The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, the world’s leading marketer of branded consumer lawn and garden products, announced today (Tuesday 2nd May 2017) it has received from Exponent Private Equity LLP a binding and irrevocable offer for its European and Australian consumer operations. The proposed transaction is expected to close before September 30, subject to regulatory approval and prior information and consultation with Works Councils and employee representative bodies. 

The proposed sale includes ScottsMiracle-Gro operations in Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland and the U.K. Under terms of the proposed deal, ScottsMiracle-Gro associates in these locations would become employees of the Exponent-owned operations upon closing. ScottsMiracle-Gro brands and products would continue to be manufactured and marketed in Europe and Australia as a result of licensing and sub-licensing agreements.  In Europe, the brands include Roundup®, Weedol®, Pathclear®, Evergreen®, Levington®, Miracle-Gro®, KB®, Fertiligène®, Substral®, Osmocote® and Naturen®, the availability of which is dependent upon the country. Among the brands in Australia are Scotts®, Osmocote®, Naturen®, Roundup®, Home Defense® and Pure Organics®.

“Our international lawn and garden business is the strongest in the marketplace with outstanding brand recognition and a talented and dedicated team of associates,” said Phil Jones, SVP of ScottsMiracle-Gro International Operations. “We’re delighted to have reached the proposed agreement with Exponent, as they would be an excellent steward of the brands and be well positioned to take the business to the next level. We expect the proposed transaction to be seamless to our retail partners, consumers and associates.”

The proposed sale reflects ScottsMiracle-Gro’s commitment – announced as Project Focus in the Company’s fiscal year 2016 – to concentrate more of its resources on its U.S. business. Since then, the Company has sought to find a partner or buyer of its international business who would steward the brands, give stability to associates and invest in growth opportunities.

The deal is being reported in the US as being worth $250m with Scotts CEO, Jim Hagedorn, saying there was a lot more interest than the company expected.

Exponent is an experienced and successful investor in consumer businesses with high-growth potential. The proposed sale would mark Exponent’s initial investment in the lawn and garden space.

Commenting on the acquisition, Simon Davidson, Partner at Exponent, said: “These are market-leading garden care brands loved by consumers around the world. We look forward to working with the Company and investing further in advertising and innovation to continue to grow these brands and unlock the full potential of the business.” 

A statement on the Exponent website added that Scotts Miracle-Gro brands and products would continue to be manufactured and marketed in Europe and Australia as a result of licensing and sub-licensing agreements. ScottsMiracle-Gro's products are currently sold in leading retailers such as B&Q, Bunnings, Gamm Vert, and independent garden centres in its key markets.

Exponent is an experienced and successful investor in consumer businesses with high-growth potential and has a strong record of successful corporate carve-outs.

About Exponent Private Equity

Exponent is a private equity firm investing primarily in businesses with significant presence in the U.K. with enterprise values between £75m and £400m. It works with businesses across a broad range of sectors to unlock value and drive growth. Its current and former portfolio companies include businesses such as Quorn Foods, Photobox Group, Loch Lomond Whisky, Big Bus Tours, the Ambassador Theatre Group and Trainline. This transaction would represent Exponent’s 18^th corporate carve-out transaction since it was founded in 2004; it has acquired businesses from a range of vendors, including Premier Foods, DMGT, BBC, News Corporation, Umeco, Live Nation, Virgin and Alere.

http://www.exponentpe.com

About ScottsMiracle-Gro
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is the world's largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company's brands are among the most recognized in the industry. In the U.S., the Company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories, as is the consumer Roundup® brand, which is marketed near worldwide by Scotts and owned by Monsanto. In the U.S., we maintain a minority interest in a joint venture with TruGreen®, the largest residential lawn care service business, and in Bonnie Plants®, the largest marketer of edible gardening plants in retail channels.  In Europe, the Company's brands include Weedol®, Pathclear®, Evergreen®, Levington®, Miracle-Gro®, KB®, Fertiligène® and Substral®.

For additional information, visit scottsmiraclegro.com.

Dobbies Garden Centres has signed a five year agreement with Speciality Stores, the general merchandise subsidiary of Ocado Group plc, for the provision of online services. These services will enable Dobbies to launch a new online store early next year serving the whole of the UK.

Dobbies will benefit from the technology, software, logistics and expertise employed by Speciality Stores, and its online orders will be fulfilled using Speciality Stores’ general merchandise warehouse. This agreement will enable Dobbies to offer an outstanding online experience, delivering direct to existing as well as new customers across the UK.

The terms of the five year agreement are not being disclosed.

Yesterday on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme Nicholas Marshall said:  "In the whole of the UK the retail industry 40% of all sales are online and growing. Growing all the time. And yet in gardening it is tiny, almost irrellevant and therefore there is going to be a step change and I'm delighted to say that I can announce today that Ocado has very kindly agreed to link up with us and to go online with us which is really exciting because they are one of the best British online companies."

