Total garden centre sales volumes (not value) for May in the GTN Bestsellers EPOS data ended up 7.7% on 2021 and up 8.2% on 2019.  Only May 2018 has been higher for total sales volumes for the month and that was the busy may we had after a very poor Spring weather wise.

Year to date the GTN Bestsellers All Barcode products index now sits at up 6.1% on 2021 at the highest volume level in the GTN Bestsellers data archive.

The last week of May wasn't so good however, down 7.8% on the previous week and dipping below all but 2021 levels for the same week over the past 5 years.

Total plant sales in May 2022 closed up 9.9% on 2021 and were level with May 2019 plant sales volumes.

Year to date plan sales show the maintained growth since the start of the pandemic.  So far this year plant sales are 0.4% up on 2021 volumes and 10.6% higher than 2019.

Veg 2 Gro sales were among the big winners in May 2022, the GTN Top 50 Veg 2 Gro lines (all veg plants in May) was up by 19% on May 2021. 

That meant, after a fantastic five months for Veg 2 Gro sales, we are at record volumes year to date. Up 11.3% on 2021 and 21.6% ahead of 2019.

All those plants sales are fuelling the continued growth of growing media sales volumes.  May 2022 saw GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Growing media lines volumes grow by a further 9%...

.. and that means we are at record growing media volumes for the first five months of the year, up 4.0% on 2021 and 20.6% on 2019.

The GTN Bestsellers Garden Products Top 50 has not fared so well with a distinct lack of garden decoration lines being purchased this year.  Top 50 volumes for May 2022 were static with May 2021, but down 7.3% on 2019 sales.

Year to date garden product sales have dropped by 6.3% compared with 2021 and by 16.3% compared with 2017 year to date.

May 2022 was not a good month for Wild Bird Care sales, even though the weather was far from great. The months Top 50 sales were down 9.9% on 2021 levels and 20% down on re-pandemic sales in May 2019.

The year to date picture for Wild Bird Care shows an upward trend over the past three years, however the sector is currently 11.5% down compared with the year to the end of May in 2019.

Buy your subscription to the weekly GTN Bestsellers newsletter with the full GTN Top 50 charts using this link

With the unpredictability of the British weather, the Squall Rain Jacket (other options available) supplied by Taylor Made Designs, is the perfect choice for all year-round weather protection, at an affordable price.

Available in a range of colours, this fully windproof and waterproof jacket perfectly combines style with practicality, making it the must have item for men and women working outdoors.

Features include: ultrasonically welded seams for permanent wet weather protection, flapped snap closure hand pockets, partially elasticated cuffs and underarm and back venting that allows heat to escape whilst preventing moisture getting in.

John Davies, Sales Manager, Taylor Made Designs, says: “Our customers request a garment that they can wear all day in the rain and this garment provides a fully waterproof protective barrier against typical British weather conditions. Its classic styling allows free movement, perfect for those performing practical tasks, whilst providing a vital barrier against the wind and the rain.”

The Squall Rain Jacket is available in a range of sizes and can be custom-branded. For more information, call the team on 01202473311 or email us at hello@taylormadedesigns.co.uk

Seed balls contain around 30 seeds, sprouting in 4-6 weeks. The balls are a mini ecosystem, protecting from birds, ants and slugs and providing  nutrition as the seeds germinate and grow.

Once in flower they provide an important habitat and food for wildlife. You can safely plant seed balls at any time of year!

Our special mix is extra bee friendly, specifically chosen to attract solitary bees, honey bees and bumblebees. Each seed ball contains around 30 seeds from a mix of Birdsfoot Trefoil, Foxglove, Red Clover, Viper’s Bugloss and Wild Marjoram – recommended by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

We’ve also added a sprinkling of pollinator-friendly annuals Chamomile, Cornflower, Corn marigold, and Night-flowering catchfly.

Available in our attractive dispensers for the ideal impulse purchase.

Dispensers are your silent salesperson, generating cash sales even while your cash registers are busy.

To order simply call 0161 8720333 or email Ian at isamuels@global-journey.com

Dobbies has announced its national Helping Your Community Grow project winner, seeing Cramlington Village Primary School in Gosforth receive funding, support and advice to brighten up their green space in a sustainable way.

This spring, nominated projects received a grand total of 35,000 public votes, and worthy local projects across the UK will be supported with advice, products and support from the Dobbies’ team.

Cramlington Village Primary School is going to create a memorial garden with Dobbies' support, in memory of their student Lyla who sadly passed away earlier this year, providing the children, team members and the family with a calming space to reflect and remember her. This garden will shine a light on the bubbly young girl that was sadly taken from the community. 

Debbie Wylie, Principal at Cramlington Village Primary School is delighted with the win: “We're so pleased to have won Dobbies' Helping You Community Grow initiative and are looking forward to remembering Lyla in a fitting memorial garden. We're very grateful for everyone's support in getting the project to this point, and we're looking forward to using some of Lyla's favourite flowers to attract her favourite birds to this very special place.”

Dobbies’ CEO, Graeme Jenkins, said: “Helping Your Community Grow is an opportunity to support local projects that are making a real difference to their local area. We’re honoured to be announcing our national winning project, Cramlington Village Primary School, and wish them all the best with the garden.”

There will be further opportunities available for community groups across the UK looking to brighten up their local areas. Community groups are invited to contact their local store for details.

For more information visit www.dobbies.com

LANDMANN BBQs has been bought by the leading global social commerce company, Social Chain AG. 

Social Chain AG, co-founded by Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett, has acquired 100% of the DS Group, the German parent company of LANDMANN, for the sum of  €220.5m split between cash and share components. 

Social Chain AG was founded in 2014 in Manchester and Berlin and has grown its business with operations in the US, Europe and Asia, now with over 1500 employees. As well as its leading social media marketing and performance agencies, Social Chain is home to a host of well-loved, fast-growing consumer brands powered by social media.

LANDMANN is Germany's oldest BBQ manufacturer. From its beginnings with charcoal, LANDMANN now offers various smokers, high-temperature gas grill BBQs, ceramic grills and electric BBQs. It also manufactures other outdoor living products and accessories such as firepits and outdoor heaters. LANDMANN sells direct to consumers via its ecommerce site and also via Amazon, other leading digital retailers and through garden centre groups such as Blue Diamond and a host of independents.

LANDMANN is part of The DS group which develops, markets and sells its own products and brands and has more than 700 trademarks, registered designs, patents and utility patents . 

Social Chain said the deal is the “most important acquisition since its foundation” and is targeting €1bn revenue by the end of 2023 financial year. It is reshaping the world of brands and commerce with social commerce - online shops and social communities to drive sales, inspire customers and amplify brands. 

Christian Grobel, head of Social Chain International, and new LANDMANN MD said: “Landmann has had a strong presence in the UK for over a decade, and in 2022 we are expecting it to at least double its sales of 2021. Huge strides have already been made in its social and digital presence which will be significantly enhanced by joining Social Chain in the UK.

“There is a huge rise in online retailers stocking BBQs, making a very competitive market for people, so our exciting NPD pipeline, targeted partnerships and outstanding customer service, plus the direction and knowledge of Social Chain and its social commerce proposition will help us become leaders in this space.”

Darlac, the garden and cutting tools experts, is now available in two Haskins Garden Centres in the South of England.

Haskins has a network of 5 garden centres; Haskins Roundstone in Angmering just outside Worthing and Haskins West End near Southampton, have both taken 2 metre stands of Darlacs’ cutting tools.

The two stores cater for gardeners on the south coast of England, turning over almost £20million a year between them, offering a high footfall audience. The cutting tools on offer in store include our Expert Collection along with a broad range of shears, snips and loppers.

