Guy Hands, chairman of the owners of The Garden Centre Group, has admitted that the company intends to add to their growing portfolio of centres as gardening's appeal gets stronger. In an article in the Evening Standard he said: "There is still scope to grow."

"The British obsession with gardening provides a £5 billion, and growing, business opportunity. According to Barclaycard, spending in UK garden centres – helped by a mild winter – rose by a remarkable 22% in the first quarter of this year compared to an overall rise of retail spending of just 2.4%," said Hands, pictured above right with TGCG's CEO Kevin Bradshaw at Chelsea this week.

"It is why, while some thought Terra Firma’s purchase of The Garden Centre Group two years ago a surprise move from a private equity firm, I saw it as right in our sweet spot. After all, our strategy is to look for opportunities in essential asset-backed industries in need of change – and, for me, its 129 garden centres and rich potential to grow ticked all the boxes.

"The sites themselves across the country add up to a very attractive asset. And when the Office of National Statistics classes nearly half of all UK adults as gardeners, serving this market can certainly be classed as an essential industry.

"It is an astonishing figure which rises to two out of three of those aged over 45. Indeed for men above 50, gardening ranks as the second most popular activity – below watching TV but above sex… Gardening really can be described as the British passion.

"Nor, of course, is this a recent development. As a nation, we have loved gardening and visiting gardens for generations. It was to feed this appetite that botanists set off to every remote corner of the globe to track down and send back plants to be grown here.

"It is a history celebrated in this year’s Chelsea Flower Show exhibit of 101 Chinese plants from Burncoose Nurseries. Terra Firma is again sponsoring its exhibit to draw attention to the work of the Prince’s Trust in helping young people get the right skills and support to become gardeners and landscape gardeners.

"For many a visit to a garden centre is, in fact, not a shopping trip but an outing. It explains why, on average, visitors stay between two and four hours. When you think that our Bridgemere Nursery in Cheshire covers a site as large as 800 tennis courts, there is plenty to see.

"This is where we saw the potential to change and grow the business through investment to expand what’s on offer. We have improved, for example, our garden centres’ restaurants which are now visited by over one in three of our visitors and given more thought to our on-site partners and what products we should sell.

"We have also made sure that we make more of the horticultural expertise and the individuality of our garden centres which is part of their appeal. Our experts now share their gardening knowledge through demonstration programmes. Local markets are hosted and local produce sold whenever we can.

"We have already added 11 new sites to The Garden Centre Group and will look to grow further."

William Sinclair, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of growing media including J Arthur Bowers, has issued a trading statement warning that "revenues did not fully meet expectations".

In the statement, the company said: "Whilst order intake and sales early in the season were encouraging, the extent of the growth in revenues compared to the prior year that had been anticipated to result from a return of more normal weather patterns did not fully meet expectations. 

"Sales to both retail and professional customers have disappointed, as have to a lesser degree margins. As a result, whilst it expects broadly to break-even at the underlying EBITDA level, the Group will report a significant underlying net loss for the year.

 "As a consequence of this trading performance, Group net debt at the interim period end and subsequently is greater than expected, and the Group does not therefore intend to pay an interim dividend.  Whilst large cash inflows are awaited in respect of the claim against Natural England, no settlement of this claim is expected before a court decision later this Autumn, with any award not likely to be paid before the end of the calendar year.  The Group continues to enjoy the support of its lenders."

The Group added it had already recognised the need to refresh its brands and sales organisation, and had taken steps to address these issues.  The Horticulture department will soon be led by a new commercial director and his input, taken together with the recently completed re-branding exercise, is expected to result in increased customer demand for next season. 

The development of Ellesmere Port continues on budget with production on the new equipment due to commence within 12 weeks.

Open Sundays,  a broad alliance of retailers campaigning for the relaxation of current Sunday trading laws, is stepping up its campaign to get current restrictions relaxed.

It comes in light of Conservative MP Philip Davies, vice-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Retail Group, saying:  ‘I would like to scrap the Sunday trading restrictions altogether. The sky has not fallen in Scotland where there are no such rules."

Mark Allatt, co-founder & director of Open Sundays, said: “Philip Davies’ recently proposed amendments to Sunday trading laws would be a welcome change to suit modern century shopping habits. 

"Our high streets need to be able to better compete with online retailers that are able to sell 24/7 with no restrictions. Research from SAS & Verdict shows that almost 12% of retail spend last year was spent online, with online sales up 18% year on year in February 2014.