When asked about Ocados inexperience in handling plants he added: "But we are. That's why we can get together with Ocado and become the best online. It's going to take us a few months to get up and running but there is a huge opportunity. Our whole market is £4 billion. If we get to 40% of £4 billion that's £1.6 billion online, ten times our turnover. It's huge."

In a press statement from Dobbies, Andrew Bracey, Chairman of Dobbies who used to be Chief Financial Officer at Ocado said: “In our first year of ownership of Dobbies, we are delighted to announce our partnership with Ocado and its general merchandise subsidiary, Speciality Stores to take Dobbies online across the UK.  Ocado has an outstanding reputation for service and quality. I am confident that together we can grow a very successful online business for Dobbies across the whole of the UK.”

Ocado's subsidary Speciality Stores Ltd owns and operates fetch.co.uk (the pet store) and sizzle.co.uk (the dining store). Fetch and Sizzle offer free next day delivery in one hour time slots of the customer’s choice on all orders over £29.  James Matthews, Managing Director of Ocado General Merchandise, said in the press release:  “We are pleased to announce this agreement which will enable Dobbies to launch a new online service for their customers, powered by our technological and logistical know-how. The expertise we have gained through operating our current Speciality Stores businesses and our Fabled joint venture with Marie Claire has allowed us to provide a compelling service proposition to Dobbies and we are excited to be working with them to help grow their online presence.”

Listen to yesterdays You & Yours programme via this link.

As well as Nicholas Marshall as their star guest, the programme also inculded a live segment from Barton Grange with Guy Topping and a piece about how generation rent is being encouraged to garden which included comments from Boyd Douglas-Davies at Hillview's Burford House Garden Centre.

Here is a transcript of the Nicholas Marshall and Guy Topping sections of the programme:

Winifred Robinson, You and Yours presenter, starts the programme by asking Nicholas Marshall:  "Why do you think it is people are still spending on their gardens when they have stopped spending on other things?

NM: Because gardening is probably the most interesting thing they do in their lives if they are not at work. Everybody has a lovely time in the garden.

Y&Y: It's dry today apart from in the Midlands and the South of England. How important is the weather for sales on holiday weekends like this one?

NM: The weather is the most important determinant and therefore if it is lovely weather, if it gets too hot everybody goes to the seaside and has a nice time, so what you really need is weather where it's not raining but dry and fresh and people can get in the garden and get on with the digging.

Y&Y: So is this good? Is this sort of weather we have here in Salford good? Cool but dry.

NM: Cool but dry, excellent.

Y&Y: Why are they still spending on their gardens when they are not spending on other things? We talk about the lipstick effect in the downturn when you will treat yourself to something little like a lipstick. Does a new plant come into that sort of category or a day out to a garden centre maybe where you will go to the cafe and have a cup of tea?

NM: Yes, I've worked through a couple of recessions and interestingly people cut back, they don't go out to dinner as much, they spend more time at home and if they spend more time at home they then have a look at the garden and go "well we might do a quick trip down to the garden centre to see what they've got". And of course you've got a whole range of stuff in a garden centre from seeds to plants to shrubs to trees, so you're able to cut your budget.

Y&Y: Thanks, we will hear more about your plans for Dobbies later in the programme. There are more than 2,000 garden centres across the UK. Dobbies are the second largest, it has 34. Wyevale is the biggest with 148 so the vast majority are still independents. Samanatha Fenwick is at one the UK's biggest and most succesful, Barton Grange in Garstang near Preston has a turnover in the region of £16.5 million.

Y&Y: This is the main entrance of Barton Grange Garden Centre, it being a bank holiday today there is a harpist here entertaining the shoppers. This is known as a destination garden centre so customers tend to travel for about an hour to get here although some will also travel from further afield. The garden centre is owned by the Topping family, Guy Topping is here with me. Guy can you describe your customer for me?

GT: Our core customer we always say is the 45 plus female and we get all sorts of people in here of all ages but our main customer group are the 45 plus.

Y&Y: They are your core, they've got money to spend as well?

GT: Absolutley. Kids have left home, they want to improve the garden and their environment and they are looking to spend money to do that.

Y&Y: I've been speaking to some of those customers this morning and here's a flavour of what they were saying to me: "We've got 10 plants all together. I spend nearly a thousand every year, I just go beserk." "I come here 4 times a year because we want certain plants at certain times.  We came for some hanging baskets and it's too early, I believe, so we'll be back again next bank holiday." "I've bought trees and a bamboo, I came specifically to buy because of the quality."

Y&Y: We're now in the outdoor plants section. Guy, only 10% of your sales come from plants. Can you still describe yourselves as a garden centre?

GT: Well of course we can. I'm sure as you've seen today plants and gardening are what glue the whole place together and whilst it might only be 10% that's still a lot of plants and throughout the centre it's gardening and plants that are to the fore.

Y&Y: We mentioned that your customers are 45 plus women, do you worry that you need to start getting younger people into your garden centre?

