Wyevale Garden Centres, the UK’s biggest garden centre operator, today announces the sale of a portfolio of eight garden centres to Blue Diamond.

The centres comprise Bicester, Cadbury, Cardiff, Endsleigh, Melbicks, Percy Throwers, Sanders and Weybridge.

Roger Mclaughlan, Chief Executive of WGC, said: “We are pleased to have agreed the sale of eight of our largest centres to Blue Diamond, one of the UK’s biggest and most experienced garden centre operators. We would like to thank our great colleagues at these centres, who have been central to our turnaround in the past few years, and wish them well for the next stage of their business’s growth and development under Blue Diamond’s ownership.”

Alan Roper, Managing Director of Blue Diamond, said: “We are delighted to be acquiring these fantastic centres. Over the next three years we plan to invest £16million to remodel and transform them into destination centres modelled around our Redfields Garden & Living Centre in Hampshire, and our Blue Diamond Garden and Home store near Nottingham. We look forward to working with our new colleagues across the centres and welcoming them into the Blue Diamond family.”

In separate transactions, WGC has also agreed the sale of two further centres in Alfold and Binfield, to Q Developments and Spitfire Bespoke Homes respectively, as well as the sale of a parcel of excess land adjacent to its Beaconsfield centre to Oakford Homes. All three sites are likely to be redeveloped for residential use.

Anthony Jones, Chief Financial Officer of WGC, said: “These centres were previously identified for potential redevelopment as part of the company’s active portfolio management strategy. We continue to explore all opportunities on non-core centres as part of the ongoing sale process. We are very grateful for the dedication and commitment of the teams at these centres.”

Discussions on the sale to Blue Diamond and the individual centre sales started before the appointment of Christie & Co to explore offers for all or part of the remaining WGC business and that process is continuing. WGC has received a significant number of offers for all or part of the remaining WGC business from national, regional and financial operators as well as local entrepreneurs.

Justin King, Vice Chairman of Terra Firma and Head of Portfolio Businesses and Chairman of Wyevale Garden Centres said: “Terra Firma is delighted that Wyevale Garden Centres has agreed the sale of ten centres including a portfolio of eight to Blue Diamond.”

Following the launch in May of a formal sale process for Wyevale Garden Centres through Christie & Co, Terra Firma has received a significant number of offers for all or part of the remaining Wyevale Garden Centres business from national, regional and financial operators as well as local entrepreneurs. We are currently evaluating these offers.

Cowells, Fron Goch, Tong and Bents won the Centres of the Year awards at the GCA North East and North West Awards presentation held at Barton Grange last week.

Garden Centres of the Year were Cowells (above) in the North East and Fron Goch (below) for the North West.

The Destination Centres of the Year Awards were won by Tong (above) in the North East and Bents (below) in the North West.

After the awards presentation by GCA Inspector Michael Cole, the delegates were given a guided tour of the Flower Bowl which is nearing completion, ready for a soft opening later next week, and then a fish and chip supper on a cruise along the Lancaster canal.  GCA Chairman Mike Lind presented the certificates.

