The Horticultural Trades Association’s letter to the Chancellor ahead of the Spring Budget sets out clear asks for action on the cost of doing business, water resilience and trade, as businesses across UK horticulture continue to see soaring costs and face another challenging weather year...
Action needed on water resilience, energy costs
Border issues hampering trade, disrupting supply-chains and costing horticulture
HTA’s February market update shows consumer confidence at an historic low
The Horticultural Trades Association’s letter to the Chancellor ahead of the Spring Budget sets out clear asks for action on the cost of doing business, water resilience and trade, as businesses across UK horticulture continue to see soaring costs and face another challenging weather year.
The water shortage that environmental horticulture businesses face is despite an extremely wet start to 2023, with the weather contributing to a negative effect on sales in the garden sector. The trade body that represents the breadth of the industry is calling for the Chancellor to introduce a new grant scheme to support improvements to reservoirs and introduce water-saving innovations. It also reiterates that the energy crisis that came to the fore in 2022 has not gone away.
The HTA’s latest market report for the industry shows garden centre sales in January were down by 9% on the same period last year, and average transaction values were also down by 7%. The effect of inflation on wages, energy and goods has combined with pressures on household finances to severely restrict businesses’ room for manoeuvre. The HTA asks for government action to deliver consumer and business confidence.
The environmental horticulture industry is awaiting key announcements on the transition away from peat use and on how borders will operate in the future. These require action and investment, and the HTA’s letter to the Chancellor stresses that the cumulative impacts of policies and regulation must not be overlooked.
Despite these headwinds, UK horticulture remains optimistic that it can play an even greater role in success of the economy; providing a range of significant monetary, social, and environmental benefits.
Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the HTA, said: “We have set out clearly where we seek action to ensure that businesses operating in environmental horticulture can thrive and deliver benefits to their customers and communities. It’s obvious that, as an industry, we cannot produce without water, but there are many indirect consequences of shortages, such as not being able to grow the trees we need to combat climate change or have green spaces to help flood resilience. We need to see the government recognising the value of environmental horticulture. We’re already under pressure, as our recent market statistics show, and support is vital.”
Other asks in the HTA’s submission to the Treasury include:
Continual review of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme and support for business.
Longer-term rates relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure industries.
Extended business rate exemptions to incentivise green business investment.
Grant funding to trial new growing media to help reduce the use of peat.
Expand the existing tree nursery production grant scheme to ensure that the industry is able to produce enough trees to meet anticipated future demand.
Reform the Apprenticeship Levy to ensure it is a viable training option for SMEs.
Action on trade barriers and border delays.
Environmental and ornamental horticulture in the UK:
Employs 420,000 people (and supports 674,000 jobs in the UK economy)
Supports contributions towards UK GDP of £28.8 billion
Supports tax revenues of £6.3 billion
Underwrites half of the UK’s 25-year Environment Plan
After only one week of sales, garden centres have been re-ordering Global Journey’s new Grow Your Own Name range...
After only one week of sales, garden centres have been re-ordering Global Journey’s new Grow Your Own Name range.
One garden centre re-ordered a full stand deal – 252 pieces after two days of sales and has since re-ordered a second stand for their centre.
It does what it says on the can: within 7–10 days the name appears as the magic bean grows. Clear instructions on the can and on the amazing cardboard rotating display make this product so appealing, not to mention the pure magic of it all. It’s a gift from nature as truly magical as it sounds.
Kids and adults alike will get so much joy and entertainment watching in amazement as their name starts to appear on these mysteriously enchanting plants. Simply water the beans and let the magic begin.
Here’s what some garden centres think of the product…
“We knew it would be a quick seller but I’m amazed by our customer response, they love it! Perfect gift for any occasion. We ordered again after two days worth of sales due to customer feedback.” – Jo, Trowell Garden Centre
“We started selling the Global Journey Grow Your Own Name product three weeks ago and are really pleased with the initial sales. The display is eye catching and grabs customers attention straight away. I can see this being a great selling gift all year round.” – Jon, ACW Garden Centre
"A beautiful and bright stand, delighted with it, and children enthusiastic at seeing their name grow day by day.” – Michael Cronie, Soleburn Garden Centre
Recognising the need to offer consistent high-quality paving with excellent availability to its customer base, Meadow View Stone have been a supplier of Brett Paving into UK Garden Centres since 2012. For over a decade the two companies have worked collaboratively on product development to ensure a succinct yet all-encompassing range is available for customers.
Recognising the need to offer consistent high-quality paving with excellent availability to its customer base, Meadow View Stone have been a supplier of Brett Paving into UK Garden Centres since 2012. For over a decade the two companies have worked collaboratively on product development to ensure a succinct yet all-encompassing range is available for customers.
The collection is further aided by a comprehensive range of merchandising display options utilising fully recyclable Point of Sale boards and large impactful vinyl’s, which are used to create in-situ display gardens of the various kits and colours available to further promote strong sales.
With product quality being recognised as a key element of the Meadow View strategy, the company continues to evaluate and work with its suppliers to ensure the high standards are maintained, together with assured availability of consistent stock levels at all times. Sales forecasts and a committed production program have been agreed and the Company’s multiple production sites are fully stocked for the impending season to ensure stock fulfilment.
The company remains committed in giving customers a broad product choice, outstanding customer service, constant product innovation and continued profitable growth.
Customers can see the full range and discuss prices and merchandising options with a member of the sales team, or head office. For further details contact: shill@meadowviestone.co.uk
Registration is now open for SOLEX, the biggest three-day event in the outdoor living trade calendar being held in Hall 5, NEC Birmingham, on 10-12 July. Visit https://bit.ly/registerforsolex
Registration is now open for SOLEX, the biggest three-day event in the outdoor living trade calendar being held in Hall 5, NEC Birmingham, on 10-12 July.
This essential ‘Celebration of Summer’ event showcases what’s new and what’s on trend in outdoor living for the Spring/Summer Season 2024.
The Summer Outdoor Living Exhibition is the exclusive event for LOFA (Leisure & Outdoor Furniture Association), the UK’s official trade body for the luxury outdoor living sector, whose mission is to promote luxury brands to quality industry buyers. The SOLEX exhibition highlights all the new designs and developments from LOFA members for both the retail and contract markets.
If you haven't visited SOLEX before it is a great place to do business. This relaxed and friendly industry exhibition is where you can establish new relationships and develop existing ones.
Solex has the outdoor retailer in mind with its nine sectors of outdoor living products:
Garden Furniture
Shading
Outdoor Living Accessories
Barbecues
Garden Decoration
Garden Leisure Buildings
Outdoor Heating
Outdoor Health
Outdoor Entertainment
This year Solex is once again partnering with the BBQ Magazine who will be hosting the Loving Outdoor Living area, where you can sample some tasty treats from our BBQ brands. You can immerse yourself in our new product area where you will be able to see brand new and innovative products from our exhibitors. Take a mini health check with Perennial who will be manning a special LOFA branded booth across the 3 days and visit the Landscape Garden provided by the Landscape Show one of our SOLEX partners.
