The GTN Bestsellers All Products chart (above) continues to show encouraging sales figures in garden centres as the mild spring conditions have helped to give the industry a much needed boost.

With the weather set fair and consumer confidence growing, the picture for garden centres looked rosy...but then along came the Scotts-Solus split, and now the supply chain threatens to cause havoc in April and May.

Or does it? GTN Bestsellers has been talking to two major distributors – STAX and Decco – who are prepared to take up any slack in the chain caused by the Scotts-Solus breakdown.

Are your supplies of garden products getting through on time? Let us know your views on the latest developments. Email trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

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

• Garden Products – down 6%
• Veg-2-Gro – up 9%
• Growing Media – up 19%
• All items index – up 26%

We asked Hainsworth (left) how Gardman’s investors might react to the suggestion that Solus would be a good fit for Gardman. This was his reply:

“The issue is this: we have got to get our own house in order and our own strategy implemented first. Yes, the investors [GPG, Goldman Sachs and Barclays] have some very deep pockets. They have always said if we get the right strategy, get the right numbers, they are willing to invest with further acquisition opportunities. But it is still quite early days for us. I haven't even gone through a Spring yet! I’ve been listening to the industry and  while I know you can be overly conservative and cautious, Gardman needs to put solid numbers up. And I’m glad to say we are doing that. Yes, in the future, we would love to make acquisitions. I would love to – I am used to running a much bigger business than this [Gallaghers]. But timing is everything, as in life and it doesn't always turn up when you want it to.”

Hainsworth said he felt the subsequent withdrawl of three major suppliers from Solus “leaves retailers in a bit of a mess”. Retailers using other wholesalers might face higher prices, credit limits would probably be tighter and there would be the extra administration and complication of dealing with more suppliers, who will be going direct if they are not dealing with a wholesaler. “Managing the infrastructure and logistics with lorries turning up all over the place would be difficult, whereas in the past, one lorry would deliver the vast majority of it.”

“The last thing retailers need now is to staff up their back office to deal with more admin – they need resources on the shop floor, driving consumers to buy higher value products. Obviously, we’re a competitor, so in the short term I would say it’s going to have some positives for us, but for the general industry, it’s not good news.

STAX have seen a dramatic increase in business since the breakdown in negotiations between Scotts and Solus.

Joint Managing Director David Hibbert told GTN Xtra that it had proved to be a busy and interesting period for the company, which started out as a cash-and-carry business in 1981.

“Until a few weeks ago we were heading for not stocking Scotts products because of the proposed deal with Solus. But things have changed dramatically for us, and the amount of business has grown following the announcement that Scotts and Solus were no longer in negotiations.”

STAX have been wholesaling gardening products since 1981and began to distribute to garden centres with the demise of Spread. David described it as a ‘major coup’ when the company were appointed official distributors of Scotts products two years ago.

“We were the new kids on the block and have since worked hard to move into this sector of the market place. We now have 19 sales reps calling on our current and prospective customers, and we are now seeing our efforts paying off.

“Garden centres seem to like our approach and more of them are doing business with us. People are coming to us now, and are opening accounts and placing orders.

“This latest development is a great opportunity which we don’t want to waste. This is a key time for us and we want to manage it properly. We are more than capable of handling the situation by introducing a night shift for picking and increasing our overall stock levels to ensure full support for this new business although but I would ask garden centres to be patient in the short term

“We are a £100 million turnover business so we’re not a small company, and suppliers and garden centres can be confident we can deliver on our promises.”

STAX now have night shifts in operation at four of their depots – Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Bristol – and have invested heavily in new technology like the most up-to-date handheld picker scanners.

David has sympathy with garden centres in the current climate as they are still trying to work out what’s going on and who to buy from.

“It’s a difficult time for the industry as garden centres face some key decisions and changes,” added David. “But I can assure them that STAX and our Scottish arm Wishart are geared up and ready to help centres get through this challenging and uncertain period.”

For more information on STAX visit www.staxtradecentres.co.uk

Decco's Chief Operating Officer John Findlay told GTN Xtra his company was able to respond to the current situation and deal with increased demand.

"The situation at Solus has resulted in us having to deal with significantly higher demand and we are working in close partnership with Scotts and all our other key suppliers to ensure that we deliver the products that garden centres need," said John.