 “British people do want more freedom to shop on a Sunday – according to a national survey by ComRes for Open Sundays, when asked to what extent the British people would support or oppose a permanent liberalisation of Sunday trading hours, 64% of respondents were in favour of a reform. 18-24 year olds are the most supportive of full liberalisation, with 77% of respondents in this age group behind the reform.

“Bank Holiday weekends are vital for retailers, with high streets and shopping centres seeing a surge in footfall. But the shortened hours on a Monday and six hours on a Sunday prevents retailers from taking full advantage and gives the initiative to the online retail sector.” 

For more information on Open Sundays visit www.opensundays.org

of garden products, growing media and plants continued to grow at a fast pace last week, despite overall garden centre volume sales dropping off slightly.

The GTN Bestsellers Growing Media Top 50 index saw the highest week-on-week movement, up by 32% to reach a record high for the year. The increased gardening activity has arrived as more gardeners put out bedding and plant up hanging baskets now that the threat of frost appears to have gone.

For suppliers and retailers alike the sales patterns of gardening products have been much steadier than the two previous years, as can be seen by our GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Volume Index graphs below.  

One week in and our prediction is off target. But then there’s the Bank Holiday to come. Where do you think we will be at the half year, 6% up as we suggested last week, or closer to 10%?

A smooth growth line for the Garden Product Top 50 Bestsellers sales. Garden lighting has been a consistent performer all year long.

After a dip post-Easter, growing media sales volumes are back where we’d hope them to be – this is after all the best indicator of real gardening activity. On this basis we could be in for a great summer of gardening.

Veg-2-Gro is the only graph showing volumes down year-on-year. A deeper look into the Epos data reveals more veg plants being sold without specific variety identification and as own branded lines.

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

With all signs of frosts disappearing, gardeners are confident enough to plant up their patio pots and hanging baskets. As a result container-related items have been selling well.

• The highest climber in the Garden Products chart is Gardman Multi Liner Jumbo Pack, jumping 20 places to No 24.
• Gardman also have the highest re-entry with their Multi Liner (0.7m x 0.75m), and their Hanging Basket Easy Liner also makes a return to the chart.
• Lighting products continue to do well with Gardman Solar Stainless Steel Marker Lights (10 pack) being the highest new entry.

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

After being awarded a Gold medal for his Show Garden at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show, sponsored by M&G Investments, Adam Frost is to become an RHS Ambassador.

As part of his new role, Adam will help the influential gardening charity in its bid to encourage more secondary schools to embrace gardening, as well as to help raise the profile of horticultural careers.

Adam, a father of four, is now the winner of four consecutive Gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and is hugely passionate about getting the next generation gardening. A team of young people from the Homebase Garden Academy helped with the build of his garden and he shares the charity's ambition to bring horticulture to the lives of all young people for the many benefits it brings, and to inspire pupils to think about the horticultural industry when considering their careers.

Adam said: "It's a real honour to accept such an important role and one that I feel so strongly about. I believe all children should be given the opportunity to garden at school, and the RHS does a great job through its Campaign for School Gardening - to which more than two thirds of all UK schools have signed up. A big aim of the RHS, and of mine, is to get more secondary schools involved.

"I've been really inspired by what this year's Homebase students have achieved - especially putting all of the skills they've learnt into practice by helping to build the Homebase Show Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

"They are so passionate about what they do, so we need to change perceptions of gardening as a career and promote it to all youngsters when they're planning their future careers."

Research carried out last year revealed that more than 80% of secondary school teachers said they hadn't received any information about careers in the industry. Today, as part of the industry-wide Horticulture Matters campaign**, Adam hosted a breakfast at RHS Chelsea Flower Show attended by 100 budding horticulturists and secondary-school students to promote the breadth of career opportunities in horticulture.

RHS Head of Education and Learning Sarah Cathcart, said: "We're so pleased that Adam will help us raise the profile of school gardening. At the moment a big focus of ours is to get more secondary schools interested in growing because gardening just isn't important to younger pupils. Currently only 37% of senior schools have signed up to the RHS Campaign for School Gardening and we hope having Adam on board will help us reach out to more."

Adam's appointment comes after the charity announced earlier this week that Mary Berry is its RHS Ambassador for Grow Your Own and in November that Alan Titchmarsh is its first Founder RHS Ambassador. Earlier this year, James Wong was revealed as the RHS Ambassador with a special focus on horticultural science, and Nick Knowles was announced as RHS Ambassador for community gardening.

The RHS Chelsea Appeal 2014 at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show is raising funds to help the charity engage with more secondary schools. The RHS is also raising funds to create more horticultural apprentice positions over the next five years at its four gardens: RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, RHS Garden Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire, RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex and RHS Garden Rosemoor in Devon.