SOLEX attracts quality buyers and visitors from multiple and independent garden centres, high street and department stores, online retailers, DIY Stores, and other industry professionals.
BRANDS ON DISPLAY
4Seasons Outdoor UK
Alexander Rose
Ascalon
BBQ Gourmet
Beefeater
Bramblecrest
Celtic Spa
Charbroil
Charles Taylor
Daro Trading
Extreme Lounging
Firepits UK
Gardeco
Garden Furniture Global
Glencrest
Garden Impressions
Hartman
Hex Living
Innovators International
Kamado Joe
Kettle Interiors
Kettler
Leisure Grow
Lifestyle Appliances
Lifestyle Garden
Mercer Agencies
Minster Stylish Living
Munro Importers
Norfolk Leisure
Outback International
Pacific Lifestyle
Pitt Boss Barbecues
Quest Leisure
Supremo
Tobs
Tramontina
Tripod Home
ATTRACTIONS
Must have outdoor living products
Loving Outdoor Living Area
BBQ Magazine
Perennial Health Check Area
Landscape Garden
New Product Showcase
Don’t miss out on being part of this great event, register today to visit the only exhibition organised by the industry for the industry.
Jennifer Pheasey, the HTA’s Director of Public Affairs, commented: “We welcome the OIM’s conclusions around the importance of, and challenges associated with, ensuring access to sufficient alternatives to peat, and its acknowledgement that professional growers need to take an incremental approach to transitioning..."
Jennifer Pheasey, the HTA’s Director of Public Affairs, commented:
“The horticulture sector has been working hard to develop alternative professional solutions to using peat in growing media and is committed to becoming 100% peat free. The HTA engaged with the OIM in its research for its report and is reviewing the detail of its assessment on the likely impact on the internal market. Our members have already made great strides in transitioning away from the use of peat and the proportion of peat used in growing media is at an historic low for the industry (30% in bagged compost at retail and 51.7% in professional use).
“The OIM report’s reference to a 2028 ban for the professional use of peat is based on Defra’s specified policy objective in its December 2021 consultation, and we await an announcement or decision on the final policy, which will be used for drafting the necessary legislation. Defra has confirmed to the HTA that it is yet to determine the final policy and that the OIM’s use of 2028 was for the purposes of the report, and is not official policy. Government’s original ambition was for England to be peat free by 2030.
“We welcome the OIM’s conclusions around the importance of, and challenges associated with, ensuring access to sufficient alternatives to peat, and its acknowledgement that professional growers need to take an incremental approach to transitioning.
“We therefore reiterate that any government considering legislation to ban peat use should ensure they are ready to support the horticultural sector to develop and access responsibly-sourced alternatives which do not jeopardise the sustainability or price of the growing media, nor affect the quality of the crop produced. Facilitating research and development and knowledge exchange on best practice for growing peat-free is an absolutely essential part of this process. We need the Government’s support to ensure the transition away from peat enables the horticulture sector to play its vital role in contributing to environmental ambitions, while remaining competitive and sustainable as a business sector.”
Members of the Garden Centre Association are being urged to put forward their staff for the GCA Trust’s Dick Allen Scholarship Award Scheme...
Members of the Garden Centre Association are being urged to put forward their staff for the GCA Trust’s Dick Allen Scholarship Award Scheme.
The scheme is open to staff within GCA garden centres and the recipient of the award will be invited to attend the International GCA Congress later in the year in Italy.
Peter Burks, GCA Chief Executive, says: “This is a shout out to all of our members who have young staff on their teams who might benefit from taking part in the scheme.
“Applications are currently open and from those submitted, two will be chosen to attend this year’s International GCA Congress, which takes place in Italy. They will not only travel to the destination but will participate in the ‘Interactive Tour’ group, take part in discussions and gain an understanding of how garden centres within the host country, and centres from other countries, including their own, through the wider conversations within the delegate group, operate.
“Applications can be made online via our website at https://bit.ly/3kl79hI and must be endorsed and supported by the applicant’s employer. The GCA Trust will cover the full Congress registration fee, but travel expenses will need to be met by the employer. Other than personal expenses and travel insurance, there are no further costs involved.”
Last year (2022), Laura Matheson from St Peters Garden Centre and Holly Byrne from Millbrook Garden Centre Gravesend were chosen and visited garden centres in Amsterdam across six days.
Will Armitage, GCA Trust Chairman, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for any aspiring members of garden centre teams to see how garden centres operate in Italy, while furthering their personal development with an opportunity to network with other garden centre operators from all over the world in a more informal environment.
“Speaking from personal experience, the successful applicants will have the opportunity to forge lasting professional relationships with likeminded people from all over the world and make some great friends.”
The object of the GCA Trust is to advance among the general public and, in particular among horticultural students, education in horticulture, and particularly garden centres, by the provision and administration of scholarships and bursaries, including prizes to foster such education.
The Trust also aims to assist horticultural students to study, research into and gain experience of horticulture.
The GCA represents garden centres nationwide.
Through sharing information and its inspection programme the GCA helps members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.
It has been confirmed that this June (27th-29th, NEC Birmingham) visual merchandising expert, Debbie Flowerday, will become a mentor for Glee’s all-new Talent Store - the ultimate industry showcase for emerging retailer and visual merchandising talent...
It has been confirmed that this June (27th-29th, NEC Birmingham) visual merchandising expert, Debbie Flowerday, will become a mentor for Glee’s all-new Talent Store - the ultimate industry showcase for emerging retailer and visual merchandising talent.
Debbie will be bringing to the Talent Store decades of visual merchandising experience including lecturing and running masterclasses at the University of the Arts London, and working alongside the leading trade fashion buying event, Pure. The Talent Store marks Debbie’s first time at Glee, where she hopes to not only inspire those taking part, but also visitors to Glee, by opening their eyes to new ideas and enabling them to gain a better understanding of why impactful visual merchandising is imperative for increasing sales.
Talking about her involvement in the 2023 Talent Store, Debbie Flowerday said: “Visual merchandising is the easiest way to create a strong brand image and for many is the face of their business as it creates an experience that stays with customers long after they have left your store. Through the Talent Store, we want to demonstrate that merchandising is so much more than simply grouping products. Done well, it can truly transform a department using just product and props. Additionally, by selecting two thriving product sectors within garden retail – houseplants and outdoor plants – the learnings of the Talent Store can be easily translated in-store, post-show.
“I’m excited to get going and to see what those participating come up with both during the bootcamp and on-site at Glee 2023. Visual merchandising is such a creative specialism so to see these different takes come together into a collaborative design will be an element of Glee that suppliers and retailers certainly won’t want to miss.”
The Glee Talent Store – in a nutshell
Designed to nurture and celebrate garden centre and retail visual merchandising excellence, the Glee Talent Store will be an interactive feature that will showcase the different ways that houseplant and outdoor plant merchandising displays can be interpreted instore, and how different designs can be utilised to highlight the same products and trends in a variety of inspiring ways.