"Decco have long standing relationships with all the main manufacturers and for many years an important part of our business has been supplying garden centres and high street retailers with a comprehensive range of garden products. We fully understand that having stock available at this key time in the season is vital and are doing everything that we can to make sure that this happens.

"We started the season with high levels of inventory and with the resources to service all our existing customers and new business that we anticipated we would add during the year. To enable us to deal with even higher levels of demand we have already substantially increased stock levels, increased numbers of warehouse staff, obtained short term additional warehouse space, that is now operational, and secured additional transport to add to our own existing fleet of over 60 commercial vehicles.

"Understandably customers are concerned about getting the products that they need and I am sure that will continue to be the case for a number of weeks. Our managers and sales teams have made and are making contact with as many customers as possible to establish what their requirements are how they want us to work with them to ensure that they have the products they need on the shelves and available for sale.

"Decco are a delivered wholesaler, we do not have to change our systems or methods of operation to deal with additional business, we just have to put additional resources in place and we have done that. Delivering high volumes of product reliably and quickly is what Decco has done for many years and we have a knowledgeable and experienced team in place at all our businesses around the country ready and able to respond to the current situation and deal with increased demand."

For more information on Decco visit www.decco.co.uk

Durstons Garden Products have reassured their customers that they have good stock levels of their compost and growing media and can deliver quickly and efficiently in the run up to Easter and the May Bank Holidays.

The company say they offer efficient customer service, and their minimum orders with carriage paid is 5 pallets.

Ruth Green, National Sales Manager comments: “With much unrest in the industry about the supply of key products it is only natural that many garden centres and retail outlets are feeling nervous, especially as we enter the busiest few months of the season. In the run up to Easter and the May Bank Holidays, customers need assurance that goods are going to arrive on time.

"As a family run business we can and regularly do go that extra mile to accommodate an urgent or tricky delivery. It is times like this that we hope potential clients will look at us not only as a solution to their short term supply problem but look at what we can do for them in the future."

For more information call 01458 442688, visit www.durstongardenproducts.co.uk, or email info@durstongardenproducts.co.uk

Blue Diamond Group have already confirmed that Stuart Whalley, who looks after garden care at TGCG, will join them in a similar role on 28 April.

Of the other two, both thought to be women, one is said to be joining a leading south of England garden centre chain, the other a chain of country stores. Neither were available to confirm the news as this issue approached deadline.

Paul Williams is also leaving TGCG's Gardenlands centre to take up the role of Store Manager at Studley Garden Centre on April 22.

The Garden Centre Group’s policy is to decline to comment on staff matters ahead of official announcements.

Sales of garden products are moving in the right direction, according to the latest GTN Bestsellers data, with volumes up by 11.2% on the previous week. 

The star performers are:

• Scotts Levington Tomorite (1-litre) moves to top spot.
• Spear & Jackson Kew tools – bypass secateurs and anvil secateurs – are the highest re-entries this week.
• Kaemingk Solar Colour Changing Crackle Ball Lights are the highest new entry.
• Gardman Hanging Basket Coco Liner, 35cm, is the highest climber, moving up 17 places.

The company’s marketing director, Sarah Downing, told GTN Xtra the move would offer trade-up opportunities for consumers, alongside Gardman’s existing core ranges, and as a result drive retail revenues.

She said an over-arching objectives was to develop in categories in which Gardman was already strong – wild bird care and core gardening in particular. Bird care accounts for 30 per cent of Gardman’s business.

The first range to get an upscale branding makeover is Ernest Charles, which will become the company’s premium ‘expert’ bird care brand. UK sourced top-quality bird tables with 15-year guarantees are already being delivered in, and new premium quality seed blends are being developed. The brand’s previously online-only channel was closed down in January in preparation for its retail launch.

Cole & Bright lighting, which has shown a 54 per cent sales increase this year, will become the premium lighting brand; the Moulton Mill (garden tools) Blacksmith (hanging baskets and planters) brands will follow.

“All the products are of a quality built to last and share the same approach to drive the consumer up and across,” said Downing.

The four brands currently account for 15 per cent of Gardman’s turnover – but the target 30 per cent.

The brand strategy will feature strongly on this year’s expanded Glee stand, which will carry a ‘Growth from the ground up’ theme”. “Visitors will see a very different Gardman,” Downing added.

