In This Issue
Tong gets go-ahead to build £14m garden centre
Work on new centre set to start in mid-July
Has Summer come at last?
Shed prices set to soar
Private equity group acquires leading garden product firm
Lockdown Startup BOOTPAC celebrates first sales
HTA Virtual New Plant Awards – back for its second year
Bumper first half in sight for plants
Garden centre team's cycle challenge raises over £6,500
Sunflowers bring cheer and cash to local charities
Dobbies announces second Northern Ireland store
Introducing Pelargonium for Europe – helping to increase sales and educate consumers
Unprecedented Demand - Record Easter garden centre sales lead to stock shortages - Read GTN's April issue on-line now
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Man arrested after burglary at garden centre
Core gardening feeds sales increases
Dramatic increases in gardening activity
Will Springwatch boost sales?
New chairman of Nursery Trade Fair Foundation
How cities benefit from taking an extra-dimensional approach to city greening
Award-winning designer seeks gold medal hat-trick
The best of last week's
BGC's Harrogate centre opens - Exclusive photo tour
Plantable children’s book wins Dragons’ Den offer
Something exciting is on its way...
Klass opens in Bourne Valley Garden Centre
Barton Grange Christmas 2020 - Exclusive GTN Xtra Photo Tour
Squires Badshot Lea - Christmas 2020
Perrywood at Christmas 2020 - with correct photo gallery now...
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter
All the latest news from the world of pet products
Major companies exhibiting at AQUA 2021 in October
New dog hydration product launches
PetQuip supports and promotes the British exhibitor group at ‘in person’ Zoomark International show
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Plantable children’s book wins Dragons’ Den offer

 

A Leicester-based company which makes children’s books with a difference has secured investment to grow the business after appearing on the BBC One hit series Dragons’ Den.

 

Willsow Books supplies books that once children have finished reading them they can cut off the back cover and pant them.

 

Each book tells the story of a vegetable or a herb and the back cover is impregnated with 500 seeds that grow into carrots, parsley, dill, basil or lettuce. The books retail for £9.99.

 

Company founder Tom Willday and business partner James Coulthurst pitched the product in the Den, and Dragon Sara Davies agreed to put £20,000 into the business for a 15% stake.

 

“It’s a unique concept. I’ve never seen or heard of anything like this before, so it seems like a great idea,” said Sara.

 

James Coulthurst said in his pitch: “As soon as we got the book into people’s hands we knew it would be a success so we set out to sell to as many garden centres and gift shops as we could.”

 

The business partners accepted Sara’s offer after she reduced her demand for 20% of the company to 15%, beating off fellow Dragons Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden, who also wanted 20%.

 

Tom Willday and James Coulthurst can be seen entering the Dragons’ Den in BBC iplayer at

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000w81f/dragons-den-series-18-episode-8. Their pitch begins 30 minutes into the programme.

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