The focus will be on mentor-led training for new talent within garden centres and will be supported by the Garden Centre Association (GCA) and led by Glee ambassador Michael Perry (aka Mr Plant Geek) and Debbie Flowerday. Participants will be nominated by their colleagues, with the opportunity open to all GCA members.
The Glee Talent Store will kick off with a ‘bootcamp’ where entrants will have a crash course in visual merchandising, branding and retail. Once they have received this insight, the Talent Store students will be tasked with designing their own pop-up store, to be brought to life at Glee 2023 through live ‘retail sets’. Located in the NEC’s atrium, alongside the Glee’s ‘Green Heart’, each Glee Talent Store display will showcase the vision for either houseplant or outdoor plants.
Find out more
Glee connects the garden industry to inspire change, drive growth and launch innovation.
To keep up to date on the latest Glee news visit www.gleebirmingham.com. To enquire about exhibiting at Glee 2023, which will take place June 27th – 29th at the NEC, please call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.
An exciting new consumer show has been launched to run alongside AQUA 2023, which will be taking place over three days for the first time at Telford International Centre, Shropshire, in October...
An exciting new consumer show has been launched to run alongside AQUA 2023, which will be taking place over three days for the first time at Telford International Centre, Shropshire, in October.
The new event for consumers, called Water Alive, will be staged over two of the days and will give fishkeepers the chance to see all the latest launches in one place.
AQUA 2023 is being held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 12-14 October, with Water Alive being open to consumers on the final two days (Friday and Saturday). The Thursday of AQUA 2023 will be a trade-only day as in previous editions.
The biennial AQUA exhibition, launched in 2010, has always been a business-to-business (B2B) only event but there has been a growing feeling within the industry that ‘end customers’ have missed out on meeting all the brands and new products in one place.
Now the launch of Water Alive alongside AQUA 2023 will help consumers become more engaged with their hobby and feel part of an amazing industry. Meeting experts face-to-face in one arena will also provide them with an ideal opportunity to learn more about fishkeeping, aquascaping, watergardening and corals.
Leading exhibitor Seneye welcomed the move, with the company’s Matt Stevenson saying: “The UK aquarium trade is about to get a lot more exciting. This is going to be the biggest ever celebration of fishkeeping in the UK.”
One of the most exciting aspects of Water Alive will be the Retail Mall where a mix of retailers will sell dry goods along with plants, corals and other invertebrates. There will be no live fish sales.
Consumers will also be able to learn more about their hobby from experts giving talks at a special seminar area called Speakers Corner, plus a range of other hobbyist focussed features.
So that business can be carried out professionally and privately on the days open to the public (Friday and Saturday), a special B2B area will be available for exhibitors and visiting retailers.
Registration for Aqua 2023 is live on the website www.aquatelford.co.uk. Consumers for Water Alive will be able to book tickets at the same site from the end of March.
Companies wishing to exhibit at AQUA 2023 and Water Alive and retailers seeking more information about taking part in the Retail Mall should call the organisers on 01892 862848.
In just four months the international garden retail, leisure and pet sectors will come together under one roof in the shape of Glee 2023. An unrivalled platform for growth, networking, sourcing and inspiration, a trip to the annual Glee exhibition will arm any retailer with all the tools they need to grow their offering in 2023 and beyond...
In just four months the international garden retail, leisure and pet sectors will come together under one roof in the shape of Glee 2023. An unrivalled platform for growth, networking, sourcing and inspiration, a trip to the annual Glee exhibition will arm any retailer with all the tools they need to grow their offering in 2023 and beyond.
Summer of love for gardening
Taking place in late June, the summer timing firmly shapes this year’s show content and will ensure that the event has a festival feel throughout. From the Glee party on Tuesday 27th to the newly located Fire, Grill & Chill area – find it at the front of the NEC near the Hall 6-8 and hall 20 entrances – there is plenty to keep the summer vibes going.
As always, Glee’s Green Heart will return to the sun-soaked Atrium area, where the newest plant varieties and bestselling blooms can be viewed, alongside leading suppliers that are looking to build new retail relationships, whilst the all-new Talent Store will inspire indoor and outdoor plant visual merchandising ideas and celebrate emerging industry talent.
The June timing of Glee also offers significant benefits for buyers, providing the perfect opportunity to preview new collections and place orders for the upcoming gardening season, selecting from the thousands of existing products and thousands of new products exclusively launching at the show. With busy summer season on the horizon, Glee is also the ideal platform for sourcing seasonal products such as outdoor furniture, garden heating and garden décor.
Glee’s convenient June timing enables buyers to better plan their buying and merchandising strategies ahead of time and ensure that they are offering their customers the latest and most in-demand products.
Glee expands to reflect the needs of the industry
Visitors to Glee this year are set to see new and enhanced product sectors, reflective of the exciting diversification that is shaping the future of garden retail.
Joining the line-up will be a new dedicated DIY sector, full of everything consumers need to spruce up their home and garden. From hand tools to power tools and fixings to coatings, there’s so much to discover in this exciting sector, and so much potential for retailers who want to develop their role as ‘green department stores’.
Elsewhere, Glee Home, Gift & Clothing will be transformed into a dedicated sector for trend-driven garden home and giftware suppliers and buyers, whilst Outdoor Entertainment will see its representation increased significantly. This is reflective of the predicted growth for this area, as the country continues to view their home as sanctuaries during a time of economic turbulence.
Finally, Glee 2023 will see the introduction of International Sourcing, which will be an important destination for major wholesale buyers and procurement experts in the years to come.
Hundreds of brands, thousands of new products
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Glee is the sheer volume of brands and products for retailers to get up close and personal with. For three-days buyers will have the opportunity to meet with over 400 exhibitors, all ready and willing to extend their retail network. Thousands of new products will also launch at the event, with the Glee New Product Showcase the essential hub to see these products in one handy location. A year on the road could not deliver such unrivalled access to so many brands, which is why Glee remains such an integral touchpoint for thousands of buyers and retailers each year.
Network, inspire & educate
Recognising that standing still is not an option for retailers, Glee 2023 will facilitate important conversations, such as how we can futureproof our industry or how we can better service ethical consumers. Throughout the exhibition, Glee provides multiple opportunities for garden retailers to network with industry peers, gain insight into industry trends and best practices, and attend seminars and workshops to expand their knowledge and expertise. All these carefully curated activities can help retailers stay ahead of the curve and improve their business operations.
Find out more
Glee connects the garden industry to inspire change, drive growth and launch innovation.
To keep up to date on the latest Glee news visit www.gleebirmingham.com. To enquire about exhibiting at Glee 2023, which will take place June 27th – 29th at the NEC, please call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.
Hillier has unveiled its garden design for the 2023 BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair. This year’s design is an interactive, walkthrough garden enclosed in high hedges and wildflower turf. Inspired by The Secret Garden, the design will encourage visitors to get up close and personal with the plants displayed...
