The Coronation weekend provided the much needed boost to garden centre sales, according to analysis of weekly Epos data by GTN Bestsellers.

Reaching the highest sales volume of the year, the week saw the second 7% week on week sales growth.  As a result the GTN Bestsellers All Products Volume Index now sits at 1.8% down on 2022, 18.1% up on 2019 and 30.7% up on 2018.  As you can see from the graph above, it wasn't until this week, (week 19) in 2018 that sales really got going after "The Beast from the East" and despite the very, very slow start to that year by the end of the year sales had caught up to be up on 2017.

Prior to Coronation week, April volume sales rallied to be 0.2% up on April 2022 and 19% higher than both 2019 and 2018.  With the continual colder and wetter than normal April weather, Plant volume sales were down by 2% for the month.  Coronation week, however saw a big improvement in plant sales, up 16% week on week, to reach the highest single week plant sales volume since week 24 in 2021.

Choice Marketing has announced the addition of another new garden centre to the Group – Bay View Garden Centre in Carnforth. This is hot on the heels of Bow Garden & Aquatic Centre, of Crediton, and Cardwell Garden Centre, of Gourock, who both joined earlier this year. 

This brings the number of centres within Choice Marketing to 48 and a total group retail turnover in excess of £170m. 

Lisa Clarke, the owner of Bay View, said: “We are excited to have joined Choice Marketing and to be working with the central team and other member garden centres. Membership presented many opportunities for us to benefit from the knowledge and support within the group. We have already been warmly welcomed and look forward to meeting fellow members over the coming year.”

Dave Tucker, owner of Bow, said: “We are delighted to have joined the membership of Choice Marketing Group, and have been welcomed by the very supportive, positive community of great garden centres and the professional and helpful central team. We look forward to contributing and growing within the group."

Commenting on the three new members, Michelle de Lavis-Trafford, CEO of Choice Marketing, said: “We are delighted to have welcomed all three of these lovely garden centres into the Choice family, and we look forward to helping them improve their profitability, sharing in our group successes and generally sharing best practice. 

“Following a good season in 2022, Choice has once again repaid over £2.6m back to its members in rebates. This really does exemplify the power and positive rewards of working together within an established Organisation, with fantastic support from our key suppliers. Although all our member centres are both independently owned and run, we do speak with one voice in our relationships with our suppliers”. 

Choice is one of the industry’s leading buying and marketing groups and has forged strong and mutually beneficial working relationships with dozens of key suppliers throughout the garden centre, gift, home and leisure sectors. Members benefit from a fully supportive central admin team and gain enormous support from other Members too, it is a true co-operative. Additional benefits from preferential credit/debit card rates to preferential purchasing of catering supplies through its partner agency, and a whole lot more. 

Choice Members value the combined influence and buying strength that Choice gives its Members and far exceeds anything they could possibly achieve on their own. The enhanced service that Members receive from suppliers, combined with the direct lines of communication, that the team at Choice have with key account managers, right across the supply chain, ensures that any issues are dealt with quickly and efficiently. 

Choice Marketing has also announced further details of its annual conference and trade show which this year takes place at The Chesford Grange Hotel on the 27th September, and bookings are already coming in thick and fast for this great annual event. With further new member enquiries already in the pipeline, Choice is now rapidly approaching its optimum number of members, which is set at 50. 

If you would like to know more about the benefits of membership, please contact Michelle de Lavis-Trafford at info@choice-marketing.co.uk to arrange an informal chat.

The Garden Centre Association has revealed the dates for its summer regional award meetings when members will find out who has come top in its annual inspections for 2023.

Garden centres are encouraged to attend the event in their area and to bring as many of their team members along as possible.

Peter Burks, CEO at the GCA, said: “Another round of our annual inspections is coming to a close and the early feedback is already looking positive.

“We’re inviting our members to attend the regional meeting for their area, where they’ll be able to hear the feedback in full and where our inspectors will be highlighting best practice and new ideas and will also announce all the category winners.”

The South Thames region will meet at Castle Gardens in Dorset on Tuesday, July 4 with inspector Gordon Emslie.

The Midlands regional meeting will follow on Wednesday, July 5 at Gates Garden Centre in Leicestershire with inspector Phil McCann presenting his findings.

The North East and North West meeting will also take place on Wednesday, July 5 with inspector Colin Farquahar at Tong Garden Centre.

Members in Wales & West will meet on Thursday, July 6 at Sanders Garden World in Somerset also with Phil.

On Tuesday, July 11, members in Scotland will be meeting at Simpsons Garden Centre in Inverness where inspector Alyson Haywood will be presenting her findings.

Alyson will also be presiding at the North Thames regional meeting on Thursday, July 13 at Poplars Garden Centre in Bedfordshire.

Peter added: “Many GCA members have said that the unique annual inspections and constructive feedback sessions are one of the biggest benefits of membership. It is a fantastic motivational and management tool and really keeps staff on their toes, making sure they are always doing their absolute best.

“Garden centres receive no advance warning about when their inspection will take place and they do not have the option to turn away the inspector. It is all about making sure they are offering a consistently excellent service and improving their customer service standards, which is what all GCA garden centres must do to remain members.

“The results of the inspections form the basis for many GCA awards, including Destination Garden Centre of the Year, Garden Centre of the Year, Area Winners, Highly Commended and Most Improved Garden Centre. The top 10 centres will receive a Garden Centre of Excellence Award and all centres scoring 75% or above receive the Highly Commended certificate.”

For further information, please visit www.gca.org.uk.

Squire’s Garden Centres has announced a number of significant changes in its bid to reduce its carbon footprint and drive to be increasingly more sustainable.

From May, only ‘home compostable’ carrier bags and boot liners will be available across all Squire’s garden centres, these replace the previous biodegradable bags, for easier composting.  

Made from vegetable starch, the new bags and liners can be added to garden or food compost bins to break down.  In addition, a new re-usable 100% natural cotton bag-for-life will be available for purchase at centres, encouraging customers to return using their own handy shopping bag.  Charitable donations will be made from both the sale of the new recyclable carrier and cotton ‘bag for life ‘bags.

New ‘Reuse or Recycle Bin Stations’ have been introduced to all Squire’s 16 garden centres, enabling customers to easily recycle plastic pots, trays and compost bags.  Working closely with one of the UK’s leading recycling providers, each garden centre prepares the waste from the three recycling bins for collection.  This material is then 100% UK recycled in the most appropriate and efficient way, with nothing going to landfill, prepared ready for re-manufacturing into new everyday items. 

A further change this spring sees the introduction of sustainably sourced raffia and plant sleeves for garden centre gift wrapping.

Ross McEwan, Squire’s Sustainability Manager, comments: “We hope these customer facing initiatives demonstrate our absolute commitment to being more sustainable as a business.  Early indicators are extremely encouraging, with a positive response from customers to our new Bin Stations for example, which have been very welcomed and well-used. 

“In addition to these new sustainability focused introductions, Squire’s is certified zero waste to landfill and has Planet Mark* certification for our total carbon emissions reduction for the last 3 years.  We are proud to continue our drive for local sourcing of our plants, with 85% of our plants now sourced from UK nurseries.  

“We have pledged to do the right thing for plants, the planet and people. We strive to improve all the time. Each small step is significant for us, our customers and future generations.”

• Squire’s currently has 14 customer electric car charging points available across seven of its centres.   
• Many plants come from very close to Squire’s garden centres in Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex with some grown on Squire’s sites at West Horsley and Chertsey or from its own nurseries on the West Sussex/ Surrey borders, significantly reducing plant miles.
• Squire’s maintain a strong emphasis on ethical sourcing, doing its best to ensure products are being obtained responsibly.  The business is currently working on initiatives around peat, timber and chemical content and working with others in the industry, as members of SEDEX, to combat modern slavery in supply chains.

As the industry gears up for the festival of garden, leisure and pet – Glee 2023 – the team at AMES UK is busy making final preparations for what is set to a shining showcase for all things outdoor.

