Woodlodge won the Choice Marketing Sundries Supplier of the Year Award, presented at the Choice Annual Trade Show and Dinner, held last night at the Jury's Inn Hinkley Island Hotel.

History & Heraldry won the award for Home and Gift Supplier of the Year and Allensmore Nurseries won the Best Plants Supplier Award.

See more photos from the Trade Show and Dinner in GTN Xtra this weekend.

In an interview published in the October issue of GTN, Justin KIng, Chairman of Wyevale Garden Centres and one time CEO of Sainsburys said: “I'm not one of the doomsayers about the so-called High Street, I believe that the reports of the death of the High Street have been exaggerated.  I do I like the channel that is garden centres, because in many ways it already is and has moved itself towards what all retail has to think about.

“Retail can never be just about having physical shops where people buy stuff.  The garden centre industry has naturally moved towards being a destination. It's never been purely just about buying stuff, it's always been an experience for the senses. I was amazed when I came to Wyevale that some of our garden centres had coach parks because people took day trips to them and there are not many retail channels that do that. That tells you they're occupying a piece of space that's beyond just selling stuff it is a day out, it is entertainment, it is an experience of the senses. Some of them at Wyevale were both before and during my time improving the food, improving the concession offering and of course that's what some of the very big operators have done and indeed the sites the bought from Wyevale are the ones that best fit their platform to do that.

“But this is also an industry where I see a long and vibrant future for independent operators. I do, feel that way for retail more generally too.  Although you hear news about shops closing down there are many new shops opening on High Streets up and down the country today, pretty much as ever there have been, and garden centres are a perfectly suited sector for a vocational business run by a family, perhaps a small group of friends, maybe a small chain of two or three locally. And it is a truly local business. I can't even plant the same plants from one end of my garden to the other as they are  on different soil. So, we know this is a local business where local knowledge and expert knowledge plays a part.  I see a vibrant future for the chains, I think they'll keep growing if they keep doing a great job. I also see a vibrant future for the independents as well. I think this is a sector in 20 years time that will still have a strong independent core within it.

“The direction of travel in all retail will see some consolidation because size does matter and it matters because there are a lot of things that you can do better for customers with size.  But whenever I talk at retail conferences, I always say that if you don't have size, then you need to be better. If you are small you've got to be more fleet of foot, more focused on your customers at a local level, more prepared to take risky and local decisions and this is a sector that lends itself to that perfectly.  Both will thrive."

In the same issue of GTN, Wyevale Garden Centres CEO, Anthony Jones thanked all of his Wyevale colleagues:  “We'd like to record our thanks to all of our amazing colleagues who have helped deliver everything and we're immensely proud of everything they've done in what are quite challenging circumstances. To deliver all the things that they did at the same time to trade the business well, whilst reducing it back in scale in the context of a quite complex sale process was a testament to them all. I'm very proud of them.

“Glee was fantastic. And to be honest, I'm humbled by the reception I got to be honest. Many of our buyers, as well as our suppliers, were quite complimentary about the process. It was nice for me to go back to Syon and pass on those kind words onto our team.”

Read the full interviews in your October issue of GTN, send an e-mail to karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk if you'd like to receive a regular copy, or read the on-line version via this link

DLF Seeds, owner of the Johnsons Lawn Seed brand, is to exclusively distribute Neudorff’s leading natural gardening product portfolio in UK, with immediate effect.

The exclusive agreement will ensure an uninterrupted supply of Neudorff’s extensive range of environmentally friendly gardening products throughout the UK by DLF Seeds, while the Republic of Ireland will continue to be serviced by Unichem Ireland.

Neudorff, a German pioneer of natural, safe and effective garden products, first entered the UK market in 2012 with the aim of bringing eco-friendly pest control and plant care products to consumers who are increasingly demanding chemical-free gardening solutions. The company, founded in 1854, now has a significant presence in over 20 countries and its extensive range is firmly established at retail outlets across the UK.

Johnsons Lawn Seed’s Consumer Manager, Guy Jenkins, and Neudorff UK’s Managing Director, Jude Beharall, said: “DLF Seeds, owner of Johnsons Lawn Seed, is the perfect partner for Neudorff and this exclusive new agreement will empower Johnsons’ extensive distribution network to strengthen the Neudorff brand throughout the UK. Both companies share similar values, upholding rigorous standards, and pioneering the development of environmentally friendly products that meet the needs of consumers who are increasingly seeking effective, safe and natural gardening solutions.”

Over the past seven years, Neudorff’s extensive portfolio and instantly recognisable branding has driven expansion of the rapidly growing category for natural, organic and vegan gardening products at retail outlets nationwide. Both Neudorff and DLF Seeds are pioneers in their fields, channeling significant investment into in-house research and development to bring the most innovative products to market.

Neudorff’s portfolio of 25 products includes natural plant protection products, fertilisers, weedkillers, lawncare, repellents, garden cleaning and vegan-approved gardening solutions. The range perfectly compliments Johnsons Lawn Seeds’ extensive line-up of market-leading lawn seed and fertiliser.

To find out more about Johnsons Lawn Seed products please visit www.johnsonslawnseed.com/product-range.aspx or for more information about Neudorff’s leading natural gardening portfolio, visit www.neudorff.co.uk

Just when we were heading for a record September volume sales level in the GTN Bestsellers All Products Index the heavens opened and it well and truly rained on our parade.

That meant, even with Christmas displays opening September was up on last year but it didn’t hold on to beat the previous record set in 2014.

With more heavy rain this week it could be a few weeks before autumn gardening and Christmas sales really get into gear. Fingers crossed for some cooler but drier weather ahead.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 39

• Garden Products Top 50 – up 9%
• Growing Media Top 50 – down 34%
• Wild Bird Care Top 50 – down 20%
• Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – down 2%
• All Plants index – down 23%
• All Items index - down 9%

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Pictured: The winning garden at Squire’s Stanmore (left to right – Tina Dyer, Nathan Syrett and Christine Foley).

Right: Squire’s at Woking (left to right –  Fiona Copper, John Jary. Lawrence Peake and Andy Webb.)

Squire’s garden centres at Stanmore and Woking have emerged victorious in a friendly competition between the group’s 16 sites to designa garden that showcases why they love gardening.

