Mike Tomkins, runner up in last year’s MasterChef, has joined BBQ magazine’s Partnerships team and will be attending SOLEX on Tuesday (July 12). 

Since his great run to the MasterChef final, Mike has followed his passion for live-fire cooking and has hosted a number of supper clubs and pop-up events focusing on barbecue food.

BBQ magazine Partnerships director David Taylor said: “Our Consultant Editor Marcus Bawdon will also be at SOLEX judging and cooking, as well as Editor Rupert Bates and we are all looking forward to talking to exhibitors and visitors about their future plans.”

Mike and BBQ magazine can be found in the Loving Outdoor Living Zone at SOLEX.

Read more about Solex 2022 in the SOLEX SUN

Over three days next week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, June 12, 13, 14) the Summer Outdoor Living Exhibition (SOLEX) staged at the NEC, Birmingham will have everything you need to help your customers get summer ready next year.

From luxury dining sets to subtle lighting, exhibitors at SOLEX will be displaying the newest and most stylish lines in the hottest on-trend colours. Live demonstrations in the Loving Outdoor Living Zone is the place for ideas and inspiration to boost barbecue and outdoor cooking sales.

For the latest in all things to make precious time spent outside comfortable, fun and relaxing, you need to be at SOLEX.

As with all trade events, everyone is looking forward to returning to a physical show where you can meet and talk to the teams face-to-face and see, touch and appreciate all the products for real. But it’s not all about what’s new and exciting. 

The sustainability message is being broadcast loud and clear with companies working hard throughout the whole supply chain, from sourcing through to manufacturing and packaging. 

They are keen to tell you how they are progressing on their journeys to meet targets and gain certification…and these stories can be great sales pitches to pass onto your customers as they make their buying decisions.

Read more about Solex 2022 in the SOLEX SUN

Vitax has added to its specialist liquid feed range for 2023 with the launch of three, new specialist feeds.

Joining the already popular liquid fertiliser range will be Liquid Hydrangea Feed, Liquid Buxus Feed and Organic Lawn Feed.

Liquid Hydrangea Feed has been formulated to ensure hydrangeas thrive in all types of soils and situations and receive all the essential nutrients required for vibrant and strong healthy growth.

Ideal for use in peat-free composts, free-draining growing media and soil with varying pH, Liquid Hydrangea Feed contains potash to encourage abundant blooms, nitrogen for strong growth and rich leaf colour. Low-levels of iron and manganese have also been added to the formulation to ensure the availability of trace elements – essential for chlorophyll production

Liquid Buxus Feed is the second new addition to the range, created to help gardeners keep their common box or buxus in tip-top condition. Ideal for buxus planted in pots and containers or in the ground, it is the perfect solution for consumers looking for a regularfertiliser as part of their ‘little and often’ feeding regime.

Liquid Buxus Feed contains nitrogen for strong growth and added magnesium to enhance chlorophyll production for rich green foliage.The addition of both nitrogen and magnesium helps to produce stronger buxus to fight disease.

The final member of the trio is Organic Lawn Feed. Made from natural, plant-based ingredients, it is a chemical-free concentrated solution containing all the natural nutrients required for healthy growth. It also helps protect lawns against drought and helps to fight off moss and weeds.

All three feeds are available in a weatherproof, recyclable bottle which can be merchandised outdoors to provide the perfect linked-sale opportunity.

E: sales@vitax.co.uk

T: 01530 510060

W: www.gardenworld.co.uk

Over the past couple of years, gardening has grown in popularity for a range of people, including city dwellers who want to make the most of whatever green space they have available, no matter how small.

New gardeners who live in the city need gardening equipment that allows them to tend to a range of gardening needs while respecting the requirements of their smaller outdoor spaces.

This presents an opportunity for garden retailers to promote the latest innovations in versatile gardening solutions for smaller garden spaces, which includes the new Hozelock City bag. 

The Hozelock City bag, which has an RRP of £44.99, includes the essentials for new gardeners with small outdoor spaces such as balconies, terraces, and small gardens. 

To offer users versatility when gardening, the Hozelock City bag includes a 7.5m Superhoze and a Rose Spray gun. Gardeners also have the option of pairing the Superhoze with a Hozelock indoor tap connector, which is ideal for those without convenient access to an outdoor tap.

The gardening essentials are housed within a versatile and durable bag which is designed to help gardeners with a range of tasks, from weeding and pruning to watering and storage solutions.

Commenting on the launch of the new Hozelock City bag, Hozelock’s UK and International Marketing Manager, Sarah Dixon, said: “At Hozelock, we’re committed to offering a diverse range of products to suit all different types of gardens and for gardeners of all abilities, and we’re delighted to announce the launch of the new Hozelock City bag; providing the essentials a start-up gardener needs. 

“We were delighted to showcase the new City bag at Spoga + Gafa and GLEE last month and received a fantastic response from our customers, retailers and the press, helping to generate interest ahead of the official launch in January 2023.” 

Hozelock will also be offering the City Plus bag, with an RRP of £60, which features a 15m Superhoze, Rose Spray gun and a Multi Sprinkler, making it an ideal for city gardens with a small lawn.

Despite the cooler weather at the start of the month and a Jubilee weekend that encouraged customers to party at home rather than visit garden centres total volume sales for the month were 15% higher than the average volume sales for the month between 2012 and 2019.

So, we reach the half year point with total sales volumes in the GTN Bestsellers Epos database up on 2021 by 0.6% and 16.8% ahead of 2019.  

Whilst total sales revenues may be down year on year due to the lower levels of furniture and BBQ sales the volume sales indicate a continued increase in gardening activity compared with years pre the pandemic.

That increased activity and a shift in the profile of gardeners appeared to be a major driver for the huge amount of R&D and innovation that was on show at Glee last week.

The Glee New Product Award judges certainly had a hard time deciding on the winners as there were many very good new products among the 300 plus entries.

Congratulations to all of the winners.  The full list of winners will be in GTN’s August issue and then a directory of all the products entered will feature in the September issue.

In the meantime, see you at Solex next week!

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2021: week 26.

• Garden Products Top 50 – down 21%
• Growing Media Top 50 – down 11%
• Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – down 4%
• Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 19%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2021: week 26

• All Plants with Barcode index – down 11%
• All Items with Barcode index – down 6%
•  

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

All plant sales volumes dropped by 27% compared with June 2021 but were 7% ahead of June 2019.

