Had Sinclair collapsed without a tidy rescue deal, the industry would have been faced with its second trail of devastation within 12 months. The announcement that administrators had been called in at one of the Big Three names in growing media, chems and ferts came a year almost to the week after Scotts finally stepped in to clear up after the Solus debacle.

This time, the cavalry arrived in the form of Scotts’ arch rival Westland, which timed its intervention to perfection to grab the assets of the entire Sinclair group from the hands of the receivers while the ink was still drying on the insolvency practitioner’s press release.

Westland’s backers, Northern Ireland’s Danske Bank, were briefed that to clinch the deal for £18m-turnover Sinclair, speed was of the essence. Westland FD Scott Dougherty said: “In a process where the time frame to completion was a critical differentiator for Westland, Danske's support in terms of the speed of credit approval, the structure of facilities, the overall level of support available together with the management of the process to completion was essential to the success of the acquisition.”

That makes one wonder whether the pressure to complete was increased by other parties sniffing around the table… Not Scotts – too soon after their Solus surgery. Possibly German supplier Neudorff, which is having notable UK success -  and would relate to the organic elements of Sinclair’s catalogue?  Or Bord na Mona, perhaps, which might have seen synergy with its Vital Earth business?

As it happens, many believe that Sinclair’s acquisition by Westland will turn out to be the best thing that could have happened to it. Although there have been intermittent quality control and security of supply issues around the growing media offering, Sinclair’s brand portfolio, which includes J. Arthur Bower’s, New Horizon, Growing Success and Deadfast, is intrinsically strong – a view acknowledged by Westland joint MD Edward Conroy (pictured left)  in a warm ‘welcome to our world’ statement:

He said: “This acquisition will bring much needed stability to William Sinclair’s business and brands starting from today. We have always believed that Sinclair’s is an important part of our industry’s landscape, and we are fully committed to maintaining this for the long term.

“Sinclair’s is fundamentally a good business with strong consumer brands which can now only thrive from being part of the Westland family.”

The acquisition adds around 20% to Westland’s turnover (currently more than £106 million), increases its footprint in the UK market, gives it a stronger foothold in commercial horticulture as well as own-brand supply – all in all combining to make Westland strategically well set across the industry’s core categories.

Freed from the investor constraints of AIM, from which it was de-listed last week, after an agonizing year of uncertainty, Sinclair under Westland’s shrewd and experienced management may have found its true new horizon at last.

• Garden Products – down 14%
• Veg-2-Gro Products – up 14%
• Growing Media – up 3%
• All items index – up 10%

karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Thirteen locations, 6 months, 5 gardens, 2 x 46’ articulated lorries… courtesy of Westland Horticulture… the Love the Plot You’ve Got roadshow has come to an end with a spectacular finale at CarFest North last weekend.

The roadshow by the Gardening Industry Marketing Board (GIMB) found itself in the unfamiliar territory of CarFest North, Oulton Park in Cheshire, a family motoring festival founded by TV and radio presenter Chris Evans.

Surrounded by ‘non-gardeners’ the roadshow proved to be a runaway success with the 38,000 visitors, with many admitting they had a garden but had no ideas or inspiration of what to do with it.  Much advice was given out on how to improve your outdoor space, gardening techniques, planning, planting, compartmentalising gardens, products, entertaining and where to buy.

The roadshow has travelled the length and breadth of the country making pit stops in cities such as London, Glasgow, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff as well as making appearances at BBC Gardeners’ World Live, Solex, Stratford Home and Garden Show and being hosted at garden centres such as Whitehall, Scotsdales, Webbs and Van Hage.

Each site has been diverse but the subject of gardening and improving outside spaces is an easy subject for people to engage in.

The inspiring Love the Plot You’ve Got Roadshow gardens have been made up of a ‘before’ garden, which represents the hundreds of thousands of neglected, tired, unloved back gardens across the country, together with three ‘transformations’ and a balcony garden feature:

•        The Entertaining Garden shows with just a little imagination, consumers can have their own special oasis of calm to socialise with friends or simply “Chill” after a busy day.