GT: No, not at all. Whilst people are younger they are very busy bringing up families and that takes all of their time and it's only when kids leave home that people start gardening. And that's our customer so we like to focus on that market and there is a ready made conveyor belt of 45 plus people coming along.

Y&Y: And what about leisure, that's also important about drawing people here?

GT: Well it is, we see ourselves as a leisure destination. People come here for a day out primarlily. It's not really a shopping experience although it turns into that and we're about to add some leisure facilities on site aimed at the same market that is going to include cinemas, crazy golf, curling, ten pin bowling, golf simulator, and further catering.

Y&Y: So a further erosion on the plant sales then?

GT: Obviously we are not selling plants over there, we are selling the experience of being here and that's what they come for. They are looking for a day out, something to do and in future they will be able to come and shop the garden centre and then maybe enjoy a film or have a game of bowling.

Y&Y: One very brief final question - there are more independent centres than ones in chains. Do you think that may change? Have you had to face anyone trying to buy you?

GT: Not directly no, we know very well there would be chains that would be interested but there's still planty of independent operators coming along so they are going to keep coming through.

Y&Y: Nicholas, I know you've spent your entire career creating and running garden centres, how important do you think the plants are?

NM: Vital. It's the whole reason people go to a garden centre. Even old people who go there for lunch are actually going because they are going to a garden centre, that's what they want to do. So if their children ring them up and say "what have you done today?" They can say "we've been to the garden centre" which is better than saying "I've just been out to lunch". So actually everybody goes to the garden centre because they like to look at the plants, have a wander around, have a nice time.. yes plants are the essence of a garden centre.

Y&Y: Now when you ran Wyevale they called you in because they were struggling and you very much turned it back to a business that was about plants, the kind of place you could go to if you wanted a particular plant and that was what you wanted. But are plants still the money spinner? If you look at the growth in sales, yes plants up 7% but other sections of the centres are up by even more including things like the food.

NM: Yes you're right. Food and restuarants is very important too. But the heart of the bonfire is plants and yes, when I went into Wyevale they had lost their way and what we did was to bring them back to the core business which was all about plants and that encouraged lots of customers to come in. We grew a gardening club from nothing to 2.5 million people and that shows how much people liked what we were doing. But that's not to say the restaurants haven't got to be really good too and that's something we are going to be focussing on in the future.

Y&Y: But where's the money though? Is it in the restaurants or in the plants? Or is it in the clothes or other food and so on?

NM: I think you can get very distracted by going along other lines and I think a lot of people have come into garden centres from other forms of retail have thought that's what they can do. That they can distract the customer away from plants and into other things where they, the retailer, is more comfortable. And that's the strength of the independents and the better chains, by concentrating on our core business which is plants.

Y&Y: People no longer have to go to the garden centre if they want a particular plant. People who know their plants, probably the easiest place is to go online. You've always been able to go online for specialist growers to send you typically small specimens but now you have online companies who send you big pots of really beautiful things that cost no more than if you took the trip out to the garden centre. So if plants are your thing, isn't a lot of the business going to go online?

NM: Oh I think it is, undoubtedley. At the moment it is tiny. It's actually pathetically small. In the whole of the UK the retail industry 40% of all sales are online and growing. Growing all the time. And yet in gardening it is tiny, almost irrellevant and therefore there is going to be a step change and I'm delighted to say that I can announce today that Ocado has very kindly agreed to link up with us (Dobbies) and to go on-line with us which is really exciting because they are one of the best British on-line companies.

Y&Y: They are not used to handling plants though are they?

NM: But we are. That's why we can get together with Ocado and become the best online. It's going to take us a few months to get up and running but there is a huge opportunity. Our whole market is £4 billion. If we get to 40% of £4 billion that's £1.6 billion online, ten times our turnover. It's huge.

Y&Y: later in the programme - how generation rent is being encouraged to garden... 

Listen to yesterdays You & Yours programme via this link.  

Look out for the May issue of Garden Trade News which includes an in depth interview with Guy Topping.  https://issuu.com/gardentradenews/docs/gtn_april_17_ec2786c379f861

Responding to the continuing growth in container gardening, and launched at Glee in September 2016, the new Pot Toppers range from Kelkay is available in two very different ranges to appeal to all types of gardening consumer.



The subtle tones and warm textures of the four natural products have been designed to coordinate with a neutral indoor decorative style or to enhance the impact of outdoor planting of traditional colourful bedding or potted shrubs.

Pink Blush, Spring Sage, Silver Mist and White Ice are all available in easy carry-home small bags at a recommended retail price of £3.99.



In addition to the usual natural colours, Pot Toppers are also available in a series of four vibrant contemporary shades which have been introduced to bring a bold colour statement into interior schemes, or to dramatically set off simple architectural style container planting.



Available in Azure Blue, Chilli Red, Lime Time and Midnight Black the ‘RockinColour’ range is supplied in small handy packs at a recommended retail price of £2.99.

 

Antony Harker, Chief Executive at Kelkay, says: “We are always looking for new ways for our retailers to get more from the landscape and aggregates category.