As part of Darlac’s commitment to its retailers, the Company’s Technical Lead Damian McEvoy has already visited both stores to provide comprehensive training to sales staff in-store. Help with merchandising, point of sales displays and knowledge-sharing sessions are key features of the Darlac sales process, and a commitment that Darlac makes to all retailers of every size.

Chris Owen, General Manager for Darlac, said: “Haskins is known for its quality of service and the comprehensive ranges they carry. We’re proud to be listed in stores with such prestige. This rightfully places them on the top 175 list published by Horticulture Week with impressive turnover in the two stores that are now carrying Darlac tools. We’ve already sent Damian McEvoy, our Technical Lead, into both stores to provide training for staff. This will help them give the best advice to their customers, and we’re looking ahead to a very successful gardening season.”

Contact the Darlac wholesale sales team on info@darlac.com. For more details of the full range in stores, take a look at the Darlac website – darlac.com

2022 marks an exciting year for leading gardening brand Hozelock, not only does the Birmingham based company have a range of new products being launched, but it is also collaborating with eight high profile social media influencers. 

The influencers, who have a presence on Instagram and YouTube, will act as ambassadors for Hozelock throughout the summer season. Each will produce content for their own channels as well as creating material for the Hozelock blog, newsletter and social media channels. 

The aim of the collaborations is to boost brand awareness and also target new demographics, including first time gardeners as well as those who are more experienced in the hobby. The campaign will showcase the extensive breadth of Hozelock’s existing products and also support key messaging for 2022 such as sustainability and family gardening. 

Niall McCauley, one of the ambassadors and keen YouTube gardener said; “When Hozelock reached out to me regarding a collaboration I was delighted. They're one of the most well known brands in the industry, and I’ve used their products for many years in my own garden."

“This year I am going to be focusing on using the Hozelock EasyClear fountain system to upgrade my pond and its water quality. I’ll also be creating a fantastic automated watering solution for my vegetable garden using Hozelock's universal system of irrigation parts. I’m really looking forward to sharing the results with my audience.”

Other ambassadors working with Hozelock in 2022 include Instagram’s Chicks and Veg, Your Organic PT, Plot 81 and Hairy Horticulturalist. 

Speaking of the breadth of social media collaborations, Sarah Dixon, UK Marketing Manager at Hozelock, said: “As Hozelock’s products appeal to such a wide audience, we recognised that this year we need to work with a variety of ambassadors.

“Each of the ambassadors has been selected as we feel they are cohesive with the Hozelock brand, whether this is due to their type of garden or the range of products they use. We also wanted to choose people who had different garden aspirations, whether that is growing fruit or veg, perfecting flowerbeds or using it as a space for entertaining. 

“Working with influencers has been a key part of our marketing strategy for the last two years and we are excited to work with the eight influencers this year to showcase both our latest new product development and also our historic favourites.

“With a combined reach of over 180,000 budding gardeners on Instagram and YouTube we are confident that this campaign will boost our online presence and ensure that we are the go-to brand for all gardeners.”  

To keep an eye on the rollout of Hozelock’s marketing activity follow their social channels and also visit hozelock.com 

SOLEX has created an online appointment booking system which allows visitors to book a meeting prior to, or during the show, with the exhibitor of their choice. 

This system will enable visitors to schedule in meetings and organise their time more efficiently whilst visiting SOLEX.  

How does it work? 

• All exhibitors can be found on the SOLEX FLOOR PLAN, via the SOLEX website
• A simple click on the booking bar via the exhibitor’s page takes you straight to the Online Appointment Booking Systemallowing the scheduling of appointments during the show, meaning everyone can organise their visit before they arrive! 
• An email confirmation will be sent to the visitor and the exhibitor confirming appointment details. Each time slot is 30 minutes, which means an appointment can be scheduled from 30 up to 90 minutes.  

Gina Hinde, SOLEX Director, said: “We are always looking for ways to help our SOLEX visitors and exhibitors.  Knowing how precious everyone’s time is, and how busy we all are, we hope this new booking system helps everyone to manage their diaries more effectively over the three days of the SOLEX exhibition.” 

SOLEX 2022

12-14 July 

Halls 17,18,19 

NEC, Birmingham 

www.solexexhibition.com

Above: Laura Matheson with Will Blake, Managing Director at St Peters Garden Centre.

The Garden Centre Association Trust has selected Laura Matheson from St Peters Garden Centre and Holly Byrne from Millbrook Garden Centre Gravesend to attend this year’s International Garden Centre Association (IGCA) Congress.

The two candidates will receive a sponsored place at the IGCA Congress in August as part of the Dick Allen Scholarship Award Scheme.

Sue Allen, Trust Chairman, said: “At last, the annual IGCA Congress looks set to take place once again from August 28 for six days of amazing experiences and the opportunity to make and renew international friendships, as well as seeing how Dutch garden centres continue to excel and inspire their sector of retailing.

“Pre-Covid, each year, through funding by the Dick Allen Scholarship Fund, we sponsor two delegates from UK garden centres to attend. In 2020, we selected our delegates but then the pandemic took hold and the Congress was cancelled for two years, so we are very pleased that one of our original candidates, Laura, selected in 2020, is still able to use this unique opportunity. Both Laura and Will Blake, the Managing Director at St Peters Garden Centre, are delighted that this long-delayed award can now be used.”

Laura joined St Peters Garden Centre almost 17 years ago, starting as a weekend checkout assistant at the age of 16. She has now worked her way up to the position of Buyer in the Home, Lifestyle, Gift, Christmas and Clothing categories in the garden centre.

She said: “I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity. The chance to visit some of the most forward-thinking garden centres and growers in Holland will be of great value to me. To be able to do this with people as passionate about this incredible industry as I am is something that will be an experience I will not forget.”

Will Blake, the Managing Director at St Peters Garden Centre has been on four IGCA trips.

He said: “What an amazing opportunity. Each one of the trips I attended was packed full of brilliant ideas, inspiration, and a healthy amount of learning. Not to mention spending a week with a great bunch of likeminded garden centre people. Laura’s passion, commitment, and drive to push our garden centre forward is second to none, so I know she will absolutely make the most of this amazing opportunity!”

Applications for the other place at the Congress were invited earlier this year and the second delegate, Holly Byrne, was selected and will be joining Laura on the tour.

Above: Holly Byrne with Mat Hester from Millbrook Garden Centre Gravesend.

Holly, who joined Millbrook Garden Centre Gravesend eight years ago, starting as a weekend member of staff on the tills and progressed in the business while studying accountancy, said: “I am so thankful to be given this opportunity to go to the IGCA in Holland, as it will be hugely beneficial to be able to see how their garden centres arrange and merchandise stock. I’m especially looking forward to seeing their fantastic range of houseplants. I’m also looking forward to meeting other retailers and growers from the industry to share ideas and hopefully make some lasting connections with them, especially as my management experience has all been through a pandemic.”

Tammy Woodhouse, Managing Director of Millbrook Garden Centre Gravesend, who is also the current Garden Centre Association Chairman, is delighted that Holly has been awarded a place on the trip.

She said: “We were very pleased when Holly chose a career with us, rather than becoming an accountant, and she has now been promoted to Shop Manager at Gravesend. After the last two years of working through COVID and rising to all sorts of challenges that she probably never anticipated, it is fantastic that she has this opportunity. 

“I know she will enjoy meeting and learning from like-minded people from garden centres all over the world and will come back with plenty of ideas and enthusiasm to take Millbrook forwards in the future.”

The object of the GCA Trust is to advance among the general public and, in particular among horticultural students, education in horticulture, and particularly garden centres, by the provision and administration of scholarships and bursaries, including prizes to foster such education.

The Trust also aims to assist horticultural students to study, research into and gain experience of horticulture.

