GTN Xtra - GTN Xtra - Issue 67 2014

It's the most sought after Christmas award in the industry, The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Team, as it's the only award voted for by the people who matter most, your customers...

Download posters and voting forms here

Scotts create "the biggest sales force in UK gardening"
Combined Sales Force Announced

The Scotts Company (UK) Ltd has combined the Scotts Miracle-Gro and Scotts Solus Brands sales teams to create one overall Sales Force.

"We now have a single Scotts Team, the biggest sales force in UK gardening, with enormous experience. We will not rest until we prove ourselves with outstanding service to all our customers," said Rainer Schubert, Sales Director UK (pictured right)...

Chessington's Rising Star is full of confidence

Hannah Mason started her garden centre career as a member of the Sunday Team at Chessington Garden Centre. Now she is one of five finalists in the Garden Centre Association Rising Stars Programme, sponsored by Westland Horticulture...

Haskins Garden Centre chain eyes national expansion

Bournemouth-headquartered Haskins Garden Centres chain is searching the country for potential new sites as it embarks on a national expansion programme. Chartered surveyor Johnson Fellows has been to find seven to ten acre freehold, roadside sites in locations ranging from St Albans and Swindon in the south to Solihull and Bromsgrove in the West Midlands...

Penquins become bestselling items in garden centres

It’s highly possible the new John Lewis TV Christmas advert and the release of Penguins of Madagascar are driving sales volumes in garden centres.

This week there are four Vivid Arts Playful Penguin products in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products Top 50.

See TV ad and film trailer here

Is slow Christmas trade taking the shine off 2014?

Is Christmas taking the shine off an otherwise brilliant year for garden centre sales? To date the GTN Bestsellers Christmas Sales volume index is tracking 18% down on last year and our all products index has now slipped into a negative position for the first time this year.

Stewart Garden TV launches online videos with Pippa Greenwood

Stewart Garden, the gardening division of UK manufacturer, Stewart Group Holdings, has launched its YouTube channel, Stewart Garden TV. On it, TV personality, Pippa Greenwood, demonstrates gardening techniques and ideas in short video clips.

Sponsor Carol Paris & Friends (Two and Four Legged) as they get running for Greenfingers this Christmas

Greenfingers trustee and HTA CEO Carol Paris is leading the Christmas charge for Greenfingers this year by taking part in the London Santa Run on Sunday 7th December and will be taking along her two spaniels Max and Murphy...although they don't seem too keen at the moment!

Sponsor Carol and the Greenfingers Santa Run Team here

Kingfisher continues to shine with their unique “World Icons”

One of the UK’s leading importers and distributors of value for money goods, Kingfisher (Bonnington Plastics Ltd) are leading the way in the garden, leisure and homeware industries, and garden lighting forms an important sector of their core ranges...

Sweet pea Pandemonium wins Award of Garden Merit for Mr Fothergill's

A sweet pea introduced exclusively by Mr Fothergill's has been awarded the prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM) by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

The annual Kingfisher Pre-season BIG giveaway has begun!

The annual Kingfisher Pre-season BIG giveaway has begun! If you have never purchased Kingfisher products before, now is the time to order.

Grow your profits with a complete range of products, covering everything you need in store. New customers will receive 25% off catalogue prices, plus FREE delivery for orders placed over £500.00+VAT...

Download catalogue and order form here

If catering and food are your growth areas our new Food Xtra will help you

To see our NEW GTN Food Xtra e-mail newsletter...

New display from Wildlife World supports retailers by educating customers

Wildlife World has launched a new interactive retail display – an innovative retail aid ideal for garden centres and department stores – that displays wildlife habitat products while providing information on the insects that the products benefit...

The Quest for Christmas Greatness - Buy Your Tickets for The Greatest Christmas Party Here
Last few days for Earlybird discount rates

The quest for The Greatest Christmas teams is on. The expert team of judges are now out and about visiting all of the teams nominated in this years The Greatest Christmas Awards. You’ll find out who are The Greatest at Christmas this year by joining us at the first awards event of 2015, The Greatest Christmas Awards Christmas Party...

The sponsors for The Greatest Christmas Awards are:

Book your tickets here at Early Bird discount prices - offer price ends Nov 28th

GTN November 2014

Garden Trade News

Missing from your Garden Trade News?

Did you see the Order Form for the Kingfisher Pre-Season Outdoor Spectacular in your copy of Garden Trade News?

Bosmere celebrate Debbie’s 25 years

Debbie Curtis of Bosmere recently celebrated 25 years service with the company. The event was marked with a presentation and staff get together at the Crawley offices...

Kelkay’s gabions inspire gardeners

Kelkay's new garden gabions, which were launched at Glee 2014, are proving to be a big hit...

Top 10 Christmas Bestsellers are great value

The value of really good bestselling products is really apparent in the GTN Bestsellers Christmas Chart this week. Sales volumes of the Top 10 are up on last year by 2%, but the overall Top 50 sales volumes are down by 18%.

Houseplant compost sales rise with drip feeders

Houseplant compost sales grew by 66% on last week as gardeners spent less time outdoors – this marries with the increase in sales of drip feeders as seen in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products Chart...

Burgon & Ball’s new Weed Slice for easy weeding

Burgon & Ball has unveiled its new Weed Slice complete with delta wing styling...

Young landscaper named ‘Best in the UK’ at The Skills Show

The Association of Professional Landscapers has announced that Robert Wylie, from CAFRE, has been named the ‘Best in the UK’ in Landscape Gardening after winning Gold at the WorldSkills UK National Competitions at this year’s The Skills Show...

Certainly Wood joins BHETA

Certainly Wood is the latest company to join the British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA). The inventor of kiln dried firewood, is a family business and the largest specialist firewood supplier in the UK...

Queensbury pupils help transform park

Green-fingered pupils from Queensbury School in Erdington have been helping to spruce up their local park...

GCA members invited to compete for the Worrall Cup

Members of the Garden Centre Association are being invited to put their marketing campaigns to the test this month and compete for the chance to win the Worrall Cup...

Chestnuts roasting on a Chimenea!

During the recent Halloween weekend, visitors to Longacres Garden Centre in Bagshot, Surrey, saw a new way to roast chestnuts! Staff demonstrated how to use the Gardeco Chestnut Pan on a Colima Mexican Chimenea.

Homebase champion urban green spaces at Chelsea Flower Show 2015

Multi-award winning designer Adam Frost will bring a modernist feel to 2015 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, creating a dynamic community space for The Homebase Garden, to highlight the importance of green spaces in our urban environments...

What would you do with an EXTRA £51,867 in the next 12 months?
A note from Ian Boardman - The Garden Centre Growth and Profit Specialist

It’s getting harder than ever for you to profitably compete with the phenomenal rise of online shopping and put up a fight with other major garden centres for your customers...

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