Meanwhile, Chelsea opened its gates on Friday to more than 100 budding horticulturists, and some secondary school students, to showcase gardens and horticultural displays by world-class designers and growers, and to promote the breadth of career opportunities in horticulture. 

Horticultural students, apprentices, horticulturists beginning their careers and secondary school pupils will enjoy early access to the showground, before attending a careers event with inspirational speakers, including RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold medal-winning garden designer Adam Frost, who will talk about the diverse range of careers in the industry and career-progression opportunities. 

The RHS is hosting the event as part of the industry-wide Horticulture Matters* campaign, which aims to raise the profile of careers in horticulture. The breakfast is being sponsored by M&G Investments. 

Sue Biggs, RHS Director General, said: "British horticulture is challenged by a skills gap and not enough young people are coming into the industry. We also know that as an industry we have to get better at promoting careers in horticulture. Last year more than 80% of secondary school teachers** said they hadn't received any information about careers within the industry. 

"This is one of many initiatives both at the RHS and within the whole industry to get more people to know about the fantastic opportunities there are in horticulture. Where better to get people excited about and interested in this industry than the world's best and most celebrated flower show?" 

Speakers at the event include: Raoul Curtis-Machin (CEO of Horticultural Trades Association), Saul Walker (RHS Chelsea Flower Show Manager), Chris Beardshaw (award-winning designer and broadcaster), Jason Booth (National Manager of the Institute of Groundsmanship), Jack Shilley (YoungHort Director) and Alistair Griffiths (RHS Director of Science). 

It has been a successful few weeks for Bosch Lawn and Garden with a record breaking sales increase and winning RHS product of the year at Chelsea Flower Show.

Sales during the month of April peaked at a 39%  increase on the same time last year, with the good weather over the Easter weekend attributing to the high demand for lawnmowers and garden tools.

The Lawn and Garden UK warehouse also had a bumper month with a number of delivery records being broken, including a 38% increase on the number of daily units shipped.

The RHS judges were impressed by the level of innovation and praised the new Isio Shape and Edge Shear, developed by consumer feedback, for its neatness and functionality commenting that it was perfect for a medium size garden, allowing for hedge cutting without the use of a ladder.

Joao Barufi, Regional Brand Manager for UK and Ireland at Bosch Lawn and Garden commented: “Although this winter has been mild, it’s only in the last few months that we have started to see consumers turn their attention to the garden and we’re delighted that our latest range of products are flying out of the shops.

“To also win the RHS Chelsea Product of the Year is a fantastic achievement and testament to the great innovation of the Lawn and Garden team. The new Isio Shape and Edge has been very well received by both consumers and the media, so we’re thrilled it’s been recognised by the RHS too. We can’t wait to see how the rest of the summer performs for us!”

The Bosch Isio Shape and Edge is available at selected retailers priced RRP £64.99, telescopic handle RRP £29.99 and sprayer attachment RRP £19.99.

For more information on Bosch Lawn and Garden, contact bosch@lucre.co.uk or call 020 8741 5900.

The Queen visited the Hillier Exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week as part of celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres.

Her Majesty met Robert Hillier OBE VMH, Chairman of Hillier Nurseries, John Hillier VMH, Andrew McIndoe (MD) and Ricky Dorlay, and was presented with a copy of Hillier: The Plants, The People, The Passion by Jean Hillier, wife of Robert Hillier and author of this remarkable account of the history of the Hillier family and nursery.

“It was a great honour to welcome the Queen onto the Hillier Garden and to talk to her about the book,” says Jean Hillier. “I thought Her Majesty would be particularly interested in the photographs of her mother, the Queen Mother, with Sir Harold Hillier,” explains Jean. “They were taken on 9^th May 1978 at the opening of the Arboretum (now known as the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens).”

Hillier Nurseries are Royal Warrant Holders to HM The Queen, and participated in the Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace in 2013. 4000 trees from Hillier’s Hampshire nursery have been planted in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Hampshire’s Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres, Jean Hillier has painstakingly researched the history of Hampshire’s Hillier Nurseries, delving through the family and company archives, talking to long-serving staff members, scouring through the RHS library and reading parish records.

Jean has written an engaging account of the development of Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres from its origins amongst agricultural labourers, its foundation in Winchester in December 1864 and the planting of the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens to the company’s present-day status as Royal Warrant Holders, winners of 69 consecutive Gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and one of the world’s leading nurseries.

Above: The Queen, Robert Hillier, Jean Hillier on the Hillier Exhibit at Chelsea.

