both the fair visitors and the webshop visitors plenty of inspiration. The already huge range was further supplemented by the 170 growers’ stands and the trend pavilion of the first spring edition of PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt that took place in the same hall and at the same time as the Spring Fair. As usual, the fair visitors were invited to vote for what they considered the best novelty. And the winner of this Visitors’ Favourite contest was the Rhododendron Hybrid ‘Grifie’ developed by N.V. Jules Block from Lochristi (Belgium).

About GROEN-Direkt

In its capacity as the largest green market in Europe, GROEN-Direkt has been combining the supply and demand sides of the garden plant market for more than 25 years. The company’s 30 annual sample fairs supplemented with its webshop showing frequently updated sample photos offer interested buyers a tremendous seasonal range from which to order garden plants all the year round. This GROEN-Direkt is able to do by working closely together with 500 specialist growers in the Dutch Boskoop horticultural region, and also far beyond. Since 2022, GROEN-Direkt has been part of Green Retail Events, the organisation responsible for the PLANTARIUM | GROEN-Direkt fairs.

For more information on GROEN-Direkt, its sample fairs or webshop go to www.groen-direkt.nlor call +31 (0)172 21 15 76.

Funds managed by Ares Management have acquired Dobbies Garden Centres and have committed to financially support the business.

A statement by the company said: “Ares’ funds have been lenders and shareholders since the business was acquired from Tesco in 2016. With the support of Ares’ funds, we will continue to execute on our strategy to drive the long-term growth of Dobbies.”

According to its website Ares Management is a "leading global alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across the credit, private equity, real estate and infrastructure asset classes."

Little Dobbies Richmond, Klondyke High Legh, Pengelly, Meadowcroft and Barton Grange have picked up Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Team golds in GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards, presented at Spring Fair on Monday. Kaemingk walked away with The Greatest Christmas Supplier gold.

Here are all the winners:

The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team

GOLD AWARD: Barton Grange; Blue Diamond Newbridge

SILVER AWARD: Gates; Stratford

BRONZE AWARD: Gordale

FINALISTS: Barton Grange; Blue Diamond Bridgemere; Blue Diamond Newbridge; Dobbies Livingston; Gates; Gordale; Longacres Bagshot; Rosebourne (Aldermaston); Rosebourne (Weyhill); Stratford; The Plant Place; Wentworth

The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team

GOLD AWARD: Pugh's Radyr

SILVER AWARD: Barton Grange; Longacres Bagshot

BRONZE AWARD: Pengelly

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Pugh's Wenvoe; St Peters Worcester

FINALISTS: Barton Grange; Blue Diamond Three Shires; Colne Valley; Gates; Highfield; Longacres Bagshot; Pengelly; Pugh's Radyr; Pugh's Wenvoe; St Peters Worcester; Woodlands, Ash

The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team

GOLD AWARD: Longacres Bagshot; Rosebourne (Aldermaston & Weyhill)

SILVER AWARD: Barton Grange; Gates

BRONZE AWARD: Chessington; Pugh's Radyr

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Chepstow

FINALISTS: Barton Grange; Brimsmore Gardens; Chepstow; Chessington; Garsons Titchfield; Gates; Longacres Bagshot; Pugh's Radyr; Rosebourne (Aldermaston); Rosebourne (Weyhill); Tingley

The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team

GOLD AWARD: Altons

SILVER AWARD: Chasewater

BRONZE AWARD: Chessington

FINALISTS: Altons; Chasewater; Chessington; Highfield; Palmers Enderby; Perrywood Tiptree

The Greatest Gardening Gifts Sales Team

GOLD AWARD: Gates

SILVER AWARD: Brimsmore Gardens

BRONZE AWARD: Pugh's Radyr

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Perrywood Tiptree

FINALISTS: BGC Burford House; Brimsmore Gardens; Dobbies Livingston; Gates; Perrywood Tiptree; Pugh's Radyr

The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team

GOLD AWARD: Pugh's Radyr & Wenvoe; Rosebourne (Aldermaston , Solihull & Weyhill)

