Launch of The Greatest Awards 2013
New award celebrates 100 years of the Chelsea Flower Show
In the RHS Chelsea Flower Show's Centenary Year, the search is on for garden centre planteria teams with a touch of gold...
With poor weather in successive seasons underlining more strongly than ever the need for creative input to boost plant sales, GTN announces a brand new award to find the garden centre planterias with the Midas touch.
Since their launch by GTN in 2006, The Greatest Awards have been recognising and rewarding team excellence in garden centre retailing across all the major departments.
This year, recognising that garden centres must maintain a tight focus on essential business targets to mitigate recent losses, The Greatest Awards will initially feature the planteria, the category that gives garden centres their unique competitive edge.
After another poor spring for plant sales, centres are anxious to maximise planteria turnover in June and July, way beyond the traditional cut-off point for the summer bedding season. This summer, there is a heaven-sent theme to inspire planteria managers and their merchandising teams – 2013 is the centenary year of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, whose medal-winning plants and show gardens will continue to excite the gardening public throughout the rest of the year.
GTN and sponsors Bord na Mona are now inviting garden centres to take part in The Greatest Planterias Award 2013, a nationwide competition to encourage the creation of exciting and innovative plant displays that will stimulate footfall and boost customer spend.
The competition is in two parts:
1. The Greatest Planteria Displays celebrating 100 years of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show – using all your skills and ingenuity to produce beautiful, fun-filled planteria theatre - with sales appeal. As last year’s Greatest Jubilee Doorstep promotions proved, displays of this kind guarantee an immediate increase in plant sales.
Garden centres should send photos of their displays to us by Wednesday 15 July 2013. The winners will be selected by an expert Greatest Awards judging panel and notified of their success later in July, giving them ample opportunity for marketing and PR activity during the summer and through the autumn sales period.
2. The Greatest Planteria Sales Teams - as voted by the public. GTN will provide, on application, PDFs of posters, voting forms and other POS you can use to get your customers involved in voting your Planteria team as The Greatest. Part of the voting process involves your customers giving feedback as to why your team is The Greatest, which always proves a great motivator to planteria staff.
The public vote for The Greatest Planteria Sales Team will also close on 15 July and the winners notified later in the month.
For both of these Greatest Awards categories there will be awards for different sizes of garden centre, so every Planteria Sales team has a chance of winning, they just have to be Great at what they do. To register your Planteria Team for The Greatest Planetria Awards follow this link: Register here
Garden centres who took part in The Greatest Jubilee Doorstep Challenge know just how much their special displays helped to increase plant sales in the challenging trading conditions of summer 2012.
At our Gold Award centre, Van Hage at Great Amwell, their excellent Jubilee dressing was evident from the car park through to the spa baths display and resulted in sales of Jubilee items that far exceeded expectations.
Centres can use their participation to develop useful community networking and even create their own customer competition, like finalists Barton Grange at Brock, who got 42 local schools involved last year.
At Busy Bee in the Isle of Wight, in the section to find the customer with The Greatest Jubilee Doorstep Display, Linda Ryan of Sandown created a bright, vibrant jubilee doorstep that also included the Olympics – a great way to welcome visitors and brighten up her street.
Even the smallest centres enjoyed success last year. Our Silver Award went to the bijou Cleeve Nursery. Other finalists included Cowells, Coolings, and Van Hage Peterborough.
Here's a collection of pictures from last year's The Greatest Awards
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To enter your team into The Greatest Planteria Awards, email thegreatestawards@tgcmc.co.uk , typing 'Greatest Planteria Awards' in the subject line, to register your FREE entry. You will then receive further details, POS materials and your public voting pack by email.
As well as receiving The Greatest Awards accolades and certficates, as so proudly displayed in previous Greatest Award winning centres, the Gold winners of The Greatest Planteria Team awards 2013 will win tickets to The Greatest Awards Party, held in Harrogate in January 2014. It's an event not to be missed.
Deadline for submitting display photos and public votes: Wednesday, July 15.
