GTN Xtra - GTN Xtra - Issue 8 2015 - Breaking News LIVE from the GCA Conference

Martin Breddy (above) has left Scotts in a company restructure, which sees Sheila Hill (right) become UK General Manager.

The Scotts International Business Unit has restructured and, as a result, all European and Asia-Pacific countries, including The Scotts Company (UK) Ltd, will now report directly to the company’s USA headquarters, rather than the previous system – via the International Head Office in Lyon, France...

£10,000 raised as Cabbages beat Pansies in 5th Annual Greenfingers Challenge Cup

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Over £10,000 was raised on the eve of the Garden Centre Association Winter Conference at Carden Park in Cheshire when a team of garden centres (Pansies) took on a side made up of suppliers (Cabbages) in the 5th Annual Greenfingers Challenge Cup.

The event, made up of a series of fun events followed by a race night and was the curtain-raiser for the two-day conference, with all the proceeds going the industry's charity, Greenfingers.

Honours shared in the first event...Hadrian's Fort Building

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After Caesar's Opening Parade, the first event was Hardian's Fort Building, where both sets of teams had to build a fort from bags of compost. Points were awarded for creativity, stability and teamwork...

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Scores still level after next two events...Chariot Racing and Road Building

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There were plenty of spills and thrills in the Chariot Racing, won by the Cabbages team, and a little more finesse and less brute strength in the Road Building, won by Pansies...

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The teams still can't be split after two throwing events

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The next two events were throwing disciplines – Cocoanut Shy and Sling Shot - had the teams throwing fatballs at a series of objects, and there was a victory for each side.

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Cabbages 11 - Pansies 11...a high scoring football match

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One of the most hotly contest events was the football match, and it proved to be a high scoring affair at 11 goals each...

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Cabbages prove too powerful in the Tug o War

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The Cabbages proved too strong for Pansies in the final outdoor event, winning the Tug o War by two successful pulls to one...

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Nero's numbers prove too XXIIV for Pansies

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The quiz with a Roman difference was won by the Cabbages giving them their first outright win of The Greenfingers Challenge since the rugby match 5 years ago.

Race Night with Guy "McCririck" Topping wins by a length

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The fundraising event on the eve of the GCA Conference continued in the evening with a race night hosted by Guy "McCririck" Topping...

For the Rising Stars, Monday is the final challenge

After eight months of hard graft, the five finalists in the Garden Centre Association’s Rising Stars programme, sponsored by Westland, are preparing to face their ultimate challenge on Monday...

Gardening celebs get ready for 2015 Greenfingers Garden Re‐Leaf Quiz

Horticultural celebrities from TV and radio are busy recording questions for the 2015 Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day Quiz at the moment, and garden centres who sign up to take part in what is set to be the biggest and best quiz yet can take advantage of the ‘early bird’ entry fee of just £50 - if they sign up before 1st January 2015...

GTN Dec 2014 - Jan 2015

Garden Trade News

Taylors are flavour of the month

Onion sets and seed potatoes from Taylors Bulbs are the flavours of the moment in the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart...

Jack’s magical domination continues

Jack’s Magic from Westland looks set to dominate the GTN Bestsellers Growing Media chart for January again.

Vitax win in the orchid feed bestsellers stakes

Post-Christmas orchid feed product sales are the big story of this week’s GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart. Nine items feature in the Top 50 with Vitax Orchid Drip Feeders taking the No 1 spot for the first time...

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