The gardens had to be small, easy to create and maintain, and something that customers could replicate at home.

Stanmore won ‘Best Showcasing of I Love Gardening’ with a mouthwatering creation featuring fruit and vegetables, an apple tree, herbs, strawberries and a wicker hatch chicken coup (pictured left).

Woking won ‘Best Focal Point’ for its colourful and educational garden (pictured below), which was all about encouraging children to get off their iPads and get into gardening. The focal point was ‘Chloe The Caterpillar’ built from crates and plant saucers. The garden also contained a quiz on flip cards to teach children about insects, an imaginative ‘create your own fairy garden’ area using broken pots and Antirrhinum snap dragons, and plants for the senses.

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Squire’s Chairman Sarah Squire commented; “All of our centres created amazing gardens, but the two that really stood out were the gardens at Squire’s in Stanmore and Woking. The teams had put such thought, enthusiasm and effort into their designs. We have received lots of great comments from customers who have really enjoyed seeing their creations.”

The Campaign for Female Education African Garden, which won a prestigious gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May, is being installed at the Eden Project in Cornwall.

The garden tells the story of how the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) supports the most excluded girls and young women in rural sub-Saharan Africa to go to school, succeed, and become leaders and change-makers in their communities, including in climate-smart agriculture. The garden (pictured below during reconstruction at the Eden Project) is due to open in the Mediterranean Biome at Eden on Friday 18 October.

CAMFED’s alumnae, one of whom inspired the garden, are committed to supporting more girls to go to school. They grow food to nourish school communities, create local employment and help build resilience to climate change. 

The garden was created by leading London-based designer Jilayne Rickards (below, left), who was inspired by visiting CAMFED in Zimbabwe. At its centre is a classroom surrounded by lush planting, reflecting a huge array of edible crops typical to rural Zimbabwe. A raised bed showcases water-efficient growing technology coupled with crop rotation, which maximises yield from a small area. 

The garden attracted a great deal of attention at Chelsea, not only winning a gold medal but also the coveted BBC/RHS People’s Choice Award in the ‘Space to Grow’ category. It helped launch the international non-profit’s #SeeGrowth campaign, through which CAMFED aims to support thousands more young women to establish climate-smart agricultural businesses.

At Eden, home of the world-famous Biomes, it will be enjoyed by more than one million visitors a year.

Eden horticulturist Sarah Northcott led the growing of nearly 1,000 plants at the project’s nursery.   

Some were grown at the nursery by People and Gardens, which works with people with physical and emotional impairments.

Designer Jilayne was a first-time exhibitor at Chelsea and had no previous experience of creating a show garden.

She said: “It is really inspiring to know that our garden will live on at Eden and be enjoyed by millions of visitors. We hope it will continue to raise awareness about CAMFED’s See Growth campaign.

“It has been empowering to bring two fabulous charities together that do such incredible work.”

Eden Head of Horticulture Paul Stone said: “We share with CAMFED a commitment to sustainable agriculture and education and have been very happy to partner with them on this inspiring garden. We’ll continue to tell this great story when the garden opens at Eden.”

Jilayne’s inspiration for the garden came from meeting Beauty Gombana, a CAMFED alumna from Zimbabwe.  Beauty runs her own agricultural business, growing nutrient rich crops and employing local staff.  She allows her farm to be used as a learning resource and also funds other girls to go to school.

CAMFED, through its alumnae network called CAMA, is working to support thousands more female agricultural entrepreneurs in rural Africa. Young women learn to deploy climate-smart technologies and horticultural techniques to grow sustainable farming businesses that can support their local communities. CAMA’s pioneering work in this area was honoured with the UN Global Climate Action Award on 26 September 2019.

“This innovative garden showcases the dividends an investment in girls’ education and women’s grassroots leadership can pay - improving community health, wealth and resilience to climate shocks. We are so delighted that it will live on at the Eden Project,” commented Sinikiwe Makove, Head of Programmes at CAMFED Zimbabwe.

The garden will include biofortified food crops developed and delivered by an international science collaboration, HarvestPlus, which receives funding from the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID).

Enriched with vitamins, these crops support good nutrition in Africa, especially in mothers and babies. DFID, through UK Aid, is a long-standing investor in CAMFED’s programmes to educate girls and support young women in sub-Saharan Africa into independent livelihoods and leadership positions, including in climate-smart agriculture.

For more information, see visit the Eden website. 

An atmosphere of optimism resonated throughout the halls of Glee during September’s show. Following a buoyant spring and summer season, with many garden retailers experiencing strong growth in key categories, an upbeat trading atmosphere prevailed, underpinning the garden retail sector’s resilience to economic headwinds in the run-up to Brexit. In a year of monumental change for the industry, with 145 former Wyevale Garden Centres now in the hands of new operators, it has never been more vital for suppliers to forge new relationships with buyers – and Glee played a pivotal role by providing the ultimate networking platform that enabled new garden centre owners to witness the latest in innovation and confidently place orders for the 2020 season.

In fact, Glee 2019 raised the bar in terms of innovation and creativity – drawing praise for both the quality of visitors and an increasing international contingent, too. To gain a deeper insight into how this year’s show unfolded against a backdrop of seismic industry change, Glee Event Director, Matthew Mein, reveals key trends that shaped this year’s successful show.

An evolving place to do business

Glee is firmly established as the networking opportunity in the retail calendar and this year’s show was tailored to meet the needs of visitors with demanding schedules. Feedback helps us to fine tune Glee and, following consultation with all partners, Glee moved seamlessly into a new Tuesday to Thursday slot this year – a decision taken in response to feedback from retail visitors. This move allowed those in the retail trade to focus on post-weekend trading and stock replenishment on the Monday, ahead of visiting Glee – a move that resulted in an upbeat opening to the show, allowing buyers to focus on networking and meetings without interruption.