•        The Container or Portable Garden shows just how even those who live in small gardens can create a lovely outdoor living space that’s easy to achieve and manage. Even those who live in rented accommodation can have a wonderful outdoor space that when they move, they can take their garden with them!

•        The Edible Garden combines vegetables and edible flowers into a great looking plot that provides tasty, nutritious things to eat, that’s lovely to look at, even when space is limited

•        The Balcony Garden shows how even tiny spaces can be converted into colourful little havens to relax and even entertain in.

The Roadshows are part of the innovative 3 year Love the Plot You’ve Got Campaign which has been created following detailed research into consumer perceptions about their desires for their outdoor living spaces, especially among the key 30-45 year old age group.

HTA Chief Executive Carol Paris and BBC Blue Peter Gardener Chris Collins also made a presentation to members of The Garden Media Guild in July emphsising the positive benefits to our industry that the campaign is starting to create.  Chris Collins was a member of the GIMB team at CarFest over the weekend answering hundreds of gardening questions from children and parents.

Campaign Manager David Arnold said:  “We set out to take the Love the Plot You’ve Got campaign to consumers across the UK and that’s exactly what we’ve done. We’ve spoken with thousands of folk who, in the majority of cases, told us they want to improve their outdoor living spaces but didn’t know where to start. We’ve talked with them about how to make that start, inspired them through the Roadshow gardens and directed them to our website and the sites of all our brilliant supporters in the Trade.

“We’ve learned a lot since the first Roadshow back in March. For example, we’ve discovered that there is a whole raft of folk out there who are downsizing and looking for inspiration and ideas for smaller space gardening, a consumer sector we had not fully appreciated needed help and advice. We’ve worked long days, we’ve got very dirty and very wet and even sunburned in Glasgow, and we’ve met lots of great people.

“Armed with our successes this year and all this learning, we are already planning for 2016 to make the Love The Plot You’ve Got campaign even more inspirational – watch this space!”

For more information visit www.loveyourplot.com

Manufacturers and suppliers from across the industry have gathered together to support the campaign, for a list of our partners visit www.loveyourplot.com/partners.

For a list of retailers participating in the campaign, visit www.loveyourplot.com/find-a-retailer

To find out more contact Campaign Manager David Arnold. Tel: 07876643638. Email: daaltd@virginmedia.com

Glee’s ‘Green Heart’ will be a showcase for more than 60 growers at next month’s show. Event director Matthew Mein offers 10 reasons why retailers should make a beeline for it…
1. Optimise profit potential of seasonal plants. With seasonal plants being more topical than ever, the Green Heart represents an opportunity to buy high impact lines for immediate delivery and sales through tills.

2. Get inspired – led by The Garden Works’ independent garden centre consultant, Kevin Waters, the Green Heart will benefit from an interactive and live element in 2015.  Throughout the show Kevin will lead a number of guided tours to demonstrate how cross merchandising can highlight a continual year-round association with the plant offer. A total of 12 exciting promotional displays will be created to showcase how plants can take centre stage every month of the year.

3. Network and learn – find out about the latest trends in plant sales, and network with industry colleagues in one convenient location.

4. View complementary products –the wider show is an opportunity to catch up with compost, fertiliser and chemical suppliers and keep up-to-date with changing ranges and supporting legislation.

5. Linked sales inspiration –learn about complementary ranges, including products that offer linked sales opportunities such as pots, plant supports and garden décor.

6. Show-only deals - benefit from deals that offer extra margin and impulse sales potential.

7. Brainstorm –share  your ideas with growers, helping both parties to sell more plants to boost overall sales and profits.

8. Look ahead to 2016 - meet with UK and international growers to find out more about their plans.

9. 60-plus plant suppliers – a showcase for 2016 ranges and recent introductions.

10. Follow-up on National Plant Show conversations - finalise details with new contacts initiated earlier this summer.

Among key names confirmed for the Green Heart are Wyevale Nurseries, Darby Nursery, Whartons Nurseries, Morley Nurseries, New Leaf Plants, Channel Island Plants, Chamberlain Nurseries, Chapel Cottage Plants, Javado, Bristol Tropical Centre, Addenda, Northumberland Nurseries, Anglo Aquatic, Tamata, Gedney Bulb Company, Kilworth Conifers, Topbuxus and Laurica.

