In This Issue
2019 ends 4.2% up on 2018 - A new record year for GTN Bestsellers Volume sales analysis
AMES UK report a record pre-season
Wentworth Garden Centre blown away by WinRetail system
Squire’s Garden Centres announces record sales
Out with the old and in with the new at LOFA
Clothing and houseplant sales come top in November
Garden Re-Leaf Day Sponsored Walk & Cycle Challenge has new home
Slimline Christmas trees hold key to driving sales in 2020
The Top 100 Most Read Stories of 2019
From 145 centres to zero - where the Wyevale Garden Centres went
Hillview Group put 6 sites up for sale
Eleven more Wyevale centres sold today
Wyevale Garden Centres sell six more centres
Smart acquires Briers
Most Read Stories in 2019 - 6 to 10
Most Read Stories in 2019 - 11 to 20
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Calling all Garden Centre Suppliers - Submit your FREE Sustainability Directory Entry here
New General Manager at garden centre
Primeur’s ECO Garden display stands set to revitalise sales of garden borders and stepping stones in 2020
GIMA opens 2020 Knowledge Exchange programme with Developing Selling Skills
It’s time for horticulture to take centre stage
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
GTN's Sustainability Directory 2020
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news. 

Email neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk, or trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 01733 775700


It’s time for horticulture to take centre stage
 

Now more than ever, we need to be at the top of our game for: Plant health and biosecurity, sustainability, quality standards, maximising the grower/retailer relationship, trends, best practice and technology. 

 

The Horticultural Trades Association’s Contact Conference invites those working across the nursery sector to sit up, take notice and act. The spotlight is about to shine on the state of the horticultural nation.  

 

Sponsored by ICL, the HTA Contact Conference will kick start the year with a horticultural bang on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 January 2020 at Horticulture House, Chilton.   

 

Latest programme updates include: 

 

A DEFRA representative will expand on how having a strong and vibrant horticultural industry is essential to underwriting the Government’s 25-year Environment Plan, its biosecurity ambitions, and to help mitigate the fundamental concerns of climate change.  

 

Harper Adams University is working to improve vine weevil control in Hardy Nursery Stock through the AHDB Horticulture project HNS 195.  A representative will talk about the work which has focused on methods to reliably monitor for the presence of this pest within crops. This includes comparisons of a range of monitoring tools and the potential to use a lure.  

 

HTA Contact Conference combines a day and a half conference programme with a networking dinner and overnight stay at Milton Hill Hotel near Horticulture House.   

 

Programme summary: 

State of the Horticultural Nation  

·                The big picture – 25-year Environment Plan 

·                Brexit and its impact on Horticulture  

 

Plant Health and Biosecurity  

·                Plant health update - Professor Nicola Spence, UK Chief Plant Health Officer  

·                International Year of Plant Health activities - Lucy Carson-Taylor, DEFRA 

·                The BRIGIT Project - Reducing the chance ofXylellabeing introduced and becoming established in the UK- Dr Gerard Clover  

 

Sustainability  

·                Sustainability in Horticulture - Sally Cullimore, HTA Policy Manager  

·                Best practice from within the Nursery Working Group - Bransford Webbs, Porters Fuchsias and Modiform  

 

Horticultural Quality Standards 

·                BOPP session - the ultimate tool for managing your nursery – Hills Plants/Hill Brothers and Walberton Nursery  

·                Pesticides update – Crop Protection Association with information sourced from industry 

 

Adding value to the grower/retailer relationship  

·                Trends/consumer behaviour/growing plants that people want - David Denny, HTA Sustainability and Insights Manager 

·                FERA – Glyn Jones 

 

Technology - Best Practice & Technology in Horticulture 

·                Improving vine weevil control in Hardy Nursery Stock - Harper Adams University  

·                Integrated Pest Management - Koppert Biological 

·                Engaging the younger generation - Martin Emmett, Chair of the HTA Ornamentals Committee and member of the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable  

 

After-dinner talk - Pippa Greenwood, HTA Horticulture Manager, takes a light-hearted look at her garden media career. 

 

HTA Contact Conference is open to all businesses and costs £299 for HTA members to attend (£499 for non-members). To book or find out more visit www.hta.org.uk/contactconference  

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