Garden Re-Leaf Day takes place tomorrow – Friday 24th March – and the team from the Greenfingers Charity would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone that is getting involved in this year’s event. With a new north walk joining the Sponsored Walk & Cycle Challenge, and dozens of events taking place in garden centres across the country, this year’s Garden Re-Leaf Day is on track to be the biggest yet!

This year walkers will be tackling two courses, one starting and ending at Tring Garden Centre, and the new north walk which takes in the stunning ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ country of West Yorkshire. Teams signed up for both walks include AMES UK, Evergreen Garden Care, Vitavia, Johnsons Lawn Seed, Hornby Whitefoot PR, Capi Europe, Potting Shed Media, Mr Fothergill’s, British Garden Centres, DB Landscapes, as well as Greenfingers Trustee, Richard Claxton, and individual walkers such as August Bernstein.

In the south Simon Mulholland from Westland Horticulture, Decco’s Casey Warwick, Neil Sewell, Ian Clark and Andy Bean from Taylors Bulbs, Tom Glanvill from Christie & Co and Danny Adamson from Stocksigns will also be taking on the annual cycle challenge with 100 miles up for grabs.

Woodlodge’s Simon Neale and Neil Blake, plus Blue Diamond’s Heidi Towse will also be running the south 10-mile route as a warm-up to the London Landmarks Half Marathon. Taking place on April 2nd, Simon, Neil and Heidi will be joined by eight others to complete the route in aid of Greenfingers.

A team of incredible volunteers make each of these events possible. In the north Jane Lawler, Will Armitage, Jenny Douthwaite and Martin Cowell will be keeping a close eye on walkers. In the south Hornby Whitefoot PR will be on hand to help walkers, whilst Capi Europe will be providing support drivers. At Tring Garden Centre a host of volunteers will be out in force, including Jamie Donaldson – Tring Garden Centre employee and “local celeb” – who will be belting out a few tunes to get the walkers and cyclists motivated.

Of course, thanks must also go to the sponsors of the Garden Re-Leaf Sponsored Walk & Cycle Challenge. They are AMES UK, SBM Life Science, BGC, Capi, Evergreen, Mulch, Primeur, Jane Lawler Associates, Tring Garden Centre, Gardeners Retreat, Garden Trade News. 

Local volunteers, including teams of people at garden centres throughout the country - including all 62 British garden centre stores, The Old Railway Line, Perrywood, Haskins, The Klondyke Group, Aylett’s, Brookfields Garden Centre, Longacres and Millbrook - will also be dedicating their time across the 24th and the Garden Re-Leaf weekend to ensure that every quiz, cake sale, bikeathon and everything in-between, will raise as much money as possible for the Greenfingers Charity. 

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at Greenfingers, said: “We’re on track for our biggest ever Garden Re-Leaf Day, which is just truly incredible. The fact that every year so many people go above and beyond to support the day and help raise awareness of the work that we passionately undertake, is awe-inspiring.

“To date we’ve created almost 70 gardens at children’s hospices, providing a place of respite or quiet reflection for thousands of children, their families and friends, and hospice staff. I hope that this knowledge will spur on every walker and cyclist as they clock up mile after mile. And to those garden centres and suuppliers, I hope that knowing you are truly making a difference to those that need it most will resonate with your customers throughout the Garden Re-Leaf weekend. Every penny makes a difference so from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of all those that have or will spend time in a Greenfingers garden, thank you.”

There’s still time to join in this Garden Re-Leaf Day

Garden Re-Leaf Day may only be days away but there is still time to get involved. To join the Sponsored Walk and Cycle Challenges, or to register an event at your garden centre or business, simply visit https://www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk/get-involved/gardenreleaf

Whether you are raising £1 or £1,000, remember to set up a JustGiving page and share it with your contacts, colleagues and customers.

For more FUNdraising ideas or to obtain a copy of the 2023 fundraising pack drop Linda a line - she’d love to hear from you.

With under a week to go, walkers and cyclists from across the garden retail sector are busy limbering up as they prepare to tackle the 2023 Garden Re-Leaf Sponsored Walk and Cycle Challenge (24th March 2023).

This year, walkers will be taking on one of two walks, with the new-for-2023 north walk having a handful of spaces left for those walkers based in the north of the country. Organised by long-term Greenfingers ally, Jane Lawler Associates, and supported by Will Armitage, Jenny Douthwaite and Martin Cowell, this 12-mile circular route will take in ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ country, including moorland, riverside paths, pretty villages and reservoirs, making it one of Garden Re-Leaf’s most scenic walking route to-date. Signed up so far includes teams from AMES UK, Evergreen Garden Care, The HTA, Gardena and Darren Bosworth Landscapes. 

Down in the south, over 70 walkers are set to meet at the start line, with 11 cyclists ready to pedal anywhere from 25 to 100 miles. Confirmed so far includes Greenfingers Trustees, Richard Claxton and Neil Sewell, plus teams from Vitavia Greenhouses, Capi Europe, British Garden Centres, Glee, Evergreen Garden Care, Johnsons Lawn Seed, SBM Life Science, Hornby Whitefoot PR, The Potting Shed Media (Garden Trade News), plus individual walkers such as August Bernstein and The Gluttonous Gardener, Alice Schwausch.

Whilst the northern walkers will be treated with a warm pub welcome upon completion of the walk, south walkers will not be missing out. A raffle, live music and barbeque will all be taking place at the start/end point of Tring Garden Centre – part of British Garden Centres, who are heavily supporting Garden Re-Leaf in 2023 -  activities that will help walkers and cyclists to forget about their tired legs for a little bit!

Talking about the walk, Matthew Mein, Glee Director and mastermind of the Garden Re-Leaf Day walk said: “Whether you’re walking 10 or cycling 100 miles, there is no question that the Garden Re-Leaf Walk will stay with you. From the physical challenge element to the team building and camaraderie you’ll experience throughout, it really is an incredible day. Of course, the knowledge that every step and every mile covered is helping to contribute to the Garden Re-Leaf fundraising target makes the day a little bit easier. The work that the Greenfingers Charity undertakes within children’s hospices across the country is worth every bead of sweat, every blister and every wrong turn taken. It’s an honour to be able to contribute something to this wonderful charity.” 

Don’t miss out – register today!

Getting involved in the Garden Re-Leaf Sponsored Walk and Cycle Challenge couldn’t be easier. Simply visit www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk/get-involved/gardenreleaf where all the information and registration links are clearly marked.

Don’t forget to also create your JustGiving page so that you can ask friends, family and colleagues for sponsorship. Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at the Greenfingers Charity said: “We recognise that as an event that sees so many from the garden retail sector take part, the fear is always that we’ll be asking all the same people for sponsorship. We say, don’t let this put you off! The more people you ask – even if the same – it helps to spread the word of Greenfingers so go shout it from the rooftops!”

Top tips for making the most of the Garden Re-Leaf Day Sponsored Walk & Cycle Challenge

1. Appropriate shoes – both routes go off-road so be prepared for mud and stiles!  A well-worn pair of walking boots or trainers will stand you in good stead.
2. Remember plasters and a spare pair of socks should you get soggy feet!
3. Not wanting to trust the Great British weather, we suggest wearing plenty of layers to ensure that you’re prepared for every season in one day if needed.
4. Light snacks and water stops will be dotted throughout the route but it’s also a good idea to bring a few snacks or a light lunch to keep you sustained throughout the walk.
5. Have fun! Make friends! Build your contacts! Whether you are walking on your own or part of a team, you are guaranteed to have a superb day away from the desk.
6. Raise money – don’t forget that the Garden Re-Leaf Sponsored Walk and Cycle Challenge has been put in place to raise much-needed funds for the Greenfingers

Charity. No matter if you raise £1 or £1,000, just know that it is hugely appreciated and will make a difference to the children, friends and families that spend time in a Greenfingers garden.

For more FUNdraising ideas or to obtain a copy of the 2023 fundraising pack drop Linda a line - she’d love to hear from you.

British Garden Centres collected the keys to a large, state-of-the-art, nursery production unit in Warwickshire this week. The glasshouse, tunnel and open-bed nursery site were built to the highest specification by the team at Hawkesmill Nurseries in 2017.

"As British Garden Centres, it won't surprise anyone that we are increasing our production facilities in the UK," explained Boyd J Douglas-Davies, Plants & PR Director for the group. "I've known the incredible plants that Hawkesmill has produced for years from this unit and their other sites so jumped at the opportunity to take on this nursery". The new nursery, to be known as Temple Nursery in recognition of the local area, will complement the growing the business already undertakes at its Woodthorpe Nursery - the birthplace of the BGC group - and Fretherne Nursery, a site leased from Glendale Horticulture.