Hillier has unveiled its garden design for the 2023 BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair. This year’s design is an interactive, walkthrough garden enclosed in high hedges and wildflower turf. Inspired by The Secret Garden, the design will encourage visitors to get up close and personal with the plants displayed.
There are three main areas in the garden for visitors to experience. On the right-hand side and flowing around the garden will be a stunning colour-coordinated display of herbaceous perennials and shrubs, beginning with cool whites and purples through to fiery reds and oranges. Moving through the garden from the softer, more delicate colours to intense and vibrant shades will depict the feel of the sun’s movement during the day. Visitors begin their journey through the garden with the relaxed, calm feel of morning, moving through the afternoon when colours get more vivid, then finishing with a bright sunset - a beautiful end to the day.
To the left of the garden as you enter from the bottom of the hill is a contemporary area, featuring Himalayan Birch trees and hostas. Himalayan Birch is known for its brilliant white trunks and is the ideal tree for low-maintenance borders and beds. An array of hostas will be planted among the trees, creating a sea of lush green foliage that will stand in stark contrast to the variety of colours in the opposite border.
Wildflowers will surround the entire garden, differentiating from the hornbeam hedge, which will be uniform and conceal the garden within. Visitors will have the unique opportunity of getting up close to the planting displays with the interactive walkthrough, allowing inspiration to be taken home to their own gardens. At the conclusion of the garden, visitors will reach the Hillier display's retail section, which allows you to purchase a range of plants on display and other Hillier gardening products.
“We are pleased to announce our display for the 2023 Spring Fair,” says Chris Francis, Wholesale and Retail Director of Hillier. “We are looking forward to once again providing inspiration and advice to visitors at the Fair and are excited to offer a walk-through feature this year, so visitors will have the chance to get up close to the plants.”
New for 2023, Hillier Gardening Club members will be able to relax in the Club Lounge, where they will have exclusive access to talks, seating and food. The Fair has something for everyone, including a whole host of special guests on the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Stage, including Frances Tophill, Adam Frost, and Arit Anderson; the BBC Good Food Market; live bandstand entertainment; Plant Expert tours; and plenty of shopping opportunities, all set in the beautiful grounds and gardens of Beaulieu.
The BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair is taking place in the stunning setting of Beaulieu, and Hillier is proud to be a partner for the third year in a row. Tickets are available from www.bbcgardenersworldfair.com.
Supermarkets are now placing limits on shoppers buying fresh produce lines including salad vegetables to try and prevent empty shelves. Due to the combination of poor weather conditions in Europe and North Africa meaning reduced harvesting, as well as lower supplies from UK producers being hit by the hike in energy bills – we are facing shortages...
Supermarkets are now placing limits on shoppers buying fresh produce lines including salad vegetables to try and prevent empty shelves. Due to the combination of poor weather conditions in Europe and North Africa meaning reduced harvesting, as well as lower supplies from UK producers being hit by the hike in energy bills – we are facing shortages.
So, if you want to avoid stir fries without peppers and salads without tomatoes – growing your own vegetables is certainly the way forward. From cucumbers, salads and tomatoes, to carrots, parsnips and beans, there are so many vegetables that are ideal for growing in your own garden! We want to encourage you to simply pick your favourite varieties and get planning! And Unwins are here to help!
Anyone can grow their own, no matter their gardening knowledge or size of plot. If you’ve got a sunny windowsill, you are part way there already! There are many varieties that can simply be grown in a pot! With over 400 varieties of vegetables to choose from, it’s an extremely rewarding and affordable way to get vegetables into your kitchen!
Salads and herbs as well as Radishes grow extremely fast, and within 3 months, gardeners could have tomatoes, beetroot, carrots, leeks, peas and beans! To get started read our top tips on sowing seeds: https://unwins.co.uk/blogs/advice/how-to-sow-seeds and join our growing community.
Visit our brand new website to find out more about our varieties as well as top tips on growing. www.unwins.co.uk
At Westland we have all of the tools to support your growing journey from seed sowing composts to organic vegetable feed and Big Tom Super Tomato Food to being able to achieve more vegetables – guaranteed, with Boost Liquid Plant Food.
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We also have a wide variety of Gro-Sure Visiroot propagation and compact growhouses for smaller spaces.
Over 400 members of the garden press and media made their way to the Garden Press Event on 21 February, for a one-day exhibition showcasing the entire supply chain of the environmental horticulture industry, organised by the Horticultural Trades Association and Garden Industry Manufacturers Association...
Over 400 members of the garden press and media made their way to the Garden Press Event on 21 February, for a one-day exhibition showcasing the entire supply chain of the environmental horticulture industry, organised by the Horticultural Trades Association and Garden Industry Manufacturers Association.
The event, held at the Business Design Centre in London, culminated in the announcement of the winners of two awards: the Bob Maker Memorial Award for Best Stand Display and the Best New Product Award. Both awards were voted on throughout the day by the visiting press, and entrants donated to Greenfingers Charity to be considered for an award.
Blue Diamond & National Trust took home the prize for ‘Best Stand Display’, and Wool Pots won the award for ‘Best New Product’.
Also, in a first for the sector, the HTA hosted members of the House of Lords special inquiry committee into horticulture at the event. During its visit to the show, the group saw nearly 100 exhibitors including growers, retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers in an early opportunity for them to see the breadth and diversity of UK horticulture.
Lord Redesdale, who Chaired the visit and was joined by Baroness Willis and Lord Carter, commented: “Visiting the event was an eye opener to see the success of the horticulture industry and understand the challenges UK businesses are facing, such as trade.
“The Lords committee will be launching an inquiry into the future of horticulture with a focus on technology and climate and we will be taking evidence from the industry. Speaking directly to many HTA members today was really helpful.”
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HTA CEO Fran Barnes said: “The Garden Press Event was full of energy with an incredible showcase of so much innovation in horticulture. Many congratulations to our award winners, and we were delighted to welcome the House of Lords Committee and Lord Taylor of Holbeach who know our industry so well. We have so much to offer in terms of tackling climate change and future technology, and we look forward to working with the committee.”
GIMA Director Vicky Nutall said: “The Garden Press Event is a unique opportunity for our industry to showcase their products, meet members of the press and discuss the issues of the day. The hall was packed, and it was great to see so many businesses networking. We hope this was a successful and enjoyable event for all those who attended the show.”
With a handful of weeks to go until Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023 (Friday, March 24th), supporters from across the garden retail sector (and beyond!) are busy getting ready for their day of FUNdraising. Here we find out more about who will be supporting this year’s event in aid of the children’s hospice garden charity, Greenfingers...
With a handful of weeks to go until Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023 (Friday, March 24th), supporters from across the garden retail sector (and beyond!) are busy getting ready for their day of FUNdraising. Here we find out more about who will be supporting this year’s event in aid of the children’s hospice garden charity, Greenfingers.
The Garden Re-Leaf Sponsored Walk & Cycle Challenge
One of the most popular activities in the Garden Re-Leaf roster, the Sponsored Walk & Cycle Challenge has already helped to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds, with the million-pound target firmly on the horizon.