The HTA is encouraging members to respond to the Government’s consultation on Sunday trading reforms launched this week.

Outlines plans include new powers for local area to allow large shops, including garden centres, to open for longer on Sunday.

The reforms would give metro mayors and local authorities the power to determine Sunday trading rules that reflect the needs of local people and allow shops and high streets to stay open longer and compete with online retailers. Under the current legislation, which is more than 20 years old and was enacted before the era of online retailing, large stores with more than 3,000 sq ft of trading space are prevented from opening for more than six hours.

HTA chief executive Carol Paris said a relaxation of the Sunday Trading laws was “all about choice - choice for the public to shop when they would like and choice for garden retailers to open when they like. With online trading allowing people to shop 24/7 it is ridiculous that someone can sit and eat in a garden centre restaurant, which is exempt from the law, on a Sunday and order garden product online but not actually purchase products in store.”

The HTA has been working closely with government to make the voice of the garden industry heard. The government’s consultation announcement included a quote from Hillview Garden Centres CEO Boyd Douglas-Davies, who said: “Our customers want to be able to shop on a Sunday at a time that suits them and their lifestyle. At both ends of the day we have to deal with frustrated visitors at all of our centres. In the morning the ‘early-birds’ want to get on with the gardening and later in the day, visitors are forced to leave the centre at a time that feels like it is only mid-afternoon. Sunday is by far and away the busiest day of the week – this demonstrates that customers want to shop on Sundays.”

The consultation document can be viewed here and on Citizens Space here 

The HTA will be responding to the consultation and says it would welcome feedback to inform this process. You can forward your comments by 31 August 2015 by e-mail here even if you decide to respond separately.

The consultation is open until 16 September and applies to England and Wales.

The Department for Communities and Local Government media release can be viewed here.

Fryer’s Nursery was in full bloom at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Flower Show in Tatton Park last month winning not one, but two silver awards.

The show, which took place during 22nd – 26th July, celebrates the Cheshire region’s finest horticulturalists and the showground is made up of 3 themed zones – ‘Grow’ which celebrates all things plants; ‘Inspire’ which
shows the latest in design concepts; and ‘Feast’ for growing and tasting a variety of foods.

Fryer’s took the ‘Inspire’ zone by storm with Peter Shirley, Plant Manager at Fryer’s Garden Centre, winning the silver award for his romantic ‘Rosy Hues’ exhibit in the ‘Back to Back’ garden section. Under the ‘Grow’
category in the floral marque, the team from Fryer’s won a second silver for their stunning modern concept of using roses in containers with bedding plants.

‘This is an amazing achievement for Peter along with Jill Kerr, Louise Stafford, John Moxon and the rest of the team for the months of planning that has gone into these projects and for producing some great gardens this
year,’ enthused Garden Centre Manager, Bijal Mistry.

‘Our aim was to ignite the passion for roses once again by appealing to both the older generation with the ‘Back to Back’ garden, hopefully reminding them of images from their younger years and also the younger generation by showing them that roses can be used in a modern contemporary way with other more 'trendy' plants and that, with very little effort, roses can give years of pleasure in any situation.’

The internationally renowned Fryer’s Roses Nursery, part of the Blue Diamond Group of Garden Centres, have been specialising in roses for over a century and grow over 200 varieties in their nursery located at Fryer’s garden centre in Knutsford. Fryer’s Roses are exclusively available at Blue Diamond Garden Centres.

The ‘Blue Diamond Rose’, Fryers’ brand new and exclusive Hybrid Tea, also received rave reviews at the Flower Show. With colours ranging from silver to a hint of pink and a nice lemony scent, this exquisite rose is now available to order now through Fryer’s Garden Centre in Knutsford or online at www.fryersroses.co.uk. Bare root roses for delivery from November 2015 onwards and potted roses for delivery from March 2016 onwards. Limited stock available.

The RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park was also a great place to see "Living Labels" in action.  Every stand in the Plant Marquee was an excellent example of creating a wonderful living label to attract the eye of show visitors with the plants for sale right alongside.  That's exactly what the HTA's eye tracking research has show is one of the great drivers for planteria sales.  No wonder flower show exhibitors have been doing it for centuries!

