After publishing financial results for the year ending 5th March 2023, Dobbies Garden Centres Group Limited has revealed that the group had experienced extremely difficult trading conditions during its last financial accounting period. It blamed unseasonal weather in the peak Spring/Summer period, which was exacerbated by macro-economic head winds stemming from the war in Ukraine, inflation, and the cost-of-living crisis.

Despite this, the Group generated sales of £278.7m albeit margins were adversely impacted. Consequently, the business states that it sustained a net loss of £5.2m. 

A spokesperson for Dobbies told GTN Xtra: "The “net loss” of £5.2m referred to represents the Underlying Operating Loss of £34.4m (as per the Consolidated Income Statement on p17 of the Report and Accounts) before non-cash Depreciation & Amortisation charges of £29.2m per Note 7 of the accounts (p40).

"This excludes other non-cash expenses including an impairment charge and non-recurring finance costs relating to debt which has now been converted to equity as part of our recapitalisation in March 2023."

Turnover for the year dropped to £278.7m from 303.6m the previous year with an operating loss of £69.6m vs an £18.9m operating profit previously.

Finance costs were £60.8m in the year ending March 5th 2023, up by £20m on the previous reporting period.

The report includes the following statement about future developments:

"The Group continues to differentiate its retail experience and evolve its hospitality offering accordingly. As the UK's leading garden centre retailer, we are committed to strengthening this position through further investment in our existing estate and the development of new opportunities. The below elements underpin our growth strategy: 

•    Further development and acquisitions in strategic locations, including new-build developments;
•    Continued roll out of "little dobbies" stores;
•    Strengthen customer engagement through focus on NPS and enhancements to our loyalty· scheme;
•    Continuing to ensure that sustainability remains at the core of our business; and
•    Becoming a digitally led garden centre retailer."

Dobbies was acquired and successfully refinanced by funds managed by Ares Management, its largest shareholder, in February 2023, eliminating debt and interest whilst providing a new working capital facility. The group moved to a net assets position of £53.8m (27 February 2022: net liabilities of £84.1m). As a result Dobbies believes it now has a significantly improved foundation and is firmly on the road to recovery. 

Dobbies has 77 stores across the UK, employs 3,800 colleagues and has welcomed over 23 million customers in the year to date.

Read the full report and accounts here

As the 102 judging visits come to an end, customer voting for The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Teams continues a pace with over 12,000 votes having now been made.

At the top of the Christmas Greatness Voting chart, Cooks of Stourport hold onto their lead, but Busy Bee on the Isle of Wight are hard on their heels climbing up the chart last week to No 2 and Southwood Garden Centre in Cottingham have jumped from No 20 up to No 14.

This weeks Top 50 Christmas Garden Centres, as voted for by customers:

1. Cooks
2. Busy Bee
3. Bosworths Burton Latimer
4. Jacksons Boutique
5. Garden King
6. Pughs Radyr
7. Birkacre
8. Old Railway Line
9. Gates
10. Keydell
11. Planters Tamworth
12. Munro’s
13. Summerhill
14. Southwood Garden Centre
15. Hillmount Belfast
16. Trowell
17. Azure
18. Albrighton BGC
19. Planters Bretby
20. Pughs Wenvoe
21. Perrywood Sudbury
22. Brigg BGC
23. Ferndale
24. Bow Garden Centre and Aquatics
25. Roxton BGC
26. Perrywood Tiptree
27. Woodthorpe BGC
28. Harrogate BGC
29. Tarporley BGC
30. Ongar BGC
31. Pengelley Garden Centre
32. Fron Goch
33. Tring BGC
34. Braintree BGC
35. Sprowston BGC
36. Stokesley
37. Arcadia BGC
38. Bridgenorth BGC
39. Newton Regis BGC
40. Shipley Park BGC
41. Bosworth at Elton
42. Irton BGC
43. Newquay
44. Brockworth BGC
45. Ramsgate BGC
46. Carr Gate BGC
47. Bournville BGC
48. Thatcham BGC
49. Charlbury BGC
50. Chipperfield BGC

So far a total of 280 garden centre teams have been voted for by their customers.  In alphabetical order the centres just outside the Top 50 at the moment are:

Aberdeen Dobbies, Abridge Garden Centre, Altrincham Dobbies, Andover Dobbies, Antrim Dobbies, Ashford Dobbies, Astbury, Atherstone Dobbies, Aylesbury Dobbies, Ayr Dobbies, Barton Grange , Beaconsfield Dobbies, Bell Plantation, Bents, Bernaville Nurseries, Bicester Avenue, Bickerdikes, Birchencliffe BGC, Birtley Dobbies, Bold Heath BGC, Bolton BGC, Boston Dobbies, Braehead Dobbies, Brambridge Park, Bressingham BGC, Bridgemere Blue Diamond, Bridgnorth BGC, Brighton Dobbies, Bromsgrove BGC, Burford House BGC, Burford, Burnside, Byrkley, Cadbury Blue Diamond, Cadnam Dobbies, Cambridge Home & Garden, Cannock Dobbies, Canterbury Chartham, Carlisle Dobbies, Carmarthen BGC, Carpenders Park, Castle Gardens, Chapel Garden Centre, Charlecote BGC, Cherry Lane Beverley, Cherry Lane Podington, Chesterfield Dobbies, Chilton BGC, Cirencester Dobbies, Codsall & Wergs, Colleta & Tyson, Cosford, Coton, Coventry BGC, Cowells, Crawley BGC, Derby Blue Diamond, Derby Dobbies, Dundee Dobbies, East Bridgeford Blue Diamond, East Durham BGC, Edinburgh Dobbies, Elm Farm Florist & Gift Shop, Endsleigh Blue Diamond, Enfield BGC, Fairways Ashbourne, Fermoys Blue Diamond, Fosseway Blue Diamond, Fryers Blue Diamond, Gailey Dobbies, Garden Wise, Garforth, Garsons Titchfield, Gilberdyke, Gillingham Dobbies, Gloucester Dobbies, Gordale, Gordon Riggs, Gosforth Dobbies, Goulds, Halls, Hare Hatch Dobbies, Harlestone Heath Dobbies, Harlow Blue Diamond, Harrow BGC, Haskins Ferndown, Haskins West End, Hatton BGC, Havant Dobbies, Hayes, Heathhall, Hemel Hempstead BGC, High Legh, Hillier Syon, Hillier Verwood, Hillmount Ards, Hillmount Bangor, Hillside Farm Nursery, Hitchin BGC, Hockley Market, Hollybush , Holme for Gardens, Horncastle BGC, Hornsea BGC, Horsham BGC, Houghton Hall, Hudsons Plant Centre, Inverness Dobbies, Jacksdale, Jamesfield , Kings Lynn Dobbies, Kings, Lakeside Plant Centre, Lanark Dobbies, Langlands Shiptonthorpe, Le Friquet Blue Diamond, Leicester Dobbies, Lelant Dobbies, Lewes BGC, Leyland BGC, Liverpool Dobbies, Livingston Dobbies, Louth BGC, Lower Morden Blue Diamond, Lytham St Annes BGC, Mackenzie & Cruickshank, Mappleborough Green , Marple Dobbies, Matlock Blue Diamond, Meadowcroft, Mere Park Blue Diamond, Milngavie Dobbies, Mirfield, Moreton Park Dobbies, Morpeth Dobbies, Mortonhall, Nailsworth Blue Diamond, Newbank, Newbridge Blue Diamond, Northampton Dobbies, Notcutts Norwich, Notcutts Rivendell, Notcutts Woodbridge, Nuyard Country & Garden Centre, Okells, Osterley BGC, Pacific Nursery, Paddock Wood BGC, Paradise Park, Pennells Cleethorpes, Pennells Lincoln, Pennine Dobbies, Peterborough Blue Diamond, Peterborough Dobbies, Playhatch BGC, Ponteland Dobbies, Poplar, Poplars, Portsmouth Dobbies, Preston Dobbies, Pulborough BGC, Radway Bridge , Raglan, Rake Blue Diamond, Reading Dobbies, Redfields Blue Diamond, Reighton Nursery, Royston BGC, Rugby Dobbies, Ruxley Manor, Sanders Blue Diamond, Shenstone Dobbies, Shepton Mallet Dobbies, Shrewsbury Dobbies, Smiths Baginton, Southport Dobbies, Springfields Blue Diamond, St Peters, Stanton Nurseries, Stanway BGC, Stapleton Dobbies, Staverton Nursery, Stevenage BGC, Stirling Dobbies, Stockton Dobbies, Stratford upon Avon Dobbies, Studley BGC, Swansea Dobbies, Swarkestone Nursery , Swindon Dobbies, Tansley Barn BGC, Taverham, Telford Dobbies, Tewkesbury Dobbies, The Barn, The Grange , Thornbury Dobbies, Thurrock, Tingley, Toftwood, Tong, Towneley, Trelawney Blue Diamond, Trentham Blue Diamond, Tunbridge Wells, Upminster BGC, Van Hage Blue Diamond, View Garden Centre, Waresley Park, Weaver Vale, Webbs Wychbold, Wentworth, Where Next Garden Centre, Whitegates, Whitehall, Wilton House Blue Diamond, Wimborne BGC, Winnersh BGC, Woburn Sands Emporium, Wolseley Bridge BGC, Woodbank, Woodborough BGC, Woodbridge Dobbies, Woodcote Green Dobbies, Woodlands Dobbies, Woodmansey, Worcester Blue Diamond, Worcester, Wrest Park, Yarnton Home & Garden, York Dobbies.

