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GrowNation announce FREE ecommerce websites for Garden Centres with local delivery route optimisation
To make retailers’ local delivery operations more efficient and scalable, GrowNation is delighted to be launching a no upfront fee, fully-featured ecommerce website powered by Visualsoft. The partnership will allow garden centres to trade online quickly and efficiently.
All retailers who claim their free site before midnight on Sunday 3rd May will receive a free licence to a delivery route optimisation service, for as long as they use the GrowNation platform. This will allow centres to have their daily delivery routes calculated to take the least possible time...
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James Stamp to the rescue
GTN Xtra promotion
If you are looking at adding extra facilities to keep your staff and customers safe when business are allowed to re-open, James Stamp Rental has the solution...
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Garden centre re-opening gains high attention
The topic of garden centre re-opening, so close to all of our hearts, reached new levels of attention today with two MP's asking questions as to when garden centres would be able to re-open during Prime Ministers Question Time today.
"The incredible amount of work that James Barnes, Boyd Douglas-Davies and the HTA Team are putting in on behalf of not just the membership of the HTA but all growers, retailers and landscapers. When we look back, this work should not be over-looked by those of us in horticulture as there are some individuals who have gone above and beyond to have achieved the publicity and the support from the public and key decision makers. They deserve our thanks..."
Read more and see more supplier comment from Taylors Bulbs, Woodlodge, Deco-Pak and Panacea
Introducing Cleaner Retail – helping retailers to stop the spread of Covid-19 with a one-stop solution for safe trading
A new proposition from Ivyline, designed to help retailers re-open, comply with social distancing policies and safely trade again...
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Say “Thank You” to our NHS with bedding plants!
Bruce Harnett of Kernock Park Plants contacted GTN Xtra this week with details of bedding plant packages they have created for large NHS "Thank You" displays...
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National Gardening Week is the perfect time to get involved in #FloralFriday
#FloralFriday, now in its fifth week, has seen friends from across the gardening industry, garden lovers and many others post their favourite floral photos, videos and #FloralFriday selfies on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Whether you have, or have not, joined in before, National Gardening Week is the perfect time to dust down your floral shirt, jacket, tie, dress or shoes, get creative, join in the fun and show the nation that spending time in the garden is good for the heart, body and soul...
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Find plant deliveries online with ‘Plants Near Me’ - over 450 business listed
Since its launch in the first week of April, almost 450 horticultural businesses have signed up to the 'Plants Near Me' scheme...
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Rosebourne appoint Carol Paris as Chief Executive
Carol Paris has been appointed as CEO to head up the Rosebourne executive team...
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PFMA supports the HTA’s Garden Centre Reopening Campaign
The Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) supports the HTA’s Garden Centre Reopening Campaign and agree that garden centres should be included in the first phase of easing lockdown restrictions provided new measures are in place to protect public safety...
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A third of UK growers will be out of business before the end of the year reveals new industry survey
TV gardeners and the national media have joined Alan Titchmarsh to help the industry by asking the millions of gardening lovers across the UK to show their support and buy British plants when garden centres re-open...
"Opening garden centres now, with the same safety measures employed as in supermarkets, will give people across the country access to plants, encourage them to garden, stay healthy and productive at home and help save an industry at the heart of British life.”
Read more and watch video appeal to government
Dobbies supports National Gardening Week
At the start of National Gardening Week, Dobbies launched a brand-new gardening podcast to encourage the nation to get green fingered this spring and summer season and Marcus Eyles will host a Facebook Live Q&A session on Wednesday 29 April at 19:00, with a focus on grow your own...
Read more and link to the Facebook Live Q&A session
Let your free time grow on you
Flowers have the power of diminishing problems and absorbing the mind. They are always beautiful to behold and bring colour and joy into our lives and homes and Judith Blacklock Flower School is offering a 10% discount off all our online courses until 1st July 2020 for those who wish to further their dream of working with flowers - either as a joyful hobby or profession...
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Evergreen Garden Care, helping hands to combat coronavirus
Evergreen Garden Care has put in place a number of different measures and initiatives to continue serving our customers and maintain business as best as possible, whilst safeguarding employees wellbeing...
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Gardener’s World Mark Lane joins forces with Jeyes to launch “The Great British Garden Spruce Up”
On the back of research that reveals 6 in 10 Brits are spending more time than ever in their gardens, Jeyes has joined forces with Gardeners’ World presenter, Mark Lane, to set the nation a challenge for the month of May. They want people to use the extra time in the garden to flex their green fingers for just 30 minutes each day to spruce it up...