Year to date at the end of June sees the GTN Bestseller All Plant sales volume index at 7% down on 2021, 76% up on 2020 and 10% up on 2019.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

(From left to right) Horticulturalist and Head of Growing Karin Williams, Joint Chairman at Wyevale Nurseries, Heather Williamson, Finance Director, Les Pettitt and Payroll and Credit Control Manager, Diana Barber with their medals from the Three Counties Agricultural Society for 30 and 40-years continuous service at Wyevale Nurseries.

Six current and one retired team member from Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford have recently been recognised for notching-up more than 30 or 40 years of long service with the company.

Alan Hopkins, Russell Abell, Diana Barber, Michael Smith, Les Pettitt, Patrick Lewis and Karin Williams have all been praised for their continuous service, totalling a collective more than 230 years.

Joint Chairman at Wyevale Nurseries, Heather Williamson, whose grandfather started the business 92 years ago, said: “Huge congratulations and a big thank you to our magnificent seven for their sterling commitment to our success and for their tremendous support to their colleagues and our customers through the decades.

“Five of the seven were recently presented with either silver or bronze medals to celebrate their achievements from the Three Counties Agricultural Society in June.

“Alan, who has now retired, received a silver medal for more than 40 years long service and Diana, Les, Patrick and Karin were presented with bronze medals for 30 years or more of service. Russell, Alan and Diana should have received their awards in 2020 and Les in 2021, but due to Covid this wasn’t possible.

“Russell, who has been with us for 45 years now, and Michael for 32 years were unable to attend the awards ceremony, so have yet to collect long service medals, but have, nevertheless, given their all to us and are stalwarts of the company.

“Our seven together have given a collective 230 plus years of service to us, which is wonderful. We can’t thank them enough for their continued hard work and dedication. They are highly skilled and experienced individuals and we’re so lucky to have them as part of our team.

“Russell is our Despatch Manager. He has an incredibly detailed knowledge of our customers’ requirements and will always go that extra mile to deliver an outstanding service to everyone.

Above left: Alan Hopkins, now retired, who was the Goods Handling Manager at Wyevale Nurseries with his Silver Medal for long service. Above right: Stock Controller Patrick Lewis with his Bronze Medal for long service at Wyevale Nurseries.

“Alan was our Goods Handling Manager and worked with three generations of my family. He started in 1980 and spent his first 10 years driving our lorries and doing deliveries nationwide. He also helped set up the show gardens at the Garden Festivals of Liverpool, Stoke, Glasgow and Ebbw Vale. He then moved to our Despatch Yard and trained countless colleagues on the correct way to handle and safely load trees and shrubs. He was a tremendous team player and we would also like to take this opportunity to wish him all the very best for his retirement.

“There are very few jobs that Patrick has not undertaken here in his 30 years of service with us. He has worked in Propagation, Crop Protection, Irrigation and more. Patrick is hugely experienced and has exceptional plant knowledge. His current role is in Stock Control, where he combines his knowledge with ensuring our customers receive the quantities they need.”

Karin joined Wyevale Nurseries’ Propagation Department after studying horticulture at college. For many years she specialised in propagating and growing herbaceous plants.

“Her level of technical knowledge has always been outstanding. After many years working in propagation, she moved to our growing team, working on stock for garden centres and landscape customers.

“Through the years, Karin met her husband Justin, who also works for us, and their daughter Charlotte now works here too. Karin currently heads up growing and is central to ensuring the stock we send our customers is excellent quality. Karin is an outstanding horticulturalist and has given so much to us over the decades. She is also very happy to pass on her knowledge to our next generation of plantspeople too.”

Diana is Wyevale Nurseries’ Payroll and Credit Control Manager. She comes from a farming background and in 1989 moved from north Herefordshire to Hereford after marrying a farmer from the area.

“She joined us in the same year, initially, as receptionist but after a short time moved to a position in the Accounts Department. She has undertaken a variety of roles within the department including overseeing payroll and the purchase and sales ledgers. She is currently our Credit Controller, as well as still running payroll. She is extremely dedicated team member and has on occasions, during floods, even arrived at work in her husband’s tractor!”

Michael started as a seasonal worker in Wyevale Nurseries’ Field Production Section in the 1980s and became full-time in 1990 in the Propagation/Liner Unit. He stayed there until 1995 when he transferred to work with the company’s tree department.

Heather adds: “Michael is a very knowledgeable grower and an expert at tree pruning. He’s an invaluable team member who has contributed significantly to the success of our Tree Division, and we’re indebted to him for his hard work and commitment.

“Our Finance Director, Les started working for us in 1991 and has played a very important part in managing our accounts and business opportunities. Our organisation has evolved significantly through the years and Les has been an excellent, supportive member of the board. He’s also been instrumental in ensuring our good financial governance. We’re very grateful to him for all his dedication and input, which has been invaluable.”

Wyevale Nurseries is a member of The Three Counties Agricultural Society, which issues medals to people who have completed continuous service to horticulture or agriculture with the same employer or holding company.

The society is a registered charity working for rural industry, the environment and countryside life. It is committed to supporting farmers, growers and horticulturists in the region and developing understanding between urban and rural communities.

Wyevale Nurseries main business is to supply garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.

For further details, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk. 

Calling all golfers, the forthcoming Horticultural Golfing Society’s Captain’s Charity Day (August 19th) is looking for more players, with the day raising vital funds for the Greenfingers Charity. 

Formed in 1929, the prestigious Horticultural Golfing Society’s membership is made up of 75% from the horticultural sector and allied industries with the 25% being friends of those horticultural members. New members must be proposed and seconded by members and must also have an official club handicap of 28 or less. 

The forthcoming Captain’s Charity Day will take place at Moor Park Golf Course in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. Crowned Golf Club of the Year at the Club Mirror Awards 2019 and the proud winner of 59 Club’s Service Excellence Award, Moor Park Golf Club is one of the most impressive private members clubs in the UK. This year the Captain’s Charity Day will see players tackle Moor Park’s 18-hole, 72-par ‘High Course’.

Roger Head from the Horticultural Golfing Society – newly confirmed as Sterling Ambassadors for Greenfingers Silver Anniversary Appeal – said: “We are proud to continue to support the Greenfingers Charity and the amazing work they undertake within children’s hospices across the country. The forthcoming Charity Day is testament to this fact, and we hope that others from the horticultural industry will be inspired to join us to not only increase our fundraising total but to network with others from our sector. It’s set to be a great day!” 

Talking about the event, Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at the Greenfingers Charity added: “Our sincerest thanks to the Horticultural Golfing Society for their continued support, it really does mean the world to us and those hospices we work with. We wish you the very best for your Charity Day and strongly urge golfers from across the horticultural sector to join in the fun as I am sure it will be an unforgettable experience.”