The Greatest Outdoor Living Categories

• The Greatest BBQ Sales Team of the Year
• The Greatest Garden Decoration and Lighting Sales Team of the Year
• The Greatest Inspiration for New Gardeners Team – Love The Plot You've Got Award
• The Greatest Outdoor Leisure Sales Team of the Year

The UK overall has experienced a consistently cooler trend compared to last year, says weather analysts Planalytics.

In London, 26 out of 31 weeks this year have been cooler than 2014. Only three weeks have been warmer.

For many businesses the spring-summer period has been challenging as a result, with demand for many seasonal products and services lagging behind corresponding 2014 levels, which benefitted from warmer weather.  Rainfall has also varied considerably, proving helpful for footfall and sales some weeks and less helpful at other times.

 “There is a hidden cost to weather's never ending volatility” Planalytics says. “Retailers and other consumer-focused businesses unknowingly hurt themselves when they create their demand forecasts and business plans. That is because companies are essentially assuming conditions will be the same from one year to the next when last year's weather volatility is ignored or left unadjusted in the planning process. The weather, and ultimately its impact on consumer purchasing, rarely repeats itself from year to year.

“As a result, businesses unnecessarily build more error into their forecasts. This leads to business plans that are not aligned with demand and this misalignment leads to lost sales in some markets, excessive inventory in other markets, unnecessary costs, and operational inefficiencies.”

The good news, the company says, is that weather’s business impacts can be quantified and managed.  “Weatherised” companies are able to identify and recapture the revenues and profits weather volatility steals from the business each year. 

Retailers are invited to join a London Breakfast Seminar on 27 August to learn more.

Seminar topics include:

• The Weather “Blind Spot” and Its Bottom Line Impact:  The weather is a huge “blind spot” for most companies and it is not just the future forecasts. Last year’s weather is part of last year’s performance and a failure to recognise and effectively remove the weather-driven variability from historical sales leads to misaligned inventories and operational resources and reduced profitability.
• Measuring & Managing Weather-Driven Demand: Quantifying weather’s impact by category, by market and by time period and applying it in demand forecasting, replenishment, operations, pricing, sales analysis, etc.
• WeatherSmart Marketing & Advertising: Optimise customer engagement strategies and improve response rates by identifying favorable periods for email campaigns, digital advertising and other marketing activities.
• Client Case Study Examples: Hear how companies have benefited by “weatherising” their business and using weather-driven demand insights for planning and in-season decisions
• Weather Impact Outlook: A look at weather-driven opportunities and risks including the autumn season.

Some examples weather-driven demand Impacts:

Women's sandals  -12% (March-April-May)

Men's shorts -10% (March-April-May)

Salads  -4% (June-July)

Barbeque products  -21% (June-July)

Lawn mowers +5% (May-June-July)

Information: click here

Independent plant breeders’ agent Plants For Europe has entered two plants from its client portfolio in the new plant competition at this month’s Plantarium trade show (Boskoop, Netherlands, from 26 August).

Eryngium ‘Neptune’s Gold’ (pictured on cover page), bred by Neil Alcock and winner of the Best New Perennial at the UK Grower Awards 2015, will be entered by Rijnbeek and Son Perennials. ‘Neptune’s Gold’ is now being sold in the US and Japan as well as in Europe.

Salvia ‘Love and Wishes’ (pictured left), bred by John Fisher in Australia, third placed in the new plant competition at Chelsea 2015 and winner of Best In Show and the Visitor Vote at the UK HTA National Plant Show 2015, will be entered by Florensis, who are offering all three varieties in the Wish series, including Ember’s Wish which won a silver medal at Plantarium 2014. PFE expects the series to be immensely popular with garden centres in 2016.