British Garden Centre became a Platinum Partner of the Greenfingers Charity in January 2022, pledging to raise at least £25,000 before the charity's 25th anniversary in 2024. The first milestone has already been achieved, and TV Presenter and charity Patron, David Domoney, was presented with a cheque at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022 by Amy and Abigail Stubbs – daughters of the company’s joint founders.

Amy Stubbs, daughter of Charles Stubbs, said “It’s amazing to see our centres create awareness and raise money for Greenfingers. This charity means a lot to us, and we support them in everything they do. This money raised will only go on to help them create more magical gardens for children's hospices”. 

The garden centre has raised this money through a series of events this year, including their participation in the national Garden Re-Leaf Day on March 18th. This is a day dedicated to raising money and awareness of the work carried out by the charity and is widely supported by the gardening industry. 

A further £5,000 was raised during the RHS Chelsea Flower Show from the sales of the new Hydrangea Red Butterfly, which was exclusively available to visitors at the show. This is the new signature British Garden Centres plant and £10 from each sale was donated to the charity. 

David Domoney said “As a Patron, it was a great pleasure to receive this wonderful donation on behalf of Greenfingers Charity. The support of the entire British Garden Centre family really will make a tremendous difference to the work of the charity and in turn the families and carers who spend time in Greenfingers gardens.”

Greenfingers is a national charity dedicated to supporting life-limited children and their families who spend time in hospices around the UK. The charity is committed to creating, beautiful, well-designed outdoor spaces for children to enjoy with family, friends, and siblings, whether through play and fun, or therapeutic rest and relaxation. To date, Greenfingers Charity has created over 60 inspiring gardens in children’s hospices around the country and has a further waiting list of hospices that need help.

British Garden Centres now has 61 centres across the UK. The group was started by brothers Charles and Robert Stubbs in the 1980s when they opened their first centre in Lincolnshire. It has gone on to become the UK’s largest family-run garden centre business. Plants are at the heart of everything they do – they sold over 8 million of them in 2021 – so they were delighted to be able to launch the brand-new Hydrangea at the Chelsea Flower Show, the world’s greatest flower show.

The Commercial Horticultural Association will be flying the flag for Great Britain at the Summer edition of IPM Essen in Germany on 13-14 June 2022.

IPM Essen, the Summer Edition, is a comprehensive international event for the German ornamentals industry and an opportunity to network again with European partners.  

Many companies in the grower community will be visiting enroute to the flower trials in The Netherlands and to GreenTech, which takes place on 14-16 June.  The CHA is also hosting a British Pavilion at GreenTech along with the Department for International Trade.

British companies PPC Labels and Air Pot will be exhibiting at IPM Essen, the Summer Edition, where they’ll be showcasing their products and services on stands 7C45 and 7C47 respectively.  

Pat Flynn, the CHA’s Trade Association Manager, will also be attending the event and will be happy to see representatives from any member companies who are planning to pop in to IPM, the Summer Edition.

The January edition of IPM usually attracts some 70,000 visitors and the organisers hope that a good percentage of those enthusiasts will attend the Summer edition, since the industry is eager to meet up again and talk business.

Here’s what visitors can expect from the British exhibitors:

Air-Pot containers, from the Caledonian Tree Company, are the original and the most advanced reusable air-pruning system, guaranteeing fantastic roots, faster growth and bigger yields. They are made of recycled plastic and come in a range of sizes, for growing from seed to the largest trees. The containers are used all over the world in all climates for all species of plant. Recent trials have shown that Air-Pot grown trees grow up to 60% faster than trees in the open field. The containers are tough and can be used many times even in tropical sunlight.

Contact on the stand: Julyan Rawlings

Phone: +44 (0)1875 835360

Email: ctc@air-pot.com

Website: air-pot.com

PPC Labels specialises in custom design labels, packaging, point-of-sale and catalogues. Its clients include supermarkets, garden centres, growers and packers. The company’s experienced project managers look after every aspect of production from copy writing, photo selection to proofing. PPC Labels has built an enviable track record for quality work that’s on time, on budget and produced to the highest standards.

Contact on the stand: Jeremy Watkinson

Phone: +44 (0) 1664 738755

Email: info@ppclabels.co.uk

Website: ppclabels.co.uk

For further information on the Commercial Horticultural Association contact:

Pat Flynn (Trade Association Manager)

Tel: +44 (0)7778 313623

Email: pat@cha-hort.com

Wyevale Nurseries has entered nine new plants for the New Plant Awards at the Horticultural Trades Association National Plant Show this month.

Among the plants Wyevale Nurseries has submitted are a new thornless rose, a sarcococca suitable for any soil and a new festuca, which is hardy down to -20°c and drought tolerant.

Andy Johnson, Managing Director of Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, says: “Our 2022 entries include some that are great for pollinators and some that are perfect for anyone who has a smaller space and wants to have something stunning in a pot on their patio.

“We’re so happy to be back at the show, which takes place on June 21 and 22 at NAEC Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, after a two-year absence due to the pandemic.

“It’s wonderful for our team to be once again meeting customers face-to-face. We’ll have a new full colour, printed 2023 catalogue to hand out too. Our highly experienced and knowledgeable team, including our Retail Sales Manager, Colin Stanley, our Garden Centre Sales Executive, Lisa Ashford and our Production Manager, Kyle Ross, will be in Hall 1, at stand 200/205 and are really looking forward to seeing everyone there.

“We’re very proud to say Kyle is also at the show representing the Young People in Horticulture Association (YPHA), as he is a committee member for the organisation, so he will be splitting his time between their stand and ours.

“We’ve all experienced turbulent times in the past two years and to be able to attend this event once again is something we’re keen to celebrate, so it’s brilliant to be putting forward a bumper number of plants for the judges’ consideration too!

“The New Plant Awards at the HTA National Plant Show showcase the best in new plant introductions from UK plant suppliers. It’s seen in the industry as the place for retailers to find the next bestselling new plant to inspire their customers.

“We’re delighted to be entering an amazing nine new plants across the Herbaceous Perennials and Shrubs & Climbers categories at the show.” 

The nine new plants are:

Rosa ‘Cutie Pie’

A wonderful new rose to hit the market, that’s dwarf and completely thornless! From May to late summer, this mound forming rose erupts into hundreds of miniature pink/white flowers, which are adored by pollinators. Hardy to -25°c this shrub is wonderful in a pot on its own or dotted around borders, especially alpine borders. Cutie Pie requires no pruning, as the flowers fall off and its compact nature means it will stay short and rounded.

Sarcococca ‘Purple Gem’

The new accompaniment to bestselling Winter Gem, Purple Gem boasts deep purple/red stems, which stand out clearly against its dark glossy foliage. For the garden, Purple Gem is ideal, as it will grow in any soil type and is hardy to -18°c. White flowers with purple tips smother it from February to April, meaning it’s one of the first plants to wake up in your garden. The flowers being heavily scented is just another bonus.

Chionochloa ‘Taupo Lights’

Hailing from New Zealand, this new variegated grass is compact and the perfect architectural garden plant. It grows to about 50cm in height but then puts out glorious plumes of flowers on 70cm stems. Hardy to -5°c. Plant Taupo Lights in a sheltered spot or keep it in a pot as a focal point for the patio.

Olearia phlogopappa ‘Spring Bling’

This aromatic shrub, commonly known as the Daisy Bush provides a literal haven for pollinators as the evergreen silver foliage becomes engulfed in masses of white daisy-like flowers from April to June. Boasting full hardiness this plant will thrive in a pot as a statement piece or in a border. Prefers a full sun position, in well-drained soil. Maximum height: 1.5m, maximum spread: 1.5m.

