Garden centres are being boosted by the sales of garden lighting products, according to this week's GTN Bestsellers data. Volumes of lighting products are up 20% on last week and 97% up on last year...
Gardman's Bauble Tea Light Holder is this week's highest new entry in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart as lighting-related products become the biggest chart movers...
Gardening consultant and journalist Adam Pasco will share his views on the year ahead for garden centres at the HTA National Plant Show on June 26...
Adam will review the trends we’ve seen over recent years and where he sees these going, looking ahead to 2014 and beyond.
Here we catch up with Adam for a 60 second interview to get a taster of what’s to come during his seminar on Wednesday morning at the show:
What do you think the future holds for the garden sector?
When I entered the gardening sector in 1978 it was a much more predictable place to operate. Over the past decade or so we've experienced unprecedented upheaval and changes in retailing, the media, consumer confidence, plant and garden trends and aspirations, environmental concerns, not to mention the weather.
Any one of these would pose a significant challenge to the garden sector, but combined they could appear almost overwhelming. However, there's something comfortingly 'real' and grounding about gardening in an increasingly digital world, and this provides consumers with an alternative.
Shaping that alternative is the opportunity at our door. Those working within this sector have a passion for plants and gardening, so we must now explore new ways of working together to share this.
Following a difficult season, what advice would you give to garden retailers?
More than ever before I think retailers need to drive their market in new, creative and imaginative ways. Gone are the days when retailers can rely on the media to do this for them. We all remember The Dimmock Effect of the late 1990's, but with no new 'Ground Force' alternative on the horizon the industry must start working more closely as an industry to get plants and gardening on the consumers’ agenda. Of course individual retailers can develop their own initiatives, but just think what we could achieve if we worked together.
Why should visitors come to your seminar?
As a passionate gardener I think I know what makes gardeners tick. Having launched BBC Gardeners' World Magazine from scratch back in 1991 and remained its editor for over 21 years I appreciate how you need to change and adapt what you offer in order to move with the times and excite gardeners.
During my seminar at the HTA National Plant Show I hope to share ideas on how the garden sector can stay fresh, offering something different and distinct. With competition around every corner – or just a click away – it’s now essential to develop a personal relationship with your customers, and I'll review ways this can be done.