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Gardeners Kitchen jump for joy at impressive veg sales
Gardeners Kitchen were celebrating this week the fact they had supplied the top 10 selling veg plants in garden centres...
Gardeners Kitchen were celebrating this week the fact they had supplied the top 10 selling veg plants in garden centres.
The top of the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart was dominated by Gardeners Kitchen with tomato plants filling the first six places, headed by Moneymaker. These were followed by two cucumber varieties, one courgette and a green bean variety.
Gardeners Kitchen also have the highest re-entry in Sweet Pepper Romano Marconi at No 12, and a big mover in Chilli Pepper Apache, which climbs 31 places to No 16.
Tomatoes are the dominant variety in the chart with 18 entries in the top 50. Farplants have seen four tomato plants from their Heritage range re-enter the chart, including Harbinger at No 24.
Strawberry plants are back in demand with Hawksmill Red Glory the highest climber at No 11, a jump of 38 places. Other favourites from the Hawkesmill stable are Finesse at No 22, Red Princess (No 35) and Roman (No 42).
Other new entries include Roundstone Sweet Pepper F1 Beauty Bell at No 18, and Floréac Mint Mentha at No 26 – another large herb plant to grace the Veg-2-Gro Top 50.
See the full GTN Veg-2-Gro Bestsellers Chart here. Subscribers Only
To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business. Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
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Bank Holiday trading gets sales back on track
The May Bank Holiday trading period has given garden centres a welcome boost with sales getting back on track. In fact the All Products data for GTN Bestsellers shows that volumes year to date are over 5% higher than last year.
The May Bank Holiday trading period has given garden centres a welcome boost with sales getting back on track. In fact the All Products data for GTN Bestsellers shows that volumes year to date are over 5% higher than last year.The graph (above) is for sales over a two week period as the Bestsellers data is taken up to a Sunday, so to include Bank Holiday Monday, we’ve had to include information taken over a fortnight. But it is encouraging to see that this year’s figures top those from the previous four years. A leap in Veg-2-Gro sales is partly behind the positive figures with tomato plants and associated products figuring strongly throughout our Bestsellers charts. There are 18 tomato varieties in the Top 50 Veg-2-Gro products with Gardeners Kitchen plants selling in high numbers The surge in tomato growing is also in evidence in the Garden Products chart with Scotts Levington Tomorite leading the way, while in the Growing Media chart, the Tomorite Giant Planter with Seaweed is in an impressive second place. GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: - Garden Products – up 48%
- Veg-2-Gro – up 78%
- Growing Media – up 26%
- All items index – up 33%
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Lawn care products selling at last...
The cold spring has delayed gardeners from working on their lawns, and even though temperatures are still on the low side, attempts are being made to weed and feed the grass at last, according to the latest GTN Bestsellers Garden Products data...
The cold spring has delayed gardeners from working on their lawns, and even though temperatures are still on the low side, attempts are being made to weed and feed the grass at last.
There are four lawn care products in the top 20 of this week’s Garden Products chart, headed by Westland Lawn Feed, Weed and Moss Killer at No 4.
The other lawn care bestsellers are from Scotts:
- Evergreen Complete Spreader Pack, 100 sq m, at No 8
- Evergreen Complete, 360 sq m plus 40 sq m Free at No 11.
- Evergreen Complete Water Smart, 80 sq m, at No 20.
 Scotts Verdone Extra Spot Weeder is the highest climber, moving up 16 places to No 32.
Gardeners are also preparing their hanging baskets with Gardman products selling particularly well. Their Fresh Sphagnum Moss, Large Pack, is the highest re-entry at No 29.
And more wet weather has prompted consumers to go out and buy Woodlodge Small Pot Feet for their containers, as the product re-enters the chart at No 43.
Woodlodge also supplied the highest new entry with their Long Tom Pot securing No 26 spot.
See the full GTN Garden Products Bestsellers Chart here. Subscribers Only
To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business. Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
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72% of horticulture firms struggle to find skilled workers
TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh claims gardeners need to show their profession is not for "thick, dull or unadventurous" people, following revelations that horticulture firms struggle to recruit skilled workers...
TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh claims gardeners need to show that their profession is not for "thick, dull or unadventurous" people, following revelations that horticulture firms struggle to recruit skilled workers...
In a Royal Horticultural Society study, Titchmarsh says gardening is "undervalued" by the young.
The study claims 72% of horticulture firms cannot find skilled workers, with teens viewing the job as "unskilled".
"If this situation continues, British horticulture will become a pale shadow of its former self," he said.
Titchmarsh called for more to be done to reconnect young people "with apples rather than Apple Macs, plant cells rather than cell phones and raspberries as well as Blackberries".
Some 200 businesses were surveyed for the report. More than two thirds (67%) said that those entering the profession were inadequately prepared for work.
Almost one in five (19%) said they had to recruit skilled staff from abroad and 83% said they blamed difficulties on recruitment on a poor perception of horticulture in schools and colleges.
A separate survey of 500 secondary school teachers suggested that fewer than a third (30%) were aware of horticultural qualifications with only 20% aware of the "vast career opportunities" available.
Only 16% of the school staff surveyed promoted horticultural careers to their pupils, with many regarding gardening as a hobby rather than a career choice, says the report Horticulture Matters.
Earlier research has suggested that many teenagers believe careers in the sector are for those who have failed academically.
This poor perception of horticulture as a career is despite the fact that the industry contributes £9bn to the UK economy and employs 300,000 people, says the report.
"Our role is undervalued by government, by the population and by young people in particular," writes Titchmarsh.
"In every instance because they just do not understand the breadth of what we do and its importance in terms of the well-being of the planet and its population."
The report calls for urgent action to bridge the green skills gap, welcoming government plans to include gardening in the national curriculum as part of design and technology - but says more could be done.
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Invest now to secure the future, says Carol Paris
As the HTA attempts to tackle the alarming shortage of talented workers with a series of initiatives, Director General Carol Paris says: "We need to invest in horticulture now to secure its long term future.”
As the HTA attempts to tackle the alarming shortage of talented workers with a series of initiatives, Director General Carol Paris says: "We need to invest in horticulture now to secure its long term future.”
“The importance of horticulture to the UK cannot be overstated. It plays a fundamental role in the economy, society, the environment and in ensuring food security.
“With such a serious skills shortage in the sector we need to change perceptions to show the diversity of exciting opportunities that exist within horticulture and how this can offer a serious and rewarding career for talented people.”
HTA, with its own dedicated Training & Careers Team, has begun to tackle the issues highlighted within the report and will continue to support the wider ‘Timetable for Change’. Details are spelt out in HTA’s Strategy for developing people in the garden industry 2012-2014 but key actions include:
HTA Pathfinders Group - has been set up and will continue to expand. Group members will become Ambassadors for the industry - defining and implementing career initiatives – and presenting these to potential entrants and target audiences.
Apprenticeships - HTA are also encouraging members to consider apprenticeships by providing business examples of ‘Apprenticeships in Action’, followed with a guide on the benefits of recruiting apprentices from an employers’ perspective and how to do it. HTA has recognised the need to cut through the reams of information available on apprenticeships to ensure garden industry businesses have just what they need to make the right decisions.
Training – The availability of quality, relevant training and qualifications is key to enticing entrants that expect to be able to monitor their progression within the industry. HTA’s Garden Retail Diploma (accredited by Lantra Awards) provides a unique tool for this alongside workshop-based training available to members and the increased provision of e-learning.
Mapping careers – HTA is committed to mapping career paths to highlight entry points and progression opportunities for people with relevant skills but maybe working in different sectors.
Careers marketing – HTA will maintain its support for the GROW Careers initiative whilst ensuring the specific opportunities for careers in garden retailing, plant production, landscaping and garden product manufacturing are highlighted to potential entrants and the advisory services they rely on.