North East and North West GCA 2018 Full Results

Garden Centre of the Year

North East

1. Cowells
2. Klondyke Garforth
3. Klondyke Stokesley

North West

1. Fron Goch
2. Klondyke Lady Green
3. Klondyke Wilmslow

Destination Garden Centre of the Year

North East

1. Tong
2. Wyevale Heighley Gate
3. Wyevale Pennine

North West

1. Bents
2. Barton Grange
3. Gordale

Customer Service

North East

1. Cowells
2. Klondyke Northallerton
3. Klondyke Stokesley

North West

1. Bents
2. Barton Grange
3. Gordale

Ruxley Rose Finalists

Cowells

Bents

Barton Grange

Best Garden Products Retailer – GIMA Award

North East – Garden Centres

1. Cowells
2. Klondyke Garforth
3. Klondyke Beverley

North East – Destination Garden Centres

1. Tong
2. Wyevale Heighley Gate
3. Wyevale Pennine

North West – Garden Centres

1. Fron Goch
2. Klondyke Daleside
3. Klondyke Wilmslow

North West – Destination Garden Centres

1. Bents
2. Barton Grange
3. Gordale

Best Outdoor Living Retailer

North East – Garden Centres

1. Klondyke Garforth
2. Klondyke Stokesley
3. Langlands Leeds

North East – Destination Garden Centres

1. Tong
2. Wyevale Heighley Gate
3. Langlands Shiptonthorpe

North West – Garden Centres

1. Klondyke Wilmslow
2. Fron Goch
3. Klondyke High Legh

North West – Destination Garden Centres

1. Barton Grange

2= Hayes Garden World

2= Bents

Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer

North East – Garden Centres

1. Klondyke Stokesley
2. RHS Harlow Carr
3. Klondyke Garforth

North East – Destination Garden Centres

1. Tong
2. Wyevale Heighley Gate
3. Wyevale Pennine

North West – Garden Centres

1. Klondyke Lady Green
2. Klondyke High Legh
3. Fron Goch

North West – Destination Garden Centres

1. Bents
2. Barton Grange
3. Gordale

Best Garden Centre Restaurant – The ifse Award for Catering Excellence

North East – Garden Centres

1= Klondyke Garforth

1= Klondyke Beverley

3.Klondyke Northallerton

North East – Destination Garden Centres

1. Tong
2. Wyevale Heighley Gate
3. Wyevale Pennine

North West – Garden Centres

1. Fron Goch
2. Klondyke Lady Green
3. Klondyke Brookside

North West – Destination Garden Centres

1. Bents
2. Barton Grange
3. Burleydam

Environment and Community Award

North East

1= Klondyke Stokesley

1= Cowells

North West

1. Bents

Commercial Innovation and Creativity – The Barton Grange Trophy

North East

1. Cowells

North West

1. Bents

Most Improved Centre – The Dick Allen Award

North East

1. Whiteleys
2. RHS Harlow Carr
3. Klondyke Garforth

North West

1. Klondyke Brookside
2. Klondyke Astbury Meadows
3. Klondyke Burnside

Squires Shepperton (above) were announced as Garden Centre of the Year in the GCA North Thames area and Perrywood (below) the Destination Garden Centre of the year at an awards presentation held at Aylett Nurseries last week.

GCA Inspector Alyson Haywood announced the results with GCA Charman Mike Lind and Regional Chair Sarah Squire on hand for the presentation of awards.  Thanks to Marcus Cousins of Ayletts for the photos.

North Thames GCA 2018 Full Results

Garden Centre of the Year

1. Squires Shepperton
2. Thurrock
3. Thetford

Destination Garden Centre of the Year

1. Perrywood
2. Poplars
3. Ayletts

Customer Service

1. Perrywood
2. Ayletts
3. Squires Shepperton

Ruxley Rose Finalists

Ayletts

Perrywood

Scotsdales

RHS Hyde Hall

Best Garden Products Retailer – GIMA Award

Garden Centres

1. Squires Shepperton
2. Thetford
3. Sunshine

Destination Garden Centres

1. Ayletts
2. Burston
3. Notcutts Norwich

Best Outdoor Living Retailer

Garden Centres

1= Thurrock

1= Squires Shepperton

3 Thetford

Destination Garden Centres

1. Poplars
2. Altons
3. Notcutts Norwich

Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer

Garden Centres

1. Squires Shepperton
2. Thetford
3. RHS Hyde Hall

Destination Garden Centres

1. Perrywood
2. Poplars
3. Burston

Best Garden Centre Restaurant – The ifse Award for Catering Excellence

Garden Centres

1. Thetford
2. Thurrock
3. Squires Shepperton

Destination Garden Centres

1. Poplars
2. Perrywood
3. Notcutts Norwich

Environment and Community Award

1. Burston
2. Ayletts
3. Perrywood

Commercial Innovation and Creativity – The Barton Grange Trophy

1. Poplars
2. Perrywood
3. Burston

Most Improved Centre – The Dick Allen Award

1. Bosworths
2. Thurrock
3. Van Hage Chenies

The winners of the Garden Centre Association’s South Thames regional awards were revealed during a presentation evening this week (Tuesday) at Squires Garden Centre – Badshot Lea.

The title of Garden Centre of the Year in the Destination Garden Centre category was awarded to Haskins Garden Centre - Roundstone (above) and the Garden Centre category award went to Squires Garden Centre - Hersham (below.)

Mike Lind, GCA Chairman, said: “This was our first regional awards meeting of the month and it was a great success. We had a fantastic turn out and garden centres from the region sent multiple members of staff to the event who were all actively engaged in the presentations and were able to take lots of info back with them to share with the rest of their teams.

“Our inspections are the core of our Association and they help drive members’ standardsacross all areas of their business including customer service, merchandising, plant quality and marketing. They’re also a great way for our member centres to collaborate with each other and share ideas. It was also great to see prospective new members come along and find out what they can benefit from when they join.

“I’d like to offer thanks to Squires Garden Centre – Badshot Lea for being brilliant hosts and congratulate all our very deserving award-winners, who were inspected by Gordon Emslie.  Regional Chairman, Gary Carvasso from Coolings organised the event.