Together, under the banner of AMES UK, there will be one of the most impressive line-ups of brands and represented product categories including some of the garden retail sectors’ most-beloved brands, including Kelkay, La Hacienda and Apta. Alongside these will sit Woodshaw, AMES UK’s timber furniture, structure and essentials range, and Easy Fountain collections.

More value for retailers

A visit to AMES UK’s stand at the heart of Glee (6C40-F41) will offer multiple benefits for retailers and category buyers. Not only will the stand be full of the latest innovations to join the company’s aggregate, paving, outdoor heating, water feature, garden décor and pots offerings from the Kelkay, La Hacienda and Apta brands, but it will provide visitors with a wealth of tangible business advice and merchandising best practice. Look out for new merchandising concepts that will increase the average basket spend and increase brand awareness instore. Cross merchandising and trend-led displays will also grab the attention and inspire retailers to think differently about how they engage with outdoor living essentials within the retail environment.

Disrupting the marketplace

Whilst full details are firmly under wraps, AMES UK has confirmed that Glee 2023 will also mark the debut of a very exciting new brand, one that will shake up the marketplace and get retailers asking more questions about a bestselling product category. Talking about the launch, AMES UK Managing Director, Paul North said: “Our vision for AMES as a one-stop-shop for all things outdoors is set to take a step closer to reality with this new launch. Highly considered, researched and backed by decades of experience, this new product offering will open up new opportunities for not just retailers but for consumers who want to garden with confidence.”

Garden centre exclusives

As if bringing a new brand to market wasn’t enough, Glee 2023 will also set the stage for buyers to see exciting new garden centre ‘exclusives’ from the Apta portfolio. To top it off, Apta will also be announcing details of its new manufacturing partnership with a leading brand, supported by an exciting new range of pots launching that look set to elevate Apta’s overall offering and set a new tone for the brand.

Don’t miss out

With so much on offer, a visit to the AMES UK stand is a must for any buyers wanting to add value to their 2024 offering. Find out more by visiting the team on stand in hall 6, stand C40-F41.

To find out more about the AMES UK family of brands please visit https://ames-uk.com/

British garden equipment manufacturer Handy is delighted to announce it has been presented with 2023 Best Buy status by BBC Gardeners’ World magazine for two of its products in its Greenworks and Webb lawnmower ranges: the Greenworks 24V Cordless Lawnmower and the Webb ‘Autoset’ Sidewheel Lawnmower.

Reviewed independently by a team of experts, the Best Buy award is part of BBC Gardeners’ World ‘On Test’ feature. Its recent test of lawnmowers involved rating four key areas: set-up, handling, mowing and value for money. Marks out of five are awarded to produce a final score.

Put to trial with 15 other lawnmowers from well-established brands, BBC Gardeners’ World rated the Greenworks 24V 33cm Cordless Lawnmower one of its best budget cordless mowers, scoring it 18/20 and awarding it five stars for mowing capabilities and overall value for money. Kay Maguire, Reviews Editor for BBC Gardeners’ World magazine said: "Greenworks cordless 24V 33cm Cordless Lawnmower is sturdy, great-value cordless mower with good features, including a long run-time and the fastest charge-time in our test. It has a comfortable handle, five cutting heights that are adjusted with the simple lift of a lever and the choice of mulching or collecting clippings."

Featuring a high-performance brushless motor for extended runtime and long life, as well as premium features such as single lever height adjustment and a 2-in1-mulching or collection feature, the trial describes the light and manoeuvrable 24V Cordless Lawnmower as easy to handle and set up and store, awarding four stars for both. The review also highlighted the 24V lithium-ion battery, which is interchangeable with other 24V Greenworks tools, identifying it as an important consideration in terms of representing value for money.

Also awarded Best Buy status by BBC Gardeners’ World is the simple but effective hand push Webb ‘Autoset’ Sidewheel Lawnmower, which provides an environmentally sound way to maintain a small, grassed area. "The Webb’s hand push 30cm Autoset Sidewheel lawnmower is easy to put together and use,” Kay states in the magazine. “This simple hand push mower is comfortable, even over longer grass and its six-cylinder blades cut right down to 10mm, so it gives a precise, neat cut. The front collector works well and was the best at collecting clippings from a push mower in our test."

Featured in the printed May issue of BBC Gardeners’ World, Best Buys are also featured online at GardenersWorld.com and promoted on social media, in prominent site placements and newsletters for increased coverage. BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine has been the UK’s best-loved gardening title for over 30 years, with the website considered the go-to online destination for gardeners and plant lovers, now reaching more than 30 million users per year.

Mark Moseley, Handy’s Sales & Marketing Director, comments on this latest achievement: "Receiving positive feedback from independent reviewers is always a great validation of our brands and when it comes from such a well-respected title as Gardeners’ World it has genuine value. It reinforces the trust that retailers have in choosing to stock our products, knowing they are reliable and of high quality. For consumers, they have added confidence in a Best Buy product. As a next step, the Best Buy logo will be added to our packaging, and retailers can look forward to receiving stickers to display next to the product in their stores."

For trade information, please go to www.handyonline.co.uk

The Bransford Webbs Plant Company has donated over £12,000 worth of impulse and flowering plants to the Schools Garden Challenge, taking place next at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival.

For 2023, ten schools are taking part in the challenge which involves building a 4m x 4m garden based on the theme ‘Bring your favourite book to life’.

Following a successful application, the school children must design their garden, grow a proportion of the plants and build the garden for the show. It encourages children to gain valuable hands-on experience with plants and horticulture. The gardens will be judged by the RHS and awards handed out at a special awards ceremony for the children during the Thursday.

The Bransford Webbs Plant Company were keen to support this fantastic initiative which encourages local children to become involved in both horticulture but also gain amazing experience by being part of a renowned RHS show in their local area.

“This is the second year we have supported the Schools Garden Challenge. Encouraging and helping young people to discover the joys of gardening is a great way to spark the flame of the next generation,” commented David Chilvers, Sales and Marketing Director. “The festival takes place in the community in which the whole Bransford Webbs team live and work, which is extremely important to us all here.”

Mark Whalley made an incredible 700-mile round trip from the West Midlands just to buy a gas barbecue from a Scots garden centre.

The 52-year-old al fresco dining fan drove all the way from his home in Solihull, near Birmingham to Cardwell Garden Centre, in Inverclyde to pick up his favourite piece of barbie equipment – a high class Ziggy 2 Grillstream gas barbecue.

And while he was at Cardwell a fire pit also caught his eye and he bought that as well.

Mark explains: “I really wanted the Ziggy 2 barbecue and I searched everywhere online and the only one I could find on sale in the country was at Cardwell Garden Centre.

“I’ve had this particular model of gas barbecue for years, but it was getting a bit temperamental and it needed replacing. I wanted to get the same model because it’s a great barbecue, it’s solidly built, allows us to grill or bake and we’ve always had great results with it.  In fact, it’s never let us down."

And Mark joked: “I could see online that this barbecue was still available in Australia and South Africa, where it is classed as a real top end model, but that was just a bit too far for me to travel and Cardwell is much closer for me to travel in my electric car!”

He continued: “It might seem a long way to go to buy a barbecue, but it was worth every mile and every minute travelling. I left my house at 7.30am and didn’t get home until 1am the next day, 

“Both my wife Tracy and I enjoy our barbecues in the garden during the summer and I’m really looking forward to using my new barbecue this weekend with some friends."

Cardwell’s retail general manager, Paul Carmichael said: “We’re delighted we were able to supply Mark with his favourite gas barbecue.

“We really appreciate the effort Mark made driving all the way from Solihull to pick up his barbecue. That must have been the furthest anyone has travelled to buy anything thing from us.

“We hope he has many years enjoyment from the barbecue.”

Pictured: Mark Whalley, left, with the barbecue he made a 700-mile round trip to buy and Cardwell staff member, David Douglas.

GARDENA has announced its return to RHS Chelsea Flower Show for 2023 with a sustainable ‘Greenest Garden’ brand trade stand, a big part of GARDENA’s ReTh!nk campaign.

