Garden Centres have been busy stocking up on plants and compost in the run up to Brexit, a late Easter and the hope of a bumper March.

At the Europlants Open Day last week buyers commented that the quality and levels of stock looked great and were in positive mood when it came to placing orders.

Darren Major of Burston Garden Centre told GTN: “I’ve stocked up on more Trachelospermum Jasinoides, Photinia and Nandina today than normal so I have plenty of plants on sale should there be transport issues post March 29^th.”

Other garden centre buyers were also placing higher than normal orders because they were hopeful for a good March and April.  “When the weather is right we need to have the plants ready for customers,” said Alan Bourne from Perrywood.  “I’ve been buying from European growers over the past few weeks to get deliveries into our nursery and greenhouses.”

Garden centres have also been telling GTN Xtra that they have "more compost in stock than ever" as they ready themselves for a busier March than last year.

Westland Horticulture have been encouraging customers to take as many deliveries as possible during March as they are concerned about the availability of transport post Brexit on March 29^th.

The proximity of Easter and the May Bank Holiday are also reasons for encouraging early deliveries and will add further pressure should transport issues prove to be an issue throughout April.

This time last year we had the first blast of the Beast from the East and the start of the worst February, March and April weeks for sales ever.  What a difference we have right now – blue skies, sunshine and balmy temperatures that are sure to tempt people out into their gardens and garden centres too.

From conversations we’ve had this week, most centres are well stocked right now and buying in more plants than usual just in case there are transport issues post Brexit. If we get a bumper March you may need to up those orders and deliveries even further. 

Remember we have Easter at the end of April, quickly followed by the May Bank holiday. Are you taking in more stock during March to be ready for Easter and May?

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year (week 7)
Garden Products – down 3%
Growing Media – down 40%
Wild Bird Care – up 8%
Veg-2-Gro – up 22%
All Plants index – up 25%
All Items index – up 13%

Brechin, Angus, Scotland

Chief Executive

To take full day to day responsibility for running a family owned two unit catering/retail/ destination business – Brechin Castle Garden Centre and Peggy Scotts Restaurant - jointly turning over in excess of £3m with 90 full and part time staff.

This is a senior management position requiring a relevant qualification and experience at senior level in both retail and catering.  Skills will include staff leadership, financial disciplines, retail buying including plants, an eye for detail, exceptional standards of tidiness and a strong work ethic.  An appetite to expand and diversify the business is also desirable.

The package will reflect skills and experience and will include competitive salary, pension scheme, and company car with accommodation option if required.

Applications with full CV to rc@dalhousieestates.co.uk

Daro’s 2019 ranges of Indoor and Outdoor rattan furniture are now hitting shop floors with a great reaction from Stockists and the public.

It is not too late for Retailers to order displays for 2019 as Daro’s stockist policy allows Retailers to sell from shop floor models, offering the customer a choice of frame combinations and fabrics. The popular Fresco outdoor range is also available from stock with bulk purchase options available.

All Daro core products come with a large selection of quality Indoor and Outdoor fabrics made in their own UK cushion manufacturing facility and Daro were the first company to be given LOFAssured certification for FR compliance. www.lofassured.co.uk

The continued development of more on-trend Indoor and Outdoor furniture is at the core of Daro’s philosophy to continue developing this important category of furniture.

New Indoor ranges this year include the Ontario, a semi upholstered suite and a Hexham offering a simplistic and modern look.

For outdoor Daro continue to offer high-quality outdoor furniture with a genuine 5 Year Warranty and a choice of over 20 fabrics. New additions to this include the Monterey range which is ideally suited to indoor our outdoor use.

Daro are also proud to offer the extended Laura Ashley Indoor and outdoor ranges which are sold through Daro retailers utilising fabrics and inspiration from this iconic British brand. www.lauraashleyrattanfurniture.com

For more information on the new collections please visit www.daro-cane.co.uk

Retailers interested in becoming Daro Stockists can contact the company on 01604 758989 or email sales@daro-cane.co.uk

Primeur have unveiled their new display stands for the recycled rubber garden range, with a solution to display garden borders, stepping stones, or even both together. 

The new stands will enhance the look of the products and allow stores to display detailed POS which highlights the features and benefits of such a new product.

We will see the new stands hit centres throughout February and March.

Blue Diamond launched a stepping stone range in 2018 which were positioned outside on pallets amongst the stoneware. The new stands with a smaller footprint are allowing them to re-position these within the store or under the sheltered outdoor space. 

The Stepping stones are part of Primeur’s eco-friendly range using recycled tyres, making them extremely hard wearing, great for all year round use and easy and safe to install.

The stepping stones have proved one of the most popular categories since their launch and the team are excited to see how the new displays will help to grow sales further.

Jenny Douthwaite, Sales Director at Primeur said, ‘We hope that the new look and position will allow the products to be seen by many more customers and that the additional POS will help them to understand the fantastic benefits of this new range of products.’

If you would like any more information about the products available from Primeur, please contact the team on 01274 518800 or sales@primeur.ltd.uk

With just a few weeks to go, the organisers of Garden Re-Leaf Day (22 March) – the garden industry’s biggest annual fundraiser – have confirmed that there is still time to get involved.