Set across five halls, visitors were engaged from the moment they set foot in the NEC, with more than 550 exhibitors set across eight carefully edited show sectors. As an added bonus, the new Glee Connect matchmaking service helped exhibitors and visitors to strike meaningful connections with ease. Using AI technology, the connect platform was able to give all parties a higher return on time invested in their visit. Elsewhere rebooking for the 2020 event reached 61% during the show, as brands look to secure their investment in the coming seasons. In general the 2019 event saw strong numbers across the board. Including revisits, over 7,800 people visited the show, with visitors coming from over 40 countries. 40% of visitors were new to Glee, with retail buyers with sole purchasing responsibility seeing an increase of 14% year-on-year. 22% of all visitors also had a purchasing budget over £1million, meaning orders books were quick to fill and meaningful retail partnership conversation were the order of the day.

A hub for innovation

Glee 2019 set a new benchmark for inspiration and creativity, and the New Product Showcase – a platform to unveil the most unique and sought-after novelties coming to market – was testament to the scale of investment evident in the sector. Innovation drives category growth in retail and the biggest ever New Product Showcase at Glee, staged in association with Garden Trade News, hosted a record 362 entries, hammering home the level of product foresight that’ll keep tills ringing next season. It was a similar story at the brand-new Pets at Glee New Product Showcase, with fierce competition helping to maximise product exposure to buyers, while revealing the most exciting new lines that hold the potential to inspire pet-owners to make in-store purchases.

The greatest showroom

Now an established feature and widely regarded as the beating heart of Glee, the highly acclaimed Retail Lab returned for its third year, with a theatrical theme for 2019. Run in association with the HTA, and brought to life by Retail Lab Creative Director, Romeo Sommers, the 2019 theme of The Greatest Showroom offered the ultimate in inspiration for merchandisers, showcasing the latest trends and highlighting how a bit of theatre can entertain and engage customers. The Lab’s two key themes – Saving the world: Nurturing, Nature and Animals, and Do it yourself (and have fun) tapped into the fashion for bringing nature into our homes and threw the spotlight on in-store concepts that capture the imagination of customers and inspire consumers to connect emotionally with issues they care about, such as reducing plastics, caring for pets and urban greening, all of which can lead to increased sales when presented alongside future products.

We are very grateful to all of our sponsors, especially our gold sponsors Woodlodge, Scheurich, Meadow View Stone, BPI Products, Ivyline and Hozelock, who togetherhelped to transform the Retail Lab from an ambitious concept into a futuristic showcase for modern merchandising.

Harnessing the Power of One

2019 will go down in Glee’s history as the year in which sustainability dominated the agenda. With GCA members turning out in abundance, as well as representatives from DIY sheds, supermarkets and DIY chains, buyers were out in force looking for products that demonstrated a closed-loop approach to usage of materials. Many exhibitors were taking steps to move away from single-use plastics, while there was a significant shift towards products that repurposed former waste items. The industry has made strides to cut the volume of peat used in compost, and while the Government’s voluntary 2020 target for retail horticulture to be peat-free isn’t yet reality, the latest peat-reduced and organic formulations made their debut at Glee – alongside a growing band of natural, chemical-free plant foods, pest controls and weedkillers which are all experiencing strong demand as organic gardening gains momentum.

With environmental initiatives topping the retail agenda, it was timely that the team behind Glee, along with visitors and exhibitors, made their #PowerOfOne pledges at the show – a new feature for Glee 2019 that saw the exhibition team up with the Power of One movement, an international UN-backed initiative designed to show how small, individual changes can create a more sustainable future for everyone.  From embracing reusable shopping bags to shunning fast fashion, pledges on social media came thick and fast across the three days of Glee, proving that, one by one, we can all make a difference.

Inspirational expert speakers

Industry collaboration is at the heart of everything we do at Glee and this year’s line-up of guest speakers inspired with their in-depth knowledge and expertise. Ellen Mary, best known as a presenter of The Plant Based Podcast and a host on Future Radio, presented Grow Your Own magazine’s 2019 Great British Growing Awards, throwing the spotlight on suppliers and retailers who, through innovation, have driven demand for grow your own to new highs. Other keynote talks provided expert insight into visual merchandising, harnessing the power of SEO, successful catering, using social media to grow businesses, reducing plastics and getting the most out of new ranges – all offering inspirational ideas packed into 30-minute sessions, while the Glee Buyer’s Power List Awards celebrated the outstanding talent of retail buyers whose influence shapes today’s garden centre market.

Glee to grow alongside new Pawexpo

It has been confirmed that Glee will be back on 15^th to 17^th September 2020, again taking advantage of its new Tuesday to Thursday slot at the NEC. While the show will continue to evolve, reflect the latest industry trends and become even more dynamic, the big news is that a new pet show designed to meet the growing demands of the pet-buying market will run alongside Glee next year. Launched at a special drinks reception at this year’s Glee, the Pet & Animal Wellbeing Expo (Pawexpo) will support suppliers and retailers across this rapidly expanding industry, helping to maximise sales and revenue opportunities while adopting a personal touch to the pet trade show experience with a fully curated offering.

What’s next?

Plans for Glee at Spring Fair 2020 are gathering pace. Born in 2018 and strengthening its position as an ideal event for visitor crossover buying at Spring Fair 2019, the event is now a firm fixture in Hall 3, with Spring Fair set to take place on 2^nd to 6^th February next year. As well as showcasing ranges ahead of the busy spring sales season, visitors to the 2019 event spoke about how they’d met with influential buyers from retail sectors and High Street chains who hadn’t previously visited Glee, opening up new business opportunities and generating additional leads.

Tong Garden Centre's ‘Audience with' award-winning author, Milly Johnson raised more than £850 for its charity of the year, Bradford Stories, which works with the National Literacy Trust to promote reading, writing, speaking and listening. 

Seventy people were entertained by the Sunday Times Top 5 bestselling author and ‘queen of feel-good fiction' in Tong's newly opened events centre on 26^th September.

Tong Garden Centre's marketing manager, Jo Dales was delighted with the success of the event. "Guests were served a delicious cream tea and were entertained by Milly's engaging and witty account of becoming an author. She was a great crowd entertainer and it was inspirational to hear about her incredible journey from trainee accountant to bestselling author of romantic fiction and to listen to her read from her new novel, The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew."

Milly Johnson said: "Community and literacy issues are close to my heart.  There is nothing more important than being able to read - it opens so many doors and gives so much pleasure - and I'm delighted at the money raised. Unlocking a love of reading also unlocks opportunity so Bradford Stories and the National Literacy Trust's work to support literacy for all is vital. Thank you to everyone who gave so generously."