SILVER AWARD: Azure; Silverbirch

BRONZE AWARD: Garsons Titchfield

FINALISTS: Azure; Garsons Titchfield; Pugh's Radyr & Wenvoe; Rosebourne (Aldermaston, Solihull & Weyhill); Sapcote; Silverbirch; The Old Railway Line

The Greatest Christmas Community Event

GOLD AWARD: Groves Bridport

SILVER AWARD: Gordale

BRONZE AWARD: Pengelly; Pugh's Radyr & Wenvoe

HIGHLY COMMENDED: St Peters Worcester

FINALISTS: Altons; Barton Grange; Gordale; Groves Bridport; Longacres Bagshot; Pengelly; Pugh's Radyr; Pugh's Wenvoe; Rosebourne (Aldermaston); St Peters Worcester; The Garden Society; The Plant Place

The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video

GOLD AWARD: The Old Railway Line

SILVER AWARD: Sapcote Garden Centre

BRONZE AWARD: Pengelly Garden Centre; The Grange

FINALISTS: Azure; Barton Grange; BGC Harrogate; Gordale; Pengelly Rosebourne (Aldermaston); Sapcote; The Grange; The Old Railway Line

The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team

GOLD AWARD: Gouldings Santa Experience

SILVER AWARD: Chessington; Coolings Lifestyle

BRONZE AWARD: Keydell

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Birkacre; Planters Garden King; Wentworth; Woodland Walk

FINALISTS: Baytree; BGC Arcadia; Birkacre; Chessington; Coolings Lifestyle; Gouldings Santa Experience; Keydell; Planters Garden King; Planters Tamworth; Ruxley Manor; Wentworth; Woodland Walk

The Greatest Festive Garden Centre Catering Team

GOLD AWARD: Woodlands, Ash

SILVER AWARD: The Old Railway Line 

BRONZE AWARD: Stratford

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Tingley

FINALISTS: Bents; Ellerker Lodge; Meadowcroft; Ruxley Manor; Stratford; The Garden Society; The Grange; The Old Railway Line; Tingley; Woodlands, Ash

The Greatest Christmas Supplier

GOLD AWARD: Kaemingk

FINALISTS: Festive; Florasilk; Gisela Graham; Kaemingk; Koopman; Premier; Smart Garden; Snowtime; Swift Imports

The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team

GOLD AWARD: Little Dobbies Richmond

SILVER AWARD: BGC Burford House

BRONZE AWARD: BGC Hatton

HIGHLY COMMENDED: BGC Bournville

FINALISTS: BGC Bournville; BGC Burford House; BGC Hatton; BGC Studley; Little Dobbies Richmond

The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team

GOLD AWARD: Klondyke High Legh

SILVER AWARD: Blue Diamond Fryers

BRONZE AWARD: BGC Arcadia; Blue Dimond Newbridge; Klondyke Astbury Meadow

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Blue Diamond Bridgemere; Dobbies Woodcote Green

FINALISTS: BGC Arcadia; BGC Braintree; BGC Bridgenorth; BGC Thatcham; Blue Diamond Bridgemere; Blue Diamond Fryers; Blue Dimond Newbridge; Dobbies Woodcote Green; Klondyke Astbury Meadow; Klondyke High Legh

The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team

GOLD AWARD: Pengelly

SILVER AWARD: Poundbury Gardens

BRONZE AWARD: The Grange

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bennybeg Plant Centre

FINALISTS: Bennybeg Plant Centre; Pengelly; Poundbury Gardens; Scotts of Southend; The Grange

The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team

GOLD AWARD: Meadowcroft

SILVER AWARD: Silverbirch

BRONZE AWARD: Brimsmore Gardens

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Ellerker Lodge; Fron Goch; The Old Railway Line

FINALISTS: Azure; Brimsmore Gardens; Caerphilly; California Lodge; Castle Gardens; Ellerker Lodge; Fosseway; Fron Goch; Meadowcroft; Newquay; Silverbirch; The Garden Society; The Old Railway Line

The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team

GOLD AWARD: Barton Grange

SILVER AWARD: Gates

BRONZE AWARD: Perrywood Tiptree; Wentworth

FINALISTS: Barton Grange; Bents; Garsons Titchfield; Gates; Gordale; Longacres Bagshot; Perrywood Tiptree; Pugh's Radyr; Summerhill Garden Centre; Wentworth; Whitehall Lacock

Watch out for The Greatest Christmas Awards photo tours of the centres in future issues of GTN Xtra, starting this coming weekend and in the next issue of GTN magazine.