Walk or cycle for Garden Re-Leaf

There has been a great response for the popular Garden Re-Leaf Walk and Cycle, with teams and individuals from Mr Fothergill’s Seeds, Vitax, Hozelock, Great British Cards, Elho, GIMA, HTA, DAC Ltd, Taylor Bulbs, Poplars Garden Centre, DLF Trifolium Glee, Holiday Inn, Teleflex, Hornby Whitefoot PR and Kew Green Hotels all signed up.

At 9am, with registration open from 8am, participants will start from World’s End Garden Centre in Wendover, Buckinghamshire.  Walkers and cyclists will take in a circular route through the Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire countryside before returning to the garden centre.

2019 marks a special milestone for a handful of walkers who have been taking part in the walk since its inauguration in 2014. This year will see Glee’s Matthew Mein, GIMA’s Vicky Nuttall and Hornby Whitefoot PR’s, Kimberley Hornby, complete their 100th mile in aid of the Greenfingers Charity.

FUNdraising Days

Garden centres across the country are holding their own FUNdraising events for Garden Re-Leaf Day.

Haskins and Thurrock Garden Centre are among those who will be holding a raffle for customers, whilst Poplars Garden Centre near Dunstable will be hosting a curry night and quiz, with all proceeds going to Greenfingers.

Ayletts will be holding a special Goodwill Coffee Morning in its Dahlia Coffee House, where visitors can enjoy a hot drink and prize tombola, again with all proceeds donated to Greenfingers.

The team at Kew Green Hotel’s Holiday Inn Chester South site will be donning walking boots to attempt to reach the 1,085m summit  of Mount Snowdon on the day.

As an incentive to get involved, businesses who register their event on the Greenfingers website in advance will receive FREE Garden Re-Leaf Day T-shirts, balloons and posters to help promote their events.  Businesses will also benefit from free support from Garden Re-Leaf’s PR team, including press release templates and media lists to help with publicity.

The Greenfingers Charity has thanked CSY Retail for sponsoring the medals and Woodlodge for sponsoring the banners.  Sponsorship opportunities are still available, from marshalls and support vehicles for the Garden Re-Leaf Walk and Cycle Challenge, to refreshments, water stations and signage.

At this week’s Garden Press Event in London (Wednesday 27 February), the charity will announce the names of three people who have volunteered for a wing-walking challenge, in which they will be strapped to the roof of a plane flying at up to 100mph and looping the loop. Details of the charity’s first ever RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden will also be revealed.

Greenfingers Director of Fundraising and Communications, Linda Petrons said: “A huge thank you to all of those who have already shown their support for Garden Re-Leaf Day. You are all amazing! However, we still urgently need support from even more businesses to help make this the biggest Garden Re-Leaf Day yet. Whether it be through the walk, cycle or your own arranged event, the funds you raise really do make a difference for life-limited children and their families who spend time in hospices across the UK.”

For fundraising ideas and inspiration, a has been produced by the Greenfingers team.  To download the free information pack, register your event or sign up for the walk/cycle, please visit the website. To enquire about sponsorship, contact Linda by email or call 01494 674749 or 07908 221240.

Mr Fothergill’s aim to crash through a total of £10,000 raised for Greenfingers during this year’s Garden Re-leaf activity. Over £8,500 has been raised by the Suffolk seedsman over the years through participation in the annual walk and cycle ride plus sales of dedicated sweet peas and they aim to push through the psychological barrier in 2019!

The annually assembled Mr Fothergill’s squad, Team Lightening Seeds, are already in training for the 100-mile bike ride and the 20 mile walk on 22nd March.

Last year biking rookie Richard Keegan, National Field Sales Manager, took to the 100-mile course alongside the professional looking Matt Jackson (Business Development Manager). Matt was first home, but Richard is determined to change that this year.

Richard and Matt will be joined on the day by walkers Alison Roberts, Samantha Broadway, Nina Claydon, Dave Carey, Tim Jeffries, Jeremy Sharp, Alison Mulvaney and Chris Owen. In addition, staff at the Kentford HQ will be completing various fund-raising events in the Mr Fothergills HQ

The company have previously launched exclusive sweet peas which raise 25p on each sale for the charity. The Greenfingers sweet pea is available in Mr Fothergill’s stockists nationwide and direct from the company.

Commercial Director, Tim Jeffries commented “I hope this is the year we break through the £10,000 barrier for our donations to Greenfingers. Such a great cause in the gardening world and so many people in our company get behind our efforts to raise money whether in the office or on the walk or ride. I might take a side bet in Matt beating Richard again in the 100-mile bike ride!”

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mr-fothergills-greenfingers

A new farm shop, boutique garden centre and café could be built off the A38 if the local authority approves a Devon businessman’s plans.

Paul Madicott, proprietor of Dainton Group Services Ltd, which operates a string of self-storage depots across the Westcountry, has submitted plans to Teignbridge District Council to transform the disused Rock Farm Nursery in Chudleigh into a farm shop and garden centre, with a cafe and a woodland play park. It could create about full-time and part-time 100 jobs.