Below: Sir Harold Hillier VMH with HM The Queen Mother in 1978.

Hydrangea macrophylla Miss Saori ('H20-2') originally bred in Japan, and exhibited at the show by Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres, has been crowned winner of the 2014 RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year contest.

Following a 90 second pitch by Chris Campbell, a representative of Javado Plants on behalf of Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres, the vivid colours and qualities of the Hydrangea macrophylla Miss Saori ('H20-2') were enough to take first place.

Features include deep rose margins which soften into white centres and unusual double-petalled flowers giving the bloom a lacy appearance.   Burgundy foliage adds interest in autumn and it stands as a good cut flower overall. Miss Saori flowers on first year wood and reaches 1m x 1m. Hardiness is to -18 degrees.

Breeder Ryoji Irie won gold at the HTA Natiomal Plant Show with his Hydrangea Love in 2013. Javado will distribute the plant to customers, with loyal garden centres first, from 2015.

Taking second place was Iris 'Domino Noir' from Cayeux Iris, the result of several generations of crosses which have resulted in a stunning iris with unique "truly black" falls, white standards with only a hint of lavender and gold beards.

Gerbera Garvinea Sweet Glow (Garvinea Sweet Series) from The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, took third place with just one vote in it. The Garvinea range is robust, weather- and disease-resistant. The Garvinea Sweet series offers super-sized flowers in bright colours continuously from early spring until the first frost.

The votes were cast by members of the RHS specialist plant committees and voting was chaired by RHS Council member Dennis Espley.

The RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year was created to recognise the most inspiring new plant at the Chelsea Flower Show.

A shortlist of 20 plants was chosen by a panel including plant committee chairs and RHS garden curators from over 40 plants entered by Floral and Garden exhibitors.

It has been another fantastic year for members of the HTA with many winning prestigious medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week.

Hillier Nurseries & Garden Centres secured its legacy as the most successful exhibitor in the history of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show with a 69th consecutive Chelsea Gold Medal for ‘The White Garden’  Hillier also won RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year 2014 for Hydrangea Miss Saori which topped off their 150^th anniversary year.

Says Andrew McIndoe, Managing Director of Hillier: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won Gold in our 150th anniversary year! 2014 is a huge milestone for Hillier, and winning our 69^th consecutive Gold is a fantastic recognition of the skills, expertise and dedication of everyone at Hillier Nurseries & Garden Centres.”

“The Hillier Exhibit looking particularly stunning this year,” adds Andrew McIndoe. “This is due in no small part to the work of Ricky Dorlay, who has done a spectacular job once again in preparing all our plant material.” (Andrew nad Ricky pictured above.)

“Hillier’s Chelsea Exhibit is actually a series of smaller gardens, inspired by the history of Hillier but given a contemporary twist. It is packed with ideas and planting schemes that today’s gardeners could recreate in their own gardens.”

Gold also went to David Austin Roses who launched Olivia Rose Austin’ ('Ausmixture’) at the show, a soft pure-pink named after the 19-year-old daughter of David Austin junior.

Harkness Roses also won Gold for their modern rose garden and Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants also won Gold for their stand where they launched three new plants Eryngium Neptune's Gold, Gaura Freefolk Rosy and Trollius Dancing Flame.

It was also a Golden day for Norfield Nurseries for their Japanese maples, Peter Beales Roses who launched their flagship addition to the Modern Classics range rosa “Frilly Cuff”.

Suttons Seeds who provided the vegetable varieties for The South West In Bloom Garden at Chelsea this year won best Gold winner in the Grand Pavilion, therefore winning the Diamond Jubilee Award, whilst Walkers Bulbs who launched the daffodil ‘Georgie Boy’ named after Prince George also won Gold.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Company took home a Silver-Gilt Flora for their Miracle Gro’wers Discovery and Learning Garden where school children had grown plants from seeds, plugs and cuttings to create a productive vegetable garden and flower garden.

Burncoose Nurseries also won Silver Gilt Flora for their ‘101 Plants from China’ display and Kelways Plants also won Silver Gilt Flora for their peonies and irises.

For a full list of winners, please see http://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show/awards

The Scanline SL9 has been launched by Nordic Garden Buildings, the UK’s leading manufacturer of free standing PVC garden buildings including pavilions, orangeries and greenhouses, to open the market for such traditional structures to the smaller household. 

Traditionally associated with fine country residences from the 17th to 19th Centuries, where they were used to care for citrus trees over winter, orangeries were commonly attached to the house itself.  The Scanline SL9 is a freestanding equivalent which therefore needs no planning permission and as a three metre square rectangle has a starting price of £3,100.

