Alan Roper has just announced the Blue Diamond Acquisition of the Van Hage group of 3 garden centres. The sites are the flagship store at Gt Amwell Ware; Chenies between Amersham and Rickmansworth and their centre on the PE1 retail park at Peterborough. Blue Diamond will own and operate the retail park...
Alan Roper has just announced the Blue Diamond Acquisition of the Van Hage group of 3 garden centres. The sites are the flagship store at Gt Amwell Ware; Chenies between Amersham and Rickmansworth and their centre on the PE1 retail park at Peterborough. Blue Diamond will own and operate the retail park.
Blue Diamond CEO Alan Roper told GTN Xtra: "For me personally, this is a landmark acquisition, Van Hage’s was one of 3 garden centres in the early nineties I would visit as a younger man for inspiration and would feel in awe of what they had achieved and never imagined that one day, we would be the proud owner of such a business.
The Van Hage family have said "The Board and Shareholders of Van Hage &Co. Holdings can today confirm the sale of our Trading company, Van Hage and Co. Ltd and our Garden Centre business to the Blue Diamond Group.
"The entire trading business, all colleagues and centres will now become part of the successful Blue Diamond family of garden centres with immediate effect.
"Making the decision to pass the Group into new hands was not an easy one to make; it has been a central part of all of our lives, and many of our staff and suppliers over the decades, and our priority was to ensure that the Company and our colleagues would be passed into the hands of new owners who would have the vision and resources to ensure the continued thriving of Van Hage.
"Blue Diamond are rapidly growing and are Britain’s second-largest Garden Centre group, known for great quality and customer experience. They have both the resources and vision to further grow and develop our brand going forward. The Company will continue to trade as Van Hage under their stewardship."
Hillier Garden Centres have announced the acquisition of Rosebourne Ltd. Rosebourne is a group of boutique destination garden centres across 3 sites, Weyhill, Aldermaston and Hampton in Arden...
Hillier Garden Centres have announced the acquisition of Rosebourne Ltd. Rosebourne is a group of boutique destination garden centres across 3 sites, Weyhill, Aldermaston and Hampton in Arden.
Founded by Edwin Hillier in Hampshire in 1864, Hillier is a horticultural business with more than 155 years of expertise. Hillier is proud to remain a family business to this day, with the fifth generation actively involved.
The acquisition of Rosebourne follows a period of growth that has seen Hillier move from 12 garden centres in 2019 to 19 garden centres and an online shop currently, this acquisition brings the group to a total of 22 garden centres.
At the heart of the Hillier business is a mission to “inspire the creation of green living spaces for now and the future.” Visitors can expect to see Hampshire based Hillier Nurseries great range of home grown, top-quality plants arriving in the Rosebourne garden centres soon, blending with the extensive product range already on offer in the centres.
“We are delighted to be adding Rosebourne with its three fantastic garden centres to our business,” comments Chris Francis, Hillier Wholesale and Retail Director. “They are all really impressive destinations, we feel they are a great fit for our business. We are looking forward to getting to know the Rosebourne teams and their local gardening communities and inspiring them with our great range of quality Hillier plants. This acquisition continues the rapid growth the company has seen over the last few years and makes it well equipped to move forwards confidently into the future”
George Hillier, Director of property, who has been working with the Rosebourne team on the project, says, “I would like to thank everybody from the Rosebourne and Hillier teams who have collaborated to ensure this acquisition has been as smooth a process as possible”.
Carol Paris and Charles Good from Rosebourne comment. “We are delighted that we have been able to secure a sale to Hillier with such a strong horticultural pedigree and a family run business. We share a very similar company ethos and values, with the customer at the heart of all we do. We believe both companies will benefit from this collaboration and look forward to seeing the Rosebourne centres enter a new and exciting era.”
Through these new locations, Hillier looks forward to being part of the local communities, continuing to offer high standard gardening and restaurant destinations for people to grow, meet, eat and be inspired.
Visit hillier.co.uk to find out more about Hillier Garden Centres
With teams from over 80 garden centres already nominated for GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2022, there are only a handful of judging visit places left to be filled, so if you want your Christmas teams to be considered as The Greatest you have until lunchtime on Wednesday 9th November to get your nomination in...
With teams from over 80 garden centres already nominated for GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2022, there are only a handful of judging visit places left to be filled, so if you want your Christmas teams to be considered as The Greatest you have until lunchtime on Wednesday 9th November to get your nomination in.
There are categories to recognise display teams, Christmas Trees sales teams, marketing teams and back this year are the much sought after Greatest Festive Garden Centre Catering team and The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto team awards.
It's simple to take part, all you have to do is nominate your teams for the award categories below in an e-mail to trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk including a few words about why our team of judges should come and meet your team and a photo or two that we can include in our GTN Xtra Christmas photo galleries. The final date for nominations to guarantee a visit from our judges is lunchtime on Wednesday 9th November 2022.
Here are the categories for GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2022
The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team
The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team
The Greatest Christmas Community Event
The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video
The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team
The Greatest Gardening Gifts Sales Team
The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team (for sales of BBQ’s, firepits, furniture etc)
The Greatest Festive Retail Food Hall Team
The Greatest Festive Garden Centre Catering Team
The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team
The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team*
The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team*
The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team
The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team
The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team
*The Group Garden Centre awards are for centres that are part of groups with 5 or more centres.
Judging visits will take place during November and December with the winners being announced on The Stage at Spring Fair on Monday 6th February 2023.
As well as the kudos and fame from winning a Greatest Christmas award, our Gold winners in each category will win prizes including stock, services and hotel accommodation from our sponsors, which at time of going to press include:
Broadcaster and Dobbies’ ambassador, Jo Whiley, officially opened Dobbies’ newest store at Tewkesbury last week.
Jo was joined by ITV This Morning’s gardening presenter, Daisy Payne; The Mayor of Tewkesbury Borough, Councillor John Murphy; and Dobbies’ team members along with a range of key people from across the region and those involved in the project to celebrate the launch of Dobbies’ new flagship store.
Local school children and charity representatives were among the first through the doors of the new store.
Graeme Jenkins, CEO at Dobbies Garden Centres, said: “As our biggest store in the Southwest, the opening of Dobbies’ Tewkesbury is an important and exciting milestone, and we look forward to being part of vibrant and visionary upcoming retail destination as the Cotswolds Designer Outlet develops.
“I would like to thank everyone involved in bringing the store to fruition for all their hard work and we hope our customers will enjoy the exceptional shopping experience that Dobbies’ Tewkesbury will offer.
“We also look forward to building on our work in the local community, having already starting supporting Ashchurch Primary School with a new vision for their garden and supplying great value products from the store.”
Jo Whiley said: “I’ve had a fantastic time opening Dobbies’ newest store. With such a diverse range of products, from plants and gardening, to homeware and pets, there’s something for all members of the family, which will make it a brilliant day out.”
Spanning 70,000 sq ft, the Tewkesbury store represents one of Dobbies’ biggest garden centres and as well as creating around 100 jobs for local and neighbouring communities, it is expected to serve more than 750,000 customers each year – underlining the company’s ongoing growth across the UK. The launch comes just in time for Christmas, with the new store featuring Dobbies’ full festive product range.
The purpose-built store features heating and lighting generated by efficient low carbon energy technologies while rainwater harvesting has been incorporated for plant irrigation and all timber used in the fitout is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. EV charging points are available in the car park and through the Too Good to Go food surplus scheme, Dobbies will save fresh and delicious surplus food that would typically be wasted.
The Tewkesbury store features Dobbies’ range of plants, houseplants, gardening products, seasonal items, pet range, cookshop, home décor, gifts and toys, as well as a Walter Smith butcher and Waitrose products in the foodhall.
The store also features a Little Seedlings soft play area for children and a 10,000 sq ft restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.
Reinforcing its reputation as a go-to destination for a magical Christmas experience, a programme of festive events calendar will begin in late November, with something for everyone including a Christmas Shopping Night in aid of Dobbies’ National Charity Partner, Teenage Cancer Trust, as well as Santa’s Grotto, Santa Paws and festive afternoon tea.
The new Dobbies store is the first phase of a major development, brought together by Robert Hitchins Ltd, which also includes the forthcoming Cotswolds Designer Outlet, expected to open in 2024, and 1,310 homes being built to the south. The whole development is sited in a prime location at J9 of the M5 and close to Ashchurch for Tewkesbury train station.
Simon Tothill, Property and Development Director of Robert Hitchins Ltd, said:"We are delighted to be working with Dobbies and investing with them into the future in what forms part of a large and exciting mixed-use development, including the Cotswolds Designer Outlet."
See GTN Xtra's photo tour of the new centre below and look out for a full interview with Graeme Jenkins in the November issue of GTN magazine.