Get involved

Anyone interested in joining the Horticultural Golfing Society can find more information at www.thehorticulturalgolfingsociety.co.uk. Participation in the Captain’s Charity Day costs £150, including a bacon rolls/coffee on arrival, a three-course dinner and a donation to the Greenfingers charity.

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.  

As we head into the summer, the Greenfingers Charity is delighted to reveal that several new projects are well underway with one approaching completion and more in the pipeline for later this year. Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at Greenfingers, provides an update on the work of the charity undertaken so far in 2022.

Much has happened with the rest of the country throughout the pandemic, hospice communities relied on their gardens more than ever before during lockdowns. We are pleased to see that this trend has continued as the country opens up and people came to truly appreciate the benefits of beautiful and tranquil outdoor spaces.

With this increased usage came an increased burden of cost, however, especially now the cost-of-living crisis is affecting all walks of life in the UK. Whereas at one time the average cost of a Greenfingers Charity garden was between £30-£50k, the rising costs of materials and the complexity of our garden builds, means they now cost in the region of £100-£150k. 

Creating gardens would not be possible without the ongoing fundraising efforts of our incredible supporters in the gardening industry and beyond, to whom we owe heartfelt thanks for the generous contributions which are allowing more seriously ill children and their families than ever before to benefit from a lovely outdoor space, close to nature.

This quarter we are also delighted to report that we have appointed a new Garden Projects Manager, Jo Murray, who is working alongside our Freelance Garden Project Manager, Joanne Kennedy, to help deliver some of the amazing projects that are now underway or in the pipeline.   

FORTHCOMING GARDENS

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 and is expected to be completed in July. 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 also includes 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

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, Greenfingers will bring two new gardens within the master plan to life.  Firstly, The Rest & Reflect Garden, located at the top of the site, has only been possible thanks to a generous donation from the lead sponsor, Clarins. This beautifully tranquil space incorporates quiet corners where families can relax together. 

The second part of The Nook project is The Nest, which is being supported by fundraising from Evergreen Garden Care. As well as their superb efforts on Garden Re-Leaf Day, the London Landmarks Half Marathon and at the 2021 and 2022 Chelsea Flower Shows, the Evergreen team will also be embarking on the Three Peaks Challenge later this year. These two new gardens will be connected by wheelchair-accessible pathways designed to encourage participation, funded by invaluable support from LOFA, My Real Garden, Garden Re-Leaf Day and others.

Demelza Hospice – Sittingbourne, Kent

Based in Sittingbourne, Kent, Demelza Hospice Care for Children is the site of Greenfingers’ first-ever garden. Taking charge of the design for a new part of the hospices outside space is designer Andrew Fisher Tomlin from multi-award-winning garden designers, Fisher Tomlin & Bowyer. The new garden will be given a full revamp by Andrew and his team, including works to the pond and a new wildlife safari featuring wild meadow area pollinators, plus an ant walk and animal highway.  This garden, which will be accessible to all those who spend time in the hospice, will also have the largest bug hotel in the whole of Kent! 

Part of this newly refreshed garden space may look familiar to some, thanks to the inclusion of some elements from Baz Grainger’s 2021 RHS Hampton Court show garden.

Derian House, Chorley

Come the autumn, garden designer, Chris Forshaw, will begin transforming the tired courtyard garden at Derian House into a beautiful area for hospice residents and their families. At present, the garden here is only accessed via the main hospice building and bedrooms, which disrupts the crucial privacy of these areas. Tackling this issue was a key priority of Chris’ design, where a mixture of interactive zones will be linked together by 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. 

IN THE PIPELINE

In addition to these ongoing projects, the Greenfingers charity has more projects in the pipeline. 

The first of these is at Acorns Hospice, Walsall. The hospice is currently undergoing a refurbishment inside the building and, once this is complete, Greenfingers is looking forward to working with the team to bring the new interior look and feel into the outdoor garden space. 

The second project coming up is at Hope House, Oswestry, where Greenfingers will be working with the hospice to create an exciting new masterplan design for their entire outside space. Once a plan has been settled upon, the Greenfingers team will go on to create a holistic garden within the grounds of the hospice. 

Finally, the charity is also expecting more new applications from a host of other hospices where discussions have recently been opened. Additionally, the charity is also revisiting older Greenfingers gardens to ensure they continue to thrive and can be enjoyed by the entire hospice community. This has only been possible thanks to a generous donation from a private donor. Helen & Douglas House in Oxford, Keech Hospice Care in Luton and Richard House in East London have recently benefitted from the initiative.  

COMPLETED GARDENS

Ty Hafan - Vale of Glamorgan

Greenfingers’ 63^rd garden, completed in November 2021, had its opening ceremony on Wednesday, April 27^th. The new sensory garden – designed by Victoria Wade – offers year-round accessibility and is designed to encourage biodiversity, sustainability, and wildlife, helping the children to connect with the natural world. The Greenfingers charity is grateful to The Heritage Lottery, the Postcode Lottery and many more friends of the charity for supporting this project. 

Haven House - Woodford Green, Essex

At Haven House in Woodford Green, Essex, the Greenfingers charity helped to create a ‘place to escape to’ for the patients, families, and friends, as well as the staffing team. The new Reflective Garden was designed by award-winning RHS Chelsea designer, Tom Hoblyn and built by Stewarts Landscapes. The work has now been completed and is helping to breathe new life into an unused area of woodland at the rear of the hospice.  An official opening ceremony is due to take place in September. 

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.  

The ever-popular ecofective portfolio of pesticide-free garden care essentials – exclusively available from Sipcam Home & Garden - has been further expanded with three exciting new products that support happy plants, happy planet and even raises funds for the incredible Greenfingers charity (as well as winning the company a Glee New Product award!)

ecofective Basket and Tub Feed

Fresh for the 2023 season, Sipcam will see 50p from the sale of every bottle of the high-quality, organic-based ecofective® Basket and Tub Feed (RRP £7.49) donated to the Greenfingers charity, helping them to continue to build therapeutic gardens at children’s hospices across the country.

This specialist feed actively encourages nutrient uptake to enhance plant development and promote healthy and abundant growth. Suitable for use in hanging baskets as well as tub grown flowers, fruits and vegetables, a single 1.5L bottle can supply enough feed for 50 watering cans, making it a long-lasting and reliable feed throughout the summer months. Like all ecofective® products, Basket & Tub Feed is safe to use around children, pets and beneficial insects including bees.