Speaking of the lease deal, Richard Evans Director of Hawkesmill Nurseries said "My brother, John, and I have weighed up our many options and decided that the team at British Garden Centres were best placed to take on the unit at Temple and develop further the original vision for it. Their ambitious production plans and the guaranteed customer will ensure many jobs are available for the local workforce".

British Garden Centres has taken on five growers for the new site, including the newly appointed Group Nursery Manager, Nigel Coombs, and will be looking to recruit additional colleagues this year.

Talking of what will be grown at Temple Boyd said, "Whilst this additional unit will give us the potential to produce 2 million retail ready plants a year it won't take away anything from our UK suppliers as our rate of growth, combined with our planned move towards more British plants, will absorb these plants and more."

British Garden Centres operates 62 garden centres in the UK. It sold over 8 million plants in 2022. The group is very focused on all things gardening, plant sales account for nearly 30% of the business.

Employing 3,000 across the business it is the UK's largest family-run garden centre business. Founded by brothers Charles and Robert Stubbs in 1987 it continues to be led by the Stubbs family.

A positive forecast from two industry juggernauts, plus a deeper dive into customer and staff retention, and a host of inspiration for confidently moving forward in a turbulent market was the order of the day at the recent GIMA Day Conference (14 March, Wyboston Lakes, Bedford).  

Leading the conversation were representatives from Dobbies and British Garden Centres who unveiled their plans for the future and how suppliers have an important role to play within these development plans.

Graeme Jenkins CEO, and Richard Hodges, Commercial Director at Dobbies joined the conference, explaining to delegates how the group is all set up to deliver spring now they are debt free following the recent refinancing by Ares Management.  He described the company’s five-point growth including enhancing existing sites and restaurants; driving digital engagement; securing customer loyalty through continued growth of their successful customer loyalty programme; as well as opening a new site at Antrim, redeveloping Reading, and rolling out more little dobbies.

Boyd Douglas-Davies, PR and Plants Director and Amy Stubbs, Project and Development Manager at British Garden Centres outlined the family history and values of the business being flexible, adaptive, reactive, and sustainable. They also spoke of the unique business philosophy that empowers the managers across all 62 stores to decide on stock to ensure a localised customer experience.  The independence of stores is the key differentiation as each is unique for its loyal customer base.  This builds a strong family relationship with each local community which is demonstrated by the high engagement through its Family Loyalty Card.

Elsewhere, delegates learned from Scarlet Opus’ Phil Pond more about the new types of consumers that are creating a new narrative in-store and paving the way for future sales. These included “Freethinkers” who are questioning everything after the distrust that has occurred over the past few years and the “Modern Stoics” who want their garden products supercharged with benefits to enhance their lives, as well as the “New Protagonists” who are looking to achieve long-lasting wellbeing improvement through their gardens.

Jack Sweeney, Director at JDS Strategists, led a 'Catchphrase' themed session, exploring the business-critical difference between data and insight, and why insight work is so important to making better decisions.  He argued the case that quantitative data has become too dominant in our world, meaning many businesses don't unlock the power of qualitative data. Furthermore, too much employee time is spent generating reports, as opposed to actually trying to make sense of them.

Jack offered solutions including his top tips on personal mindset and company culture and left delegates with a distinct takeaway: ‘Data – Insight - Action’ or “What? So What? Now What?’. Through the action of asking these questions, Jack believes it becomes easier for businesses to join the dots, connect the jigsaw and ultimately, deliver business growth. 

Tor Newcombe, Senior Recruitment Consultant at More People discussed the “War for Talent”, which focuses on skill shortages in the sector and the current low-employee market. Tor’s session highlighted the importance of keeping current staff engaged as well as attracting new talent into your business.  Tor emphasised how staff retention is key and how you can motivate through a company’s culture and values, management structure, responsibility, and upskilling current staff and providing them with the tools to succeed.

She also highlighted the company’s ethos of promoting the garden industry to new starters by talking with universities, colleges, and schools to educate those entering work about the benefits of working in such an exciting sector.

GIMA’s Director, Vicky Nuttall said: “As an industry trade association, we recognise that we have a responsibility to our members to provide a platform for discussion and thought leadership following what has been an unstable couple of years.   We’d like to thank all speakers for inspiring the attendees with the knowledge and skills to navigate the many external pressures that have impacted our industry and we hope they take the insight back to implement in their business for future growth.”

“I went into my garden centre looking for wellies but they’re all so heavy and boring; why don’t they have ones like these?” An excellent question! One that the team at Leon Boots is frequently asked when customers try on their fun and colourful, super comfortable, ultralight wellies at shows (including BBC gardeners World) around Britain.

Wellington boots tend to conjure visions of something murky green, cold and uncomfortable, to be worn as little as possible, but wellies don’t have to be heavy and boring! Leon Boots are so comfortable that marathon records have been set by people running in them, so there’s no excuse for garden centres to be stocking boots that people don’t like wearing.

The best-selling garden ankle boots are available in six different colours with green being our least popular, all equally cosy and comfortable. 

Pictured: This display is at St Peters Garden Centre (Choice member) in Worcester.

Leon Boots Co. 

Email: kevin@leonbootsco.com 

Website: www.lbcboots.com 

Phone: 01934 315386 

Greenworks has a number of battery-powered chainsaws in its range, but this latest 24V model’s key difference is in its size. 

With a 4” bar and chain, measuring 17.28 x 3.15 x 8.19”, and weighing just, this mini chainsaw is smaller than comparable manufacturer’s products, and is perfect for safely and effectively cutting small tree limbs and branches, and pruning.   

A world-leading brand when it comes to cordless garden machinery technology, Greenworks’ 24V battery provides 20% more power and 35% more run-time, plus a quick charge of just 60 minutes.  The battery is interchangeable with more than 30 Greenworks garden, power and indoor products.  

The Greenworks 24V 4'' Brushless Pruning Saw / Mini Chainsaw combines a range of excellent features, in the smallest unit of its type, at a very good price point. 

The brushless motor provides double the torque, for more power, longer run times, quiet operation, and extended motor life, making for a very handy tool indeed.   

Just as importantly, it’s also very easy to use.  As a battery-powered device, no petrol is required, so no carburettor, no spark plug, and no starter rope; instead, a simple push button is all it takes to get started.  Its ultra-lightweight, compact design means it can be handled by anyone and, with tool-less tensioning, bar and chain maintenance is quick and easy (no tools are required). 

Cordless garden tools are a major growth area and Greenworks leads the field. Lightweight and compact, all Greenworks products are easy to store and the battery is interchangeable with other tools. With no emissions and lower running and maintenance costs than petrol equivalents, plus no power cables to contend with, Greenworks provides convenience and ease of use. 

The 24V 4'' Brushless Pruning Saw / Mini Chainsaw is the latest Greenworks product, providing customers with an easy-to-handle alternative to large chainsaws, opening up the market for a tool that is frequently viewed as too intimidating to use. 

About Handy  

Handy has grown to become one of the UK’s largest independent garden machinery wholesale distributors and manufacturers, supplying specialist dealers, large national retailers, garden centres and mail-order companies. 

As the UK-appointed distributor for Greenworks and Cramer cordless equipment, Handy is at the forefront of leading battery technology, whilst its successful traditional brands - including Webb, The Handy and Q Garden - support a one-stop solution to all its customers’ garden equipment needs.  

With over 800 garden & DIY products, Handy offers the widest choice in the industry, from light domestic to heavy-duty commercial.  

Stocking leading brands from: 

• Webb 
• The Handy 
• Q Garden 
• Greenworks  
• Cramer  
• Solo 
• Handy Parts 
• Luceco 
• Bosch 
• McCulloch  
• Karcher 
• Flymo 
• The Walsall Wheelbarrow Company  

To become a stockist, please telephone 01793 333220  email sales@handys.co.uk or visit www.handys.co.uk  

New Products for the UK Garden Trade for Spring and Summer 2023 from GIMA Members: AHS, Auto Pot Global, Azpects, Carbon Gold, EKJU, elho, Evergreen Garden Care, Fiskars, Forest Garden, Glee, Handy Distribution, Honeyfields, Hozelock, Husqvarna, Hygeia, Johnsons Seeds, Leon Boots, Maze, Patio Black Spot Removal Company, PlantWorks, Primeur, Rollins Bulldog, Smart Garden Products, Sorbus, STV International, The Real Soil Company, Vitavia, Westland Horticulture, Woodmansterne, Zest.

Yorkshire Garden Centre (YGC) group has invested in new EPOS technology at its two newest sites.

Corby and Fellas have recently installed new EPOS systems at Otley and Bingley Garden Centres to improve efficiency and streamline the centres with the rest of the group.