South Thames GCA 2018 Full Results

Garden Centre of the Year

1. Squires Hersham
2. Thompsons Welling
3. Squires Long Ditton

Destination Garden Centre of the Year

1. Haskins Roundstone
2. Stewarts Christchurch
3. Haskins Snowhill

Customer Service

1. Garsons Titchfield
2. Haskins Roundstone
3. Ruxley Manor

South Thames Ruxley Rose Finalists

Coolings Rushmore Hill

Haskins Snowhill

Stewarts Christchurch

Millbrook Gravesend

Newbridge Nurseries

Squires Hersham

Squires Long Ditton

Thompsons Chislehurst

Best Garden Products Retailer – GIMA Award

Garden Centres

1. Squires Hersham
2. Thompsons Newchurch
3. Castle Gardens

Destination Garden Centres

1. Haskins Ferndown
2. Haskins Southampton
3. Haskins Roundstone

Best Outdoor Living Retailer

Garden Centres

1= Knights Godstone

1= Squires Cobham

1= Squires Hersham

Destination Garden Centres

1= Garsons Titchfield

1= Garsons Esher

3  Ruxley Manor

Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer

Garden Centres

1. Squires Long Ditton

2= Squires Crawley

2= Squires Hersham

2= Knights Godstone

Destination Garden Centres

1. Garsons Esher
2. Squires Badshot Lea
3. Ruxley Manor

Best Garden Centre Restaurant – The ifse Award for Catering Excellence

Garden Centres

1. Squires Hersham
2. Knights Godstone
3. Blackbrooks

Destination Garden Centres

1. Haskins Roundstone

2= Haskins Southampton

2= Ruxley Manor

2= Stewarts Christchurch

Environment and Community Award

1. Stewarts Christchurch
2. Haskins Ferndown
3. Squires Long Ditton

Commercial Innovation and Creativity – The Barton Grange Trophy

1. Haskins Ferndown
2. Squires Badshot Lea
3. Stewarts Christchurch

Most Improved Centre – The Dick Allen Award

1. Henry Street
2. Squires Long Ditton
3. Millbrook Gravesend

Best Independent Garden Centre

Talking about the Buyers Power List, Glee’s Event Director, Matthew Mein said: “The Buyers Power List has fast become an integral part of Glee, and the results of this year’s awards are already highly anticipated. The shortlist showcases the hard work and commitment that each retail buyer or team has undertaken in the last 12 months, and we’re so pleased to be able to provide a platform on which this dedication can be celebrated and rewarded. I look forward to revealing the winners at Glee 2018.”

Seasoned Glee exhibitor Deco-Pak is aiming to launch the next big thing in decorative landscaping at this year’s Glee exhibition, by introducing two entirely unique paving options for 2019. 

The latest in a long line of innovations launched exclusively at Glee, each new range is aimed at providing a point of difference for its garden centre retail partners.

Deco-Pak’s Marketing Director Craig Hall says: “Visitors to our stand will see new paving options that utilise cutting edge materials and technology in a way that we believe is an industry first.  

'For retailers these new additions will definitely be something to get their customers excited, whilst also increasing demand for patio landscaping products.  For consumers the main draw for them will be a highly versatile product able to suit any kind of budget and size of garden. 

"Providing decoration whilst also enhancing the functionality of paths and patios in a way you would not expect from a humble paving slab.”

Deco-Pak’s new products will remain under wraps until they are launched to the market exclusively at Glee 2018, with the Glee New Product Showcase a ‘must-do’ for the brand. 

Glee is the company’s main trade show in 2018, and will showcase its award winning ranges on a stand that is 25% larger than the previous year. 

Find out more

Deco-Pak’s Glee profile can be viewed here: https://www.gleebirmingham.com/exhibitors/deco-pak-1?&azletter=D&searchgroup=libraryentry-exhibitors

Has there ever been a crazier season for plant sales? After seven weeks of misery in March and April we’ve now seen 12 conscutive weeks where sales have been up on 2017 to put the year to date GTN Bestsellers Volume Plant Sales index at 9.5% up.

Does anyone know of another retail sector that has performed so well this year?  While overall garden centre sales volumes are still trailling behind lsat year at 2% down, the mix of excellent plants, fantastic catering and ranges of furniture & BBQ’s ideally suited to the current sensational summer mean many centres are now reporting overall turnovers up on last year.

Judging by the crowds at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show and at garden centres visited this week the desire to buy plants that are looking great for instant colour shows little sign of abating, even with the threat of hosepipe bans on the horizon.

This year reminds us all of the power of plants.  More than ever they are THE most important part of garden centre retailing.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 28

• Garden Products Top 50 – up 5%
• Growing Media Top 50 – up 19%
• Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 54%
• Wild Bird Care Products Top 50 – down 20%
• All Plants index – up 40%
• All Items index – down 11%

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

When will plant sales tail off this summer?  We’re now into the middle of July, it’s hotter and drier than ever and GTN’s Bestsellers Plant Sales Volume Index is showing sales up by almost 40% on the same week last year.

• New Guinea Impatiens sales saw an 80% increase to move up to No 12.
• Delphinium’s climbed eleven places to No 24 as gardeners bought 2 and 3 litre plants for instant summer colour.
• Scabiosa were the highest chart re-entry, back in at No 34.

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

AMES, established in 1774, has a group turnover exceeding $550million and owns market leading brands in USA, Canada and Australasia. They operate in ten distinct product categories all focussed on home garden consumers and manufacture their product in dedicated facilities in USA, Canada, China and Australia.