For further information on HTA’s careers activity click here
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LazyLawn is a ready-made wonder for IKEA Belfast
Ready-to-assemble furniture firm IKEA has turned to the UK’s leading artificial grass specialists to create a ready-made summer lawn for its latest outdoor product displays...
Ready-to-assemble furniture firm IKEA has turned to the UK’s leading artificial grass specialists to create a ready-made summer lawn for its latest outdoor product displays.
LazyLawn was recently selected by the Belfast branch of IKEA, at the Holywood Exchange Retail Park, to install 100 square metres of its low maintenance, hard wearing Wonder Yarn.
James Nicol, LazyLawn licensee for Belfast, comments: “Belfast IKEA was looking for an easy, hassle-free alternative to traditional grass to complement its outdoor products, such as garden furniture.
“As the store attracts such a large number of visitors they required a product that would be durable and maintain that freshly cut summer lawn look long-term.
“Based on the brief provided by IKEA, we were able to recommend the LazyLawn Wonder Yarn, which is our best selling product due to its premium quality and freshly cut appearance.
“This product is the perfect accompaniment to the store’s summer displays, but will also be suitable for all seasons and is very low maintenance, as it doesn’t require cutting or watering.
“IKEA was so impressed with the quality of the lawns, the service and the speed of installation, which lasted only three weeks, that they were happy to display our logo within an area of lawn.”
Wonder Yarn was advised for IKEA thanks to its premium quality and freshly cut summer lawn look; the product’s name derives from its ‘W’ shaped yarn development, enabling the green blades of grass to stand upright.
The realistic look of the Wonder Yarn is achieved by the colour mix and texture of the individual strands, which are made from polyethylene.
LazyLawn is the country's premier artificial grass brand having been at the forefront of the supply and installation of artificial grass in Europe for over 25 years, constantly pushing the standards in product development and installation methods.
James adds: “It’s not just big stores like IKEA that are turning to artificial lawns for convenience, over the last year I have seen an increase in demand from home owners looking for a low maintenance alternative for their gardens.”
Find out more about LazyLawn in Northern Ireland by calling 02890 871134 or emailing northernireland@lazylawn.co.uk. Alternatively, visit www.lazylawn.co.uk to view the full product range.
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Popular garden centre Hare Hatch Sheeplands suffered a 'hammer blow' after a planning inquiry to decide its future was adjourned.
The decision drew tears and protest from around 100 supporters who flooded Wokingham Borough Council’s offices to hear the destiny of Hare Hatch Sheeplands.
Staff and customers must wait until October after Government Planning Inspector Nicholas Freeman accepted the council’s plea to stall proceedings due to ongoing illness of a key witness.
The garden centre near Twyford in Berkshire was appealing against an enforcement notice issued by the council over its illegal expansion on to green belt land, which staff claim could force the business to close.
Speaking after the hearing, owner Rob Scott said: “The successful request for the inquiry to be adjourned is yet another hammer blow to Sheeplands.
“The council seems unable to understand the harm these delays are doing to our viability as a business, to our employees, suppliers, customers and all the other people who rely so much on our future success.”
Emotions ran high in the Shute End chamber with Mr Freeman pausing to rebuke hecklers muttering “disgraceful” from the balcony.
Edmund Robb of Prospect Law, representing the borough council, requested the adjournment because of the witness’ illness and to consider further changes at the London Road site that may require the enforcement notice to be amended.
Michael Rudd, representing Sheeplands, reasoned there would be sufficient expertise for the sick officer to be replaced for the inquiry, but the inspector sided with the council and shared his hope that a resolution can be made during the interlude.
After the adjournment supporter Terri Jones addressed the inspector, accusing the council of failing its own principles of pursuing an efficient and effective planning service.
The inquiry is scheduled to resume on October 8.
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Neudorff ‘s TV commercial for Superfast & Long Lasting Weedkiller will increase sales
Neudorff is launching a TV campaign for its Superfast & Long Lasting Weedkiller*.
Neudorff is launching a TV campaign for its Superfast & Long Lasting Weedkiller*.