This year, a new North Walk has been introduced. Organised by long-term Greenfingers ally, Jane Lawler, and supported by Will Armitage, Jenny Douthwaite and Martin Cowell, the new ‘North Walk’ will make it even easier for those manufacturers and retailers based in the north of the country to join the annual Garden Re-Leaf activity without having to travel as far or spend money on overnight accommodation to ensure they are at the start line on time.
Participants confirmed include a team of six from AMES UK made up of Paul North, Nick Jones, Emily Green, Lloyd Ferguson, James Hoad, Craig Keyworth, and Russell Thompson, plus Nikki Hall and Kevin Hall from Apta. Evergreen Garden Care’s Richard Cartwright and DB Landscape’s Darren Bosworth and Anna Roochove will also be taking on new walk challenge in 2023. Together the walkers will take in ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ country, including moorland, riverside paths, pretty villages and reservoirs, throughout the 12-mile circular route. A handful of spaces remain for the North Walk so anyone wanting to take part is urged to sign-up now to avoid missing out!
The South Walk and Cycle Challenge – which starts and ends at British Garden Centre’s Tring Garden Centre – will see lots of familiar faces return as well as welcoming new teams to the day as word spreads about how fun the day can be! At the start line on March 24th will be Greenfingers Trustee, Richard Claxton, plus teams from Vitavia Greenhouses, Capi Europe, British Garden Centres, Glee, Evergreen Garden Care, Johnsons Lawn Seed, SBM Life Science, Husqvarna, Hornby Whitefoot PR, Potting Shed Media (Garden Trade News), plus individual walkers such as August Bernstein and The Gluttonous Gardener, Alice Schwausch.
Tackling this year’s cycle challenge will be Simon Mulholland from Westland Horticulture, and Decco’s Casey Warwick, plus Neil Sewell from 2Pedalz.com, Ian Clark and Andy Bean from Taylors Bulbs, Tom Glanvill from Christie & Co and Danny Adamson from Stocksigns.
Of course, the Garden Re-Leaf Day Walk and Cycle Challenge is only possible thanks to those who work behind the scenes to support on the day. This year, support will be provided by Capi as well as local Greenfingers volunteers. To find out more about other sponsorship and support opportunities please get in touch with Linda Petrons. She would love to hear from you!
Garden centre support
Each year, garden centres from across the country pull out all the stops to celebrate Garden Re-Leaf Day and use this as the ideal opportunity to kick start the gardening season. In fact, many make it Garden Re-Leaf weekend to help maximise the FUNdraising total across three days. So far this year, garden centre support has been confirmed by British Garden Centres, Millbrook Garden Centres, Thaxters Garden Centre, The Old Railway Line, Haskins Garden Centres, Perrywood, and Brookfields Garden Centre who will be undertaking an in-store cycle challenge.
Other activities
Leading TV sales channel, QVC, has vowed to once again support Garden Re-Leaf. This year QVC’s Garden Re-Leaf special will take place on March 4th, with a host of garden products up for grabs with proceeds from all sales heading straight to the Greenfingers charity.
How to get involved in Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023
Registration for the 2023 event is now live, and as already mentioned, Greenfingers is also on the look-out for sponsors of the event. To find out more please contact Linda Petrons by emailing linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk
FUNdraising ideas for Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023
Here’s just a few ways you can get involved and help Greenfingers to continue creating magical gardens in children’s hospices across the nation:
Plantathons are perfect for generating some buzz instore whilst simultaneously generating more stock and donating to Greenfingers. Previous events have included 12- and 24-hour Plantathons.
Hold a virtual quiz, with a minimum donation for all entrants.
Raffles and tombolas are a great way of getting lots of people involved. Gather prizes from around your store, or ask friends and colleagues to donate prizes, before selling raffle tickets ahead of the grand unveiling of the lucky winner!
Cake sales and coffee mornings – are simple yet effective FUNdraisers.
An online auction is a great way to raise funds and involve your friends and colleagues
Team up with friends and colleagues to complete a virtual walk or cycle challenge. Set yourselves a target – 100 miles for example – and work together to achieve it. Walk around your local area, on a treadmill, whatever it takes! Keep in touch via Zoom to keep the group enthusiasm going!
For more FUNdraising ideas or to obtain a copy of the 2023 fundraising pack drop Linda a line - she’d love to hear from you.
Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at Greenfingers, provides an update on those gardens that are currently underway across the country...
Autumn 2022 saw garden designer, Chris Forshaw, begin to transform the tired courtyard garden at Derian House, Chorley.
As the sun starts shining and the days stretch longer the nation is starting to think about their gardens again, but one organisation that has had gardens on its mind year-round is the children’s hospice garden charity – Greenfingers.
Here Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at Greenfingers, provides an update on those gardens that are currently underway across the country.
Haven House - Woodford Green, Essex
The official opening of the new garden at Haven House is set to take place on April 19th. This new ‘Reflective Garden’ – designed by award-winning RHS Chelsea designer, Tom Hoblyn and built by Stewarts Landscapes - has been designed to create a place where patients, families and friends, and even hospice staff can escape to away from the main hospice building.
Jigsaw Cumbria's Children's Hospice – Carlisle
Designed by Bruce Walker, work on the Jigsaw Cumbria’s Children Hospice in Carlisle began in early June 2022 with its official opening set to take place one year later in June 2023.
With the help of Ian Howe Landscapes, Bruce has been busy transforming a dull outdoor space into a fun and stimulating play area for children with complex disabilities and their families. A Cumbrian native himself, Bruce has created a cohesive design using the colours of the Jigsaw logo, featuring a ‘Green Jungle Garden’, ‘Yellow Wildlife Garden’ and an ‘Indigo Sensory Area’ for relaxation. This wonderful garden space will also include a bright blue art area, sage green play area and orange kitchen garden for growing herbs and experimenting with seeds and grow-your-own projects.
Derian House, Chorley
Autumn 2022 saw garden designer, Chris Forshaw, begin to transform the tired courtyard garden at Derian House into a beautiful area for the entire hospice community to enjoy. Before the build, the garden was only accessible via the main hospice building and bedrooms, which disrupts the crucial privacy of these areas. Tackling this issue has been the key priority of Chris’ design, where a mixture of interactive zones have been designed to link together via a central covered space. Imaginative and subdued lighting and extra seating, which maintains the privacy for bedrooms overlooking the garden, have also been incorporated into the design.
The garden is due to be officially opened by the Mayor of Chorley in June.
The Nook – Norfolk
Officially opened by HRH, The Duchess of Cambridge in 2019, The Nook is East Anglia’s Children Hospice’s (EACH) newest site. With a masterplan design created by Gold-medal winning designer Anne-Marie Powell, 2023 will see Greenfingers bring to life the Rest & Reflect Garden, located at the top of the site, where beautifully tranquil spaces will incorporate quiet corners where families can relax together.
This garden has only been possible thanks to generous donations from Clarins, as well as LOFA, the National Garden Scheme, Evergreen Garden Care, Rose Press Garden and designer, Anne Marie Powell and others.