GARDENA has partnered with leading eco-designer and warrior on waste, Lynne Lambourne, for the second year at the world’s biggest five-day flower event, to create an unparalleled experience, encouraging attendees to ReTh!nk their gardening practices.

The garden focuses on the importance of innovation and how new and recycled materials can be used to design stylish outdoor spaces that are environmentally friendly. GARDENA’s campaign is built on the foundation of the Circular R’s: Reduce, Repair, Recycle, and inspires passionate gardeners to create and maintain green spaces, and use precious resources, such as water, wisely.

The display will be located Stand no. PW194 and has been designed in line with a circular plan and process in mind that ensures zero waste throughout the build and beyond, meaning all materials will be reused, recycled or donated post show.  From materials used in construction, the staff, and the charities supported, every element of sustainability has been carefully considered. This mirrors the new innovations that will be showcased throughout the GARDENA garden, including the new and improved water-efficient Micro-Drip-System and the new EcoLine Hose made from >65% recycled plastic. 

GARDENA has also partnered with a group of like-minded suppliers leading the way in sustainable products, all of which put the importance of people and the planet at the core of what they do including Polywood, Envirobuild, Ocean Plastic Pots, RocketGro, Annie Sloan Pain, Greenshoots and Oxleys.

Garden Designer, Lynne works as GARDENA’s sustainability brand ambassador, and has worked to inspire sustainable interior and garden design for many years, coaching companies to be part of the new kinder more planet-conscious economy that she believes in. Lynne also currently runs the ‘Warriors on Waste’ movement to teach young people to take better care of the planet through upcycling and conscious living.

Speaking on the garden, Sarah Bentham at GARDENA said: ‘Following last year’s success at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, it was important for us to level up and bring something different to the show in 2023, to encourage UK gardeners to rethink their space for the benefit of our precious environment. We aim to inspire passionate gardeners about how they can contribute to a healthy ecosystem, and educate them to make better, more conscious and long-lasting decisions.

“A passion for innovation, fresh thinking and sustainability is at core of the brand, and as we make positive steps towards a healthier planet, the natural alignment of GARDENA’s missions and ethos with Lynne’s work makes her the perfect designer to work with for a second year.”

Talking about the partnership, Lynne Lambourne said: ‘I am thrilled to be part of this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where I can once again inspire gardeners to embrace sustainable practices that align with GARDENA’s values. By encouraging people to rethink their approach to gardening, we can all contribute to the vital effort of saving our planet.

“Last year, my garden design sparked important conversations about the ways in which our actions have negatively impacted the environment, from our reliance on fossil fuels to the proliferation of plastic pollution. This year, I want to shine a light on the need to bring nature back to create green spaces and I’m excited to shift the focus towards innovative design solutions.”

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show will be open to the public from Tuesday 23 May – Saturday 27 May 2023.

For more information on GARDENA and its upcoming RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden, visit www.gardena.com/uk.

The team at Wyevale Nurseries is celebrating after being awarded a Plant Healthy Certificate for its high biosecurity standards for the third year running.

Production Manager, Kyle Ross received the certification from the Plant Health Alliance following a rigorous independent external audit and the company now has an inhouse Plant Healthy Organisation Group too.

Kyle says: “We’re delighted to announce that we’ve achieved our Plant Healthy certification for a third year running. It’s pretty significant to be announcing our news this week as Friday, May 12, marks the United Nation’s International Day of Plant Health to raise global awareness and take action to keep plants healthy and help protect the environment and biodiversity. 

“Our external audit was conducted by Grown in Britain, the certification body for the scheme, and they found our measures to be robust. I’d like to thank every team member involved in the process for cooperating and sharing their time and knowledge. It was a massive team effort. Plant Healthy Certification is a huge asset to us in securing work.

“I am particularly indebted to Chris Mason and Adrian Cituran over at trees and transplants, James Mattock for his annual traceability expertise and a big ‘thank you’ goes to Cian Lynch and Sam Bateman, who were both fantastic in representing their divisions and are now part of our internal Plant Healthy Organisation Group.

“The Group has been established to have a representative in our containers, field and container trees and transplants departments who will be responsible for implementing Plant Healthy standards and protocols for their production departments. This demonstrates just how seriously we take our responsibilities.”

This certification scheme makes it easier to identify businesses or organisations that trade and grow plants with the highest standards of health and biosecurity.

Kyle adds: “It also helps reduce the risk of introducing/spreading destructive plant pests via our trade plant supply chains and protects the horticulture industry, other cultivated plants and natural habitats.”

Certified businesses must successfully complete and pass a Plant Healthy audit and show they are committed to adopting high voluntary plant health and biosecurity standards.

The Plant Health Alliance are the Governing Body for the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme, which is based on the Plant Health Management Standard.

The Plant Health Alliance produce the Plant Health Management Standard, which is focused on UK ornamental and amenity horticultural businesses and organisations. It can also be adopted by international businesses.

The Plant Health Management Standard – which sets out the requirements to be met by scheme registrants – was developed by specialists from industry, government and the third sector.

Alistair Yeomans, Manager for the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme, explains: “The Standard aims to empower horticultural businesses to take a proactive approach to plant biosecurity. The Plant Health Alliance aims to promote the importance of protecting the health of our plant life from plant pests and diseases, as doing so will help safeguard the biodiversity of the British landscape and support the UK economy.”

Wyevale Nurseries’ product selection is admired across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.

Its main business is to supply garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.

For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk.

RocketGro is now the exclusive provider of compost to River Cottage HQ, supplying Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s famous smallholding with its organic, peat-free growing media for use in the iconic Kitchen Garden and across the site.

The partnership is a happy marriage between two businesses whose ethos and passion for sustainable growing are closely aligned. River Cottage grows as much of the produce for its restaurant, cookery school and events catering as it possibly can. The culinary organisation believes in organic and peat-free growing and now use RocketGro’s compost and growing media products to propagate these vegetables, fruits, salads and herbs.

Since Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage television shows first aired in 1999, the names of Hugh and River Cottage have stood for the firm belief that great food can not only bring us all happier and healthier lives, but also nurture and inspire positive change in the world.

Today, River Cottage HQ is set over 100 acres in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the Devon and Dorset border. The organic smallholding is the base for its Cookery School, unique dining experiences, B&B accommodation, and memorable events. River Cottage grows much of what it uses at the farm in the iconic Kitchen Garden, poly tunnels and Market Garden and, whilst the business makes its own compost on site, it cannot generate enough for its needs, so has taken great care in finding a suitable compost partner to assist.

Impressive results

The exciting collaboration between RocketGro and River Cottage came to fruition when Head Gardener, Jonny Callis approached the RocketGro team about trialling compost at River Cottage HQ, which is located in Devon the county just next door to RocketGro’s Somerset farm. So impressed was the organisation with the performance of the products on trial, which included achieving 100% germination rates with RocketGro’s Seed & Cutting Compost, the decision to make RocketGro exclusive provider was an easy one.

“We use RocketGro at River Cottage because great germination rates, long-lasting fertility powered by microbes, and local, sustainable production make it a perfect match for our organic growing philosophy,” explains River Cottage Head Gardener, Jonny Callis.

He continues: “The RocketGro Seed & Cutting Compost mix balances water retention and drainage perfectly and holds more nutrition than any peat or coir-based product I’ve used before, giving us the best results for young plants straight from the bag, without the need for amending with perlite, grit or feeds.”

RocketGro boasts a stellar portfolio of 100% peat-free growing media products with a truly un-matched eco-story, as all products and their ingredients have been grown, harvested, sourced and manufactured in the UK. Composts are packaged and produced using the RocketGro farm’s own green renewable energy production, with a large percentage of the substrates used in the compost blends grown on the RocketGro farm in Somerset. Ranges are organic and proudly adorn the ‘Soil Association Approved’ logo on pack, are all natural and chemical-free, whilst delivering impressive results across the board.