The project, says the applicant, would support the local economy, create a valuable local asset, and would work with farmers to ensure the shop champions the best produce from around the South West.

Chudleigh has a fresh produce shop but no butcher, fishmonger or deli.

Last year Teignbridge planners gave the go-ahead for 229 new homes on the Rocklands site on the other side of the B3344 from the farm shop site.

The applicants say that they undertook a community survey last year, with 100 per cent of respondents expressing a likelihood to visit the proposed outlet, and 65 per cent stating they would be extremely likely.

The survey adds that 69 per cent of people had visited the popular Dart’s Farm food and drink outlet at Topsham in the last year, with this proposal seeking to capture that spend and convert it to a ‘Chudleigh Pound’.

The proposals include 113 car park spaces.

They added: “The proposal will be supporting the local supply chain and farmers in the area with another route to market for products. As a new attraction to the area, the proposal will increase footfall to the town through the offer of additional facilities.”

The deadline to find the 2019 Westland Rising Stars has been extended.

Each year Westland and the Garden Centre Association (GCA) search for the best up and coming employees at garden centres who show great potential and would benefit from the opportunity to further their skills and experiences as part of the Rising Stars Program.

Nominations are open now until to Friday March 1st 2019 so candidates don’t have long left to enter.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of judges who will decide on 10 finalists. The finalists will then attend a series of four workshops held by Gordon Emslie GCA inspector, designed to further their knowledge of the horticultural retail industry.

To be eligible, candidates should hold a position up to junior management level, have access to financial data including sales and cost prices, be able to develop a sales or marketing idea for growing an area of the business and, perhaps most importantly, should demonstrate a drive and commitment that they wish to be developed.

For more information, and to download an application form, please visit www.gardenhealth.com/rising-stars-2019.

Squire’s Garden Centres announced the appointment of Sarah Squire as chairman last week.

Sarah’s father, Colin Squire OBE, who has been chairman for 30 years during five decades in the business, takes on the role of chairman emeritus, and remains an active director, with particular focus on developments at each of Squire’s centres and the company’s involvement with local communities.

Sarah said: “It is a great privilege to take on the role of chairman of our family company. I have learned so much from my father and from the many people I have worked with over the years within our business, our industry and beyond. I am inspired daily by the dedicated team I work with and together we share a passion for our horticultural business and our industry. We are also incredibly fortunate to have such great support from our local communities. I am confident that, although there will undoubtedly be challenges along the way, we can look forward with optimism as Squire’s enters a new chapter.”

Sarah will focus on further developing this successful, independent family business, which has 15 garden centres in the south-east.

Sarah qualified as a solicitor, specialising in commercial property, before joining the family horticultural business 23 years ago. She has extensive retail experience, having worked in various roles across the company, from a Saturday girl while still at school to her most recent role as deputy chairman.

Sarah has two grown-up children and in her spare time enjoys gardening with her husband. Sarah’s grandfather, D.J. Squire, founded the family business 82 years ago.

Major plans for the expansion of Homeleigh Garden Centre at Crediton in mid-Devon have been announced by the Broad family, who also operate Homeleigh centres at Bude and Launceston.

Plans involve a new café and warehouse plus new indoor retail space, creating up to 60 jobs. Highways improvements for a new entrance off the A377 will be required.

In December Mid Devon District Council deferred the application pending a report on the plan’s affect on Crediton town centre and traffic issues.

The company’s revised planning application envisages reducing the number of parking spaces from 194 to 163, halving the number of coach spaces to three and staff parking from 42 to 30. The proposed height of the buildings has been cut from 5m to 3.7m.

The site, acquired by the Derek and Enis Broad and their son Rob in 2017, already has planning permission for the proposed retail floor space and range of goods.

The company says the site is not fulfilling its potential and is currently under-utilised with large areas of unused scrub ground surrounding a random series of east-to-west gabled simple horticultural glass-houses and propagation poly-tunnels. Site facilities like the shop, customer toilets and car park, it says, are “rudimentary”.

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“Long-term lack of developed facilities on site has added to a steady decline in employed staff numbers and the existing garden centre employs four full-time staff and three part-time staff,” the application support document explains.

“This application is to modernise the site as a viable garden centre, with associated retail and other gardening related and sundry non-related goods, together with an in-house café for the on-site consumption of food and drink.

Local media reports suggest the scheme has split the local community, with over 100 letters for and against.

The Broad family set up their Launceston centre in 1977 and acquired the Bude site from Wyevale Garden Centres earlier this year.

First deliveries of New Horizon’s BIO3 peat-free compost launched by Westland at Glee have started appearing in garden centres.

The launch is the result of £35 million investment over 18 years, delivering the features of a high quality compost with the added benefit of being peat-free, organic and sustainable.

Westland says significant marketing and communications will raise consumer awareness and drive people to stockists. The product has already received “Best Buy” recognition by Amateur Gardening magazine, as well as being featured in The Daily Telegraph and Gardening Which? magazine. An extensive press campaign will run throughout the season.