IN THE PIPELINE
In addition to these ongoing projects, the Greenfingers Charity has more projects in the pipeline.
Demelza Hospice – Sittingbourne, Kent
Based in Sittingbourne, Kent, Demelza Hospice Care for Children is the site of Greenfingers’ first-ever garden. Designers Andrew Fisher Tomlin & Dan Bowyer from multi-award-winning garden designers, Fisher Tomlin & Bowyer, are leading the design where a full revamp is on the horizon. The design - once completed – is hoped to feature a bog garden, and a new wildlife safari that will feature wild meadow area pollinators, plus an ant walk and animal highway. This garden, which will become accessible to all those who spend time in the hospice, will also have, what is hoped to be, the largest bug hotel in the whole of Kent!
Additionally, Demelza Hospice is also earmarked to receive some elements from Baz Grainger’s 2021 RHS Hampton Court show garden.
Acorns Hospice, Walsall & Hope House, Oswestry
Currently undertaking an internal refurbishment, Greenfingers is poised to begin work on Acorn’s new garden space this year.
Elsewhere, at Hope House, Oswestry, where Greenfingers is working alongside landscape architect, Carolyn Willits, to create a masterplan design, within which Greenfingers will create one of the garden spaces.
Find out more
You can also join in the conversation by joining Greenfingers on social media - https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/, @GreenfingersCha on Twitter, and @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Management at Tong Garden Centre are celebrating after its first two apprentices have passed their qualifications.
Management at a Bradford Garden Centre are celebrating after its first two apprentices have passed their qualifications.
Nineteen- ear-old Alfie Taylor from Wyke was employed by Tong Garden Centre as a Plants Apprentice and studied at Shipley College to gain a Horticulture Operative Level 2 qualification and 27-year-old Brandon Cox from Birkenshaw has completed Level 2 Carpentry and Joinery with distinction.
Both attended their respective colleges one day a week and worked the remaining four days as Plants and Joinery Assistants respectively.
Of his achievement, Mr. Taylor said: "I'm so grateful to the People and Culture team at Tong for giving me this opportunity. It has given me horticultural knowledge and practical skills to carry out horticultural tasks and has helped me to plan my future career path. I would recommend apprenticeships to anyone wanting to earn while they learn."
Mr. Taylor's line manager, Marc Salama is delighted with his progress: "Alfie now has the ability and confidence to take responsibility for areas within the outdoor department, especially within landscaping and I'm confident he can teach a small group effectively. His knowledge base extends from chemicals and fertilisers to planting and maintenance, so he adds value to both the plants and the garden sundries departments.
Mr. Cox is proud of his achievements, having gained a distinction in both his portfolio and final assessment: "I really enjoy putting my new skills into practice each day and am very grateful for this opportunity. I'm enjoying the break from studying whilst considering if I will go on to complete further qualifications in carpentry and joinery."
His line manager, Kevin Smith said: "Brandon is always the first to get stuck into projects and now has the skills to do a wide range of jobs from building our award-winning display structures, creating a plant pot recycling station, completing shop fittings and helping to build our cabins at Mission Out, our adventure play area at Tingley Garden Centre."
Head of People and Culture, Neil Barwise-Carr said: "Apprenticeships at all levels are a great way to acquire skills whilst learning on the job. For the students, they're earning whilst they're learning, and for us, we have employees with valuable skills that they can build on to progress their career with us as we grow.
"We pride ourselves on nurturing our team and Alfie and Brandon are just two examples of people we have invested in. We are currently supporting a number of colleagues, including our Finance Manager, Harriet Kelly to acquire her Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) qualification and our People, Culture & Sustainability Business Partner, Steph Bates to gain a Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management.
For more information about career opportunities at Tong and other sites in the Yorkshire Garden Centres group that include Tingley, Otley and Bingley Garden Centres, visit yorkshiregardencentres.pinpointhq.com.
Entries are now open for the International Grower of the Year (IGOTY) Awards 2024, organised by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH)...
Entries are now open for the International Grower of the Year (IGOTY) Awards 2024, organised by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). Showcase your excellence and achievements in the industry by submitting an entry now.
Established in 2009 with the support of Founding Partner FloraCulture International (FCI), the awards celebrate best practice and recognise the ‘best of the best’ in the industry. Winners are the top ornamentals producers from around the world who demonstrate innovation and expertise.
The awards comprise five categories: finished plants and trees, young plants, cut flowers and bulbs, sustainability, and inspiring business. From among these categories, only one winner will be crowned the ‘AIPH International Grower of the Year 2024’ and receive the ‘Gold Rose’ - the industry’s most coveted prize.
In January 2023, Brookdale Treeland Nurseries Ltd (BTN) was announced as International Grower of the Year 2023 and won the Gold Rose award. BTN is one of the largest and most respected growers of garden plants in Canada. With four farms in Ontario and one in British Columbia, they have a land base of more than 800 acres.
Jason Rekker, National Production Manager for BTN, commented: “The level of competition here is extremely high and we’re humbled by that. There are so many fantastic growers here so it feels very special for us to be recognised in this way.”
Candidates can enter the IGOTY Awards 2024 online and entry closes on Friday 30th June 2023. Judging will then take place by a panel of industry experts who will access the entrants on five key criteria; economic performance, innovation, market insight, sustainability and human resources policy.
Augusto Solano, President of Asocolflores and IGOTY 2023 Judge, said: “This has become a very important event for the flower industry around the world and a point of reference. I want to invite companies to participate. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worthwhile.”
All winners will be announced at an Awards ceremony in January 2024 alongside IPM Essen. To find out more about the IGOTY Awards and to enter, visit the AIPH Website. For queries on entering the awards please contact: events@aiph.org
With the appointment of Dan Bird as Head Product Technologist, Ivyline is doubling down on this commitment to ensure every area is scrutinised and regulated...
Ivyline is on a mission to set the standard for uncompromising sustainable and ethical design across its garden and home product collections, and with the appointment of Dan Bird as Head Product Technologist, Ivyline is doubling down on this commitment to ensure every area is scrutinised and regulated.
In his new role, Dan will be responsible for thoroughly evaluating all Ivyline products for quality and safety standards, whilst also defining and upholding the company’s technical and ethical requirements from its suppliers.
Prior to joining Ivyline, Dan gained over 13 years’ experience at Trading Standards and latterly, over 20 years within the Quality and Technical departments at major retailers including Kingfisher and Sainsbury’s. It is this first-hand and almost unrivalled experience that Dan will be bringing to his new role at Ivyline; a role that has been exclusively created ahead of 2023 as sustainable practices and quality development underpin the ongoing growth plans for the brand.
Dan Bird said: “Ivyline is a superb brand that has made its intentions clear. I want my role to help feed into this journey and ensure that our product development delivers the right product every time. Longer term, I hope that I can create a structure that makes product and supplier approval processes more systematic so that we deliver consistent and measurable results. I’m also excited to bring Ivyline customers and suppliers on this journey with us towards a more sustainable future.”