Milly Johnson has written 16 novels and sold millions of copies. She is also a columnist for her local newspaper, a poet and an after-dinner speaker.

Pictured: Helen Verity (left) from National Literacy Trust and Milly Johnson at Tong Garden Centre.

Leaving his sleigh behind until Christmas Eve, Santa plans to arrive at Squire’s centres next month on a vintage bus, a horse-drawn carriage, an American classic car – and even a fire engine.

His arrivals are scheduled for Saturday or Sunday mornings at each of the group’s 16 sites, where customers an have their pictures taken with him.

He will be opening Christmas Grottos (Circuses at Shepperton and Stanmore) and at Badshot Lea, Long Ditton, Shepperton, Stanmore, Woking and Washington will bring real reindeer with him.

A Squire’s Christmas Grotto visit plus gift costs £6 per child, with £1 donated to charity and is open until Christmas Eve, with no booking required. The ‘Make Rudolph Shine’ Circus costs £14 (advance booking required) and includes a gift from Santa’s elves.

It’s all change in the garden this month as autumn colour and falling foliage transforms trees, shrubs and borders – a wonderful sight that brings the gardening year to a spectacular finale.

You can keep gardeners active with the ‘Gardening is Good for You!’ campaign, supported by National Garden Gift Vouchers.

Autumn is a busy season, with plenty to tempt us outside. There’s summer bedding to clear away, border perennials to cut down, veg plots to clear, and leaves to collect and convert into valuable leaf mould to use for mulching and feeding the soil.

Gardening throughout the year brings with it many benefits, like keeping us active in the fresh air, while direct contact with soil has been shown to be valuable to our mental health and wellbeing. Research has demonstrated the value of ‘earthing’ or ‘grounding’ in the alleviation of health problems, relieving stress, and improving our mood and restful sleep.

Research around the world continues to highlight the many benefits of gardening, and although the benefits of direct contact with soil and friendly bacteria aren’t yet fully understood they indicate what many people believe … gardening is great therapy.

DID YOU KNOW?

Some friendly bacteria found in the soil may act on our brain like antidepressants. Research on mice by University College London and Bristol University found that a common soil bacteria acts on brain cells to stimulate production of the ‘happy chemical’ serotonin, altering mood in a similar way to antidepressants.

PLANTS OF THE MOMENT: AUTUMN PLANTING

Autumn is a good time for planning and planting, establishing plants into warm soil before the onset of winter. Help customers to choose plants suited to their soil, site and conditions.

Large patio pots, tubs, troughs and baskets can also be planted with a selection of evergreen, flowering and berrying plants to provide colour and interest over the cold winter months ahead.

Many bare-rooted plants are only available from the autumn, offering great value for hedging and planting projects.

Seasonal favourites include:

• Skimmia varieties eg ‘Magic Marlot’
• Gaultheria mucronata
• Cyclamen hederifolium (AGM)
• Mahonia ‘Charity’ and ‘Winter Sun’ (AGM)
• Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ and ‘Charles Lamont’ (AGM)
• Autumn Flowering Camellia eg C. sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ (AGM)
• Callicarpa ‘Profusion’ Dogwood varieties (Cornus)
• Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ (AGM)
• Heathers

As a corporate supporter of the Bat Conservation Trust, CJ Wildlife is working with the charity to raise awareness of these beautiful nocturnal mammals that are so well documented at this time of year.

The relationship between bats and Hallowe’en is thought to date back to ancient times where people used to gather around huge bonfires to ward off evil spirits?  The heat from the bonfires attracted a host of flying insects which in turn attracted the bats. The silhouette of the bats from the firelight soon became a feature of the Halloween tradition.

Despite bats commonly being portrayed as vampire-like creatures in horror movies, they actually play an important role in pollination and seed dispersal and are therefore vital to preserving our environment. UK bats eat only insects! A common pipistrelle will eat up to 3,000 midges and other small insects every night although itself only weighing the same as a 20p coin! Many of our UK species are actually very small and vulnerable, and this time of the year are not beyond needing help.

Bats will be preparing for hibernation by spending increasing periods of time in a state of deep sleep, known as torpor. A bat’s body temperature lowers and its metabolic rate slows, meaning it uses less energy and can survive on the fat stored up instead of trying to forage for food. On mild nights they may still be active and venture out for food if the need arises but only under the cover of darkness.

Not all bats hibernate but those who do seek out a roost that has a constant cool and moist atmosphere, such as a cellar or cave (as preferred by the greater and lesser horseshoe bats). The end of November will mark the beginning of the long winter hibernation, and we won’t see them on the wing again until March or April. 

Remember that in the UK bats are protected species under the Wildlife & Countryside Acts so should not be disturbed, especially during hibernation or breeding periods.

The UK is home to 18 species of bat, but sadly most have suffered decline in recent years with habitat loss thought to be one of the major causes. In the UK and Ireland, it’s likely that bats would roost and hibernate within most types of bat box as they need a stable, cool temperature and very high humidity to overwinter.  

The garden can be a good environment for bats when additional bat boxes are provided and suitable extra food sources offered by gardening in a way that favours them. A pond and night-scented flowers are simple ways of making a practical difference by providing valuable water and attracting their favourite insects. You should aim to Minimise light pollution. (Pictured:CJ Almodovar bat box)

Bat boxes are best sited in a sturdy tree or building where bats have been seen or are known to feed, in a sheltered spot facing south or southwest to absorb the direct daily sunlight.  Position it as high as possible between 2-5m with a clear 'flight-path' for access.

Crevice roosting species are the ones best served by bat boxes as they cannot make their own roost and use bat boxes as an alternative to limited natural habitats.

Owners of Glee, the UK’s leading garden retail exhibition, ITE Group plc has announced a name change and new brand identity which will mark a new chapter of business growth and development for the UK’s leading annual garden trade event, as well as the newly launched Pawexpo exhibition, which will present a fresh look at pet retailing.