"The installation brings all systems and processes in line with Tong and Tingley, gives us data across all four sites and creates an environment for us to make better business decisions," said YGC Head of Finance, Katie Young.

"In addition, the consumer benefits include an improved till experience, and our team benefit from a more intuitive, easy-to-use system."

The installation was overseen by Diane Farrar, Group Tills and Customer Services Manager; Group IT Manager, Jason Wright and Jemma Jones, who was promoted from Tong to a Senior Supervisor role managing the revamped Tills and Customer Services department at Otley Garden Centre.  She is responsible for ensuring accurate till records across the store and engaging the team of 15.  "This is a huge improvement for our team, not just for front-end users who now have a much simpler till process, but for back-end users who will benefit from improved stock control processes. The excitement from the tills team is very encouraging, and the new system's benefits are easily visible, so we're all very pleased."

Otley and Bingley Garden Centres are part of the Yorkshire Garden Centres (YGC) group that also owns Tong and Tingley Garden Centres.

Established in 1983, Corby and Fellas have installed over 1,300 point-of-sale systems in over 250 locations across the UK, including 50 independent garden centres.

Pictured, from left to right: Jemma Jones, Tina Spencer, Katie Young and Diane Farrar, team members at Otley Garden Centre.

Warrington-based Bents Garden & Home is a finalist in the Best Retailer & E-Tailer category of the North West Family Business Awards 2023.

Bents beat strong competition with a record number of family businesses entering the awards from across the North West region.

This first-class event will be held at The Concorde Conference Centre, near Manchester Airport. 

Co-hosted by Dave Clarkson and Sue Howorth of The Family Business Community, alongside renowned food and drink writer, and presenter Nigel Barden, and will take place on Friday 19^th May 2023.

Said Matthew Bent, Managing Director at Bents Garden & Home:  “The whole philosophy of our business is of family and people feeling part of something special, so to be recognised as a finalist in these awards is a fantastic recognition for all of our colleagues. We’re looking forward to meeting fellow family business finalists on 19^th May and will be keeping our fingers crossed!”

Co-Founder and Director, Sue Howorth said: “We were inundated with some incredible entries, and we have been burning the midnight oil to get through them as they came in right up to the wire. The judges had extremely difficult decisions to make so the finalists should be extremely proud of themselves! 

Co-director, Dave Clarkson said: "A huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to fill out an application form and enter. We’ve been absolutely blown away by the strength and diversity of applications.”

Sue Bagguley from Siemens PLC near Manchester, and who were the hosts of our Judging Day, said: “The number and quality of applications from across the North West has been outstanding, the businesses are clearly proud to be family businesses and the detail in many of the entries has demonstrated that they are very progressive and innovative.

The finalists will now receive a visit from our specially selected panel of expert judges before the judges make their final decisions. The winners will be announced at a fun and vibrant awards celebration on Friday 19^th May 2023. You can find out more at www.northwestfamilybusinessawards.co.uk

HTA Chairman James Barnes gave evidence to the House of Lords Inquiry into the development of horticulture on Thursday. The year-long Special Inquiry is a chance for the voice, value and profile of environmental horticulture to be properly recognised in Parliament.

HTA’s evidence focused on the value and contribution of the sector to the UK economy, environment, and biodiversity. The sector contributes £28.8bn to GDP, generating £6.3bn in tax revenues and supports 674,000 jobs across retail, growers, landscapers, manufacturers and the supply chain and underwrites half of the 25-year Environment Plan. Plus, with regular gardeners totalling 30 million, the mental and physical benefits of being in nature-based spaces are well established. Barnes set out the potential to boost all these benefits if the right conditions are set, and levers pulled.

James Barnes, HTA Chairman, stated, “The value of our sector cannot be disputed - from the economic growth to environmental resilience, from boosting health and air quality to delivering on valuable jobs and levelling up - we have tangible evidence where we make a difference. So often, gardening and horticulture has been under-appreciated by policy-makers. Yet, it is a passion and core part of life for not just those of us who work in it but the millions of gardeners and green spaces across the four corners of the UK. HTA members and their customers alone cannot deliver the potential we have. Parliamentarians and policy-makers must recognise this with a long-term approach and removing barriers we can as a nation unlock green growth and greater green spaces.”

This evidence session builds on HTAs commitment to supporting the committee’s work, which thus far has included meeting HTA members at the Garden Press Event, briefings, a private briefing, and today’s opportunity. HTA will shortly submit written evidence to the Committee and work with partners through the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group to further deliver contributions to the Inquiry. 

The Horticultural Trades Association launched their Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy at the beginning of March – and it was this plan that was the topic of conversation for the Gardening and Horticulture Cross Party Group (CPG) in Scotland’s Parliament on Thursday (16th).

The CPG brings together members from across Scottish Horticulture, MSPs and government officials.

There are over 1 million regular gardeners in Scotland and millions more utilising green spaces. Moreover, horticulture and landscaping supported contributions of £2.8bn towards GDP and over 64,000 jobs in Scotland in 2019.

The HTA’s Growth Strategy has seven key ambitions for Scotland:

• Health – to create a healthier Scotland through Horticulture
• Economy – Develop Green economic Growth, high quality jobs and invest in education/skills
• Environment – to mitigate climate change
• Local – Increase the use of Scottish and UK grown plants as import substitution
• Industry – Drive Scottish growth through investment, development grants and reducing the cost of doing business
• Urban Nature – Produce a greener planning system
• Biosecurity – enhance and protect Scotland’s natural capital.

HTA Chairman James Barnes commented: “I am delighted that the HTA’s Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy has been discussed in Holyrood. We have several key ambitions which link government policy to the benefits of environmental horticulture; whether that is through the biodiversity strategy, mitigating climate change or promoting health and well-being.

“Furthermore the Strategy  We look forward to working closely with Rachael Hamilton MSP, Christine Grahame MSP and other representatives to benefit such an important industry in Scotland.”

Stan Green, Director of the HTA’s Scotland Policy Board and Managing Director of nursery Growforth in Dunfermline, was buoyed by the meeting: “We believe that now is the opportune time for the industry and Holyrood to come together to realise the potential of the industry. Having an active Cross-Party Group is an important platform to achieve this. The Growth Strategy offers the chance for Scotland’s political decision-makers to engage with us. In many ways the onus is on them as the decision makers, and ultimately enablers, to make this happen. Given the environmental crisis, our sector’s production of trees and plants is more important than ever.”

Rachael Hamilton MSP and CPG Convener commented: “It was fantastic to reconvene the CPG on Gardening and Horticulture in the Scottish Parliament. My MSP colleagues and I were delighted to be joined by so many representatives from the industry.

“The launch of the HTA’s Growth Strategy was a resounding success, and I look forwarding to following progress on its implementation and supporting the HTA where I can with this.

“Scotland’s horticultural industry plays a significant role in our rural economy, creating jobs and contributing to Scotland’s food security.

“It will also play a vital part in Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions. The strategy launched today is very clear about the hard work the industry is undertaking to make this transition.”

The HTA had earlier on Thursday presented the Growth Strategy document to Minister Mairi Mcallan MSP, Labour Spokesman Colin Smyth MSP and Lib Dem Spokesperson Beatrice Wishart MSP.

Garden centres keen to support the horticultural industry charity Perennial can this month order two special salvias for delivery in the summer to help raise funds for the organisation...

Hereford-based Wyevale Nurseries says the new plants, which were launched at the 2022 Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) National Plant Show, will be available for retailers to sell to gardeners in mid-June.

Colin Stanley, Retail Sales Manager at Wyevale Nurseries, explains: “We’ve 2,500 of each of our two new salvias – Salvia gregii Cuello Pink and Salvia gregii Cuello White – and they will be ready for delivery to garden centres and for consumers to buy mid-June. The cuttings have recently arrived at Seiont Nurseries, who are working with us on the project, for rooting, before making their way to us for potting on very soon.

“Each plant sold will be helping to raise essential funds and awareness for Perennial, which supports people working in, and retired from, our industry. As part of this special Plant for Perennial promotion, our salvias will be branded with a Perennial linked picture label and will be in taupe kerbside recyclable pots.”

Both salvias are new to the market and flower early summer to late autumn, are bush forming and wildlife friendly. They are hardy to -5°c and reach a height and spread of 70-80cm.

Colin adds: “Plant for Perennial is a collaborative scheme between the charity and four major wholesale nurseries in Hereford and Worcester, including us. It’s designed to raise awareness and funds to support all those who work with plants, flowers, grass or trees.

“We’re very keen to promote Perennial’s work, especially since it’s closely linked with Young People in Horticulture Association (YPHA) and we’ve colleagues who are members of this organisation.”