Fiskars are starting an extensive TV advertising campaign next week to promote their PowerGear Pruner and Fiskars Weed Puller.

The adverts will run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays on the weeks commencing April 14, 21 and 28, and also on Sunday on the Bank Holiday weekend.

They will then appear on  Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays on the weeks of May 15, 22 and 29 and also the Bank Holiday Sunday.

The campaign will be supported in store by FSDUs for all PowerGear, SmartFit and SingleStep Pruners, Loppers and Hedge Shears, as well as FSDUs for all of Fiskars' Lawn Care products and, of course, the Weed Puller. Contact your wholesaler to make sure that you have these in time for Easter!

Fiskars are also encouraging retailers to run  pruner or weed puller demonstrations in store to reinforce how great the products are!

For more information of Fiskars products visit www.fiskars.co.uk

The Garden Industry Manufacturers’ Association is launching a £5,000 seed corn fund to help support the drive for innovation within the UK gardening industry.

The UK garden industry was worth in excess of £4.9b in 2013 and is forecast to grow to £5.6b in 2018 (source Mintel), but despite this optimistic outlook, there is still the need to encourage new businesses, designers and innovators to enter the market.

With a well established supply base in the UK, the sector continues to see new products being launched by established companies, but any industry needs to see a healthy flow of smaller companies coming in to move the market forward through innovative products and services, and the gardening industry is no different.

Whilst the demographics of the UK population continue to shift, both the growing ageing population and younger more design led gardening consumers both present opportunities for designers to get their creative juices flowing.

GIMA Director, Vicky Nuttall said: "GIMA is keen to encourage new entrants into the market, and as such we have put together a package of support that will enable new companies to navigate their way through the nuances of our industry.  We see it as providing the necessary injection of new blood into an already established industry."

The winning entry will receive funding to help with the development and marketing of their product together with support from experts within the industry.

GIMA is taking applications for the 2014 fund now, with a closing date of 20^th June.  This year’s winner will be revealed during Glee at the NEC in September.

For more details about how to apply for the fund, visit the GIMA website or get in touch with the GIMA office on 01959 565885 or email info@gima.org.uk

Dubbed ‘wonder gravel’ by those in the know, Lytag, the must-have product for horticulturists this season, is now available from Deco-Pak, the UK’s leading supplier of aggregates, decorative accents and landscaping essentials.

Complementing Deco-Pak’s existing growing media and horticultural products, Lytag is a super lightweight gravel that offers some unique characteristics.  

By utilising its natural water retention characteristics which absorbs up to 45% of moisture, Lytag is perfect for improving drainage and hydration in pots, baskets and flower beds, making it a highly versatile growing media and aggregate.

Craig Hall, Marketing Director at Deco-Pak said: “We’re pleased to confirm that Lytag has been added to our collection ahead of the 2014 season.  

"Lytag is an incredibly clever product that will appeal to a wide range of gardeners, as it offers peace of mind regarding long-term plant hydration throughout the home and garden. 

"What’s more, Lytag provides retailers with a unique linked sales opportunity, in that it can be co-located alongside complementary product groups such as compost, pots, and rockery and alpine plants. 

"Plus with a RRP of just £4.99 per bag we’ve no doubt that Lytag will also offer a great impulse-buy opportunity as well.”

To find out more about Lytag and how it can be added to your existing Deco-Pak order log onto www.deco-pak.co.uk or call (01422) 204 394.

The children, from Ashbrow School,  were invited by Armitage’s to meet the TV presenter and author at their Garden Weekend on Sunday 6 April, when James Wong gave inspirational talks and signed copies of his book Homegrown Revolution.

 Before the event, Ashbrow School hosted an afternoon lesson about James Wong and his revolutionary approach to growing unusual crops successfully in the UK climate.

 “This has been a wonderful experience for the children and we are so grateful to James, Armitage’s and Suttons Seeds for an amazing opportunity,” said Yvonne Kilvington, activity organiser and gardener at Ashbrow..

In return, the pupils told James about beekeeping!

The children were presented with a signed copy of James’  book and Suttons donated seeds from his Homegrown Revolution range.