With voting continuing through until close of business on Thursday 21st December 2023 there's still plenty of time to get more votes for your teams.  Remember we will be announcing some regional winners as well as the overall winner when all of GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards are announced and presented on the Retail Inspirations Stage at Spring Fair; Monday 5th February, 5:00pm. 

All the resources needed to get your customers voted can be found here using this link

Ecoveritas has warned the horticulture sector not to be caught off-guard when completing packaging data submissions in the new year.

With enforcement action regarding the submission of packaging data under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) suspended until May 31, 2024, and payment obligations being deferred for a year from 2024 to 2025, there is a risk that some businesses could take their foot off the gas.

But Ecoveritas is urging businesses affected by EPR for packaging to act now and implement a plan for the dual reporting obligations in H1 2024 and beyond. Businesses must submit data under the Packaging Waste Regulations (2007) and EPR in the first six months of 2024.

“We’re tracking all of the latest developments very closely,” said Sandy Dhesi, Commercial Manager at Ecoveritas. “With EPR leading to varying compliance costs for producers based on the recyclability of their packaging, there is growing pressure on companies to master the submission of accurate data well before the deadlines.

“We know all too well how complex the reporting process can be. Now that the obligation thresholds are changing, the legislation will impact a larger number of SMEs and businesses in the horticulture industry – and those businesses might find it difficult! Even the prospect of collecting packaging data from suppliers, and there may be hundreds of suppliers if the business stocks a large product range can mean increased labour and costs.

“As a solution, we will be providing the horticulture sector with a software tool that will help businesses comply confidently with EPR. My.ecoveritas.com is a cost-effective way of managing your EPR data and reporting in-house. And it removes the burden of collecting packaging weights from suppliers.”

my.ecoveritas.com has been specifically built for garden centres, nurseries and growers and has fully considered all the packaging the industry handles. This brand-new data reporting software, which was painstakingly built to streamline data collection and reporting, makes EPR management much simpler and more cost-effective.

From complex reporting to government, increased management time, multiple reporting deadlines, and demanding data collection to understanding the regulations, rising compliance fees, and pressure to show environmental performance, there hasn’t been an affordable and accessible solution for SMEs – until now.

“With EPR fees now due to start in October 2025, the EPR data submission deadline for large producers May 31, 2024, and for small producers slated for April 1, 2024, those building out their collection and reporting capacity are forging ahead,” Dhesi added.

In a recent joint webinar hosted by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and Ecoveritas, 68% of those in attendance hadn’t submitted data to the regulator yet – something Defra and Ecoveritas point to as crucial in calculating the upcoming fees.

“The more data producers can provide Defra with, the more accurate the illustrative base fees will be,” said Dhesi. “Producers can then expect to see first estimates in early 2024.

“These are the six steps that we’re looking to provide through the software, and hopefully, the tool will make life a bit easier regarding reporting.”

Businesses looking to grow their own compliance capabilities, should visit my.ecoveritas for horticulture or sign up for a free account.

Firmans are looking for experienced sales agents to help promote the growth and expansion of their brand to garden centres and independent retailers across the UK. 

About us:

We are a welcoming and friendly family-run business, specializing in providing an extensive array of high-quality garden furniture to the trade. Our strong values are grounded in trust, commitment, and partnership, and these principles drive the success of our thriving enterprise. Presently, we are excited to extend an invitation to driven and passionate sales agents to join our growing team. With your efforts, we hope to amplify the reach of our product offerings and continue driving our company's success to new heights.

Ideal Agent:

Our ideal sales agent candidate should have exceptional communication and customer interaction skills, along with considerable experience in the garden furniture industry. They must have a charming personality and should be seasoned in a Business-to-Business sales environment. A knack for persuasive and effective negotiation will also be greatly valued, as well as the ability to create and maintain fruitful business relationships. This candidate should be goal-oriented, with the ability to meet and exceed sales targets while delivering exceptional customer service. 

What we offer:

• Generous commission scheme
• Dedicated sales area
• Full product training
• Field support
• Backup of a full office team
• Full marketing Samples

To apply for a sales agent position contact:
Email: michael.firman@firmansdirect.com
Tel: 01323 430043
Web: https://firmansdirect.com/outdoor-furniture/

Castle Gardens (Garden Centre category) and Garsons Garden Centre Esher (Destination Garden Centre) have been announced as the national winners of the Garden Centre Association’s Gisela Graham-sponsored annual Christmas competition for 2023.

The garden centres were judged to have the best festive displays in the country by the organisation and will receive their awards at its annual conference in January 2024.

As both centres were also nominated in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards we're able to bring you a selection of our judges photos from the GCA Christmas winning dislpays in the photo gallery below.

GCA CEO, Peter Burks says: “I’d like to say a big thank you to all the members who entered our Christmas display competition this year and to thank our wonderful sponsor, Gisela Graham.

“Huge congratulations to the team at Castle Gardens in Dorset, who were national winners in the Garden Centre (GC) category and Garsons Garden Centre, Esher in Surrey, who took the top spot nationally in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category. Garsons won last year too, and Castle Gardens are part of the Gardens Group, whose three garden centres in the Westcountry are consistently high scorers in their category.

“The standard was incredibly high this year, with fabulous displays and brilliant retail practices. I’m very much looking forward to hearing what our Inspector Phil McCann has to say when he presents his findings, and the ideas and images, from his visits to delegates at our annual conference in the Cotswolds in January. He will be giving tips to all garden centre members who attend – sharing good practice and helping them further develop their displays and Christmas offerings for 2024. Phil has already told me that the standards had risen a lot since last year, so it’s going to be very interesting to see what he has to say in January.”

Second place in the GC category was Brimsmore Gardens in Somerset, part of the Gardens Group, which also includes Castle Gardens and third place was Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe.

In the DGC category, Barton Grange Garden Centre came second and in third place was Gates Garden Centre.

Peter adds: “What a wonderful start to Christmas we’ve had. All the entrants were judged on general ambience, creativity, stock range, flow and tidiness, and customer service was also taken into consideration. Everyone who entered created some amazingly joyful and memorable displays this year and really pushed the boat out. It was very impressive.”

Regional winners:

North East/North West 

GC

1. Coletta and Tyson Garden Centre
2. British Garden Centres Arcadia

DGC

1. Barton Grange Garden Centre
2. Fron Goch Garden Centre
3. Bents Garden Centre

North Thames

GC

1. Parker’s Garden Centre – Frinton on Sea
2. Perrywood Sudbury Garden Centre

DGC 

1. Sunshine Garden Centre
2. Perrywood Tiptree Garden Centre
3. Haddenham Garden Centre

Wales & West

GC

1. Brimsmore Garden Centre
2. Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe

DGC

1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
2. Pugh’s Garden Village Radyr 

Midlands

GC

1. Fairways Ashbourne Garden Centre

DGC

1. Gates Garden Centre
2. Webbs of Wychbold
3. St Peters Garden Centre

South Thames

GC

1. Castle Gardens
2. Poundbury Gardens
3. Knights Garden Centre Betchworth

DGC

1. Garsons Esher
2. Garsons Titchfield
3. Ransoms Garden Centre

The GCA’s annual conference will be held at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel near Cirencester, Gloucestershire from January 28 until 31, 2024 and places can be booked via www.gca.org.uk.

GTN director and editor Trevor Pfeiffer sat down with Glee event director Matthew Mein and garden industry advisor Boyd Douglas-Davies to discuss the key reasons why Glee's date is moving to 10–12 September 2024. 

The decision to change the date of Glee from 25–27 June to 10–12 September at the NEC Birmingham was taken after much consideration and having listened to extensive industry feedback.

You can watch the video where Trevor interviews Matthew and Boyd in a discussion about next year’s 50^thanniversary event. CLICK HERE

The Greenfingers Charity creates magical and inspiring gardens for life-limited children, their families and carers in Children’s Hospices throughout the UK.