Full details of these plants can be found here (eryngium) and here (salvia)

More information about Plants For Europe can be found here 

The Greatest Garden Centre Team Awards Categories

• The Greatest Garden Care Retail Team of the Year
• The Greatest Garden Centre Customer Service Team of the Year
• The Greatest Garden Centre Training Team or Initiative of the Year, sponsored by MorePeople
• The Greatest Garden Centre Merchandising Team of the Year
• The Greatest Gardening Supplier of the Year
• The Greatest Garden Centre of the Year (Public Vote), sponsored by National Garden Gift Vouchers

As usual The Greatest Awards team of experts will be out and about meeting nominated teams, gathering information and taking photos of their work so that the Gold, Silver and Bronze Greatest Awards winners can be chosen.

Plus your team have the chance to become The Greatest Garden Centre Team of 2015 by involving your customers in the public voting later this summer.  The Greatest Garden Centre Teams, small, medium and large will be the teams that have the best relationships with their customers and generate the most votes (taking size of centre into account) and in the event of a tie, the centre with the most complimentary comments form their customers.  To take part in the public vote please e-mail trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call The Greatest Awards on 01733 775700 to request an in store voting pack.

As this issue of GTN Xtra goes to press the expert judges are meeting to decide the winners of The Greatest Outdoor Living Retail Team Awards in advance of The National Plant Show.  Make sure your Garden Care and Garden Centre teams are nominated for visits later in August and September.

The Greatest Awards would like to thank sponsors, Elho, National Garden Gift Vouchers, MorePeople and The HTA plus the event organisers at The HTA Catering Conference, National Plant Show, GIMA Awards spoga+gafa and HTA Futures for agreeing to be presentation venues for The Greatest Awards ON TOUR 2015. 

Sponsorship opportunities are available for product and service suppliers seeking to gain the highest possible exposure between now and November this year.  Please contact mandy.atkin@tgcmc.co.uk for details.

Garden Centre Manager | Small Chain | Staffordshire (ref:BP7541)

Location: Staffordshire
Salary: £28,000 to £32,000
Date: 21 Jul 
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent

The Business

My client is a small growing garden centre group with centres based throughout England. They are an innovative business that prides themselves on a different retail approach for the garden centre market. 

The Role

The role will have full responsibility for the day to day operations management of the garden centre as well as responsibilities with strategic decisions such as staffing and merchandising strategies.

The Person

The right candidate will have excellent retail management experience in an established garden centre, this does not have to be at site level but will be at least at department manager level previously. If you do not have garden retail experience but have relevant retail experience and a passion for horticulture you may still be suitable. Leadership is the most important skill we are looking for but candidates must display a good level of commercial acumen as well.

Please submit your CV in the first instance or to discuss further contact Brad Peck at MorePeople on 01780 480530

Sales Representative | Plants | Homebased | North of England (ref:DS7545)

Location: North East England
Salary: Negotiable
Date: 24 Jul 
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent

Sales Representative

Our Client is known as a worldwide breeder and young plants producer of seed- and cutting raised material. It is a great chance to become part of a healthy and growing company with good prospects. They offer a competitive salary and responsibility of a good training. 
They are looking to expand their UK sales team and are recruiting for the following position: 

Area: Northern England (homebased) 
Reports: to the UK Sales Manager 
Salary: negotiable 

The Role

• Sales to the existing customer base and potential clients 
• Expansion of market position of our company 
• Expansion of the range of our products in the sales area 
• Support of the customer base in the culture and technical business area as a reliable partner 

The Person

• Affinity with Horticulture is a must, preferably formal training and good plant knowledge 
• Commercially strong, performance driven 
• Good communication skills and the ability to develop lasting relationships 
• Preset sales objectives 
• Willing to travel 
• Affinity with The Netherlands 
• Preferably living North of England 
• Graduate applications very welcome

Please submit your CV in the first instance, or to discuss further contact Dianne Saunders at MorePeople on 01780 480530

Plant Area Manager | Staffs | Garden Centre | Large Group (ref:BP7450)

Location: Staffordshire
Salary: £20,000 to £25,000
Date: 22 Jul 
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent

Plant Area Manager

The Business

My client is a large garden centre group with stores based throughout the United Kingdom. The business has a reputation for quality and destination garden centres. This is a business which invests in its people and provides the opportunity to further a career in garden retail. 