 “Ashbrow Junior School is a fantastic example of how a school can engage children in gardening and reap so much more than they sow. We are proud to support this fantastic growing initiative and look forward to visiting the pupils to see their progress,”  said Sharon McNair, Retail Manager at Armitage’s.

Ashbrow School has created a productive garden at its site in Sheepridge, growing brassicas, legumes, fruit, potatoes, onions and salad crops for the school’s kitchen to use where possible. The aim of their project is to produce most of the fruit and vegetables that the kitchens use for the school meals, and are aiming for a figure of at least 60%.

Consumer ratings magazine, Which? Gardening has again recommended Vital Earth’s tub & basket compost as the best peat-free growing media for container planting. 

This follows the product’s official Best Buy status declared in 2010 when Vital Earth Tub & Basket when it became the first environmentally-friendly peat-free compost to outperform all competitors.

Vital Earth Tub & Basket Compost is a completely organic, natural and peat-free growing media.  It is ideal for all kinds of hanging basket and container planting, both summer and winter, and will yield prolific blooms.  It is packed in 60 litre bags and has an rrp of £5.99.

Peat-free compost manufacturer, Vital Earth, whose products are made from recycled garden waste, has over thirty compost products in its range including specialist blends like ericaceous compost for lime hating plants, the first such compost in a peat-free format.

For more information, visit www.thegreenergardener.com.

Dedicated to providing quality aggregates, Kelkay’s offering has never been better. The proof is in the pudding as like for like sales for the October to April period are 76% up on the same period the previous season.

The increase has been seen across the board on decorative aggregates and rockery stone products. Kelkay believes its success is due to the overall extensive aggregates offering which provides retailers with a one-stop shopping experience for their customers wanting to transform their gardens.

After anticipating increased sales back in January, Kelkay is now confident that its substantial investment in back-up stock has paid off. Kelkay’s Managing Director, Antony Harker said: “We are able to support our customers with quality products, fast turn arounds and excellent merchandising, both we and they are seeing the results.”

For more information on Kelkay’s range of aggregates email salesenquiries@kelkay.co.uk or call 01405 869333.

It's time to enter your teams into the 2014 Greatest Awards – and we have some different and exciting new opportunities for your this year.

With the event taking place alongside SOLEX, the foremost outdoor leisure exhibition in the UK, we have introduced some new categories for the garden centre sales and display teams to get their teeth into...

• The Greatest BBQ Sales Team
• The Greatest Outdoor Furniture Sales Team
• The Greatest Garden Decor and Lighting Sales Team

Popular categories also available to enter are:

• The Greatest Planteria Sales Team
• The Greatest Garden Care Sales Team
• The Greatest Home Interiors Display Team
• The Greatest Garden Centre Merchandising Team

To register free for any or all of these categories, email trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

The Greatest Awards 2014 are produced in association with SOLEX...

and sponsored by Weber

Gardman is innovating again, evolving its Cole & Bright range of elegant and stylish solar lights with the introduction of a new range of on-trend colours and finishes for its market-making Ice Orb.  

The range of finishes now includes copper and nickel as well as stainless steel and the clear crackle glass dome is available in pink, blue and green as well as the original clear.  Each coloured Ice Orb comes complete with a matching coloured LED that enhances the soft glow these lights emit. The copper and nickel finishes have also been introduced to the ever-popular colour changing Mini Ice Orb.  

Other new lines being launched now and available for delivery by the end of May include acrylic shaped string lights, glass, nickel and copper stem marker lights and Moroccan bauble string lights.  

As retailers have come to expect from Gardman, these new lines are available at attractive price points that will drive mass market appeal without compromising on quality.  

“We’ve developed this incredibly popular product range to embrace current trends in home and garden décor and by brining them in-store at the peak of the season we are helping retailers entice consumers in store again and, with clever point of sale materials, they can drive up sales even further,” said Gardman Marketing Director, Sarah Downing.  

Growbags, planters and container composts have all had good weeks, judging from GTN Bestsellers data, as gardeners get in the planting mood.

• The highest percentage growth in the Growing Media chart is Scotts Miracle Gro Fruit & Veg Planter.
• Arthur Bowers Grow Bag is the highest climber.
• The highest re-entry is Scotts Levington Ericaceous Compost (20 litres).
• Westland Lawn Seeding Soil (30 litres) has seen good sales.