As the charity approaches its Silver Anniversary, and 75^th garden, we have created this new full-time role to ensure that gardens continue to be delivered and also to roll out its Garden Re-fresh programme.  In the right hands, this role can be developed to ensure the continued growth of the charity.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the small dedicated team based in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, working closely with the Director of Fundraising and Communications Director and the other staff. The Operations Director will not only be responsible for the management and delivery of the hospice garden projects from the initial concept through to the celebratory Opening Ceremony but will also have the responsibility of core administrative and financial operations. You will ensure that the charity follows the strictest guidelines on financial and budgetary controls and all administration requirements as stipulated by the Charity Commission rules.

You would report directly to the charity’s Volunteer Chairman and meet regularly with the enthusiastic and energetic Board of Trustees and its sub-committees, particularly the Gardens Committee.

Responsibilities:

• To manage the delivery of the programme of new garden projects involving, among other things, meetings, site visits and liaising with hospices from the early discussion phase, developing each project by the selection and appointment of the garden designer, landscape contractor, suppliers, and all those involved to ensure each project is completed within budgetary and time constraints and that the hospice is delighted with the end result and is confident in maintaining the garden in the future.
• To expand the Garden Re-fresh programme, assessing where and how existing Greenfingers hospice gardens may need help, proposing budgets and timelines to ensure their longevity and thus promoting the integrity of the charity.
• Working closely with the Treasurer and finance assistant you will be responsible for the overall financial health of the charity, including overseeing the management and annual statutory accounts, budgets, cashflow forecasts etc.  You will also deal with other administrative and operational management as necessary.

Who we are looking for:

Someone who is self-motivated, confident in creating their own work schedule and working independently and efficiently with strong project management and coordination skills, and is an excellent and natural communicator at all levels and through all channels.  

Do you have:

• The ability to face and resolve challenges created by the weather, economic issues, spiralling costs and unforeseen problems and delays on sites – all while maintaining good humour and upholding the principals of the charity?  And can you visualise three dimensionally?
• The appreciation of working within a small friendly team; working with health, gardening, construction and other professionals?  And an appreciation and love of the great outdoors?
• An awareness of the transparency and strict guidelines needed to work within the charity sector and of just how passionate we are in what we achieve to help those life-limited children?

Preferably you would have sound financial and management skills.

Experience within the horticulture/landscaping or construction industries, knowledge and understanding of technical drawings and relevant programmes could be an advantage.

You will need to visit garden builds the length and breadth of the UK so a driving licence and flexibility to work away from home on occasion is essential. We anticipate you spending at least 2 days/week in the office so being within commuting distance of Wendover is essential.

For more information about Greenfingers visit greenfingerscharity.org.uk 

It is hoped this role will start from early Spring 2024, with the selection process taking place in early January.

Job title - Operations Director

Office Location – Wendover, Bucks.  Hybrid working is possible by agreement

Salary £46,000 - £50,000.  This is reviewed annually.

Benefits – 25 days annual leave + 8 statutory days.  Employer pension contribution. 

To apply  send CV to Lian@thevirtualrecruiter.co.uk

On Poinsettia Day, the experts at Stars for Europe take look at how this nostalgic festive favourite has become a modern classic.

For many people on the continent and in the UK or Ireland, poinsettias are something they might remember from the 70s, but they have once again caught the eye of fashion-focused consumers who want to put the funk back into their home interiors. Whether it’s mid-century style, cottagecore romance, Scandi chic or clean, contemporary elegance, poinsettias can enhance festive décor like no other plant.

This very special date in the calendar commemorates Joel Roberts Poinsett, who did so much to make poinsettias the world’s favourite festive plant before he died on 12th December 1851. Poinsett was a US ambassador who served in Mexico, and he brought the decorative plant back to the USA with him. In 1852, the US Congress declared the anniversary of his death "Poinsettia Day". Over time, the tradition of giving a poinsettia as a gift to a loved one on 12th December became established in the USA.

This tradition has, over the years, become a staple ingredient of winter festivities in the UK and mainland Europe. Whether it’s as a token of affection, dinner party gift or a pretty self-purchase with the feelgood factor, a poinsettia is the perfect way to celebrate Christmas without breaking the bank. Buying poinsettias also enables us to support valued local horticultural businesses, garden centres and florists outside the spring season when they typically sell the most plants.

As poinsettias become ever more embedded into the Spirit of Christmas, skillful plant breeding and selection has resulted in a breathtaking variety of colours and sizes, variegated leaves and differently shaped bracts. These vibrant plants are also incredibly versatile, serving their purpose equally well as standalone plants, cut flowers or intricate floral arrangements. 

Poinsettias come in almost every style you can think of, from mini hot-pink poinsettias to tall-stemmed topiary plants in luxurious creamy white and Santa’s favourite crimson red. Whilst traditional red poinsettias are still the runaway favourites worldwide, the flourishing of other colours is good news for younger generations with more contemporary tastes. 

With such a broad colour palette now available, versatile poinsettias not only bring the warmth and comfort of established tradition but can now deliver an eclectic modern twist to any home setting. Whether you’re trying to achieve an urban jungle, boho-chic style or a clean and airy contemporary vibe, poinsettias can help you create the look.

The more autumnal shades of orange, salmon, peach or yellow that are now available also extend the poinsettia season well past the traditional advent into October and November. These exotic plants are also easier to keep alive than is generally assumed, providing they’re given the proper care. This includes keeping them at an optimum temperature of 15-22 degrees in soft filtered light, providing protection from cold draughts, light watering and regular misting in dry environments.

Find out more

To find out more about Stars for Europe, and to access its incredible library of advice, aspirational imagery and content please visit https://www.starsuniteeurope.eu/en/

In late November 138 guests descended upon the Grade II-listed Pendley Manor Hotel in Tring to enjoy a superb evening full of delicious food, networking with friends and colleagues and, more importantly, put the fun back into FUNdraising all in the name of Greenfingers. The fundraising element was so strong that throughout the evening, more than £30,000 was raised for the children’s hospice garden charity.

Compered by Greenfingers’ Patrons, Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton CBE, the evening saw several key supporters awarded for their efforts throughout 2023, including GIMA, Meadow View Stone, Glee, The Horticultural Golfing Society, Millbrook Garden Centres, Woodmansterne, Glee and the HTA.

During dinner, an auction also took place with guests fighting it out to secure the best prizes for themselves. From the perfect garden bundle kindly gifted by Gardena to behind-the-scenes access to Imelda’s upcoming West End Show, ‘Hello, Dolly!’, the auction was filled with generous prizes and saw some friendly competition push the fundraising total higher and higher.

Elsewhere, a silent auction took place, which included holidays galore, tickets to see Taylor Swift, multiple Michelin-starred dining experiences and access to some of the most highly sought sporting events.

Finally, Greenfingers Chair, Sue Allen, confirmed that the charity has now passed the halfway mark for its ambitious Silver Anniversary appeal, which sees the charity attempting to raise £2,000,025 before 2025.

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at the Greenfingers Charity said: “A huge thank you to everyone that joined us at the Greenfingers Charity Fundraising Dinner. Once again, it was a truly wonderful evening and showcased the incredible support that so many have for the charity and the work we do.

“Thanks must go to Jim and Imelda for being such great hosts, and to all of those that provided prizes and dug deep to help us raise more than £30,000. Whilst we don’t yet know who will be sunning themselves on a private island next summer thanks to our silent auction, we do know that the evening’s fundraising total will go a long way in helping us to create even more magical and therapeutic garden spaces. Spaces, where children get to enjoy time outdoors, where families spend quality time together, and those left behind come to remember those lost, are more important than many of us will ever truly realise. Being able to continue to design and build these spaces is an honour, and it is only possible due to the generosity of our supporters so thank you to each and every one of you.”

Find out more

To find out more about the Greenfingers Charity please join the team on social media https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/, @GreenfingersCha on Twitter, and @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Westland Horticulture, home to brands such as New Horizon, Boost, Resolva, Peckish, and Kent & Stowe, has added its growing media category to Westland Live, giving its customers a one-stop shop for its brands and products. 

Westland Live is an online ordering platform that allows customers to place orders quickly and simply. It provides real time stock updates, detailed product information and imagery, as well as order history. The self-serve website also ensures customers have a live view of their order, from the moment it is placed right through to fulfilment. 

The system offers much more than keeping stock updated. It is an educational hub packed with expert knowledge to help customers gain a deep understanding of Westland products, and how to provide advice to consumers to achieve the best results. In addition, marketing teams can download digital assets to help with social media and eCRM campaigns, and content for website updates. 

Growing media is the No.1 consumed gardening product, so at Westland, we strive to support our customers in making it as easy as possible to have 24/7 access to such an essential product.