The new product is produced from three key natural ingredients which make it indistinguishable in performance, appearance, smell and texture from peat based products. These are:

1.      Biofibre – a natural nutrient rich fibre which locks on to the root and ensures the fast, effective transfer of nutrients and moisture to the plant

2.      West+ - a wood fibre which creates the optimum soil structure and air flow to deliver the strong root growth

3.      Coir+  - which stores and releases moisture and nutrients for longer.

There are three New Horizon BIO3 products in the range - New Horizon All Plant Compost (20 litre £3.99, 40 litre £5.99 and 60 litre £6.99); New Horizon All Veg Compost (50 litre £6.99) and the New Horizon Tomato Planter (£4.99).

Capital Gardens, London’s leading independent gardening company, holds a commitment to community at its heart, and has extended this to its latest acquisition, Studley Green Garden Centre with the announcement of the centre’s first official charity partner for 2019.

The recently renovated Studley Green Garden Centre invited customers to vote in store throughout December and January on the charity closest to their hearts. The public had a choice of three charities: Stokenchurch Community Bus, Four Paws Cat Rescue and Medical Assistance Dogs, Winslow.

With a landslide victory of 462 votes, Capital Gardens has announced that Studley Green Garden Garden 2019 charity partner is Four Paws Cat Rescue.

The centre will support the winning charity throughout the year with charity boxes stationed at the tills for customers to donate to Four Paws Cat Rescue. In addition, they will be the centre’s twice-annual Customer Privilege Evening beneficiary, supported by donations from the evenings.

Studley Green Garden Centre will also be introducing a new receipts scheme for the charity, where Four Paws will be able to collect receipts from their community in order to receive a 20% discount.

Phil Munn, Studley Green Garden Centre manager says: “We are delighted to be supporting Four Paws Cat Rescue this year as our very first annual charity partner. We are especially proud that the chosen charity was picked by the community, meaning our support will go to the heart of a charity that our customers holds dear. We are very grateful to the Medical Assistance Dogs and Stokenchurch Community bus for taking part and will continue to champion the work they do in the area and beyond.”

Studley Green Garden Centre will continue to champion the work of the Medical Assistance Dogs and Stokenchurch Community Bus, including supporting the Community Bus which is parked free of charge in the new garden centre car park.

CJ Wildbird Foods Ltd have introduced live streaming this spring from 11 nesting webcams on the CJ Wildlife website.

They join the current six year-round webcams, which focus on the CJ Feeding Station, Mammal Box, Waterhole, Snack Bar, Bird Feeder and Fox Cam.

The new nesting webcams are for Great Tits, Little Owls, Storks, Peregrine Falcons, Tawny Owls, Goshawks, Kingfishers, Spoonbills, House Martins, Starlings and Barn Owls. Mmore species may be added during the season.

Last year the nest box cameras proved particularly popular with families, parents and teachers. CJ reported huge interest on social media from people who are new to bird watching as well as the dedicated ornithologists.

“There is always something going on, “ they tell us, “ whether it is a Little Owl’s lunchtime feast, a new egg waiting to hatch, some adorable allopreening or fledgling tantrums!”

You can watch all the webcams via the website. Each webcam page will also offer video highlights from throughout the breeding season.

Happy Plants is the latest grower to partner with SmartPlant to make the latter’s plant care information system available on carry packs.

Smart Barcodes will be added to Happy Plants’ summer 6 by 9cm packs, giving consumers access to tailored information via an app.

The information has been re-written to be simple, concise, easy to follow – and jargon-free.

Scanning a barcode triggers a free three-month premium membership to SmartPlant, offering unlimited 24-hour access to a global team of experts for troubleshooting, advice, or help with plant and pest ID. Customers with Amazon assistants will also be abvle to “ask Alexa” using SmartPlant’s Amazon Alexa live skill.

Bobath Children’s Therapy Centre Wales a have received a donation of £12,000 from Pugh’s Garden Village, thanks to the success of their ‘Magic of Christmas’ experience, which saw its key dates sell out within an hour of coming on sale.

The Garden Village outlets at Radyr and Wenvoe, chose to support the Whitchurch-based charity as its 2018 Christmas charity.

“We are extremely proud that as a local family business we are able to help support such a wonderful charity and are humbled by the therapy the centre offers to children and their families” said Nicola Pugh, senior marketing and operations manager. “We would like to thank our loyal family of customers who visit our Santa experience and garden village for helping be a part of raising such an instrumental amount of money which we hope will help increase the therapy Bobath provide for their better starts programme.”

Bobath Wales provides specialist Bobath therapy free of charge to children across Wales who have cerebral palsy, as well as providing practical advice and emotional support to the families who need it.

The donation from Pugh’s will be used to provide life changing specialist therapy for 20 babies who have, or are suspected of having, cerebral palsy in 2019 as part the ‘Better Start, Better Future’ programme.

Last year the charity delivered 109 blocks of specialist therapy to babies and toddlers and is looking to increase this number in 2019.

The charity needs to raise £1.5m each year, with 76% of its income coming from fundraising activity.

Claire Walker, the charity’s corporate relationship and fundraising manager, said: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be receiving this incredible donation from Pugh’s Garden Village and on behalf of the children that use the Bobath Centre, and their families we extend a magical thank you to the staff and of course the customers of Pugh’s for their kindness during the festive season. Not only will the donation help us to reach our fundraising goals, the awareness that goes hand in hand with high profile partnerships of this nature has helped us to ensure people know the impact Bobath therapy can have on children with cerebral palsy.”