The move from ITE Group plc to Hyve Group plc is reflective of the evolution of the Group’s business resulting from its Transformation and Growth programme (TAG) announced in May 2017 and now nearing completion.  The Group’s vision, enabled through the TAG programme, is to create the world’s leading portfolio of content-driven, must-attend events delivering an outstanding experience and ROI for customers. Through the TAG investment, the business has built a dynamic scalable platform, improved processes and enhanced systems, and completed the acquisition of the Ascential Events Exhibitions portfolio last year.

Glee and Pawexpo’s Event Director, Matthew Mein, said: “Over the last few years the garden retail sector has demonstrated its tenacity and passion for developing our industry. Glee has provided an unrivalled annual platform for furthering this growth through networking and educational opportunities. The move to Hyve enables us to build on this, supported by a wider business that fully understands the vital role exhibitions have to play, and has a proven track record of launching successful market leading events.  This is especially timely as we bring Pawexpo to the market in 2020. Offering a dynamic look at pet retailing, this new event will provide pet buyers and retailers with the products, energy, creativity and business support that they need to offer a more comprehensive and future facing pet offering, all presented under one roof where sharing experiences and networking will shape the content.  Being able to bring the show to the Hyve ‘family’ is an exciting prospect, and we look forward to sharing further details soon.”

Introduction to Hyve Group plc

Hyve Group plc is a next generation global events business with a mission to create unmissable events, where customers from all corners of the globe share extraordinary moments and shape industry innovation. Hyve Group is a fundamentally different business and has transformed into:

• A global presence not purely focused on emerging markets
• A centralised operating model not a decentralised federal organisation
• A premium product business not a geographic market-share led company
• A Group of market-leading events rather than a broad portfolio of mixed quality

Unveiling Hyve Group plc, Mark Shashoua, CEO, said:

“We launch our new brand identity, Hyve, to move us into the future, with a clear vision, well defined strategy and a renewed energy. We have transformed the Group into a next generation global events business, and our new name is a better reflection of who we are now and captures our ambitions for our future.

Since taking the helm in 2016, the Group has fundamentally changed from a portfolio of decentralised, emerging markets events into a global business, focused on running market-leading events, wherever they may be in the world.

We are now in a better position than ever before. Following four years of decline, FY18 was the second consecutive year of like-for-like growth, including double-digit growth from our Top 10 events, and was the first year of growth in both volume and yield since 2014.

As Hyve, we are on a mission to deliver unmissable events. We believe our model gives us a distinctive competitive edge as customer needs evolve and we aspire to set the standard for our industry.”

This autumn, GIMA’s Knowledge Exchange programme will be bolstered with two new one-day workshops, this time focusing on optimising key social media channels such as LinkedIn and Instagram to grow your business, as well as looking at ways to advance existing Microsoft PowerPoint skills. Places are filling up fast, so interested parties – both GIMA members and non-members – are invited to secure their place now to avoid disappointment.

The first workshop, taking place on November 6^th and led by leading industry PR agency, Hornby Whitefoot PR, will look at the impact LinkedIn and Instagram have had on business, and will break down how brands can optimise a presence on each platform to boost their engagement. From handy hints and tips on how to create a winning strategy, and how to better interact with your audience, as well as basics such as setting up pages/accounts, the workshop will also explain the difference between the two platforms and outline how they achieve different goals.

This ‘Optimising Instagram and LinkedIn for Business’ workshop is designed for any brand that wants to improve their presence on these social platforms and also recognise the value of delivering an effective and thought-out strategy.

The second workshop, entitled ‘Advanced Microsoft PowerPoint’ will be led by Paul Brown Training, specialists in Microsoft training.  During this session delegates will learn how to use PowerPoint’s most advanced tools, enabling them to quickly and confidently create impactful presentations.

Content of the workshop will include creating and using slide masters and templates, working with graphic objects, setting up slide tables, employing multimedia elements, inserting video clips, adding sound and linking graphs and data dynamically to Excel spreadsheets.

All GIMA Knowledge Exchange Workshops will take place at Horticulture House, Didcot, OX11 0RN.

Further information about Knowledge Exchange workshops can be found at www.gima.org.uk. Open to both members and non-members, GIMA is urging interested parties to secure their places now as space is limited. Bookings can be made for individual workshops (GIMA Members: £200 + VAT / Non-members: £230 + VAT) or as a suite of two or more places (GIMA Members: £180 + VAT / Non-members: £210 + VAT).

With a rich history spanning nearly 80 years, Almondsbury Garden Centre is Bristol's largest independent garden centre. Based five minutes from Cribbs Causeway, we are passionate about plants and helping our customers to achieve their gardening goals, whether that's an ambitious outdoor project or adding some luscious greenery to their indoor space.

We're one of the best-stocked garden centres in the South West and are proud of our reputation for finding the perfect plant or flower for any gardening project.

We are now looking for a Plant Area Manager to join our dedicated team and oversee our vast plant department.

Your Rewards

- Salary of 35k to 40k per annum
- 28 days' annual leave including Bank Holidays
- Staff discount scheme
- Subsidised social events
- Benefits package commensurate with a progressive company
- Relocation package

We provide the ideal environment in which to develop and thrive. Whether you're an accomplished garden centre manager or a budding plant enthusiast looking to enhance your leadership experience, we'll provide you with all the support you need to build a career to be proud of.

Joining a friendly team of experts, you will be empowered to make your own decisions and given full backing by the business to make your mark on your department.

We believe that plants bring joy, beauty and wellbeing to the world. If you share these values and are looking to join a forward-thinking company that will support your growth, we'd love to hear from you.

Your Role

As a Plant Area Manager, you will deliver an exceptional service to customers and maximise plant sales.

In this fast-moving role, you will focus on all areas of plant sales.

Specifically, you will:

- Develop, motivate and lead your team and monitor their performance
- Take ownership of the commercial aspects of your department
- Advise customers on which plants will best meet their needs
- Ensure that products are beautifully presented
- Work with your team to make sure we continue to deliver an unrivalled plant offering

About You

To join us as our Plant Area Manager, you'll need:

- Experience of working in a garden centre or garden department within a large retail store
- Experience of buying for a large plant area
- A passion for, and strong understanding of, horticulture
- Experience of managing retail staff

Due to our location, a driving licence and access to your own vehicle would be beneficial. A qualification in a horticultural subject would also be an advantage. If you are willing to relocate, a relocation package is available.

