Garden centres throughout the UK are getting ready to impress judges of the GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards as inspections for this prestigious event start this coming week.
After all the judges visits, our GTN experts meet to decide on the winners and the results will be announced at The Greatest Awards Christmas Party on January 8th 2017 in the
Majestic Hotel, Harrogate, during the evening after the first day of the Harrogate Christmas & Gift Show.
 The award for The Greatest Garden Centre Team at Christmas is a category decided purely by customer voting. Using the voting postcard pdfs we supply you can invite your customers to vote for you as The Greatest Garden Centre Team at Christmas. You can also invite them to vote online using a special Greatest Awards voting link.
Voting will run from today through to Thursday December 22nd. When all the votes are counted, the size of each garden centre team is then taken into account so that small and medium sized centre teams have as much chance of winning this accolade as large centres.
To register your team for customer voting in GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards please send an email to thegreatestawards@tgcmc.co.uk or follow the link below to download the voting forms and posters to get started straight away.
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Do your customers think you are The Greatest at Christmas?
The ultimate accolades at GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards are The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Teams, as voted for by garden centre customers. Voting starts now and runs through to Thursday December 22nd and to be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is download the posters and voting forms below for in-store voting and add our voting link to your facebook, twitter or website to get customers voting on-line too!
 The ultimate accolades at GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards are The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Teams, as voted for by garden centre customers. Voting starts now and runs through to Thursday December 22nd and to be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is download the posters and voting forms below for in-store voting and add our voting link to your facebook, twitter or website to get customers voting on-line too!
As we head towards the busiest weeks of the year it’s time to ask your customers to vote for you as The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Team. There's no entry charge for taking part in The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre voting but we are looking to raise funds during November and Decemnber for Greenfingers. If you'd like to make a donation to Greenfingers, please use this link.
GTN Xtra and the Greenfingers Team are also looking for great new Christmas fundraiing ideas for Greenfingers, so get your creative thinking caps on, let us know what ideas you've come up with and you never know, you may be inline for a special award at The Greatest Awards Christmas Party in January.
So, what are you waitiing for? All you have to do is download the voting posters and voting postcard artworks from GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards Dropbox 2016 folder or these links:
GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2016 Voting Postcards.pdf
GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2016 Poster A1.pdf
GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2016 Poster A3.pdf
GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2016 Poster A4.pdf
GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2016 Post Your Votes Here Artwork.pdf
Print them out and get your customers voting. They can post them to our Greatest Christmas Awards office or you can create "Post your Votes" here boxes for votes to be posted in store. You can also ask your customers to vote for you on line this year, just paste this link: http://tgcmc.newsweaver.co.uk/GTN/s9lzjxs25b7 into your social media pages, e-mail newsletters and websites. The link will take them straight to our voting form. Last year we recieved a record number of on-line votes and we expect the number to grow even further this year. The closing date for votes, both on-line and posted in-store is 4:30pm on Thursday 22nd December. If you collect votes in-store, please send them through to us on a regular basis to help with the counting and then make sure you send your final batch of votes off directly after Christmas. The Greatest Christmas Awards are presented in Harrogate on January 8th 2017 so the cut off for final votes to be received and counted in our office is Monday 4th January 2016. Remember to look through all your votes before you post them to us - your staff will love to know all the wonderful things your customers say about you as they vote for The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Team. When all the votes are counted, size of centre and number of staff are taken into account, so there are as many chances of small and medium sized centres winning this ultimate Christmas accolade as that of a big centre. If you have any problems downloading any of the files please e-mail thegreatestawards@tgcmc.co.uk and we’ll send you them by e-mail straight away.
Good luck!
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Around 100 firefighters tackled a fire at Ansell Garden Centre on Holloway Lane in West Drayton last evening (Sunday). Thick smoke was seen billowing into the sky by members of the public, and emergency services received numerous calls.
Most of the two storey garden centre was alight and crews put a 300 metre safety cordon around the incident. Around 20 people left the centre before the Brigade arrived and there were no reports of any injuries.
Station Manager Sanjay Prasad who was at the scene said;
“Firefighters worked very hard in difficult conditions to bring this incident under control. A number of cylinders were in the garden centre which is why a 300 metre hazard zone was set up as cylinders can explode when exposed to heat.
"Quick thinking firefighters were able to drag the majority of the cylinders away from the fire which prevented a possible explosion. Then firefighters used covering jets to cool the remaining cylinders down.
"Fireworks were also being stored at the garden centre but again, firefighters hosed the storage area down to ensure they did not can catch alight.
“Most of the garden centre building has been damaged by the fire but crews were able to contain it and prevent any further spread. Thankfully nobody has been injured in this fire.”
Fifteen fire engines and two aerial ladder platforms from stations including Heathrow, Hayes, Hillingdon, Feltham and Southall fire stations were at the scene.
Brigade Control officers received around 20 calls about the fire which was very visible and could be seen from a number of miles away.
The Brigade was called at 1633 and the fire was under control at 2131 but crews are expected to be damping down at the scene throughout the night.
A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said flights had not been affected by the smoke, which was visible from several miles away.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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Great festive sales look set to deliver a record month
Two weeks into November and it’s looking good for another potential record-breaking month. The GTN Bestsellers All Product sales index for the month is running ahead of last year but slightly behind 2014 at the halfway mark...
Two weeks into November and it’s looking good for another potential record-breaking month. The GTN Bestsellers All Product sales index for the month is running ahead of last year but slightly behind 2014 at the halfway mark.