Wyevale Nurseries and the other three commercial growers involved in the scheme are selling a range of plants for the charity. They are working together to help support the organisation and to highlight the services it provides to the commercial horticultural sector and across the industry.

The plant selection includes the two salvias from Wyevale Nurseries, Dianthus ‘Pink Celebration’ from Allensmore Nurseries, available in garden centres now, Nemesia ‘Peaches and Cream’ from The Bransford Webbs Plant Company available from mid-March and Clematis ‘Prince George’ from New Leaf Plants available from April.

Perennial supports those working in, and retired from, the horticultural industry, and their families, through many of life’s challenges, which may be overwhelming. It understands the devastating impact bereavement, money worries, ill health, homelessness, redundancy and family breakdown can have on lives, and that everyone can experience financial difficulties.

Phil Swainston, Corporate Partnership Manager at Perennial, explains: “Plants for Perennial is an exciting and worthy collaboration between four renowned nurseries to highlight the services we provide to the commercial horticultural sector and spread the message that we’re here for all those working in horticulture who need help. It’s a great example of how businesses can come together in support of us.

“In November 2021, Allensmore Nurseries Managing Director Mark Taylor attended a Perennial event at Perennial’s Laskett Garden near Hereford. After a conversation with Perennial Trustee Richard Lawton, Mark decided to come up with a scheme that would generate funds for Perennial. He originally invited Bransford Webbs and Wyevale Nurseries to join him in creating the Plant for Perennial promotion and New Leaf came on board more recently.

“This collaboration between these fantastic nurseries is a great example of how the industry can support the charity through a cause related marketing scheme and it will be a great vehicle for spreading our message that Perennial is here for all those working in horticulture that need our help. Now, more than ever, is the time to be aware of the impact rising energy, fuel and food bills has had and will continue to have on the entire horticultural industry.”

The two salvias will be available for gardeners to buy mid-June but can be ordered by garden centres that wish to stock the plants now.

For further details about the Plants for Perennial salvias or Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk. 

Pelargonium for Europe (PfE) – the European-wide marketing initiative dedicated to promoting pelargoniums to retailers and consumers – has launched a new-for-2023 resource library, full of free, downloadable promotional materials for retailers to use in-store and online.

Suitable for use both indoors and outdoors use, the PfE resources can be used at the store entrance, by the till or next to the geranium display. Downloadable content includes banners, posters and POS materials, designed to create instant advertising solutions for garden centres, florists and specialist plant retailers. 

Social media posts are also available to download for those wanting to drive sales of pelargoniums via their digital platforms.

To use, retailers need to simply download the high-resolution materials in PDF and have it printed by a company of your choice. Want bespoke materials? Download our free high-res photos and create it yourself. If you don't have a graphic designer, try using tools like Canva. 

Please visit https://www.pelargonium-trade.com/resources-uk to start downloading.

For more information and images of geraniums visit: www.pelargoniumforeurope.com

Publication is free of charge with photo credit: "Pelargonium for Europe". Please send us a copy.

Pelargonium for Europe

Pelargonium for Europe is the marketing initiative of European geranium breeders Dümmen Orange, Elsner PAC, Florensis / P. van der Haak Handelskwekerij, Geranien Endisch, Selecta One and Syngenta Flowers. The initiative was founded in 2016 with the aim of promoting and securing long-term geranium sales in Europe. Its activities began in 2017 and in Germany, Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland, activities are supported by the EU as part of the “Europe in Bloom” campaign. 

Pets & Friends, a specialist pet retailer with a network of UK stores, salons and a leading website, has announced the opening of its latest location in Brigg Garden Centre, North Lincolnshire.

The new store is a partnership between Kennelpak, the parent company of Pets & Friends, and The British Garden Centres Group (BGC). Located in a prime location within the pet-friendly garden centre, it is easily accessible for pet parents and their furry friends.

Pets & Friends is known for providing a unique pet shopping experience that offers expert advice, dietary recommendations, and a wide range of pet services to their local communities. With great quality products to suit all budgets, the retailer provides everything a pet parent needs, from personalised nutrition plans, Puppy and Kitten clubs to professional grooming services for dogs, cats, and small animals of all ages.

Kennelpak Retail Director Steve Collard expressed excitement about the partnership with BGC, noting that, “Pets & Friends offers a pet parent shopping experience that is a great fit for the pet-friendly environment at Brigg. BGC’s commitment to providing exceptional service and expertise to their customers is matched by our dedicated to our pet parents. This level of service is a key component of the success we’ve seen over recent years and has earned the trust and loyalty of our in-store and online customer base. We are excited to be bringing Pets & Friends to Brigg and the surrounding areas, providing them with everything they need to keep their pets happy and healthy.”

The new Pets & Friends store and Pets Parlour Spa & Grooming Salon, which occupies a spacious three thousand square feet space within Brigg Garden Centre, is situated next to the dog-friendly restaurant. With a range of garden furniture, plants, and a play-centre for little ones, it is an ideal destination for pets and their families.

David Lazenby, Property and Concessions Director for British Garden Centres group expressed his happiness about the partnership with Pets & Friends, “British Garden Centres have many successful retail partnerships across our estate, so we are delighted to add Pets & Friends to that list. The store the Kennelpak team have created at Brigg looks fantastic, our customers were excited to see it open. Now it has, we are getting great feedback about the team of pet experts and the Pets & Friends shopping experience.”

The new store and grooming salon officially opened on March 17^th 2023, by ‘Best-In-Brigg’ competition winning dog Bailey and his owner Nancy, along with Kennelpak CEO Claire Bayliss and the Brigg Pets & Friends team. 

Premium garden furniture brand Bramblecrest have identified and predicted a growing trend for Moon Garden designs for UK customers in 2023 and beyond.  

A Moon Garden is the conscious designing of an outdoor space to be appreciated equally at night, by moonlight, as in traditional afternoon sun. Using a Moon Garden to enjoy quiet, peaceful moments in nature during the evening reduces post-work/busy day stress and promotes better sleep, all factors in supporting good general health. A Moon Garden also has the added benefit of enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the great outdoors and certain wildlife which come to life at night. 

Senses are heightened through a Moon Garden with shrubs, flowers and trees like jasmine, lily, wisteria and petunia blooming and releasing their most powerful scent when the sun goes down. Perfumes released by plants and flowers trigger endorphins which bring a natural feeling of happiness, contentment and de-stress. Noises in a night-time garden add to the magic with evening birdsong from nightjars to nightingales, robins, warblers and owls combined with characterful sounds from crickets, frogs and the rustling of hedgehogs all adding to the connection with nature – perfect for a calming night’s sleep.  

Bramblecrest spoke exclusively with Psychologist and TV Broadcaster Honey Langcaster-James about the potential health and wellbeing benefits of using a Moon Garden. Honey commented:  

“Both personally and professionally, I love the idea of a Moon Garden - creating an area in your garden that’s been designed with evening enjoyment in mind. Aside from the fact that it could be a perfect way to inject a little romance into your relationship with your partner while at home, it could also be an ideal place to take some personal time out, to unwind, be more mindful, and to give yourself some much needed peace and quiet after a busy day. Spending some time in your Moon Garden could become part of your evening routine, and the relaxation associated with your added time in nature, could really help to ready yourself for a more deep and restful sleep.  

“We Brits are well-known around the world for loving our gardens, but most of us tend to only ever think about actually enjoying our garden spaces during the day, when the sun is shining. Those who live in warmer climates might actually do the opposite, using their outdoor spaces much more during the cooler evenings and less in the heat of the midday sun, and it turns out that they may be enjoying a host of psychological and well-being benefits as a result of that!  

“From a health and well-being perspective, going out to your outdoor space can provide you with both a literal and figurative breath of fresh air, helping to boost your mood and separate your more productive daytime period from your evening wind-down. This can put you into a restful mindset which will likely better prepare you for a good night’s sleep.  

“Our homes have become increasingly multi-functional and nowadays they need to be truly multi-purpose spaces, so much of our lives take place there. We use the inside of our homes for work and productivity, rest and relaxation, eating our meals, spending time with loved ones and meeting our obligations to our families and carrying out all sorts of other activities and commitments. Our gardens however, tend to be less demanding spaces. They are places which are usually devoted to rest, relaxation, pleasure, health and well-being, and are only very rarely associated in our brains with work tasks or other demands upon us. This means that spending more time in our gardens, if we are lucky enough to have one, makes sense for our overall well-being and can help us better delineate our productive and more restful down times, ultimately helping us with a better work life balance.” 