People are at the heart of primeur – whether it be our buyers, staff or customers. We strive to do our best by everyone and are always ready to help should a situation arise...
AMY HART – NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER
Name, job title & how long you’ve been at Primeur
Amy Hart, National Account Manager. I’ve been with Primeur for over 12 years.
If you could get people to know one thing about Primeur, what would it be?
People are at the heart of primeur – whether it be our buyers, staff or customers. We strive to do our best by everyone and are always ready to help should a situation arise.
What is your favourite bit of your job and why do you love working at Primeur?
As national account managers we are involved in every stage of the products journey from concept to launch..….no two days are the same and we love to visit centres and see our visions come to life on shelf!!
Your Primeur top pick (fav product)
I personally love the planters (sonata are my favourite – I love the simplicity and contemporary feel) . I’ve even had people knock on my door to ask me where I bought them!! I have a toddler who is forever knocking my bay trees over and although I have to sweep up the soil I can rest easy knowing the pots wont smash and need replacing.
What does next year bring for Primeur?
Despite the challenges of the past few years Primeur has experienced tremendous growth which is testament to the fabulous nature of our products! We are confident that 2023 will be a great year and we aim to work closely with our customers to ensure they have the best product ranges to drive volume and growth!! We also have some innovative new products launching which will enhance our offering and hopefully entice some new customers.
Your best/worst gardening experience?
I’m not a very green fingered person and I prefer a neat, low maintenance garden which doesn’t need much upkeep….giving me more time to enjoy the space!
On the other hand, my children love growing fruit and veggies in plant pots and delight in harvesting it all. At the end of the season, we stack all the planters (nice and neat) ready for next year!
Broadcaster & Chartered Horticulturist David Domoney, presenter of numerous television shows for ITV, including their flagship prime time show Love Your Garden, joins forces with Needlefresh to inspire and educate the nation on the benefits and enjoyment of having a real, UK grown Christmas tree...
Broadcaster & Chartered Horticulturist David Domoney, presenter of numerous television shows for ITV, including their flagship prime time show Love Your Garden, joins forces with Needlefresh to inspire and educate the nation on the benefits and enjoyment of having a real, UK grown Christmas tree. Together, they’ve created a series of videos that showcase the benefits of real Christmas trees, how to choose the right one and tips on how to care for them best.
The history of displaying Christmas trees indoors was introduced to Britain by Queen Charlotte, consort of George III back in the late eighteenth century. However, it was a yew tree rather than a fir tree that was used. Then, in the 1840s, Prince Albert brought home a fir tree from Germany for Queen Victoria. Images were published of them and the family, gathered around the tree in the Illustrated London News which promoted the festivity of having a Christmas tree indoors.
David Domoney said, “For me, part of the magic of Christmas is having a real Christmas tree in your home. Waking up to the fragrance of pine or fir trees in the morning brings back happy memories of winter as a child, ones I hope to pass onto my children too.”
David added, “Together with Needlefresh, we wanted to make information readily available to distributors to share with consumers about how to choose the perfect Christmas tree, how to understand labels, and then how to pot out the Christmas tree once the festive period is over. We have a mutual passion for real Christmas trees and want to share the love with the rest of the industry.”
Christopher Hood, founder and Chairman of Needlefresh said, “It’s great that David shares our love of Real Christmas trees in the home. We spend a lot of time explaining to people how the trees are grown, but there isn’t a lot out there helping people to get the very best out of their tree during the festive period. The short films David has hosted really connect with the customer who wants to get the very best out of their special tree for Christmas”
The videos are available to be shared on garden centre’s websites that stock Needlefresh Christmas trees. The range includes a whole host of trees including Traditional trees, Pot Grown trees, and Needlefast® trees that don’t drop their needles so easily.
Consultant, public speaker and author Linbert Spencer OBE will be presenting at the Garden Centre Association’s annual conference in Blackburn in January next year...
Consultant, public speaker and author Linbert Spencer OBE will be presenting at the Garden Centre Association’s annual conference in Blackburn in January next year.
Garden centre owners, managers and their teams will hear from Linbert on Monday, January 23 and discover how to leverage diversity to enhance their organisation’s corporate culture and business outcomes.
Tammy Woodhouse, GCA Chairman, explains: “Linbert has been helping organisations and individuals to transform themselves for more than 30 years. He specialises in inclusion, leadership, performance management, personal development and coaching, which will be a perfect fit for our Monday presentations, where speakers are focused on the operational side of our members’ businesses.
“He is also a prolific public speaker, who will really engage with our attendees, and has led workshops globally in more than 20 countries, as well as across the UK. His level of expertise has been passed on through his books, The Diversity Pocket Book; How to Build a Multi-Ethnic Church and How to Create Inclusive Environments. He has also contributed to a number of other publications.”
A former professional actor, international athlete and television presenter, he established Linbert Spencer Consultancy in 1990, co-founded The Windsor Fellowship in 1986 and The Centre for Inclusive Leadership in 2017 and has held CEO positions in many other organisations too.
He has also appeared in many documentaries and programmes for both television and radio including two appearances on BBC One’s Question Time.
Linbert is Chairman of All We Can Y Care International – an International NGO and holds various other Trustee positions, including Trustee of the HEART Academies Multi-Academy Trust and of the Harpur Trust, a grant making Trust with responsibility for four independent schools in Bedford.
Tammy adds: “We are very much looking forward to Linbert taking to the stage and sharing his wealth of knowledge.
“Our industry is very diverse and it will be fascinating to hear how garden centres and their teams can best support their business strategies and relationships externally, with the wider public, while also gaining confidence internally too.”
The GCA represents nearly 200 garden centres nationwide.
Through sharing information and its inspection programme the GCA helps members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.
The GCA’s annual conference will be held at the Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa in Blackburn, Lancashire from January 22 until 25, 2023 and places can be booked via www.gca.org.uk.
The conference pages on the website will be updated with speaker announcements and full listings as the programme develops and exact timings are confirmed. There is also a dedicated email for any queries members, and those wishing to book for the event, may have: conference@gca.org.uk.
Linbert Spencer OBE will be speaking to attendees on Monday, January 23.
British horticulture will be the focus of the 2023 edition of IPM Essen, the world's leading horticulture trade fair, the Commercial Horticultural Association is delighted to announce...
British horticulture will be the focus of the 2023 edition of IPM Essen, the world's leading horticulture trade fair, the Commercial Horticultural Association is delighted to announce.
From 24 to 27 January 2023, the United Kingdom will be the official country partner of the world's leading trade fair for horticulture.
UK companies specialising in plants, technology and equipment will come to Messe Essen to present themselves and their products on the British pavilion, which promises to be a valuable additional visitor draw for the participating exhibitors.
A host of special events is being arranged to celebrate the expertise and innovation of the UK commercial horticulture sector, including a reception featuring British food and drink, English and Scottish music, feature planting displays at the show entrances and a wealth of information about the UK’s commercial horticulture sector from the CHA team on the UK pavilion.
The International Horticultural Forum at the exhibition will provide insights from UK experts into current developments in the green sector in Great Britain.
The Commercial Horticultural Association will be in charge of the preparations and activities surrounding the partner country appearance, supported by the British Department for International Trade (DIT) and the British Embassy.
"The CHA is proud to be working with the organisers of IPM ESSEN in representing Great British horticulture in 2023. As the partner country for this important international show we are promoting the expertise, diversity and innovative technology that Great Britain can bring to the world and commercial horticulture. We look forward to a very busy show and showcasing what Britain does best,” says Pat Flynn, Trade Association Manager of CHA.
The UK produces a wide range of horticultural products. Many new plants will be travelling to Essen: among them, Whetman Plants International is launching two compact, fragrant, bee-friendly and drought-tolerant Choisya at the show: Choisya x dewitteana 'Little Bee' PBR and Choisya x dewitteana 'Little Honey Bee' PBR. New compact clematis cultivars from the Raymond J Evison programme such as 'The Duchess of Cornwall Evipo118', 'TsukikoTM Evipo110', 'RavelTM Evipo122', 'IsseyTM Evipo081' and 'PoseidonTM Evipo113' will be shown by Guernsey Clematis Nursery.
The exhibitor Fairweather's Nurseries from the English county of Hampshire specialises in growing Agapanthus. The assortment comprises more than 50 varieties and these will be presented at the exhibition.
In addition to plants, trade visitors can also expect innovations in the field of technology and equipment: from environmentally-friendly and growth-promoting reusable pots from Caledonian Trees to cost-effective LED lighting solutions especially for horticulture from INDO Lighting; from customisable labels, packaging and sales materials from PPC Labels to sustainably produced gardening supplies from Tyne Moulds & Machinery.