The Scanline SL9 combines Scandinavian lifestyle chic with low maintenance, value for money, and the appeal of flexible space for multiple usages.  It can be equally effective as a traditional orangerie for plants, a home office, or an elegant, contemporary dining or entertaining space.  It is useable all year round thanks to superior thermal efficiency and is quick and easy to install.

Designed and built in Wales, the Scanline SL9 is double glazed with child-friendly safety glass frames and comes in a choice of six colour finishes – white, rosewood, golden oak, black, grey or green. 

Nordic Garden Buildings director, Justin Williams commented, “The Scanline range has been immensely successful in Scandinavia where it has performed superbly in the even the coldest weather and it’s now a fantastic UK retail opportunity.”

Garden retailers interested in joining the Nordic Dealer Network can expect exclusive territories and partial funding for showroom displays, which need to comprise two products from the garden buildings range and one greenhouse.  There is also online and offline direct marketing support, a portfolio of installed product available on iPad, sales training and installation support. 

Interested retailers should call 07717 710 062 or contact justin@nordicgarden.co.uk.

As J & E Importers re-structure, an exciting new opportunity has arisen for an experienced National Account Manager to join the team. The role will involve working from Head Office, out in the field and from home as required in developing and implementing a sales strategy for a group of products marketed primarily for large volume resellers. 

The ideal candidate will have good working experience in a similar role and knowledge in the Home, Garden and Pet environment and seeking a new challenge within this expanding industry. 

The successful candidate needs to be hardworking, energetic, enthusiastic and committed for this exciting and rewarding position.

This role provides an excellent opportunity within a growing company offering a range of recognised products across multiple markets.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience: applicants should possess the following:-

An understanding and background within the Home, Garden & Pet industry would be considered advantageous, but not absolute for the right calibre person.

Excellent communication skills and a warm outgoing personality

The ability to excite, engage the customer and explore the full potential.

The knowledge and ability to be able to deal with container sales as well as palletised options

Strong influencing skills are required, as well as a diplomatic manner and a positive pro-active outlook.

To nurture and develop customer relations

To establish new accounts and to develop a clear strategy and action plan to grow sales and profitability within our existing portfolio of accounts as well as new.

Regular concise, clear and logical reporting on a regular basis is a pre-requisite for this position.

Must be able to produce/substantiate a proven track record of sales within a similar position/role

The package includes a Company car, laptop, mobile phone, 28 days holiday including bank holidays and staff product discount

Please email vince.green@greenjem.co.uk for further information or to forward your current CV

This exciting new role, based in Scotland and also covering Northern Ireland, offers a great opportunity to the right person with an in-depth understanding of horticulture and its industry sectors, including commercial production retail and landscaping.

You will be engaging with members to ensure strategies developed by the HTA remain market leading and relevant. Ensuring that the national and regional governments' horticultural policy is communicated to members and helping members benefit from any assistance given via those "policies".

Working closely within the HTA team, the role involves interaction with every department of the Association and high levels of involvement across all sectors and all levels of the trade to improve communication and help drive innovation within horticulture for their membership.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience: applicants should possess:-

•Excellent communication skills and an outgoing personality

•Commercially "savvy" - with a can do attitude to their work and life

•Strong influencing skills and a diplomatic manner enabling them to work closely with HTA members and policy decision makers alike

Please call Dianne Saunders on 07929 013910 or apply with your CV to info@morepeople.co.uk

The HTA are working exclusively with MorePeople on this assignment and any CVs sent directly to them will be forwarded on to MorePeople

Our client is a successful garden centre group who pride themselves in offering an aspirational and innovative environment for their customers to shop within. Currently they are looking for a creative and inspirational Buyer with good retail knowledge within the AB1 retail sector, as the person in this role will have responsibility for sourcing and managing a group of products within the Indoor Living/Home range.

Based at their newly refurbished Hampshire site the Buyer will select product and analyse product performance whilst ensuring they hold the optimum levels of stock in order to maximise sales.

You should have proven experience within a fast-paced buying environment. You should have experience of range building across large product areas and you should have a commercial outlook, always looking to create an opportunity to increase sales. Buying experience is essential to the role.

Established for over 25 years, J & E Importers have built a strong global reputation in the manufacture, export, import, supply and distribution of a range of quality, value-based products, whilst delivering high customer service satisfaction at all times.