RocketGro co-founder and Managing Director, Toby Thomas said of the partnership: “We are thrilled to be partnering with River Cottage and supplying them with our range of composts and growing media products. River Cottage shares our values and believes in sustainable gardening and growing, and doing our best to protect the environment at all times, whilst also achieving great growing results.”

He added: “Both River Cottage and RocketGro are taking a lead in helping consumers make the right choices to support organic, peat-free growing that reduces their carbon footprint, protects peatlands, and delivers soil health. We look forward to a fruitful ongoing partnership with River Cottage and further inspiring gardeners across the country.”

Expert products with a sustainable story

Retailers looking to capitalise on this opportunity and stock River Cottage-endorsed products can currently take their pick of a 12-strong peat-free portfolio, including RocketGro’s flagship Magic Mulch, best-selling Fruit & Veg Compost, Multi-Purpose with added John Innes, a host of other composts for targeted applications, a 60litre Tomato & Veg Planter, and the amazing bio-active natural concentrate liquid plant food, Plant Fuel.

RocketGro has combined the most compelling eco story of any compost manufacturing business in the UK operating at scale, with eye-catching branding and a price point that makes the products built to sell.

A host of exciting new launches are also set to be announced at Glee 2023 next month, with RocketGro significantly expanding its offer. Come and see the team on stand 6B50-C51.

If you want to see the RocketGro compost in action at River Cottage HQ, you can check out their range of gardening courses – or simply visit for a garden tour, to admire the fruits (and veg) of the partnership!

Find out more

If you want to learn more about RocketGro or are keen to discuss adding its product portfolio into your 2023 offering, please contact Toby Thomas (hello@rocketgro.co.uk /07936 928 981) or Andy Abraham (andy@rocketgro.co.uk / 07446 937902). Discover more about the RocketGro story at www.rocketgro.co.uk

Dobbies has announced its national Helping Your Community Grow winner, seeing Nest Nurseries Garden Project receive gardening products, advice, and support to enhance their outside space.

Helping Your Community Grow saw over 800 entries from across the country, Nest Nurseries Garden Project received the highest number of votes, resulting in local support from Dobbies’ Keston store and national backing. 

Nest Nurseries Garden Project is at the heart of the Hayes/ West Wickham community, supporting children through encouraging them to spend time outdoors in their big garden space. Here they will learn about nature, improve their physical development and better understand the world around them.

Dobbies’ support will help this sustainable project bring recycled tyre planters to life with plant donations to create a wildflower section of the garden for pollinators to thrive and bugs to enjoy. In addition to this, Dobbies will provide children gardening tools, alongside advice from its horticultural experts.

Dobbies’ own-brand peat-free multipurpose compost, recycled and recyclable containers, UK-sourced plants and safer pest control products are among the many products the garden centre will donate to its winner.

Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies said: “We are delighted to be supporting Nest Nurseries Garden Project as our national winner this year and look forward to seeing the children’s gardening project come to life with our support. Our Keston team will share their expertise and practices to help this project with its eco-friendly pledge.

“We’ve been truly overwhelmed with the response to our campaign across the UK for its 13th year and would like to thank all the worthy causes that got involved in the application process and our customers who helped us crown our Helping Your Community Grow winners by voting.”

Esin Aziz, Head of Nursery from Nest Nurseries Garden Project said: “We are thrilled to have been crowned the national Helping Your Community Grow winner, alongside taking home the win for our local Keston store. We’d like to thank those members of the public who voted for us during the process and put us on top.

“We can’t wait to get the children stuck into our sustainable project and learn about nature with Dobbies’ backing.”

For more information on Dobbies’ Helping Your Community Grow campaign, visit Helping Your Community Grow | Dobbies Garden Centres

Hosted on the second day of LANDSCAPE – The Industry Trade Show, the Discovery Day aims to promote different career paths in the industry and to give those just starting out an insight into the opportunities available and to ask questions to those who have done it all before!

The Discovery Day has been introduced to inspire students and newcomers to the industry and provide an insight into what it takes to work in the world of landscaping. Find out more about being a landscape architect, a garden designer, a television presenter, a grower, a contractor, a horticulturalist and more. 

Short and incisive, the two panel sessions will be hosted by Adam Stoter from The Royal Parks Guild and Mollie Higginson from YPHA – Young People in Horticulture Association. The day will provide the opportunity to listen to industry professionals working at the top of their game being interviewed about how they got to where they are today, advice from their own experience and the chance to ask your own questions too. Panellists include:

• Andrew Fisher Tomlin – London College of Garden Design
• Chris Hull – Greenbook Landscape Design
• Jasmine Williamson – Pegasus Group
• Liz Dowling – Liz Dowling Marketing
• Michael Perry – Mr Plant Geek
• Olive Hayden-Wheeler – Hayden’s Horticulture
• Peter Burks – The Garden Centre Association
• Sarah Want – More People
• Sarah Wilson – Roots & All
• William Scholey – Scholey Garden Design

Colleges and universities are welcomed and encouraged to extend the invite to their students and graduates. The Discovery Day is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in a career in the landscaping industry to gain valuable knowledge, make connections and explore potential career paths. Come along to network, learn and get inspired!

Space is limited so don’t miss out on the opportunity to get your foot in the door and kickstart the journey towards your future career today! It’s completely FREE to attend and even includes a packed lunch! 

Simply register for LANDSCAPE 2023 and request to attend the Discovery Day on Thursday the 28th of September too.

Register at https://www.landscapeshow.co.uk/register

Where: LANDSCAPE 2023 – Hall 3, The NEC Birmingham 

When: Thursday 28^th September 2023

Party for Perennial was held at Core Bar, near St Paul's Cathedral, in London, with many guests pledging to support the charity further by taking part in the NUTS and Firewalk challenges later in the year, providing auction and raffle prizes for future events and booking a table at the 185^th Anniversary dinner in 2024. 

Anita Bates, Perennial’s Director of Marketing and Fundraising, said: “Our community can always be relied upon to pull together to make a difference to people in horticulture, Party for Perennial is a great example of this. Thank you to our generous pledgers for supporting this fabulous fundraising evening; your contribution will help us improve lives.”

The fun networking event for the horticulture trade raises both awareness and support for people in horticulture and their families who come to Perennial for help. 

Trudy Martin from New Look Landscapes said: “It was our first time attending Party for Perennial so we were not too sure what to expect. It turned out to be a fantastic night and a great way to meet others in the industry. We left with a couple of amazing raffle prizes and some great contacts. Looking forward to the next one. Thank you Perennial.”

Stuart Ball from John Chambers Wildflower commented: “Great to meet industry colleagues and friends – new and old – at a super venue and all in a good cause. It was nice to catch up with everyone on a relaxed and fun evening! Cheers!!”

As the only charity that helps individuals working in and retired from all sectors of the horticulture industry, Perennial is a lifeline for people that have nowhere else to turn.

Some of the incredible prizes in Perennial’s raffle included: 

•          Garden on a Roll - Wildlife Border

•          Which? Magazine - One Year’s subscription 

•          Bulldog Tools - Pedigree Border Fork and Rabbiting Spade

•          Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens - Tickets and Guidebook

•          The Newt - Two 12 month membership for 

•          Tom Stuart–Smith - A signed copy of his book Drawn from the Land

•          The Laskett - Two pairs of tickets (including tea/cake)

•          Thatcher’s - A case of cider

•          Brewdog - Bottles of Lone Wolf Gin, Seven Day vodka and 500 Cuts Rum

•          Chris Baines - A copy of RHS Companion to Wildlife Gardening

•          Woodlodge Products - A pair of ecomade plant pots

•          Iford Manor - A garden entry for two

www.perennial.org.uk

The 2023 winners of the coveted Gift Of The Year Awards were announced at a prestigious awards ceremony in the heart of London. The eyes of the retail world eagerly awaited the results as the winners often go on to become bestsellers, especially in the lead up to Christmas.