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Another good week of plant sales and we’ll be back into positive territory by the end of the month. 

At just 2.5% down after last week and with excellent half term weather most garden centres are expecting a busy weekend for plant sales before the children go back to school.

• Primula sales doubled prior to half term and are set to grow again during half term.
• Bellis plants were the highest re-entry into the GTN Top 50, back in at No 23.
• Pre planted Crocus were the highest chart climber as gardeners grabbed the chance to add instant colour on their patios and balconies.

All Plants volume sales change: Week on week UP 83.3%. 
Year to date vs 2018 DOWN 2.1%, vs  2017 UP  22.4%.

Following this week’s AGM Neil Bragg from Bulrush Horticulture is the new chairman of the Growing Media Association (GMA) with Ben Malin from Godwins taking on the role of vice-chairman. Neil takes over from outgoing chair Steve Harper from Bord Na Mona, who has held the position for the last four years.

Outgoing chair Steve Harper comments, “It’s been an honour serving as Chair of the GMA representing and supporting our green industry. Neil is a fantastic successor to the role with his depth and breadth of knowledge, I offer him and the GMA any support they need as we continue to develop our voice and influence across the industry and at government level. This is an important year for our industry with the impending 2020 peat bans and I will now be focusing on leading the Responsible Sourcing Scheme for Growing Media to become an auditable scheme over the next 12 months.

New chair Neil Bragg adds, "Firstly, I would like to thank Steve for being so involved as the Chair during the last 4 years and moving along the work on the Responsible Sourcing Scheme.  As an industry horticulture faces many challenges and it is essential that the GMA, as the industry growing media body, projects the positive moves being made to address the key issues faced by the industry and give whatever support it can to end users in addressing these issues."

The GMA, brings together growing media manufacturers and suppliers from UK and Ireland, and is a forum for looking at the key topics impacting the industry from performance standards and technical updates to monitoring usage and the development of the responsible sourcing scheme.

Growing Media sales doubled week on week as gardeners are taking advantage of the good weather and getting on with their growing. 

Whilst multipurpose composts make up the majority of the sales there was good growth in manure sales and significant increases in soil conditioners and weed controlling mulches.

Highlights were:

• Evergreen Garden Care Levington Essential Multi Purpose, 50 litres, retains the No 1 growing media spot.
• Westland Gro-Sure Farmyard Manure, 50 litres, doubles sales and stays at No 5.
• Westland Gro Sure Smart Cover, 100 litres, is a re-entry at No 49.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Leading home improvement and garden wholesaler, Decco has appointed Chris Gladwin as Manager for Decco Chesham.

Chris joined Decco Leeds in 2010 as inventory controller, and was then promoted to Supplier Relations Manager, his most recent position in 2014.

Commenting on his appointment Chris said “I’m delighted to be taking on a such a fantastic, well established business at Decco Chesham. We have a great team with unrivalled experience in the DIY & Garden market sectors, who I am very excited to be to working with. During the forthcoming weeks I will be busy meeting our customers, to understand how we can support their businesses through 2019 and beyond.”

With seven strategic locations around the country giving a total of over 350,000 square feet of warehousing space and holding over £10m worth of stock, Decco supplies independent High Street retailers and garden centres throughout the UK with a wide range of gardening, home improvement and housewares products. Its strong partnerships with the leading suppliers enables retailers to benefit from the strength and differentiation provided by high profile brands. To learn more about Decco, visit www.decco.co.uk.

Last week saw a big change in the mix of garden products in the GTN Bestsellers chart. 

Garden lighting continues to sell very well but the good weather also sparked increases in sales of core gardening products too.

Here are the highlights:

• Smart Solar Lady Bug Lights were the highest new entry at No 15.
• Vitax Q4 Fertiliser 4.5kg moved up two places to No 5.
• Garland 8cm Round Fibre Pots, pack of 12, were a new entry at No 31.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Another good week for Wild Bird Care sales sees volumes year to date sit at 22% up on last year. 

Feed lines dominate the top half of the GTN chart but two bird feeder lines from Smart Chapelwood are moving in big volumes too.

Highlights were:

• Gardman Fat Snax, tubs of 50, remain the No 1 Wild Bird Care bestseller.
• Smart Chapelwood Heavy Duty Seed Feeder Medium moves up one place to No 2.
• Gardman Poppy Feeder With Stem is the highest chart re-entry at No 16.

Veg-2-Gro chart footnote
Veg 2 Gro continues to have a good start to the year with another week where volumes are significantly up on last year.  Onion sets continue to be the big movers

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Highlights were:

• Taylors Onion Sets Red Baron remain the No 1 Bestselling Veg-2-Gro line.
• Suttons Beetroot Boltardy is the highest re-entry at No 6.
• Taylors Seed Potatoes Taster Pack Charlotte are the most popular seed potato line at No 10.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

The HTA has announced a one-day event ‘Sustainability Matters’ event, to wll take place at Horticulture House, Oxfordshire, on Tuesday 30 April. This new event will explore topical issues around sustainability for the garden industry, including plastics, recycling, responsible sourcing, environmental policies and promoting local.