This is an outstanding opportunity to work within a large, successful organisation, currently undergoing a team building and re-structure programme

The responsibilities of the Area Sales Manager will include:

• Managing schedule of appointments on an ongoing basis
• Developing relationships with existing and new customers
• Visiting potential customers in the area to generate more sales

We are looking for an enthusiastic and energetic salesperson who is:

• Seeking a career in a customer-focused sales environment
• Driven and determined
• Well-presented
• Motivated
• Focussed, hungry and ambitious to ensure success in this role
• A quick learner with industry experience
• Energetic with a can-do attitude
• From a field or internal sales background
• Able to demonstrate success in previous sales roles

Although a field based role, the successful candidate will need to live or be based in close proximity to the South Eastern area

There are excellent opportunities for career progression within the company and the group.

Benefits also include a bonus, company car, mobile phone and 28 days paid holiday entitlement.

Please email vince.green@greenjem.co.uk for further information or to forward your current CV

www.jandeimporters.com

My client is a small garden centre group based in the London area.

They are looking for an experienced garden centre manager to lead the team of a large destination style garden centre based in a scenic and historic part of London.

You will have site management experience previously and be ready to take on a challenging role in a very competitive environment.

There is an opportunity to grow with the business.

I am currently looking for an ambitious and enthusiastic plant retailer to join the team of an established garden centre.

My client is a large garden centre group looking for a plantarea manager to join the senior leadership team of one of its centres to develop the centre and plant area.

You will need to have at least supervisory knowledge previously and must be a confident team leader.

Excellent plant knowledge is a must preferably supported by a qualification.

There’s less than four weeks before the deadline for entries to this year’s GIMA awards.   

If you want your products to be considered for the most prestigious awards in the gardening industry, and shown to a panel of leading and influential industry names, then get your entries in now before it’s too late!  Deadline for entries: June 20.

GIMA Awards Judging Panel

This year’s judging panel includes some of the UK’s top gardening retailers and magazines, so why wouldn’t you want your product to be seen by these people?  Will Armitage, Armitage’s Home & Garden; Tony Blake, St Peter’s Garden Centre; Mike Burks, Castle Gardens; Steve Guy, Dobbies Garden Centre; Alistair Jackson, Poplars Garden Centre; Tim Rumball, Amateur Gardening Magazine Editor; Heidi Towse, Homebase; Mike Wyatt, Garden Trade News Associate Editor; and last but by no means least, Dan Zinner from The Garden Centre Group.

Join us for a Night to Remember

This year’s awards evening is taking place at the fabulous Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, South Wales on Thursday, July 17.  Places are filling up fast, so don’t miss out on joining GIMA to see who’s won top honours this year.

www.gima.org.uk/awards

Hozelock winning the Sword of Excellence for their Flexi Spray product at last year's GIMA Awards.

A winning entry has been picked for the @Dandy_Weed Twitter competition which called for garden centres to send in a creative photograph to be in with a chance to win a display stand of Resolva 24H.

Despite tough competition and plenty of imaginative poses, North Walsham Garden Centre in Norfolk submitted the winning image, which shows a classical statue wearing a Dandy Weed mask.

The competition was launched by Westland Horticulture in the April edition of Garden Trade News, inviting garden centres to tweet @Dandy_Weed wearing a Dandy facemask (enclosed in their GTN copy) to be in with a chance to win a display stand of Resolva 24H.

To enter, all they had to do was send a photograph of Dandy Weed in the most fun and inventive way to @Dandy_Weed, using the hashtag #ellomate. 

Amy Lawrence, Brand Manager for Westland Horticulture, said: “This is the second year we've run this competition, and once again we were very impressed by the creative and imaginative images we received. “It was tough picking the winning entry, but we felt it really did tick all the boxes. We would like to thank North Walsham Garden Centre for providing us with much hilarity in the office. We will be sending them their display stand of Resolva 24H shortly.”

*Note to readers - Westland Horticulture has altered the image of the winning entry so as not to offend GTN readers of a more sensitive nature.

For further information, log onto www.gardenhealth.com/trade

The HTA Gift Card has been named a winner in the 2014 Paybefore Awards Europe in the Best Choice Retail Card category. 

The Gift Card was selected as a winner by a panel of five industry experts who served as judges for this year’s Paybefore Awards Europe competition.

The HTA Garden Gift Card is a restricted authorisation network (RAN) gift card that is sold at more than 3,000 retail locations across the UK such as supermarkets, hardware stores and newsagents in order to reach a broad consumer audience. 

Distributors include ASDA, Sainsburys, Wilkinsons, Clintons, WHSmith, Tesco and Morrisons. This distribution method allows the HTA to promote gift card sales to a much wider audience than just garden centre shoppers.