Other organisations may call this role Garden Department Manager, Garden Centre Manager, Garden Centre Supervisor, Retail Manager, Plant Shop Manager. Planteria Manager.

Please apply with CV to: Richard Truscott Richard.truscott@almondsbury.co.uk

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After five years of continual decline for Garden Product sales in September it’s great to report an upturn this year. 

The GTN Bestsellers Garden Products Top 50 sales volumes for the month moved up by 12% year on year.

Highlights of the week were:

• Garden lighting continues to shine with Creative Products Bottle Lights zooming back into the GTN chart at No 1.
• As pot sales continue to thrive, Woodlodge’s 4 inch Pot saucers become the second most popular garden product of the week, re-entering at No 2.
• The highest new entry of the week was another Woodlodge line – their tall Garden Owl enters the chart at No 30.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Squire’s Garden Centres will be holding a ‘plantathon’on World Mental Health Day (this Thursday, 10 October) to help raise awareness of mental health issues.

Plant teams at all the group’s 16 garden centres will be planting up pots from 9.30am until 3.30pm. Customers can buy the planted containers for £5 (while stocks last).

Squire’s believes there are strong links between gardening and mental health, because gardening offers fresh air, good exercise and relaxation. In a recent survey of nearly 2,000, Squire’s found that 94% of people thought gardening was good for mental health and wellbeing, and 92% would recommend gardening to others as an aid to mental health.

Proceeds of the ‘plantathon’ will go to local charities. And at Squire’s in Long Ditton the local fire brigade will be rolling up their sleeves and getting involved with the planting to remember a colleague who took his own life last year. Squire’s will donate some of the planted containers to Esher Fire Station to assist with the memorial garden that they are creating and to show their support for mental health wellness in the fire brigade.

Talking to others can help us stay in good mental health, so after watching the planting customers can sit at a ‘Chatter & Natter’ table in Squire’s Café Bar to meet people in the local community and have a chat over a cup of coffee.

The wet weather set plant sales back again last week and as a result September volumes were down on 2018 and 2017 levels, by ahead of our recorded sales for September 2016.

Viola sales jumped ahead of Pansies last week moving up to No 2.

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The International Year of Plant Health will inform a key topic on the agenda at the HTA’s Contact Conference 2020, which takes place on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 January 2020.

The event, aimed at all those working in the nursery industry, will focus on the ‘State of the Horticulture Nation’, with the programme including updates on plant health, sustainability, best practices and technologies and the grower-retailer relationship.

A biennial event, HTA Contact Conference combines a day and a half conference programme with a networking dinner and overnight stay. The conference will be hosted at HTA’s Horticulture House in Oxfordshire, with accommodation and dinner at the nearby Milton Hill Hotel.

The UK’s chief plant health officer, Professor Nicola Spence, will speak on day one, providing the latest update on plant health along with news from DEFRA on the International Year of Plant Health. This will be followed by insight from Dr Gerald Clover into the BRIGIT Project, which takes a multi-disciplinary approach to building UK capability to reduce the chance of xylella entering and becoming established here.

Other topics over the two days include horticultural quality standards, pesticides, Nursery Working Group case studies, and adding value to the grower-retailer relationship. Further speakers will be announced soon.

“Now, more than ever before, is the time for the UK nursery industry to be sharing its immense knowledge base and discussing best practice,” said HTA President Boyd Douglas-Davies. “Contact provides an invaluable opportunity to bring together the nursery stock sector to do exactly this and to look at the key topics impacting horticultural businesses. With high profile speakers, an agenda tackling the key topics and plenty of time for networking, there really is no better way to kick off the 2020 season.”

This event is open to all businesses and costs £299 for HTA members (£499 for non-members).

For more information click here  or email the events team.

The high rainfall of the past few weeks has put paid to a lot of gardening activity and that has shown through for growing media sales. 

After a good start to the month, sales at the end dropped like a stone and the month ended down 3% on last year.  It was however the second best sales total for September over the past six years.

Highlights of the week were:

• Bulb planting activity stimulated some growing media sales with Westlands 20 litre Bulb planting compost increasing sales to move up 14 places to No 9.
• Evergreen Garden Care’s Levington Bark Bale, 100 litres, was the highest chart climber, up 18 places to No 13.
• As attention moves indoors Pughs Cactus Gravel saw the biggest percentage increase of the week to re-enter our chart at No 41.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Our first week of reporting Christmas sales shows a drop from the first week of the past two years but higher volumes than the equivalent week in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

With the weather effecting overall garden centre sales and footfall we’ll need to wait until further through October to see what the trend for the season will be.

In terms of early Christmas Bestsellers, personalised items are again at the top of the list, pink factors highly in popularity and Christmas story books for children, particularly Winne the Pooh, are selling well.  There are five Pooh Christmas storybooks in the chart this week.

Within the GTN Christmas Top 50 there are three Christmas Pet products with the Petface Brussel Sprout Toy joining the Armitages Dog and Cat Advent calendars in the list of bestselling lines.

• Lindt’s Teddy Bear 10g is the first Christmas No 1 of the year.
• History & Heraldry’s Personalised Gingerbread Hanging Decoration are the highest new entry of the season, in at No 5.
• Armitages Dog Advent Calendar is the highest placed advent calendar, for pets and children, at No 9.  Last week it even outsold the Lego Harry Potter advent calendar which was at No 25.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

In the last 10 years, the David Colegrave Foundation has awarded almost £100,000 through scholarships, trip bursaries and other educational initiatives.

Applications for further funding are already coming in for the current scholarship season from the likes of The University of the Highlands and Islands - Argyll College UHI, The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise - Greenmount campus, Harper Adams University, Walworth School of Horticulture, Eden Project Learning, Myerscough College and Pershore college.

More colleges are encouraged to get on board and get their horticulture students applying.

Colleges can also apply directly for group trip bursaries. Most recently with funding from DCF, Askham Bryan College students visited the Four Oaks Trade Show.