The Royal Lancaster Hotel hosted the black-tie Gift Of The Year awards ceremony which saw retailers, suppliers and industry experts gather together to celebrate the year’s best gifts.    Winners were crowned across 20 highly competitive gifting categories which showcase a cross section of the industry’s most innovative, creative, and exciting new to the market products, with the totally unique and highly practical Fabulously Flat Paper Pens winning the coveted Judges Choice Award as well as the Cards, Wraps & Stationery category and hand-made in Yorkshire The Bottled Baking Co Baking Mixes in a Bottle winning the sought-after My Gift Of All Time.

John Calvert, Managing Director, IF said, “It is an honour to have won both the Best Card, Wraps & Stationery product and then the overall Judges Choice Award at The Gift of Year Awards. Winning these awards gets retailers to approach you and try a new product that perhaps they wouldn't have done otherwise, it makes a difference and helps you open the door to new customers. The product that won for us was our Fabulously Flat Pen, which epitomises what 'IF' is about, we design and manufacture gifts around reading and writing that people are proud to give and receive. Cleverly designed products are clever regardless of what they cost, they don’t have be expensive.”

All Category Winners

• Beauty, Bath & Spa: BrambleWood Handmade Soaps, Bramblewood Soap Co (Dorset)
• Branded Gift: Build Your Own - Wallace & Gromit Rocket, Build Your Own Kits (Hampshire)
• Cards, Wraps & Stationery: Fabulously Flat Paper Pens, IF (Pickering, North Yorkshire)
• Children's, Educational and Pre-School: Make Your Own Dinosaur Timeline & World Map, Clockwork Soldier (London)
• Commemorative, Collectable and Charitable: Corgi Toys James Bond's Aston Martin DB5, Blue14 D2C Ltd (Brighton & Hove)
• Contemporary Gift: Brick Compatible Letters, Made Happy Gifts (Cranbrook, Kent)
• Design & Craft: County Map Art Prints, AVMS art (Walton, Leicestershire)
• Ethical and Sustainable Gift: Love Coco Coconut Bowls, Love Coco (Uckfield, East Sussex)
• Fashion Accessories & Jewellery: Recycled Polycarbonate Sunglasses, Peace of Mind .925 Ltd (Frome)
• Festive & Occasions: Festive Gingerbread Cat Playhouse, Puckator Ltd (Bodmin)
• Food & Drink: Steak & Chips Gift Sets, Ross & Ross Gifts (Wickhamford)
• Games: Sounds Fishy, Big Potato Games (London)
• Home and Garden: Solar Powered Light Up Terrarium, Gift Republic (London)
• Home Fragrance: Pick and Mix Soya Wax Melts, Freckleface (Spalding, Lincolnshire)
• International: BosilunLife Trendy Breakfast Mugs Gift Set, AllGoodThings (Bristol, Dudley)
• Kitchen & Dining: Personalised Glass Chopping Boards, Dinky Artist (Witney, Oxfordshire)
• My Gift of All Time: The Bottled Baking Co Baking Mixes in a Bottle, The Bottled Baking Co (Lower Wortley, Leeds)
• Novelty, Tech And Gadgets: Leaf Cleaning Tongs for Kikkerland, WITH Creative (London)
• Under £15: The 'How to become' series, Recent Toys (Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex)
• Judges Choice: Fabulously Flat Paper Pens, IF (Pickering, North Yorkshire)

Sarah Ward, CEO Of the Giftware Association said, “The Gift Of The Year Awards are vital for the health and prosperity of the gifting industry not only providing a platform for small and global businesses launching new products but also acting as an opportunity for those who attend to network and connect. Last night’s awards were a fantastic celebration of the imagination, innovation and talent of our industry and I am excited to watch the exciting journey to come for all our finalists and winners.”

Established in 1947, The Giftware Association is the only national trade representative body in the UK serving the gift and home industry.  Dedicated to support the remarkable talent and creativity of its members which range from retailers to suppliers, high street brands to individual craftspeople and many others as they grow and develop their businesses. 

The Gift of the Year Awards, now in its 43rd year, recognise the gifting industry’s most sensational new products each year. The most highly respected industry accolades and attracting a growing number of entries each year, the awards are completely inclusive, inviting both small and global businesses to enter.  The Award categories encompass all aspects in the world of gifting from beauty, bath and spa to food and drink, ethical and sustainable to novelty, tech and gadgets and this diverse selection is reflected by the judging panel of passionate industry leaders and experts including retailers, buyers, industry press, bloggers, vloggers and influencers.

The competition gives a unique platform to all entrants, elevating businesses through exposure at trade shows, including Spring Fair which hosted the 2023 judging, website, brochures, and social channels.  In addition, being crowned a category winner grants industry-wide recognition and previous entrants have seen a huge boost to their sales and revenue often going on to become bestsellers particularly in the lead up to Christmas.

For full details of the Gift Of The Year Awards winners and to enter for the 2024 awards please visit https://www.giftoftheyear.co.uk/

GTN April 2023. In this issue:

• Fountasia – First to market designs
• Perrywood Profile – Interview with Simon Bourne
• Green Solutions – Making the crossing from Europe easy
• Tramontina – LOFA Member Profile
• Solex 2023 – A celebration of summer
• Gardening in the sun – GTN visits a Spanish garden centre
• Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023 – over £70,00 raised and counting
• March and Easter Garden Centre Sales – GTN Bestellers Analysis
• British Plants – Retailers securing their supplies
• What’s New for Pets – News from PATS Sandown
• Looking for clarity – HTA Column
• New salvias and retired roses – GTN’s Planteria column
• Packed schedule for GIMA – GIMA Column

A company that specialises in developing and manufacturing products which are popular within the landscaping and building trades is recruiting a Marketing Manager to join their Marketing team in Suffolk.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced Marketing Manager who will hit the ground running. They will be responsible for overseeing and executing all print marketing to ensure they are aligned with the company's goals and objectives. They will inject creativity, to ensure the company is seen as an industry leader, and work with cross-functional teams, to develop and implement successful print marketing initiatives that drive business growth.

Key responsibilities include:

1. Plan, create, and execute all print material, including advertising, editorial, and promotional content that are aligned with the company's goals and objectives.
2. Manage print marketing budgets and ensure all material is of high-quality and delivered on time and within budget.
3. Collaborate in managing the design and packaging of the company's products and supporting collateral.
4. Manage co-branding opportunities that align with the company's brand guidelines.
5. Work closely with stakeholders, such as our sales team, graphic designers, and agencies, to create targeted print materials that drive business growth and increase sales.
6. Provide support as needed in managing digital campaigns.
7. Write industry-specific press release and media content.
8. Lead projects from start to finish, ensuring they are completed on time and within budget.
9. Collaborate with event organisers and stakeholders to optimise exposure at events, and gather and report feedback information.
10. Stay up-to-date with competitors activities, market trends and best practices, incorporating new ideas to keep the company informed and up-to-date.
11. Monitor and analyse the performance of print material to improve results.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree or similar in marketing.
• At least 2 years of experience within a similar role, more specifically in product marketing.
• Creative with excellent project management skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Canva and Adobe Creative Suite and writing press release and media content.

On offer is a salary of £37,000 - £40,000 per annum, depending on experience. This is a full-time position 9:00 – 17:00 Monday to Friday.

If you have all the relevant skills and experience and would like to join their company, please apply by forwarding an up-to-date CV as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you.

Email g.hammond@azpects.co.uk

with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox.  The best news service every weekend and all the breaking news as it happens.

Subscribe for free using this link

 Darren Boorman has joined the team at Artevasi as UK Director to lead the company's vision in the UK to be a leading supplier of recycled plastic, ceramic and terracotta pots.

Darren is well known in the industry and brings a wealth of skills to the role, with over a decade of experience in the Garden Centre sector, managing key accounts and national sales teams. 

"Artevasi stood out among the crowd as having a huge potential in the UK. The combination of great quality, outstanding value for money, and ownership of the supply chain, coupled with a passionate product design team and huge drive from every team member, is really exciting. I look forward to driving the growth of this brand over the coming years," said Darren.