Following the airing of David Attenborough’s Blue Planet programme interest in environmental issues has increased amongst consumers. 95% of people in the UK think that the environment is important to them personally, with climate change, air pollution and growing amounts of waste cited as key areas of concern. Research has shown that consumers believe companies and big industries are not doing enough to protect the environment (83%) and neither are consumers (71%).

Within the garden industry, which is considered to be ‘green’ by nature, there is much activity going on but there is always more to do even if this is just around communicating a business’s sustainability activities to customers. A mix of presentations, panel sessions and case studies, this informative and inspirational event is designed to help a business on its green journey.

Topics to be covered during the day include:

• Why sustainability matters – latest updates on consumer attitudes and their expectations of businesses with regard to green issues.
• Stuart Foster, CEO from RECOUP (RECycling Of Used Plastics Limited) – will provide an overview of their work and their involvement with the horticulture sector including recent activity on plant pot recycling.
• Trewin Restorick, CEO, from environmental charity Hubbub will talk about different community sustainability initiatives that he has been involved with, helping to inspire businesses to do the same.
• Inspiration from within the industry – case studies from retailers that are taking the lead: developing environmental policies and practices, sourcing locally and working with local communities and projects.
•  

Attendance will cost £99 +VAT for HTA members and £125+VAT for non-members. Further information and to book: click here or email.

Wiltshire-based redheadPR has confirmed a long-term campaign with the Common Sense Garden initiative from the Garden Group of the Crop Protection Association (CPA).

“This year, we will be continuously increasing their online presence through a multi-faceted online campaign which will be more focused on millennial gardeners” said Sara Tye (pictured), founder and managing director of redheadPR.

The campaign is designed to dispel myths and assumptions around the horticulture sector and provide gardeners with advice and hacks they can use in their own garden.

“We love working with Common Sense Gardening,” Sara said, “and will be using a diverse campaign to deliver its objectives, focusing on social media and digital methods.

“Off-page, high-ranking coverage from PR is crucial to clients like Common Sense Gardening when considering their online profile and SEO.

"We’ll continue to work across all social media platforms, growing them organically and through bespoke methods geared towards its specific audience.

Previously, the Common Sense Gardening Initiative and redheadPR conducted primary research which disproved many anecdotal myths: 40% of millennial gardeners said that they had seen an increase in the number of weeds and invasive plants in their gardens.

“Our relationship with redheadPR enables us to look forward to taking full advantage of its experience in our sector. Together we will successfully run an exciting digital campaign throughout 2019,” said Gary Philpotts, chairman of the Common Sense Gardening Group.

Woof woof! GTN Newshound here, back from yet another foray through the dark afforested territory known as Wyevale Garden Centres. Yes, hound-lovers, it’s still there, despite the best efforts of its parent, Terra Firma, to find good homes for everybody.

Although the two sets of 2017 accounts published recently (one for WGC Capital, the trading arm, and the other for WGC Holdings, the real estate and employment contracts arm, with neither set available, as they used to be, on the WGC website) are as impenetrable as corporate accounts inevitably end up (unless you’re an FD), these steered my moist little scout-snout towards what you could call ‘insights’.

The accounts themselves, which show a loss for the year-ended December 2017 of £116m and an operating loss for the year of £60.4m (mostly one-off write-downs of the value of non-cash assets), include ‘post-accounts’ financial statements chronicling the fortunes of the group during the following year, in which Terra Firma’s Guy Hands announced (on 22 May 2018) that WGC was for sale.

Companies House rules dictate that large businesses must make honest and, as far as possible, accurate declarations about their forward viability.

Under the ‘going concern’ sub-heading, the notes are pretty unequivocal about the cash flow risks the group faces unless it continues to find buyers for its remaining 99 garden centres.

The directors seem pretty happy with ‘Wyvexit’ so far, having realised £183m from the sale of 43 sites (excluding the six latest disposals to British Garden Centres and Rochmills). They are apparently also cheered by interest from potential purchasers of the rest of the group as an entity.

Debt has come down and there’s cash in the bank (£17.6m plus £2.7m cash in transit). Enough, then, barring unforeseen mishaps, to help the group meet its liabilities and keep a hound’s tail wagging softly (if unenthusiastically).

But then comes the warning about “material uncertainty” caused by the ongoing sell-off , potential Brexit issues, the weather-related volatility and unpredictable consumer sentiment. These, says the statement, “may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern and, therefore, to continue realising its assets and discharging its liabilities”. The statement makes it clear that the key requirement is that future disposals are successfully concluded.

In other words, it looks like the WGC ship is sailing much closer to the wind than the directors would wish.

Despite this, credit analysts Experian upgraded WGC’s credit risk rating to “below average” last week. Newshound asked three suppliers for their reaction to that news. They said:

1. “We’ll see…”
2. “They’re tough, but they always pay.”
3. “We don’t supply them any more. We probably got out in time.”

No-one wished to be named.