Andrea Hölker, Project Manager of IPM ESSEN, confirms: "We are very pleased that Great Britain will be the partner country of the next IPM ESSEN and will put its horticulture in the focus. As the world's leading trade fair, we are pleased to making a valuable contribution to networking within the international green sector."
The German-English International Horticultural Forum at 14.00 on 26 January 2023 offers a prime opportunity for this. Presentations by British and German experts will shed light on current industry topics. Visitors will gain a detailed insight into British horticulture and have the opportunity to talk directly to the speakers. Panelists include Raymond J. Evison of Guernsey Clematis Nursery, Patrick Fairweather of Fairweather's Nurseries and Matt Appleby, editor of Horticulture Week, the UK's leading horticultural magazine.
Official visits to the UK pavilion are planned as part of the partner country presentation. On the first day of the fair, the pavilion will be a stop on the opening tour with industry representatives from business and politics.
The CHA will also invite a delegation of British growers to IPM ESSEN 2023.
Entertainment typical of the country will also be provided, including live British music.
Information on exhibiting and promotional opportunities for UK companies are available from the CHA secretariat at lydia@cha-hort.com or from Pat Flynn, Trade Association Manager at pat@cha-hort.com or 07778 313623.
Everyone wants a reputation as a seller of quality plants, because if plants prove difficult for consumers to keep alive, they might avoid buying them again. Poinsettias have an undeserved reputation as a fussy plant, but in fact, caring for them is easy if you remember a few special tips. The poinsettia experts at SfE are here to give five top tips to help you, your staff, and your customers care for poinsettias correctly, so they can be enjoyed throughout the autumn and winter months...
Everyone wants a reputation as a seller of quality plants, because if plants prove difficult for consumers to keep alive, they might avoid buying them again. Poinsettias have an undeserved reputation as a fussy plant, but in fact, caring for them is easy if you remember a few special tips.
The poinsettia experts at SfE are here to give five top tips to help you, your staff, and your customers care for poinsettias correctly, so they can be enjoyed throughout the autumn and winter months.
Tip 1: Close the door, keep your profits inside
With seasonal plants it’s tempting to display them where they will be the first thing customers see when they open the door, but poinsettias should be the exception to this rule. They are native to the hotter climates of central America so they don’t like draughts. This means it’s important to keep them away from open doors or windows in your store, and at a temperatures of no less than 12°C.
Why is this so important? The effects of the cold might not be visible immediately but over time the plant might shrivel and die, and your profit along with it. This could happen either in-store or worse – once your customer gets their poinsettia home. If they think your plants are poor quality, they won’t buy from you again, so you should always protect your star assets by keeping them somewhere draught-free and communicate the same message to your customers. This both demonstrates your knowledge and boosts long-term sales.
Like people, poinsettias need to be wrapped up warmly for their journey home. After a sale, always make sure you and your staff wrap poinsettias in plenty of paper.
Tip 2: Don’t overwater, display the champagne glass trick
The most common way people kill their poinsettias is by overwatering. As a tropical plant, poinsettias don’t need much moisture, so little and often is the key. Follow this tip to make sure you and your staff won’t waste precious time or water in giving plants more than they need.
Every two to three days, a poinsettia in a standard size pot (about 13cm) needs roughly 100ml, which is about as much as you’d fit in a champagne flute. You’ll need less for smaller pot sizes, for example, a shot glass worth of water for a mini poinsettia. As the festive season approaches, it’s fitting to remember this tip with celebratory drinking glasses.
You could even display your plants with an empty champagne flute among them, with a chalkboard sign explaining the trick, to remind staff and customers of the exact amount of water needed.
If unsure, to test whether poinsettias need watering, push a fingertip into the soil. It should be neither soaking wet nor very dry. An average sized poinsettia needs watering every two to three days but smaller volumes of soil will need watering more often, or if they’re kept in a very warm room or near a source of heat.
Make poinsettia watering part of your everyday business routine. For example, on a weekly planner, mark the day and the staff member responsible for doing it, so the job never gets forgotten or gets done too often by mistake!
Reinforce the message by downloading SfE’s free handy icons to put up in your storeroom or workspace, to remind staff to water moderately.
Tip 3: Remember the 15-minute rule
Poinsettias don’t like being waterlogged so always empty the saucer or planter of any excess moisture 15 minutes after watering, to avoid their roots standing in liquid. Alternatively, you can water the plant from the base, letting it drink from the bottom. To do this, pour water directly into the saucer or planter, then place the poinsettia in the water and wait for about 15 minutes for the soil to soak it up. If the water disappears quickly, add a little more. Once the liquid level doesn’t change for several minutes, the plant has had enough and it’s time to discard the excess.
Tip 4: Help customers to help themselves – educate them
Poinsettias are such beautiful, decorative plants that no home should be without one (or more) during the autumn and winter months. Help your customers get the best out of their plant, and encourage them to purchase, by educating them with expert care advice from SfE.
You can do this in many ways, from sharing it on your website and social media, to printing posters, flyers, or care cards – see the next tip to learn more about materials offered by SfE. Don’t forget to use word-of-mouth at the till to share your knowledge in person, making it even more memorable.
This will give existing customers the confidence that you are knowledgeable about your plants, and for those who haven’t yet purchased a poinsettia, learning expert care tips might persuade them to do so.
Tip 5: Use SfE’s free downloadable tools
Visit SfE’s dedicated trade website, www.sfe-trade.com, where you can access free retail-specific downloads from the resources section, including helpful care icons and posters for encouraging your staff to give proper care in-store. You can download a free, readymade newsletter full of poinsettia care tips and email it out to your customer database. You can also share SfE’s new care videos and graphics on your social media channels, to educate your customers. SfE also offers free, downloadable point-of-sale materials such as care flyers, ready for printing and distributing to customers in-store.
Stars for Europe (SfE) is the marketing initiative of the European poinsettia growers Dümmen Orange, Selecta One, Beekenkamp Plants and Syngenta Flowers. The initiative was founded in 2000 with the aim of promoting and securing long-term poinsettia sales in Europe. SfE activities currently exist in 22 European countries. From 2021 to 2024, marketing activities will be supported by the EU as part of the "Stars unite Europe" campaign in seven countries: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Spain.
Reproduction is free of charge on condition that the image credit "Stars for Europe" is included. Please send a copy.
The Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association is made up of the best brands within the outdoor leisure industry and the products they supply are not only of the highest quality but also safe.
LOFA wanted to ensure that all the cushions sold by their furniture members complied with the most up to date safety standards so with this in mind they set up LOFA Assured, an initiative in partnership with Hertfordshire Trading Standards, that audits each LOFA member that sells cushioned furniture.
The audit requires the members to have full traceability on all cushions that they supply into the UK marketplace. Through extensive research LOFA have proven that 8 out of 10 samples on the shop floor or out in the marketplace are non-compliant with current UK regulations making the products unsafe.
Proof of unsafe and non-compliant products is often hard to come but this story proves that nonregulated cushions are still being brought into the country and sold to an unsuspecting public...
The Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association is made up of the best brands within the outdoor leisure industry and the products they supply are not only of the highest quality but also safe.
LOFA wanted to ensure that all the cushions sold by their furniture members complied with the most up to date safety standards so with this in mind they set up LOFA Assured, an initiative in partnership with Hertfordshire Trading Standards, that audits each LOFA member that sells cushioned furniture.
The audit requires the members to have full traceability on all cushions that they supply into the UK marketplace. Through extensive research LOFA have proven that 8 out of 10 samples on the shop floor or out in the marketplace are non-compliant with current UK regulations making the products unsafe.
Proof of unsafe and non-compliant products is often hard to come but this story proves that nonregulated cushions are still being brought into the country and sold to an unsuspecting public.
A Romford-based furniture shop has received a £15,000 fine for selling unsafe chairs that did not meet fire safety requirements, following an investigation by Havering Council.
The owners of Rattan Garden Furniture Ltd appeared in Barkingside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 6 September after Havering’s Trading Standards team received an anonymous complaint about two of their products – the ‘Atlanta’ and ‘Tokyo’ chairs.
Trading Standards conducted test purchases of two Atlanta chairs and sent them to a laboratory for fire safety tests. The results indicated that the fabric and foam used in the chairs were unsafe.
Subsequently, the council, supported by Essex Trading Standards, seized the ‘Atlanta’ and ‘Tokyo chairs from the company’s Essex warehouse.
A suspension notice for the ‘Tokyo’ and ‘Atlanta’ product lines were also issued to Rattan Garden Furniture Ltd to prevent the sale of these product lines.
Test reports for the seized chairs concluded that the fabric and foam used in the chairs were not compliant with the Fire Safety Standards for upholstered furniture (BS 5852) and therefore unsafe.