"The development of Pot Toppers presents an opportunity to extend the category appeal and increase turnover with a minimum commitment to extra space in store."



As retailers have come to expect from Kelkay, the range has its own unique and compact merchandising stand which displays the appealing packs very effectively and makes the most of the crystal clear clarity of the new bags which ensure that the product style and colour is obvious to passing consumers.

To find out more about Kelkay  and their successful garden landscaping products, go to www.kelkay.com or e-mail the general enquiries office on salesenquiries@kelkay.co.uk or call 01405 869333.

As part of their 2017 Fall Holiday range, Evergreen Enterprises introduces Stargazing, lighted products of seemingly infinite dimensions.

Layers of designs capture the light for an infinite dimensional look that is truly unique, delivering a breathtaking display. 

When lit, these designs illuminate and bring a celestial feel to your space inspired by the mystery of night. 

Luminous glass designs come in a variety of shapes and colors, and add ambiance and a festive glow to your home. 

Transform your garden, deck, or patio with these dazzling glass designs featuring a three dimensional effect.

 

We are also proud to introduce our Firefly Solar Lanterns as part of our Fall Holiday offering. 

These portable, versatile and durable solar lanterns are the easy alternative for so many situations in which you need a source of light. 

Choose from four different light settings to tailor for desired effect. One charge will last up to eight hours. 

These lanterns can be charged by either exposure to a solar source, or with the handy cord that will connect with any USB outlet. 

The silicone contruction of these lamps makes them collapsible, compact, lightweight, and waterproof.  Be sure to visit our stand at GLEE to see for yourself!

 

See these and many more or Evergreen’s  fresh, innovative, quality products by visiting our stand at GLEE, or by contacting us at:

 White Pebble International
Unit 2, Plot 11, Terminus Road
Chichester PO198 TX UK
Tel +44(0)1243 780501
Fax +44(0)1243 839332
info@whitepebbleint.com

• Garden Products - up 13%
• Veg-2-Gro - up 73%
• Growing Media - up 35%
• All Plants Index - up 12%
• All Items Index - up 11%

karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Forest Garden launched it's new Decibel fencing panel to the gardening press last week with a demonstration at the Chelsea Physic Garden of the specially designed and constructed panels, illustrating their ability to reduce noise levels by up to 30dB.

Listen to the Decibel Demo here

As every reduction of 10bB is equal to halving the noise level the Decibel panels cut noise by 8 times.  The best way to describe it is that when they played a recording of a dog barking just the other side of the panel it sounded more as though the noisy hound was several houses away rather than right by the fence.



This is achieved by multiple angled trianguar boards which deflect and scatter sound waves just as a Stealth Fighter uses the same principles to deflect radar waves.



Panels tested in independent laboratory tests carried out in 2017 by Exova BM Trada in accordance with BS EN ISO 10140-2 and ISO 717-1. Achieving BS EN 1793-2:2012 Category B3 rating for noise reduction.

Each panel is 180cm high and 183cm wide with the boards mounted vertically (making it a standard 6ft panel size). However, the panel looks equally as attractive with the boards running horizontally with which arrangement it is 180cm wide so can replace standard sized European panels.

The panels combine noise reducing performance with great looks. Thick (17mm) interlocking tongue and groove boards are smooth planed and moulded into a triangulated shape. These are mounted within a 45mm thick rebated frame to ensure there are no gaps for noise to pass through. 

The combination creates Forest Garden’s unique Triform Technology that reflects, diffuses and absorbs unwanted noise. Each panel is FSC certified and carries a 15-year anti-rot guarantee.

“These panels bring peace and quiet plus privacy back to gardens subjected to unwanted noise,” says Guy Grainger, CEO of Forest Garden (left). “With road traffic increasing, according to the **Department of Transport, the unwanted noise impact in gardens is a growing problem. Our panels offer an attractive, practical, effective and affordable answer to reducing this problem.”

The Exova BM Trada tests were carried out to relevant British Standards covering both road traffic noise reducing devices and methods for measuring airborne sound insulation. Decibel noise scales are logarithmic and so cannot be equated in percentage terms. The Forest Garden product achieved a Category B3 rating according to British Standards tests (which equates to a noise reduction of between 25 and 34 Decibels).

Loud music, barking dogs, noisy neighbours and road traffic are the most irritating unwanted sounds in a garden, according to a *government survey. It is now possible to reduce the impact of these by as much as eight times with this cleverly designed acoustic garden fencing panel from Forest Garden.

Other specialist noise reducing garden fences are on the market but the Forest Garden Decibel Panel not only dramatically cuts noise levels but also looks great and is affordable. This is the first DIY acoustic panel and can be fitted as a replacement or as a new fence. Tests show that the panels can achieve a reduction in the noise level of as much as 30dB. Each successive reduction of 10 decibels is equal to halving the noise level.  