For more information visit: https://www.bramblecrest.com/

It’s now easier than ever to grow a new or patch an existing lawn without using chemicals. Our oceans contain a rich bounty of nutrient-rich, dynamic, and sustainable seaweed that can be a great organic additive to a lawn as well as help boost summer sales for retailers.  Johnsons Lawn Seed’s Quick Lawn with Accelerator-treated seed is made from an innovative formula that joins the seaweed revolution, resulting in a mix that guarantees rapid lawn establishment and requires just a third of the amount of water that’s usually needed.

Perfect for consumers that want a green lawn fast, Johnsons’ Quick Lawn is packed with top varieties of dwarf perennial ryegrass and creeping red fescue as well as a carefully formulated blend of biostimulants in the seed coating – including seaweed extract, humic acids, amino acids, micronutrients, and root developers.

The magic ingredient that will guarantee retail sales is seaweed, which acts as the Accelerator and contains nutrients and trace elements such as nitrogen, magnesium, potassium, iodine, and phosphate that the individual grass plants need. Seaweed extract also acts as a natural tonic for the lawn, as well as a soil conditioner, leaving grass looking thick and green.

The Quick Lawn seeds that are coated in seaweed extract germinate more rapidly and have larger root mass, stronger plant growth, and higher survival rates. Using seaweed extract also increases chlorophyll production in the grass and it has the added advantage of being a renewable and completely local natural resource to use in the garden.

The Accelerator-treated seed also contains a wetting agent that helps water to penetrate the waxy surface of each grass seed faster, speeding up moisture absorption and seed growth. It’s these ingredients that work in harmony with each other to ensure fast germination and lush, green growth. Once the new grass has been established, growth returns to a normal level for domestic lawns, making mowing a breeze.

Garden centres cannot afford not to miss out on Quick Lawn with its unique Accelerator seed treatment, which is child and pet-friendly and results in 38% more grass plants in the  first seven days, compared to a non-coated seed. Quick Lawn is the go-to solution for a strong, thick, and healthy lawn with a super fine-leaved appearance that can withstand robust daily use. The ingenious mix is also drought-tolerant, which consumers will be seeking after the unprecedented high temperatures last year, while the grass will perform well in shady areas, too.

Guy Jenkins, Consumer Manager at Johnsons Lawn Seed said: “Quick Lawn with Accelerator will do exactly what it says on the tin and will fly off the shelves as it instantly communicates its clear benefits to consumers. The growing trend of using seaweed extract in the garden marks the beginning of a new phase in biological lawn care and will chime with Britain’s eco-conscious consumers, helping to expand sales throughout the gardening season and it’s not too late for retailers to start getting stocked now in the build-up to the summer.”

Quick Lawn with Accelerator-treated seed is available in 210gm, 425gm, 1.275kg, and 4.25kg cartons, also in 10kg or 20kg bags.

Find out more

If you want to start stocking Quick Lawn, then please call your local sales agent or visit the website http://www.johnsonslawnseed.com/product-range.aspx   

Expert wildlife brand, CJ Wildlife, has launched a new range of bird and nature products to help children discover the wonderful world of wildlife on their doorstep, in collaboration with Europe’s largest conservation charity, the National Trust.

The first kids range of its kind in the UK, the exciting new products have been created to encourage children to engage with nature and care for wildlife from an early age, starting in their own back gardens, balconies and local outdoor spaces.

Designed for little ones aged five to twelve, the collection aligns with the National Trust’s “50 things to do before you’re 11¾” activity programme, sharing inspiration and ideas to help children connect with nature and the natural world.  

Among the products introduced is a range of easy flip, fully recyclable bird feeders, coordinating bird feed packaged in easy-to-carry, recyclable tubs and FSC certified, build-your-own wildlife wooden box kits, all featuring the iconic National Trust oakleaf logo.

Created to make feeding feathered friends fun, simple and interactive, the range includes three tube bird feeders each designed to house a different type of bird food – seed mix, fat balls and peanuts - to encourage a range of species to visit. The feeders come in colourful shades of red, blue and green, and feature an easy flip lid to allow children to get stuck in and refill the feeders themselves.

To complement the feeders, CJ Wildlife has introduced a line of bird food in easy-to-carry tubs, which are colour-coordinated to allow little ones to match the type of bird food with the correct feeder. The range includes a Robin and Blackbird seed mix, Finch and Sparrow blend, peanuts for Tits, and fat balls, which are popular with a wide variety of species. With specialist bird food production facilities at its Shrewsbury-based farm, most of CJ Wildlife’s bird food is made in Britain and provides birds with the energy and nutrients they need to thrive all year round.

Young explorers can also enjoy feeding wildlife on family walks, visits to National Trust properties and trips to the park, with the new specialist duck and swan food, formulated to provide water-dwelling birds with a nutritious food source.

The National Trust Kids Wildlife range also includes a selection of wildlife wooden box kits, designed to let children get hands-on by building a Bird Feeding House, Nest Box or Butterfly House. Each build-your-own kit comes with everything needed to construct a wildlife haven. kids can get creative by decorating or painting the boxes with their own wildlife-friendly materials, such as paint or markers, before hanging them in the garden.

Packaging also includes a QR code directing families to a hub of fun activity sheets to keep children engaged with their outdoor space, while educating them about Britain’s wildlife.

Claire Smith, Chief Officer Partnerships, Products and Business Development at CJ Wildlife and Vivara, commented: “Encouraging and inspiring kids to care for wildlife is something that both CJ Wildlife and the National Trust are truly passionate about. We believe that getting little ones involved at an early age will not only nurture a life-long love affair with nature but will also help educate the next generation on the importance of caring for wildlife, which in turn will have a hugely positive impact on the environment.  

“The range has been designed to be fun, engaging and easy to enjoy for children of all ages above five years old. Each product provides a fantastic way to teach children about the importance of looking after our native species, while encouraging them to spend time in the great outdoors and getting some much-needed fresh air! We have created a great POS package to support retailers and cannot wait to see these displays in stores.”

Becky Stanford, Head of Brand Licensing at the National Trust, commented on the range “This bright and accessible collection of wildlife products, tailored for little ones to engage with nature, both at home and on their outdoor adventures, is a game changer for children and nature – we can’t wait to witness a generation of children growing up with so much more interaction with the wildlife in their gardens or local parks.

One of the things we’re really passionate about at the National Trust, is ensuring that everyone has access to nature, and this range is one way of achieving this.”

Prices start from just £2.49 with the majority of items in the range priced under £5 making them perfect pocket money purchases.

Although items from the range can be purchased individually, CJ Wildlife highly recommend retailers commit to the full display unit package for maximum exposure and impact.

The full range is available to order from mid-March. For more information visit https://www.birdfood.co.uk/

Henton & Chattell has announced the launch of its new ride-on tractors as part of its Cobra range. This comes as part of the 10-year anniversary of Cobra and is the biggest innovation for the brand yet.

This significant investment in Cobra marks the next chapter for the brand, reiterates its success over 10 years and bolsters its position in the marketplace as one of the leading garden machinery brands.

In launching the new ride-on mowers, Henton & Chattell has tapped into its 1500+ dealer network and utilised the companies’ unique position in the industry to gain an understanding of what customers want and ensure that the products are expertly based exactly on the needs of UK gardeners.

As such, the range has models for both domestic and professional markets so creates ample opportunities for dealers for both sales and servicing.

Peter Chaloner, managing director of Henton & Chattell, commented: “We’re so excited for this next chapter for Cobra. We’ve been developing the new range of ride-on mowers for some time now and it’s a significant step in the brand’s history. We can’t wait to hear what customers think of them! We have further plans to keep expanding Cobra over time with more products already planned for the year. To support this and accommodate our growth plans, we have also doubled our warehousing facilities in Nottingham which will also help us to ensure that we continue to create business opportunities for our dealers.”

The ride-on mower line-up features eight models, all aimed at helping those with larger lawns to mow with ease and comfort, at an affordable price. The range starts with two rider models. These have a particular focus on manoeuvrability, allowing gardeners to flow and mow around the gardens, taking into account garden beds, curved edges and obstacles such as trees, patios and planting schemes as well as any other intricacies that make UK gardens so unique.

The two compact LT62 rider models each have a 24” cutting width and comfortable seat. Being smaller, these models have great manoeuvrability coupled with a 75cm turning radius. The LT62 is available with either manual or hydrostatic automatic gear change transmission, with the latter offering smoother usage and even greater manoeuvrability.

For larger gardens and paddocks to mow, there are six ride-on tractors available. With cutting widths ranging from 33” up to 42”, and choices again being manual and hydrostatic gear changing, as well as a twin cutting blade and the option to collect the cuttings, release them back to the ground or turn them to mulch. They also offer enhanced comfort with an ergonomically designed padded seat and easy electric key starting.