But with hundreds of Santa events about to kick in, footfall should reach peak levels over the coming weeks. If garden centre merchandising and promotions are on song then that should equate to increased sales.
We’ll be keeping an eye out for great festive promotions as we start making our visits for GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards.
GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year...
- Garden Products - up 20%
- Growing Media - up 5%
- Christmas Products - up 20%
- All Items Index - up 3%
To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk
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The staff and directors of Taylors Bulbs – some in fancy dress – raised £2,400 for Children in Need when the charity event's Rickshaw Challenge rode past their Lincolnshire premises on Wednesday. A picture of their efforts was shown on The One Show that evening...
"The reaction from the riders and support staff was terrific and we hope we did all we could to help them on their ride across our lunar-like landscape," said Adam Taylor.
Cat Wars Bonanza for Garden Retailers
Britain’s 8 million cats are reckoned to kill 55 million birds and 275 million small animals a year, according to studies. With increased consumer awareness, get ready for a greater demand on welfare-friendly cat deterrents alongside sales of bird food...
Mainstream UK media went into meltdown in late September and the nation divided along battle lines drawn between cat lovers and haters, with renewed focus on the devastating impact that domestic cats are having on songbird and small mammal populations in garden habitats. At the centre of the argument is a new publication, Cat Wars, and its author, Dr Peter Marra, advocating that cats must no longer roam free, but be locked indoors and walked on a leash by their owners. He maintains that cats should be caught and killed wherever they pose a threat to birds and wildlife. Britain’s 8 million cats are reckoned to kill 55 million birds and 275 million small animals a year, according to studies by the Mammal Society and others. And speaking on BBC Radio 4 programme, Dr Marra said the RSPB needs to re-assess the impact that cats have on the nation’s bird life. Species most frequently targeted include house sparrows, blue tits, blackbirds and starlings - all regular visitors to Britain’s garden birdfeeders. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the debate, garden centres and other vendors of wild bird food and animal lodges will capitalise on the consumer awareness this autumn, and can look forward to increased demand for welfare-friendly cat deterrents alongside sales of bird food. STV, supplier of Defenders animal deterrents, is again focussing its marketing on keeping unwelcome visitors (principally cats) out of gardens and away from bird feeders, without doing them harm. “We’ve brought through new merchandise displays and in-store videos that highlight the problem with cats and help consumers select the right product,” says STV Chairman Edwin Allingham. “The feedback at GLEE was fantastic and we’re already starting to see an uplift in sales as wild bird food business gets underway.” A bird’s eye view on cat deterrents STV is investing in high-tech GPS tracking devices to map and measure changes in cats’ behaviour following treatment with Defenders cat deterrents.
Product development manager, Ed Deane, is aiming to show a 75% reduction in fouling across lawns, beds and borders after treatment with the Defenders Natural Active products: “Our initial proof-of-concept trials have shown very positive results for formulations that STV has developed to comply with the new Biocidal Product Regulations,” says Ed. “The next step requires data gathering and analysis for which we will use new-generation tracking devices with mapping software that demonstrates behavioural changes in treatment areas. ”Keeping the nation’s gardens free of scats and poo is a major mission for STV, with cat deterrent accounting for over half of all sales under the Defenders brand. Boost your revenue and drive secondary sales with Defenders animal repellents alongside bird food.
Contact your sales rep or call STV on 01953 881580 for more details.
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A special project by Smiemans Projecten has now been set up at Bomencentrum Nederland in Baarn. This tree nursery has over 100,000 trees, comprising 750 species and varieties.
There is a brand new event location In the middle of this gigantic 25 ha park. A beautifully designed meeting centre called Jardin d’Hiverre is situated by the waterside. This extraordinary project can be fully appreciated in these special surroundings.
The roof is a technical tour de force, in particularly because of the special profiles of the elements. Wooden rafters made of Austrian pine have been used for the load-bearing structure, on top of which are coated steel profiles.
It was topped out at the beginning of September. A 100-ton crane was used to install the ridge piece with twenty ventilation windows on the roof structure at a height of 10 metres. After that, 80,000 kg of green-tinted glass was placed on the steel roof structure. The side walls were fitted with clear glass. The combination of these materials gives the project a beautiful, warm look.
The special shape of the roof and the materials used in this progressive project are a wonderful way of showing the professional skill of Smiemans. It will be delivered by Smiemans shortly. Hans Blokzijl, the owner of Bomencentrum Nederland, expects to be opening the doors to visitors in February 2017.
The total area of the building is 1120 m² and it is 9 metres in height. The basement has conference rooms, the space on the ground floor can be partitioned into multifunctional areas and the turrets on the second floor contain the kitchen, the sanitary facilities and an office. The project was designed by MIII Architecten.For more information visit www.smiemansprojecten.com
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The category buying team at Bonningtons is expanding to meet the needs of the business as it continues to exceed its range expansion and sales growth targets.
This month saw the appointment of Craig Bethel, 36, who joins from Virgin Media and will support Quality Control Manager, Damian Wielgat as a Quality Administrator in the UK office. He joins two other recent appointments to the team - Heather Turner, 28 who was previously a stock control manager for Celsa Steel and Alex Aitcheson, 27 a buyer from Sports Direct who have taken on category responsibilities for the Animal, Leisure, Gardening and DIY categories.
Together with two in purchasing administration and three graphic designers, the Category Buying team is now up to a full strength of ten, headed up by Kate Smalley who took up the senior management role this year after 5 years with Bonningtons.