Success in gardening all starts with compost, and with Westland’s compost, you can be sure it is great for your customers’ gardens, and great for the planet. Our relentless pursuit of excellence in ingredients, processes, and quality has resulted in our most environmentally friendly and highest performance compost range ever. It provides everything your customers’ plants require for optimal growth and health.

What our customers say

Steve Hodkinson, Manager of Fairway Garden Centre, commented: “Since using Westland Live as our method of ordering from Westland we haven't looked back. We can order on the move, which reduces the time taken to collate an order, and helps reduce the time a member of staff takes to compile the order. We are very happy that Growing Media has launched on Westland Live – it is a great addition to an already fantastic ordering system.” 

Jamie Stevenson, General Manager, at Torwood Garden Centre, added: “We were an early adopter of Westland Live when it became available for ordering ferts and chems, sundries and bird care. The Westland Live site makes it easy to check stock availability, pricing and order from the shop floor at any time, and across multiple departments. Our buyers each enter their orders to be checked and submitted as one.”

Leanne Charlton, General Manager, at Milestone Garden Centre, said: “I have been using Westland Live for my weekly orders for the past 2 years. I find it very simple and easy to use, the information available on all products really helps with customer queries. The live stock updates mean I always know if things are available and can choose alternatives if necessary. Westland Live is a great time saving resource, which makes ordering simple.”

If you don’t yet have a trade account with Westland Live, call us on +44 (0)28 8772 1080 or speak to your account manger.

Members of the Garden Centre Association are being invited to put their marketing and community campaigns to the test as part of the organisation’s annual Worrall Cup competition.

The Association will be awarding a cup to the garden centre with the best marketing and community initiative during its 2024 annual conference in the Cotswolds next month (January 28 until 31, 2024).

GCA CEO, Peter Burks says: “Our member garden centres are a creative bunch and we run our Worrall Cup competition annually to decide who has the most flair and creativity when it comes to their marketing campaigns. This year we’ve extended the entry parameters to include community initiatives too.

“Our judges are continually astounded by the effort that goes into the campaigns and always look for those that are inspirational to other members too.

“If any of our members think they’ve got what it takes to win the cup, they should submit their entries before the deadline of Thursday, January 11, 2024.

“The entries will be judged by an independent panel with marketing expertise. As this award is not influenced by our annual inspections, all entries have an equal chance of winning, in January, when the judging panel meets to assess the merits of each submission and decide on the winner.”

Members are asked to submit an entry by completing a short form, which can be downloaded via the member section of the GCA website or requested by email from info@gca.org.uk.

The submission of supporting material, such as photographs, print examples and web-links, is encouraged. An additional sheet of written detail is acceptable along with the entry form, if required. Entries can be sent electronically via info@gca.org.uk.

Peter adds: “The winner will be announced during our Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony at our conference on the evening of Tuesday, January 30. The event takes place at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel near Cirencester, Gloucestershire from January 28 until 31, 2024 and places can still be booked via www.gca.org.uk.”

There is also a dedicated email for any queries members, and those wishing to book for the event, may have: conference@gca.org.uk.

“As always, our conference will provide attendees with pertinent information on key aspects of the garden centre sector and assist members in achieving their business goals.

“The information shared will focus on a wide range of topics. Our overarching theme is something that every member can relate to: ‘The Future of Garden Retailing’. Our sub-themes are also highly pertinent. They are Environment & Sustainability, Trends & Insights and Health & Wellbeing. There will also be plenty of opportunities for delegates to network and socialise.”

Wyevale Nurseries has been unveiled as the sponsor for the Garden Centre Association’s annual Ruxley Rose Award.

The garden centre with the best overall plantaria will be presented with the accolade at the GCA’s 2024 annual conference in January.

Managing Director, Andy Johnson says: “As a keen GCA Associate Member and a key supplier to garden centres nationwide, we’re delighted to be sponsoring this prestigious award, which highlights not just garden centres with top quality, interesting plants, but those who take the trouble to display them well, to use good signage and information, to support and train knowledgeable staff, who are passionate about plants, and offer engaging and excellent customer care to those that need their advice and assistance.

“Our garden centre commercial sales team are looking forward to seeing everyone at the conference in the Cotswolds in January. We’d like to wish all the garden centres eligible to be entered good luck. We can’t wait to see who wins and to present their award to them. The GCA conference promises to be another great event this year.”

For the first time ever this summer (July 2023), the GCA announced its regional Best Plantaria award winners at its annual Area Award Events. They were:

South Thames

Joint DGC winners were Coolings Nurseries and Newbridge Nurseries (Destination Garden Centre) and Thompson Plants and Garden Welling (Garden Centre).

Midlands

Pacific Nurseries (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne (GC).

North East 

Cowell’s Garden Centre (DGC) and Langlands Garden Centre, Leeds (GC).

North West

Fron Goch Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Lady Green Garden Centre (GC).

Scotland

Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Livingston Garden Centre (GC).

Northern Ireland

Creative Gardens Bushmills (GC)

North Thames

Perrywood, Tiptree (DGC) and Perrywood, Sudbury (GC).

Wales & West

The Old Railway Line Garden Centre (DGC) and Orchard Park Garden Centre (GC).

After these were announced, the top 10 highest scorers from across the country received a second visit from GCA inspector Alyson Haywood to determine the winner of the overall Ruxley Rose competition, which will be announced at January’s conference.

Peter Burks, GCA CEO, says: “It’s brilliant to have this sort of support from such a key player in the industry when it comes to plants. Wyevale Nurseries is well respected and highly valued by our members and is known to have very high standards in propagation, innovation, plant care and biosecurity.

“The company was voted as our Associate Member of the Year for 2022 by members at the 2023 conference and was presented with the Haskins Stewarts Cup for its contribution to the success of our sector.”

The GCA’s 2024 annual conference will be held at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel near Cirencester, Gloucestershire from January 28 until 31, 2024 and places can be booked via the organisation’s member area on its website www.gca.org.uk.

Dobbies has announced over 300 nursery groups and local schools across the country who are set to receive a free real Christmas tree as part of its Not Your Average Community campaign, in partnership with sustainable tree grower Needlefresh. 

Dobbies’ Christmas campaign is all about supporting communities local to its stores, spreading yuletide cheer to nurseries and schools in the run up to the festivities. 

Schools and nurseries from across the UK were invited to nominate themselves to receive a real Christmas tree donation. Sixty nine percent of entries were from nurseries and 31% were schools, seeing the highest overall number of entries for Dobbies new flagship store in Antrim. 

Each store will welcome the winners to come along to choose a Nordmann Fir tree, making sure children across the country can experience the magic of Christmas. 

Dobbies’ CSR and Community Communications Executive, Chloë Bell, was delighted with the response to Dobbies’ Not Your Average Community campaign. She said: “We’re amazed by the number of entries and nominations for this year’s campaign and would like to thank everyone for spending the time to get involved. 

“Christmas marks a magical moment in our childhoods, and we’re thrilled to be bringing some festive cheer to young members in our communities this year. Needlefresh has made this campaign possible with their generous support, and we’d like to extend our thanks to George and his team for all their hard work. A huge thank you to our stores for all their help and hard work supporting their local communities.”

Needlefresh Managing Director, George Hood, added: “Our sustainable Nordmann Fir Christmas trees make a wonderful centrepiece to festive celebrations, and we’re excited to see how the kids bring this classic tree to life. It’s a pleasure to be supporting so many nurseries and schools across the country this year in partnership with Dobbies.”

Colette Haddock, Headteacher from Merrylee Primary School, said: “We are thrilled to have received a donation of a Christmas tree from Dobbies Garden Centres, we can’t wait to get the pupils together to decorate it with their handmade decorations that will make our winter time celebrations with parents, carers and the local community extra special this year.”   

All of Dobbies’ Christmas trees are sustainably grown in environmentally managed fields across Scotland where the growing team do everything from planting, pruning and harvesting by hand to reduce the impact on surrounding environment, wildlife and plants. 

Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies Garden Centres, recommends positioning your real Christmas trees in a cool, dry place inside away from any direct heat, use a water holding stand and check the water levels daily and top up as required to keep your tree looking fresh throughout the festive period.   

For more information about the winning nurseries and schools, visit Not your average community | Dobbies Garden Centres

Henchman Ladders, one of the UK’s leading providers of high-quality garden equipment, is excited to announce its Winter Haul Giveaway that gives entrants the chance to win a bundle of essential gardening tools and accessories worth a whopping £1000!

The lucky winner will receive a spring-ready ensemble that includes:

•    1 x Fully Adjustable 8ft Pro Tripod Ladder
•    1 x 135L Henchman Wheelbarrow
•    1 x Henchman Harness
•    1 x Henchman Hat
•    1 x Pair of Henchman Gloves

To participate, entrants must simply fill in their details on the online form and sign up for Henchman's email mailing list. Only one entry per person is allowed and joint submissions or entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted.