Lomandra longifolia ‘Arctic Frost’

Lomandra Arctic Frost is an evergreen grass-like perennial that thrives in sun or part shade. Hardy down to -10°c, this plant provides shelter for insects and other invertebrates as the foliage expands. Flowering from April to June, it boasts multiple flower spikes, which protrude from the mass of variegated foliage. It can be kept in pots or weaved through borders for architectural interest. Maximum height: 60cm, maximum spread: 1m.

Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Magic Ball’

Physocarpus Magic Ball is a stunning new shrub to hit the market offering nearly year-round interest. Pink flowers erupt in July until September. Thrives in full sun or partial shade. This shrub has a compact habit with a maximum height and spread of 1.5m. It changes foliage colour numerous times throughout the growing season. Full hardy to -20°c.

Festuca glauca ‘Sunrise’

A beautiful new Festuca which is hardy down to -20°c and drought tolerant. Plumes of flowers erupt in June on stems of sunrise red, which, compared to the green/blue foliage, are striking. Small and compact, spread 25cm, height 70cm with flower spikes. Perfect in pots or borders. Grows in any soil conditions including very poor soil.

Escallonia hybrid ‘Showstopper’

A beautiful, full hardy down to -8°c, shrub reaching a max height of 1.2m and spread of 80cm. This plant is compact and rounded in its nature, with stunning white-pink flowers erupting in masses in July-September, which are a favourite of bees. Grows in any well-drained soil, can be planted in a bed or is perfect in a patio pot for summer colour.

Delphinium ‘Red Lark’

The best new herbaceous plant to enter the market! Stunning red plumes of flowers from April-June. Grow in full sun. It’s a hardy perennial by nature. The ultimate pot plant, but striking grown at the back of borders too. Attracts bees in particular. Spread 50cm height, 70cm with flowers.

The HTA National Plant Show takes place on Tuesday, June 21 and Wednesday, June 22 in Halls 1 & 2 at NAEC Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.

The product selection available from Wyevale Nurseries is envied across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.

Its main business is to supply garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.

For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk.

Value garden centre group Cherry Lane is celebrating its 21st anniversary. The business has grown from three sites to 17 and has a month of events, activities and special treats planned for customers to mark this milestone.

Cherry Lane was established in 2001 with the purchase of three garden centres in East Anglia – Pulham Market, Fritton and Long Melford – by parent company QD Group. QD, which made its name on the high street as an independent, family-run discount retailer and opened its first store in Norwich in 1985, had been looking to diversify and the chance to take on three existing garden centres was an opportunity CEO Nick Rubins was keen to take.

Nick explains: “We already understood discount retailing and used our knowledge to create a value garden centre offering. Cherry Lane was seen as a disruptor in the industry because we wanted to do things a bit differently by offering value and selling different items. It did make things challenging in the beginning, but we really believed in the Cherry Lane brand and stuck to it. As we acquired additional sites, our quantum opened more and more doors.”

Cherry Lane has grown its business solely through the acquisition of existing garden centres, with its most recent acquisition, Riverside in Hockley, Essex, bringing the Group total to 17 across East Anglia, East Midlands and Yorkshire.

This remains a route preferred by Cherry Lane as Nick explains: “When we take over a garden centre, it is so important to look after the people who work within it and listen to the owners about how they have achieved their success over the years, to embrace it and develop the same key ingredient going forward. We’re an independent, family run business and uphold these values when we take on new sites. One of the key benefits of our business model is that we’re flexible – we don’t use the same template in every single Cherry Lane. We look to see what the garden centre has and how we can enhance it. Garden centres have a community-based feel and we’re always keen to maintain and build on that.”

In 2012, Cherry Lane acquired a garden centre in Beverley which had its own on-site nursery operation. This marked the start of Grown by Us, Cherry Lane’s homegrown plant range which is sold throughout the business. A further four on-site nurseries have been added to this in the past 10 years, enabling the business to produce in excess of 1.2 million seedlings annually.

The company also bolstered its environmental credentials with the introduction of its Value Our Planet initiative in 2019, aimed at cutting waste and carbon emissions throughout the business. New product lines have been brought in aimed at helping consumers to shop more sustainably.

To celebrate Cherry Lane’s 21st anniversary, the group is running a host of activities in-store that kick off this week and last until 3rd July. Among the festivities will be competitions, giveaways and gifts for customers. The garden centre will be bustling with birthday excitement, as well as offering massive savings for customers across its outdoor summer ranges.

Cherry Lane is also looking to reward great causes in the community to mark this milestone. 21 special hardwood garden benches are being donated in the local communities around each Cherry Lane garden centre to local groups, clubs or charities, with nominations being invited from customers to help identify worthy recipients.

After 21 years, Cherry Lane is still growing and Nick Rubins remains very positive about the future. “It is a very exciting time for us and we are looking ahead to bringing more garden centres into our family. It doesn’t seem like 21 years since we bought the first three Cherry Lanes, but the celebrations are a fitting tribute to all our staff who have been with us over the years, many for a very long time, and our customers and suppliers too.”

For more information on Cherry Lane, see www.cherry-lane.co.uk.

A family-run garden centre and food hall in Usk in Monmouthshire is stocking English wines produced by an award-winning Herefordshire-based vineyard using hand-picked grapes.

Morris’ of Usk Garden Centre and Food Hall in Llanbadoc is now selling Foxbury Fields Vineyard’s Bacchus and Ortega wines.

Jane Morris at Morris’ of Usk, said: “We pride ourselves on supporting British and stocking locally sourced produce, so we’re thrilled to be selling Foxbury Fields’ delicious wines in our Food Hall. The wines have been a big hit with our customers already.”

Morris’ of Usk started out as a plant nursery run by Chris and Jane Morris in 1982, mainly growing tomatoes, cut flowers and some annual bedding plants.

In 1990, it expanded into a full garden centre and opened its doors to the public. Chris and Jane’s eldest daughter now manages the garden centre and restaurant, while daughter in-law, Helen Morris manages the Food Hall. More recently Chris and Jane’s granddaughters, Lily and Bella have joined the family business too.

It won Family Business of the Year in 2020 at the Welsh Business Awards and is a well-respected company at the heart of the community it serves.

Heather Williamson, who set-up Foxbury Fields Vineyard in Bromsberrow with her partner Richard Baker, said: “We’re thrilled to have our fantastic wines at Morris’ of Usk. It’s great to have our wines stocked in a family-run business that has the same values as we do.

“Our Bacchus wine is a pale lime-green aromatic dry white wine. It offers complex aromas of elderflower, layered with kiwi, grass and a herbal overlay. Well balanced with length on the palate, this is a classic English Bacchus at 11.5% VOL.

“The Ortega wine we produce is a delightfully perfumed medium dry white wine with refreshing lemon and orange aromas. Crisp and deliciously fruity, it is wonderful on its own, as an aperitif or as an ideal accompaniment to fish dishes. Vintages are available at a 11.5% VOL.”

The Bacchus grape grown at the vineyard was created in 1933 by viticulturalist Peter Morio by crossing Silvaner x Riesling with Muller-Thurgau varieties to create a grape that produces a fine white wine.

Originating in Germany, Bacchus has increasingly been grown in the United Kingdom. The climate being colder means the grapes tend to have increased levels of acidity compared to their German counterparts, giving a new flavour take on a classic German grape by keeping it from becoming too intense or sugary.

The Ortega grape is utilised for white wine. It was created in 1948 by Hans Breider at the Bayerischen Landesanstalt für Wein, Obst-und Gartenbau in Würzburg and was discharged with varietal security in 1981. It is a combination of Müller-Thurgau and Siegerrebe.