Commenting on the growth of her team, Kate said: "We have very ambitious growth plans for the next couple of years and I've recently been focussed on getting the right team in place to help us deliver. I'm very pleased that we have been able to recruit such a diverse and experienced team of young professionals."
Kate has launched a number of new brands into the Bonningtons portfolio in the past year, and the team has further plans for the expansion and development of new ranges in camping and outdoor leisure, DIY and torches in the immediate future. Early in 2017 there will also be new brands in home décor as well as a full brand review in birdcare.
"The range has grown to more than 2000 lines over the past few months, and I expect it to continue to grow at least as fast over the coming months. The team is going to be very busy!"
Pictured: (from left to right): Alex Aitcheson, Kate Smalley (buying manager), Craig Bethel and Heather Turner.
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The efforts by seven staff members to deliver exceptional customer service at Tong Garden Centre in Bradford, are being rewarded with an invitation to a prestigious awards ceremony.
Macauley Jackson, Matt Porritt, Debbie Longsdale, Monika Litwiekjo, Dave Clayton, James Tolson and Asif Khan will accompany Tong co-owner Mark Farnsworth and other members of the management team to the Welcome to Yorkshire White Rose Awards on November 21, where Tong Garden Centre is shortlisted in the Customer Service category.
All were nominated by their fellow employees as part of Tong's Reward and Recognition Programme that was introduced by owners Tom Megginson and Mark Farnsworth to recognise and honour dedication to high levels of customer care shown by staff.
Mr Farnsworth said: "We launched the Reward and Recognition programme to engage our rapidly growing team, instil a ‘can do' attitude in our staff to help rebuild Tong's brand, and reaffirm our commitment to putting the customer first.
"Every member of our team works hard to surprise and delight our customers, but these staff members have gone the extra mile to deliver an exceptional level of service and we're looking forward to attending the awards with them."
Tong Garden Centre is one of Yorkshire's biggest garden centres with 110,000 square feet of retail space and parking for up to 1,000 cars.
Pictured (from left to right): Mark Farnsworth, Debbie Longsdale, Monika Litwiejko, Matt Porritt and Macauley Jackson.
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 Keter UK has set up a series of trials with garden centres to test its new range of sheds in store.
The trial marks the start of company’s relationship with the garden centre market, and the team has carefully selected two shed ranges which they believe will have the widest appeal to garden centre customers.
The Oakland and Fusion sheds both feature a wood textured finish and the Oakland can be painted, each is backed by a lifetime warranty and maintenance free.
An innovative point of sale unit has been manufactured which displays a model from the two ranges back to back with information and brochures incorporated within the display.
Speaking about the trial, marketing director, Kerry Murfin said; “Very few garden centres offer alternatives to wooden sheds, the two ranges we have selected present viable alternatives without comprising on style. We are focusing our efforts to ensure we give these retailers the tools and support they need to fulfil this need.
“We know that space is tight in garden centres and wanted to create a display that takes up minimal space whilst showing customers the quality and benefits of our products. We have a team installing the units and staff to train and advice managers and staff at each centre.”
Keter is managing the delivery of the sheds to customers who simply choose the size and model they want and pay at the till.
For trade enquiries call 0121 506 0006 or email enquiries@keter.com.
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Stewart is one of just 14 elite British businesses chosen to be featured in the Parliamentary Review, Manufacturing Edition 2015/2016.
The Review, which opens with a foreword by The Rt Hon Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer, provides a review of the parliamentary year with emphasis on trade, industry and manufacturing. In his foreword, Mr Hammond acknowledges the contribution of British manufacturers in making the country, “an open, dynamic, trading nation…”
The Review explores themes such as Brexit, engineering skills shortages and the digitisation of industry, known as Industry 4.0. It recognises the mixed response to the EU referendum result in June 2016 and sets out the Government’s approach to changing perceptions of apprenticeships, particularly among women. Regarding Industry 4.0, leading figures such as Tom Lawton, Head of Manufacturing at business advisory firm BDO, calls on the Government to develop a 15-20 year policy that, “avoids the disruptions of the political cycle.”
Andy Burns, managing director at Stewart, said: “Obviously, we’re delighted to feature prominently in the Parliamentary Review Manufacturing 2015/2016. As a UK manufacturer with a heritage stretching back over 70 years, we’re proud of our contribution to the country’s economy, so it’s highly rewarding to be one of only a selection businesses included.”
The feature provides an account of the recent evolution at Stewart and an insight into the company’s future thinking. It explains how Stewart has transformed from a manufacturing and trade driven business into a consumer and marketing led organisation as part of a three-year strategic plan.
Stewart continues to innovate and launch interesting new products, for the 2017 garden season it has launched 40 new products including:
- the new Versailles family of pewter effect planters
- the new Varese low bowl planter that is ideal for shallow ornamental planting
- new Cool Grey colours in a selection of everyday planters
Stewart is a proud UK manufacturer based in Banbury, Oxfordshire. Its garden products are widely stocked in the UK and can be found in retailers such as B&Q, Homebase and Wilko as well as garden centre groups such as Dobbies, Notcutts and Wyevale and in over 1,000 independent garden centres.
For more information, visit www.stewart-garden.co.uk
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The proposed redevelopment of a disused garden centre in Tickenham, Somerset, to create a £7m mixed-use scheme has been granted consent.