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HortAid-20 Gardening Competition, supported by Suttons and panel of well-known judges, kick starts Perennial’s emergency Covid-19 appeal
“Our HortAid-20 Gardening Competition is open to everyone with categories to suit all ages and abilities. Go on, have a go, you might just surprise yourself...”
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Keeping the community growing, The Gardens Group donates stock to charities, hospitals and schools
“Community is at the heart of what we do at The Gardens Group, so we’re looking for every opportunity to support those in need during this period..." Mike Burks, managing director of The Gardens Group and chairman of the Garden Centre Association.
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LifestyleGarden donates product to the NHS Nightingale Hospital
Set up as part of the ongoing fight against Covid-19 the temporary NHS Nightingale Hospital at ExCel London has become ‘home’ to over 1,600 support staff bravely facing the virus head-on. Thanks to LifestyleGarden and a wealth of generous donors, these workers now have a stunning garden space in which to relax and find a moment of calm away from the frontline...
Read more and watch video
AQUA 2021 takes on an even more crucial role
AQUA 2021 will be a crucial event in the aquatics and water gardening industry, according to UK and international suppliers and retailers...
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Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox...
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MSC advises garden centres to maximise relief grant opportunity and challenge rateable values
Malcolm Scott Consultants are encouraging garden centres to take advantage of all grants and relief available to them...
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EGO’s new battery powers gardeners through the day
Representing a big step forward in gardening technology, EGO’s new 10Ah battery means gardeners can power their equipment for longer, without the need for extra batteries or urgent recharging...
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The trade fair Plantarium 2020 has been cancelled
Plantarium fair cancelled, focus on digital platform...
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GTN Xtra - Send to all
If you want to keep your staff up to date with what's happening in the industry during the lockdown how about adding a link to the GTN Xtra weekly e-mail newsletter into your staff communications...
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The best of last week's
If you missed last week's GTN Xtra, below are the most-read stories...
How are suppliers faring during lockdown - Westland, Smart, Evergreen Garden Care and others are getting ready for re-opening of garden centres
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Last week we asked garden centres how they and their teams were after the quietest Easter ever and as the story has been so well read we thought this week we should ask suppliers how they are faring with the crisis...
“Garden centres will have plenty of opportunities when they get to re-open. There will still be 25 million households trapped at home and many of them will be starting a brand-new relationship with their garden..."
“The landscape is moving quickly, and demand is remarkably strong. Independent garden centres have been super creative and entrepreneurial. I think the season will be longer than usual..."
“After 6 month's of wet, gloomy weather, the clocks going forward, an ideal date for Easter, everyone is 'up for gardening' . . . then this happens!"
“The next few months are going to be critical for our industry. Retailers and their suppliers are totally inter-dependent and the only way of getting through this will be by working together for the common good..."
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Read comments from Simon McArdle, Mark Portman, Steve Harper, Andy Chalmers, Paris Natar, Nick Davies, James Hoad, David Nicholson, Tim Jeffries, Guy Jenkins, Millie Ferns, Jenny Douthwaite, Jackie Eades, Mark Pitman and Stephen Illingworth
Analogue survival for garden centres in a digital world
Garden centres are deploying extraordinary tactical agility with a generous dollop of staff loyalty and a large helping of true grit in order to survive writes industry consultant Jane Lawler...
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Behind the scenes at Baytree Click & Collect
The benefits of a large family mean that while almost all of the staff are on furlough leave, family members are working all hours to keep their 3 delivery vehicles and a steady stream of click and collect customers supplied...
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Garden Leisure suppliers living in an on-line world but anticipating garden centres re-opening
How are Garden Leisure suppliers faring during lockdown? Here's feedback from suppliers who are adjusting to an on-line supply chain while anticipating the re-opening of garden centres...
“We urge everyone to stay strong, stay safe and keep well, there will be plenty of time for trading...”
“Strategies are changing daily and we are hoping we are reacting and adapting quickly enough in a positive way...”
"It's safe to say that at the end of lockdown that the UK will be full of beautifully designed garden spaces based on the demand for product that our garden centre customers are reporting.."
Read comments from John Athwal OBE, Debbie Waudby, Mark Osbourne, Joe Shrimpton, Nigel Lawrence, Paul Cohen & Christo Mckinnon-Wood.
Greenfingers Charity’s #floralfriday continues to bring a little floral cheer to the nation
The third #floralfriday (Friday 17th April 2020) saw floral creations galore as garden lovers, young and old, once again donned their favourite floral attire or shared floral pictures across social media...
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Garden Centre Photo Tours
If you've missed one of our popular photo tours of garden centres then click on the links below:
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
Haskins Garden Centre in Snowhill, Crawley, has opened its doors to customers following a 12-month refurbishment costing £15m...
Read more and see GTN Xtras photo tour of the new centre
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