Rattan Furniture Company Ltd pleaded guilty to possessing goods that did not meet safety regulations, with the intention to sell to the public.
The company also pleaded guilty to contravening a suspension notice for continuing to advertise the Atlanta and Tokyo chairs for sale on its website after the suspension notice was issued.
The company received a fine of £15,000 for the offences. It was also ordered to pay costs in excess of £13,000.
Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said:
“In the wake of recent tragedies, it is vital that businesses follow strict fire safety rules for products to ensure their customers stay safe. There is no excuse for businesses to sell unsafe products.
“It’s sad that we had to take action against this company, but I’m pleased with this result, and hope it encourages other companies to ensure their products meet British safety standards.”
Mr Brightman and Ms Jane Rayment, the company’s Manager and Director respectively, both received an administrative caution for being in possession of goods for supply, that did not meet the requirements of the safety regulations, and contravening the suspension notice.
Don’t play cushion-roulette – always buy from a LOFA member – always buy a LOFA Assured product. Don’t gamble with the safety of your loved ones.
The LOFA Assured Swing tag means that retailers and consumers can be safe in the knowledge that these cushions have been tested to the highest standards and comply with the same fire-retardant regulations as your indoor furniture.
Perennial, the charity helping people in horticulture, is introducing a new service called ‘nudge’ to support the financial wellbeing of people in the industry...
Perennial, the charity helping people in horticulture, is introducing a new service called ‘nudge’ to support the financial wellbeing of people in the industry.
The free, personalised financial management tool equips you with the skills and knowledge to take control of your money on a day-to-day basis. All those who work with plants, trees, grass or flowers can use it to help them navigate their everyday spending and future milestones.
Looking after your wellbeing is of paramount importance and crucial to this is how we feel about our finances. Perennial’s Health & Wellbeing Survey (2021) found that mental wellbeing and financial pressures are among the biggest perceived challenges for people working in horticulture. 85% of people’s mental wellbeing was poor or below average. 26% of people’s income didn't cover their daily living costs. 16% felt under financial pressure along with 36% of the UK population according to a recent MaPs survey.
Julia Hayne, Director of Services at Perennial, says: “We’re pleased to partner with nudge to support people in horticulture with their financial wellbeing. We want people to feel in control of their finances so that they can plan ahead. Using nudge can help people to feel confident in making good financial decisions, so they can make the most of their income. When people are in control of their money, they’re in control of their lives making them happier, less anxious and more empowered. This is a good place to be.”
Tim Perkins, Co-Founder of nudge, commented: "We are delighted to support Perennial. We are constantly striving to help everyone, in every industry, take control of their finances and build a brighter future. We look forward to seeing how this partnership develops and the impact on people in the horticultural industry.”
nudge says only 13% of adults have received any sort of financial education, so it has combined behavioural psychology, data and personalised education approaches to help empower people to develop their financial skills and knowledge, giving them:
Notifications or ‘nudges’ - Personal alerts by email, SMS or WhatsApp that tell you if there is something you need to know, or a financial action you should take.
Simple money management tools - Interactive tools that help you realistically plan, prepare, and organise your finances, including budgeting, borrowing, and saving.
Financial social feed & stories – Useful, bite-sized, easy-to-understand educational financial posts and articles to help you reach your goals.
Financial health checkup - Helps you understand where you’re thriving and where there’s room for improvement.
Perennial provides free and confidential advice, information, and support through its helpline on 0800 093 8543 or find out more by visiting perennial.org.uk.
Kevin Burgess of Leon Boots and his wife Kendra have donated £250 to Greenfingers after walking to the summit of Snowdon in their Leon Boots wellies...
Kevin Burgess of Leon Boots and his wife Kendra have donated £250 to Greenfingers after walking to the summit of Snowdon in their Leon Boots wellies.
Kevin told GTN Xtra: "This isn’t a rare thing & this wasn’t done as a challenge just something that helps raise the profile for both the brand & Greenfingers as we are donating £250 to help their amazing work."
This season’s BBQ must-have helps protect outdoor flooring and makes grilling a pleasure..
This season’s BBQ must-have helps protect outdoor flooring and makes grilling a pleasure
Forget trendy tools, smoker kits and personalised platters; the ultimate BBQ accessory that all grillers will want to get their hands on in 2023 is Primeur’s brand new Eco Trend BBQ Mat. Providing extra comfort for serious grillers, whilst helping to protect flooring under heavy BBQs from getting scratched, scuffed or stained, the exciting new launch is set to be the latest must-have in the BBQ category.
Perfect protection Brits may have a passion for cooking al fresco, as soon as the sun makes an appearance, but many end up frustrated when their precious BBQ leaves scuffs and scrapes on their outdoor flooring. Heavy grills and firepits can cause a lot of damage to flooring and result in costly repairs. Grease, sauce and other spluttering liquids can also be difficult to clean off, leaving unsightly marks – not ideal when trying to create a chic outdoor space.
Primeur’s exclusive new recycled rubber BBQ Mats offer unparalleled protection for all outdoor flooring – from tiled patios to wooden decking – providing a barrier between heavy equipment and the floor. Fat, grease and sauces can be easily cleaned off the impervious rubber surface, keeping the floor underneath pristine. Equally, the flexible nature of rubber reduces damage to any treasured BBQ tools that are accidentally dropped during the cooking process.
Big and built to last With its 80x120cm footprint, the Eco Trend BBQ mat is large enough to accommodate most grills on the market and capture any stray spills and splatters along the way. Manufactured from recycled rubber tyres, this robust mat is tough enough to withstand extreme weather conditions – so won’t have to be brought in when the heavens open or Jack Frost pays a visit. All of Primeur’s recycled rubber products are also stain, mould and mildew resistant but non-toxic, so are safe for use around children, pets and plants.
Built to last, the non-slip and virtually indestructible Eco Trend BBQ Mat (RRP £29.99) is a solid investment for keen barbecuers and will do its job for years to come.
Creating opportunities
Brand new for 2023, the Primeur Eco Trend BBQ Mat is supplied in display boxes of 36, with replenishment packs of two also available. Eye-catching and informative graphics on the display boxes will stop shoppers in their tracks and help to clearly communicate the benefits of the product. It also prominently highlights the eco credentials of the mat, which is manufactured from recycled rubber tyres that would otherwise be sent to landfill. Another bonus with rubber is that it is lightweight, making this product an easy one for your customers to just ‘grab and go’. Don’t miss out on stocking what looks set to be the ultimate impulse purchase for the new BBQ season.
To find more about Primeur’s 2023 offering, please contact the team on 01274 518800, email sales@primeur.ltd.uk or visit www.primeur.co.uk
An understanding of stone – GTN Interviews the Meadow View Stone team
Crystal ball gazing for 2030 – HTA Conference 2022
Camden Garden Centre Photo Tour
Tales from the shop floor – Mark Portman at Camden Garden Centre
Rosey future at Mr Fothergills
Celtic Spa’s – LOFA Member profile
GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2022 – Nominate your teams now
Serious about selling plants at Four Oaks
Glee New Product Directory, Part 2
Solex New Product Directory
Change brings opportunity – GIMA Column
Horticulture and government – ORHG Column
GTN October 2022. More New Products for 2023 & The Greatest Christmas Awards 2022 launch.
Inside this issue: An understanding of stone – GTN Interviews the Meadow View Stone team, Crystal ball gazing for 2030 – HTA Conference 2022, Camden Garden Centre Photo Tour, Tales from the shop floor – Mark Portman at Camden Garden Centre, Rosey future at Mr Fothergills, Celtic Spa’s – LOFA Member profile, GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2022 – Nominate you teams now, Serious about selling plants at Four Oaks, Glee New Product Directory, Part 2, Solex New Product Directory, Change brings opportunity – GIMA Column, Horticulture and government – ORHG Column. Advertisers in this issue: The Solar Centre, Evergreen Garden Care, Apsley Farms, Meadow View Stone, Sipcam, Mr Fothergills, The Real Soil Company, Vitax, Fandango Fire Tools, Pot Mate, Solex 2023.
The Greenfingers Charity’s Board of Trustees has further expanded with the inclusion of Richard Claxton, GP and therapeutic garden designer...
The Greenfingers Charity’s Board of Trustees has further expanded with the inclusion of Richard Claxton, GP and therapeutic garden designer.
Richard, who trained at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals Medical School has specialised in both paediatrics and general practice medicine. After a long career that has spanned over 25 years, Richard has now retrained as a garden designer, and specialises in creating garden spaces that focus heavily on the mental and physical wellbeing that gardening provides as well as placing biodiversity and the integration of wildlife at the heart of the garden.