Ortega matures early and isn’t susceptible to frosty conditions, making it ideal for wine production in the UK. It is regularly utilised for sweet wines, which are considered to improve with cellaring. Ortega wines often have hints of Muscat and peach, along with a citrus aroma, which produces a crisp and fruity wine. 

Foxbury Fields, which is a South West Vineyards Association Silver medal winner, is now able to sell direct to consumers online via its website www.foxburyfields.co.uk and purchasers can collect their orders from the vineyard by arrangement only.

Its wines are also available for collection, by arrangement only, from Wyevale Nurseries in Herefordshire, which is one of the UK’s leading commercial nurseries and celebrates its 91st anniversary this year. Wyevale Nurseries is family-owned and is currently run by the third generation of Williamsons, Heather and Simeon, who are joint Chairmen of the company.

Heather added: “If any other businesses in the area would be interested in stocking and selling our Foxbury Fields Vineyard wines direct to the public, we would love to hear from them too. They can get in touch with us by calling 07974793367 or emailing heather@foxburyfields.co.uk.”

For further details about Foxbury Fields Vineyard, please call 07974793367 or visit www.foxburyfields.co.uk. Alternatively, you can follow the company on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FoxburyFieldsVineyard.

As a Bradford garden centre prepares to open a second site at Tingley later this year, a planning application has been submitted for a third site.

Tong Garden Centre has submitted a planning application for a sister site at Thorp Arch Estate, Wetherby to  Leeds City Council following a three-year pre-application process.

If the planning application is successful, Thorp Arch Garden Centre will comprise an 8500m2 garden centre with an extensive plant area, Grass Hoppers play area, two restaurants, a Hearty's Food Hall and a second Mission Out adventure play area for 6 -14 year olds. The results of the planning application for Thorp Arch Garden Centre are expected in August.

"If we are successful with the application, we anticipate that the new garden centre will create over 200 local jobs, create lots of career opportunities for our current team at Tong Garden Centre and bring investment to the area," said Tong Garden Centre's MD, Mark Farnsworth.

"The Thorp Arch Estate is equidistant between Leeds, Harrogate and York and benefits from quick and uncongested access to the A1(M) motorway at Wetherby. It's a great location and, should the planning application be successful, we would hope to open Thorp Arch Garden Centre in 2024."

Tong Garden Centre was acquired by Mark Farnsworth and Tom Megginson in 2015 and Tingley Garden Centre will open in autumn 2022.

Tingley Garden Centre will be a £14m garden centre complex that will be home to a 7000 sq. ft. garden centre and an outdoor adventure play attraction for 6 -14 year olds called Mission Out that will open later this summer. It is being developed on the site of the former Acanthus Golf Club off Thorpe Street and will create 250 jobs.

Tong Garden Centre occupies a 19 acre site in Tong village. It is one of Yorkshire's biggest independent garden centres with 125,000 square feet of retail space and parking for up to 700 cars.

Ivyline, the leading supplier of contemporary accessories for the home and garden, will be using this year’s edition of Glee (28th – 30th June, NEC Birmingham – stand 6E64,6E60-F61) to shine a light on its diverse product portfolio, plus highlighting how its firm stance on responsible sourcing is shaping the future of the brand.

Newness set to increase demand

Ivyline knows that buyers go to Glee looking for something new and exciting. Because of this, each year the company uses the exhibition to debut the latest additions to its leading portfolio of products, which includes pots and planters, outdoor essentials including firepits, bowls and lanterns, furniture, fireside, and interior design accessories including glassware, candles, and festive lines.

However, this year, the brand has upped the ante and added more than 250 new SKUs to its line-up. New launches will be showcased across two stands at the exhibition, which represents a 70% increase on Ivyline’s 2021 show footprint and will give visitors plenty of space to browse and get to grips with the product.

This exciting move is the result of a deep review of Ivyline’s existing portfolio to ensure that its 2022/23 offering is as responsive to the latest trends as it can be, whilst still maintaining a profitable and structured range. Existing lines have been strengthened to ensure improved visibility for product hierarchy, whilst an entirely new product category for Ivyline will also be launched in an exciting move ahead of the 2023 season.

Every new introduction Ivyline makes is the result of an extensive period of design and market research. These are no ‘me too’ products created for the sake of newness, instead, they are developed in line with both retailer demand and consumer sentiment. Whether it’s new colours, textures or market direction, these innovations are designed to complement existing ranges, whilst adding even more value and sales potential within the retail setting.

Maximising autumn/winter sales potential

The new timing of Glee in late June will also enable Ivyline to help retailers at the show make the most of the forthcoming autumn/winter sales period. Backed by a dedicated catalogue, created especially for the new AW22 season, means retailers will be able to place orders for a range of new lines, including:

• new glassware planters and vases made from 95% recycled Indian glass
• Portuguese hand cast planters with botanic motifs
• new additions to Ivyline’s festive offering, including galvanised steel tree buckets, poinsettia and cyclamen planters, rustic candle holders and table dressings.

The entire AW22 collection will, as always, be designed in-house by Ivyline’s dedicated designers, and manufactured within a proven ethically protected supply chain.

Sustainability at its heart

As a conscientious business, Ivyline strives to put people and the planet first, which is why it has prioritised efforts to ensure all aspects of its manufacturing and sourcing process meet strict ethical and sustainable standards. As part of this commitment, Ivyline has appointed an external consultant to review its entire supply chain. By creating a more transparent supply chain and working only with audited factories that meet these standards, Ivyline is setting a new standard for what an environmentally conscious brand can look like.

In recent years, Ivyline moved all production outside of the Far East to provide additional peace of mind during even the most challenging conditions, whilst also reducing the brand’s carbon footprint, as it now clocks up fewer miles bringing product to its UK warehousing.

The company is also focused on reducing its reliance on plastic and has also set a minimum target of 30% recycled material inclusion for the production and packaging of all its 2023 collections. Working towards a more sustainable future, the brand is developing relationships with like-minded partners, including zero-waste pottery partners, and those that optimise Ivyline’s manufacturing processes with 60% solar power and hydrogen-powered kilns.

A look to 2023

The challenges have come thick and fast in recent years and, whilst the future is bright, it may still hold renewed obstacles for retailers. Addressing this, Ivyline Managing Director, Scott Thomas said: “We were fortunate that our sector received a welcome boost during the pandemic but now is not the time to rest on our laurels. There is likely to be a significant shift in consumer demand for quality, long-lasting products, as the days of fast fashion peter out and consumers come to expect more of the entire supply chain. In turn, price points will be adjusted to reflect this, and product offerings need to be tailored to meet individual consumer demographics.

“This is where we can step in to help; by working closely with our retail customers to help them access a fully diverse product portfolio, supported by a brand ethos and ongoing investment that will enable us and our customers to stay ahead of the curve – whatever the future holds!”

Find out more

To find out more about Ivyline please visit www.ivylinegb.co.uk, email sales@ivylinegb.co.uk or by calling 0844 800 2214.

Castle Gardens in Sherborne, Brimsmore Gardens in Yeovil and Poundbury Gardens near Dorchester have collectively raised £3,676 for the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal since April.

Donating the proceeds collected so far, raised from the sale of commemorative jute bags made for Castle Gardens’ 35th anniversary and Brimsmore Gardens’ 30th anniversary, each garden centre has delivered a cheque to their local British Red Cross branch.  

With a cheque for £1,891 being delivered to the Sherborne branch of British Red Cross, £1,010 to Yeovil’s Middle Street branch and £775 to the Weymouth branch of British Red Cross, The Gardens Group’s donations were the largest each branch had ever seen. 

The anniversary jute bags are still available to buy at all three garden centres for £5 each and all proceeds will continue to be donated to the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal. 

Picture captions

Left image: Clint Clark from Sherborne branch of British Red Cross with Anita Smith from Castle Gardens.