Marina Martignoni, lecturer in horticulture and arboriculture at Askham Bryan College said: “It has been an amazing opportunity to introduce our young horticulturists to some of the most vibrant sectors in the industry. The students had the chance to interact with business owners, entrepreneurs and horticulturists from all over the UK and Europe, appreciating the variety of job opportunities and career pathways of the future. In particular, for these students who had literally just joined the course on the previous day, it was a chance to encounter ‘hot’ topics such as the use of peat and plastic in the industry, as well as IPM and biosecurity. It hasn’t been just a good bonding opportunity for the group, but also a moment of personal reflection prompted by the DCF reports task they had to complete.”

This year there are seven scholarships to apply for:

Ball Colegrave Sponsored Travel Scholarship

Up to £1,500 to fund travel to Europe in order to develop knowledge and experience in bedding plant production and marketing. An employee in the early stages of their career at a commercial bedding plant nursery, or a student studying horticulture with an interest in commercial bedding plants should apply.

British Protected Ornamentals Association - Peter Seabrook Bursary

£1,000 to support one or more students studying commercial horticulture. The scholarship is also available to schools and horticultural colleges to finance trips for students over 16 years of age to leading commercial horticultural establishments.

Horticultural Research Scholarship

£2,500 to support applied research within the horticulture industry. Students who are keen to pursue a research career in the horticultural industry should apply. This includes undergraduates, postgraduates and those studying for doctoral degrees.

John Gibson Environmental Scholarshi

£1,500 to support a student with a keen interest in environmental solutions and sustainable applications as applied to commercial horticulture.

Majestic Trees Sponsored Travel Scholarship

Up to £3,000 to fund a placement abroad at a tree nursery for a student who is passionate about tree production. This also includes the opportunity for a work placement at Majestic Trees, which could become a permanent position.

Markham – Colegrave International Scholarship

$4,500 USD for the opportunity to organise a work placement in a horticultural business in the US/Canada. The Scholarship is presented as a joint award from DCF and the American Floral Endowment (AFE), US.

Student Scholarship

£1,000 to each of up to 5 students to support their studies in horticulture. Preference is given to candidates who have an interest in ornamental commercial horticulture, especially with an emphasis on the bedding, container, pot plant and cut flower sectors.

Scholarship Season is open until 31 January 2020.

September garden centre sales are set to hit record levels this year if we have a good last week of the month.  After three weeks the GTN Bestsellers All Products Index is 7% up on last year and the best first three weeks of September since 2014.

Last week saw year on year sales increases for most areas of garden centre sales including plants which were up for the week for only the second time since March.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 38

•           Garden Products Top 50 – up 11%

•           Growing Media Top 50 – up 56%

•           Wild Bird Care Top 50 – up 10%

•           Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 19%

•           All Plants index – up 19%

•           All Items index - up 22%

As Christmas opens in more and more garden centres across the country, next week GTN Bestsellers will publish the first full Christmas Bestsellers chart of the year.  To get your copy of the GTN Bestsellers Christmas Top 50 every week you can subscribe using this link.

In the meantime, here are the Top 10 Christmas products from the GTN Bestsellers Epos data for week 38, the third week of September 2109:

1.  Playwrite Christmas Magic Elf Door - 5016064100636
2.  History & Heraldry Angel/Snowman Hanging Decoration - 886767124810
3.  Lang Boxed Christmas Mugs, 3 Assorted - 739744130499
4.  Playwrite Plush Woodland Friends - 5016064101428
5.  Lang Christmas Message Coaster Red - 5055034705334
6.  Suki Angel Personalised Hanging Decoration - 5053154290020
7.  History & Heraldry Personalised Christmas Storybook - 9781780707419
8.  Playwrite Christmas Plush Elf 28cm - 5016064092689
9.  Armitages Dog Advent Calendar - 5000239103911
10. Premier Taper Dinner Candles Red Or Ivory - 5053844106617

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Dobbies Garden Centres have introduced a new free plastic plant pot and tray return service. The UK’s leading garden centre is guiding the way by encouraging customers to drop off any old plastic plant pots and trays and they will ensure that they don’t end up in landfill. After a quick wash customers can take all shapes, sizes and colours of pot or tray, as long as they’re plastic and not polystyrene – and then they can be dropped off at the allocated return point based in each Dobbies centre.

Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies says ‘Our ethos goes beyond providing the best garden products, service and advice. We make it our number one priority to be responsible and care for our environment. Our pot and tray return service is a huge step in the right direction on reducing the environmental impact and a sustainable approach for the future.’

See our pictures from Dobbies Peterborough last week below, including their "Inspired by Downton Abbey" displays

Perrywood have been celebrating their first anniversary at the Sudbury centre they acquired from Wyevale garden Centres last year.

Perrywood Sudbury was bought from Wyevale by the directors of Essex-based Perrywood Garden Centre, and had its first day of trading under the Perrywood banner on 25 September 2018.

Since Perrywood took over the Newton Road site, they have created 13 more jobs, and increased contractual hours for nine of the ex-Wyevale team. There are now 34 employees in total.

During the last year the team has turned the centre around. It has focused on improving the offering and bringing a Perrywood feel to the store with ‘how-to’ leaflets, houseplants at the front of the store and more stock including new and improved ranges of bird care, gloves, tools, indoor and outdoor plants (including plants from the Perrywood Grown range) and pots.

They invested more than £100k in a new kitchen and coffee shop, reopening it as a destination for customers looking for home-cooked breakfasts, soup, hot lunches freshly made sandwiches, cakes and of course Perrywood’s famous scones.

To help celebrate its first birthday, staff will be hosting a week of in-store promotions and social media competitions. This will include free tea or coffee when buying any food in the coffee shop on Saturday 28^th and Sunday 29^th September.

Simon Bourne, Retail Director at Perrywood, says: “We are absolutely delighted to be celebrating our first year in Sudbury.

“The community has been so welcoming to us and has really supported us since we took over. We have some regular and very loyal customers so we hope to see as many as possible in store to help us celebrate.

“The high street is not an easy environment for retailers at the moment but we believe our fabulous, hardworking and knowledgeable staff, high quality plants and inspiring visual merchandising, have helped us buck the trend.”

Perrywood has more than 30 years’ experience running its award-winning Tiptree garden centre, which comprises of a plant production nursery, gift and home shop and 260-seater coffee shop and restaurant. As a £10m turnover business, the company employs 164 staff and is ranked at number three in the Garden Centre Association (GCA) league table of UK garden centres.

