GTN Xtra - GTN Xtra - Issue 23 2017

Exponent Private Equity to buy Scotts business in UK, Europe and Australia
ScottsMiracle-Gro announces binding offer from Exponent Private Equity LLP to acquire its International Consumer Business

Exponent Private Equity LLP today (Tuesday 2nd May 2017) made a binding and irrevocable offer to The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company to purchase SMG’s European and Australian operations. The proposed transaction is expected to complete before 30 September, 2017 and as result 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. The deal is being reported in the US as being worth $250m...

Dobbies "gets together with Ocado to be the best on-line"
Nicholas Marshall announces new partnership live on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme

"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 online companies..."

Read what Nicholas Marshall and Guy Topping said on the BBC yesterday, 1st May 2017

Kelkay's new range of Pot Toppers appeals to both traditional and contemporary gardeners
GTN Promotion

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...

Evergreen Enterprises brings sparkle to your holidays
GTN Promotion

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

Easter sales in garden centres were just above average

Easter 2017 was just an average Easter in the end, closing 3% above the average sales volume for the last seven Easter trading fortnights...

New fencing panel from Forest Garden cuts noise by eight times

Forest Garden launched it's new Decibel fencing panel to the gardening media 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...

New men at the top at Hillier

Hilliers has announced a number of new senior appointments to its garden centre head office team, including new heads of purchasing, property and horticultural buying...

New Hyde Hall project will challenge kitchen garden conventions

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

California trip is an eye-opener for Wyevale Nurseries manager

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....

Is 'good, better, best' still the right approach to affordability?

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

All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering

Klondyke opens new restaurant at Brookside Garden Centre

The Klondyke Group has just opened their latest restaurant at Brookside Garden Centre, Poynton, Cheshire...

The search is on for the perfect birthday bake at Bents

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...

Rexmartins launch energy efficient range at Kitchen Show

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...

Scotland to promote its glorious gardens at Chelsea

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. Among the features will be a display of meconopsis (pictured at Dawyck Botanic Garden)...

Eight get set for Young Horticulturist final

Meet the eight finalists in this year’s Young Horticulturist of the Year competition run by the Institute of Horticulture...

We can't get enough of our gardens, survey finds

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

GTN May 2017 Issue

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More records for growing media sales

Growing media sales are running at record levels for April. Sales volumes of the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 have already beaten the total for April 2016 with one week still to go...

Richard Sandbrook moves to Glencrest

Glencrest Seatex and Katie Blake are extremely pleased to announce that Richard Sandbrook has accepted the position of Business Development Manager...

Plant sales continue at a pace

Plant sales continue a pace, up 12% on the same week last year, as planterias look great and are full of tempting plant purchases...

GIMA workshop will aim to debunk digital myths

GIMA and Paula Parker of PP8 Marketing (pictured) are to run an interactive workshop in June to help suppliers and manufacturers maximise their online presence through improved website communication and social media strategy...

Pots, plants and kneelers selling well

With plant sales on the up again this week the big movers in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products Chart are modern day core gardening items: kneeler cushions, Frostgard, pots and vertical gardening planters...

It has ‘bean’ a great week for Grow Your Own

Bean plants have been really popular, up 73% on last week, to climb the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart. Tomato plants continue to be the most popular purchase overall...