Rodolfo Resende, CEO of Artevasi, stated: "I am delighted that Darren joins us at such an important time in the Artevasi journey. Over the past few years, we have built a solid foundation, including establishing Artevasi UK, developing more retail solutions for our partners, and opening our new state-of-the-art terracotta factory in Boialvo, Portugal, in October 2022. Darren will help us grow significantly in the UK market, and we cannot wait to keep growing together into this new chapter."

Covering an area of 70,000 sqm and a large production and storage capacity, Artevasi ensures a remarkable level of service, capable of transforming 100 tons of the best clay per day into meaningful pots. This is a crucial moment in Artevasi's history, not only to have the most complete offer in the market but also to place a Portuguese footprint among the industry leaders. 

With their own full production of three collections in recycled plastic, handmade ceramic and terracotta, Artevasi produces all their pots in Portugal, focusing on the quality of the raw material to create the most beautiful and ecological pots.

From reusing 100% of internal waste to developing ranges with recycled plastic, Artevasi believes that love and respect for Nature are within reach of small changes in each of us, and that's why they defend it every step of the way.

www.artevasi.co.uk

A petition urging the Government to overturn its decision to allow the use of neonicotinoid pesticides – which is lethal to bees – has now been signed by over 20,000 people, and garnered the support of several world-leading academics.

The public are being urged to add their voices to this campaign and sign the petition, which will be considered for debate in parliament when it reaches 100,000 signatures.

The campaign is spearheaded by Ana Attlee and Emily Lambert, creators of Seedball, a company on a mission to re-wild the UK and inspire people to plant more native wildflowers, increasing populations of bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Research shows that just one teaspoon of neonicotinoid pesticide is enough to provide a lethal dose to 1.25 billion bees – but the Government has sanctioned its use for the third year running, going against the explicit advice of the UK Committee on Pesticides.

It has also been estimated that the value of pollinators to UK farmers is worth a minimum of £630million every year, in research led by Professor Simon Potts. His work shows that, with some vital pollinators seeing a dramatic decline, it will not only affect the UK’s food crop production, it will also impact secure resources for future generations.

Professor Dave Goulson has added his voice to those who are urging the Government to reconsider their decision – one which could impact the future of bees and other pollinators for generations to come.

He said: "For three years in a row our government has granted farmers special permission to use banned neonicotinoid pesticides on sugar beet. This is contrary to the expert advice of their own Expert Committee on Pesticides, who specifically recommended that permission should not be granted.  It also flies in the face of a huge body of scientific evidence showing that these chemicals are phenomenally toxic to all insect life, and that their use on any crop contaminates soils, hedgerow plants, and nearby streams and ponds for years to come.

“We are in a crisis, with insect populations in freefall. It is about time our government woke up to this, and acted accordingly. This petition is a necessary means of holding the government to account. Please sign and share as signing will ensure the issue is debated in Parliament."

At a time when the UK’s flying insect populations are reducing by 34 per cent every decade (Buglife 2021), the petition calls on the Government to do a better job to prioritise nature.

In December 2022, the UK Government advocated for an ambitious global pesticide reduction target at the UN COP15 biodiversity conference, yet has failed to achieve this in the UK. In contrast, the European Union has maintained its strict ban of neonicotinoid pesticides, with any emergency use applications rejected due to the extent of their toxicity.

Rev Professor Jasper Kenter, Aberystwyth Business School, Aberystwyth University said: “The repeated lifting of a ban on extremely harmful neonicotinoid pesticides by the UK Government is doing untold damage to insects in the UK. It is short-sighted and not backed by evidence. The ecological, economic, and cultural value of protecting insect population is far greater than any short-term profits from allowing these pesticides. By signing this petition, we can force a debate on this issue and make sure these pesticides are banned again next year.”

Emily from Seedball said: “It takes just a couple of minutes to sign the petition and add your voice to thousands of others who are outraged that the Government has taken such a drastic step – one it has been repeatedly warned not to take.

“We are creating a task force of like-minded people and urging them to please sign the petition and share it across their networks – whether that’s social media, on websites, or just by telling your friends."

The petition is number 631948 on the Government website, or can be found by clicking here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/631948.

Exciting novelties are waiting for you at FlowerTrials 2023. Be the first to see our brand new Pot, Patio & Garden varieties in full bloom. With about a month to go, the organisers are really looking forward to inspire you with new, high-quality genetics presented in an extraordinary setting. 

Location: HilverdaFlorist BV - Dwarsweg 15, 1424 PL De Kwakel, NL
Date: June 13 - 16, 2023
Opening hours: Tuesday-Thursday 08.00-18.00, Friday 08.00-16.00

To register CLICK HERE

J. Parker Dutch Bulbs (Wholesale) Ltd has partnered with emerging designer Rachel Platt and will present a show garden at RHS Tatton later this year.

The space, titled ‘Chained to Tech’, will address the increasing prevalence of technology addiction amongst the younger demographic. 

The retailer will also partner with behavioural specialists from Manchester Metropolitan University to work on independent research projects into the impact horticulture can have on those suffering with mental health.

Paul Parker, owner and Managing Director of J.Parker’s, says, ‘It gives us great pleasure to return to show gardens after some years of absence and we are thrilled with the concept and design that Rachel has produced. We appreciate technology is an important part of day to day life, but are also becoming increasingly aware of the impact excessive use can have on mental health. We have seen first hand the positive impact horticulture can have and hope this garden will educate as many people as possible.’

Platt took home a silver gilt medal in 2022 for her ‘COVID recovery garden’ and has since gone on to work on several private and commercial projects since.

"I was thrilled to be approached by J.Parker's to design their show garden this year. This garden really resonates with me, having seen the impact of technological addiction myself and I hope the garden will be meaningful and impactful for others". 

The garden has been formed by using a mix of dense planting and hard landscaping. The latter appears flawless with its clean sharp lines and smooth appearance, but on further inspection, the materials are raw and distressed, representing the poor mental health and deterioration of the body through technological overuse.

Low maintenance plants are used throughout, with trees, shrubs and grasses providing the majority of the planting structure. Pops of colour and scent are present through the use of perennials such as Agastache, Coreopsis and Salvia.

Neuroscientist Dr Elizabeth Braithwaite, Senior Research Associate, Manchester Met, adds, “We are really excited to be working with J.Parker's and using this innovative garden design to disseminate knowledge on the impacts of technology addiction on poor mental health, and the potential role that gardening and horticulture may play in buffering these effects. Rising rates of poor mental health is a serious problem, especially among young people, so raising awareness of potential risk factors, such as technology addiction, is important work.”

Belgravia in Bloom is partnering with conservation charity London Wildlife Trust to celebrate this year’s ‘Into the Wild’ themed festival.

From 22-29 May, the neighbourhood will become home to some of the world’s most beautiful and eclectic species - from pandas and peacocks, to monkeys, tigers and snakes - all recreated as colourful, vibrant floral installations.

In support of the London Wildlife Trust’s mission to boost biodiversity and inspire Londoners to connect with nature, Belgravia in Bloom will encourage visitors to celebrate and learn more about all creatures great and small through a series of unmissable pop ups, events and experiences.

The London Wildlife Trust is working closely with Belgravia in Bloom to ensure the floral installations are created using even more biodiversity-boosting plants and flowers this year. Visitors can stop by London Wildlife Trust’s hedgehog van in Eccleston Yards where festivalgoers can make their own ‘seed bombs’ to support biodiversity in their own gardens. They will also have the opportunity to show their support to the charity by donating via QR codes throughout the neighbourhood.

Matthew Frith, Director of Research and Policy at Wildlife Trust and guest judge on this year’s installation competition panel says: “At London Wildlife Trust we’re committed to inspiring people to engage with and stand up for nature, which is why we’re thrilled to further our long term partnership with Grosvenor by collaborating on this year’s Belgravia in Bloom. From the flowers used to create the magnificent floral installations, to the eclectic diversity of animals they represent, this year’s wilderness theme encourages visitors to celebrate the wonder of nature and the work to protect the places where it lives.”