The RRP of the panel is £119.99 and they are available at selected stockists nationwide. For further details contact Forest Garden info@forestgarden.co.uk / 0333 321 3142

*DEFRA Noise Attitude Survey 2012                          

**Department of Transport Road Use Statistics Great Britain 2016

GTN Xtra sales idea:

If you sell Forest Garden products, next time you have a live music event at your garden centre how about erecting a wall of Decibel panels so that your customers can hear their noise reduction effects for themselves.  How many panels would you have to sell to cover the cost of your live music event? Shhhh, sounds like a great idea to us...

Hilliers has announced a number of new senior appointments to its garden centre head office team.

Plant category manager Rob Grayson, who has worked in various roles at Hillier’s Nurseries, has been promoted to head of purchasing.

George Hillier takes up a new position as head of property, with responsibility for the entire estate, including maintenance and developments in garden centres, nurseries and domestic property, as well as the management of concession partnerships*.

Mark Bosworth, previously been centre manager at Horsham, succeeds George Hillier as one of the two area managers overseeing the portfolio of garden centres.

The final appointee is Richard Egerton, who joins from Dobbies as new group horticultural buyer.

Director Chris Francis said: “We are really pleased with the new appointments to our senior team. There are a number of internal promotions, a great proof of our success at developing people within Hillier, as well as the addition of one of the top people in the industry.” He added that he was confident they would help the group to continue its strong start to the year.

Andrew West and Martin Andrews left Hillier to join Dobbies last month.

*A 20,000 sq.ft. extension at Hilliers Eastbourne Garden Centre, due to open by the end of May, will create space for five additional concessions on the site.

After four years planning and 18 months of construction, RHS Garden Hyde Hall will open a spectacular new edible garden in July...

The Global Growth Vegetable Garden will challenge perceptions of conventional kitchen gardens and will grow a range of edible plants, from the everyday to the exotic. It aims to inspire gardeners and foodies alike with its vast array of extraordinary vegetables from around the world: from sword beans and edible dahlia tubers to oyster leaf and tarwi (lupin beans).

RHS Horticulturist Matthew Oliver who will look after the garden said: “While I’m sure there’s lots of gardeners out there growing curious edibles, I’m not certainly not aware of anyone doing it on the scale that we are attempting here at Hyde Hall. It’s hugely experimental and I’m sure our visitors will be watching with interest.”

The new garden has an unconventional design, circular to represent a globe. At its centre is a bespoke 14m (46ft) wide, 7m (23ft) high, octagonal glasshouse manufactured by Hartley Botanic. Designed by Suffolk-based garden and landscape designer Xa Tollemache, the Global Growth Vegetable Garden will be divided into four quarters, representing Europe & the Middle East, Asia, North & Central America, and South America.

Hyde Hall garden manager Ian Bull said: “Most people associate a veg garden as being a collection of square or rectangular beds with a glasshouse in the corner, but we’ve thrown out the rule book and have created something that is both functional and pleasing to the eye.”

Following the official opening, there will be a weekend of public celebrations on Saturday and Sunday, 16–17 July 2017. Attractions include food demonstrations and taster sessions with Hyde Hall’s head chef, James Curtis, and using produce freshly harvested straight from the garden.

Hyde Hall Curator Robert Brett said: “The opening of the new edible garden is a major achievement for staff at Hyde Hall. It’s the result of a lot of hard work and effort, and they should be proud of what has been achieved. It will help us explain to visitors where in the world vegetables come from, how to grow them, and how to cook them. This is a wonderful addition to the garden and I’m sure that our visitors are as excited about the Global Growth Vegetable Garden as we are.” 

A recent visit to the California Spring Trials in the USA turned out to be an eye-opener for Ben Gregory, product development manager at Wyevale Nurseries.

Ben visited 12 US nurseries during the trip, searching for unusual plants and building relationships with breeders and growers.

The 24-year-old from Worcester said: “This is the largest trial event of new breeding focused on annual, perennial and shrub varieties in the world. Approximately 70 breeders from around the world show their latest products and trials at nursery sites throughout California. It was eye-opening to see such a huge range of exciting new introductions, which I am looking forward to bringing to the UK market.”

The California Spring Trials is an annual week-long event held at various locations throughout the state. The event is a launching ground for some of the newest plant varieties, signage and packaging products, and merchandising programs and concepts. In addition, many locations include plant growth regulator experiments, outdoor trialling and technical information and help

Ben added: “I also visited a few nurseries in the Portland area of Oregon. One highlight was visiting J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co, one of the leading tree growers and introducers of new tree varieties in the world. It was a very productive and successful trip with lots of possible developments and new products.”

The Wyevale Nurseries team regularly introduces award-winning plant varieties.

Wyevale Nurseries say their March sales were up by 14% compared to the same month last year. The increase was driven by independent garden centres, trade customers and cash and carry.

Sales and marketing director Adam Dunnett said they had had their best first quarter since 2012, with sales up 18%. “Things are really picking up and the weather has certainly helped particularly in the retail sector.