Having identified UK and Ireland as a strategic development opportunity, they recently acquired La Hacienda and Kelkay in the UK to add to their existing True Temper business in Dublin.

Simon Hupfeld, CEO AMES says, “The market opportunity in the UK and Ireland has been a focus for us for some time and we wanted to make sure we made the right acquisitions to give us a strong platform for future growth. Kelkay and La Hacienda are both strong, successful businesses and bringing them together under the global organisation of AMES brings further opportunities.”

AMES plans to continue their expansion in the UK and Ireland with launches into new product categories where they already have global expertise and manufacturing strengths. Nor are they ruling out further acquisitions in the UK to help them reach their goals.

Simon explains, “The AMES vision is to be the first and best choice – for our customers and our employees as well as suppliers, shareholders and the wider community. I really believe that our plans for the UK will bring further opportunity, especially for retail customers, who will benefit from access to our growing range of products as we expand into new categories.”

AMES already operates globally in hand tools, garden tools, wheelbarrows, hoses & watering equipment, pots & containers and now can add fire pits and outdoor heating, water features, paving and aggregates to the portfolio.

Antony Harker, Managing Director AMES UK is driving the UK and Ireland strategy which is designed to capitalise on the cooperative efforts of the three local group businesses and introduce the enormous opportunities from the buying strengths and category experience of the global AMES group.

He commented, “It’s a time of great opportunity for the business, customers and our employees. The global strength of AMES, their significant buying power and their product design and development experience will benefit the whole UK market. You can expect to see the first signs of this in the next few weeks as we reveal our plans for 2019.”

For more information on The AMES Companies go to http://global.ames.com

To find out more about Kelkay  go to www.kelkay.com or e-mail the general enquiries office on salesenquiries@kelkay.co.uk or call to speak to us on 01405 869333

Kelkay The Old Airfield, Heck & Pollington Lane, Pollington, East Yorkshire, DN14 0BA

To find out more about La Hacienda go to www.lahacienda.co.uk or call to speak to us on 01285 762060

La Hacienda Ltd., Hangar 27, Site C, Aston Down Airfield, Stroud, GL6 8HR

spoga+gafa 2018 has been chosen as the launch pad for an exciting array of innovative British products covering many sectors of the garden and leisure industry.

Buyers need look no further than the British pavilion and other UK stands at the show to find the latest designs in garden machinery and tools, garden care, grow your own, outdoor living, solar energy products, wildlife care, irrigation equipment, garden buildings, home and garden gifts and garden pest control.

Four of the exhibitors, Coffee Logs, Delivita, Delivita Catering Limited and Primus-A Perry Brand, are exhibiting for the first time at spoga+gafa.  In addition to promoting its pizza oven in Hall 7.1, Delivita’s sister company, Delivita Catering Limited has an outdoor stand (Outdoor 6/7, Stand 22) promoting a franchise opportunity for its company’s pizza oven and ready-made dough.  Demonstrations will show both the efficiency of the ovens and their versatility by mounting them inside a Smart car and a horsebox and onto a bicycle.

The British group has been organised by Gardenex, the export federation that has taken a group of British exhibitors to spoga+gafa for over 40 years.  The Federation’s multi-lingual team will be manning a British information stand and will be on hand to help visiting buyers wishing to source garden, leisure or pet products from the UK.

The British exhibitors are as follows:

ALM Manufacturing (Hall 6.1, Stand D50) manufactures a wide range of consumable parts for garden power machinery, and is launching a number of new products at Spoga+gafa.  These include a new range of premium oils, greenhouse clips and window vents, spool and cover kits and a water butt tap.

Coffee Logs (Hall 7.1, Stand D68) is exhibiting its eco briquettes that are produced from recycled coffee grounds.  Created by bio-bean limited at its pioneering coffee recycling factory in Cambridgeshire, the biofuel briquettes are ideal for stoves, woodburners and open fires.  They can be used alongside or instead of wood and coal, and because they contain 20 per cent more energy than wood, they burn hotter and for longer.  As recycling coffee produces 80 per cent less emissions than landfill, the coffee logs are also environmentally friendly.

Catwatch by Concept Research Ltd (Hall 9.1, Stand D34) has been manufacturing quality ultrasonic animal deterrents in the UK for over 25 years.  The company’s products deter marders, cats, foxes, mice and other pests from gardens and homes.  The CATWatch product is the only cat deterrent tested and approved by the UK’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (the RSPB).

Delivita (Hall 7.1, Stand E66) is exhibiting its table-top wood-fired ovens that are ideal for outdoor kitchens.  The award-winning Delivita oven is one of the lightest, traditional clay, wood-fired ovens on the market and is handmade in Britain.  The versatile product is both attractive and stylish and weighing only 30kgs, the ovens are portable whilst being simple to operate and a pleasure to use.  The ovens take just 25 minutes to reach a temperature of 450°C, making them a fast, fun and the firm asserts this is a healthier way to cook compared with the traditional barbecue.  Producing less harmful carbonisation, the food is still infused with delightful wood-fired aromas.