North Somerset District Council has now given outline consent for the project, which will comprise 32 two-and three-bed lifetime homes, flexible office space, a small park, water-meadow and woodland play area.
The five-acre brownfield site is owned by Stewart Plant, of Tickenham Court Farm Company, and has been vacant since 2012.
Bristol architects' practice O'Leary Goss, which is behind the visitors' centre at grade I-listed Clevedon Pier, has developed the plans together with CSJ Planning Consultants.
Plant said: "I am delighted to have found a way forward with North Somerset Council. This sensitive redevelopment of these unused and dilapidated glasshouse buildings for much needed-housing and offices will have a positive impact on this green belt location."
O'LearyGoss director Robert O'Leary said: "We've worked hard to ensure these sustainable homes are adaptable for all ages; from small families to 'empty-nesters.' One downstairs room is suitable for use as a bedroom, with doors wide-enough to accommodate wheelchairs.
"There is an office courtyard for local and start-up businesses and a pedestrian friendly-layout arranged around courtyards."
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Responding to the challenge of keeping Christmas wreaths, garlands and planters in peak condition in warmer winter weather conditions, Allensmore Nurseries have devised and invested in new climatic control equipment in their preparation and despatch areas.
Allensmore is thought to be the only UK company to have installed this innovative method of Quality Control for their Christmas product production.These new measures at Allensmore Nurseries provide a big change in controlling the temperatures whilst Christmas wreaths, garlands and planters are prepared and stored prior to despatch, achieving significantly higher levels of product freshness and prolonging shelf life in store. For the 2016 Christmas season, Allensmore have also streamlined their assembly methods, resulting in materials such as Holly and mistletoe being cut directly before product assembly in order to preserve peak freshness at all times. Allensmore’s MD, Mark Taylor, commented: “Earlier this year we invested in strengthening our creative team and our new 2016 ranges of Christmas designs have seen a very significant increase in volume as a result. "Our customers will now benefit from our investment in new climate control conditions to reduce the likelihood of seasonal products drying out in store, which has been a symptom of warmer weather conditions generally in the UK over the past few years. We are proud that Allensmore is again at the forefront of providing solutions to our retail customers’ challenges of providing the freshest and best products to consumers.”
Pictured: Mark Taylor (right), Allensmore's MD, and Victoria Atkinson (left), the Creative Designer who is responsible for their new Christmas wreath and garland ranges.
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A gardening programme helping young people with special educational needs (SEN) in Kings Heath Park, Birmingham run by the charity Thrive has been praised and received a grant of almost £20,000 from The Rowan Trust.
Thrive uses gardening to bring about positive changes in the lives of people living with disabilities or ill health, or who are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable.
The charity – which has gardens in London, Reading, Birmingham and Gateshead - works with people recovering from injuries, those with learning difficulties or physical or sensory impairment, people with mental illness or with age-related diseases, and young people with behavioural difficulties.
Thrive also runs therapeutic programmes in community settings such as village halls, schools and hospitals, which are designed to improve physical and psychological health, strengthen personal, life and vocational skills and reduce social isolation.
The Grow and Learn programme in Birmingham offers practical training in gardening to support young people (aged 14-19) with SEN and complex needs. It helps them develop personal and life skills, improve their work skills and allows them to study a City & Guilds qualification in horticulture (Level 1 Practical Horticulture skills or Level 1 in Work-Based Horticulture depending on ability).
The Rowan Trust said they were very impressed by the project and Elizabeth Robinson visited Thrive and said: “I was delighted to see these young people as they learn from the experienced horticultural therapists at Thrive and look forward to seeing how they develop.”
Horticultural therapists work with students once a week in the classroom and helps them develop practical gardening skills and learn about healthy living and lifestyles. Thrive expects them to develop confidence and self-esteem and the charity’s approach is tailored to enable students to progress at their own speed.
Angela MacVeigh, Deputy Head at Chadsgrove School whose pupils attend Thrive, said: “I was so impressed with all that you are achieving at Thrive and I can see why the pupils like it so much.”
Thrive’s horticultural therapists work with students and their support team to establish individual needs and aspirations, then create Individual Development Programmes (IDPs) to ensure outcomes are achieved.
Several teachers have reported an increase in their student’s participation in other activities as their confidence grows and they share successes with their classmates.
Amanda Fields, Thrive regional manager in Birmingham, said: “Students on Grow and Learn face real disadvantage. They are young people with high support needs and whilst they may aspire to gain and hold down a job, many will struggle to achieve this goal.
“In the transition to adult life, children with a learning disability and complex needs are disadvantaged; they are often socially excluded and can live with a sense of failure and under-achievement.
“Alienation from their peers results in higher truancy rates, which exacerbate poor academic achievement. Grow and Learn is designed to fill a gap to help these young people by offering informal learning in an out-of-school environment.
“It aims to improve their life chances and place them in a stronger position to discover new skills and talents, which will move them on.
“Without support these young people can feel their choices are limited – with many feeling that their only option as an adult is to attend a day centre. We are helping to prepare them to take the next step, whether that is into further training, volunteering, or employment.”
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Gardman donates Poppy Bird Feeder kits to The Royal British Legion Care Homes
After donating over £2,500 worth of bird care kits to The Royal British Legion services, including their beautiful Poppy Bird Feeders, Gardman dropped in to Care Home of the Year 2015, Galanos House on the 31st October to meet residents and hear how they've been enjoying feeding the birds in their garden...