David Butler, NGGV & Gift Card General Manager of HTA says: “The gift card programme is about developing the industry and its member businesses by capturing some of the garden gifting spend on the high street. The card programme was created to increase footfall into garden centres across the UK and to engage consumers from all walks of life in gardening as a hobby.”

The HTA is a not-for-profit trade association that is dedicated to providing support to its members , of which many are locally owned family businesses. This programme serves consumers by guiding them to make a gift card buying decision that is more thoughtful to locally owned businesses.  The result is a satisfying buying experience for the consumer as well as the recipient.

David Shewmaker, CEO of StoreFinancial Europe adds: “The RAN functionality allows consumers to redeem the card at any of the participating garden centres, regardless of geography and without changing existing hardware or software at the redemption locations. This enabled the HTA to deliver on its promise to support the garden centres across the UK with a convenient, flexible gift card programme.”

The gift card is redeemable at over 600 HTA member garden centres across the UK, with the potential to increase to more than 2,000 centres as the programme grows.

“Paybefore Awards Europe shine a spotlight on the innovators using payments to solve complex problems for a variety of constituents,” said Loraine DeBonis, Paybefore editor-in-chief and chair of the judging panel.” Organizations like HTA and StoreFinancial are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in payments,” she continued. “We are proud to recognise their contributions to advancing the prepaid and emerging payments industry.”

Grafted veg plants from Suttons have been in high demand this week – there are eight in the Top 10 of the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart and 14 in the Top 20.

• Tomato F1 Sweet Petit takes over the top spot.
• Double Tomato Plant Elegance is the highest re-entry.
• Sweet Pepper F1 Corno di Toro Rosso is the highest climber, jumping 28 places.

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

The planting-up-of-containers theme continues through to the Growing Media chart with demand for moisture retaining compost boosting sales.

• This week’s highest climber is Arthur Bowers Moisture Holding Compost, moving up 23 places.
• Shamrock Tub & Basket Compost has enjoyed good sales to return to the chart.
• Westland Gro-Sure Container and Basket Compost has seen high demand.

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

Retired servicemen and representatives from The Royal British Legion planted poppy seeds at Trelawny Garden Centre at Ashford in Devon on Tuesday to commemorate the First World War.  

Caroline Howell-Williams, General Manager at Trelawney@Ashford on Strand Lane in Ashford, Barnstaple, said: “We are delighted retired servicemen, Royal Marines, representatives from The Royal British Legion and the Royal Airforce Association and Stuart Rason, Padre at RMB Chivenor came along to the garden centre to help us sow our Flanders poppies as part of the Royal British Legion’s Centenary Campaign.

“The aim of the campaign is to cover the UK with poppies during the centenary period in commemoration of all those who lost their lives in the First World War.

“The national campaign will see the Legion asking the public and local authorities to purchase Flanders poppy seeds to plant on their own land.”

The Royal British Legion is the UK’s leading service charity providing care and support to serving members of the Armed Forces, veterans of all ages and their families.

Trelawney@Ashford is an award-winning, independent garden centre owned by David Danning and David Symons, who have also run a sister garden centre in Cornwall, Trelawney@Wadebridge, for more than 30 years.

The family-run business includes two generations of the Danning and Symons families. The company is opening its third garden centre Trelawney@Probus on a green-field site in Cornwall next year (2015).

Trelawney@Ashford provides customers with a wide range of quality gardening products including plants, furniture, barbecues, garden buildings, gifts and food items. Its friendly and knowledgeable staff are on-hand to give visitors help and advice on all gardening matters.

As well as gardening products, the garden centre also has a specialist Craft Centre for keen knitters, card-makers and bead crafters and a camping and outdoor pursuit concession.

The Garden Restaurant, which seats up to 150 customers, is situated alongside Trelawney@Ashford’s gardens. It serves hot and cold drinks, snacks, cakes, breakfasts, lunches, a daily carvery and children’s meals.

For more information, call Trelawney@Ashford, which is located on Strand Lane in Ashford, Barnstaple, on 01271 342880 or visit www.trelawney.co.uk.

To help expand the adoption of renewable energy systems amongst its members the HTA has, as part of its Cost Reduction Programme (CRoP) initiative, partnered with renewable energy specialist, Ecovision,  which operates nationally from its base on the Highgrove Estate.

The partnership’s aim is to raise awareness of how renewable energy can reduce costs, at the same time as increasing competitiveness and profitability across the nursery and garden centre industries.