Gardeco (Hall 7.1, Stand B34) is exhibiting its new range of outdoor cooking and pizza ovens, a table top pizza oven, a 5-year guarantee range and a ‘grey’ fashionable range.  The company also produces fire pits and chimeneas.

Gardenex (Hall 9.1, Stand D30) is The Federation of Garden & Leisure Manufacturers Ltd, the UK export trade association that brings together UK suppliers and international buyers.  Gardenex provides a free supplier and product sourcing service for international buyers, and its sister division, PetQuip, offers similar services in the petcare product sector.  Free refreshments are also available on the stand for overseas buyers, and buyers can obtain their copy of the latest edition of the federation's guide to British gardening products and services.  Glee, the UK’s leading garden and outdoor living trade show, is being promoted on the Gardenex stand.  The exhibition will take place at the NEC, Birmingham, England between 10 and 12 September 2018.

Gardman (Hall 9.1, Stand B28 / C29) is exhibiting an exciting range of new products.  On show is a range of furniture covers featuring premium and standard ranges and a selection of modular furniture covers.   There is also a range of 43 new solar lighting products including beautiful co-ordinated collections and brand-new packaging.  The company’s dual power range of solar lighting features clever technology that guarantees 365 days’ worth of night time ambiance without the need for  mains wiring.

G Plants Ltd (Hall 9.1, Stand E31) is showing a new range of products called Bee Friends that has been designed to encourage wildlife such as butterflies, bees and birds into gardens.  Also new this year is a range of German packaged lines that are available for sale from spring through to the autumn.  The company provides own branding solutions, including multilingual packaging that will be shown at Spoga+Gafa 2018.

Haws Watering Cans (Hall 9.1, Stand C32) is renowned in the UK and overseas markets for its British-made quality metal and plastic indoor and outdoor watering cans.  At Spoga+gafa this year the company is showcasing a new range of outdoor metal watering cans and a new range of indoor pot watering cans.

Hydrogarden (Hall 9.1, Stand D34a) is exhibiting its professionally designed hydroponic products and consumables, including its latest innovation, Home Hydro, which is a modular, kitchen counter system designed to help grow perfect leafy greens all year round.  Showcased alongside is the company’s ingenious GoGro Style, a versatile and attractive self-watering pot system that maximises yields with ease and is ideal for both mid and large-scale growers.  Also exhibited are the classic ROOT!T and PLANT!T products, which fully support plants from seed to bloom. Irrigatia (Hall 6.1, Stand D41a) manufactures a range of weather responsive solar automatic watering systems.  On show for the first time is a new Tank Series range consisting of three models – the SOL-C60, SOL-C120 and SOL-C180.

Kent & Stowe (Hall 9.1, Stand E33) has created a full garden hand tool range that has a garden tool for everyone.  The tools extend from a new Kids range through to Garden Life, a lighter and easier to use tools range and a selection of traditional digging and cultivating tools.  The company is also showing a number of specialist tools covering weeding, lawn care, topiary care and harder wearing tools for tougher surfaces. Kent & Stowe has recently won the Gardenex export award at the GIMA Awards.

Pet Rebellion Ltd (Hall 9.1, Stand D33) is exhibiting a new version of the Car Seat Carpet that is now made with a new super absorbent pile.  Designed to fit almost every car seat, this award winning carpet prevents car seats from getting soiled, scratched and odours from forming on the interior.  The carpet is machine washable and universal size, 57x140cm.  Other Pet Rebellion products include memory foam beds, barrier mats, car boot protectors and door mats.

Primus – A Perry Brand (Hall 9.1, Stand D31) is showing a carefully selected range of handcrafted gifts for the home and garden.  New additions to the company’s popular Flower Stakes and Garden Art are being launched at Spoga+gafa.  They include an exciting new range of metal gnomes, mushrooms, giant animals, flamingos, birds and weather vanes.  In addition, “The Gallery” is an exclusive collection of 3D wall art, panels and beautifully contemporary sculptures. 

ProQ BBQ Smokers (Hall 8.1, Stand E1) is showing its premium barbecue smokers and accessories.  A new innovation for 2018 is a BBQ Water Smoker.  There is also a new Cold Smoking Cabinet that is ideal for use in the home to create delicious cold smoked foods such as salmon, cheese, salt, butter and garlic.  New ProQ Accessories include a Rotisserie Kit & Plancha Grill that has been designed to complement the company’s award-winning ProQ BBQ Smoker range.  Also new is the Digital Bluetooth Thermometer & Phone App that has four probes that accurately monitor both the food and the cooking chamber temperatures.