Available to all trade customers, the hope is that the ongoing popularity of gardening and container gardening in particular, will help the company to hand over a sizeable cheque to the charity.

Talking about the all-new Basket and Tub Feed, Nigel Thompson, Head of Sales at Sipcam Home & Garden said:“Our industry has adopted Greenfingers as its charity of choice, and we are proud to offer our ongoing support to them as they continue to build even more therapeutic garden spaces in children’s hospices across the country. We sincerely hope that our special edition Basket and Tub Feed, and our relationship with our trade customers, will pay dividends for the charity both this season and beyond.”

Happy plants and happy planet with all-new Organic Superfood & Peat-Free Compost Booster

Launched exclusively at Glee 2022, two further introductions have also officially joined the ecofective® family, with both scooping this year’s Glee New Product Awards – Best Growing Materials category.

The first is pelletised Organic Superfood, which takes its inspiration from the nutritional superfood market and the power of superfoods for positively impacting our wellbeing.

Offering a complete package of essential nutrients, all-new Organic Superfood has an NPK of 5-4-3 and is packed full of natural biostimulants, magnesium and organic matter. Each 800g box will help up to 40 plants, seedlings and potting plants thrive no matter the soil type or external condition.

Last but by no means least, the final product boosting the ecofective® portfolio ahead of the 2023 season is Peat-Free Compost Booster.

Created to partner with peat-free compost suppliers and to drive up the average basket spend and increase consumer engagement and confidence with peat-free growing media, this carefully balanced compost booster is full of all the essential nutrients plants need to grow within peat-free compost, including an NPK of 5-4-3 to enable greater growth and strong plants. Available in powder form, gardeners can easily mix it into the compost.

Peat-Free Compost Booster will benefit from informative labelling to help consumers at the point of sale. With weather-proof packaging, the Sipcam team has created something which can be quickly and easily cross-merchandised alongside their existing peat-free compost ranges.

As part of its new ‘happy plants, happy planet’ offering, both Organic Superfood and Peat-Free Compost Boost will benefit from six multi-actions designed to give the plant whatever they need to thrive; benefits which will be clearly illustrated on all supporting point of sale:

• Crop yields are doubled and benefit from bigger, brighter blooms
• Strengthens against disease attack
• Supports plants during stressful conditions including heat, drought and over watering
• Controlled release of nutrients for long lasting support
• Improved water retention
• Improved root development

Like all Basket and Tub Feed, all-new Organic Superfood and Peat-Free Compost Booster are child and pet safe. Both products are also made using a sustainable process that reduces Sipcam Home & Garden’s carbon footprint whilst also avoiding harmful gas emissions such as methane and ammonium.

Talking about these new products, Nigel Thompson, Head of Sales at Sipcam Home & Garden, said: “The ecofective brand has always been focused on delivering easy to use yet highly effective gardening care solutions. These new introductions take this a step further by clearly illustrating the benefits for both plant and planet, something that we know will stand out in the retail setting and appeal to environmentally conscious gardeners. It’s an exciting prospect and one that we look forward to building on in the coming season.”

Find out more

To find out more about the leading product range from Sipcam Home & Garden, visit www.sipcamhg.co.uk.

PATS Telford, the UK’s number one pet industry exhibition, will stage its biggest ever show in September.

The two-day event on Sunday, September 25, and Monday, September 26, will be staged in three halls of Telford International Centre with exhibiting stands extending into Hall 3 for the first time.

More than 200 companies and brands have already booked stand space, and the final total is expected to be around 230, which would be a record for a PATS exhibition

A growing number of new companies have chosen to exhibit at PATS Telford, and as a result the event organisers have introduced a New Starter Zone in Hall 3.

“The demand for stand space at PATS Telford has been phenomenal, so we took the decision to extend into Hall 3,” said organiser Gordon Thomas, of Impact Exhibitions and Events.

“It’s great to be able to offer pet start-ups the chance to showcase their new products and services in the New Starter Zone, and again the take-up has been really good.”

A total of 40 extra stands will be located in Hall 3, and those companies having already booked their place include: Poochiful, Paws the Planet, Shredhouse, TRM Pet, Healthy Option Pet Food, Noochy Poochy, The Doggy Baking Co, maxxipaws, Pack Leashes, Kompact9 and Benebone.

Poochiful will be exhibiting for the second time at PATS Telford and managing director Ryan Lord said: “We can’t wait to meet the UK and international buyers at the show. The first exhibition really helped the brand get noticed and we are hoping to capitalise now the brand has had a lot more exposure.”

And Greg Fraser, founder of The Doggy Baking Co, commented: “We're really looking forward to returning to PATS for our second ever pet trade show. We were thrilled to win the New Product Award for Dog Treats when we were at the Sandown show earlier this year and cannot wait to share our new products with the UK and International attendees of the Telford show.”

Maxxipaws will be making its first appearance at a PATS show and owner Birgir Gislason said: “We are very excited to be exhibiting at the show in September and introducing our range of unique formulation supplements to the many UK and overseas retailers who will be visiting.”

As well as seeing and touching an unrivalled array of products in the New Product Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews, visitors will also be treated to demonstrations from leading dog groomers.

PATS Telford will also see a return of the International Buyers Centre as more overseas visitors are expected to attend following the pandemic. The centre will be run in association with PetQuip, which will also be staging its prestigious industry awards after the first day of the show.

Trade association manager Pat Flynn said: “It is a pleasure to be working alongside the PATS team once again, helping to deliver international buyers to the show. We will also be celebrating innovation in the pet industry by announcing the winners of the PetQuip Awards 2022 at a special awards party on the Sunday evening.  We look forward to seeing everyone and to working with such a professional team from PATS.” 

All visitors to PATS Telford will receive a free catalogue, free tea and coffee, and free parking, and you can register online for free entry at the PATS website www.patshow.co.uk. 

A full and up-to-date list of exhibitors is available on the website together with information on how to reach the venue and regularly updated show news.

The Royal Horticultural Society has announced the launch of a new collection from longstanding licensee Moorcroft, a renowned producer of heritage art pottery and a leading name in the world of ceramic design.

Called For The Love of Orchids RHS Collection, these five beautiful pieces of art pottery are not only a glorious celebration of the orchid. The collection also showcases the exquisite work of Nelly Roberts – the first RHS orchid artist – in the year that marks the 150^th anniversary of her birth. Each piece of art pottery is made entirely by hand in the Arts and Crafts tradition and designed by Moorcroft designer Nicola Slaney.