For further information about Cobra, please visit www.cobragarden.co.uk.

Napoleon Grills, the premium grill and outdoor kitchen brand, have launched two new barbecues for 2023, one a hybrid of two best sellers and the other a brand new compact portable grill perfect for picnics. 

The new Phantom Freestyle 425 SIB merges the entry-level aspects of the popular Freestyle range with the premium matt black finish of the fan favourite Phantom range. The stylish yet fantastic value gas grill is perfect for anyone wanting to start their bbq journey with signature Napoleon features that are easy to use whilst giving restaurant quality results.  

The brand new TravelQ 240 is designed for bbq food on the go. The single but mighty stainless steel burner can cook for up to seven people at once (so space for seven steaks on the grill!) and features premium signature Napoleon features for a seamless and consistent cook every time. The TravelQ 240 is easy to transport with a lockable lid, light handling and foldable legs. 

NEW PHANTOM FREESTYLE 425 SIB 

• Featuring stylish matt black finish with satin coating  
• Get restaurant quality seared steak or sizzle your side dishes with Napoleon’s signature Infrared SIZZLE ZONE™ Side Burner, plus 4 stainless steel main burners 
• Perfect sear marks with WAVE™ porcelain coated cast iron cooking grids 
• New left hand opening door, and folding right side shelf  
• ACCU-PROBE™ built-in temperature gauge and soft touch ergonomic knobs. 
• Instant JETFIRE™ ignition system that lights the main burners with a fast jet of flame easily, every time. 
• Two large weather-resistant wheels 
• Includes a multifunctional grilling rack, durable grill chamber made of cast aluminium and heat distribution system made of enamelled steel 

RRP £949.99  

NEW TRAVELQ 240 

• Compact and easily transportable design with lockable lid and folding legs for easy storage 
• Featuring a single Stainless Steel burner up to 2.6kw with a capacity to cook for up to seven people at once 
• Perfect sear marks with WAVE™ porcelain coated cast iron cooking grids 
• Instant JETFIRE™ ignition system that lights the main burner with a fast jet of flame easily, every time. 
• Drip pan accessible from the front  

RRP £199.99 

About Napoleon Grills Signature Features:

SIZZLE ZONE™ 

Using charcoal is the traditional form of infrared grilling that we‘re all familiar with: glowing briquettes emit direct heat through infrared energy into the food being grilled, giving that mouth-watering smoky aroma and delicious crust. 

With the SIZZLE ZONE™ infrared burners from Napoleon®, you get these benefits plus convenient gas technology: each burner contains thousands of gas outlets that heat the ceramic surface until it starts to glow red. The resulting infrared rays don‘t just warm the ambient air; the heat penetrates directly and deeply into the food. It also creates a consistent thermal area that compared with a charcoal fire, is much easier to control. 

Napoleon® infrared burners produce extremely high temperatures, making them ideal for the preparation of juicy steaks, burgers and other meats. The SIZZLE ZONE™ can also be used as a side burner, and combined with a ceramic heat plate provides the perfect way to prepare delicious stir fries in a wok. 

WAVE™ Cooking Grids  

The unique shape of the WAVE™ cooking grids gives food an attractive sear pattern that can only be found with a Napoleon® BBQ. But the wave shape doesn‘t just give your food an appetising appearance, it also has practical benefits: the wavy cooking grid promotes more evenly distributed heat and also makes it much harder for small bits of food to fall through. 

JETFIRE™ 

Igniting a Napoleon® gas burner is made easy by Napoleon‘s unique innovative JETFIRE™ ignition system which ignites each individual burner with a strong burst of flame from a separate gas outlet. This allows for the burners to ignite even in extreme weather. This innovative technology is only used in this way in Napoleon® BBQs. 

Napoleon Grills are internationally renowned barbecue and outdoor kitchen specialists, with stockists across the UK. 

For more information visit https://www.napoleon.com/en/uk/barbecues and follow @napoleongrillsuk

The first batch of Wyevale Nurseries’ new non-climbing ivy aimed at landscapers that was launched at Four Oaks Trade Show last autumn has sold out with more coming this spring.

Ten thousand pots of the versatile, easy to look after Hedera Algerian Bellecour®, which has no arborescent stage, and is exclusive to the commercial nursery, have sold so far this year.

Ian Wright, Commercial Sales Director at Wyevale Nurseries, explains: “Our first batch of Hedera Bellecour® has now been sold and delivered to customers and numbers are being bulked up as soon as cutting material allows. Potting has continued and the next batch will be available for delivery at the end of May. We’re very excited about this new ivy, which is exclusive to us this year. It’s a very special hedera that doesn’t climb, so is great as low maintenance groundcover.

“Hedera Algerian Bellecour® is particularly useful to amenity and commercial landscape contractors and architects, as it remains in a juvenile form so requires little to no care.

“It can green large areas in a carpet of evergreen foliage and is low maintenance. So, we’re certain it will be a huge hit with those looking for a commercial landscape solution.”

Discovered in the Bellecour district in Lyon, France, Hedera Algerian Bellecour® is a ground cover ivy that’s vigorous and resistant.

Its large three-lobed leaves change from tender green in spring to dark green as winter approaches and it’s perfectly suited to the base of trees and in large beds.

“More than 10 million plants have already been sold on the continent, primarily as an alternative to grass, as Bellecour® requires a lot less maintenance, just trimmed to the path/road edge once or twice a year, depending on the situation.

“It’s ideal for local authorities to use on roadsides, especially busy, high-speed roads where grass mowing regularly is difficult due to safety. It’s also excellent on steep slopes as a soil stabiliser and for areas where it is too dry to retain healthy looking grass.

“But that’s not all, this ivy just keeps on giving. It can be use in areas in the shade of buildings and trees that are difficult/impossible to green with grass. It’s ideal for airports where nesting birds are unwelcome, as it has no nectar, pollen and berries to attract them. However, it does provide an excellent habitat for invertebrates.

“It also provides a living mulch beneath shrubs and trees that retains soil moisture and minimises or, when established, prevents weeds. Once established it is very drought tolerant too, so is fine in dry soils.

“Therefore, all the problems with standard hedera have been removed: it has no arborescent, woody, flowering stage that needs more pruning to maintain ground cover effect and, as it doesn’t climb, it doesn’t damage paint work and masonry. But Bellecour® has all the positives of hedera too. It’s ideal for steep inclines, hard to maintain areas and urban settings.

“It’s evergreen, hardy to -20°C, very glossy, non-flowering, non-climbing, weed suppressant, low maintenance, requires infrequent pruning and is drought resistant. It reduces soil erosion, noise pollution, surface water, air pollution and heat island effect, which means it doesn’t increase heat in urban areas.”

Wyevale Nurseries’ product selection is envied 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.

For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk.

In this issue:

• Hillier grows – Interview with Chris Francis,
• GCA Conference 2023 – Big, bold, sustainable and £100k raised for Greenfingers,
• GCA Winners – All the winners from the GCA Conference,
• PATS Sandown Show preview,
• BeefEater – LOFA Member profile,
• Beautiful stonework from The Patio Black Spot Company,
• GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards Presentations at Spring Fair,
• Pictures from all The Greatest Christmas Award winning centres: Barton Grange, Rosebourne, The Old Railway Line, Pughs, Gates, Longacres, Gouldings, Alton, Groves, Meadowcroft, Brimsmore and Poundbury, British Garden Centres, Pengelly, Blue Diamond, Klondyke, Gordale, Silverbirch, Woodlands, Little Dobbies, Azure, Stratford    , Chessington, Chacewater, Coolings, Sapcote, Wentworth, Perrywood, Garsons Titchfield, Keydell, The Grange, Tingley, St Peters, Garden King, Fron Goch, Ellerker Lodge, Chepstow, Birkacre, Bennybeg,
• Thank you to the judges and sponsors of The Greatest Christmas Awards 2022,
• Encouraging signs for Spring – HTA Column,
• Cash is king – GIMA Column.

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Voting for RHS Partner Garden of the Year 2023 will open on 10 April. Following the success of the first two years, people will once again have a chance to name their top ‘Feel Good Garden’ out of more than 220 RHS Partner Gardens.

Thousands of votes were cast in 2022, when Nant y Bedd garden in Monmouthshire was crowned winner and the RHS is hoping that more and more people will want to show their appreciation of their favourite gardens by clicking to vote.

Votes can be cast via the RHS website rhs.org.uk/pgoty from 10 April until 29 September 2023 and visitors can choose their favourite garden from one of the following six regions: Midlands and East Anglia; North and Northern Ireland; Overseas; Scotland; South East and Channel Islands; and South West and Wales. All voters will be entered into a prize draw to win a pair of tickets to the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in 2024 with a luxury two-night stay close to the showground.