After donating over £2,500 worth of bird care kits to The Royal British Legion services, including their beautiful Poppy Bird Feeders, Gardman dropped in to Care Home of the Year 2015, Galanos House on the 31st October to meet residents and hear how they've been enjoying feeding the birds in their garden.
Alongside the #GardmanPoppy campaign, which aims to raise £200,000 for The Royal British Legion through the sale of charity Poppy Bird Feeders and bird feed, Gardman has provided six Royal British Legion care homes and a break centre with all the essentials for encouraging wild birds to visit and feed. The bird feeding kits, which include a choice of Poppy Bird Feeders, bird baths and feeding tables, have been designed to provide a meaningful activity that care home residents can enjoy together. Craig Edsey, Activities Manager at Galanos House care home in Warwickshire, said: “Feeding birds is such a great activity for our residents, especially those suffering from dementia. We have found that by feeding the birds, it has often broken down the barrier for residents who find it difficult to go outside. It is a lovely concept of having birds return to the feeders each day and our residents treat them like their own pets.” The Legion’s care homes provide long-term nursing and personal care to ex-service people and their dependants, including dedicated dementia care. Homes vary in size from 50 bedrooms to 90 bedrooms with communities including men and women of varied ages. Gardman Bird Feeding Kits were provided to Dunkirk Memorial House in Somerset, Galanos House in Warwickshire, Halsey House in Norfolk, Lister House in North Yorkshire, Mais House in East Sussex, Maurice House in Kent, and Erskine in Renfrewshire (Scotland). A kit was also provided to Alderson House, a Royal British Legion break centre in East Riding of Yorkshire.
104-year-old Harry Askew, Retired Sniper serving in World War II and Resident at Galanos House care home, said: “We love looking after the birds and the feeding kits are fantastic. They add a splash of colour to the gardens too!”
Gavin White, Head of Brands at Gardman, said: “We hope that both veterans and wild birds will benefit from our bird feeding kits. With a good mix of quality bird seeds and feeding platforms you can tempt an array of wild birds to feed in your garden, while offering residents a valuable and rewarding outdoor pastime. It was wonderful to visit Galanos House to see how well the bird feeding kits have been received and are being used by residents on a daily basis.” Andy Gollop, Resident Gardener at Galanos House, said: “These Poppy Bird Feeders have been a welcome gift from Gardman. They have attracted a wide variety of birds including robins, blue tits, sparrows, finches, buzzards, crows and magpies. We have transformed the roundabout when people arrive by arranging a display of the poppies.” Gardman Poppy Bird Feeders are currently on sale at garden centres across the country, with 50p from each sale being donated to the armed forces charity. A list of stockists can be found at www.gardmanpoppy.co.uk.
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 Schoolchildren in Peterchurch in Hereford were able to find out all about a career in horticulture thanks to one of the UK’s leading nurseries based in the area.
Two members of staff from Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford attended the careers evening at Fairfield High School to promote the horticultural industry and the apprenticeships available.
Julie Bailey, Container Despatch Manager at Wyevale Nurseries, explained: “Myself and Jackie Gunthorpe, who is a supervisor at our potting shed, were delighted to attend the careers evening at Fairfield High School.
“Our aim was to promote Wyevale Nurseries in terms of career aspirations for young people and to encourage them into horticulture. We wanted to get away from this persona of horticulture being for ‘old people’.
“We recently took on a former pupil at the school, 16-year-old Levina Bromwich. She is studying for a Level 2 Diploma in Production Horticulture. Levina has made a good impression with our team so we were keen to meet other pupils from the school.
“During the careers evening we talked to year nine, 10 and 11 students about their career aspirations and if they were not sure what they wanted to do we were on hand to talk to them about our training programme and what type of work they would be doing.
“We were also able to show them a power point presentation, where they could see the type of environment they would be working in. We had a great time at the event and it was great to meet pupils and promote our industry.”
The product selection available from Wyevale Nurseries is enviable across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.
Its main business is to supply garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.
Pippa Hart, Learning Manager at Fairfield High School, said: “I would like to thank Julie and Jackie for attending our careers open evening and explaining to our pupils what exactly goes on at the nurseries. Some students may not have even thought about a career in horticulture so it is vital for us to offer them an insight in to the industry.
“It was also great to hear that one of our former pupils, Levina, is doing so well at the company within her apprenticeship.”
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This year you can ask your customers to vote for you on-line in The Greatest Christmas Awards.
All you need to do is copy and paste this voting link into your website or your social media posts: http://tgcmc.newsweaver.co.uk/GTN/s9lzjxs25b7
You can add The Greatest Christmas Awards logo too:
GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards logo
The closing date for on-line votes is 4:00pm on Thursday 22nd December 2016.
Please note: To avoid unscrupulous multiple votes the system will only accept one vote per IP address, so please do not use on-line voting in store, the postcards are better for in-store voting.
We'd love to know how you use your social media, e-mails and website to drive your customer voting. Please send us links to your activity and we will report on them in GTN Xtra: trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk
When all the votes are counted, size of centre and number of staff are taken into account, so there is as much chance of small and medium sized centres winning these ultimate Christmas accolades as that of a big centre. If you have any problems downloading any of the files please e-mail thegreatestawards@tgcmc.co.uk and we’ll send you them by e-mail straight away.
Good luck!