It is this knowledge and personal passion that makes Richard a great asset for the Greenfingers Board of Trustees, who together are responsible for controlling the work, management and administration of the charity. Additionally, the trustees operate alongside the in-house team who work daily to build the profile and band of supporters that help the Greenfingers Charity continue to build gardens at children’s hospices across the country.
Talking about this new role, Richard said: "I couldn't be happier to be appointed as a Trustee of Greenfingers. As a charity it's the perfect fit for me; harnessing the importance of nature through special gardens for children, their families and the hospice staff to spend precious time within. Collectively they all face such huge challenges, and the provision of these beautiful green spaces by Greenfingers is so important and has such a powerful impact. I'm glad to be able to help in whatever way I can."
Sue Allen, Chairman at Greenfingers Charity added: “We are delighted to welcome Richard onto the Board. Richard, perhaps more than most, appreciates not just the value of gardening on a personal and professional level, but his career as a GP means that he truly understands the challenges hospice communities face daily. I have no doubt that this knowledge will add real value to the Greenfingers Charity as we develop future gardens and fundraising opportunities.”
You can also join in the conversation by joining Greenfingers on social media - https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/, @GreenfingersCha on Twitter, and @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn.
SBM Life Science, the group behind the iconic fertiliser brands, Baby Bio® and Phostrogen®, has celebrated a successful season for the company, sharing news of the expansion of its UK sales team and the growth of market shares throughout 2022...
SBM Life Science, the group behind the iconic fertiliser brands, Baby Bio® and Phostrogen®, has celebrated a successful season for the company, sharing news of the expansion of its UK sales team and the growth of market shares throughout 2022.
Bolstering its brands’ presence across the south-west of England, the group has announced the appointment of a new partnership with JBM Sales Ltd, increasing the SBM sales representatives throughout the region with an additional three team members. Led by directors James Mitchell and Becky Rose, and supported by Tara Truman, the team brings a wealth of experience to the accounts, having previously worked across key industry names such as Westland, Doff and Sinclair.
James Mitchell, director at JBM Sales Ltd, said: “We are incredibly excited to begin working with SBM Life Science across the south-west of England. Together, we have a shared aim and ambition to increase the penetration throughout the region by offering excellent service coupled with an innovative portfolio.”
Scott Williams, UK Sales Director for SBM Life Science, added: “We are delighted to welcome, James, Becky and Tara to the growing SBM team, increasing our sales representation in the area significantly, which will enable us to further our exposure and achieve even greater market growth throughout next season.”
The appointment of JBM Sales Ltd comes as GfK Market Data released for the period July 2021-June 22 reveals that SBM’s UK market shares in plant fertilisers has grown by 4%, despite an overall market decline of -14%, following the launch of a new range of organic fertilisers earlier this year for the much-loved plant food brand, Phostrogen®.
Having also introduced a new Organic Houseplant Food to Baby Bio®’s extensive portfolio, GfK Market Data also reports that the group’s market share in houseplant care has increased by 5% during the same period, maintaining the brand’s position as the leading name for houseplant care products, while its share in plant insecticides has also grown by 5%.
The success follows a significant investment in marketing activity at the beginning of the season, implemented to stimulate growth and support the new product launches. Activity has included a fresh rebrand for Phostrogen®, the launch of a digital campaign, including the broadcast of the brand’s first television advert, appointment of gardening specialist PR agency Honest Communications, and a host of innovative instore creative and point of sale solutions.
James Ramnought, Marketing Director for SBM Life Science commented: “Despite challenging conditions in the market over the past year, we are delighted with the increase in shares achieved this season. This continued growth demonstrates the belief our retail partners and consumers have in the brands, the products, and our future strategy, and we look forward to progressing plans for a successful 2023 season.”
Green Elf Trees, a Christmas tree delivery service have two new initiatives for 2022...
Green Elf Trees, a Christmas tree delivery service have two new initiatives for 2022:
UKRAINIAN REFUGEES/CHARITIES: we will donate £3, for every tree sold, to a Ukrainian refugee charity here in the UK (or you can choose from 5 other charities that may be close to your heart). We'll also be gifting trees to Ukrainian families now living in the UK.
REPLANTING YOUR TREE AFTER CHRISTMAS: in addition to traditional cut trees, we're now offering rentable pot-grown trees that we collect after Christmas and replant in the South East of England (the most sustainable tree option available).
Originally launching in 2020, our mission is bold but simple; sustainably source British Christmas Trees and conveniently deliver them to homes across the UK, whilst supporting various charities along the way.
The company say; "Our commitment to sustainability is widespread; all-electric delivery fleet, promoting real trees over artificial ones (having only 10% of the carbon footprint), only sourcing trees from the UK to minimise miles spent in transit and offsetting the carbon emissions from our fulfilment process.
Plants and Christmas have been the star performers so far this October according to the GTN Bestsellers weekly EPOS data analysis...
Plants and Christmas have been the star performers so far this October according to the GTN Bestsellers weekly EPOS data analysis.
Plants sales in the first three weeks of October have been 3.2% up on 2021 volumes and 14% up on 2019 which means the GTN Bestsellers Year to date All Plant sales volume index now sits at 9.3% down on 2021 but 7.5% up on 2019.
Christmas sales have really excelled so far this month. The GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Christmas Products index for the first three weeks of October shows sales volumes up by 24.2% on last year and 5% up on 2019. With haft term week’s data to be analysed this week we could be on for a record October for Christmas. Watch this space for the full months analysis and the first GTN Bestsellers Christmas Charts of the year.
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2021: week 42.
Garden Products Top 50 – down 20%
Growing Media Top 50 – down 23%
Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – down 21%
Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 23%
Christmas Top 50 – up 17%
GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2021: week 42.
• All Plants with Barcode index – down 15%
• All Items with Barcode index – down 7%
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2019: week 42.
Garden Products Top 50 – down 17%
Growing Media Top 50 – up 29%
Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 109%
Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 37%
Christmas Top 50 – up 6%
GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2019: week 42
The GIMA Awards 2022 has been another sell-out event, as the garden retail sector comes together to celebrate the innovation, people and products that have helped our industry thrive throughout 2022. On Thursday evening, the winners were announced, with Westland taking home a record-breaking eight awards...
The GIMA Awards 2022 has been another sell-out event, as the garden retail sector comes together to celebrate the innovation, people and products that have helped our industry thrive throughout 2022. On Thursday evening, the winners were announced, with Westland taking home a record-breaking eight awards!
GIMA AWARDS 2022 – THE WINNERS
One of the most coveted accolades is the GIMA Sword of Excellence, and this year it was Westland who walked away with the honour for its Boost All Purpose Plant Food. The judges said: “Boost All Purpose Plant Food shows a company at the very top of its game. The development and marketing behind this product have delivered an all-round winner for the market.”
Elsewhere, the team from Meadow View Stone was celebrating having been awarded the GCA Supplier of the Year Award for the second year running. Talking about why Meadow View deserved the title once again, the GCA said: “Meadow View Stone offer exceptional customer service, even in times of high pressure, transport issues, supply shortages and last minutes changes to orders. We deal with a lot of suppliers and can honestly say we receive the best service from the team at Meadow View.” Whilst not named a winner, Smart Garden Products was awarded finalist status in having delivered another incredible year of service and innovation.
The 2022 Gardenex Export AchievementAward was presented to Westland, with Mr Fothergill’s Seeds and Spear & Jackson enjoying finalist status. Talking about Westland, Gardenex said: “The Kent & Stowe range has seen considerable growth in export markets, despite Covid and Brexit. Sales have increased exponentially when compared to 2019 and 2020 and is showing no signs of slowing. Entering into partnerships and distributorships and investing significantly in infrastructure and personnel to assist with the growth, Westland continues to reap the benefits and expand into new markets with their traditional British designed quality tools.
Sustainability was also high on the agenda, with not one but two companies walking away with this year’s Sustainability Award. The judges remarked: “It’s great that we have such a strong selection of sustainable products to choose from, so much so that we decided to award joint winners”. Those winners are Woolcool –the brand behind Hortiwool, and Willsow, with its plantable children’s books.
A ‘Sustainability Champion’ was also selected within each category (where relevant), celebrating the different ways sustainable solutions are being brought to market.
About the winner: Boost All Purpose Plant Food produces four more times more flowers and an abundance of fruit and veg compared to watering alone. Benefitting from Westland’s PlantSense™ Technology – ‘Boost’ is suitable for feeding all plants, fruits and veg and peat and peat free composts
What the judges said: “'Exactly the product we needed! Clever branding and very commercial.”
About the winner: Visiroot Trays are made from rPET, which is durable enough for use season after season, and can be recycled through all UK kerbside collections. The material also makes it easy to check root growth and monitor plant health and moisture levels with transparent green rPET material. Half-sized, multi-cell trays are easy to handle and suit the hobby gardener in a small greenhouse, whilst the unique moisture bridge cells, allow for even watering and distribution of nutrients preventing plants in cells from getting neglected.