Boningale Ltd, a well-known and significant UK producer and wholesaler of nursery stock, is for sale.

The business produces container grown plants on circa 80 acres over five sites in Albrighton, Worfield and Codsall in Shropshire; its Brookhaven site near Coventry and its Melville site in Edinburgh.

The business turns over almost £10m of nursery stock through its three brands: Boningale Nurseries (supplying the commercial amenity market); Viridis Plants (supplying the garden designer and garden contractor markets) and Worfield Plants (supplying garden centres).

The sale is prompted by the health concerns of the current Chairman, Tim Edwards, who unfortunately does not have family members succeeding him in the business.

This is a rare opportunity to purchase a business that is a significant producer and supplier to the UK amenity market. A business willing to invest in the acquisition and further development of Boningale would be well placed to become the major player in this market place.

All expressions of interest should be directed to Simon Quinton Smith of Quinton Edwards who are handling the sale. Telephone: 07785 732460 Email: simon@quintons.co.uk

Following in the footsteps of the 2019 wing walkers – GIMA’s Vicky Nuttall, SBM’s Lowri Walker and Evergreen’s Mark Portman – there is a new group of brave people set to take to the skies strapped to a plane, all in the name of the Greenfingers Charity!

This year 12 brave supporters have vowed to face their fears and climb 600ft into the air atop a 1940s Boeing Stearman biplane, previously used to train pilots during World War II. Swooping across the Cotswold countryside will be British Garden Centres’ Phillippa Stubbs, Mike Lind, Managing Director at Monkton Elm Garden Centre, Woodlodge’s Abigail Stocker, Kimberley Hornby, Managing Director of Hornby Whitefoot PR, Martin Cowell of Cowells Garden Centre, Katie Boyd alongside two colleagues from STV International, Capi Europe’s Kate Ebbens, and Heidi Towse. Lowri Walker, who first wing walked for Greenfingers in 2019, will also be making her return to undertake a new adventure – further details of which will be revealed soon!

Supporting the wingwalkers on the day will be the expert pilots from AeroSuperBatics, the team behind the Breitling Wingwalkers, a much-loved display act at UK airshows. On arrival at RFC Rendcomb Airfield, all participants will be briefed before being strapped to the top wing of the historic biplane. Wing walkers will then experience the roar of the plane’s 450hp Pratt & Whitney engine – the largest and most powerful engine operated in the UK for wing walking – with the propeller hitting speeds of up to 760mph at full throttle! Once the flight is underway, wingwalkers will only be able to communicate with their pilot via hand signals, as the plane performs daredevil flypasts, zoom climbs, steep dives and banks in front of friends and family. Greenfingers supporters are also welcome to come along on the day to encourage these courageous souls!

Find out more

The 2023 Greenfingers Wing Walk is earmarked to take place in early July, and presently eight places are available for anyone wanting to get outside of their comfort zone to raise much needed funds for the charity.

To register your interest and to grab one of the remaining places please contact Linda Petrons, Greenfingers Director of Fundraising & Communications by emailing linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk.

Further information regarding the Greenfingers Charity can be found at www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk. You can also join in the conversation by joining Greenfingers on social media - https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/, @GreenfingersCha on Twitter, and @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Hozelock will implement drug tests utilising fingerprint sweat-based technology from Intelligent Fingerprinting, to promote employee safety.

Hozelock will use the fingerprint sweat-based drug test to determine any recent employee use of cocaine, cannabis, methamphetamine or opioids.