The gardens will then be ranked according to the number of votes they have received relative to their total visitor numbers for the previous year, and the comments from their voters, to determine the winner for each region and the overall winner. The winners will be revealed in December, and will receive a special plaque to display at their property as well as a professional photoshoot of their garden.

Helen Feary, RHS Partner Garden Manager, said: “The RHS Partner Garden of the Year competition is growing from strength to strength and we’re delighted that nearly twice as many votes were cast in 2022 as in 2021. It’s heart-warming to read so many wonderful comments about how good a visit to the garden makes people feel. With so many gardens taking part and encouraging their visitors to vote, it should be easier than ever for people to show their appreciation for their favourite garden.”

There are currently 221 gardens in the RHS Partner Gardens scheme, including 18 new gardens in 2023, which RHS Members can visit free of charge at selected times of the year. They comprise some of the most famous gardens in the world as well as privately-owned hidden gems, and beyond the UK can be found in 8 countries across the globe, including Barbados, Japan and South Africa.

Fran Barnes, HTA Chief Executive, said, “Today’s Spring Budget has set out an ambition to reduce inflation, give more confidence for capital investment and boost the workforce. As a sector contributing £28.8bn to GDP and supporting 674,000 jobs, we welcome these steps. However, missing from the Chancellor’s four ‘Es’ was action on ‘Environment’. As a naturally green industry, we believe to unlock green growth and boost productivity, government must recognise the role of environmental horticulture in delivering for the UK economy, environment and health and well-being.

"This Spring Budget could have been the moment to tackle barriers to our growth, with challenges on trade and borders, regulatory impacts, energy and water resilience being felt here and now. On water, government itself has acknowledged we are on the precipice of another drought year - we had hoped to see support to increase drought resilience for the Summer. On energy, we have called for government to include glass houses in the Energy and Trade Intensive Industries (ETII) scheme to support our great UK growers, and await a response.

"Investment zones supporting the natural environment is great news and we hope that this includes greater support for green spaces. Having reorganised Whitehall just weeks ago to dedicate a department to Net-Zero and not to see this recognised in today’s Budget is a missed opportunity. We hope this can be addressed and reiterate that Environmental Horticulture is a green industry, ideally placed to help deliver on carbon sequestration, sustainability and Net-Zero targets.”

Tong Garden Centrearden is hosting a free drop-in session for customers to get expert houseplant advice.

Gardeners' World Live presenter Joe Bagley will be in the houseplant department at Tong Garden Centre from 12 pm on Saturday, 25th March to give advice and answer questions about houseplants.

"More people are interested in indoor gardening than ever before, and houseplants are growing in popularity because of their ability to help accessorise indoor spaces and improve air quality, " said self-styled houseplant doctor Bagley.  

"I'll be on hand to advise people on the best houseplants to suit their homes and lifestyle and suggest the best rooms to keep them in.  People are also welcome to bring photos of their houseplants to the session. I'll be able to diagnose any problems they may have and give hints and tips to keep them in peak condition."

"Joe's houseplant expertise has earned him two appearances on Gardeners' World and a regular slot on BBC Radio Leicester, so we're looking forward to welcoming him to the ever-growing houseplant area at Tong," said Tong's indoor plant buyer, Jane Day.

The free drop-in plant clinic follows a sellout Terrarium Workshop with Joe Bagley in the Mezzanine Restaurant in the morning.

Blue Diamond MD, Alan Roper, said there will be 2 more Blue Diamond Garden Centres by Easter, taking the group to 44 centres and well on track to hit a turnover projection of £330m this year during his "Greatest Showman" introduction to the Blue Diamond Awards 2023.

Alan told GTN Xtra: "We have 2 acquisitions in process. Heads are agreed and we are aiming to get them both completed by Easter."

Commenting on the 1920's themed event, with around 700 attendees from across the garden centre group and key suppliers, which was held at the Athena in Leicester, a restored art-deco cinema, Alan said: It's hard to believe its a work function, the friendship in the room is tremendous.  I've spent 24 years building this culture.  It was hard at the beginning but it is the glue and it becomes infectious.  So many of the team love the job, they like the people they work with and it comes through on a night like this; the sense of belonging and camaraderie.

As Alan announced the Garden Centre of the Year Awards he said: "None of these awards are easy, but you look at the quality, the sense of team, of course the figures and those centres that made the grade on all of those factors with profitability being very important meant the quality this year was so high."

Blue Diamond Awards 2023 – Full results

Garden Centres of the Year

OAK Garden Centre of the Year: Grosvenor

Nominees:

• Cardiff
• Derby
• East Bridgford
• Endsleigh
• Grosvenor
• Newbridge
• Sanders
• St Peters

ACORN Garden Centre of the Year: Brambridge Park

Nominees:

• Brambridge
• Coton Orchard
• Evesham
• Harlow
• Lower Morden
• Nailsworth
• Trelawney

Restaurants of the Year

OAK Restaurant of the Year: Cardiff Restaurant

Nominees:

• Cardiff
• Derby
• Endsleigh
• Grosvenor
• Springfields

ACORN Restaurant of the Year: Nailsworth Waterside Cafe

Nominees:

• Brambridge
• Hereford
• Lower Morden
• Nailsworth
• Worcester

Kipling of the Year: Bicester

Nominees:

• Bicester
• Cadbury
• Sanders

Pastry Chef of the Year: Paula Cummings - Springfields

Nominees:

• Donna Kerr & Emma Cliff – Derby
• Ellie Leathwood – Fryers
• Kinga Wachowska – Sanders
• Paula Cummings - Springfields
• Trixie Hutchings – Fermoys

Head Chef of the Year: Dom Steffanelli - Grosvenor

Nominees:

• Adam Gellender – Brambridge
• Andrew Mellor – Chatsworth
• Andy Williams – Trelawney
• Dom Stefanelli – Grosvenor

Barista of the Year: Viegas Felisberto - Bicester

Nominees:

• Celeste Crook – Redfields
• Laura Thornley – Chatsworth
• Nick Margery = Lower Morden
• Viegas Felisberto – Bicester

Food Retailer of the Year: ACORN Jo Nicholls – Cardiff, OAK Michelle Richardson - Trentham and Jane Glanville - Endsleigh

Nominees:

• Bridgemere
• Cadbury
• Cardiff
• East Bridgford
• Endsleigh
• Fermoys
• Lower Morden
• Sanders
• Trentham

Furniture & Outdoor Leisure Award: ACORN Dennis Ridson - Trelawney, OAK Jacinta Butler - Derby

Nominees:

• 3 Shires
• Bridgemere
• Chatsworth
• Derby
• East Bridgford
• Grosvenor
• Hereford
• Lower Morden
• Matloock
• Sanders
• St Peters
• Trelawney
• Trentham

Christmas Award: ACORN Amy Roberts - Fryers, OAK Malcom Baines - Newbridge

Nominees:

• 3 Shires
• Bridgemere
• Derby
• Fermoys
• Fryers
• Harlow
• Le Friquet
• Lower Morden
• Melbicks
• Newbridge
• Wilton

Wild Animal Award: ACORN Daniel Underhill - Nailsworth, OAK Sophie Dawson – Le Friquet

Nominees:

• Canterbury
• Cardiff
• Le Friquet
• Nailsworth
• Rake
• Trelawney

Growing Media, Features & Containers Award: ACORN Philip Hayes - Trelawney, OAK Andy Gontier – Le Friquet

Nominees:

• Fermoys
• Harlow
• Le Friquet
• Lower Morden
• Nailsworth
• St Peters
• Trelawney

Seeds and Bulbs Award: ACORN Daniel Underhill - Nailsworth, OAK David Roberts – Percy Throwers

Nominees:

• 3 Shires
• Canterbury
• Derby
• Evesham
• Nailsworth
• Percy Throwers
• Sanders
• Springfields
• Trentham

Garden Care and Décor Award: ACORN Patrick Hurley - Harlow, OAK Zoe Gillyett – St Peters

Nominees:

• Cadbury
• Canterbury
• Harlow
• Le Friquet
• Lower Morden
• Nailsworth
• St Peters
• Trelawney
• Weybridge

Indoor Plants Award: ACORN Lisa Ceaser - Weybridge, OAK Tom Watkins -Cardiff

Nominees:

• Canterbury
• Cardiff
• Coton Orchard
• Fermoys
• Matlock
• Percy Throwers
• Tunbridge Wells
• Weybridge

Hardy Plants Award: ACORN Dee Stuart McDonald – Tunbridge Wells, OAK Kevin Flemming - Bridgemere