So there we have it, my little hound followers. Woof woof! from your loyal servant.

Forget crowded summer getaways. Turn your garden into the perfect family retreat with beautiful outdoor furniture, amazing BBQ’s and garden lighting no matter your style or budget.

This vision came to life at the Klondyke Group’s recent Garden Furniture and Outdoor Living Showcase event, which took place at Houghton Hall Garden Centre at Carlisle.

The showcase presented Klondyke’s main Outdoor Living themes for 2019 and display techniques, alongside core product lines. The showcase featured furniture, barbecues, firepits, parasols, outdoor lighting and play equipment and showed the garden centre’s Outdoor Living teams the exciting new developments in design, environmental manufacturing, merchandising and product innovation.

Themes had been arranged around garden dining, with Tapas, Gin Fizz and Fiesta amongst those on display.

Several suppliers exhibited at the showcase, including Lifestyle Garden, Leisuregrow, Supremo, Norfolk Leisure, Weber, Landmann, La Hacienda  and Smart Garden.

Klondyke’s Furniture Buyer Suzanne Gorst organised the show and commented “Our 2019 event has showcased our themes and ranges to our Outdoor Living Teams and set the scene for the year ahead. The Showcase has been an ideal platform to present a fantastic array of stimulating ideas and inspiration and we are delighted with the positive feedback from all those who attended.”

2018 was a successful year for Wrexham-based Treadstone products, with double digit sales growth in its Good Life garden sundries range, high demand for its Peter Rabbit children's garden range (no doubt boosted by the motion picture release) and the launch of its new garden glove range, ClipGlove, at Glee.

"Following the success of last year, 2019 has already been packed with activity" says Dean Winters, Treadstone's Head of Brands. "Since the start of the year, we have moved offices and warehouse operations to allow for our planned business growth, launched a new website and attended our first GCA conference as a new associate member."

Showcasing their new ClipGlove range and increasing retailers’ awareness of their broader range were the primary objectives of attending the GCA conference and it seems the event proved to be a great success. 

"There's certainly been a lot of turmoil in the market over the last 12 months and retailers are looking for new suppliers to add a point of difference to their offering or just as a back up to existing ranges" says Winters.

"Retailers have been very keen to talk about the new ClipGlove concept and were looking forward to working with all our customers - new and existing - during the coming season."

Retailers interested in working with Treadstone Products can contact the company on 01978 664 667 or email sales@treadstoneproducts.com or for more information, visit www.treadstoneproducts.com.

Terry Maywood, a Director with 30 years’ experience, across a wide variety of retail companies has recently been appointed to the Board of Choice Marketing Ltd as Non-Executive Chairman.

Choice Marketing was established in 2002 by 10 independent garden centres as a Buying and Marketing organisation whose members benefit from cost effective professional marketing and enhanced purchasing power.

The group has now grown to 42 centres and has become a major player within the industry, the Board believes that this external independent appointment will enable them to move the Group to the next level.

Terry Maywood Terry Maywood was the Managing Director of Blacks Leisure Group plc during its most successful period, from 2002 through to 2005, when store numbers grew from 291 to 426 and Operating profit from £11m to £21m and prior to that he was their retail operations director from 1996.

Since leaving Blacks, Maywood held several key appointments, over a near eight-year period, at The Theo Paphitis Retail group. Initially as Project Director overseeing several major transformation projects and later as Retail Operations Director.

Shortly after, Paphitis acquired Robert Dyas, Maywood held the post of Group Logistics Director with a specific role, within the Robert Dyas business, to re-define and improve their logistics and on-line fulfillment functions.

Maywood’s early career, in retail, was with Woolworths where he fondly remembers them being, not just, the UK’s largest retailer of sweets, Christmas trees, lights and decorations but also the nation's favourite Gardening store.

He says that a combination of Woolworths and his Paternal Grandfather (three allotments and a large garden in Sussex) are to blame for his own love of gardening.

He is currently a non-executive director of the Bowls Development Alliance an umbrella organization funded by Sport England to promote those over 50 remaining active where he chairs their Audit committee and Safeguarding panel.

Commenting on the appointment, Michelle de Lavis-Trafford, CEO, Choice Marketing said “We are delighted to welcome Terry as Chairman of our group. His wealth of experience and knowledge of the retail industry, as well as his other business experience in logistics, procurement, and process improvement will help ensure that Choice and its members continue to flourish and grow in what is a challenging marketplace.”

Garden Centres who would like to know more about the benefits of membership of Choice Marketing should contact Michelle de Lavis-Trafford at info@choice-marketing.co.uk
www.choice-marketing.co.uk

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 2016 as well as 2017 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 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro chart for this week are here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers.  Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.

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 £120m.

Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.

For further information contact karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call 01733 775700.

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

Menus across the UK are set to get a refresh next week, as thousands of restaurant, pub and bar buyers head to the Casual Dining trade show (at London ExCeL on 27-28 February) for their annual tasting extravaganza.