Smart Garden Products (Hall 9.1, Stand D16) produces a wide range of leading solar lighting and garden décor and is using Spoga+gafa to launch more products than ever before.  To complement the company’s market leading solar lighting range, the company has introduced Eureka Lighting, a brand new range of innovative non-solar lighting products, filled with clever, fun and functional concepts.  The company’s existing brands have also been extended with the addition of intelligent solutions in the Smart Solar line up, as well as bright and beautiful additions to the Smart Garden, Flamboya and Outside In ranges.

Smartedge (Hall 9.1, Stand D36a) is exhibiting its structural lawn edging system that is manufactured in the UK from high strength polypropylene.  Smartedge’s patented ‘A’ frame system gives a pleasing appearance to the lawn and also provides a robust and structural edge that is ideal for beds and borders. It is easy to use and to shape to curved and creative lawn shapes.  The product is supplied in rolls (5m, 10m or 50m), making Smartedge easy to display and transport.

STV International Ltd (Hall 6.1, Stand B40) is a specialist home and garden pest control product supplier, and is launching a new-look to the ‘The Big Cheese Ultra Power’ range.  The range is similar to products being used by professionals and maximises the company’s successful mouse and rat control solutions.

Trimetals Ltd (Hall 6.1, Stand A43) has added more sizes to its Guardian range of superior quality garden sheds.  The sheds are ideal for general garden use, providing storage for tools, ladders, sports equipment etc.  The new sizes are 3ft x 3ft, 4ft x 3ft, 6ft x 3ft as well as a new range of walk-in buildings measuring 6ft x 6ft, 6ft x 8ft and 8ft x 10ft.

Useful & Practical Ideas (Passage 4-5, Stand A58) is a supplier of British-designed and innovative garden products.  Its latest products to be launched at Spoga+gafa are Plantpal watering globes for house plants and chambers for outdoor plant pots.  The concept employs the latest in watering technology to create the perfect watering system that can change the way we water plants.  The decorative glass or plastic globes are sophisticated watering systems that determine when plants are thirsty.  Made of hard plastic or heavy-duty glass, they are virtually shatterproof.  

VegTrug Ltd (Hall 9.1, Stand D21) is the designer and manufacturer of the original, iconic raised bed planter.  Being launched at Spoga+gafa is a new Grow Care system that is an all-in-one solution for tracking sunlight, moisture, temperature and soil fertility to aid the growing of perfect plants.  The accurate readouts via the app enable the user to keep track of the environment around the plants.  Also on show is the original VegTrug, the VegTrug Nursery Greenhouse Package and a Bee Bar Insert.  Other items to use with the VegTrug are a deluxe potting bench, a tomato greenhouse, mini greenhouse, Veg Trellis and the Windsor obelisk collection.

Vitavia (Hall 6.1, Stand A34/B35) is a manufacturer of quality hobby greenhouses and in keeping with its continual program of development the company will be displaying six large greenhouses and garden rooms.

Waspinator (Hall 9.1, Stand D36) is displaying its award-winning best selling wasp repellent.

A new free standing display unit is now available with all export orders and is supplied complete with free samples to enable customers to inspect the product.  The unit is available with instructions in any language subject to minimum order quantity. 

Worth Gardening/Garland Products Ltd (Hall 9.1, Stand C30) has extended its range of practical and innovative gardening products, which now comprises over 900 items.  Forty new products are being launched at Spoga+gafa and include a brand new range of Super Tough covers, designed specifically for use with outdoor rattan furniture.  The range has 24 different covers suitable for all of the popular furniture shapes and sizes, whilst also being made from the toughest and most durable fabric the company has ever produced.  Many other new products are being introduced to complement other Worth Gardening/Garland ranges.

Yardmaster International (Hall 6.1, Stand E42) is showing its new HighLight metal shed which the company has developed with functionality and contemporary aesthetic in mind.  Extra tall walls and double sliding doors make for easy access to contents, and a wide front window panel creates a bright shed interior.  With extra tall walls and a sleek pent roofline, Yardmaster’s HighLight shed blends seamlessly into modern garden and back yard spaces.

For further information on the British exhibitors or Gardenex, the trade association that works on behalf of British companies to help them increase sales worldwide,

telephone:  +44 (0) 44 1959 565995   or   fax:  +44 (0) 1959 565885

Email:  info@gardenex.com  or visit the Gardenex website on  www.gardenex.com

The Garden Centre Association has seen a surge in membership enquiries this year and has just recruited nine new members. They include three from the Notcutts chain, two additional Squires centres and a new Stewarts’ site as well as a handful of other independent garden centres that are new to the organisation.

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, explained: “This is great news and we’d like to welcome all our new members. They include: Bell Plantation in Towcester, Busy Bee Garden Centre in Ryde, Wentworth Garden Centre, Stewarts Abbey in Hampshire, which was taken into the Stewarts family just over a year ago, Squires at Chertsey and Woking and Notcutts in Staines, Tunbridge Wells and Wheatcroft.

“There are so many benefits for centres to join an organisation like ours. We’re a friendly and inclusive bunch and membership enables businesses to easily share information, experiences and ideas, which helps them make decisions.