The commercial highlights the product’s distinctive benefits: Its effects may be seen from one day after treatment, and it helps control against weed regrowth. http://www.neudorff.co.uk/index.php?id=2865
This is due to its unique combination of naturally occurring fatty acids which start to work immediately after spraying and a growth inhibitor that provides a long-lasting effect. The biodegradable** product is ideal for all eco-conscious gardeners and pet owners. Once the spray has dried, pets can be released onto treated areas without concern.
Superfast & Long Lasting Weedkiller* is exclusively available to UK garden centres both as a concentrate and in a ready-to-use spray.
The commercial is being broadcast from the middle of May onwards, accompanying a print and online campaign.
Neudorff has specialised in the development of products for natural gardening for more than 150 years and this product has been successfully used by environmentally sensitive gardeners in Europe, ahead of its British introduction in 2012.
For more information please visit www.neudorff.co.uk.
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Veg and containers boost growing media sales
Growing media sales are still lagging behind previous years but they are going the right direction, having been boosted by an increase in veg growing and container activity...
Growing media sales are still lagging behind previous years but they are going the right direction, having been boosted by an increase in veg growing and container activity.
Growbag sales are promising with Scotts Levington Tomorite Giant Planter with Seaweed the star performer at No 2 in the Growing Media chart.
There are two significant GYO re-entries in Miracle-Gro Grow Your Own Fruit & Veg Compost at No 38, and Westland Organic Vegetable Growing Compost at No 41.
Shamrock Tub & Basket Compost is the only new entry at No 42 while Westland West+ Container & Basket Compost is the highest climber, moving up 13 places to No 19.
See the full GTN Growing Media Bestsellers Chart here. Subscribers Only
To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business. Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.
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Some spaces left and sponsorship packages available for GIMA Charity Golf Day
GIMA Director Neil Gow told GTN Xtra "We do still have some spaces left and with sponsorship packages from as little as £100..."
The GIMA Charity Golf Day is a great event that is aimed at helping retailers and suppliers have a bit of fun and relaxation as another key gardening season eases off. That all important ‘unwind’ is perhaps more applicable than ever this year as the pressures are enormous. Recognising this, one of the latest companies to book a team into the event is furniture and leisure product suppler Hartman UK. Their team of four players, a mix of company personal and retailer customers are set to take on the challenge from colleagues in all sorts of supplier companies and other retailers including: - Haws Watering Cans
- Glee
- Forest Garden
- Dlf Trifolium – Johnsons Grass Seed
- Westland
- William Sinclair
- Bord na Mona
- Mr. Fothergill’s Seeds
- Fiskars
- Solus Garden and Leisure The event, now in its fourth year also raises money for charity. This year Greenfingers and Gardening Leave are to be supported by the event which takes place at Staverton Park Northamptonshire on Thursday 6th June. Full details are on the GIMA website or call Geraldine at the GIMA Kent office on 01959 564 94. Gardening Leave's chief executive Heather Budge-Reid said: "It's great news that GIMA members, suppliers and retailers from the garden and pet industry will be raising funds for Gardening Leave this year and I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone involved. Money raised will help us support veterans across the UK who carry the invisible wounds of conflict and who are in real need. The therapeutic benefits of gardening can make a big difference to people who have PTSD. Working with plants also promotes a sense of purpose and hope for the future." “Even for those who think golf is not their cup of tea there are opportunities to get involved” says GIMA Director Neil Gow. “Whether it is coming along to mix with colleagues at the evening event of dinner and entertainment or supporting with some sponsorship the rewards for those who support are valuable. We do still have some spaces left and with sponsorship packages from as little as £100 there is tremendous value. For more details go to http://www.gima.org.uk/awards.asp?Page_ID=29
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A book-keeper will stand trial after denying the theft of £55,033 from Chepstow Garden Centre.
Christine Hill, 66, of Home Farm Court, pictured, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, where she faced two charges.
She denied the theft of £55,033, which is alleged to have taken place between September 29, 2008, and May 31, 2011.