The Role

The role is part of the centres senior leadership team alongside the restaurant manager and deputy manager. It could suit a candidate who is currently a manager at a small centre and looking to step up or a candidate in a larger centre looking to join a group for progression. 
Day to day the role will involve the leadership and motivation of your team to provide the highest standard of customer service, plant care and merchandising.

The Person

I am looking for a superb plantsman with a real knack for retail.
Horticulture experience could be gained from practical experience or from an academic qualification but candidates will be expected to lead a horticulture focussed team with good knowledge. Retail experience must be good and you must have demonstrable management ability in a retail environment. This could have been developed in a role outside of horticulture but must be recent.

Please submit your CV in the first instance or to discuss further contact Brad Peck at MorePeople on 01780 480530

Office Based Amenity Sales Person (ref:DS7569)

Location: Nottinghamshire
Salary: £25,000 to £30,000
Date: 05 Aug 
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent

Office Based Amenity Sales Person

The Business

Our client is a well-established family run Amenity Wholesale Nursery and Cash and Carry who are looking for an office based Sales Account Manager to join their Nottinghamshire based sales team. 

Reporting To: The Sales Manager 

They will be responsible for: Sales/Customer Contacts 

The Role

• The Overall Aim is to maintain, sell and develop the company's products to the selected customer base. 
• To produce estimates in an accurate, timely and efficient manner. 

Tasks: 

• Establish and maintain contacts throughout the year with existing customers and initiate new customer contacts. 
• Sell the Company's products to actual and prospective customers, and develop new markets. 
• Ensure that the Sales Manager is aware of developments and pricing levels within the industry. 
• Ensure that the Sales Manager is aware of forthcoming and current tenders within the industry. 
• Ensure that incoming customers' orders are processed and acknowledge within the target timescales. 
• Assist in the preparation of the Stock Availability List. 
• Learn and stay abreast of changes in the computerised stock control and order processing system and have the ability to input sales orders onto the system. 
• Liaise regularly with the Buyer to ensure that correct, current prices are applied to estimates. 
• Produce estimates in an accurate, timely and efficient manner. 
• Ensure that all estimates are correctly authorised before they are returned to the prospective customer. 
• Attend and conduct promotional activities as designated by the Sales Manager. 
• Undertake other duties as may be determined from time to time by the Directors. 

The Person

• The Ideal candidate will have: 
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written 
• Have a proven aptitude for sales 
• Excellent plant knowledge 
• Good IT skills 
• Enthusiasm and drive to help build sales and forge excellent customer relations

Please submit your CV in the first instance or to discuss further contact Dianne Saunders at MorePeople on 07929013910

• Kaemingk Glass Wasp Traps are the highest re-entry at number 10.
• Vitax Nippon Puffer, 300g moves up 17 places to number 19.
• Growing Success Termin8 Ant and Crawling Insect Killer Powder is a re-entry at number 38.

Cast stonework suppliers Haddonstone will launch the Soane Adam Plinth at Decorex 2015 at Syon Park next month (20-23 September). The design is the latest to come from the Northants company’s collaboration with Sir John Soane’s Museum.

Inspired by the neo-classical drawings of Robert and James Adam, more than 8000 of which are catalogued at the Soane Museum, the new design incorporates ornate swags and roundels typical of the Adam style. The plinth is shown here featuring the Piper statue.

The Soane Adam Plinth will feature the Westonbirt Urn on both the Haddonstone and the Soane Museum exhibit at Decorex. Other designs on the Haddonstone exhibit range from planters, plaques and statues to columns, finials and fireplaces.

Information: www.haddonstone.co.uk

• Charlotte is once again the most popular Autumn planting seed potato from Taylors Bulbs this week.
• Quantil Curly Kale, Black Kale and Pointed Cabbage (sweetheart) all move up in the top 10.
• Rosemary Miss Jessops is the highest new entry from Darby Nursery Stock.

DLF Trifolium will be going football crazy on their  Johnsons Lawn Seed stand at Glee (18H26-K25) this month. Visitors will see a whole team of product improvements and range expansions, football themed giveaways – and even a freestyle footballer.

Best-selling products are set to be re-launched and kitted out with new packaging and point of sale.