As a business, Perrywood is committed to supporting charities and the local community. During 2018, Perrywood Tiptree donated more than £26,000 to charities.

Garden Centre Manager Steve and Plant Area Expert Jane from Perrywood Sudbury recently took part in a sponsored skydive, raising £1035 for Colchester Hospital which was matched by Perrywood. In addition, the store has donated hundreds of pounds worth of gift vouchers, plants and products to local schools, charities and community groups – such as Sudbury in Bloom.

David Webb and Peter Seabrook both worked for Cundy’s in the 1960s and 1970s. Cundy’s was a nursery which was on the site that is now Perrywood Sudbury and Peter remembers cycling there from Chelmsford.

The Blue Diamond Group of Garden Centres has donated £6,000 to the Rose Society at this year’s Malvern Autumn Show (28^th and 29^th September).

Blue Diamond, who own Fryer’s Roses, pledged the donation to the Society to enable the Society to do more to support the rose industry and to promote roses generally.

Fryer’s Roses are internationally renowned and have gained prestigious awards from all over the world. As such, Blue Diamond want to celebrate the brand’s heritage and also ensure that roses remain a firm favourite of the public.

Fryer’s Roses are now sold exclusively in all 37 Blue Diamond Garden Centres and are promoted by Blue Diamond throughout the year at various local and RHS shows.

The rose industry has found the last few years difficult due predominantly to increases in growing and production costs and a shortage of experienced workforces. Family businesses are no longer being passed to the younger generations (younger generations wanting a different life to their parents) and as such rose breeders are becoming themselves a dying breed.

With Blue Diamonds donation it is hoped that the Rose Society can put the money to good use in continuing to promote and support roses.

Alan Roper the Managing Director of Blue Diamond says: “Roses are a cornerstone of the English garden but many new gardeners do not always embrace the plant due to the mysteries and challenges people perceive surround the plant. Blue Diamond are proud owners of the Fryer’s Roses brand and hopefully play a pivotal role in promoting roses to gardeners. A rose is more than just part of quintessentially English gardens, it evokes memories and makes a perfect gift to mark an event in one’s life. Therefore, we are pleased to make this donation to The Rose Society and we thank them for the good work that is being done to promote roses to the wider audience”.

The Rose Society said "As a new society we are always conscious of our tight financial restrictions and always have to conduct our business with this in mind.  Our mission is to support and encourage the rose lovers of the UK to grow great roses. We do this through our website, social media, quarterly newsletters and at flower shows throughout the country with amateur rose shows and educational and scientific stands.

"We have had great support from the rose trade in general and the very generous gesture by Blue Diamond will be used to further the efforts of the society.

"Our intention is to use the Blue Diamond sponsorship in several ways including;

1. As our membership gradually increases, we will need to improve our management system to keep our members up to date and fully informed.
2. Our Educational and Scientific stands have done very well at RHS and regional shows, winning Gold medals and interacting with the general public. Encouraged by our success so far, we hope to have a stand at the 2021 Chelsea Flower Show. This will mean developing and making improvements to our current stand and will involve additional costs. A presence at Chelsea, we hope, will give the society greater exposure and in consequence increase membership.
3. A new rose trial ground has been established in Hertfordshire to provide a testing ground for new roses that may be introduced onto the UK market. This is a very important facility as it will give UK rose growers and gardeners, a clear indication of the performance and the health of roses that are offered for sale. We have been asked to get involved with the judging of the trials and will be supplying and managing the awards that are handed out to the worthy winners.

"Naturally, as the society moves forward, we will undoubtably encounter new challenges. Having a solid financial footing is something that the Blue Diamond sponsorship gives us."

The Rose Society stand was at stand 807 in the Harvest Pavilion at the Malvern Autumn Show.

3 Shires Garden Centre, part of the Blue Diamond Group, was also at the show in the Plant Village at stand 256, selling a wide of seasonal and herbaceous plants and planted containers.

Pictured above at the cheque presentation from right to left, Chairman John Anthony, Jill Kerr Events Manager for Blue Diamond, Pauline Martin- Chair of Shows and PR, Ray Martin -Secretary, Derek Lawrence- Executive Director of the World Federation of the Rose Society, John McCarthy- Member, Eric Miller-Stand Builder, Gareth Davies- Vice Chairman of the Rose Society and two other members.

HTA grower member support has been boosted by the appointment of botanist and broadcaster Pippa Greenwood as HTA Horticulture Manager.

With qualifications in Botany and Crop Protection, Pippa is a well-known figure in the garden industry as a horticultural and gardening writer, author, broadcaster and media commentator, advisor and speaker. She is best known for previously presenting BBC Gardeners’ World and is a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time. Her previous work experience includes running the Plant Pathology department at RHS Wisley.

Pippa will be a key part of the grower, nursery and plant production committees and groups within the HTA, as well as providing horticultural and technical input across the organisation. She will represent the organisation externally on horticultural matters and will work closely with Alistair Yeomans in driving forward the Plant Health and Biosecurity Alliance.

HTA President Boyd Douglas-Davies comments, “This is a significant appointment for the HTA and we are delighted to have Pippa on board to further our grower member liaison. This is a very different role for Pippa to the one that people will know her for but with her technical knowledge and strong media credentials she will be well placed to ensure our grower members’ needs are met.”

Pippa Greenwood said: "With such a vibrant UK horticulture industry and recognising the importance that plants and gardening play in our lives I am looking forward to bringing my skills and experience to the role of Horticulture Manager."

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RHS Retail Director, Damian Powell, took GTN's Trevor Pfeiffer on a guided tour of the new plant centre and retail areas at RHS Wisley last month.

With 70% extra display space across the shop and the plant centre stocks have been increased stocks to fill the new plant area.  That includes 30 metres of Ferns which are in great demand.

Read the full interview with Damian Powell in the August Issue of GTN, out this week.

with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox.  The best news service every weekend and all the breaking news as it happens.

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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 2017 as well as 2018 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 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Christmas Products chart for this week are here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers.  Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.

Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.

GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £120m.

Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.

For further information contact karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call 01733 775700.

Buy your subscription today and start receiving the GTN Bestsellers charts this week.