“We also help members to achieve high standards in areas like customer service and plant quality, which are important in making sure they stand out from their competitors.

“Other benefits include access to the Barometer of Trade results, this allows members to compare their trading positions with other members garden centres and our annual conference, which aims to provide pertinent information on key aspects of the garden centre industry and inspirational and motivational speakers.”  

GCA members are also able to access the organisation’s e-learning initiative Garden Retail Online Workshops (GROW), which helps member garden centres keep their customer service at the highest standards.

The GCA represents nearly 200 garden centres nationwide.

Hundreds of children from schools across the South East have been visiting Squire’s Garden Centres to see how many potatoes they have grown in Squire’s “Grow Your Own Chips” competition.

The children originally visited Squire’s back in March, when they were shown how to plant potatoes in a pot and how to look after them. They took their pots of potatoes home then bought them back to Squire’s recently to see who from their school had grown the heaviest potatoes. They were also trying to grown more than gardening expert Charlie Dimmock, whose potatoes weighed in at a very impressive 927g!

Winners included Lailas from Horsell Junior School whose potatoes weighed 578g, Pearl Starkey and Matilda Brown from Badshot Lea Infant School who both grew 850g of potatoes, and Oliver Thornett from North Downs Primary School who grew a whopping 1.2kg of potatoes! The winning child from each participating school received a certificate and a special prize from Squire’s.

Once the weigh-in had taken place, Squire’s turned all the children’s potatoes into chips, and the children loved tucking into them!

Participating Schools                                  Visited Squire’s Garden Centre in:

• Badshot Lea Infant School                     Badshot Lea
• St. Paul’s Primary School                       Chertsey
• 1^st Fetcham Beavers                             Cobham
• Gossops Green Primary School            Crawley
• Burhill Primary School                           Hersham
• Thames Ditton Infant School                 Long Ditton
• Milford Infant School                             Milford
• North Downs Primary School                Reigate
• Little Bo-Peep Nursery                          Stanmore
• Stanley Primary School                         Twickenham
• St. Mary’s Primary School                      Washington
• Cranmore School                                  West Horsley
• Homer First School                                Windsor
• Horsell Junior School                             Woking

The Royal Horticultural Society has unveiled brand-new artwork to support the continuing expansion of its licensing campaign and offer licensees new, on-trend options. This new extension to the highly successful RHS Licensing Style Guide is called the RHS Licensing Geometric Style Guide 2018.

The 22 new patterns in the guide, with evocative style names such as Pathways, Fleury, Dandy, Dance and Hearts, were created to reflect the current trend for geometric designs – but the inspiration for the patterns is far from recent. They are inspired by two formal garden design styles dating from the 1600s and 1700s. Called Knot Garden and Parterre, both these styles were the basis of elegant and beautiful geometric designs applied to many legendary gardens.

While most of the original gardens have been lost, the RHS Lindley Library contains many artworks displaying the original garden plans and planting layouts that inspired these amazing places, patterns that are now being offered to new and existing licensees for the creation of packaging, home textiles, gifts, ceramics, clothing, stationery and much more.

The success of the RHS licensing campaign since its reinvention in 2015 is in no small measure due to the charity’s style guide. Licensees already have access to 1,000 cut-out images of flowers, foliage, fruit, vegetables, birds, animals, insects and patterns featured in the RHS Licensing Style Guide. They can also seek inspiration from over 25,000 original artworks for the RHS Lindley Library, the world’s finest collection of botanical art and thousands of photographic images.

And now there is also the RHS Licensing Geometric Style Guide 2018. The new artwork is part of an overall brand update unveiled to licensees at a special Licensing Reception held at RHS Garden Wisley on 25 June. The event summarised the brand’s evolution and introduced a brand update that included a powerful new brand message that encapsulates, in a few words, the RHS mission: “Inspiring everyone to grow.”

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager, RHS, says: “Even a brand that has been a household name for over 200 years can’t afford to rest on its laurels. We are always looking for ways to enhance our brand offering, and the trend towards geometric design has been an unmissable opportunity to reveal the riches that, uniquely, gardening history can offer. I am sure the RHS Licensing Geometric Style Guide 2018 will be enormously popular with both existing and new licensees.”

A special ribbon cutting event has been held at Notcutts Garden Centre in Woodbridge to celebrate the opening of a new display garden, designed to inspire local gardeners with creative planting ideas.

Caroline Notcutt, Vice-Chairman and Great-Granddaughter of Notcutts founder Roger Crompton Notcutt, officially opened the display garden on 12th July. Caroline was joined by the Mayor of Woodbridge Councillor David Mortimer, local dignitaries, customers, and the Notcutts team.

The Notcutts Garden is a permanent display at the Woodbridge Garden Centre, with ideas and inspiration for brightening borders or designing gardens from scratch. The garden celebrates Notcutts’ long history and heritage in Woodbridge, with the focal point being an original 1920s well, which was used originally to pump water into the glasshouses. Tranquillity is another theme of the garden with a large water fountain and contemporary pergola.