At Glee 2014, the company called on the industry to stamp out poor quality lawn seed, highlighting its own behind-the-scenes efforts to ensure consumers aren't discouraged by poor imitations.  Consumer manager Guy Jenkin said this week: “We are doing everything we can to encourage confidence amongst consumers. Part of this comes from continuing to offer new and exciting products.  At Glee this year we are showcasing a number of new additions, all of which have been designed to offer retailers the chance to stock the latest in grass seed technology, something that will benefit both retailer and end-user.”

A footballer will be on-stand to perform freestyle tricks, and a football giveaway will coincide with an addition to the Turfline range designed to help retailers make the most of the interest whipped up ahead of the UEFA Euro Football Finals next summer.

Information: click here  or 01386 791113

• Westland Indoor Plant Compost, 10 litres, is the highest re-entry at number 32.
• Growth Technology Cactus Focus re-potting Mix, 2 litres, sees a 117% increase.
• Growth Tecnology Orchid Focus Medium Compost, 3 litres, increases sales week on week.
• Scotts Levington Ericaceous Compost is the highest climber, jumping 29 places.

Forest’s ‘Take Me To The Till’ display has been helping retailers to sell its range of sheds, summerhouses, pergolas, arches and arbours without dedicating extra space on the shop floor

The concept is designed to make the shopping experience more convenient by providing consumers with a tangible product to take to the check-out for quick self-service and easy purchase.

Forest say some retailers who have taken TMTTT are reporting a 300% increase in sales of the home-delivered range merchandised on the display.

Design updates and display additions have helped drive sales in the past season.  The latest include high-level directional POS, new signage for the ‘Squircle’ display unit which helps customers to locate the unit in-store, and promotional ‘wobblers’ for seasonal special offers and RRPs. Forest’s new two-part order pads enable retailers without access to automated order systems to benefit from access to the product portfolio.

Both TMTTT merchandising displays carry supporting product information cards featuring lifestyle imagery, dimensions and line drawings. 

The lightweight tubular metal mobile merchandiser suits main thoroughfares, shop walls or free standing displays, while the ‘Squircle’, with its tiny 65cm square footprint, can be manoeuvred around the store to maximise return per square metre.

John Gomersall, Forest Garden’s sales and marketing director, said Take Me To The Till not only saved precious floorspace and storage on site but helped to empower customers.

 “To hear that our units are helping to increase sales of sheds and larger products such as summerhouses and pergolas by as much as 300% is testament to their role as the ‘silent salesperson,” he said.  “We are currently looking at even more ways to update and improve TMTTT, including adding our latest product additions to the mix.”

Information: www.forestgarden.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 printed newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2013 as well as 2014 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 last week are here

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

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media 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.

Do you remember those Golden Groundforce days?

Alan, Tommy and Charlie would transform gardens and12 million people would watch. Inspired by what they saw, those same people would come in any buy tins of Barleywood blue paint to create “the look” in their gardens.

There was no doubt about it, Groundforce drove Garden Centre Sales. Indeed at Garden Centre Marketing conferences we have said, what we need is another Groundforce.

This week Great British Bake Off attracted a viewing audience of 12 million. Exactly the same as Groundforce did all those years ago.

So the big question for every Garden Centre Catering Manager is - how are you making the most of this massive interest in Home Baking?

Cookware giant Lakeland are offering a Great British Bake Off spatula when customers spend £10 on home baking.

On the official Great British Bake Off website viewers have uploaded 2300 photos of their cakes.

So are you serving Madeira cake this week, or Black Forest Gateaux?

Can customers upload their bakes to your website or face book page.

There is a new mantra for Garden Centre Cafes this week…

With every pie we make

With every cake you take

With every egg we break

With every scone we bake

We’ll be serving you.

Doug Stewart can be contacted at www.waringstewartassociates.co.uk

Afternoon Tea Week celebrates the great heritage and tradition of Afternoon Tea in the UK, with a week of activities, themed menus, exclusive offers and competitions. Afternoon Tea Week runs 10th – 16th August 2015.

#AfternoonTeaWeek on Twitter or Facebook to join in the fun.

Here's some pictures of the team at Perrywood Garden Centre winners of GTN's The Greatest Afternoon Team Team 2015.