A deal has been struck which could secure the future of Hare Hatch Sheeplands weeks before a pivotal hearing might have signalled its closure.

Owner Rob Scott believes a solution is "within sight" to end the business's costly dispute with Wokingham Borough Council over its use of Green Belt land.

The garden centre near Twyford was threatened by action first triggered in 2012 after more than a dozen planning breaches were identified.

An enforcement notice was issued and amended last year, which staff feared would force the centre to permanently closure.

However Rob Scott revealed this week he had withdrawn his appeal against the notice and shared his hope for the London Road site's future.

Mr Scott said: "We are very pleased to announce we have spent a lot of time and effort discussing matters with Wokingham borough planning officials and our ward councillors for the last few weeks in the hope that we can resolve our planning dispute and get on with planning the next phase for the future of Hare Hatch Sheeplands.

"I have identified a way in which we can resolve the problem without compromising the council's Green Belt policy. There is every reason now to believe that a solution is within sight which will be acceptable to all parties.

"We would like to thank our local councillor Bob Pitts for his help in reaching this point."

An appeal was due to be heard in May to consider the council's claim that the garden centre's expansion was harmful unauthorised development on Green Belt land.

Cllr Pitts, member for Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe ward, said: "I am delighted with this outcome and thank borough council officers, Rob Scott and his partners for the time, consideration and support they have given me in forging a potential resolution to what has been a protracted and complicated situation."

Clare Lawrence, head of development management at the council, added: "When planning rules are broken we would much rather work with residents and businesses towards complying with planning regulations rather than go down the enforcement route.

"Any relaxation of Green Belt policy that cannot be justified by exceptional planning circumstances would encourage many others to try and build on the Green Belt, so we had no choice but to take this action. It isn’t something we could have ignored otherwise we would be doing a disservice to the borough’s residents and businesses.

"It has taken a lot of time and effort to get to this stage but we are pleased with the outcome and that Mr Scott has indicated he is going to start complying with the enforcement notice."

It’s Quantil’s week in the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart, with 37 of their young plants inside the Top 50.

• Quantil Courgette 8cm moves to top spot, displacing Tomato Moneymaker, which slips to No 7.
• Quantil Cucumber Mini 8cm jumps a staggering 43 places to No 2 and is the highest climber.
• Tomato Sweet Million is the highest re-entry at No 16.
• Heritage Tomato Tigerella is the only new entry.
• The highest non-Quantil line is KinderGarden Tumbling Tom, 4 cell plugs, at No 3.

Trading director Tristan Sissons says innovative product design has been driving the company’s continued expansion into the garden fashion and accessories sector.

“Understanding the individual needs of our retailer partners also helps to increase the value of business we jointly enjoy,” he says, citing sales increases of 18% and 70% for retailers converting to Briers.

He believes much of this is down to a dynamic approach to merchandising and promotional activity. “We spend time with our retailers, assessing customers’ needs and simplifying the buying process,” he says. “Live statistical data lets us react to changes in consumer needs and give retailers valuable advice. People know that, with Briers, they get bespoke ranges that are perfect for each individual customer. They also know that our products are irrefutably trendy.”

To stay ahead of the game, Briers designers need to react to up-to-the-minute trends. Typical Briers’ customers are active on social media and follow developing trends, so, when a news story in the fashion and garden industry breaks, “we need to know about it”. The arrival of the HemingwayDesign for Briers collection make that even more important.

Exports are also up at Briers, who already supply to Europe and North America, with plans to grow further – and in other overseas markets – in the coming year. As always, the offer will be tailored to the needs of every local market.

You can see Briers at this year’s Glee in September.

 ‘Flying the Flag’ sweet pea and ‘Per Ardua ad Astra’ cornflower packets contains a mixture of seeds for red, white, and blue flowers, the colours of the Royal Air Force roundel.

TGCG will donate 50p from the sale of every packet sold to the RAF Benevolent Fund, the RAF’s leading welfare charity. Air Cadets are helping to pack bags at the group’s garden centres.

The seed packets also highlight the upcoming Kenley Air Show 2015, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and in aid of the RAF Benevolent Fund.

The RAF Benevolent Fund is encouraging gardeners to share images of their RAF-themed flowers (either growing or cut) via social media using: @RAFBF #FlowerPower.

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 the link below.

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.