Over 300 plants of 30 different varieties feature in the garden, including the popular Peony Shirley Temple, Foxgloves, Festuca blue grass and Tasmanian tree ferns. Betula alba (common silver birch) and Betula Jacqumontii trees from Tuscany create shade and shelter in the tranquil garden while Rhododendron and Azalea add a magnificent burst of colour.

The garden took just over three weeks to complete and the design and build was led by Notcutts’ Head of Visual Merchandising, Marco de Jongh; Plant Buyer, Stuart Andrews; and Garden Project Manager, Luke Rawson.

Darren Brooks, General Manager at Notcutts Woodbridge, said: “The Notcutts Garden is a fantastic addition to our garden centre, celebrating our historical well and creating a calming space for customers to enjoy and feel inspired. Thank you to all who joined us for our special garden opening event.

“The garden celebrates the best of what we do at Notcutts – with over 120 years’ experience and 50 Gold medals won at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, we’re pleased to bring our expertise in planting and garden design to our customers in Woodbridge.”

Many of Notcutts’ 18 garden centres nationwide have a special display garden, each with different themes and designs.

Cooks Garden Centre rounded off a brilliant RHS Flower Show season with their third Gold Medal of the Year at Tatton Park Flower Show for their displays of Hydrangeas, which also featured on BBC TV during the coverage of the Hampton Court Flower Show.

See our gallery of pictures taken at RHS Hampton Court and RHS Tatton Park Flower Shows this month.

Garden Product sales were up year on year for the second week in succession as the heatwave encourages more time spent in the garden.  Garden lighting lines saw the biggest increases overall, with bug killers and plant feeds also selling well.

• Smart Solar Eureka! Lightbulb Lanterns moved up 6 places to No 5.
• Kingfisher’s Blossom Solar Light Bulb was a new entry at No 30.
• Fito’s Cacti Drip Feeder was the highest chart climber, up 26 places to No 21.

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

John Stanley is providing evening seminars that will give you an insight to “Becoming a Game Changer… the Future Garden Centre”!In partnership with the HTA, the internationally-respected consultant, John Stanley will be touring the UK during Autumn and putting on several evening seminars.  

John Stanley works with garden centres in 35 countries across the world.  His retail experience covers hands-on retailing in supermarkets, hardware stores, garden centres, farmers markets and drug stores.

John has authored many garden centre management books and he has also been a keynote speaker at leading horticultural conferences around the globe.

Some of the content to be covered during the evening seminars includes:

·               The traditional garden centre is dying whilst those with vision are growing their sales

·               What are the "winning ideas" that are being used by the ‘Game Changers’?

·               Strategies being introduced by the ‘Game Changers’ to grow their businesses

·               The future is exciting... as long as you change what you are doing

The seminars will be held on four dates in four separate locations. Dates and venues for this inspirational workshop are:

October 3: Scotland – Torwood Nurseries

October 5: N Ireland – Hillmount Garden Centre

October 9: Northern England – Ferndale Garden Centre

October 11: Southern England Workshop – Henry Street Garden Centre

More information about John and how to book an evening seminar can be found on the HTA website at https://hta.org.uk/learn-develop/academy/john-stanley-seminars.html

Autumn planting seed potatoes have started to sell through this week but with only one variety in our Top 50 it maybe that gardeners are holding off buying and plannting while the conditions are so dry. 

Perhaps we could be promoting them as an ideal container veg crop that can be watered through the rest of the summer.

• Taylors Autumn Planting Seed Potatoes Maris Peer re-enter at No 22.
• 1 litre Pepperpot Herbs move back to No 1 as herbs in general continue to sell well during the summer.
• Quantil Curly Kale Strips are the highest placed autumn veg line, re-entering at No 16.

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

Growing Media sales benefitted last week from big increases in bark sales as gardeners look to keep their plants in good condition despite the lack of rain. 

Compared to the same week last year the GTN Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes were up by 19%.

• Westland Cambark Chunky Chip Bark, 60 litres, was the highest re-entry at No 13.
• Evergreen (formerly Scotts) Levington Multipurpose + John Innes, 56 litres holds onto the No 1 spot.
• Bloomin Amazing Soil Enricher, 70 litres, is another re-entry at No 46.

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

Wild Bird Care sales grew last week as the heatwave continued, perhaps the extreme conditions are prompting more gardeners to look after their wild life. 

Sales in the GTN Bestsellers Wild Bird Care Top 50 grew by 9% week on week, however total volme was still over 20% down on last year.

• Gardman Poppy Feeder’s make a big rise up the chart to No 3.
• While Gardman’s Cast Iron Daffodil Dish Bird Feeder climbed 22 places to No 23.

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

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 2016 as well as 2017 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 Veg-2-Gro chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care 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.

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