Hill admitted fraud between February 1, 2008, and August 19, 2012, that she abused her position as book-keeper of Home Farm Court Management Company, making £16,090.
However, she admitted this offence on a basis, which was noted by Judge Niclas Parry and will be outlined at sentencing.
Hill will next appear on July 17, when a trial date will be set regarding the not guilty plea.
EU plant health proposals headed in the right direction says HTA
The HTA welcomes much of what is contained in EU proposals published this week regarding plant health, plant reproductive material and official controls although more work is needed in some areas...
The HTA welcomes much of what is contained in EU proposals published this week regarding plant health, plant reproductive material and official controls although more work is needed in some areas. The proposed regulations are part of a package of measures adopted by the European Commission aimed at modernising and simplifying the agri-food chain.
Speaking after the launch of the package, HTA Director of Business Development, Tim Briercliffe, said: “The HTA is pleased to see that some of our key lobbying objectives have been already been recognised in the package of measures just published. These include: those involved in transporting plants for growers will not be required to register under the plant health regulation; recognition that replacement plant passports can be issued to maintain commercially sensitive information; exceptions meaning that plant passports are not required for the final user; and some lessening of the requirements for the passport itself.
"We recognise that more work needs to be done as negotiations continue. Not least in fully understanding the possible implications for traditional varieties, plant reproductive material for gardeners, small markets and labelling of forest reproductive material. To that end the HTA will be meeting with other stakeholders and Defra shortly. The European Commission has said it wants to modernise and simplify the current system. We must make sure that there are no harmful unintended consequences.”
The package of measures published by the European Commission will now be considered by Member States, the European Parliament, European Council and others. It is intended that the Regulations will come into force in 2016.
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Forest Garden has been featured in hit Channel 5 TV show ‘Eddie Stobart: Trucks & Trailers’ show, which aired on May 3.
The observational documentary charts the progress of the Eddie Stobart transport and distribution business. In this latest series, Forest’s Lockerbie sawmill and its Worcestershire factory were both filmed in action, as well as one of Eddie Stobart’s well known drivers as he made his deliveries.
Gerald Gregory, Operations Manager for Forest explained: “We were absolutely delighted to be approached to be featured in the Eddie Stobart series. The film crew arrived at our Lockerbie sawmill, filmed the raw materials that had been cut and the Eddie Stobart lorry being loaded, and followed the driver, Mark Dixon, all the way to our Worcestershire site. It certainly wasn’t a run of the mill day for us!”
Eddie Stobart driver Mark Dixon – Twitter sensation and fan favourite – is one of the show’s much-loved characters. His trademark truck, called Phoebe Grace after his youngest daughter, was the delivery vehicle on the day. The 36-year-old father of four from Yorkshire, who spends five out of seven days on the road, said: “It was a really interesting day for me and great fun to see just how the panels were made.”
Roman Sarina, Panel Maker at Forest, who was filmed on the day with Mark, added: “It was my job to show Mark how to make a fence panel. We went through the process step by step and he was very enthusiastic! We had a real laugh on the day. It’s certainly one I will remember!”
The programme invites viewers to take a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s most recognisable haulage firms, and life behind the wheel of some of its 2,500 trucks on roads the length and breadth of the UK and beyond. The Eddie Stobart brand continues to captivate the public, with each of its trucks emblazoned with a girl’s name and a loyal fan club with 25,000 official members.
Garden timber leader Forest produces 12,000 fence panels and 2,500 garden buildings each day, as well as a wide range of other products such as planters, arbours, raised beds and decking.
To watch Episode 1, Series 5 of Eddie Stobart: Trucks & Trailers online, visit www.channel5.com and search ‘Eddie Stobart’.
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GIMA Awards Judges Line up Extended
A further three members of the elite judging panel for the GIMA Awards were announced last week...
