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LOFA Sales Academy - last call for applications
Closing date for LOFA Sales Academy 2024 applications is tomorrow, Friday 26th April

In collaboration with Meta-Morphose, LOFA have tailored an exclusive, top-tier sales and coaching program for LOFA members, tackling the challenges of the evolving garden leisure industry head-on...
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Gro-ments initiative part of £1 million peat-free campaign

From big feats to small wins, Miracle-Gro is encouraging consumers to celebrate their ‘Gro-ments’ – the feelings of joy sparked by growing achievements - in its multi-channel campaign with an important peat-free message. The initiative is part of a wider £1 million peat-free campaign being rolled-out by Miracle-Gro’s parent company, Evergreen Garden Care...
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Dobbies appoints Robert Cook as board advisor for its restaurant business

Renowned hospitality professional, Robert Cook, has joined Dobbies as a board advisor to support the strategic development of its restaurant business...
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Successful launch of Yorkshire Garden Centre Group's Green Card Loyalty App
GTN Xtra Promotion

Corby + Fellas are delighted with the successful launch of Yorkshire Garden Centre Group's Green Card Loyalty App. Both YGC and C+F have worked incredibly hard to design, develop and deploy this fantastic App! As you can see from YGC Managing Director Mark Farnsworth comments below, their launch has been very impressive indeed.
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Rising Stars focus on sustainability and regeneration

From bats to worms right through to weed control and tree planting, the 11 GCA and Westland Rising Stars for 2024 are already making headway into their retail projects. All have a focus on sustainability and regeneration and, for the first time, they unveiled their ideas to the group at a meeting held at NIAB, in Cambridgeshire.
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March BoT figures show a ‘very strong month’ says GCA
The Barometer of Trade figures from the Garden Centre Association for March 2024 have been revealed today (April 19, 2024) and are ‘very strong’ when compared with the same month last year...
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The Greenfingers Charity Dragon Boat Race – everything you need to know!

As the Greenfingers Dragon Boat Race fast approaches, the team has revealed more about what paddlers – and spectators – can expect from this adrenaline fuelled day!
When: Join in the fun on Sunday 23rd June 2024, with the first race earmarked to start at 10:30am
Where: Grendon Lakes, Northamptonshire.
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MorePeople launches The MorePeople Podcast

Step into the world of career opportunities, explore the latest insights, strategies and success stories in recruitment and beyond. Join us as we interview our wider team, our clients and big names in our industries on current affairs, career journeys and more!
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Key gifting dates helped boost spring sales

The Horticultural Trade Association (HTA) released its April 2024 Market Update, showing that despite another wet and rainy month in March, garden centre sales surged by +22% compared to March 2023, helped by the earlier Easter. Catering sales were also up by +17%. Consumer confidence also remained stable from February, showing a +15-point increase over March 2023...
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A thank you from Greenfingers: Garden Re-Leaf 2024

Another year and another fantastic Garden Re-Leaf Day complete! Taking place on 15th March, individuals, brands, companies and Greenfingers supporters all came together to ensure that this year’s FUNdraising event was bigger and better than ever...
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Help the nation welcome prickly visitors with Gardman
A shift in consumer behaviour over the past few years now means many gardeners are increasingly searching for ways to rewild their outdoor spaces and make them beneficial for nature. As part of Hedgehog Awareness Week, taking place from 5-11 May, Gardman, part of Westland Horticulture, is urging garden centres to ensure they have a varied range of products in store that inspire consumers to provide nature with a home...
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50 years of Glee: Vote now for your half-century champions!
As the Glee exhibition gets set to celebrate half a century at the heart of the garden retail sector, the organising team is looking for your input. In the past 50 years, Glee has seen thousands of exhibitors pass through its doors, with hundreds of thousands of new products launched since the show’s humble beginnings in 1974. To celebrate the newness and passion that have shaped Glee and the broader garden centre market during this time, the hunt is now on to find the people and product that have driven the most change over the past five decades...
Read more and nominate your half-century champions
Scholarship winners announced for 2024 by The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation

In its 30th year of awarding scholarships to students studying horticulture in the UK or Ireland, the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation bursaries are always sought after, but a record breaking number of applications made the task of selecting this year’s Colegrave Seabrook Foundation scholarships a particularly difficult one...
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Haskins Garden Centres celebrates Barista of the Year success

Haskins Snowhill Garden Centre, Crawley, is celebrating the success of restaurant supervisor, Adam Kelly, who recently won the regional heats of Costa Coffee UK’s Barista of the Year competition to progress to the UK and Ireland final...
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Garden Centres of the Year - GTN April 2024 Issue - Read on-line here
GTN April 2024 - Garden Centres of the Year. In this issue:
- AMES – The best tools for the job
- Making the right choice – GTN Interviews Michelle de Lavis Trafford
- Bents – GCA Destination Garden Centre of the Year
- New Journals from Museums & Galleries
- Fairways – GCA Garden Centre of the Year
- Jardinopia bring Indian products to your door
- Newbridge Nurseries – Blue Diamond Oak Garden Centre of the Year
- Vote for your Glee 50 Year Hero products and people
- Border Control – New plant import laws
- Retailing Dutch Style
- New plants galore - GTN Planteria
- Ready for Knockers – EHG Column
- Confidence still high – HTA Column
Read the issue on-line here
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SOLEX Exhibition to kick off festivities with Awards Ceremony and Afterparty
SOLEX Afterparty | Tuesday 9 July | 1830 -2230 | Hilton Metropole | NEC, Birmingham
 
SOLEX Exhibition, the premier event that gathers the best and brightest of the outdoor leisure industry, has announced an Awards Ceremony & Afterparty to kick off the excitement of the summer event on the Tuesday 9 July. Marking its 16th year, SOLEX Exhibition has curated a night of celebration, networking, and a thrilling football-themed evening to coincide with the highly anticipated UEFA Euro 2024 semi-finals...
Read more and add your name to the guest list here
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Bradford garden centre group wins national HR award

The team at a Bradford-headquartered garden centre group is celebrating after winning a national HR award for the second consecutive year...
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Gardening and horticulture cross-party group advocates for health and wellbeing benefits of therapeutic horticulture

Members of the Scottish Gardening and Horticulture Cross-Party Group (CPG) have written a joint letter to three Ministers advocating for the health benefits of horticulture and gardening in healthcare settings. The letter emphasises the role of environmental horticulture in enhancing health outcomes and urges policymakers to provide sustained funding for therapeutic horticulture initiatives...
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Promoting sales with Pelargonium for Europe

The Pelargonium for Europe (PfE) marketing initiative aims to improve the image of geraniums and promote their sale. To achieve this, PfE combines consumer campaigns with offers specifically for the garden retail trade...
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Autumn Fair elevates its Gift destination for 2024 show

The UK’s largest retail marketplace for Home, Gift & Fashion, Autumn Fair returns on the 1-4 September at NEC Birmingham offering retailers the opportunity to elevate their gifting game with over 800 quality exhibitors...
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EGO Power Plus goes heavy duty