The first and longest-serving RHS orchid artist, Nelly Roberts was employed to paint life-sized illustrations of award-winning orchids. The skill with which this watercolourist’s brush captured the sheer beauty of her subjects during her 56-year career as an illustrator for the RHS Orchid Committee is incalculable. 

Nelly’s illustrations received no global fame outside the horticultural world, but 150 years after her birth that is about to change. Nelly Roberts left behind thousands of studies of orchids, many of them held within the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art. Renowned Moorcroft designer Nicola Slaney has now developed five Moorcroft designs, each holding a different orchid cultivar or hybrids, and all inspired by Nelly’s work.

The five pieces are: The Dell (a jug), Almandin (a plaque), Vine House (a clock design), Rameses (a ginger jar) and, of course, Nelly Roberts (a vase). The handmade designs within the collection range in price from £170 to £895. The designs are available as limited editions, numbered editions or open editions that will be discontinued when the collection closes. Heights vary from the 12-inch vase named after Nelly herself to a 9-inch jug and the demure 6-inch ginger jar.

For The Love of Orchids RHS Collection launches on 4 July at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival and will be available to view and purchase worldwide from:

• Moorcroft’s retailers, both UK and export: www.moorcroft.com/retailers 
• www.moorcroft.com
• The Moorcroft Heritage Visitor Centre.

All the designs commemorate RHS-award-winning orchid cultivars or hybrids painted by Nelly Roberts, whose own name was immortalised in two orchids Cattleya Nellie Roberts gx and Odontoglossum Opheron gx ‘Nelly Roberts’. The collection is a fitting tribute to a painter who faithfully applied her watercolour brush to use myriad colours to create timeless beauty.

The pieces involve complex colour combinations and intricate and delicate tubelining work (where each design is outlined in liquid clay) which requires phenomenal manual dexterity and many layers of careful glaze application by Moorcroft artists to ensure that the richness of each design does justice to Nelly’s work.

The method of creating each piece made by Moorcroft originated with William Moorcroft in 1897 and is almost exactly the same today. Supported by designs from the world-famous Moorcroft Design Studio and the skills of a dedicated workforce of artists, craftsmen and craftswomen, Moorcroft pottery sells all over the world.

Moorcroft and the RHS have collaborated a number of times in recent years, notably through the RHS Rose Bouquet Collection, the RHS Beatrix Stanley Collection, Chelsea’s Choice, (a vase celebrating the extraordinary snow-white hydrangea that was awarded RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year 2018), the 2020 RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year collection and the 2021 Fiori Bottan Collection inspired by a collection of 45 original watercolours from the RHS Lindley Collections.

Catherine Gage, PR Director, Moorcroft, says: “We are thankful to have had the opportunity to take advantage of the RHS’s unrivalled orchid expertise and are very happy that For The Love Of Orchids can bring the sheer joy of Nelly Roberts’ work to a worldwide audience. Working with the RHS and journeying into the exotic world of orchids through the eyes of one of their finest illustrators has been a rich and rewarding experience.”

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager, RHS, adds: “I am both delighted and entranced by this new collection which celebrates the extraordinary achievements of the very first RHS orchid artist. In the year that marks the 150^thanniversary of her birth it’s hard to think of a better tribute to the genius of Nelly Roberts than this exquisite collection of handmade art pottery inspired by some of her finest work.”

Well known for bringing to market the advanced RHS endorsed organic-based Viano fertiliser range, DJ Turfcare is pleased to now be offering even from the Viano stable, including Organic Plantfood.

With consumers more aware than ever of the possible harmful effects of using chemicals around the home and garden, chemical-free or, even better, organic has become the order of the day. With Viano Organic Plantfood – available in 10kg bags or 4kg boxes – retailers can rest assured that they are offering gardeners something that delivers enviable results without compromising on important environmental protection.

Specially developed to promote healthier and better-tasting fruit and vegetables, Organic Plantfood overs long-lasting fertilisation – up to four months. Plus, with the inclusion of a wide range of essential elements Organic Plantfood also enhances soil life, improves soil structure and increases nutrient concentration in the soil.

Supplied as easy to spread fertiliser crumb, this plant feed can be added prior to planting or sowing or used to boost fruit and vegetables during the growth phase, with application required only once every eight to 10 weeks after initial application. Suitable for all leaf and root crops, including all fruit crops, and with a compound NPK of magnesium 6-5-10(+4), this feed is packed full of vital elements to grow healthier, greener plants with stronger roots and tastier crops.

Like all products in the DJ Turfcare portfolio, Organic Plantfood is safe to use around pets, children and wildlife.

DJ Turfcare specialises in organic-based products to be used commercially and at home. The RHS-endorsed range includes six chemical-free fertilisers - MO Bacter Organic Lawn Fertiliser, MO Bacter Instant, Bio-Lime, Recovery, Lawn Boost and Autumn Lawn Treatment.

Find out more

To find out more about Organic Plantfood and DJ Turfcare’s wider organic-based offering please visit  www.djturfcare.co.uk

Family-run decorative aggregate business, Deco-Pak – led by brothers Craig and David Hall, alongside General Manager, Rod Slater – officially unveiled at Glee 2022 its newly enhanced ‘retail theatre’ merchandising innovations, expertly designed to help consumers ‘get the look’ through informative and aspirational point of sale material. 

Talking about the new developed concepts, Marketing Director, Craig Hall said: “We pride ourselves on leading the way when it comes to merchandising and know that when merchandising displays are done right, they can engage with consumers in a unique way and can showcase the product or lifestyle benefits within a matter of seconds. Consumers will not only be able to identify how they can “get the look” but they will also be shown how easily and quickly they can transform and enhance their garden with our product range. It is this that we have worked hard to capture within our new and improved point of sale, and something that we hope demonstrates our commitment to innovation and supporting of our retailer partners.”

Ahead of the 2023 season, Deco-Pak has developed the success of its “Retail Theatre” concept with new and enhanced displays that benefit from more inspiration and new imagery to create specific visual triggers for the ever-changing consumer needs.

Updates to Deco-Pak’s merchandising displays include:

• Robust framework constructed from long-lasting pressure treated timber 
• Visible sustainability logo to entice environmentally conscious consumers
• Interchangeable pricing boards, all backed by Deco-Pak’s sustainable logo
• Retro-fit sample trays
• Flexible, customisable module displays
• Inspirational imaginary POS

Product specific updates include Deco-Pak’s Rockery offering which now feature removable collars for easy access, whilst Handy Packs now come as complete palletised pack stands with concealed stock storage for easy replenishments.