 “Our emphasis on developing a 21st century plant range is starting to pay dividends and a resurgence in the popularity of shrubs in garden centres is helping too. We also saw big sale increases in transplants with buyers wanting to purchase British. This was the same with trees and we have also modernised our tree range and are growing much larger volumes of container trees.”

Glee exhibitors have joined a debate about the affordability of gardening and the relevance to modern shoppers of a conventional ‘good, better, best’ strategy.

Manufacturers of the finest quality agricultural and garden tools, Burgon & Ball is often considered at the top end of the market. Heather Culpan, managing director at Burgon & Ball, said: “We believe that consumers still respond to the good, better, best range selection. It makes it so much easier for the customer to identify which range or brand is the right one for them; they feel very comfortable with it.

 “And within that architecture, there is evidence that the market is experiencing a shift towards the higher end of the scale, revealing that the consumer buying decision is definitely not based solely on price. We often find ourselves selected as the ‘best’ offering in garden centres and we are definitely noticing that sales of our most premium products are rising strongly. Many of our top-end large digging tools, for example, have seen year-on-year growth in excess of 30% in the last year.

 “The conclusion we have drawn is that there is a distinct move towards more considered purchases. People are thinking about the money they are spending, and want to invest in high quality tools and equipment that will last for years. We believe our customers are giving their purchase careful consideration, and viewing it as a good investment for the future, rather than going for a ‘throwaway’ option.”

Glove and accessory brand Briers says that quality is just as, if not more, important than price. Jackie Eades, director of Briers said: “It would be wrong to think that all consumers have the same basis for making a decision to purchase. Price is most definitely a consideration, as we want to feel that our purchase is a good price for the quality and fit for the job they need the product to do.  For some the bargain mentality is very much evident but many prefer to take a long-term view, believing that a better quality product will deliver a better long-term investment return. 

 “For Briers, our consumers show that the trust they have in our brand is a major reason to purchase as essentially Gardening Gloves are a PPE product, so our quality and product testing are vital to them, other considerations being comfort and design (both product and surface).  Good customer service support to back up the products is also essential with a well-trained customer focused team.”

Dalefoot Composts makes sustainable, peat free composts using natural ingredients from the Cumbrian fells including sheep’s wool and bracken. Since Simon Bland and Jane Barker launched the business 20 years ago, prompted by diminishing returns from their sheep farming business, their composts have been growing a loyal fan base amongst gardeners, allotment holders and professional growers.

 “We find gardeners are willing to pay a little more for a product if they understand the quality of the ingredients and the benefit they bring to their plants and the environment,” said Simon. “Our composts are made from totally renewable resources with great environmental benefits. The natural water retention of wool means up to 50% less watering for your plants and wool provides a steady, slow sustained supply of nitrogen. High levels of natural potash from the bracken promotes flowering and fruiting, so healthy growth and hearty crops, and no need for any additional plant food.”

Supplying products to the garden retail sector since 1987, Woodlodge has seen the consumer landscape change dramatically. The company’s Director, Michael Wooldridge, shares his thoughts on the affordability of gardening. He said: “With over two thirds of British adults visiting a garden centre every year, having products at appropriate retail prices is a must to help drive sales. Products must have a unique selling point: be it quality, originality or the right price point. Gardening does not have to be an expensive hobby, unless you want it to be.

 “Whilst developing our ranges we have to ensure that our products are at the right prices without compromising their quality. Having a wider variety of containers in our range helps garden centres to choose products at a selection of price points that appeal to their local demographic.

 “High-end, branded products have proven popular and consumers are often happy to pay a little more when searching for specific items. Whether you are looking for a small, plain terracotta pot or a large, decorative, Heritage Garden planter, often purchasing a handcrafted container to complement your garden for years to come is priceless.”

Erica Adam, Export Manager at OutTrade BV/Pharao, added: “The span between high-end products and low-budget is growing in line with the demographic figures – the span between the rich and poor. Changing and decorating your garden on a yearly basis is possible through affordable products, clearly shown in the increase numbers of garden products displayed in discounters.  The stability of high-end gardening stores proves the other end – the continuous popularity of high-end products.

 “With Pharao products we develop products together with our customers; whether a gardening store, DIY or hard-discount. Tailor-made offers combine affordability without losing on design or quality.”

It’s not just traditional gardening products that are seeing a shift in affordability, pet products are also affected, as a spokesperson from GA Petfoods tells us: “Customers are not just persuaded by price, but also by benefits and what the product can do for them. GA’s MYLABEL range for garden centres provides packaging that distinctively highlights the product benefits clearly on the front of the pack. Customers make quick decisions and product benefits should be clearly identifiable. If customers do not identify with the products benefits, then a purchase will not be made.

 “Accessibility will also be taken into account, customers will want to know they can receive constant supply of their dog or cat food. GA’s customers can order products to their store on GA’s new online ordering site. Products can be delivered in 24 hours directly to the consumer’s address to save the garden centre handling the product; therefore, garden centres can have access to the full product range without having to stock it.