What the judges said: “'Excellent reuse of plastic bottles” and “great overhaul of this product.”
Garden Tools, Machinery and Implements
Winner: Westland – Eversharp
Finalists: EP Barrus – Anti Clog Leaf Rakes, Rollins Bulldog Tools – Bulldog /V&A Pedigree Garden Tool collaboration, Husqvarna UK – Gardena EcoLine handtools range
Category Sustainability Champion: Husqvarna UK – Gardena EcoLine handtools range
About the winner: Eversharp is penned as the hardest sharpest blade, that never blunts. Westland has enriched the range with delights for consumers, including ambidextrous, adjustable hand sizer, built-in string, and wire-cutters.
What the judges said: “Made in the UK, from durable long-lasting, high-quality materials.”
Outdoor Leisure
Winner: Garden Village – Waddington Garden Bar
Finalists: Smart Garden Products – Outside In Designs: Neptune Giant Alfresco Rug, Forest Garden - Firenze Corner Arbour, Zest – Zest Cherry Blossom Bench, Leisuregrow – Casa Mia Tempo Chiminea
About the winner: Perfect for entertaining, the 'Waddington Garden Bar' has three adjustable shelves included as standard, with plenty of use-able space. It has also been pressure treated to increase durability and protect against rot to enable it to be used in your garden for many years to come.
What the judges said: “Well made, on-trend and simple.”
About the winner: Offering more seeds per metre than any other wildflower seed mix, this is the leading native wildflower easy sow mix on the market today. Supported by new 100% recycled box packaging.
What the judges said: “A good seller and popular range, plus it provides a great way to get more bees into your garden.”
Garden Landscaping
Winner: Treadstone Products – Pot & Trough Trellis
About the winner: The pot trellis is uniquely designed with a curved profile to follow the lines of circular pots, whilst the trough trellis mirrors the tapered design of most garden troughs. It also features textured paint to help plants grip to the trellis.
What the judges said: “Sturdy design suited to any garden situation and supported by a great price point.”
Category Sustainability Champion: Willsow – The Plantable Children's Book
About the winner: The world’s first plantable children’s book. Never before have you been able to read the story, plant the pages and grow/meet the main character! Each book is embedded with roughly 500 non-gmo vegetable or herb seeds (in the cover pages), which means they can be torn off and planted to grow the main character of each book. So far, the range features five different books, with each story benefitting from a deeper message, whilst also promoting sustainability.
What the judges said: “Sustainable materials, plantable covers and encouraging young gardeners - Perfect!”
Pet Care, Aquatics and Wild Bird Care Products
Winner: Wildlife World – Artisan Natural Bee Skeps
Finalists: Wildlife World – The Bali Island Range, Artisan Hanging Bird Table, Bee Hotel and Bird Nestbox, Wildlife World – 'Water is Life' Bath and Drinker, Westland - Gardman Homegrown Harvest Seed Mix
Category Sustainability Champion: Wildlife World – Artisan Natural Bee Skeps
About the winners: These Fair-Trade Artisan Natural Bee Skeps are a fusion between the traditional European bee skeps and the skilled handmade style of artisans from Bangladesh. The range supports the artisan workers in Southern Bangladesh who make them—funding the survival of many women and their families in rural communities living in poverty.
What the judges said: “Great value for a beautiful, practical and sustainable product.”
Category Sustainability Champion: The Solar Centre – Madison Drop Bulbs
About the winner: These lights go back to basics, utilising a 3W solar panel and a high-capacity li-ion replaceable battery to keep the lights shining year-round.
What the judges said: “A quality, durable and on-trend product that is built to last.”
Decorative Pots & Planters
Winner: Primeur – Tierra Verde Recycled Rubber Flamenco Planter
Finalist: Elho – Vibia Campana Flower Twin, Elho – Greensense Aqua Care, Capi Europe BV – Waste Rib NL Collection
About the winner: A large new modern planter, offering a new silhouette to the range, adding choice and design options to suit indoor and outdoor spaces. Made from 100% recycled rubber tyres, which have been diverted from landfill. Recycled rubber is not only an eco-friendly choice, it also offers the customer superior durability and protection from extreme weather conditions, with no fading, no cracking or rotting. This is also beneficial to retailers, as the planters will not break on display.
What the judges said: “Great price for a large container, with clear eco credentials.”
GIMA AWARDS 2022 – MARKETING AWARDS
Best Point of Sale Material
Winner: Westland – Boost All Purpose Plant Feed Gondola POS
Finalists: WHM Pet Group – Wild Bird Eco-Refill Pick 'N' Mix Wooden Cart, Treadstone Products – ClipGlove Pruner Display Stand, Elho – Display Street Concept
Category Sustainability Champion: WHM Pet Group – Wild Bird Eco-Refill Pick 'N' Mix Wooden Cart
About the winner: Feeding your plants is more important than ever in our new world of peat-free growing. This POS was designed to showcase ‘Boost’ and give consumers the garden they want. To educate, to entice, to excite and ultimately give them 4 x more blooms. It is deliberately eye-catching, modern, fresh but, most importantly, educational, and informative, so consumers can make an informed choice.
What the judges said: “Eye catching and brings the product to life. It’s also clearly linked to the TV advertising.”
Best Sustainable Product Packaging
Winner: Smart Garden Products – Useful Garden Sundries and Accessories
Finalists: Evergreen Garden Care – Bring Back to store Compost Recycling scheme, WHM Pet Group – 100% Recycled, Recyclable & Biodegradable Wild Bird Packaging range, Evergreen Garden Care – Refill stations
Category Sustainability Champions: Evergreen Garden Care – Bring Back to store Compost Recycling scheme
About the winner: The Useful range provides consumers with an easy eco-choice when topping up on garden sundries and accessories – without compromising on the robustness of the packaging or the quality of the product within. A comprehensive collection of practical products and handy items.
What the judges said: “The first range to make the move to cardboard in the sundries market, in doing so they have made the product look new and interesting.”
Best Marketing Communication & Social Media Award
Winner: Westland – Boost All Purpose Plant Feed Marketing Campaign
Finalists: Westland – 'Peckish guide to Tits' & 'Check your Balls’ social media campaign, Evergreen Garden Care – Miracle-Gro: Friends over the Fence campaign, Evergreen Garden Care – Miracle-Gro: Keep Growing Campaign
About the winner: Designed to be a beautiful film that celebrates gardening and shows it in a new and exciting light to the viewer. Appealing to everyone, from your professional gardener to your student with a window box who fancies giving it a go for the first time, content was specifically designed to have an eye-catching and entertaining style, whilst visually stunning to entice the viewer and make them sit up and take notice.
What the judges said: “Possibly the most memorable TV ad since the launch of Miracle Gro.”
This year, the GIMA Awards winners were carefully selected by a panel of industry experts, made up of Will Blake, St Peter’s Garden Centre; David Danning, Blue Diamond Group; Kate Eckley, The Old Railway Line; Neil Grant, Ferndale Garden Centre; Sarah Hayden, John Lewis & Partners; Trevor Pfeiffer, Garden Trade News; Victoria Redshaw, Scarlet Opus, and finally, Chris Moorhouse from Wickes. As always, thanks to the high calibre and breadth of innovation on display, the judging day – which took place in July – was rife with debate and discussion, as the judges waxed lyrical about the merit of the entries. However, they finally whittled the selection down and each of the deserving winners took to the stage earlier tonight, alongside this year’s celebrity host, Rory Bremner.
GIMA Director, Vicky Nuttall said of the event: “What a night we have had! 17 awards and 10 incredible companies currently celebrating their win on the dancefloor! Every year, our judging panel and I are in awe of the level of innovation and development that is brought to market; and 2022 certainly hasn’t disappointed! Congratulations to all our winners, and a thank you to everyone that entered, attended, judged or sponsored the 2022 GIMA Awards. Your support is greatly appreciated.”
A memorial service to celebrate the life of Ian Boardman, who passed away at his home in France last month, will take place on Thursday, November 3. If you are planning to attend please let Ian's family know...
A memorial service to celebrate the life of Ian Boardman, who passed away at his home in France last month, will take place on Thursday, November 3.
The service will be held at St George’s Park Hilton Hotel, Newborough Road, Needworth, Burton-on-Trent DE13 9PD at 2.30pm.
The Boardman family have invited anyone who knew Ian to join them in the celebration of his life. It would be helpful to Ian's family if you could let them know if you are planning to attend. Please e-mail: sylvie.boardman@btinternet.com
A former garden centre manager, GCA Inspector, garden centre business consultant and trainer, Ian was a much-loved figure in the garden centre industry.