From Neill Strain’s show-stopping family of peacocks on Motcomb Street, to Moyses Stevens’ playful floral jeep and Judith Blacklock’s tunnel of exotic orchids, some of the world’s most creative florists will transport visitors into the wilderness with awe-inspiring installations. Neighbourhood brands will be joining in the floral fun, from Peggy Porschen’s underwater utopia, to  Biscuiteers’ beautiful bark owl and The Hari’s mischievous orangutan, whilst some will choose to bring to life the ‘kings’ and ‘queens’ of their habitats  to pay homage to King Charles III’s coronation.

Throughout the festival, Belgravia’s leading florists and delightful shops and restaurants will also come together to create and host a series of unmissable floral themed events, offers and experiences, including ‘Into the Wild’ themed floral products, menus and cocktails:

Food & Drink

• Visitors can get hands-on with The Biscuiteers in Eccleston Yards, who will be hosting expert icing classes where participants can learn to perfectly pipe, feather, and ice floral-themed biscuits, with the chance to take home a scrumptious tin of biscuits and a repertoire of skills. Tickets are on sale now.
• The Lanesborough Hotel will be designing a special cocktail just for the occasion, aligning nicely with the ‘Into the Wild’ theme, but staying true to the festival’s traditions.
• Peggy Porschen will be offering a ‘Corals & Florals’ themed cake collection to accompany their sea garden inspired installation.
• Wine-lovers’ go-to amie will offer adorable floral ice cubes with edible flowers.
• From ‘King Louie’ cocktails – a play on TV’s famous anthromorphic orangutan – to wild-themed amenities and ‘adopt-an-orangutan’ opportunities for guests, neighbourhood hotel The Hari will collaborate with the Born Free foundation to help protect the natural habitats of orangutans.
• Mosimann’s, who celebrate their 35th anniversary during the festival, will open their doors to residents for an exclusive 3-course lunch offer.
• In collaboration with Beesou, the BCorp on a mission to save the bees, Latin-American restaurant Morena will host a Beesou terrace bar, serving delicious honey-based apertifs and bee-themed cocktails.
• Restaurant Motcombs will be running a delightful Whispering Angel Rose wine Summer Al Fresco Summer Floral Terrace promotion.
• Neighbourhood hotspot Pantechnicon will offer an exclusive ‘Into the Wild’ cocktail at bars Roof Garden and Sachi, whilst Café Kitsuné will delight with an Iced Rose Chocolate drink.

Shopping & Experiences

• Luxury jeweller Catherine Best will be partnering with the David Shepherd Foundation for the duration of the festival, and will be hosting an artwork exhibition of DSWF artists in-store for the week.
• Jewellery designer Nicola Bathie will host a special pop up in Bonadea on Thursday 26 May, featuring an exclusive afternoon tea in collaboration with The Corinthia Hotel.
• Bayley & Sage will offer a limited edition ‘In Bloom’ biscuit, featuring a beautiful floral pattern adapted from a William Hogarth design.
• Judith Blacklock Flower School will be offering course attendees a complimentary book if they book during the festival.
• Luxury Interior design practice Joanna Wood Ltd will be giving away butterfly umbrellas to visitors that spend £150 or more in store.
• Book enthusiasts will receive a 20% discount when they present a Belgravia in Bloom map in-store at Belgravia Books.
• On Thursday 26 May, neighbourhood boutique With Nothing Underneath will offer customers to choice of three hand embroidered flower options on the cuff of their new shirt.
• Dr. David Jack will be offering a £30 gift voucher towards an exclusive Korean Glass Skin facial to help festival-goers bring their most radiant skin into full bloom.
• MasterPeace will join in with the wilderness-themed fun with a workshop featuring their Electric Jellyfish Art Kit on Saturday 27 May.
• Luxury perfumery Les Santeurs will be giving out complimentary samples of their floral fragrances.
• Jo Loves will invite visitors to try their Floral Tapas experience whilst enjoying a glass of Elderflower & Rose Prosecco.
• Sculptor Zena Holloway will create new pieces that recognise King Charles’ support for environmental sustainability, exclusively at interiors boutique de La Cuona.

Belgravia in Bloom is set to be an experience like no other; a chance to unleash your inner explorer and discover a world of floral inspiration that celebrates all creatures great and small. Visitors will be captivated by the beauty of nature, incarnated through the magic of flowers, in one of London’s most Instagrammable neighbourhoods.

To stay up-to-date with the latest festival news and announcements, visit https://www.belgravialdn.com/ and follow @belgravia_ldn on Instagram.

MSPs joined experts, professionals, and academics from Scotland’s horticulture sector at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, 10 May at a reception to discuss the future of the industry in relation to the well-being economy, the environment, planning and health.

Hosted by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and sponsored by Christine Graham MSP, the event celebrated the HTA’s recently published Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy, which sets out ambitions to develop green economic growth, high quality jobs and an investment in education and skills in Scotland.

The HTA believes that this is a challenging time for the industry with the cost of doing business and mounting regulation, but it is also a crucial time for utilising environmental horticulture as a solution to policy initiatives in Holyrood. For example, as away to reducing air pollution and mitigating flooding in towns and cities.

Christine Graham MSP, who sponsored the event, gave an engaging talk on her personal connection to horticulture, highlighting just how important gardens and local green spaces had been for her and her constituents mental and physical well-being throughout the pandemic.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, delivered a keynote address at the event and expressed her commitment to working with the HTA and the wider industry. She spoke at length of her support for the strategy, noting Environmental Horticulture as crucial to achieving Scotland’s Biosecurity Strategy and the Environment Strategy for Scotland.

Speaking on the evening, the Cabinet Secretary said: “Scotland’s environmental horticulture sector makes a significant contribution to our national economy, including creating green jobs, and that is rightly being acknowledged at today’s reception.

“Delivering a wellbeing economy is a key focus of the Scottish Government under our new First Minister, and the horticultural industry certainly has its place in helping us achieve that.”  

MSPs attending the reception were invited to pledge to plant a tree in their local communities which will be sponsored by the MSP’s local HTA member.

James Barnes, HTA chairman, said: “Horticulture and landscaping supported contributions of £2.8bn towards GDP and over 64,000 jobs in Scotland in 2019. This has the potential to rise significantly by 2030 if the industry and key stakeholders work together now.

“There is huge potential for the environmental horticulture sector in Scotland, which can benefit the economy, increase biodiversity, mitigate climate change and support people’s wellbeing, both physically and mentally.”

The Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy was written in conjunction with HTA colleagues, members and the Scottish Government, and invites stakeholders to engage with seven ambitions that showcase the benefits of environmental horticulture.

Stan Green, Director of the HTA’s Scotland Policy Board and Managing Director of Growforth nursery, said: “Scotland has the heritage, and the further educational establishments to develop the skills needed to unlock green growth from environmental horticulture. I’m really pleased to have been able to discuss our vision for Scottish horticulture at Wednesday’s reception and look forward to working with the Scottish Government to deliver our ambitions.”

Blue Diamond completed the purchase of it's 44th garden centre at the weekend, buying Fosseway Garden Centre from Tim Godwin.

The cotswold centre was started by Tim and his family originally as Fosseway Farm Plants and became Fosseway Garden Centre in 1997.

Blue Diamond MD Alan Roper told GTN Xtra: "Fosseway is a perfect fit for us with it's AB1 customer base. Adding our clothing and home product ranges will help grow the centre turnover by another £2m taking to become an £11m site."

Asked if there were more acquisitions in the pipeline Alan said that after adding five new centres in the past 6 months (3 from Van Hage, Beckworth Emporium and now Fosseway) his attention will be focussed on the two new build sites at Scotch Corner and Elvedon, where he hopes building works will start later this year, and to sttling in the new centres to the group.