“Our Grain Free packaging is also available for garden centres to brand with their own label imagery using our design department at no extra cost. With over 50 + products in the MYLABEL range, garden centres have a wide choice with no minimum orders. Other packaging options are also available depending on order numbers. 

To find out more about Glee, please click here or call the Glee team on 0203 033 2160.

Discover Scottish Gardens, Scotland’s recently formed national garden tourism organisation, will exhibit at next month’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the first time.

The group launched in 2015 with the help of VisitScotland’s Growth Fund to work collectively to raise the profile of Scottish gardens and showcase the nation’s outstanding horticulture and plant diversity.

Discover Scottish Gardens has attracted more than 130 members, including public and private gardens, nurseries and related businesses.

After securing a second round of funding from VisitScotland in December last year, the group now aims to make its mark at Chelsea.

Catherine Erskine, chair of Discover Scottish Gardens, said: “In our first two years, we made great strides in encouraging visitors from all over the world to enjoy our country’s fabulous gardens and nurseries, and there’s no better place to spread the word than at the world famous Chelsea Flower Show.

 “We are absolutely thrilled to be part of it and hope that our new campaign will raise our profile even further and entice garden lovers at Chelsea as well as Londoners and those living in the South East of England to visit Scotland. As part of our exhibition creative idea, we will quite literally be putting gardens on a giant map of Scotland.”

The Discover Scottish Gardens display on Eastern Avenue will feature a giant map highlighting the country’s most spectacular gardens, and a backdrop of Scotland’s natural landscape.

Staff will be dressed in Isle of Skye tartan ‘waterfall skirts’ made by Edinburgh designers Totty Rocks. The stand will also feature an eye-catching display of blue poppies (meconopsis), a Himalayan native that is widely seen as one of Scotland’s most popular flowers as it grows exceptionally well in the climatic conditions north of the border.

Sponsors of the tourism group include lead sponsor Lycetts Insurance Brokers, as well as CKD Galbraith, Cottages & Castles and Alitex Greenhouses and Conservatories.

For more information about Discover Scottish Gardens visit thre website www.discoverscottishgardens.org

Ends

Meet the eight finalists in this year’s Young Horticulturist of the Year competition.

They will be contesting the honours in the final on Saturday (6 May) at University Shrewsbury.

The range of backgrounds is wide, from those already working in the industry to others still completing their horticultural studies.

“We have individuals who have known from a young age that their passion lies with horticulture, but we also have those who have discovered it later in life, going to show how powerful a pull horticulture can have,” said a spokesman for the organisers the Institute of Horticulture (IoH).

In order of appearance (left to right, top row first) in the picture above:

East - Fern Champney, second-year BSc Horticulture student who competed last year.

West Midlands & South Wales - Josh Egan Wyer, a BSc (Hons) graduate in horticulture at Pershore College in conjunction with the University of Worcester

South East - Julia Andersson, who gained an HND at Pershore College, took the Horticulture with Plantsmanship course delivered by SRUC and The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and is now head gardener at Auchendolly Estate.

Scotland - Lachlan Rae, a father of two who has become a Young Hort Ambassador and is contesting his third final.

North - Matthew Brewer, a BSC (Hons) horticulture graduate from Writtle College, who has worked at Kew and is now a Woodland Horticulturalist at RHS Garden Harlow Carr.

North West  & North Wales - Nathan Foulds, currently continuing with his RHS Level 3 Diploma at Reaseheath College after experience in amenity and landscape gardening, and now running his own small landscape gardening and maintenance business.

South West - Peter Adams, who, after graduating with a BSc  (Hons) degree in Horticulture, worked at Tresco Abbey Gardens as part of the Elizabeth Hess Scholarship program, later joining RHS Rosemoor.

Ireland - Egle Zinkute, a graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a BA in Religions, Theology and Biblical Studies, whose passion for ethics turned to the dynamic physicality of the plant world.

A survey by garden fence and rail specialists Colourfence suggests that British households can’t get enough of their gardens.

Interviews with 2,000 people revealed that the East Midlands had the keenest gardeners – they spend on average the equivalent of 10.2 days per year (or 4.7 hours a week), tending their gardens, closely followed by the East of England (9.8 days per year) and Londoners (9.1 days per year). Those living in Northern Ireland are least keen, claiming to spend only 2.7 days per year on their gardens.

The survey also suggests that people would be prepared to pay an average of £35,000 on top of a property’s value if it had a garden or outdoor space. Londoners are prepared to pay the most for it – on average an extra £82,700, followed by those living in the east of England(+ £49,600). With beautiful landscapes on their doorstep, the Welsh are least concerned about their own outdoor space and would only part with an extra £13,200.

The survey also found that whilst one in four love their gardens as places to socialise, we are a nation of self-sufficient wannabes too, with more than one in 10 of using gardens to grow their own food. East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber and the East of England are the keenest veg growers.

Well over half (62%) of the interviewees said they’d rather have the additional outdoor than indoor space.