Thanks to a 35% increase in alcohol brands, this year’s event will showcase hundreds of beers, ciders, wines and spirits (plus low/no alcohol variants) for casual dining operators.  Plus, another 40+ exhibiting brands (there are 220 exhibitors in total, including food, drink, equipment and catering tech) will be sampling premium soft drinks and hot beverages – that’s everything from fruit juices, cordials, pressés, syrups, mixers, tonics, and waters, to specialty teas and artisan coffee – to suit every occasion, taste and daypart.

Some of the UK’s best-selling drinks brands will be there, including Brita Vivreau, Carlsberg UK, Coca-Cola European Partners, Diageo, Fentimans, Heineken UK, Schweppes, Jaegermeister UK, Vimto Out of Home, Nestlé, Freedom Brewery, Longflint Drinks Co, Tails Cocktails, KBE Drinks (whose portfolio includes Kingfisher, Dos Equis, Sagres, Bintang Beer, Krušovice, Lion and Peacock) and Molson Coors Brewing Company (for Carling, Coors Light, Staropramen, Cobra, Sharp’s Doom Bar, Worthington's, Caffrey's, Rekorderlig and Aspall, among others).

Scottish craft breweries and micro distilleries will also be well represented in the new Scotland Food & Drink Pavilion.  Casual Dining show regular Thistly Cross Cider will be there, joined by a host of first-time exhibitors: Bellfield Brewery (gluten free beer), Stewart Brewing (its newest beers include Hedgerow Sour 4.2% and Voss IPA 6.5%), and The Start-Up Drinks Lab (craft sodas).  Plus, specialist gin producers: Isle of Skye Distillers, Kinrara Distillery, Verdent Spirits, Dunnet Bay Distillers (gin and vodka), and Shetland Distillery Company (gins and whisky).

Other new exhibitors for 2019 include Jubel Beer, Whitewater Brewery (on the Invest Northern Ireland stand), Frizzenti – Cocktails On-tap, and Spirit Cartel – distributor of Becherovka, The Duppy Share, Embargo, Four Roses Bourbon, Koch El Mezcal, Ron De Jeremy, and Tequila Cantinero Orendain.

Real Kombucha, LA Brewery Kombucha, Pedrino, Longbottom & Co (Virgin Mary tomato juice), Soda Folk, Flyte – Clean Energy Drink, and Pago Premium Fruit Juice will be hoping to make a splash in the soft drinks category.

While Black Fire Coffee Tequila, Conker Spirit, The Cornish Distilling Co, Manchester Gin, Poetic License Distillery, LUXLO Spirits (20% gin alternative), Sea Arch – Not Gin, The Sweet Potato Spirit Co, and HMS Spirits Company will also be making their show debut in the popular Artisan Spirits Lounge.  It brings together a host of innovative styles, flavours and blends from across the UK (and beyond) and also features Locksley Distilling, Pococello, Pinkster Gin, and Masons Yorkshire Gin.

King of Craft

As in previous years, the show’s Craft Beer & Cider Zone will see twelve rising stars of the brewing world vying for business (and the King of Craft crown) at the show.

The prestigious King of Craft award is voted for by dozens of VIP drinks visitors, press and beer experts, who’ll be sampling their way around the zone over the two days.  Judges (to date) include: Dishoom’s Brian Trollip, Las Iguanas’ Glenn Evans, chef consultant Jay Morjaria, and MEATliqour’s Scott Collins.

New drinks hoping to take home the crown include Grind Pale Ale from Beer Tailor by Hop Kettle Brewing Co; Citra Four Hop Pale Ale from Big Drop Brewing; Juicy Pale 4% from Big Hug Brewing; Electric Eye Pale Ale from Big Smoke Brew Co; 4.2% Tropical Storm, Citrus Pale Ale from Black Storm Brewery; Indian Pale Ale 4.2% from Bombay Bicycle IPA; Meteor Pils 33 cl beer from BRASSERIE METEOR; Cuckoo Penny 4% Rhubarb Cider from Celtic Marches Beverages; NEIPA – New England IPA 5.6% from Home 2.0 Craft Beer; Hackney Hopster from London Fields Brewery; India Session Ale from West Berkshire Brewery; and Pogo from Wild Beer Co.

The show’s full exhibitor list (representing every link of the supply chain) is available to view at www.casualdiningshow.co.uk/exhibitor-list.

“Drinks menus often dictate where many consumers choose to eat, so we’re thrilled to be able to offer such a vast and diverse range of alcohol, and, of course, non-alcoholic beverages, to this year’s visitors,” says Casual Dining’s event manager Eva Ellis.

“Our exhibitors will be promoting the best choice of quality, innovation and differentiation within the market – everything casual dining restaurant and pub operators need to stay ahead of their competitors,” she says.

“Discovering quality new drink and food innovations is so important to everyone at MEATliqour,” says Scott Collins, the company’s co-founder, “There’s no better place for us to find this than at our industry show – Casual Dining.”

Free advance trade registration

Casual Dining will take place at the new venue of ExCeL London on 27-28 February 2019.  To register for a free trade ticket, please visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk and use priority code CD80 (direct link: www.eventdata.co.uk/Forms/Default.aspx?FormRef=Cas29Visitor&TrackingCode=CD80).  Advance visitor registration closes at 9.30am on Wednesday 27 February (after which a £20 door charge may apply).