Centre image: Jayne Wood from Weymouth branch of British Red Cross and Jon Nash from Poundbury Gardens.

Right image: Staff from Yeovil’s Middle Street branch of British Red Cross - Lisa Thorne, Fiona Loudon, assistant manager, and volunteers, Sandy Cotton and Sebastian Drinkwater. 

Rolawn has become the latest sponsor of online-based body, Lawn Association, to collaboratively educate and enrich both the public and horticulture professionals on all aspects of lawn care.

The venture will see the organisations partnering up to provide expert lawn care guidance virtually via the Lawn Association’s website. 

The Lawn Association was created by David Hedges-Gower after becoming aware that there was not a vast amount of accurate and up-to-date lawn care information available online for both domestic and professional horticulturists.

David Hedges Gower commented "We are over the moon that Rolawn has come on board as a sponsor for the Lawn Association.  Their quality and responsibly sourced products are second to none, as is their expertise in the field of turf. 

David continued: "We look forward to combining our knowledge with theirs and, in turn, offering this to all the lawn lovers out there, whether they are home gardeners or professionals.”

Ken Brewster, Marketing Director for Rolawn, commented: “Rolawn is delighted to be working with The Lawn Association. Their goals of improving lawncare knowledge for both domestic gardeners and horticultural professionals, and helping gardening enthusiasts achieve better results, are complementary to our aims at Rolawn as the UK’s acknowledged market-leading turf supplier. 

Ken continued: “Both Rolawn and the Lawn Association want all gardeners to have the best lawn possible.”

In the May 2022 issue of GTN magazine:

• Coming of age for Cherry Lane
• Garden centre ambulance for Ukraine
• Make your own vinok - aid ideas from Ukraine
• Glee Buyers Power List Nomination Form
• Get ready for a summer of trade shows
• GTN meets the suppliers – Zest
• Greenfingers Ty Hafan garden opens
• LOFA Column – Excited for SOLEX 2022
• HTA Column – Veg led revolution
• GIMA Column – The great juggling act of 2022.

Read on-line here:

Read GTN's Sustainability Directory 2022 here:

GTN’s Guide to Sustainability Innovations for Garden Centre Retailing.

In this issue:

• Encouraging customers to make the switch to peat free gardening - comment from RHS, Millbrook, Buckingham, The Gardens Group, Hillier, Cherry Lane, Pughs, Alton's, Groves, St Peters, Monkton Elm, Lakeside Plant Centre, Planters, Notcutts, Green Pastures, Summerseat & Bradley Fold Garden Centres.
• Taking Charge – Garden Centre EV Charging.
• LOFA members Improving green credentials.
• Get ready for new EPR regulations.
• Green commitment at Highfield Garden World.
• Small steps, big difference at The Gardens Group.
• Plant Hope at Perrywood.
• New Sustainable Products.
• Sustainability Directory 2022.

Read on-line here:

Read GTN's May 2022 Issue here:

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

Subscribe for free using this link

This July, RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival will feature an immersive walk-through River Cottage Market Garden designed by Adam Crofts, Head Gardener at the East Devon cookery school, venue and kitchen gardens.

Focusing on the growing of organic vegetables, fruit trees, botanicals and wildflowers for pollinators, the feature garden will showcase country crafts, including bee-keeping and willow weaving, as well as demonstrating the pleasure of cooking and eating outdoors.

Founded by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, River Cottage’s commitment to the ethical and sustainable production of food aligns with the RHS Planet-Friendly Gardening campaign to encourage everyone to make small steps that will make a global impact.

Hugh will be appearing at the festival on Thursday 7 July and together with Culinary Director Gelf Alderson, they’ll be hosting an exclusive River Cottage Feast, an evening of seasonal plant-led food and drinks during the Flowers After Hours late event on Friday 8 July.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall said:

“I’m really looking forward to being back at RHS Hampton Court this summer, this time with our own market garden, a great collaboration with the RHS which celebrates the joy of growing (and eating) your own food, and explores what we can all do in our gardens to help nature thrive alongside us.”

Organic growing techniques without the use of pesticides, a wide range of heritage fruit and vegetable varieties and companion planting will all feature alongside no-dig gardening beds to highlight how the technique can help gardeners with carbon sequestration.
 

The garden also aims to be humming with wildlife, as Hugh explains: “We are planting up part of the garden for pollinator-friendly flowers and perennials, and I’m excited that the garden will feature one of Matt Somerville’s ‘rocket hives’, which are now part of our natural approach to bee-keeping at River Cottage.”

At the heart of the design will be a glasshouse, surrounded by raised beds, leading to an outdoor cooking area where Adam Crofts will be on hand during the festival to talk about the garden and its organic principles along with fellow chefs and experts.

Head Gardener Adam Crofts offers his tips for beginner veg growers:

“My main tip for beginner gardeners is don’t over-complicate things and try too many different crops all at once – just grow a few plants of each type of veg and see what works for you. Salad crops are easy to grow and quick to mature yet relatively expensive to buy and often don’t store particularly well. Eaten fresh from the garden, crisp, tasty salad crops are one of the true delights of veg growing. Lettuce, beetroot, spring onions, radishes, peas and beans all give good results.”

Passionate food experts including renowned chefs Raymond Blanc and Angela Hartnett; restauranteurs Simon Rimmer and Ollie Hutson; small-scale growers Natasha Edwards and Mark Ridsdill-Smith, and forager Poppy Okotcha will appear across the week in the Market Theatre in partnership with Cunard. Demonstrating cookery ideas and discussing how the provenance of the food we buy, as well as what we can grow to reduce our food miles and boost productivity in our own gardens.

And following the success of last year’s RHS Allotment, and with continued resurgence in the garden to plate revolution, this practical arena supported by Miracle-Gro, features 12 community allotments providing advice on what can be achieved with no formal training or big budgets.

Tickets for RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival: rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt

River Cottage Feast and Flowers After Hours tickets: rhs.org.uk/flowersafterhours

Following the success of its Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Award (B&LLA) honoured collaboration with the award-winning George at Asda brand, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced the arrival at retail of a second collection, again highlighting children’s apparel and accessories for 1-7-year-olds.

Focusing on a carefully selected mix of apparel for wearing out and about, this selection includes shirts, t-shirts, hoodies, dresses, shorts and backpacks alongside sweatshirts, joggers, dungarees, cardigans, clogs and trainers.

And it looks wonderful. As before, the George design team has collaborated with the RHS to create a unique print direction featuring delightful hand-drawn illustrations of colourful plants, vegetables and insects – there’s even a friendly bumble bee-shaped backpack! Slogans encouraging kids to reconnect with nature and grow plants and veg, such as “My hobby is making garden friends”, “Plant some seeds to save the bees” and the collection’s tagline “Let’s go and grow” are highlighted throughout the collection, which can be found in back neck prints, back neck tapes and packaging.

To further underline the joys of gardening, swing tags have again been designed in the shape of flower pots. And, of course, the products are fun, attractive, practical and reasonably priced. The RHS branding, highlighting the RHS tree and shield, is clearly visible on the sew-in tags and packaging.

The range is now available in 86 Asda stores and online at George.com and selling through at an amazing speed, underlining the continuing appeal of the RHS/George collaboration over a year after the first collection hit the shelves.

Of course, the very first RHS collection from George at Asda was not just a success at retail. It also won the Best Brand Licensed Children’s Product or Range at the 2022 Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards.

Launched in 1990, George is now sold in over 580 stores and through George.com with over two million customer transactions per week combined. George is a household name and has built up a reputation for quality, style and value, leading the changing face of British fashion over the past decades and making George one of the largest fashion retailers in Britain.