Scott Thomas, Ivyline Managing Director added; “We are delighted to welcome Dan to the team. His long experience and great reputation in some of the UK’s largest retailers ensures that we leave no stone unturned in this journey. Our commitment to our staff and supply chain is unwavering to ensure all are cared for properly and the highest standards are maintained. Dan will supercharge the completion of a robust and thorough Ivyline standard that all partners sign up to which will be regulated and guided by leading accredited global inspectorate bodies. We are committed to continuous improvement in bringing the very best designed inspirational products to the market that are sourced and developed as they should be and manufactured as close to home as possible.”
Find out more
To find out more about Ivyline’s 2023/24 collections, or to book an appointment at Ivyline’s dedicated showroom please visit www.ivylinegb.co.uk, email sales@ivylinegb.co.uk or by calling 024 7633 9180.
Ten years ago this spring, a new brand entered the garden machinery market and fast became established as one of the leading players, rapidly becoming the go-to brand of choice for many gardeners across the UK...
Ten years ago this spring, a new brand entered the garden machinery market and fast became established as one of the leading players, rapidly becoming the go-to brand of choice for many gardeners across the UK.
The brand was launched by Nottingham-based, Henton & Chattell, one of the largest distributors of garden machinery in the UK with more than 1,500 dealerships across the country. Founded in 1931, the Henton & Chattell team used its unique market insight garnered from more than 80 years of being in the industry and knowing customer demands, to launch its own brand: Cobra.
Now, to celebrate the brand’s 10th birthday, Cobra is launching perhaps its biggest innovation yet with the introduction of its new ride-on lawn mowers this spring. This significant investment for Cobra really marks the next chapter for the brand. The ride-on mower range features eight models, aimed at helping those with larger lawns to mow with ease and comfort, at an affordable price.
Wanting to bring variety and an extensive range from day to always give customers the ideal solution no matter what size garden they had or task they were tackling, Cobra launched with a bang and an impressive 46 models from day one.
The Cobra range started with the electric GTRM range, which is still a key seller to this day. Followed shortly by the 2-stroke powered brushcutters, hedge trimmers and chainsaws. Instead of big seasonal launches, Cobra instead chose to take a continual approach to new product development and R&D and new products are regularly introduced to the range across all product categories and the range now consists of a staggering 160 products. Staying true to its lawncare specialism roots, 46% of these are lawnmowers – making Cobra the largest powered lawnmower brand in the UK.
Electric handheld machinery was one of the first category expansions in 2014, with hedgetrimmers, leaf blowers and grass strimmers being launched.
A momentous key product development for Cobra was the launch of its battery mower range in 2015, with the MX4140V leading the way, which was followed soon after by the battery handhold range of 24-volt products in 2016 and 40-volt in 2017. The interchangeable battery technology enables gardeners and customers loyal to the Cobra brand, to have battery-powered hedge trimmers, blowers, chainsaws and mowers, all powered by one battery – alleviating the need for petrol power or electric cables.
Over time, the range has continued to expand and now, alongside Cobra’s extensive offering of wider lawncare products such as robotic mowers, scarifiers and aerators, the range also features pressure washers, generators, shredders, cultivators, chippers, multitools and brushcutters.
Notable highlights in the Cobra journey include its limited-edition pink lawnmower that was launched in partnership with Breast Cancer Now in 2019 and has raised more than £20,000 for the charity. Alongside that, Cobra products have received wide recognition and accolades with multiple awards, “best buy” features and endorsements.
Discussing the brand’s growth and success, managing director of Cobra, Peter Chaloner commented: “We are so thrilled with the success of Cobra over the past 10 years, the response and demand from customers has been incredible. We’re really excited about the next chapter with the new ride-on tractors and have lots more product development in the pipeline for the future too.”
“We’ve seen across our nationwide dealer network of Cobra stockists that the demand is very positive and we’re committed to bringing even more products to our dealers. We are 100% focused on supporting our dealers.”
Gates Garden Centre has won the award for Rutland & Melton’s Favourite Independent Shop, as well as picking up the Best Garden Centre accolade. Jack Gates receives the awards from local MP Alicia Kearns.
In January Alicia Kearns, MP Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton, opened voting for her annual competition to find Rutland and Melton's favourite independent shop. This year's competition saw seven hundred nominations submitted across 15 categories, and over 19,000 residents voted.
Alicia, said: “We are so lucky to have an incredible number of independent shops across Rutland, Melton, the Vale and Harborough villages and this is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate these wonderful businesses and their contribution to our local economy. The competition seeks not just to celebrate, but to help raise the profile of our wonderful independent shops!"
It has been announced that Gates Garden Centre not only won Best Garden Centre in the awards, but also the overall winner and is now officially Rutland & Melton’s Favourite Independent Shop.
Jack Gates commented: “A big thank you to Alicia for organising the Favourite Independent Shop Awards and helping raise the profile of this sector. Of course, we’re incredibly proud to have been so successful and it’s a credit to our hard-working team here that we’ve provided a shopping experience and retail environment that our customers have enjoyed and recognised in the Awards.”
Alicia Kearns MP commented: “Huge congratulations to Gates Garden Centre who are the overall winner and winner of Best Garden Centre in Rutland and Melton’s Favourite Independent Shop Awards 2022-3!
With over 1,300 votes this award is so well deserved and the team have done the most amazing job to grow this garden centre into one of the largest in the country! I know that Gates is a firm favourite in households across Rutland, Melton, the Vale and Harborough villages.”
The awards were voted for by members of the public. Here are some of the comments made about Gates Garden Centre:
“Friendly staff, great fresh produce, local produce, great service.”
“It's our once a month day out for us. Great food, lots of gift ideas, plants, clothes & shoes, farm shop & now also has Lakeland.”
“Everything you need one place, amazing fresh produce in the farm shop, plenty of concessions from fashion, pets and toys, excellent Christmas and seasonal shopping, plenty of gift ideas and availability and great cafe and restaurant to grab a quick bite to eat or sit down meal.”
“Has a wide variety of beautiful gifts and plants, something for everyone.”
“The most healthy plants, a huge selection to choose from, wonderful home and giftware, the best Christmas department for miles, authentic local food and drink in the farm shop, great restaurant and most important the very best customer service I have ever experienced. We are so lucky to have this gem on our doorstop.”
“Great Christmas displays for the children! Good local produce and has everything to offer for the local community.”
“It's absolutely brilliant. So much to see, great value and nice staff.”
“Fantastic range of home and garden products and great customer service.”
“So much to offer in one space, we love to spend an afternoon there grabbing a coffee, mooching around- especially in the seasonal section which is always amazing especially at Xmas. Then we can pop into the farm shop to get a nice dinner and drinks to take home with us. We often travel an hour to get here because we love it so much.”
“Lovely Christmas display plenty to see. Great restaurant.”
Fran Barnes, CEO of the Horticultural Trades Association, has responded to the Scottish Government’s launch of its consultation on ending the sale of peat in Scotland...