Nominees:

• Bridgemere
• Cardiff
• Harlow
• Lower Morden
• Nailsworth
• Newbridge
• Orchard Park
• Rake
• Tunbridge Wells

Seasonal Plants Award: ACORN Jonathan Feasey - Harlow, OAK Kyle Bartram - Bicester

Nominees:

• Bicester
• Grosvenor
• Harlow
• Lower Morden
• Matlock
• Orchard Park
• Rake
• Redfields
• Tunbridge Wells
• Wilton
• Worcester

The Fashion Award: ACORN Matt Evans - Cardiff, OAK Lyndsay Smith - Brambridge

Nominees:

• 3 Shires
• Bicester
• Brambridge
• Cardiff
• Chatsworth
• Coton Orchard
• East Bridgford
• Endsleigh
• Evesham
• Grosvenor
• Hereford
• Lower Morden
• Melbicks
• Newbridge
• Springfields
• Trelawney
• Trentham
• Weybridge
• Worcester

Customer Engagement Award: ACORN Canterbury, OAK Cadbury

Nominees:

• 3 Shires
• Cadbury
• Canterbury
• Lower Morden
• Sanders
• Trelawney

The Home Award: ACORN Laura Ross – Coton Orchard, OAK Vicki Gisbourne - Evesham

Nominees:

• Coton Orchard
• Evesham
• Fermoys
• Harlow
• Redfields
• Springfields

The Stock Management Award: Sanders

Nominees:

• East Bridgford
• Grosvenor
• Harlow
• Sanders

See GTN Xtra's full photo gallery from The Blue Diamond Awards 2023 below:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, The Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP, met with the Mercer family who own Hillmount, a portfolio of garden centres in Belfast, Ards, Bangor and Cheshire. 

Fourth generation owners of the family business, Robin, Edith and Alan Mercer, welcomed the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to their flagship garden lifestyle store in the Castlereagh Hills, in east Belfast, where they spoke with him about the impact of Brexit on their business and their hopes for the opportunities the Windsor Framework may bring to the day-to-day operations. 

Robin Mercer said: "We were honoured to welcome Chris Heaton-Harris to visit us at Hillmount. 

“We have been lobbying the government since Brexit began to cause problems with the great relationships we had built up over 50-plus years with our suppliers in GB. 

“As a family business, meeting customer demand is our priority and we look forward to any strides the government can make in helping us to do business easier so we can stock the plants and giftware that our customers want to see on our shelves.”

The Horticultural Trades Association has appointed a new Media Relations Manager, strengthening its commitment to increasing communications and cut-through of the voice of UK environmental horticulture across the media.

Melissa Gerbaldi joins the team from the Royal Meteorological Society, where she was Communications Manager. Melissa’s career has included roles at English Heritage and also training as a journalist. With a wide-range of experience and personal passion for plants, Melissa will further boost the HTA team and delivery of valued communications for members.

Melissa said: “I am excited to be joining the HTA at a critical time when there are so many stories to share from our members and industry as well as the impactful work of the Association itself. It is a great opportunity to use my skills and experience in media relations to help our members prosper and grow and I look forward to getting know everyone.”

Jennifer Pheasey, HTA’s Director of Public Affairs, said “We welcome Melissa to our team at this exciting time for UK horticulture and the HTA. Melissa’s breadth of experience in communications and PR will help bolster the team and provide a key point of contact for media. We are a sector full of opportunities, fantastic businesses and stories, and this role will be key to delivering even more impactful communications for our industry.”

Following on from past Best Buy recommendations on the ClipGlove brand in consumer gardening magazines, Treadstone Garden (Treadstone) have been recognised by BBC Gardeners World magazine for two of their new products for 2023.

Treadstone are building a reputation for innovative and sustainable gardening solutions and the recent launch of eco products ‘Recycled Bottle Gloves’ (by ClipGlove) and ‘Rope Trellis’ (by The Good Life) have been well received.

This includes being recommended as useful and innovative eco gardening solutions as part of the ‘Growing Greener’ feature in the March 2023 issue of BBC Gardener’s World magazine. 

Natural Jute Trellis

Available in five sizes, Rope Trellis (from RRP £19.99) is a clever alternative to fixed trellis using a natural jute material to create flexible trellis which can be used all around the garden.

In the Growing Greener feature BBC Gardener’s World highlighted the best new green kit for 2023 for the eco-conscious gardener. They wrote:

 “Inspired by cargo nets, this trellis is handmade using natural biodegradable jute rope and is carefully tied so that it hangs tight and straight, giving consistent support for plants. It comes rolled up, so is easy to store and simple to install – just fix it to walls or fences by the corner loops or simply tie between posts.”

Rope Trellis is not only an eco-solution, but it can also be used to create a stunning garden feature and can be treated in a preservative to add longevity and extra colour. Take a look at the range here for more information - Rope Trellis – Treadstone Website.

Hard-to-Lose Recycled Gloves

ClipGlove Recycled Bottle Gloves (from £5.99) are a sustainably made stylish collection of Men’s and Ladies’ gloves made using recycled plastic bottles. Each pair of gloves is held together with an Aluminium Carabiner Clip.

This Clip holds each pair together in store and means that gardeners will never lose their gloves again by attaching the clip to a belt or a garden bag.

In the ‘Growing Greener’ feature BBC Gardener’s World highlighted the user-friendly design of the clip as well as the sustainable benefits, writing:

“This new range from ClipGlove is made from 95 per cent recycled plastic bottles, with added elastic for comfort and a textured natural latex coating for protection and grip. Bright colours make them hard to lose out in the garden and, like all ClipGlove products, they are supplied complete with a carabiner clip that can be attached to the gloves for easy stowing on your belt loop.”

The range features a standard Bottle Glove and a Bottle Glove Plus option which features the same construction as the Bottle Glove, but with an extra coating of latex, which stretches up the back of the hand to provide increased durability and protection against moisture. Visit the website to find out more – Recycled Bottle Gloves – Treadstone Website.

Retail support to Stand Out

With increasing demand for these eco-conscious products, Treadstone have full retail support for all stockists, with high impact displays for both ranges to fully stand out in store. DARE TO SELL DIFFERENT and get in touch to enquire about Treadstones’ latest eco products, email - sales@treadstoneproducts.com to find out about pricing and other information.

Flowerland Home and Garden are one of Buckinghamshire's largest and most popular garden centres, with over 60 years of experience in growing plants and now so much more.

They have just implemented WinRetail, the acclaimed Stock Control and Retail Management System from Corby + Fellas, at their centres in Bourne End and Iver.

Hugh Evans, Flowerland's Director and co-owner, is full of praise for C+F. He said: "A big thank you to Alan, Steven, Grant and all the team at Corby & Fellas for a successful transition to our new C&F EPOS system.

"Team Corby & Fellas have been working relentlessly behind the scenes, preparing our transition: we have just gone live with the new system.

"From our business perspective, it has been completely seamless, and perhaps this is the highest praise we can give.

"We have been able to continue trading as normal; the transition was extremely smooth, and all our old data has been brought along.

"We now have a bright future of a new system with much greater functionality, and the prospect of this benefiting our customers and business.

Any business facing a transition from an old EPOS system to a new EPOS system has a great anxiety hurdle to overcome: how will it work?

"Well it works perfectly, the transition has been seamless, and we are already reaping the benefits of the move.

"Our staff are full of praise: the system is 'excellent, 21st century' and that the team at C&F are 'fantastic'.

"Many thanks, looking forward to great futures together."

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 newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2018 as well as 2019 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £145.00 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 07973 504214, e-mail karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

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.

Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.

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 £100m.

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@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call 07973504214.

Buy your subscription today and start receiving the GTN Bestsellers charts this week.

Click on the links below to see The Greatest Christmas Awards judges photo tours of the 17 Gold Award winning garden centres at Christmas 2022:

Altons - The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team, Barton Grange - The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team & The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team, Blue Diamond Newbridge - The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team, Gates - The Greatest Gardening Gifts Sales Team, Gouldings Santa Experience - The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team, Groves Bridport  - The Greatest Christmas Community Event Team, Klondyke High Legh - The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team, Little Dobbies Richmond - The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team, Longacres Bagshot - The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team, Meadowcroft - The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team, Pengelly - The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team, Pugh's Radyr - The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team, Pugh's Wenvoe - The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team, Rosebourne Aldermaston - The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team, Rosebourne Weyhill - The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team, The Old Railway Line - The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video, Woodlands Ash - The Greatest Festive Garden Centre Catering Team

See all the photos from the Awards presentations at Spring Fair here

Watch out for more judges photo tours over the coming weeks.