Estella Arroyo, Product Design Profession Lead at George says: “The positive challenge of this latest collaboration was to build on the appeal of our first collection but offering something new and exciting. The response so far has been fantastic! We are thrilled to be collaborating once again with the RHS on this and the clothing and accessories brilliantly combine style, fun and practicality – perfect for getting outside, exploring and growing! 

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager, RHS, says: “As one of our earliest forays into children’s products – and our very first collaboration on children’s clothing – the RHS collection from George at Asda was an unqualified success, delighting children and parents and brilliantly underlining our key message – to encourage everyone to ’get growing’. We were understandably eager to develop a second collection with the talented George team – and yet again they have excelled themselves.”

Dobbies is donating the outdoor and indoor plants from its five star, award-winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show ‘green sanctuary’ stand to two UK charities; Stroke Association and Horatio’s Garden.

The Dobbies’ stand featured a stunning wildlife living wall packed full of hardy ferns and plants for pollinators; a range of indoor plants; a wildflower meadow roof; an easy to grow patio herb garden; lemons, grapefruit, and lots of other container planting ideas to inspire gardens indoor and out.

The indoor plants from the stand will be donated to Stroke Association, during Stroke Awareness Month, highlighting the benefits indoor plants can have on our wellbeing and health thanks to their air purifying qualities.

Horatio’s Garden is also to receive Dobbies’ support, with the donation of plants to six gardens across the UK. The charity supports the physical and mental rehabilitation to people affected by spinal injury through the creation and nurturing of thriving garden projects in the heart of NHS spinal injury centres. Its fully accessible, therapeutic gardens across the UK are a source of vital support for patients, their loved ones and NHS team members.

Dobbies CEO, Graeme Jenkins, said: “The RHS Chelsea Flower Show was a great opportunity to showcase our sustainable product ranges and shine a light on our indoor and outdoor plants. Donating the plants to these incredibly worthwhile causes means not only have visitors to the show had the opportunity to enjoy them, but people from across the UK can also benefit from them.”

Saul Heselden, from Stroke Association, said: “We have launched our 'Stroke Research Means Everything' campaign to raise awareness of the chronic lack of funding available for stroke research. Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability in the UK and two thirds of people who survive a stroke find themselves living with a disability. A huge thank you to Dobbies for their kind indoor plant donation from their award-winning stand and for helping us shine a light on a hugely important issue.”

Dr Olivia Chapple, Founder of Horatio’s Garden, said: “Our gardens have become an important part of the support offered to patients with spinal injuries across the UK, complementing the specialist clinical care they receive. Each one becomes an integral part of people’s lives as they spend many months in hospital. Everything is carefully designed by leading landscape designers and architects to an exceptional standard to improve people’s psychological health as they adjust to, or care for someone with, life-changing injuries. Thank you to the Dobbies’ team for supporting our vision and mission with their plant donation.”

Dobbies received a trio of awards at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show - RHS Sustainable Garden Product of the Year Award, the RHS Assessors’ Award for Retail Innovation, new for 2022, and, a five star rating for its trade stand.

For more information on Stroke Association visit www.stroke.org.uk, and for additional information on Horatio’s Garden visit www.horatiosgarden.org.uk

The Queen’s visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, gave gardening a boost of positive media attention this week and your planteria staff will no doubt be getting requests for the regal red and purple flowered plants that stood out amongst the bright whites and lush green foliage of the show gardens.

Overall sales volumes in the GTN Bestsellers database were static week on week compared with 2021 when sales dipped in the third week of May. Another week like that in the run up to the Jubilee and sales for the month could still reach parity with last year.

At Chelsea, Bramblecrest reported good levels of sales and we’ve had reports from centres who said they had a burst of pre-Jubilee outdoor leisure purchasing.

In the background the GTN team are very busy getting ready for Glee, with compilation of the Glee Daily News, the Glee publications and entries for the Glee New Product Showcase. Judging by the entries we’ve already seen for Glee 2022, the first in June, it could well be a vintage year for innovation in our market. We look forward to seeing you there.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2021: week 20.

• Garden Products Top 50 – static 0%
• Growing Media Top 50 – up 7%
• Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 11%
• Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 13%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2021: week 20

• All Plants with Barcode index – up 5%
• All Items with Barcode index – up 24%

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

In light of the RHS banning artificial grass from this week’s Chelsea Flower Show, leading brands Cobra and the Grass People have offered their comments.

Peter Chaloner, managing director of Cobra, commented: "We’re thrilled to see the RHS standing against artificial grass. We, of course, celebrate lawns and all the benefits that they bring. A freshly cut lawn can’t be beaten. It is the centrepiece of a garden and is aesthetically pleasing but the benefits go far beyond that; lawns can boost drainage and help prevent flooding, they can boost biodiversity, absorb carbon dioxide and encourage nature and wildlife to gardens. Not to mention the mental health benefits that the feel and smell of freshly cut grass brings! Lawns, and green spaces, have been proven to reduce stress and improve mood, with the smell of freshly cut grass releasing endorphins.

"It's such a shame to see lawns being dug up and replaced by plastic alternatives. In a time when we’re all trying to reduce plastic usage, it makes no sense for gardens which are meant to enhance the planet, to be filled with unnecessary and unsightly plastic. Artificial grass is expensive, and not as maintenance-free as people first think as they can get damaged and will ultimately need replacing. Artificial grass creates a barrier to the soil, removing habits for burrowing insects and worms, starving them of food sources and creating a wholly inhabitable space. We support the RHS’s stance and hope to see an ongoing celebration of lawns for many years to come."

Experts at The Grass People have weighed in on the debate, with Chris McIlroy saying: “Although plastic grass is convenient, it doesn’t last forever. It looks good instantly but can wear badly and is then very hard to recycle. Not only that, high quality plastic grass is expensive and requires more maintenance than many people realise. 

“Plastic grass can get very hot as it absorbs heat and can even cause burns. It can also cause injury through friction burns if kids (or adults) are playing on it which means it isn’t always a family friendly option. It can also be tricky for families with pets as cleaning up after them can be difficult.

“Plastic grass also contributes to local flooding as there isn’t any drainage so large volumes of rain water can be displaced and cause problems elsewhere. The production and disposal of plastic grass can also create pollution and destroy spaces for wildlife. 

“On the other hand, real grass is 100% natural, can help with pollution and provides a home for wildlife. A 50x50 foot lawn releases enough oxygen for a family of four, while trapping harmful gases produced by pollution. It’s safe for children and animals to play on and doesn’t need to be cleaned. It’s also great at absorbing noise which is helpful for those living in louder areas or who have noisy neighbours. 

“Although the grass does need to be mown frequently in the summer - during winter a lawn is fairly low maintenance. It can also help improve the quality of the soil and ease the risk of flooding. 

“Some homeowners do face challenges with their grass, such as shade and clay soils which may encourage them to purchase artificial grass, however this can be easily solved with the right seed and know-how.” 

The formal relaunch of Bridgemere Show Gardens, located within the grounds of Bridgemere Garden Centre, attracted hundreds of guests and VIPs, as well as the original founder of the gardens, John Ravenscroft. 

The Gardens were opened by Mr Ravenscroft and Blue Diamond’s Managing Director, Alan Roper. 

The day was filled with live music, happy gardeners, and a real sense of excitement for the future of the Gardens. Proceedings were captured on the video below.

Bridgemere Show Gardens are set in 6 acres and is home to 13 stunning individual gardens, seven of which are Gold and Silver Medal award-winning gardens from the RHS Chelsea, Hampton Court and Tatton Flower Shows. 