Responding to the Scottish Government’s launch of its consultation on ending the sale of peat in Scotland, Fran Barnes, CEO of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) commented:
“The horticulture sector in Scotland and the rest of the UK supports the move away from peat. We will engage with this consultation on behalf of our members who have already made great strides in transitioning away from the use of peat; we are now at an historic low as a proportion of peat use for the industry (30% in bagged compost at retail and 51.7% in professional use). But trials have seen varying results, and progress won’t always be straightforward. We welcome the Scottish Government’s consultation on the matter, and the opportunity to set out the complexities involved in the use of peat as a growing media.
“In particular we welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to exploring possible exemptions to any ban. We would also emphasise the importance of ensuring legal consistency with the rest of the UK, to avoid internal markets becoming skewed.
“Any government considering legislation to ban peat use should ensure they are ready to support the horticultural sector to develop responsibly-sourced alternatives, which do not jeopardise the sustainability or price of the growing media, nor affect the quality of the crop produced. Facilitating research and development and knowledge exchange on best practice for growing peat-free is an absolutely essential part of this process. We need the Government’s support to ensure the transition away from peat enables Scotland’s horticulture sector to play its vital role in contributing to the country’s net-zero targets, while remaining competitive and sustainable as a business sector.
“As we have done in relation to the upcoming retail sales ban in England, we will continue to work closely with the Scottish Government on this matter and work with our members in Scotland to help them prepare for any potential peat ban.”
Registering your event only takes a few minutes and doing so enables you to request a host of fundraising support tools including branded t-shirts, balloons and collection boxes to ensure that your day (or weekend!) of fundraising goes with a bang, drawing in crowds from all over.
Those looking to tackle the ever-popular Garden Re-Leaf Sponsored Walk and Cycle Challenge – including the newly introduced North Walk - also have dedicated pages for those wishing to take part to register. Registering online provides the organising team with essential information to ensure your safety during the challenge.
Additionally, registering your event – whether it’s joining the Sponsored Walk, holding a cake sale of coffee morning, or tackling a feat of endurance - ensures that the Greenfingers Charity can maintain contact with all its amazing fundraisers and, importantly, keep a running total of monies raised (don’t forget to set up a JustGiving page to help support your efforts). It also enables Greenfingers to give all supporters a shout-out on social media and in the press so don’t shy away from your moment in the spotlight!
So don’t forget, whatever you are doing this March 24th make sure you let the Greenfingers team know.
Find out more
Visit www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk/get-involved/gardenreleaf to find out more about Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023 and to sign-up to one of the organised events or to register your own fundraising activity. Alternatively, email Greenfingers’ new Events & Digital Fundraiser, Craig Field, at craig@greenfingerscharity.org.uk to obtain a 2023 fundraising pack.
The Bransford Webbs Plant Company welcomed over 100 customers to their Worcestershire site this week, for their ‘Plant Retailing: A Sustainable Future’ day, in conjunction with New Leaf Plants...
The Bransford Webbs Plant Company welcomed over 100 customers to their Worcestershire site this week, for their ‘Plant Retailing: A Sustainable Future’ day, in conjunction with New Leaf Plants.
The day saw attendees visit the nursery for a guided tour, talks by Simon Blackhurst on the ‘Transition Away from Peat’, Karl O’Neill on ‘Integrated Crop Management’ and New Leaf Plants on ‘Preparing Climbers for the Season Ahead’, and a mini trolley fair.
During the event Bransford Webbs also promoted their sustainable practices. To bring together these practices in one place, an online publication has been launched – ‘Sustainable Growing at The Bransford Webbs Plant Company’. This can be downloaded from their newly refreshed website, www.bransfordwebbs.co.uk and will be emailed out to current customers over the next few days.
Through the trade zone of the website customers can also access up to date availability lists, the webshop and an online image library.
The sustainability booklet will only be available as a digital copy, making it sustainable, outlining six main areas – Growing Media, Biological Control, Energy, Water, Recycle & Reuse and Our Team.
“The success of these open days highlights the desire from our customers to learn more about the sustainable measures we are taking to grow the plants that we supply,” commented Adrian Marskell, Managing Director. “This is something that affects us all and shows the importance of working together.”
Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts...
Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.
The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra newsletter.
As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2018 as well as 2019 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.
Access is by subscription only. For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales. To subscribe call 07973 504214, e-mail karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.
WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers. Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.
Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.
GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £100m.
Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.
Click on the links below to see The Greatest Christmas Awards judges photo tours of the 17 Gold Award winning garden centres at Christmas 2022:
Altons - The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team, Barton Grange - The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team & The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team, Blue Diamond Newbridge - The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team, Gates - The Greatest Gardening Gifts Sales Team, Gouldings Santa Experience - The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team, Groves Bridport - The Greatest Christmas Community Event Team, Klondyke High Legh - The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team, Little Dobbies Richmond - The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team, Longacres Bagshot - The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team, Meadowcroft - The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team, Pengelly - The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team, Pugh's Radyr - The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team, Pugh's Wenvoe - The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team, Rosebourne Aldermaston - The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team, Rosebourne Weyhill - The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team, The Old Railway Line - The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video, Woodlands Ash - The Greatest Festive Garden Centre Catering Team
Click on the links below to see The Greatest Christmas Awards judges photo tours of the 17 Gold Award winning garden centres at Christmas 2022:
Altons - The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team, Barton Grange - The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team & The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team, Blue Diamond Newbridge - The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team, Gates - The Greatest Gardening Gifts Sales Team, Gouldings Santa Experience - The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team, Groves Bridport - The Greatest Christmas Community Event Team, Klondyke High Legh - The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team, Little Dobbies Richmond - The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team, Longacres Bagshot - The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team, Meadowcroft - The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team, Pengelly - The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team, Pugh's Radyr - The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team, Pugh's Wenvoe - The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team, Rosebourne Aldermaston - The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team, Rosebourne Weyhill - The Greatest Christmas Marketing Team, The Old Railway Line - The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video, Woodlands Ash - The Greatest Festive Garden Centre Catering Team
One garden centre re-ordered a full stand deal – 252 pieces after two days of sales and has since re-ordered a second stand for their centre.
It has been confirmed that this June (27th-29th, NEC Birmingham) visual merchandising expert, Debbie Flowerday, will become a mentor for Glee’s all-new Talent Store - the ultimate industry showcase for emerging retailer and visual merchandising talent. 
Discussing the brand’s growth and success, managing director of Cobra, Peter Chaloner commented: “We are so thrilled with the success of Cobra over the past 10 years, the response and demand from customers has been incredible. We’re really excited about the next chapter with the new ride-on tractors and have lots more product development in the pipeline for the future too.”
Responding to the Scottish Government’s launch of its consultation on ending the sale of peat in Scotland, Fran Barnes, CEO of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) commented:
Registering your event only takes a few minutes and doing so enables you to request a host of fundraising support tools including branded t-shirts, balloons and collection boxes to ensure that your day (or weekend!) of fundraising goes with a bang, drawing in crowds from all over.