Find out more

To find out more about Deco-Pak’s leading product portfolio please visit www.deco-pak.co.uk or call 01422 204 394.

GTN July 2022 SOLEX SHOW PREVIEW ISSUE

Inside this issue:

• Welcome to SOLEX 2022
• New date and new look for SOLEX 2023
• It’s all about the plants at National Plant Show
• Boosting sales at Gardeners World Live
• Alfresco dining with Glencrest
• SOLEX 2022 Exhibitor News
• Innovations from Sipcam
• Trends from spoga+gafa
• LOFA Column –     An exhibition organisers diary
• HTA Column – Words fail Boyd!

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

Subscribe for free using this link

Garden Product sales in the GTN Bestsellers Epos database were down 26% on June 2021 but 5% ahead of 2019 Top 50 volumes.

At the half year point cumulative garden product sales are 11% down on 2021 and almost level with 2019 at minus 1%.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

June Veg-2-Gro sales in the GTN Bestsellers Epos data were 27% below 2012 volumes for the month but 6% ahead of 2021 cumulatively for the half year, setting a new record for sales over weeks 1-26.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

Growing Media sales in June 2022 were 32% down on 2021 volumes but 17% ahead of June 2019 levels.

At the half year Top 50 Growing Media volumes are 4% down on 2021 and 20% ahead of 2019.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

Wild Bird Care Top 50 Bestsellers sales volumes dropped by 10% on 2021 levels but at the end of the half year sales to date for 2022 are 1% ahead of 2021.

The sector is, however, down on the pre-pandemic levels of 2019.  Minus 14%.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

The Garden Centre Association is hosting two webinars for its members on sustainability and catering this month.

The first webinar on July 20 will be to discuss challenges and the impact the past two years has had on restaurants and the second on July 27 will aim to find out what centres are doing to reduce carbon emissions.

Iain Wylie, GCA Chief Executive, said: “Our virtual events have proven successful in the past, so we have decided to gather our members together virtually once again to discuss these two hot topics.

“The first webinar will take place on Wednesday, July 20 at 10am. We will have a panel of garden centre owners, directors and managers, all with different catering operations, including self-service, counter or table service, together with Chris Brown of Turpin Smale, which is a leading UK catering consultancy, who will give a wider perspective on the hospitality industry.

“We will also discuss the challenges ahead and the impact the past two years has had on our member’s restaurants and how this is now influencing decisions for the future.

“The second webinar on Wednesday, July 27 at 3pm will be about sustainability. As an Association, we have been asking all of our members to nominate a Sustainability Champion and during the webinar we will be finding out what our members are doing and what needs or can be done as we face the challenge of reducing our carbon emissions. It looks set to be an interesting webinar with lots to discuss.

“Our members will receive invitations to join the webinars, however, they can get in touch with us via info@gca.org.uk to receive a link.”

The GCA represents nearly 200 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.

For further information, please call 01244 952170. Alternatively, please visit www.gca.org.uk.

The organisers of Commercial Kitchen, the essential industry event for kitchen innovations, have announced an eclectic line-up of leading chefs to its 2022 Keynote programme. These include Tom Aikens, Anna Haugh, Romy Gill, Ruth Hansom, Cherish Finden, James Golding and the return of Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL. The two-day trade show returns to ExCeL London on 14-15 September.   

Tom Aikens, Chef Owner of Muse by Tom Aikens is one of the UK’s most acclaimed and inspirational British chefs. His remarkable career has taken him to David Cavalier’s in Battersea, Pierre Koffman’s La Tante Claire, Pied-à-Terre and Joel Robuchon in Paris to name a few. At 26, Tom became the youngest British chef ever to be awarded two Michelin stars.  

Ruth Hansom, Head Chef at The Princess of Shoreditch will join the female chef panel at the show. Along with Executive Pastry Chef Cherish Finden, who is host of Bake Off: The Professionals and has launched her first patisserie at the Pan Pacific Hotel in London – which she joined ahead of opening in 2021. Called Shiok! – pronounced “Shook” – the new venture in Devonshire House next door to the hotel has 25 covers open for breakfast and pastries all day every day.  

Anna Haugh, Chef Owner of Myrtle Restaurant in Chelsea London has previously worked for great chefs such as Philip Howard and Gordon Ramsay. Dedicating her restaurant name Myrtle Allen to her Irish heritage, Anna was the first Irish woman to win a Michelin star back in 1975. She will be joining the Kitchen Culture panel alongside Romy Gill, Chef Consultant, to discuss wellness and sustainability.  

Romy Gill, Chef Romy Gill MBE is a British/Indian chef, food/travel writer and broadcaster based in the south-west of England. She was the owner and head chef at Romy’s Kitchen. In 2016 she was appointed an MBE in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours list. Romy is one of the regular chefs on BBC1's Ready Steady Cook and has appeared on many other TV programmes, including Sunday Brunch, BBC's The One Show, Country Life, Celebrity MasterChef, The Hairy Bikers’ Comfort Food and James Martin’s Saturday Morning. 

James Golding, Group Chef Director of THE PIG hotel group started his career at the Savoy, later working for Caprice Holdings and then moving to Soho House New York. When he returned to the UK James’ passion for sustainability grew. James will be joining the seminar line-up talking about food trends and his love of local produce. 

Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL (Chef Patron, Café Spice Namaste and Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen) joined the Commercial Kitchen line-up for the first-time last year. Cyrus is a staunch advocate of education and training; Café Spice Namasté was the first ever restaurant in the UK to win a National Training Award. 

Commenting on the importance of the event for the sector, Cyrus Todiwala says “Visiting such a show is extremely important for operators, because it helps professionals keep abreast of changes and advances in technology and new equipment on the market. I’m excited to see product development and Commercial Kitchen is the show to find it all under one roof!” 
 
Pizza Pilgrims & Peach Pubs also confirmed 

Over 70 leading chefs and industry experts will be taking to the Commercial Kitchen Keynote stages for exclusive interviews, live talks and panel discussions. The star-studded line-up also includes Alice Bowyer, Head of Food at The Liberation Group, Thom Elliott, Founder of Pizza Pilgrims, Hamish Stoddart, MD and Founder of Peach Pubs, and Nick Vadis, Culinary Director at Compass Group UK & Ireland. 

More big-name speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.  
 