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Plantarea Supervisor Manager (ref:DS8811)
Location: Berkshire
Salary: Excellent
Date: 08 Nov
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent
Our client is a wonderful independent garden centre and nursery set within the grounds of a rural estate. This lovely centre has a large plantarea and café, along with a garden shop that offers customers a range of quality gifts and garden sundries. They are currently looking for a superb plants person to assist their Nursery Manager in running the Plant Centre. They are open minded and will look at Supervisory to Management level candidates for the role.
The Role
- Will be to manage the plant centre on a day to day basis - ensuring plant stock is in tip top condition and merchandised to a high standard.
- Buying of additional stock needed for the centre - liaising with suppliers on delivery etc.
- Supervising staff and holding key holder responsibilities when senior managers are unavailable.
The Candidate
For this role candidates must have:
- A proven track-record in the industry along with good management and supervisory skills.
- Excellent plant knowledge and a good background in horticultural retailing is a must for this role as they offer over 3 acres of quality plants from their own nursery as well as choice plants sourced from a variety of other suppliers.
Salary will be competitive and depend on experience and what you can bring to the role.
To apply for this role click here
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Garden Centre Sundries Shop Manager (ref:DS8813)
Location: Kent
Salary: £35,000 - £38,000
Date: 11 Nov
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent
This top Kent garden centre was started in 1913 by the grandfather of the current owner from the humble beginnings of a market garden. Fast forward to today, the current 14 acre Garden Centre site was purchased in 1990 and comprises of their own production nursery, retail plant and shop area as well as Coffee Shop including the display gardens. The Garden Centre takes approx. £6 million pa and the plan is to increase the shop's square footage by 25% over winter 2016 with a new entrance, to showcase their products and services.
As part of the strategy to increase sales, customer service and team morale, our client wants to recruit a Shop Manager who will be accountable for driving sales from a current base of c£1.5milion pa. The shop's core product range is horticultural (including compost, aggregates, fencing amongst others), house plants and gift ware. They have a succession plan in place and there is an opportunity for the successful candidate to progress their career. The successful candidate will appreciate the huge seasonality of the business and the extra hours that may be required in the spring months to ensure success in the crucial trading period.
They are looking to recruit a Manager from either a garden centre or high-street retailer who is entrepreneurial and represents a great leader of people with strong team motivation skills and customer service focus.
Our client is looking for a candidate who isn't just focussed on KPIs and figures but has a hands-on approach on the sales floor. There is an opportunity to get involved in buying product and negotiating deals with suppliers alongside being creative with displays and marketing. An interest in gardening is essential as they want someone who has passion and drive and can convey this to staff and customers.
The role requires the candidate to have hands on approach and work alternate weekends as a 10 day fortnight (although in Spring more hours are expected).
The role is paying up to £35-38,000 + performance related bonus (agreed KPIs in year 2).
To apply for this role click here
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Plantarea Assistant (ref:DS8806)
Location: Oxfordshire
Salary: £18,000 - £22,000
Date: 11 Nov
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent
This Oxfordshire based plant focused garden centre pride them selves in their friendly customer focused staff and that they are passionate, committed and enthusiastic about the work they are doing. They strive for excellent customer service and their staff are key to this success. Currently they are looking to recruit a:
Full Time Plant Area Assistant
Plant knowledge is required and experience of working in a garden centre is preferred. This role would involve helping with receiving plants from deliveries, all plant care including watering. Customer service is also a big part of this role. You would need good discipline and the ability to work alone or with a small team. You would need to work alternate weekends, and will have a regular day off in the week.
If you are passionate about plants, are outgoing and dedicated then this could be the opportunity for you
Approximately 40 hours / week
Competitive Salary depending on experience
To apply for this role click here
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Garden Sundries Manager (ref:DS8807)
Location: Oxfordshire
Salary: £To attract the best
Date: 11 Nov
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent
This Oxfordshire based plant focused garden centre pride them selves in their friendly customer focused staff and that they are passionate, committed and enthusiastic about the work they are doing. They strive for excellent customer service and their staff are key to this success. Currently they are looking to recruit a Garden Sundries Manager
They are looking for someone with a good retail background. Customer service is also a big part of this role so they are keen to find someone who has experience working in a customer focused environment. You would need good discipline and the ability to work alone as well as managing a small team. You would need to work alternate weekends, and will have a regular day off in the week.
So if you are passionate about gardening, are outgoing and dedicated then this could be the opportunity for you.
Approximately 40 hours / week
Competitive Salary depending on experience
To apply for this role click here
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Vitax has launched its first consumer-focused website to help gardeners make the right product choice and support retailers by driving in-store sales. 
Vitax Garden World (www.gardenworld.co.uk) is aimed at enthusiastic and knowledgeable amateur gardeners looking to match products to specific gardening problems.
Containing factual information on product lines, product application and gardening projects and solutions, it is a ‘one-stop’ portal to provide the best information to gardeners looking to get the best results. Designed to educate and help increase in-store sales, consumers can choose from a range of products and then locate their local Vitax stockist through the ‘my location’ link within the product section. Easy to navigate, the website is split into three sections: Gardening Advice & Problems, Gardening Ideas & Projects, and Products. Retailers and garden centres which stock Vitax’s products will also have their own page. Daniel Wilkinson, Vitax’s managing director, says it’s important for manufacturers to support retailers as well as meet customer demand: “Consumer-spending habits are forever changing but as with every purchase, consumers are increasingly using the internet to ensure they are fully-equipped with the best information before making a purchase - and gardeners are no different. “The feedback we received when researching the site indicated that gardeners not only wanted information at the touch of a button but they also want to be inspired. www.gardenworld.co.uk is not just about products but providing gardeners with ideas, solutions and know-how to try something different.” Earlier this month Vitax announced that it had commissioned well-respected, practical horticulturist - Andy McIndoe - to advise on the website’s content including gardening projects, seasonal growing information and essential advice on everyday gardening issues. “Andy’s input is essential. Vitax is a manufacturer and whilst we know the gardening industry very well, it is imperative we gave the website substance and through a voice many gardeners are familiar with and trust,” says Daniel. “Over the next few months, we will be adding new features to the website including the upload of videos and spring projects in readiness for the 2017 season.” To keep up-to-date on developments at Vitax Garden World, visit: www.gardenworld.co.uk
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Despite the evenings drawing in, sales of garden lighting products continue to dominate the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart.