Since the age of 16, Antony Harker has worked in the sector he loves the most – the garden centre industry. His experience has brought him much success. The sale of his company Kelkay was the catalyst for him and his family to set up his latest acquisition, Altico Garden Products, which within just two years should have its first year of profit. This financial stability has also enabled him to quietly invest in garden centre sites enabling the next generation of family businesses to continue to offer a great choice of products for the nation’s gardeners.

The basis of the new aggregate business Altico, has its foundations in the purchase of Stone and Garden Ltd in May 2021, with excellent transport links near the M18. “It was a tough year last year. We picked up a lot of work but it’s rocking and rolling now,” says Antony. Heavy investments have been made in machinery and bagging lines because, says Antony: “It’s got to be 100%. We’ve got the latest, fastest automated lines of anybody in the country and there’s more to come which we’ll be ready to share at Glee”

Stock and transport have also been addressed with Antony describing higher than average stock levels having been put in place deliberately to ‘protect the customer’. “We’ve bought high risk products such as white pebbles and cobbles from Europe in abundance to ensure we don’t short anybody. The reality is our stock holding to sales ratio is completely out of sync, but the benefit of running an independent business is that you can remain agile - it’s run by people that understand the seasonality demands of the Garden Centre sector’ so we can take educated risks to grow the business and support our customer base” he says.

Transport planners can pull on thousands of lorries as and when needed to offer the flexibility of service that customers need. “If a customer orders on a Monday or a Tuesday, it’s a guarantee they will have it by Friday. There’s a low minimum order still which is good and bad. It’s a little bit more costly for us, but allows us to pair orders to get them out faster to the customer,” says Antony.

Packaging

As with all companies, Altico is looking to its plastic use and working to improve its environmental credentials. Currently packaging used for bagged product is created using 30% recycled materials and is fully recyclable (as long as bags are washed out by the customer beforehand). “It’s a difficult one,” explains Antony. “It’s not like compost where you don’t have to see the product, with aggregate you have to see it through a window, so plastic has to be as clear you can possibly get but it also has to be strong and recycled.” He goes on to explain that the technology around the amount of recycled material used in their packaging is changing quickly. “We need to take the lead and push this innovation as much as we can,” he adds.  When it comes to recycling the bags, Antony says the ideal solution would be to find a collaborative, industry- wide approach where garden centres could offer a simple collection service.

Plastic and packaging is now top of the agenda, especially for new products. For example, Altico launcheda range of 5 water features at Glee last year made from 50% recycled materials and with 100% recyclable packaging. “This was a bit of a risk for us as it was a completely new market concept,” says Sarah Winn, Marketing Director. “We’ve introduced specialist cardboard engineered inner packaging to completely remove polyfoam, which provides a protective layer for the product to travel safely. All the indications are that this is working well so far  and  the  recycled  product  has  gone down well with customers too.”

Instore promotion and new products

Altico used Glee in 2022 to introduce itself to the trade by displaying product and point-of-sale material which focus on inspiration and helping retailers create the attractive displays instore. “We are giving them the vision of how to sell it as an outdoor living product rather than a landscape product and are asking them to consider thinking about where it sits in the store environment,” says Sarah.

The Earth & Green collection of professional grits and sands plus the Stone Merchant, a new range of paving, were also introduced at Glee and other new lines are planned. Leaning on his experience, Antony approaches new ideas with an ‘adventurous controlled risk-taking attitude’. “I also encourage my team to do this because you can’t be safe all the time otherwise you go nowhere.” Products aimed at customers who need paving and aggregates to complete a small or weekend project are those currently being targeted.

Altico has another acquisition in the pipeline that, along with its existing range of water features, edging, stepping stones, aggregates and paving, is a natural development further enhancing its position in this market sector. “I don’t want to be, and never tried to be, a master of all categories. You’ve got to be very good at the ones you’re doing – that gives you the strength,” says Antony.

Sarah adds: “We’ve done so much in such a short space of time, starting with aggregates, moving into paving and landscape products and water features. What we’re very conscious of is not overloading the customer and the market by being agile. We are going to be growing in every single category and launch new product that sits naturally adjacent to the categories we’re already in.”

Why garden centres will succeed

Antony’s love of garden centres is clear and he believes they need to continue to bring their own individuality to the party. They stand apart from other retailers selling decorate aggregate because they are not just selling a bag of stone, they are selling solutions, growth and tempting customers to buy other related products. He says their high levels of service are a differentiator, along with the people and sites providing a pleasurable shopping experience. “They’ve just got to keep doing what they’re doing because what they’re doing is working.”

Investing in garden centres

As well as creating new businesses, Antony also invests in independent garden centres through Altia Estates. “I’ve got absolute confidence because garden centres are always very good at changing, developing, evolving and adapting.”

Centres Antony particularly likes to back are those which are family run. For example, if the owners want to retire but the sons and daughters don’t have the capital to continue to business, Antony can step in. They can then rent the centre from Antony allowing them to continue the business in the family name. Other examples are siblings buying each other out and garden centres wanting to buy other sites. By putting his capital to work either short or long-term, Antony can invest in these businesses allowing the families to rent or pay him back if they wish. He doesn’t get involved in any day-to-day business and is very much a silent supporter.. “My investment always goes to operators that understand it [the business]. It’s the experience of the operators and their passion – my pound always goes to back to people that can do it. I’m there for reinforcement, as a mentor and a backstop for the business and the team.” He adds he’s a bit likea bank, with a lot less complications, but only for garden centres, with lawyers and legal agreements in place, and crucially, the benefit of completely understanding garden centre businesses.

On top of financial incentives, the investments also enable Antony to keep on top of trends and shifts in buying behaviours, which keeps him tuned in to the market from a product supply perspective and helps to steer the future direction of Altico.

Following the phenomenal growth of brick-and-mortar locations across the UK, British Garden Centres has revamped its new e-commerce store to service nationwide gardeners’ demand and capitalise on the ever-growing online market.

British Garden Centres, the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group is always looking for new ways to connect with the next generation of gardeners and through this online shopping experience, we're offering consumers a new platform to order everything they would love for the outdoors without leaving their homes. The 24/7 online store will be accessible from the main British Garden Centres’ website easily with one click. (https://shop.britishgardencentres.com/)

With 62 well-established garden centres nationwide, the web team take great pride in sourcing and offering a wide range of products to bring your garden to life. Our small and dedicated web team ensure our customers’ needs are at the heart of the website, delivering a personal service to get your product safely to your door.

The freshly redesigned website can be used to search for gardening and home product sold at British Garden Centres via keywords or categories. Visitors to the platform will be able to browse everything from garden furniture, plants, bulbs and seeds, tools and accessories, barbecues, homeware and gifts. These will all be dispatched with a speedy delivery service to give customers the ultimate experience when gardening with us.

As well as this, the e-commerce store will have direct links to British Garden Centres blogs that offer recommendations, seasonal style tips and gift ideas, coupled with advice on how to get the best out of your garden.

Amy Stubbs, Project and Development Manager at British Garden Centres said: “The launch of our revamped e-commerce store is the latest step to British Garden Centres becoming the market-leading, family run garden centre brand and enhancing the consumer’s shopping experience. The e-commerce store will be a one-stop, comprehensive online destination designed to connect gardeners with everything they could need for their outdoors and is available for shopping at any time of the day or night. It is an exciting milestone for the group and will accelerate our digital growth journey.”

In celebration of National Gardening Week and the King's Coronation, Vitavia felt it was fitting to launch a new greenhouse model – The Zeus 6200.

This strong and beautiful greenhouse has an impressive eaves height of 1.89m (6’2”), offering an extraordinary amount of working space.

The long pane float glass and stable style single door really provides an elegant and sophisticated appearance. It is perfectly compact and ideal for most British gardens.

The robust unique glazing system is ideal for our unpredictable weather conditions as well as adding strength and security to the greenhouse.

The frame is finished in powder coated black so would really add that wow factor to your garden!

For more on this story visit https://vitavia.co.uk/homegrown-goodness-fit-for-a-king

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.

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.

For further information contact karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call 07973504214.

Buy your subscription today and start receiving the GTN Bestsellers charts this week.