Dobbies has announced the opening date of its newly-built flagship store in Tewkesbury – one of its biggest to date and the largest in Southwest England...
Dobbies has announced the opening date of its newly-built flagship store in Tewkesbury – one of its biggest to date and the largest in Southwest England.
The 70,000 sq. ft centre based just off Junction 9 of the M5 at Ashchurch will open on November 3 at 10am and underlines Dobbies’ ongoing investment across the UK.
Expected to welcome more than 750,000 customers each year, the opening will include the launch of Dobbies’ full Christmas range along with its festive events programme and seasonal menu. As part of the company’s new foodhall partnership with Waitrose, customers will also be able to sample products from Waitrose’s well-loved food ranges as well as sweet treats from Hotel Chocolat.
Around 100 new jobs for local and neighbouring communities have been created at the Tewkesbury store which spans Dobbies’ range of plants, houseplants, gardening products, seasonal items, pet range, cookshop, home décor, gifts and toys.
The store also boasts a Little Seedlings soft play area for children and a 10,000 sq ft restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.
Graeme Jenkins, Chief Executive, Dobbies Garden Centres, said: “Our Tewkesbury store marks another major milestone for Dobbies and our growth strategy, and I am extremely proud of all the hard work that has gone into creating our flagship centre. I’d like to thank all the Dobbies’ team members and everyone else who has helped to achieve this.
“The Tewkesbury store promises an exceptional shopper experience for all the family, with customers able to enjoy a leisurely day of shopping, dining and fun for the children. We can’t wait to open our doors in November and hear what people think.”
The new Dobbies store is the first phase of a major development, brought together by Robert Hitchins Ltd, which also includes the forthcoming Cotswolds Designer Outlet, expected to open in 2024, and 1,310 homes being built to the south. The whole development is sited in a prime location at J9 of the M5 and close to Ashchurch for Tewkesbury train station.
Simon Tothill, Property and Development Director of Robert Hitchins Ltd, said: "We are delighted to be working with Dobbies and investing with them into the future in what forms part of a large and exciting mixed use development, including the Cotswolds Designer Outlet."
Dobbies Tewkesbury store will open its doors to the public at 10am on Thursday, November 3.
Taking place at the stunning Grade-II listed Pendley Manor in Tring, Hertfordshire, the dinner will bring together Greenfingers supporters for a spectacular night of celebrations. More importantly, the evening will provide these supporters with the opportunity to dig deep and raise vital funds for the children’s hospice garden charity. A key highlight of the evening will be an auction, filled with incredibly generous donations from some of the charity’s most valued supporters...
Taking place at the stunning Grade-II listed Pendley Manor in Tring, Hertfordshire, the dinner will bring together Greenfingers supporters for a spectacular night of celebrations. More importantly, the evening will provide these supporters with the opportunity to dig deep and raise vital funds for the children’s hospice garden charity. A key highlight of the evening will be an auction, filled with incredibly generous donations from some of the charity’s most valued supporters.
Talking ahead of the event, Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at the Greenfingers Charity said: “The response to the 2022 Greenfingers Charity Fundraising Dinner has been wonderful, and as such we only have a handful of tickets left. We’re therefore urging interested parties to get in touch as soon as possible to secure their place at this year’s event.
“All of us at Greenfingers are looking forward to welcoming all our guests on December 1st and are sure that the dinner will be as memorable as previous years, including most notably in 2019 when over £20,000 was raised!”
Call for raffle & auction prizes
If you are unable to join the 2022 Greenfingers Charity Fundraising Dinner but still want to support the charity, then why not provide a raffle or auction prize?
From products to weekend breaks, these prizes often help to generate huge sums for Greenfingers as guests dig deep to further grow the fundraising total, whilst also bagging themselves a special treat or experience.
Linda Petrons added: “Our supporters are always so generous when donating prizes and this year has been no different with some superb prizes up for grabs. Of course, we can always fit in a few more prizes so if people are interested in donating – whether something small or something big – we would welcome the chance to discuss this with them.”
Book your tickets now
Anyone interested in securing one of the remaining tickets – either individual tickets or a table of 10 - for the Greenfingers Charity Fundraising Dinner is invited to contact Linda Petrons direct by emailing linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk or by calling 07908 221240. Tickets can be booked individually or as a group table booking. Please note that places are limited.
Find out more
You can also join in the conversation by joining Greenfingers on social media -https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/, @GreenfingersCha on Twitter, and @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Plant nursery MDK has worked for years on the ideal green houseplants. Now the time has come to market the concept in the UK and Ireland under the brand name 'Beautanic Lifestyle'. The unique cultivation method and ingenious cultivation pot ensure strong, healthy plants that are easy to care for...
Plant nursery MDK has worked for years on the ideal green houseplants. Now the time has come to market the concept in the UK and Ireland under the brand name 'Beautanic Lifestyle'. The unique cultivation method and ingenious cultivation pot ensure strong, healthy plants that are easy to care for.
The special roots form the basis. The plants are grown hydroponically and are therefore peat-free. A completely different root system is created. These are called water roots. A common problem with the care of plants is that they are often kept too dry or too wet. You do not have this problem with water roots. Because they thrive by always standing in a layer of water, you only have to top up the water reservoir when the water meter indicates it.
Grower Marcel Duijvesteijn has left nothing to chance. The plants are delivered in a pot made of recycled material with a water reservoir and water level indicator that he designed himself. The lava rock granules in which the plant is rooted give the plant more strength and oxygen than standard hydro granules. Moreover, the lava rock granules are a sustainable natural product. The professional blend of powdered nutrients has been made available to the consumer in small jars. This so-called super food ensures very healthy plants and extra turnover for the garden centre.
All benefits are clearly visible on the shop floor thanks to the garden centre display and banner supplied free of charge. Plant exporter Javado UK takes care of the distribution.
The first garden centres have already received the concept and the response is very enthusiastic. Julie Aylett (Aylett Nurseries) spontaneously sent this email message: “We have only just received the plants and display and have already sold 9 large plants, 9 pots of super food, 3 bags of lava rock granules and 2 pots. The team are very excited by this response.”
Marcel Duijvesteijn: “Consumers feel insecure when it comes to purchasing the large houseplant they really want. They are afraid that they will not be able to keep the plant alive. With a plant from Beautanic Lifestyle and a matching jar of super food, they can effortlessly enjoy their purchase.”
Garden centres that are interested can contact James Woodham (Javado UK) at james@javadoplant.com or +44 (0) 7712 43 69 72
Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts...
Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.
The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra newsletter.
As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2018 as well as 2019 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.
Access is by subscription only. For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales. To subscribe call 07973 504214, e-mail karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.
Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for last week are here
Highlights of the GTN Plants Bestsellers chart for last week are here
Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for last week are here
Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro Bestsellers chart for last week are here
Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care Bestsellers chart for last week are here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers. Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.
Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.
GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £100m.
Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.
Hillier has announced its line-up of events to celebrate the Christmas season across its 19 garden centres...
Hillier has announced its line-up of events to celebrate the Christmas season across its 19 garden centres.
Proceedings begin with the ‘Festive Celebration Evenings’ taking place across centres on the 10th and 11th November. These will be an in-store event giving shoppers a first look at all things Christmas, including the decoration displays showcasing products from the four Hillier décor themes for the year, and exclusive previews of the new giftware range for 2023. Hillier Garden Centre will be hosting a party with a variety of festive entertainment and Gardening Club offers that will be sure to get you into the Christmas mood. Activities may vary per centre, but some entertainment includes craft fayres, reassure hunts for the children, hog roasts and more.
Following this, from the 22nd November, thousands of high-quality Christmas trees will be arriving and on sale with promotions available in-store, including £10 off any real, cut Christmas tree for Gardening Club members, with exclusive offers at its Three Legged Cross centres of 25% off all real, cut trees. Artificial Christmas trees will also be available to purchase in-store and online for the first time at www.hillier.co.uk, along with a vast array of low-voltage LED indoor and outdoor lights.
A delicious festive menu of bakery and savoury items will launch on 8th November, including an orange and cranberry scone that is served with clotted cream and Tiptree jam, Hillier signature baked mince pies, and a mincemeat, apple and fresh cream doughnut. Bookable festive two-course lunches with a choice of main courses and desserts will also be available from 5th December until 22nd December, along side a festive afternoon tea, consisting of an array of sandwiches and a selection of cakes, along with other festive nibbles and drinks.
Award-winning Christmas events from Hillier begin at the start of December with wreath making and Christmas table decoration workshops. All materials required to create a beautiful, festive decoration to take home are provided, and light refreshments are also included for a cost of £40 per person.