The recognised leading product and marketing awards for the garden retail product supply sector organised by trade association GIMA, were launched last month with eight product, four marketing and two special award categories including export achievement. Last week a further three, members of the elite judging panel were announced. Andy Smith the new garden plant buyer at emerging garden product retailer Waitrose, Tristan Sissons Gardencare buyer for the Garden Centre Group and Gareth Evans from Burston Garden Centre in Hertfordshire. They are join the existing line up of: - Conna Powles, Buying Director, Haskins Garden centres
- Simon Moore, Head of Garden Buying, Wilkinson Stores
- Tim Rumbold, Editor Amateur Gardening magazine
- Mike Wyatt, Editor Garden Trade News
- Peter Burks, Chairman of the Garden Centre Association
- Jo Wood, Garden, DIY and Security Buyer at QVC
They will be tasked with judging products in the following categories: - Garden Care Products - Growing and Planting Equipment and Sundries - Tools, Machinery and Implements - Outdoor Leisure, Garden Structures and Features - Plants Seeds and Bulbs - Garden Landscaping - Garden Retail Related Products - Pet Care, Aquatics and Wild Bird Care - Point of Sale Material - Consumer Product Packaging - Marketing Communication Entry to the Awards is open to all suppliers of new product or marketing launched between June 2012 and may 2013. Closing date for entries to this years GIMA awards is the 21st June and the winners will be announced at the glittering Gala Dinner and Presentation Evening at the Queens Hotel Leeds on the 18th July. Further details are available on the special section of the GIMA website at http://www.gima.org.uk/awards_2013.asp?Page_ID=28
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Rachel Moore, of Rachel’s Gardens, based in York, designed a romantic, intimate garden entitled The Wedding Gift for the recent Harrogate Spring Flower Show, earning a Silver Gilt award. This was her first ever Show Garden.
The concept behind this new idea is that the Garden would be commissioned as a wedding gift and designed to enhance and reflect a couples’ relationship and experience of their out-door space. This garden was formed around two connected circles to represent wedding rings, one of grass and one as decking, complemented by a stunning armillary sphere sundial.
The sundial, which is central to the garden, was created by Stephen Holehan, of The Yorkshire Sundial Maker, the sphere being inscribed with the romantic script: “Be as True to Each Other as The Shadow is to the Sun". All Rachel’s suppliers are Yorkshire based.
Rachel Moore works throughout Yorkshire and further afield. She has completed projects of all sizes from small urban gardens to those in large rural properties, with each one tailor made to give clients just what they need to enhance their home and lifestyle.
Rachel Moore, of Rachel’s Gardens says: “I am extremely proud my garden won a Silver Gilt at the recent Harrogate Show. I was inspired by the idea of creating a garden for newlyweds. I used the symbolism of connected rings to tie the design together and chose materials that were complimentary in tone and texture. I have added really romantic touches like the suspended glass bubble tea-light holders, which when lit, glitter and shimmer enhancing the romance of the entire garden.”
The colour pallet she chose is in of white, green and gold, with the planting scheme both romantic and contemporary. Rachel continues: “Plant care instructions and a maintenance schedule can be included in the Wedding design package so that even less experienced gardeners can be confident of managing and enjoying their gift of a garden.”
The Wedding Gift Garden, specially designed and launched at the Show, provides the unique opportunity to give Rachel’s professional design and construction service as a wedding gift. This prestigious northern event attracted more than double the number of show gardens from the previous year.
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Burning off calories with the gardening workout
Green-fingered Brits can burn off almost 19,000 calories per year just by doing enjoyable garden tasks, according to new research by online shopping discount site NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.
Green-fingered Brits can burn off almost 19,000 calories per year just by doing enjoyable garden tasks, according to new research by online shopping discount site NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.
The average gardener spends five and a half hours gardening per week, burning up to 722 calories. Three hours doing regular garden tasks works out roughly equivalent to an hour working hard at the gym.
Over a six month gardening season that works out at 18,772 calories per year, equivalent to running almost seven marathons or eating 69 bars of chocolate.
During a lifetime, the average gardener can expect to burn over one million calories, equivalent to eating roughly 2,000 beef burgers.