This week, 13 lighting lines appear in the Top 50, accounting for over 33% of volume sales. Plant foods, mainly for houseplants, are the next biggest category with nine lines accounting for 21% of Top 50 volume.
The main highlights this week were:
- Smart Garden Solar Crystal Glass Stake Light was the highest climber, jumping 30 places to No 7.
- Woodlodge Spang Pot 3 inch was the highest re-entry at No 11.
- Oreya Cretan Pot Feet was the highest new entry at No 36.
- Another new entry was Gardman Log Roll Stakes 46cm, pack of 3.
- Fito Drip Feeder For Orchids 32ml retained the top spot.
To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk
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Top 50 Christmas products up 20% year on year
Christmas sales are still running up on last year, up by 20% this week, despite a small drop off from last week’s volumes according to analysis of the Top 50 Bestselling Christmas products in the GTN charts...
Christmas sales are still running up on last year, up by 20% this week, despite a small drop off from last week’s volumes according to analysis of the Top 50 Bestselling Christmas products in the GTN charts.
History and Heraldry personalised tree baubles regain the No 1 spot with the glass named baubles rising to No 2.
- Kaemingk White Ice 8cm Faom Bauble was the highest new entry at No 31.
- Hancocks Christmas Jelly Pops was the highest re-entry.
- Kaemingk Vinyl Lametta Shiny Silver 50x40cm was the highest climber.
To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk
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Twelve of the Top 50 GTN Bestsellers Growing Media product lines are still increasing sales week on week despite overall growing media sales dropping off by over a third.
Westland have six of those, including Decorative Mini Bark (70 litres) which grew by 79%.
Other highlights were:
- Westland John Innes Repotting No.2 (30 litres) was the highest climber, jumping 28 places to No 21.
- Vital Earth Organic Garden Compost (50 litres) was the highest re-entry at No 3.
- Other returning products included Scotts Levington Organic Blend Topsoil (25 litres) and Growth Technology Cactus Focus Repotting Mix.
- Scotts Levington Multipurpose + John Innes (56 litres) retained the top spot.
To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk
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Planted bulbs are the biggest movers in this week’s GTN Bestsellers Plant Genus chart.
While many customers are still buying bulbs to plant for spring flowering the first sales of planted narcissi amaryllis and crocus are seen in EPoS data as customers use plants to brighten their lives while the days get shorter.
- Cyclamen hold onto the No 1 spot despite a drop in sales of 32%.
- Poinsettia climb three places to No 7 after a 74% increase.
- Cineraria jump from No 33 to No 15 by more than doubling sales.
To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk
Spruce is Garden Plant of the Month for December
Spruce is in the spotlight in December as the Garden Plant of the Month. Growers and horticultural specialists from the floriculture sector select a garden plant every month at the request of Thejoyofplants.co.uk in order to inspire and enthuse.
 Spruce is in the spotlight in December as the Garden Plant of the Month. Growers and horticultural specialists from the floriculture sector select a garden plant every month at the request of Thejoyofplants.co.uk in order to inspire and enthuse.
We have long known the Spruce is the most popular Christmas tree. With its fine, slightly prickly needles it takes pride of place in many a living room. But the Spruce is also a popular evergreen conifer in the garden. Its attractive shape means that the Garden Plant of the Month for December can shape the whole look of the garden combined with other shrubs and conifers.
From big to small!
The Spruce (Picea) is a hardy needle conifer that ranges in size from 50cm up to 50m. For those that produce cones, these will hang at the ends of the branches. This garden plant is often supplied without roots, and therefore needs to be placed on a wooden cross or metal stand. Increasingly we are seeing Christmas trees with rootballs and even miniature Spruces with an attractive conical form - Picea glauca ‘Conica’. The decorative value is determined by the arrangement of the branches bearing the needles (actually the leaves) and the tree’s shape. By placing the spruce in water, you can help prevent needle shed. The Spruce definitely shapes the look of a garden so it’s a good idea to plant a solitary tree which has room to grow.
Caring for the Spruce
Follow a couple of simple tips to keep the Spruce healthy and looking its best. Plant in a damp, moderately nutrient-rich, somewhat acidic soil – the Spruce can tolerate both shade and full sun.
Replanting a Spruce with roots in the garden requires some care. When buying the Spruce, check that there is a sufficiently large rootball at the bottom of the tree, and preferably place the tree on a Christmas tree stand containing water and shrub food. Because the plants have been standing indoors in the warmth for three weeks, the transition outdoors is not always easy. A frost-free period is therefore important in order to allow the plant to root properly in the garden. Caring for miniature Christmas trees in the home is often much easier as long as you water the plant regularly and place it in a light spot. The cooler the spot, the longer the plant will continue to flourish.