Over 85% sold out  

As well as providing key insights and inspiration, Commercial Kitchen will feature a bustling central exhibition with over 100 brands. With the show nearly sold out, brands to join the 2022 line-up include Inomak, Wearesdi, Instock Group, Forest UK, Adventsy UK, Fagor Professional UK, RSS Hereford, and Nationwide Ventilation. They join returning big industry names including UNOX UK, Meiko UK, True Refrigeration, Jestic Food Service Solutions, Synergy Grill, Rexmatins, Quintex, Carpigiani, Filta  Environmental, Regale Microwave Ovens, Welbilt, MKN, and Gamble.   

 
Registration is now open   

Commercial Kitchen will return to ExCeL London on 14-15 September 2022. The show will co-locate with Casual Dining – the definitive trade event for the restaurant, pub and bar sector and lunch! – the definitive event for the café, coffee shop & food-to-go sector. Tickets will allow free access to all three events for members of the trade only. To register, visit www.commercialkitchenshow.co.uk. Quote VCK26 to save the £20 entry fee. 

Brambles pet and wildlife are delighted with the launch of their new Semi-Moist Hedgehog Food.

Sales Director, David Tracey commented: "We’re getting excellent feedback from wildlife rescues about this new product and many customers keep running out of stock. We had a trade stand at the recent Vale Wildlife Open Day, where we give all our proceeds back to the rescue, and sold out of this product in the first couple of hours! We expect this to be a very big seller and urge retailers to stock up on this and all our other hedgehog foods during the peak season. As well as being highly palatable and nutritious it’s considerably cheaper than an alternative brand which we think will help sales even further during these challenging times."

Size 850g

RRP £5.79

The Greenfingers Charity has announced that its annual fundraising dinner will return later this year following a two-year hiatus – the date for your diary is December 1^st, 2022.

Taking place at the stunning Grade-II listed Pendley Manor in Tring, Hertfordshire, the dinner will bring together Greenfingers supporters for a spectacular night of celebrations and vital fundraising for the children’s hospice garden charity, including an auction which will include incredibly generous donations from some of the charity’s most valued supporters.

Talking about the event, Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications at the Greenfingers Charity said: “We are so pleased to be adding our fundraising dinner back to our annual events programme. Previous dinners have been incredibly memorable, with the most last one held in 2019 raising almost £20,000 in just one night! We sincerely hope that our supporters will join us later this year for what will no doubt be another unforgettable night all in the name of Greenfingers.”

Book your tickets now

Anyone interested in attending the Greenfingers Charity Fundraising Dinner is invited to contact Linda Petrons direct by emailing linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk or by calling 07908 221240. Tickets can be booked individually or as a group table booking. Please note that places are limited.

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.  

Glee’s Floral Thursday promotion in aid of the Greenfingers Charity turned into a record-breaking event, raising an amazing £3,500 so far and witnessing the biggest turnout of exhibitors and visitors joining in the fun by wearing an array of floral clothing.

The event was supported by Garden Trade News.

Winners of the award for the best-dressed teams were:

Evergreen Garden Care

Zest

Kate Leach, Woodmansterne

Gallery of more Floral Thurday pictures below...

The winners of the Glee Buyers Power List were revealed yesterday. The Glee Buyers Power List was set up to recognise the individual buyers and buying teams who have gone above and beyond to make a difference within the garden retail industry this year.

The Nominations and Winners 2022

Plants buyer/buying team of the Year 

Winner: The Bourne family @ Perrywood

Second: Choice Marketing Team

Third: Plants Team @ Hillmount

Nominations: Choice Marketing Team; Glen Sheldrake @ Burford Garden Company; Matt Shorter @ Longacres; Nick Chutter @ Summerhill Nurseries; Plants Team @ Hillmount; Taylor Baines @ Blue Diamond; The Bourne family @ Perrywood.

Garden Care buyer/buying team of the Year 

Winner: Matt Shorter @ Longacres

Second equal: Bryn Saysell @ Blue Diamond,  Amy Green @ British Garden Centres

Third: Jackie Cook @ Notcutts

Nominations: Aaron Saunders and Matthew Ball @ Stax Trade Centres; Adam Szabo @ Charlies Stores; Amy Green @ British Garden Centres; Bryn Saysell @ Blue Diamond; Jackie Cook @ Notcutts; Kevin Beckett @ Yarnton Home & Garden; Liz Brennan @ Dobbies; Matt Shorter @ Longacres; Mike Cook @ Choice Marketing; Robin Mercer @ Hillmount; Terry Head @ Stewarts Garden Centres.

Outdoor Leisure buyer/buying team of the Year 

Winner: Nigel Gates @ Gates Garden Centre

Second equal: Jay Bunker @ Alton Garden Centre, Keith Wiblin @ Downtown Garden Centre, Nick Haydon @ Fakenham Garden Centre

Third: Gemma Mercer @ Hillmount Cheshire

Nominations: David Hibbert @ Stax Trade Centres; Gemma Mercer @ Hillmount Cheshire; Jay Bunker @ Alton Garden Centre; Keith Wiblin @ Downtown Garden Centre; Kevin Beckett @ Yarnton Home & Garden; Nick Haydon @ Fakenham Garden Centre; Nigel Gates @ Gates Garden Centre.

Landscape buyer/buying team of the Year

Winner: Andy Wrightson @ Webbs

Second equal: Andy Harris @ Haskins, Dan Kirby @ British Garden Centres, Keith Wilbin @ Downtown Garden Centre

Third: David Danning @ Blue Diamond 

Nominations: Andy Harris @ Haskins; Andy Wrightson @ Webbs; Dan Kirby @ British Garden Centres; David Danning @ Blue Diamond; John Birch @ Baytree Garden Centre; Paul Smith @ Chessington Garden Centre

Home & Gifts buyer/buying team of the Year 

Winner: Kati Taylor @ Fron Goch

Second: Gates Garden Centre

Third: Rosebourne Garden Centres 

Nominations: Edith Mercer @ Hillmount; Gates Garden Centre; Glen Sheldrake @ Burford Garden Company; Kati Taylor @ Fron Goch; RHS Wisley; Rosebourne Garden Centres.

Pet buyer/buying team of the Year

Winner: The Old Railway Line

Second: Paul Williams @ British Garden Centres

Third: Polhill Garden Centre

Nominations: Dan Reep @ Squires; Emma Bostock @ Pets at Home; Knights Godstone; Paul Williams @ British Garden Centres; Planters Tamworth; Polhill Garden Centre; Sue Shaw @ B&M; The Old Railway Line.

Retail Food & Drinks buyer/buying team of the Year 

Winner: St Peters Worcester

Second: Garsons Esher

Third: Bents Home & Garden 

Nominations: Barton Grange; Bents Home & Garden; Garsons Esher; Gates Garden Centre; Hannah Warr @ Laylocks Garden Centre; Pughs Garden Centres; St Peters Worcester.