Graham Bowers of Colourfence said: “It’s no secret the British are mad about their gardens and gardening but just how much our obsession with having our own slice of it is worth to us hasn’t been revealed until now. No matter where you live, we can all agree that our gardens give us lots of pleasure whether that’s giving your child or pet the space to run around, living the ‘good life’ or eating al fresco with friends.”

• Scotts Levington Multipurpose + John Innes (56 litres) stayed on top of the chart.
• Bord na Mona Growise Multipurpose Compost (50 litres) was the highest re-entry, jumping straight to No 2.
• Scotts Levington Multipurpose with John Innes (50 litres) was the highest climber, moving up 17 places to No 15.

• Geum move up 17 places with an 84% sales increase.
• Felicia, blue daisies, are the only new entry at No 35.
• Osteospermum had the biggest increase in the Top 10 with sales up 34%.

GIMA is to run an interactive workshop in June to help suppliers and manufacturers maximise their online presence through improved website communication and social media strategy.

Entitled ‘Demystifying the Digitial World’, the event will aim to “debunk common myths” regarding online strategy, the event is designed to debunk common myths regarding online strategy.

Delegates will be provided with tangible advice and best practice guidelines that can be quickly and easily implemented within existing online platforms, including social media channels.

Paula Parker (right) of PP8 Marketing (and previously UK marketing director of Scotts Miracle-Gro) will lead the workshop, bringing with her extensive knowledge of web and social media strategy building. Paula will interpret everything from the different social media platforms to effective planning tools, setting realistic online ROI, and the role of trade portals.

The workshop (15 June, 10am-3.30pm at the HTA’s Horticulture House in Oxfordshire) is open to all GIMA members. Further information including how to register, can be found here 

• Gardman Kneeler Cushion was the highest new entry at No 3.
• Smart Solar Crystal Glass Stake Light was the highest climber, jumping 19 places.
• USP Wonderwall Vertical Garden Planter was the highest re-entry at No 24.
• Gardman Frostgard also returned to the Top 50.

• Quantil Tomato Moneymaker 8cm moved to the top spot.
• Quantil Runner Bean White Emergo Strips moved up to No 2 spot.
• Quantil Sweet Pepper Green 8cm was the highest re-entry at No 36.
• Quantil Tomato Baby Plum Lucinda 8cm was the highest climber, jumping 29 places to No 21.
• Quantil Cucumber Crystal Lemon 8.5cm was the highest new entry at No 48.

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 printed newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2014 as well as 2015 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £195.00 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 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this week are here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers.  Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.

Every good birthday needs a cake and an 80^th anniversary is definitely an occasion which requires something a little bit special.  Which is why Bents Garden & Home is on the hunt for the perfect birthday bake to help celebrate its 80^th year in business and is inviting customers to submit their favourite cake recipes as part of a truly tasty competition.

The winner, who will be chosen by Bents’ team of bakers and patissiers, will be invited to the Centre to work with the team to create their winning recipe, which will feature as the Restaurant’s bake of the month throughout July. They will have the opportunity to work directly with an award-winning team to see their recipe take centre stage and become a mouth-watering reality.

Says Tony Lewis, Food Development Chef at The Fresh Approach Restaurant:  “We are looking for a classic recipe that is full of flavour and detail.  Maybe something that is a family favourite and has been handed down from generation to generation. We’re very exciting about receiving the recipes and I’ve got a feeling it will be a difficult task to choose a winner.”

The closing date for the 80^th Birthday Bake is Friday 9^th June with the winner announced on Thursday 15^th.  Entrants must be available between 19^th and 30^th June to come in store to create their winning bake.  Entry forms are available from Customer Services and online at bents.co.uk.

2017 is a year of celebration for Bents Garden & Home as the family owned and run business marks its 80^th anniversary; 80 years since Alfred and Margaret Bent started to sell roses from the front garden of their small terrace house, marking the start of what would be a very special journey.

The 80^th Birthday Bake is just one of the celebrations planned for the year which is full of seasonal surprises and random acts of kindness planned to commemorate this impressive milestone, all anchored by a family fun weekend planned for the weekend of 7- 9^th July.   

Catering supplies company Rexmartins has launched a new range of equipment in response to demand for energy efficient, easy to use, space saving kitchen products.

The new lineup, called RMB, will be showcased at the Commercial Kitchen show on 6-7 June (stand H26).

The focus on induction cooking makes the range efficient to operate by utilising electromagnetic energy, minimising energy wastage.

Suitable for any catering requirement, the RMB range includes single zone induction units, induction fryers, pasta cookers and integral self-extraction systems, through to complete commercial kitchen solutions. There is also an outdoor living collection of stainless steel space saving modular kitchens.

MD Wayne Phillips said the range said the range was deisnged to meet customer wants. “Top of the list was energy efficiency as businesses are looking to reduce their carbon footprints and make cost savings. The versatility of our new RMB range is proving popular with all types of caterers who are wanting cost effective, efficient, space saving solutions.”

RMB products come with a two-year warranty.

Further information, call 0800 111 4333 or email using this link info@rexmartins.com