The garden has a collection of 9 nationally and county important Champion trees, including Cercidiphyllum, japonicum Pendulum, commonly known as the Candy Floss tree, because of its fragrance, as well as over 120 rhododendrons, including the stunning variety Christmas Cheer.  A significant collection of spectacular magnolias, including Iolanthe and Manchu Fan. 

The Founder of the Gardens, John Ravenscroft, holds the Royal Horticultural Society Veitch Memorial Medal which is awarded to "persons of any nationality who have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement and improvement of the science and practice of horticulture". 

He was awarded the RHS Victoria Medal of Honour in 2008, which is awarded to British horticulturists resident in the UK whom the RHS Council considers deserving of special honour by the Society.   

He received it "for his plantsmanship, entrepreneurial talent and encyclopaedic knowledge of plants."  

He also won a lifetime achievement award from Garden Retail in 2007. 

Find out more about the show gardens and how to visit 

at https://www.bridgemereshowgardens.co.uk/

Gardening accessories brand fenceBUDDY was created by Kim O'Brien who designed products for her own plot despite struggling with mobility issues.

Kim takes up the story: “As someone who always wanted a lovely colour-filled garden but had little time, when I retired through my own mobility struggles I searched for garden accessories that would help me bring life and colour to our garden without the need for tools and no bending or kneeling as I struggle to not only get down but also get back up again!

“I soon realised that there wasn't anything suitable, so began designing myself. I had a local fabricator make me samples and when friends and neighbours saw the designs they wanted to know where they too could buy them. That's how fenceBUDDY was born and retirement ended.

“My products are no-tools required, recyclable, multipurpose, long-lasting and for every level of gardener to bring colour and interest to their gardens all year round. Not only can plants be grown up the trellis but the new design S Hooks mean that decorations, planters and more can be hung from the trellis or over the fence panels. 

“The fenceBUDDY trellis is made of powder-coated aluminium so is weatherproof and lightweight, can be moved around your fences and won't damage the panels. There are a couple of other products in the range currently, my goal is to build a brand with year round products to appeal to and decorate gardens for all seasons.

“To ensure the best value and quality for all my designs, I have sourced manufacturing abroad.  With approx 18% of the UK population having some kind of mobility impairment, a further 6% with more serious disabilities, and 100% of gardeners looking to enjoy easier gardening, the market potential is huge.”

You can see fenceBUDDY products in the Innovators Zone at Glee (stand: 19H44).

Timber garden furniture experts, EKJU, have been responsible for developing many popular furniture sets since they were established in 1992. In the last 30 years the company have developed a reputation for not only quality products but innovative designs. 

In what’s been a year of celebrating their 30^th birthday, there has also been a continuation of developing products that are ready for ecommerce channel sales as well as traditional retail. The EKJU range has always been user friendly and for several years the focus has also been ensuring their products are as easy for customers to sell, no matter what segment of the market they are.

Modern products for the modern world

As well as having traditional furniture favorites, EKJU have products that offer differentiation when compared to competitors. One of the more contemporary product options available from EKJU is the V-FRO collection, a designer garden furniture range like no other.

With curved base seats and sturdy V shaped legs, this collection provides a combination of ergonomic design and solid craftsmanship. V-FRO provides the user with a supremely comfortable experience with the bonus of having a uniquely stylish look. The range is finished in a stained grey paint which is applied to durable FSC Pine and Spruce.

Designed by gardening product designer Matthias Froböse, all the seats feature tilted inverted seat boards which create a bowl-like support for users to sit into and relax. All furniture sets are space efficient being well suited to modern homes that are now typically built with smaller gardens or balconies.

The V-FRO Garden Table can be accompanied by any of the benches in the range. This modern-looking table is lightweight yet robust in its design. Featuring a 28mm thick table-top, the garden table is a perfect family outdoor dining table for use during the spring and summer months.

The table is especially complimented by the V-FRO Large Bench which provides a deep two-seater garden bench with three angled timber boards to make an ergonomic curve base seat. This seat makes for a very comfortable bench seat to accompany a dining table, ideal for alfresco entertainment with loved ones. With a sturdy build, the bench comes flat packed with an easy to assemble design.

For a handy seating solution, the V-FRO Chair is a functional take on a classic design. With a solid back support, the base seat boards are curved inwards which offers extra stability and comfort to users. Its small footprint also makes it a very space-efficient item that can easily be moved around the garden wherever it is needed.

Consumer ready

Since 1992, the EKJU product standard has been a marriage between high quality and user-friendly designs.

In a world of multi-channel routes to market that retailers operate in, EKJU make huge efforts to ensure the product is not just consumer ready but also seller friendly. This is why ranges like the V-FRO collection are supplied in a ‘ready to take home’ and ‘ready to home deliver’ format. This is achieved by using compact packaging, clear product labelling and easy to assemble products.

It doesn’t matter how you sell, because EKJU ensure the product is ready for you and have the sales solution available for your retail requirements. To tailor a range suitable for your business, speak to EKJU today. EKJU will be celebrating their 30^th birthday at the upcoming Glee exhibition at the NEC Birmingham 28^th-30^th June (stand 6H40-J41). Contact Austris Intenbergs now (austris.intenbergs@ekju.lv) to discuss your requirements and to arrange a visit to the Glee stand.

For further company information please visit - www.ekju.com.

Reducing single-use plastic has been a key driver for Treadstone’s Recycled Pot range. Now in its second year, the ranges’ popularity is growing and growing and so is the product offering.

Made in Italy, the recycled plastic pot range by The Good Life brand, has less environmental impact than standard plastic pots by producing no plastic waste - being 100% recycled and 100% recyclable.

Growing range, growing sustainability

For 2022 the content of the raw material was upgraded to have a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled waste. This means the Treadstone Pot range features more material from plastic that has been used to manufacture an item, which was then discarded, recycled and reprocessed. This type of waste material closes the circular economy loop, meaning the waste never touches landfill and contributes towards a new purpose or product. 

To reinforce Treadstone’s commitment to reduce single use plastics the whole Recycled Pots range also has zero plastic packaging.

Stylish pots for all garden styles

With a unique patented textured surface the Recycled Pots have a premium authentic look without the heavy weight of a stone planter. Twinned with a choice of three on-trend colours, they are the perfect companion for both flowering and foliage plants. The Terracotta range is great for the traditional English garden. Urban Grey offers a contemporary style to any outdoor space but is most suited to modern gardens or balconies. For a softer more subtle tone, the Latte collection is great for accentuating the colour of flowers and plants.

With three great colours, there are four product variations available at affordable retail prices. This includes Cube and Cylinder Pots from £3.79 RRP, available in five sizes from 20cm to 40cm diameter. To match the pots, Round Saucers are available from £1.99 RRP. Troughs with assorted depths, widths, and lengths give the perfect option for many requirements, from windowsill planters to deeper troughs for stunning floral displays. Troughs come supplied with a saucer, a self-watering feature and are available from £3.19 RRP. Finally, a range of Bowls from £4.79 RRP provide an adaptable planting solution in three sizes, which are perfect for small plants and bulbs.

Impactful Retail Displays

To help spread the message of reducing environmental impact and less plastic waste a timber framed Recycled Pot Stand is available. This three-tiered merchandiser holds the full pot range for the colour style listed. This includes impactful POS headers and shelf edge strips which help sell the sustainability and uniqueness of the range.  

The Recycled Pots range offers easy to use, great looking products that are more sustainable than ever.  

DARE TO SELL DIFFERENT and contact us for more information and pricing – sales@treadstoneproducts.com.

Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.

The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2018 as well as 2019 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 07973 504214, e-mail karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

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

Highlights of the GTN Plants Bestsellers chart for last week are here

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

Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro Bestsellers chart for last week are here

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care Bestsellers chart for last 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 £100m.

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

For further information contact karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call 07973504214.

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