Christmas buyer/buying team of the Year

Winner: Squires Badshot Lea

Second: The Old Railway Line

Third: Bents Garden & Home 

Nominations: Alan Mercer @ Hillmount; Andrew Porwal @ Sapcote; Andrew Wood @ Silverbirch; Bents Garden & Home; Squires Badshot Lea; The Old Railway Line.

On-Line buyer/buying team of the Year 

Winner: Crocus

Second: Dani Loftus @ Marie Curie

Third: Primrose.co.uk

Nominations: Crocus; Dani Loftus @ Marie Curie; GardenSite LLP; Hillier on-line; Primrose.co.uk

Overall Multiple Retailer Buyer/Buying Team of the Year – (hardware, DIY, high street)

Winner: Dani Loftus @ Marie Curie

Second: John Lewis

Third: B&M

Nominations: B&M; Dani Loftus @ Marie Curie; John Lewis; Kevin Jones @ Poundland; QD Stores; Robert Dyas; Wilko.

Overall Multiple Garden Retailer Buying Team of the Year – 6 stores or more

Winner: British Garden Centres

Second: Blue Diamond

Third: Choice Marketing Team  

Nominations: Blue Diamond; British Garden Centres; Caulders Garden Centres; Cherry Lane Garden Centres; Choice Marketing Team; Hilliers; Klondyke; Squires; Stax Trade Centres; The Prosper Group.

Overall Independent Garden Centre Buying Team of the Year – up 5 stores 

Winner: The Mercer family @ Hillmount

Second: Longacres

Third equal: Aylett Nurseries, The Bourne family @ Perrywood

Nominations: Aylett Nurseries; Chessington Garden Centre; Kevin Beckett @ Yarnton Home & Garden; Longacres; The Bourne family @ Perrywood; The Mercer family @ Hillmount

Glee 2022 may be over, but the garden retail sector is already looking ahead to the 2023 edition of the exhibition, which is gearing up to be the home of international gardening and pet.

The updated June timing of Glee – put in place for the 2022 event to better facilitate the needs of the entire garden retail supply chain – has served to position the show at the very heart of the international event calendar, with both UK and international brands already benefitting from the brand exposure that exhibiting at Glee represents. However, significant expansion plans are on the horizon; plans which are earmarked to ensure that the 2023 event will offer even more opportunities for growth, as international buyers and retail teams make a beeline for the exhibition to build new relationships and expand their retail networks. Here, some of these exciting plans are revealed for the first time.

Matthew Mein, Event Director at Glee said; “The move to June timing marked the biggest change in Glee’s history and we are keen to keep up with the evolving trends and demands that have made gardening and garden retailing one of the most exciting retail stories in recent years. At Glee 2023 the further development of this story will continue apace, as we look to expand and add more value than ever. Watch this space as  more information is revealed over the coming months but rest assured next year’s edition of Glee will be bigger, better and brighter than ever!”

New opportunities at Glee

In 2023 Glee will see its overall footprint increase, as it moves from four to five halls of the NEC. This additional space will allow for key sectors of the show to expand and provide a more comprehensive offering, as well as enabling new growth areas to find a home at Glee.

HOME, GIFT & CLOTHING

One exciting development for 2023 is that Home, Gift & Clothing will evolve into a complete village, reflecting the increased popularity of these product categories within garden retailing. This dedicated area will play host to a range of fresh, inspiring, on-trend products, including outdoor clothing, decorative accessories, toys and books. The new Home, Gift & Clothing Village will provide the perfect background for retailers who are looking to diversify their offering and will also give suppliers the chance to capitalise on and be part of a fantastic profit opportunity.

OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING

Another existing sector in which further growth is anticipated is Glee Outdoor Entertaining. The nation’s gardens have increasingly become sanctuaries from the chaos of the world, which in turn, saw sales of garden furniture, barbeques, lighting, outdoor heating, garden décor and accessories skyrocket. Glee has witnessed a marked increase in the number of exhibitors from within these categories, as well as greater demand from retail buyers seeking outdoor entertaining products, meaning next year’s show will provide a real destination for this combined product offering.

DIY

DIY will also be making its debut at Glee 2023, with this specialist category joining the line-up. As garden projects give consumers greater confidence and the line between indoor and outdoor becomes increasingly blurred, the presence of DIY products at the show will be welcome news for those garden retailers who want to optimise the potential this poses, with products that will complement existing ranges whilst also opening up prospects with a new customer base.

SOURCING AT GLEE

With so many more opportunities for retail buyers and the chance to capitalise on key trends, Glee 2023 is set to become a destination for international sourcing, as buyers from right across the UK and the rest of the globe flock to the show, taking advantage of the easy accessibility of the NEC in Birmingham. To cater to this demand, Glee will host a dedicated area for sourcing at the 2023 event, which will facilitate better networking and help more suppliers and retailers connect.

FIRE, GRILL & CHILL

Launched exclusively at the 2022 event, Fire, Grill and Chill brings together the best that Glee’s Outdoor Entertainment exhibitors have to offer. From product demonstrations to hosting the annual Glee party, this space has opened up an exciting and interactive way of showcasing the latest innovations from leading barbecue, grill and pizza oven suppliers. In 2023, the area will not only return but Glee’s organisers have big plans to further develop this hub with more content and even more brands set to join the line-up.

Find out more

Glee is the UK’s leading garden retail show, focussing on building year-round profits for buyers and suppliers within the core gardening and outdoor leisure product categories.  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, please call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.

Winner: Wicked Waterer LED Moisture Sensor - Mayhem UK Ltd

Best of British Award

Winner: Airflow Ltd - Bertie

Sustainability Award

Winner: Wildlife World - 30 cell natural rubber seed cell tray

Best in Show

Winner: Westland Unwins - FloPro Can-Can

Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director confirmed: “Another year and another amazing opportunity to celebrate the hard work and creativity of our industry. This year’s winners’ roster is stronger than ever, with an impressive lineup of new products that are set to ignite new sales opportunities for retailers as well as enticing consumers with products that make gardening easier, more enjoyable and full of swoon-worthy products that also make gardening more sustainable. Huge congratulations to all our winners, those shortlisted and everyone that entered. Together you have made this year’s Glee New Products one of our best yet!”

Gallary of presentation pictures below...

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.

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

Highlights of the GTN Plants Bestsellers chart for last week are here

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

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

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care Bestsellers chart for last 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 £100m.

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

For further information contact karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call 07973504214.

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