The prize draw winner will be selected at random within three working days after the promotion period has ended. The winner will be announced via Henchman's official social media channels and contacted directly via the email provided during entry.

The competition runs from November 22nd, 2023, to January 31st, 2024. All entries must be received by midnight on January 31st, 2024.

The giveaway is open to UK residents only. Entrants under 18 must obtain permission from a parent or guardian in advance. Employees of Henchman and their relatives, as well as any other company linked to the giveaway, are not eligible to enter. By entering the competition, participants agree to abide by the terms and conditions outlined on Henchman's social channels. No purchase is necessary, and the Prize Draw Winner will be selected randomly.

Follow Henchman on Instagram and Facebook to find out who is the lucky winner!

The highly-anticipated Christmas season has arrived early this year for British Garden Centres, as it opened its doors to customers in September to an influx of pent-up shoppers. 

Following a temperamental and wet summer and a few years of subdued Christmases due to lockdown, people are eagerly seeking ways to kick off the festivities, and British Garden Centres is ready to deliver.

With people now planning for Christmas months in advance to spread the cost, British Garden Centres' 62 stores are fully stocked and decorated.  But how big is Christmas for the largest family-run garden centre group  - we are proud to bring our Christmas in Numbers back by popular demand.

For many families, choosing a Christmas tree is a cherished tradition, and British Garden Centres offers a wide range of options for every home. November sees the arrival of 30,040 cut trees, with 6,417 pot trees which will be the star of the show for many households. Additionally, customers can choose from 15,134 pre-lit or ready-to-decorate trees at their local British Garden Centre.

The festive season is not just about decorations and trees but also about sharing precious moments with loved ones over a celebratory meal. British Garden Centres' restaurants are serving up a delicious festive menu and seasonal treats, providing customers with an easy way to enjoy the holiday. This year, an estimated 17,000 diners will book into the Gardener’s Retreat restaurants across the country, consuming 3,500 turkey butterflies and 15,000 portions of Christmas pudding, all served with generous helpings of custard or cream.

To make your home look and feel festive, all British Garden Centres have curated a collection of decoration themes to suit all tastes. With help, you can transform your home into a Christmas wonderland, adding a touch of magic to your celebrations.  From classic and traditional styles to bright and bold glamour, minimalist winter and natural decor or the sweet candy cane and gingerbread trends, there are ideas to suit every taste and every home.

Christmas lighting is an essential part of the holiday season, and British Garden Centres have got you covered with a staggering 33 million energy-efficient LED lights in store, making up 1,314,302 meters of lit length, equivalent to 816 miles, or flying from London to Porto in Portugal). They also stock 1,286,344 baubles in every imaginable colourway to suit your preference, 56,828 garlands to adorn bannisters and doorways, and 40,807 wreaths to welcome guests to your front door.

Wrapping gifts is a cherished tradition, and British Garden Centres offer a wide range of recyclable wrapping paper to choose from. With over 258,608 meters or 160 miles of wrapping paper available, shoppers can find the perfect festive print to adorn their gifts under the tree. The wrapping paper is free of foil and glitter, making it an eco-friendly choice for those who care about the environment.

This year, British Garden Centres is the go-to destination for all your festive needs. Whether you're buying a Christmas tree, decorating your home, or enjoying a delicious meal with loved ones, British Garden Centres has got you covered.

Yorkshire Garden Centres, owner of Tong, Tingley, Bingley and Otley Garden Centres, won the Community category of the Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards that recognise and reward businesses and the vital role they play in Yorkshire's economic success.

Receiving the award, Yorkshire Garden Centre's MD, Mark Farnsworth, said: "We are delighted to win this prestigious award that is a testament to the efforts of our hard-working team.  We are particularly pleased to be recognised for our efforts in the community; each of our centres hopes to play an active role in all their communities and it's very important to us. This award reinforces the value of our community initiatives in each of the areas we serve.

Yorkshire Garden Centres beat stiff competition from Reckitt, Mattress Online, Go Green Ltd and City Cruises York to win the award. They were presented with it at a ceremony in Leeds on 22nd November that was hosted by BBC Look North anchor Amy Garcia and attended by 300 people.

Spring Fair, the UK’s most popular, diverse and trend led marketplace for Home, Gift, Fashion and Everyday which returns to the NEC Birmingham NEC from 4th – 7th February 2024, has announced 12 new winners of Theo Paphitis’s #SBS Small Business Sunday initiative who each receive a free stand. Paphitis will also attend the show and will take to the Inspiring Retail Stage on Tuesday 6th February.

Since 2018, the TV dragon and #SBS Small Business Sunday creator and Spring and Autumn Fair have joined forces to support start-up businesses. Together they have worked with nearly 50 SMEs, playing a vital role in their future success. The February 2024 show will welcome twelve dynamic and inspirational new winners with free stand spaces to showcase their designs in the #SBS Village.

Theo Paphitis says, “The #SBS and Spring Fair partnership has gone from strength to strength, and I am delighted to have had nearly 50 businesses receive a free stand at Spring or Autumn Fair over the last few years. That’s a lot of support for some brilliant SMEs. Spring Fair 2024 will once again be a staple part of my diary and I will be sharing my thoughts on the opportunities and challenges of 2024 for retailers, and of course, visiting the #SBS Village on the day.

He adds, “Spring Fair is bursting at the seams with fantastic businesses, ideas and entrepreneurs, and one of the things I’m looking forward to most at Spring Fair 2024 is experiencing the infectious passion that will be brimming throughout the exhibition. See you there.”

Twelve new winners will present their designs in Hall 4 including high performance, plant based, responsible luxury skincare brand Raven Botanicals, Bobbi London with their collection of luxury corporate bags, travel accessories and tech products, and luxury home fragrance brand The Aromatary will showcase indulgent candles, diffusers, sprays and lotions.

Buyers will discover hand-drawn artwork and gifts from Libra Fine Arts, homewares and gifts adorned with bold and bright, retro inspired prints and patterns by Sally Tettersell Designs, and Bare Kind comfortable bamboo animal socks for adults and children.

Gummee limited bring safe and practical teething solutions for babies, and the Ducky Zebra collection celebrates confidence and kindness in sustainable childrenswear, are joined by Teddo Play award-winning play-based children’s learning resources, andS’more’a’licious luxurious S'mores Kits, handcrafted gourmet marshmallows and freshly whipped marshmallow fluff.

Innovative brand, Composty presents eco-friendly cleaning products and dog lovers Charlie & co are set to showcase a unique collection of dog accessories from the all-encompassing brand that offers grooming services, dog parties, education, and even cosy café experiences.

Soraya Gadelrab, Event Director, Spring Fair says, “Following its fantastic reception at the last show, the #SBS Village is back for 2024. We know how much buyers love to discover newness and our partnership with #SBS not only enables us to support brilliant up and coming SMEs but also offers buyers access to these wonderful new businesses.”

Inspiring retail’s creators and curators, Spring Fair has brought the industry together for over 70 years so retail's people can discover the latest products and trends. The next show will be an inspirational experience dedicated to the magic of discovery. Buyers will see, touch and experience thousands of the latest products across four key destinations - Home, Gift, Moda, and Everyday - and thirteen definitive sectors. An efficient show layout designed around buyer’s needs will mean less time spent finding suppliers and products and more time experiencing them and everything else the show has to offer.

Spring Fair runs from 4th – 7th February 2024 at NEC Birmingham. For more information please visit www.springfair.com  

Since its launch in June 2020, Feverfew Garden Company has already witnessed great success in its first six months of business. This phenomenal growth shows no signs of abating as Feverfew has recently been awarded £10,000 of funding from Scottish EDGE, the UK’s biggest business funding competition.

The Orkney-based ladies’ garden wear business, founded by entrepreneur, Rachel Eunson, came away with a cash pot of £10,000 from the largest funding competition in the country for potential high-growth businesses and the awards are backed by the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Hunter Foundation, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise (SE).

Rachel entered Feverfew into the ‘Young EDGE’ category which has been designed to support companies whose directors are all aged 18-30. She submitted her entry application in August, shortly after Feverfew had launched, which was made up of a written application that teased all the business's important details, including financials, margins and strategy.  Rachel supported this with a social and environmental impact statement and a strong three-minute pre-recorded pitch.

Rachel found out Feverfew had made it through to the final in mid-September. It was then time to prepare for a live pitch to a panel of judges via Zoom, followed by seven minutes of questions for the final.

Feverfew scooped the award and won the ‘Young EDGE’ funding after Rachel impressed the judges who said she was “A very impressive founder who has identified a gap in the market and brought the product to sales with a strong social impact.” The Scottish EDGE Awards ceremony and dinner took place at Citation in Glasgow on the 29th of November.