The Intelligent Fingerprinting platform, which analyzes sweat to screen for recent drug use, is quick, hygienic and non-invasive, and enables Hozelock’s HR staff members to easily conduct drug tests whenever necessary. Quick video of the system here. As Hozelock staff numbers vary according to seasonal demand, ranging from 320 to approximately 650, our fingerprint test technology makes testing especially convenient when staffing resources are more limited.

Andrew Parker, Human Resources Manager of Hozelock said, “Intelligent Fingerprinting is a really good way of allowing us to conduct random drug tests in-house – a process that’s an important contributor to Hozelock’s excellent safety record. We consulted initially with Unite, who gave their full backing to our use of a fingerprint-based drug screening. Compared with urine and saliva methods, the fingerprint method of drug testing treats the employee with much more dignity, while the system’s shorter window of detection means we’re not intruding into our employees’ personal lives.”

“No one in HR ever wants to catch anyone with a drug test. But some of our operations are potentially dangerous, and, as a responsible employer, it’s essential that we do the right things to protect our employees and their colleagues. That said, as a team, we are only concerned with people being safe to work for their shift – not what they might have done over the weekend. With its sub-24 hour window of detection, Intelligent Fingerprinting’s system allows us to look at just that, ensuring the safety of our employees while respecting their privacy during their personal time. From our experience, traditional tests typically look for drug use beyond this, and that’s not what drug testing for health and safety purposes is all about,” continued Mr. Parker.

Please do let me know if you would like to a demo of the Intelligent Fingerprinting test or to speak to Hozelock for more information. Higher resolution images are also available.

We all remember those special moments as a child, celebrating Christmas with family and friends, making memories that will last us a lifetime.

Now you can also share those memories with loved ones, as NOMA is bringing back the nostalgia of Christmas with the launch of NOMA Classics, Christmas Crafts, and a collection of innovative decorations inspired by the past.

Christmas Crafts by NOMA

Christmas Crafts by NOMA is our new range of DIY decorations – all you need is a pair of scissors,some batteries, and some Christmas spirit.

From festive paper chains, lanterns, and garlands, you can craft away by making your very own decorations, which are then brought to life with our energy efficient LED light chains.

NOMA Classics

NOMA Classics has been re-invented, now featuring a unique LED light that replicates the effect of a traditional filament bulb.

Decorate your tree or interior with nostalgic Christmas lights, available in Classic Light strings, Pickwick, Canterbury Belles, and Victorian Lanterns.

NOSTALGIA by NOMA

A range of seasonal home styling products, creating that warm, cozy Christmas glow in your home. Inspired by decorations of the past, the Nostalgia range reimagines Christmas, but applies modern innovation.

ABOUT NOMA

NOMA is the oldest Christmas company in the UK, so we know all about tradition! We have been shaping the Christmas lighting market for over 80 years, designing elegant and magical lighting concepts that illuminate countless homes and gardens across the UK.

To order your NOMA 2023 catalogue, or register for a trade account, please visit www.noma.co.uk

Corby & Fellas Ltd. are delighted to announce that Perrywood Garden Centres, based in Tiptree, Essex and Sudbury, Suffolk, have chosen WinRetail as their EPoS and Retail Management system.

Perrywood is an independent, family-owned garden centre and nursery run by the Bourne Family in Essex; Their every day mission is to offer a memorable garden centre experience; delivering wow customer service and giving employees, customers, suppliers and our local community a reason to smile.

Their large covered areas allow you to visit whatever the weather, and you can enjoy a home cooked meal or cream tea in their light, bright modern coffee shop & restaurant. Their Tiptree site is surrounded by beautiful countryside, backing onto woodland and views over the Kelvedon valley.

Pictured at top: Alan McCammon, Corby + Fellas MD, & Simon Bourne, Perrywood Retail Director

East Coast House, Galahad Road, Beacon Park, Gorleston, NR31 7RU

01493 658800

Contact: Kim Corby sales@corbyfellas.com

www.corbyfellas.com

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.

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.