It’s official! Spring has sprung and the gardening season is about to start with a nationwide bonanza of special offers, money-saving ideas, inspirational displays and exciting FUNdraising events.
Yes, according to the Greenfingers Charity, Friday the 18th of March has been designated by the whole gardening industry as Garden Re-Leaf day. On that day and during the weekend that follows garden centres and garden retailers around the country will be showing off the best of their plants and gardening aids to raise money for Greenfingers Charity that builds recreational and therapy gardens in the grounds of children’s hospices around the country.
Many garden centre chains have decided to hold a 24-hour Plant-athon in which customers and staff will take turns to continuously plant a range of their best shrubs, herbaceous and flowering plants throughout a complete day. Some of the top garden centres in the country are taking part in this Plant-athon challenge including the Blue Diamond Group with 17 top-quality outlets in the UK and Channel Islands, Alton Garden Centre, Klondyke GC, Hillview GC, Squire’s GC and Millbrook GC. You are encouraged to visit your local garden centre on Garden Re-Leaf Day to find out what they are doing to add some excitement to the start of the garden year and raise funds for Greenfingers Charity.
You can find out lots of details of your local events from the special web site www.gardenreleaf.co.uk
Exciting events all over the country have been organised elsewhere to raise much needed funds for five new Greenfingers gardens that are planned to be designed and constructed in 2016. At your local garden centre there may be a raffle, a quiz night, a cake or book sale. At many garden centres they are encouraging a Tool exchange by inviting customers to bring in old or unwanted tools and receive a 20% discount voucher to spend on any Kent & Stowe product on the 18th and 19th March 2016.
Fund-raising activities can also be found that won’t cost you a thing. Perhaps your cup of refreshing tea bought on Garden Re-Leaf Day will earn the charity a small donation, or simply search out special prices where manufacturers are donating a percentage of sales value direct to the charity. In that way we all win! Perfect.
If you can’t get to your local garden centre tune in to QVCs special Garden Re-Leaf shows where you can get a gardening bargain whilst supporting Greenfingers on Saturday 19th March and Sunday 20th March. If shopping isn’t for you but if you’re feeling energetic, as a journalist linked to the industry you are welcome to join other key industry figures who will be taking part in a sponsored 20 mile walk on Garden Re-Leaf Day, starting and finishing at the HTA headquarters in Berkshire.
Whatever your contribution you will have had fun starting the gardening season, have learnt some new skills, met a garden celebrity or two and at the same time helped a worthwhile charity to make the lives of children who are resident of a local hospice that much better.