Rachel said of her win: “I am delighted to win this Scottish EDGE funding award and receive such positive feedback from an esteemed panel of judges.  I founded Feverfew Garden Company after being unable to find a pair of gardening gloves that were functional, well-fitted and designed to my tastes. After months of research and development, our Feverfew Original Women’s Gardening Gloves were designed to be the perfect summer all-rounder, providing the best possible balance of style, functionality and fit. I’ve been overwhelmed with how popular they have been since our launch in June and can’t wait to develop more products for our growing community of customers.”

Evelyn McDonald, CEO of Scottish EDGE said: “Rachel’s pitch had our Young EDGE judging panel asking that age-old question of ‘why hasn’t someone thought of this before?’. Feverfew is a perfect example of a business that has addressed a seemingly simple market need with the required determination to undertake a not-so-simple route to market. We’re delighted to support Feverfew’s journey at these early stages, and I look forward to watching the business’ growth in the years ahead.”

The gloves have taken the gardening world by storm featuring in leading consumer titles including being awarded Best Buy by Gardenersworld.com and are a firm favourite with influencers. Rachel plans to use the Scottish EDGE money to add to the range of women-specific gardening gloves and launch into the sun hat category in spring next year.

To start stocking Feverfew Garden’s Original Ladies Gloves, please email rachel@feverfewgarden.co.uk.  You can follow Feverfew’s journey at https://www.instagram.com/feverfewgarden.co or visit the website www.feverfewgarden.co.uk

Harrogate Christmas & Gift, which takes place at the Harrogate Convention Centre from 14^th to 17^th January 2024, promises a bumper show with eight halls filled almost to capacity, over 100 exhibitors and 25% bigger than 2023.

Hall Q will be quite the destination for this event. Simon Anslow, show organiser, explains: “The show has continued to grow year-on-year for over a decade and we added hall Q many years ago when we sold out of space and continued to get bookings from exhibitors.”

Hall Q has some fantastic companies exhibiting, including Jingles – which is a huge exhibitor taking over half of the space  to present its massive array of festive products. Added to this we have another new exhibitor, Apac and firm favourite Widdop & Co.”

There are 18 exhibitors in hall Q alone:

• Apac Packaging                                   Q10
• Creekwood Garden & Gift                  Q30
• Wix & Wax                                          Q32
• D&J Glassware                                     Q40
• Electrovision                                       Q9
• The Great British Card Company        Q11
• Glassware Art Studio                          Q42
• Hallmark Cards                                   Q41
• Harrow & Green                                 Q25
• Jingles                                                 Q99
• Lights R Us                                          Q35
• Ling Design                                          Q11
• Lite                                                      Q20
• Penny Kennedy                                   Q11
• Polski Trees – No Limitts                        Q26
• Smart Garden Products                         Q1
• The Silicone Straw Company                  Q7
• Widdop & Co                                        Q12

Simon continues: “Seven halls of the Harrogate Convention Centre are now sold out and we have limited space left in Queens Suite, so companies wishing to exhibit should get in touch as soon as possible.”

Other halls include favourite exhibitors such as Premier Decorations which has once again booked hall H in its entirety; Gisela Graham; Kaemingk, Noma, Floralsilk and Puleo Asia to name just a few. A full exhibitor list is available on the website at www.harrogatefair.om

Simon concludes: “Harrogate Christmas & Gift is the only UK trade show dedicated to festive products and gifts so it really is a not-to-be-missed event for retailers and buyers in this sector from garden centres, department and independent stores, tourist attractions and more.” Entry is free for trade visitors – pre-register online HERE.

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.

with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox.  The best news service every weekend and all the breaking news as it happens.

Subscribe for free using this link

The Bransford Webbs Plant Company has announced several new appointments on the nursery following changes to the board earlier this year.

Martin Matthews takes on the role of Nursery Manager with Dave Clarke becoming Assistant Nursery Manager. Martin joined the nursery in 2005, moving up through the business to become an Area Supervisor before taking on his current role, whilst Dave joined Bransford Webbs as an apprentice nearly 30 years ago and has been an Area Supervisor for the last 20 years.

The growing teams have been strengthened with the promotions of Simon Palfrey as Liner Unit Supervisor, and Jenna Gove, Ben Haynes, Ben Morgan and Matt Payne joining Dionne Clarke as Nursery Grower Supervisors. They bring a vast amount of growing knowledge and experience to their new roles.

“Richard and I taking on our joint Managing Directors role has enabled us to create new opportunities throughout the business for our staff to progress their careers even further,” commented Christine Burton, Joint Managing Director. “We are very proud to see them settle into their new roles and wish them every success.”

The private country retreat to Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, the former home of the late composer Sir William Walton set on an Italian island, and a “rewilded” wildlife-friendly garden lovingly tended to by a Norfolk couple are among the new sites to join the Royal Horticultural Society’s celebrated Partner Gardens scheme.

Sandringham Gardens, a 60-acre garden with streams, lakes, ornamental trees and shrubs, is nestled within the wider 243-hectare Sandringham Estate. Originally purchased as a gift for the then-Prince Edward VII for his 21st birthday in 1860, the residence has been developed in turn by each monarch since and officially opened to the public in 1908 by King Edward VII.

Enjoyed by members of the Royal Family and their guests when in residence, Sandringham Gardens’ most recent developments have seen the addition of a Topiary Garden covering approximately an acre, bringing a more decorative aspect and naturalistic planting to the area to improve biodiversity. The vision of His Majesty the King and a strong belief in the interconnectedness of all things is reflected in The Topiary Garden.

Launched two decades ago, the Partner Garden scheme enables RHS members to visit a range of gardens for free at selected times of the year. There are now 220 partner gardens covering the British Isles, with 25 overseas including in Barbados, France, Japan and South Africa.

The eight other new gardens to join next year’s scheme include the beautiful La Mortella, the home of the late composer Sir William Walton, designed by Russell Page and developed by the late Lady Susana Walton. Set on the island of Ischia, near Naples, the tropical gardens display water features, collections of rare plants and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean.

Natural Surroundings, in Norfolk, offers eight acres of gardens and meadows nestling on a gentle slope beside the River Glaven. A horticultural, wildlife gardener’s paradise, the diversity of plants and wildlife both delights and inspires. It is owned by Anne and Simon Harrap, who have created garden rooms for moths, butterflies and bugs alongside a medicinal garden from a previously unused field.

Gilbert White’s Garden, home of the 18th century naturalist Gilbert White, the author of The Natural History of Selborne, features a miniature landscape garden of 12 hectares with a mix of formal garden, orchards, kitchen garden, herb garden, naturalist’s garden and wildflower meadow. Planting is based on his ‘Garden Kalendar’ of 1751-1767. 

Also in 2024’s list are Riverhill in Kent, family-run historic gardens with expansive views across the Weald of Kent, and the American Museum and Gardens in Bath, Grade II listed gardens featuring designs by American landscape architectural firm Oehme Van Sweden including a replica of George Washington’s garden.

Athelhampton House and Gardens in Dorset, two hectares of formal Elizabethan-style formal walled gardens set alongside more natural Arts and Crafts movement gardens, Mothecome Gardens at the mouth of the Erme estuary in Devon, and Andalusia Historic House and Garden overlooking the Delaware River in America, including gardens designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd, are also among the new Partner Gardens.

Dr Tim Upson, RHS director of Gardens and Horticulture, said: “We are delighted to help showcase some of the great gardens not just here in Britain, but around the world, to our members. From the private residence of Their Majesties, to smaller, independent family-owned gardens and a tropical Mediterranean island paradise – it’s great to know members can enjoy free days out to such a range of sites with historic importance, horticultural excellence and wonderful plants.”

Details of all RHS Partner Gardens can be found at www.rhs.org.uk/partnergardens

Leading UK sourcing show, Source Home & Gift, will be returning to the NEC Birmingham from the 4-7th February 2024, and you can secure your ticket for free now. Registration is now live.

Connecting manufacturers with retailers and brands and the only international sourcing platform of its kind, Source Home & Gift unites global manufacturers who pride themselves on responsible manufacturing and sustainable production, with key retailers, brands, and contractors who care about how great products are made across eight sectors including Homewares, Toys, Packaging, Stationery & Greetings, Gifts, Furniture, Textiles, and Technology & Services.

Source Home & Gift is where ideas become great products and the February 2024 show looks set to deliver newness from around the world. The show welcomes some new emerging markets such as Senegal, Ghana and Nepal as they exhibit for the first time, and over 450 manufacturers and suppliers from over 25 countries are predicted to attend, making February its biggest show to date.

Source Home & Gift brings the world to the UK as an easier, cheaper and more effective destination to discover what’s trending, and develop and source new materials and products. Key buyers and sourcing directors from across the globe will be in attendance - all actively looking to establish new relationships and purchase from new suppliers in a sustainable way.