Spruce pruning tips
With most Spruces, particularly the dwarf varieties, there’s no need to prune. If a larger Spruce is getting too big or too bare, prune the plant ideally in spring (April, May). Use ordinary hedge clippers for this and snip a few centimetres off the ends of the branches. This will keep the shape nicely symmetrical and bulk out the spindles.
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Ken White takes over chair of the APL
Ken White from Frosts Landscapes was elected as the Chairman at the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) Annual Review meeting which took place at Futurescape at Sandown Racecourse on Tuesday...
Ken White from Frosts Landscapes was elected as the Chairman at the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) Annual Review meeting which took place at Futurescape at Sandown Racecourse on Tuesday.
Ken takes over from Mark Gregory of Landform Consultants who had been in the role since 2010 over which time he has overseen many key developments helping to take the association forward. These include:
- his involvement with World Skills UK, Masterclass and Apprenticeship initiatives
- the growth in APL Awards and its standing within the industry
- the launch of ‘Low Cost High Impact’ at Hampton Court and negotiations with RHS
- his involvement in setting criteria and promotion of APL Avenue at BBC Gardeners World Live
- his valuable time giving many talks and mentoring sessions to APL members and the wider industry on APL’s behalf.
Mark was presented with an engraved slab of Yorkstone, kindly made by London Stone, in recognition of the huge amount of time, work and energy that he has put into the work of the APL.
Mark will continue to be involved in the APL helping to shape many of the special events the APL have going forward in 2017 including the Stone Seminar – Paving the Way on (17 January) and the APL Awards (17 March). He will use his enthusiasm, professionalism and eye for detail to support the staff at the HTA to ensure these events are of maximum benefit to APL members.
Ken White took the opportunity to thank Mark, and the APL Committee, for the work they have done on behalf of the industry commenting, “On behalf of all APL members I would like to thank Mark for his commitment and tireless enthusiasm to the association and the role he has played in helping to raise the profile of domestic landscaping. Mark had a dream that the APL would be a family, a community. His efforts over the last six years have achieved just that and he steps down leaving the association in a very strong position which I and the rest of the committee look forward to building on in future years.”
In other changes Rod Winrow from Garden House Design takes on the role of vice chairman and Neil Fisher from Hambrooks joins the committee. They join existing committee members who are David Sewell (The Garden Makers), James Steele-Sargent (Arun Landscapes), Paul Baker (Holland Landscapes), Claudia de Yong (Claudia de Yong Designs), Roger Gladwell (RG Landscaping), Stephen Moody (Frogheath Landscapes), Richard Barnard (Hillier Landscapes) and Julian Ransom (4th Corner Landscaping).
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Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips. The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra printed newsletter.
As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2014 as well as 2015 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period. Access is by subscription only. For £195.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales. To subscribe call 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.
Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here
Highlights of the GTN Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here
Highlights of the GTN Christmas Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here
Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this week are here WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers. Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.
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Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters delivered via the post for only £195.00.
GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £120m.
Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.
For further information contact karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call 01733 775700.
Buy your subscription today and start receiveing the GTN Bestsellers charts this week.
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All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
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Notcutts Garden Centre in Norwich has apologised to customers after it suffered problems at its new multi-million pound restaurant.
The new facility was opened to visitors last week but, according to the company, high demand over the weekend caused issues which led to the restaurant only offering drinks and cakes while they were fixed.
Notcutts’ general manager Richard Greenacre said: “Whilst we were thrilled to welcome so many visitors, there have been numerous technical setbacks, including an unexpected power cut and significant equipment issues impacting on our offering.
"Our new restaurant team worked incredibly hard but we do recognise that some customers did not receive the service they deserved.
“Over the next few days we will be offering just coffee and cakes while we work to resolve the issues. We will be providing our full menu again as soon as we can.
“We’d like to thank our customers for their co-operation and support over what has been a challenging time and we hope to see them again soon.”
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Cotswold Fayre will be holding a series of launch shows in 2017 to showcase the fine food distributor’s latest products and suppliers.
The shows offer retailers the chance to meet the Cotswold Fayre team and sample the new products as well as meeting the people who make them.
New suppliers attending the shows include Hoopers, Snaffling Pig, Pelican Rouge, Buttermilk and many more.
Paul Hargreaves, Chief Executive at Cotswold Fayre says: “In 2017, we will be introducing 35 new suppliers and more than 250 new products to our range. The launch shows are designed for retailers to easily access the entire new range and sample the products before making any purchase decisions.”
Following the success of this year’s roadshows Cotswold Fayre has increased the number of shows from four to six. The shows will take place from January 17th – February 2nd 2017.
Tuesday 17th January, 10:00 – 16:00
LEEDS
Kingscroft Hotel, WF8 4HA
Wednesday 18th January, 10:00 – 16:00
MANCHESTER
Haydock Park Jockey Club, WA12 0HQ
Thursday 19th January, 10:00 – 16:00
BIRMINGHAM
The Arden Hotel, B92 0EH
Wednesday 25th January, 10:00 – 16:00
BRACKNELL
The Coppid Beach, RG12 8TF
Thursday 26th January, 10:00 – 16:00
BRISTOL
Bawa Rooms, BS34 7RG
Thursday 2nd February, 10:00 – 16:00
LONDON
Hilton Canary Wharf, E14 9SH
Exclusive offers will also be available only at the new product launch shows. Register your interest and confirm your attendance now by visiting www.cotswold-fayre.co.uk.
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