“Ever increasing energy costs has meant that over the last two years the cost of heating nurseries and garden centres has risen significantly,” said Tim Bell, the HTA’s Commercial Manager. “Installing renewable energy solutions can play a key role in enabling our members to become independent of the big six energy companies and their volatile energy prices, allowing them to take control of and reduce their energy costs.”

“The HTA represents 95% of the UK garden centre industry plus many of the growers that provide plants to the sector. The HTA membership is made up of 1,100 members with 2,500 garden outlets,” explained Chris Adcock, Ecovision’s Managing Director. “If 30% of the HTA membership adopted renewable heating technology we estimate that would be worth over £10 million per annum to garden centre owners and growers in the form of government income and reduced heating costs.”

It has never been a better time for HTA members to be looking at renewable energy as the tariffs available from the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) are at their peak.

Under the RHI the Government is encouraging users to replace existing fossil fuel heating systems such as oil, LPG and gas with one of the supported renewable technologies, which include ground and air source heat pumps and biomass boilers, by paying a tariff for every kilowatt hour of heating generated by a renewable energy.

The RHI tariffs will be adjusted upwards for inflation and index linked payments are then made quarterly for the next 20 years.

“Using a traditional oil fired boiler to heat and provide hot water to a garden centre of 2,000 m2, costs in the region of £20,000 a year in oil,” explained Chris Adcock, Ecovision’s Managing Director. With an investment of around £80,000 it is possible to switch from an oil fired boiler to a renewable energy 125kW biomass boiler system and make a combined saving against previous oil costs, plus the RHI tariff, of around £25,000 a year.

“Based on returns often in excess of 20% per annum, payback is typically achieved in five years or less. The RHI tariff will continue to be paid, providing a regular income!” said Adcock.

“The horticultural industry prides itself on its green credentials and the use of renewable energy will not only help our members to reduce their energy bills, it will also help them to reduce their carbon emissions,” concluded Bell.

Horticulturists worldwide are invited to join a VIP tour of the spectacular Qingdao International Horticultural Expo and exclusive access to key plant and flower producers in China.

The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) and leading tour operator Wendy Wu Tours are providing week-long VIP tours for people with an interest in ornamental horticulture, commercial plant production, gardens and landscapes. 

The tour will offer:

• A grand tour of the AIPH approved International Horticultural Exposition 2014, Qingdao, which provides a global showcase for the world of horticulture featuring well over 100 gardens across 241 hectares. Themed ‘From the earth, for the earth’, the Expo includes a Flower Promenade, a Boulevard and twelve themed garden areas: Chinese Garden, Floriculture Garden, Caogang (Herbal) Garden, Children’s Dream Garden, Science Garden, Enterprise Garden, International Garden, Tea Garden, Agriculture Garden, Flower Garden, Blossom Garden and Mountain Garden.
• Exclusive access to Deroose Plants Co Ltd, Shanghai, one of the largest flower exporters in China exporting over 20 million plants per year, and specialising in production of Bromeliads, Nepenthes and foliage plants.
• A guided tour of Shanghai Flower Port, a 1 million square metre haven of tranquillity in the South Pudong area and home to an amazing annual tulip festival and other floral displays through the year.
• A visit to Shandong Oriental Floral Co. Ltd, Dongying – Qingdao, professional growers of flowers, nursery stock, young plants, and experts in landscape architecture, producing Phalaenopsis, pineapple, arrowroot, anthurium, Rieger begonia and cyclamen within 80,000 square metres of greenhouse.
• A beer tasting at Tsingtao Brewery, Qingdao - China’s second largest brewery, founded in 1903 by German settlers. Visitors will learn all about the brewery and taste a fresh beer straight from the production line.
• A visit to Beijing Botanic Garden situated between the Fragrant Hills Park and Jade Spring Mountain. The Garden covers a large area of 564,000 square metres and includes a dozen exhibition districts, halls and exhibition greenhouses for tropical and subtropical plants.

AIPH Secretary General, Tim Briercliffe comments: “AIPH is pleased to offer this exclusive opportunity with Wendy Wu Tours to enable horticulturists to share experiences and ideas with like-minded enthusiasts from around the world. The tour aims to deepen knowledge and understanding of China as a rising powerhouse of horticultural production, as well as increasing the awareness of what is going on in the world of horticulture”.

The eight day tour starts at £1,840pp (excluding international flights) and offers two travel dates - 19-27 September 2014 and 16-24 October 2014. There are also daily departures for groups for six plus.

For more details and to book reserve places on the tour visit www.horticulture-expo.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 printed newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2012 as well as 2013 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 upto date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

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

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

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

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