Olivia Clarke, Seasonal Events and Gift Wrap, John Lewis attended September’s show and said, “Source Home & Gift is useful. Much easier to see things in the UK from overseas manufacturers. We are looking to streamline our process and the number of suppliers we work with.”

All exhibitors at Source Home & Gift are required to have a recent audit from Sedex or a recognisable audit institution giving buyers the confidence that they will meet suppliers that have responsible business practices, and the teamwork with governments and agencies from across the world to bring best in class manufacturers and artisan producers to the UK to share their capabilities.

Listen to the latest industry insights with new speakers and new seminars being held throughout the show on the Responsible Retail Stage, and your ticket gives you free access to co-located show, Spring Fair.

Source Home & Gift takes place on the 4th – 7th September at NEC Birmingham. Visit www.source-homeandgift.com for more information.

Garland Products confirmed that it suffered a serious fire in the smallest of three industrial units on The Pensnett Estate in Kingswinford in the early hours of Thursday (30th November). No one was injured in the incident.

A spokesperson for the company said: "The unit where the fire occurred was used as an overflow warehouse and housed mainly cardboard and plastic raw material plus a small proportion of finished stock. The unit did not contain any production machinery, so we are thankful that there will be only a limited operational impact on the business.

"Our factory and main warehouse will be fully operational again on Friday 1st December, although the overflow warehouse in question has been destroyed by the fire. 

"Garland Products would like to thank West Midlands Fire Service for their speed and professionalism in bringing the fire under control."

The Garland Products Group, which incorporates Glendenning Plastics Ltd, specialises in the manufacture of plastic injection moulded products and is one of the fastest growing suppliers to the garden industry. The product range is aimed at both hobby and professional gardeners.

West Midlands Fire Service said: "Shortly after 4am on (Thursday) 30 November, we responded to Pensnett Trading Estate on First Avenue, Kingswinford. Twelve fire engines crewed by around 60 firefighters from Black Country fire stations attended the scene. Two hydraulic aerial platforms were also mobilised.

"This is a fire in a two-storey industrial unit measuring 50m x 20m, which is entirely affected by fire. Parts of the building have collapsed. Crews have surrounded the fire and it is under control, but hasn’t yet been fully extinguished. Crews have been supported by a drone.

"Police and Ambulance colleagues have also been in attendance. There have been no casualties."

Miracle-Gro has produced its final bag of peat-based compost, heralding a landmark moment in its peat-free journey. The pivotal move is the latest and most significant step Evergreen Garden Care has taken to boost Miracle-Gro’s sustainable practices in an act-now commitment to better ways of working.

This proactive stance is part of Evergreen Garden Care’s recognition of the urgency to remove peat from growing media ahead of government legislation. In 2022, it set out intentions to go 100% peat free with a significant investment of over £7 million into product development and manufacturing, as well as leading education and discussion with garden centres and gardeners alike. As part of this, Evergreen Garden Care acquired a new production site in Kirkby, signaling an end to peat-based production with increased capacity for processing peat free ingredients.

Colin Stephens, UK and Ireland Managing Director, Evergreen Garden Care, says: “As the final bag of peat-based compost rolled off our production line, it marked the end of the era in Miracle-Gro’s history and the dawn of a new beginning for Evergreen Garden Care. The future is peat free.

“This is a significant milestone in our commitment to sustainability and responsible gardening practices. No matter the result of current Government debates on the date of the peat ban, for Evergreen Garden Care it’s about acting now to make change happen whilst investing in research that ensures growing media of the highest quality.  In fact, we’ve been doing so for over 30 years.

“Since I joined Evergreen Garden Care twelve months ago, pivotal decisions have been made on the sustainable future of our brands. This is something that I am extremely passionate about and will continue to support the entire company to progress.”

Evergreen Garden Care continues to lead the way in the move to peat free, by providing innovative plant care solutions to customers. This solidifies its position as a trusted partner for gardeners up and down the country and is one step in its wider journey toward more natural ingredients.

For more information about Miracle-Gro's peat free offering visit www.lovethegarden.com

Pictured: Phil Harrison, UK Supply Chain & Operation Director, holds Evergreen Garden Care's last bag of peat compost.

Notcutts has announced it has surpassed over 1.5 million micro-donations since partnering with the award-winning UK charity Pennies seven years ago. Collectively, these micro-donations add up to over £500,000 raised for their charity partners.

The partnership raises money by enabling customers to make a micro-donation when shopping at a Notcutts Garden Centre. Each garden centre is given the opportunity to nominate their own charity to support, then customers are invited to make their donation at the till by rounding up their total to the nearest pound. 

Some of the charities that have received the most from Pennies donations through Notcutts Garden Centres include the Air Ambulance Charity Kent, Surrey and Sussex, St Peter and St James Hospice in East Sussex, Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Julie Murray, Marketing and Customer Care Director at Notcutts, said: "We are incredibly proud to have reached this milestone and extend our heartfelt thanks to our loyal customers who have been instrumental in helping us make a difference. Our partnership with Pennies has demonstrated the power of collective microdonations, showing that small change can create big change."

Alex Redwood, Head of Corporate Development at Air Ambulance Charity Kent, Surrey and Sussex, said: “2022 was the busiest year in our 34-year history. We responded to 3,224 incidents across our communities. We can only continue to save lives and innovate our service to meet greater demand for our life-saving work with the support of long-term partners such as Notcutts. Over the last seven years, Notcutts customers have raised an amazing £51,800 with Pennies for us, allowing us to respond to the nine emergency calls we receive everyday – giving people the best chance of survival and keeping families together. Thank you, Notcutts and thank you to your employees and customers. We couldn’t save lives without your support.”

Pennies CEO, Alison Hutchinson CBE, added “Pennies is proud to partner with Notcutts, and congratulations to the team and customers for reaching this micro-donation milestone. 1.5 million donations is a significant achievement and has created tremendous impact for the local charities nominated by teams in each of Notcutts’ garden centres.

“This is such a challenging time for charities, the high street, and the British public alike, which makes the generosity of customers donating little and often with Pennies all the more special.”

For more information about Notcutts and their 19 garden centres nationwide, visit www.notcutts.co.uk.

In a bold move that heralds the opening of the new chapter for Kesslers London and Proportion London, the company's leadership has successfully acquired the business from its former owners, PFI Group.

This strategic management-led acquisition emphasises the confidence that the Kesslers London team places in its stakeholders and reaffirms the company and management team’s commitment to UK manufacturing, innovation, excellence and continued growth.

The management acquisition is a testament to the wider team's dedication to driving forward the Kesslers London and Proportion London businesses; brands synonymous with quality, creativity and innovation. This move empowers the leadership team to steer the company towards even greater heights, as they build on the strong foundations laid over the past two years of trading. The acquisition is not just a change in ownership; it signals a shift into an exciting stage of the company’s journey, allowing it to push forward towards its long-planned ambitions.

Kesslers London is excited to embark on a meticulously planned three-year strategic vision which will propel the company into new heights of success from 2024 onwards. The confidence in this plan is a testimony to the team's foresight, industry knowledge and commitment to delivering unparalleled value to their customers, partners and stakeholders. This achievement builds on two years of hard work in successfully delivering the initial company vision.

Daniel Astarita, Managing Director at Kesslers London, says "We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Kesslers London by our management team. This development represents a pivotal moment for us as we embark on a dynamic journey of growth and innovation. I would like to personally thank our customers, suppliers and staff for allowing us to realise this opportunity. Our three-year strategic plan is set to position Kesslers London and Proportion London as leaders in our fields. We have some truly exciting announcements planned for 2024 and we can't wait to share them with our valued customers and partners."

As Kesslers London and Proportion London enter this exciting new phase, the company remains dedicated to upholding its reputation for excellence in design, manufacturing and customer service. The management and leadership teams underline their commitment to fostering strong relationships with existing customers and partners, while exploring new opportunities to expand the company's footprint within its core portfolios.

The Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Andrew Gowan, has unlocked the door to Santa’s Grotto at Hillmount where Santa and his elves will reside until Christmas Eve.

With a variety of scenes to visit on the magical journey through the grotto before meeting Santa, children can take a memorable enchanted walk along the winter wonderland while being entertained by elves and Mrs Claus before being transported onto Santa’s sleigh.

Councillor Gowan said:  “This is obviously a very busy time for Santa and his team - and I am delighted to hear that they have all arrived at Hillmount safe and sound.  It’s a real festive treat to see lots of happy and excited faces as children and their families set off on that magical walk.  I hope everyone enjoys the experience and Santa gets a bit of time out to enjoy a cup of tea and a mince pie or two!”