Leading battery-powered outdoor power equipment specialist, EGO Power Plus, is launching a new product range aimed at landscaping and groundscare professionals...
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GIMA Buyers Guide & New Product Digest Spring 2024 - read on-line here
New Products for the UK Garden Trade for 2024 from GIMA Members: AMES Apta, AMES Home Delivery, AMES Tools, Auto Pot Global, Azpects, Bulldog Tools, CJS Display, Coir Products, Durstons, Edelman, elho, Evergreen Garden Care, Fargro, Forest Garden, Gardena, Handy Distribution, Glee, Hortiwool, Hozelock, Johnsons Lawn Seeds, Leon Boots, Museums & Galleries, PlantWorks, Primeur, Pot Mate, SharkNinja, The Solar Centre, Treadstone, UK Greetings, Vitavia, Westland Horticulture, Witt UK & Ireland, Woodmansterne, Zest Outdoor Living & GIMA Member Directory.
Read the issue on-line here
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Get your copy of GTN Xtra
with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox...
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AMES Companies appoints new Sales Director for the Garden Centre channel
In a move to further strengthen its position as the ‘partner of choice’, the AMES Companies has confirmed that it has recently appointed a new Sales Director, responsible for driving the garden centre channel...
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Dates for the 2024 Ball Summer Showcase announced
The team at Ball are inviting the horticultural trade to visit their West Adderbury Trial Grounds facility for the 2024 Summer Showcase as the company takes guests on a journey of inspirational retail ideas, growing solutions and new varieties...
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HTA response to Ten-Minute Rule Motion on prohibition of sale of peat
Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), responds to the outcome of Theresa Villiers MP's Ten-Minute Rule Motion on the prohibition of the sale of peat...
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50 years of Glee: Vote now for your half-century champions!
As the Glee exhibition gets set to celebrate half a century at the heart of the garden retail sector, the organising team is looking for your input. In the past 50 years, Glee has seen thousands of exhibitors pass through its doors, with hundreds of thousands of new products launched since the show’s humble beginnings in 1974. To celebrate the newness and passion that have shaped Glee and the broader garden centre market during this time, the hunt is now on to find the people and product that have driven the most change over the past five decades...
Read more and nominate your half-century champions
Anniversary Exhibition Keukenhof turns 75
Keukenhof Flower Exhibition is holding a special anniversary exhibition to celebrate this famous flower park’s founding 75 years ago...
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Garden trends and industry insights - available now in spoga+gafa's new online magazine
spoga+gafa, the biggest garden and BBQ trade fair in the world, is launching a new online magazine. Diverse formats such as interviews, videos and specialised articles examine the current developments, innovations and trends and grant exciting insights into the market and its players.
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AIPH approval of the International Horticulture Goyang Korea 2024
The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) has granted its exhibition approval to International Horticulture Goyang Korea 2024...
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Robert Dyas relaunches successful Plant & Pause campaign
Home and garden retailer Robert Dyas is reintroducing its Plant & Pause campaign, after a hugely successful launch last year. This initiative focuses on the benefits of utilising your outdoor space to promote good mental health and wellbeing, kicking off during Stress Awareness Month and running until August...
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Iceland's largest garden centre unveiled
On a once rugged 3 hectare volcanic site, Smiemans has built the 7,250 square metre climate-proof Gardheimar garden centre, which was recently inaugurated...
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The best of last week's
If you missed last week's GTN Xtra, below are the most-read stories...
Reverend and son buy Sheffield garden centre
Reverend Dave Walker and his son William have bought Birley Moor Garden Centre and Aquatics from previous owners Chris and Margaret Dale, who are retiring having run the facility since the early 1990s...
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Dobbies renews contract with Wincanton as multi-channel supply chain partner
Wincanton has been awarded extended warehouse and transport contracts with Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, to provide premium home delivery, store replenishment and eCommerce services...
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Established Peak District garden centre under new control
Husband-and-wife team Murry and Caroline Newbury, who have more than 25 years’ experience in the horticulture industry, have taken over at Hope Valley Garden Centre in the Peak District near Sheffield...
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Millbrook Garden Company celebrates milestones and fundraising success
Millbrook Garden Centre, Gravesend,celebrated its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of serving the local community with gardening expertise, quality plants and much more...
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Blue Diamond Garden Centres lead the way in British grown houseplants without the peat
At the new RHS Urban Show Manchester, Blue Diamond, Britain’s largest Garden Centre group, is championing the move towards British Grown peat-free, peat free and soil-free houseplants. Blue Diamond is committed to developing best practice in sustainable living as well as responding to the growing, eco-conscious customers demand to reduce environmental impact.
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Artevasi announces number one global bestseller
GTN Xtra Promotion
The Venezia 80cm Grow Box has become the world's number one bestseller from Artevasi. With its moulded legs, built-in water reservoir, removable rubber stopper for drainage, 58-litre capacity, overall durability, and outstanding value for money, it is a firm favourite in garden centres across Europe, America and the Middle East...
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Unlocking the greenhouse advantage
GTN Xtra Promotion
Greenhouse specialist Vitavia reveals why owning one is a gardener's secret weapon...
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