The study was carried out with a group of 100 gardeners who were asked to monitor the amount of time spent doing a series of common gardening tasks over a four week period.
Gardening tasks that were monitored included weeding, digging, mowing the lawn, hedge trimming, trimming shrubs and trees, raking, planting shrubs, and moving garden waste using a wheel barrow.
Just doing half an hour weeding can burn up to 150 calories and tasks that handle heavy electrical equipment such as hedge trimming will give you a good workout burning 400 calories per hour.
One gardener who took part in the task said: “It is amazing to see how much time I actually spend out in the garden each week during the spring and summer seasons and how long some garden tasks take to do.
“I don’t have much time to go to the gym or do an exercise class each week so it’s good to know that just doing something that I love is giving me a workout too.”
Another gardener from the study said: “I’ve always known when I’m out in the garden that it’s giving me a bit of exercise but I hadn’t realised quite how much of a workout.
“It is great to see that even some of the simplest of tasks such as using the wheel barrow and planting shrubs can burn around 300 calories per hour.”
A spokesman from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “Most of us see spending time out in the garden as a leisurely job to do at weekends and during the spring and summer months. However it’s fantastic to see just by spending a day or five hours each week in the garden you can easily burn up to around 700 calories, giving gardeners a good workout too.
“I hope this will now encourage those who don’t get out in the garden so often to take up gardening.”
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Grow it Yourself launches
Grow It Yourself is launching on Saturday 20 July in Birmingham and will include appearances from some of the UK’s leading food growing advocates...
Grow It Yourself have announced details of the inaugural GIY UK Gathering, which will take place Saturday 20 July in Birmingham and brings together some of the UK’s leading food growers and food growing advocates.
The GIY Gathering will bring up to 300 people together for a fun-packed day of practical and philosophical talks about growing your own food; a chance to quiz expert growers; demonstrations; discussion and debate about local food and the community food growing movement; and the opportunity to network with a friendly community of food growers. This Gathering marks the launch of GIY in the UK.
GIY is an emerging global network of community food growers. The network is made up of interconnected food-growing groups that bring people together to inspire and support them to grow food. Over 50,000 people and 800 individual community food projects are involved in the GIY movement currently.
Speakers include BBC gardening presenter and author Alys Fowler; Abel & Cole food editor, author and urban gardener Rachel de Thample; photographer, author and smallholder Mark Diacono; food writer, gardening journalist and author Lia Leendertz, Paul Clarke (Pop Up Farm), Michael Michaud (Sea Spring Seeds founder), Michael Kelly (GIY founder), Dr David Shaw (Savari Trust) and Maddy Harland (Permaculture Magazine).
Alys Fowler, BBC presenter and author, said: "Learning to grow food is always best done with others - it makes it in to something fun and social. GIY is based around this, by creating local groups of like-minded folk who want to learn to grow. Every time I go to Ireland I am blown away by how successful a system it is, so it's incredibly exciting to have it come to the UK. Whether you're on an allotment, in a back garden, on a balcony or sharing space in a community plot, GIY offers you a chance to get together with people in your neighbourhood, make new friends, grow great food and learn along the way."
According to GIY founder Michael Kelly the GIY Gathering will appeal to novice and expert growers alike: “We’re particularly keen for people that might be interested in starting a GIY food growing group in their community to come along and find out more about GIY. We anticipate that there will be a lot to learn and to share for everyone at this year’s GIY Gathering.”
Event sponsors are Carbon Gold, the world’s leading biochar company. Craig Sams, Carbon Gold founder, says that the company are thrilled to be supporting the UK launch of the GIY movement: “We are delighted with the feedback from home-growers who have trialled our biochar products and it is a great feeling to be supporting the burgeoning number of people growing their own food. GIY has an admirable track record of bringing together communities of people who love gardening, encouraging those who would like to start gardening, and supporting them in sharing skills and resources."
The GIY UK Gathering takes place in the University of Birmingham on Saturday 20 July 2013 from 9am to 5pm, and tickets for the day cost £25. Tickets and more information are available from www.giyinternational.org
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