Robin Mercer, Managing Director of Hillmount, expressed his excitement about Santa’s arrival and said: “We are so excited that Santa and his elves have arrived at their grotto at Hillmount and we are delighted that the Mayor unlocked the doors to welcome them in.

“In the last 20 years more than 60,000 children have visited Santa at our grotto in Hillmount and, as a family business, we love to see generations of families visiting Hillmount every year. These include babies from just 24 hours old to visitors who are a few years from their 100th birthday! It’s heartwarming for us to see families making memories to last a lifetime and enjoying their Santa experience with us. It’s events like this at Hillmount that contribute to the festive spirit and bring communities together at the most wonderful time of the year.

“On Christmas Eve just before Santa leaves to load up his sleigh in the North Pole, we invite the four legged members of our families to visit Santa and already Santa Paws has sold out.”

To visit Santa at Hillmount, book online at: www.hillmount.co.uk

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co and joint agent, Clark Weightman have been instructed to market Millstone Garden Centre in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

This well-established garden centre was originally established in 1989 by current owners, Tom and Joanna Rutherford and benefits from a loyal, local retail and trade customer base.

Set in the foothills of the Lincolnshire Wolds and across a 4.2-acre site within walking distance of Waltham village, this traditional, family-run garden centre specialises in offering a comprehensive range of high-quality plants, hard & soft landscaping products and a wide range of other garden-related products. The site features a retail shop, large glasshouse, conservatory and extensive standing beds.

Also included in the sale is a detached, five-bedroom house with a double garage, gardens front and rear, pond, greenhouse and vegetable plot.

After almost four decades of ownership, Tom and Joanna have decided to sell as they are hoping to retire. They comment, “After 50+ years landscaping and 40 years nurturing our family-run garden centre, retiring feels like we are ready to bring our story closer to a conclusion. We really do cherish the countless memories, blooming friendships, and the joy of cultivating a thriving and passionate gardening community. It's our time to bid farewell and send our heartfelt thanks to all our wonderful staff and our beloved customers. We’re very much looking forward to writing the next, peaceful chapter in our book!”

Andrew Birnie, Director at Christie & Co who is handling the sale, comments, “This is a great business, ideal for a family to purchase and live on site. Alternatively, as the house is accessible through its own driveway, a new owner may wish to sell it separately without too much alteration at a later date.

“The site is well-managed, has ample space for development, and enjoys a loyal customer base which is continually expanding. With the hundreds of houses being built nearby, there is plenty of scope to grow the business and capitalise on the increasing demand.”

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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.

Hundreds of customer votes for The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Team have already been made and there's still plenty of opportunity for more centres to ask for the support of your customers.

So far, after only 10 days of voting the front runners are: Bosworths, Cooks, Ferndale, Gates and Planters Tamworth.  Votes have also already been submitted for Blue Diamond East Bridgeford, BGC Burford House, Bosworths Elton Hall, Goulds, Gordale, Jackson’s Boutique Garden Centre, Planters Bretby Tong, Wentworth Garden Centre and Woburn Sands Emporium.

To add your Christmas Team into the competition, whihc will have regional winners  as well as an overall custoer voiting winer, all you have to do is print off the poster, as above, that can be accessed via this link: GTN Greatest Christmas Awards Voting Poster, display them in store, add a link to your social media pages or website where you can put the voting link or the QR code as below and let the voting begin.

It’s as simple as that.  Voting is open now and will remain open until 4:00pm on December 21^st.

Here is the link to the on-line voting page: GTN Greatest Christmas Awards On-Line Voting Link

Here is a link to the poster artwork: GTN Greatest Christmas Awards Voting Poster

Here is a link to the Voting QR code: GTN Greatest Christmas Awards Voting QR code

Here is a link to the Postcard Voting Artwork for use in-store: GTN Greatest Christmas Awards Voting Postcard Artwork

Voting is free, but we are partnering with The Greenfingers Charity so that voters can, if they wish, make a Christmas donation to help build more magical gardens in Children's Hospices across the country.

If you have any questions please contact: trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk

The GTN Xtra team visited Bosworths at Burton Latimer at the weekend to see how they were generating votes in store.  See our gallery of pictures below.

Our team of judges have started the wonderful task of visiting the 100 garden centres who have been nominated for GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2023.  And our sponsors have been lining up prizes of stock or hotel accommodation for the category winners.

Here are the categories for GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2023

• The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team
• The Greatest Christmas Tree and Outdoor Plant Team
• The Greatest Christmas BBQ and Outdoor Leisure Team – The Solex Sizzle
• The Greatest Christmas Wild Bird Care & Pet Team
• The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team
• The Greatest Christmas Community Event
• The Greatest Festive Gardening Gifts Team
• The Greatest Festive Retail Food Hall Team
• The Greatest Festive Garden Centre Catering Team
• The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video
• The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team
• The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team*
• The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team*
• The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team
• The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team
• The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team

*The Group Garden Centre awards are for centres that are part of groups with 5 or more centres

Judging visits will take place during November and December with the winners being announced on The Stage at Spring Fair on Monday 5^th February 2024.

As well as the kudos and fame from winning a Greatest Christmas award, our Gold winners in each category will win prizes including stock, services or hotel accommodation from our sponsors, which at time of going to press include:

• AMES
• Garden Radio
• Glee 2024
• Kaemingk
• LeisureGrow - NOMA
• PATS 2024
• Smart Garden Products – Three Kings
• Solex 2024
• Stars for Europe
• Woodmansterne

Watch out for details of the prizes on offer in issues of GTN Xtra: www.gardentradenews.co.uk and in the next issue of GTN.

What the judges will be looking for when they visit:

As GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards firstly recognise the amazing teamwork involved in garden centre Christmas retailing excellence we asked our judges what specific things they will be looking for in each Christmas Awards category this year:

• The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team
  • Christmas theming of the displays, link sales and plants as Christmas presents 
• The Greatest Christmas Tree and Outdoor Plant Team
  • Extending the Christmas experience out into the Planteria, not only making the sale of cut trees fun and different but what is being done to promote link sales to trees as well as plants as presents. 
• The Greatest Christmas BBQ and Outdoor Leisure Team – The Solex Sizzle
  • Effort (and success) being put to inspiring  sales of BBQ’s, firepits, furniture, arbours and leisure items normally associated with summer rather than Christmas
• The Greatest Christmas Wild Bird Care & Pet Team
  • From a gondola end of Christmas pet treats to a whole department dedicated to wild bird care or pets of all shapes and sizes. The festive feeling generated by the team, from their attitude for sales to their inspirational displays.  Who has been bold enough to include a pet or wild bird care display in the main Christmas area?
• The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team
  • On and off centre Christmas marketing activity: advertising, p.o.s. video, social media, influencer promotions. We are looking for originality, execution and sucess.
• The Greatest Christmas Community Event
  • A one off ‘launch’ or an ongoing feature – for example a zoo, woodland walk, colouring competition, cookery demonstration or a charity fundraiser that engages the community and extends the Christmas experience.
• The Greatest Festive Gardening Gifts Team
  • This is all about creating sales at this time of year through inspirational use/display/promotion of regular gardening tools and sundries items in a festive setting /department which are capturing sales to both new annd experienced gardeners.
• The Greatest Festive Retail Food Hall Team
  • Food Hall, Farm Shop or just a department in the retail area. Looking for seasonal lines, offers and services to build unit sales as well as dressing of the area. What is special to your Garden Centre offer over other food retailers?
• The Greatest Festive Garden Centre Catering Team
  • What have you done to make your restaurant or coffee shop a part of the Christmas experience? Looking for dressing of the seating area, servery, menu, special offers, link sales, promotions and of course, Festive staff!
• The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video
  • Simply a Christmas promotional video that creates garden centre visits and sales.
• The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team
  • What have the team done this season to create a really memorable and enjoyable experience.
• The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team*
• The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team*
• The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team
• The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team
• The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team
  • For all of the overall team awards the judges are looking for happy, festive garden centre teams who can keep their Christmas retailing standards at their best throughout the Christmas sales period. 

By popular demand we have brought back Customer Voting for The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas teams, after all it is what customers think that is most important. See the details here

The first Greatest Christmas Awards Team visit the judges carried out this year was at British Garden Centres Woodthorpe, back in August.  See our gallery of pictures below:

Concerned that they could be missing out on votes from customers who are unable to access the on-line voting, the enterprising team remembered that we had used in-store paper postcard voting in the past.  Yesterday an envelope of in-store paper votes arrived at the GTN office.

So that other garden centres can also garner in-store paper votes if they choose we've updated the old Greatest Awards postcard artwork and that can be downloaded here:  GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2023 Voting Postcard Artwork.

As with the on-line voting, voting closes on Thursday 21st December, after which the votes need to be sent to us so that they arrive by Thursday 28th December latest.

You can access all of the other Greatest Christmas Awards material here.