Nine ground-breaking new garden products have been confirmed as the winners of the coveted Glee New Product Awards 2015, with Baksaver Barrows (above) winning the Glee Innovation Award.

Selected from hundreds of entries before Glee opened its doors (14th – 16th September, NEC Birmingham), the winning products were chosen by an expert panel of judges representing independent and multiple retailers, the media and international suppliers.

Entries were submitted into nine key garden retail categories, comprising:

• Best Garden Care (Accessories) Product
• Best Machinery and Tool Product
• Best Plants, Seeds, and Bulbs Product
• Best Garden Care (Chemicals, Fertilisers and Compost) Products
• Best Pet and Wildlife Product
• Best Leisure Product
• Best Catering and Speciality Product
• Best Landscaping and Construction Product
• Innovation Award 

One further award – the Retailers' Choice Award – will be announced on Wednesday (16th September) morning at 10:00am.  Retailers visiting the Glee New Product display are invited to vote for their favourite product after viewing the entries on display.  Voting is open now and shall close on Tuesday evening.

An additional ‘Innovation Award’ was also added to the award programme for 2015. Created in response to industry feedback, this new award celebrates true innovation from the 500+ exhibitors which will be filling Glee in 2015.  

Judges considered each entry on a challenging range of criteria, including innovation, design, quality, environmental credentials, pricing and retail potential – resulting in some hot debates and close runners-up in a number of categories.

On the judging panel were: Brian Archibald (Coolings), Tony Kersey (Homebase), Marcus Cousins (Aylett Nurseries), Kevin Waters (The Garden Works), Conna Powles (Haskins), Michelle de Lavis-Trafford (Choice), Gábor Knorr (British Garden), Yvonne Ritchie (Brechin Castle), Trevor Pfeiffer (Garden Trade News), Susan Fairley, Matthew Mein and Saul Leese (i2i Events).

All entries can be found in a single central located ‘new products hub’ within the heart of Glee’s location with halls 17 – 20.

Winners’ round-up

Best Garden Care (Accessories) Product

Winner: Cloud Controller, Hozelock

First runner up: Solar Powered Eureka! Lightbulb lantern, Smart Garden Products Ltd

Second runner up: 3 Pattern Spray Ball

Best Machinery and Tools Product

Winner: Baksaver Barrow, Baksaver Barrows

First runner up: Batavia Multishifter

Second runner up: Duraball, The Walsall Wheelbarrow Company Ltd

Best Plants, Seeds and Bulbs

Winner: Raspberry Ruby Beauty, Wyevale Nurseries

First runner up: Nemesia Sunpeddle Painted Rose, Channel Island Plants (UK) Ltd

Second runner up: Gro-Sure Sow Smart, Westland Horticulture

Best Garden Care Chemicals, Fertilisers and Composts Product

Winner: Sylvagrow Compost 100%, Melcourt Industries

First runner up: Rootgrow Ericoid Mycorrhizal Fungi, Plantgrow

Second runner up: Sea Maid Calcified Seaweed Meal, Mydas

Best Pet & Wildlife Product

Winner:  Loktop 2 Port Mealworm Feeder, Petface

First runner up: Tweetie Feeder, VegTrug

Second runner up: Hobnail glass bird range, Fallen Fruits

Best Home, Gift & Clothing

Winner: Occasions Gift Range, Spear & Jackson

First runner up: Lovers Umbrella, Fallen Fruits

Second runner up: Buttacup Flow

Best Leisure Product

Winner: Outdoor pouffe, Fallen Fruits

First runner up: ONJA, Rosker Ltd

Second runner up: Solar Bulb Stake and String Lights, Gardman

Third runner up: Brighton Corner Arbour, Zest 4 Leisure

Best Catering & Speciality Food Product

Winner: Findlater's Gluten Free Bread

Runner up: Smoke It All

Best Landscaping & Construction

Winner: Miniature World Range, Vivid Arts

First runner up: RHS Gardeners Collection, Kelkay

Second runner up: Noocity Growbed

i2i’s Matthew Mein, Glee event manager confirmed: “We were delighted that so many superb, new products were entered for this year’s Glee New Products, and offer many congratulations to the worthy winners.  Our thanks also go to the judges who so kindly lent their valuable time and expertise.”

See more details about the Glee New Product Showcase winners in the Glee Daily News Onmibus issue and the October issue of Garden Trade News.