With the cost-of-living crisis affecting many, families might be looking to cut down on their usual festive spending over the Christmas and New Year period. Having a memorable Christmas whilst going easy on your purse and the planet is not as difficult as you think and with planning, you can still enjoy the holiday celebrations. British Garden Centres has put together 12 ways to enjoy a more affordable, greener Christmas this year...
With the cost-of-living crisis affecting many, families might be looking to cut down on their usual festive spending over the Christmas and New Year period. Having a memorable Christmas whilst going easy on your purse and the planet is not as difficult as you think and with planning, you can still enjoy the holiday celebrations. Family-owned chain, British Garden Centres has put together 12 ways to enjoy a more affordable, greener Christmas this year.
On the 1st day of Christmas: LED Lights
The Christmas tree is often the focal point over the holidays so why not switch your old incandescent lights to some brand-new sparkly LED ones? LED lights consume 80-90% less energy and can potentially last up to 100,000 hours. Our vast array of Christmas lights from Premier Decorations has been carefully selected to reduce the extra energy you are using and the impact on your purse as well as the environment.
A simple LED “Santa Stop Here” sign can cost as little as 0.03p for 8 hours a day for 30 days, meaning your children can experience the Christmas joy. A minimalistic 100 warm white LEDs on a 10m string display costs as little as 10p a day for 30 days, whilst if you want a burst of colour this Noel, a 16m display of rainbow-coloured lights will cost a meagre 20p a day for 30 days. If you want to do an outdoor front garden or door display, no problem – a LED Polar Bear or Reindeer costs 30p a day for 30 days, whilst snowing icicles for your house façade costs just 37p.
On the 2nd day of Christmas: Solar Lights
Solar lighting is also a cost-effective way to take your Christmas party outdoors after the sun goes down. The lights harness their energy from the sun, so place them where they will receive the maximum amount of direct sunlight per day. Hang around garden structures or strung up in trees to give height and dimension to your outdoor space.
To save even more energy and pennies, connect to a timer to control how long your lights are on during the day and evening.
On the 3rd day of Christmas: Ethically made toys
As families begin to search for Christmas gifts to treat the children in their lives this festive season, British Garden Centres has sourced only the most sustainable toys for stockings and under-the-tree presents. All of the stuffing used in the soft toys we source is made from 100% recycled polyester made from plastic waste, whilst plastic products have improved recyclability at the end of their life. We try to source toys from manufacturers with as little excess packing material as possible and the boxes and hangtags are made from recycled FSC content. Our soft toy suppliers have recycled the equivalent of more than 25 million water bottles in the manufacture of the range.
On the 4th day of Christmas: FSC puzzles
Puzzles are a firm favourite at Christmas so look for ones that are made from FSC paper and cardboard and use vegetable-based inks on boxes and pieces. Also, look for ones without shrink-wrap plastic and instead have bio-degradable stickers, which will save over half a million metres of plastic per year. Look out for all the ranges in store which are clearly labelled with the sustainable message.
On the 5th day of Christmas: Recycled Christmas Cards
Christmas is about spending time with loved ones and thinking about friends and family you may not have a chance to see. Since the pandemic, research has shown that people want to connect more and there is no better way to do this than through Christmas cards.
Our range of Christmas cards is fully recyclable and contains little glitter, foil, or lights to make them flash. These elements which were once traditional to find on a greeting card are exceedingly difficult to recycle so British Garden Centres carefully handpick a range that is made using 100% recycled paper and printed with natural inks.
On the 6th day of Christmas: Sustainable wrapping paper
With an estimated 227,000 miles of wrapping paper ending up in the UK’s rubbish bins, British Garden Centres sell a range in-store that is free of foil and glitter, providing shoppers with the best recyclable wrapping paper to buy, in the best festive prints for under the tree. Our collection of Christmas crackers is also made from recycled paper from a sustainable source and contains gifts that can be reused or recycled at the end of their life.
On the 7th day of Christmas: Forage your decorations from nature
Did you know that you can forage your Christmas decorations from your garden or green space around you? When people think of Christmas, holly and ivy are the obvious festive choices to add to doorways and window frames to give your house the traditional look. They can be used to dress a mantelpiece or as a table decoration on the big day with pinecones, conifer sprays, cinnamon, and dried fruit. Berries and seedheads are also ideal to fill glass vases, lanterns, and candle holders, whilst dried flowers like hydrangeas are also a beautiful display piece over the festive holidays.
On the 8th day of Christmas: Make your festive door wreath
For a door wreath, why not try plants like pine, cotoneaster, holly, ivy, eucalyptus, crab apples and ferns to make the foliage rich and festive? Use a wire wreath frame and some florist’s wire to wind the plants around your circle before decorating with a bow or spray paint and hanging them on your door.
On the 9th day of Christmas: Natural table centre terrarium
Terrariums are enjoying a huge resurgence, so why not fill one with festive foliage and the simplicity of natural materials for your table centre? Why not gather holly and ivy from your garden and pair them with winter cyclamen, fir and conifer sprays, eucalyptus, and mistletoe and use them as a table focal point for Christmas festivities? Not only can this be used again with different plants, but it can also be themed for other seasonal days like Easter or Mother’s Day.
On the 10th day of Christmas: A living gift of the Christmas Rose
The Hellebore or Christmas/Lenten Rose is a popular festive plant, flowering in winter and early spring and would make the perfect living gift for a loved one. Its elegant flowers and attractive leathery leaves will brighten the garden during Christmas and is a long-lasting and kind gesture that will see this present admired far beyond a week or two.
Hellebores are versatile plants to have over the winter period, providing much-needed blooms during shorter and darker days. They can be enjoyed in pots indoors to bring nature into the home, in a container on the patio, and then planted out in garden borders to be enjoyed for many seasons to come. They thrive in semi-shade and well-drained spots and are hardy plants that can grow into a bush that produces white flowers in the depths of winter.
On the 11th day of Christmas: Replace fake fir
Nothing evokes the spirit of Christmas more than the scent of fresh pine, making a real cut or potted trees a fully biodegradable choice for your celebrations. Real trees have a smaller carbon footprint compared to artificial trees which are often manufactured abroad and made of plastic that is hard to break down. It is estimated that there are 6-8 million Christmas trees thrown out every year.
Look for pot-grown trees in your local garden centre. This means that each tree is supplied to your in the pot it was grown in, meaning less root disturbance and a healthier tree. Once the tree has been the focal point of your living room for the Christmas celebrations, you can plant it yourself in your garden for a while and use it again next Christmas.
On the 12th day of Christmas – Reuse and reduce
To reduce the amount of waste going into landfill Christmas after Christmas, invest in items that can be reused or repurposed giving you more value for money each year. You don’t need paper napkins or table runners each year, instead invest in fabric items such as tablecloths, throws and cushions that can be used for multiple gatherings.
How many of us go overboard on food shopping just because it’s Christmas? Then end up eating cold meat sandwiches for weeks and have a cupboard full of chocolates we don’t need? Only buy what you think your guests will consume to avoid having to throw away a glut of food.
With teams from over 80 garden centres already nominated for GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2022, there are only a handful of judging visit places left to be filled, so if you want your Christmas teams to be considered as The Greatest you have until lunchtime on Wednesday 9th November to get your nomination in...
With seasonal plants it’s tempting to display them where they will be the first thing customers see when they open the door, but poinsettias should be the exception to this rule. They are native to the hotter climates of central America so they don’t like draughts. This means it’s important to keep them away from open doors or windows in your store, and at a temperatures of no less than 12°C.
Perennial, the charity helping people in horticulture, is introducing a new service called ‘nudge’ to support the financial wellbeing of people in the industry...
Perennial, the charity helping people in horticulture, is introducing a new service called ‘nudge’ to support the financial wellbeing of people in the industry.
Brand new for 2023, the Primeur Eco Trend BBQ Mat is supplied in display boxes of 36, with replenishment packs of two also available. Eye-catching and informative graphics on the display boxes will stop shoppers in their tracks and help to clearly communicate the benefits of the product. It also prominently highlights the eco credentials of the mat, which is manufactured from recycled rubber tyres that would otherwise be sent to landfill. Another bonus with rubber is that it is lightweight, making this product an easy one for your customers to just ‘grab and go’. Don’t miss out on stocking what looks set to be the ultimate impulse purchase for the new BBQ season.
Inside this issue:
A memorial service to celebrate the life of Ian Boardman, who passed away at his home in France last month, will take place on Thursday, November 3. 
With the cost-of-living crisis affecting many, families might be looking to cut down on their usual festive spending over the Christmas and New Year period. Having a memorable Christmas whilst going easy on your purse and the planet is not as difficult as you think and with planning, you can still enjoy the holiday celebrations. British Garden Centres has put together 12 ways to enjoy a more affordable, greener Christmas this year...
