GTN Xtra - GTN Xtra – HTA National Plant Show Preview

The HTA National Plant Show takes place on Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 June 2013 at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry. Sponsored by Hortipak, the show is now in its fourth year, and brings together the best of British plant suppliers from seed, plug and liner suppliers to specimen plants and trees.

Exhibitors include Allensmore Nurseries, Ball Colegrave, Blackmoor Nurseries, Bransford Webbs Plant Company, Fairweather’s Nursery, Forest Edge Nurseries, Gedney Bulb Company, Hillier Nurseries, John Woods Nurseries, Kernock Park Plants, Needlefresh Direct, Osberton Nurseries and Tamar Nurseries.

New exhibitors to the show for 2013 include Chessum Plants, Eagle Plants, Nightpark Nursery, Pinetops Nursery, Plantipp BV, Springwood Nurseries, Stephen Ince and Stretegate Camellias.

Last year’s show attracted in the region of 1,500 plant buyers from garden retail outlets from across the UK. Advance visitor registrations for 2013 so far include Aylett Nurseries, Beesleys Garden Centre, Bents Garden Centre, Burleydam Garden Centre, Burford Garden Company, Burston Garden Centre, Garden & Leisure Group, Haskins Garden Centres, Hayes Garden World, Hillview Garden Centres, Frosts Garden Centres, Fulham Palace Garden Centre, Klondyke Garden Centres, Oaklands Nursery, Pennells Estates, Petersham Nurseries and Thetford Garden Centres.

HTA Director of Business Development Tim Briercliffe said: “With 2012 being such a challenging year and a slow start to the 2013 season, it has never been more important to inspire customers with a great range of UK grown plants. The HTA National Plant Show enables you to view the terrific variety of plants grown here and provides an opportunity to catch up with existing suppliers and discover new ones.

“Visitors can benefit from registering in advance, ensuring that they can go straight into the show on arrival."

To secure your place at the HTA National Plant Show and register free online visit www.nationalplantshow.co.uk

New and innovative plants remain in the spotlight

New and innovative plants remain in the spotlight at the HTA National Plant Show and this year is no exception with the New Plant Awards showcasing the best plant introductions from UK suppliers and a selection of international breeders.

This year the awards welcome a new partnership with the RHS, a first time sponsor of the New Plant Awards. The partnership comes at an opportune time as the RHS celebrated the centennial of its famous Chelsea Flower Show which has proudly showcased flowers since 1914. Plants of the centenary will be on display for visitors to enjoy at the RHS stand.

Judges will select awards from six categories: hardy nursery stock, herbaceous perennials, climbers, annuals, house plants and breeder innovation. Gold, Silver, Bronze and Best in Category awards will be presented, and Best in Category will go forward for Best in Show. Winners will be selected for the quality of plant, suitability for the market and whether it is an improvement on other plants currently available.

Results will be announced and presented by the judging panel on the morning of Tuesday 25 June and all entries, along with the winners, will be displayed in the New Plant Area at the show.

In addition to the judges awards, visitors will also get the opportunity to have their say about which plant should win in the Visitor Vote, sponsored by Floramedia.

The Visitor Vote proved to be extremely popular in 2012 with Hydrangea Macrophylla 'Dark Angel' from Darby Nursery Stock taking the award of Best New Plant (presentation picture above). This year the awards of Best in Category and Best in Show will be presented on Wednesday 26 June at 3pm.

In 2012 the New Plant Awards attracted over 100 entries with Hebe 'Rhubarb and Custard' from Tully Nurseries in Dublin crowned 'Best in Show' (picture below). Following media coverage of the news Tully Nurseries received huge interest from nurseries and garden centres for the plant, and went on to win the best new plant award at the Bord Bia Glas Show and the accolade of best new plant in Ireland and the UK for 2013.

Niamh Tully of Tully Nurseries said: "We were absolutely thrilled when Rhubarb and Custard won Best in Show at the HTA National Plant Show. We secured large orders at the show and in the months that followed for 2013."

British Plant Fair’s Marketplace is a popular feature

Despite the challenges of the 2012 season, the Marketplace was a huge success at the last show. It enabled visitors to make instant purchases from the broad range of stock from numerous suppliers through a simple and efficient system. This resulted in visitors spending over £50,000 in the dedicated area over the two days...

Despite the challenges of the 2012 season, the Marketplace was a huge success at the last show. It enabled visitors to make instant purchases from the broad range of stock from numerous suppliers through a simple and efficient system. This resulted in visitors spending over £50,000 in the dedicated area over the two days.

Visitors will find shelf after shelf of sample stock from growers exhibiting at the show in the Marketplace. Visitors can order any combination of stock and it will be all delivered the week after the Show in one load with one delivery note and one invoice, saving the hassle of having to open new accounts and work through reams of delivery notes and invoices. All stock in the Marketplace will be sold in shelf quantities and details will be displayed for each product line.

The International Breeders’ Area provides breeders and their agents with the opportunity to promote their ranges of new varieties. Displays focus on new introductions of varieties that the breeder or agent is offering to UK growers for finished plant production.

The dedicated area really adds value to the show, bringing together breeders from around the world alongside the best the UK can offer, resulting in the perfect combination for the many visiting growers, retailers and landscapers.

Exhibitors in the International Breeders’ Area 2013 include: Beekenkamp Plants B.V, Benary, Fitzgerald Nurseries, Plantipp B.V, Selecta and Volmary.

ProVaR is a not for profit organisation established to promote protected plants to its members in the UK and to collect royalties. It represents 17 breeders and 187 plants from the UK and Europe offering the widest range of protected plants available to UK growers in a single catalogue.

This year ProVar will be showcasing more new varieties including Ceratostigma ‘Sapphire Ring’, Choisya ‘Royal Lace’, Euonymus ‘Paloma Blanca’, Lychnis ‘Scarlet O’Hara’, Salvia ‘Blue Note’, Salvia ‘Red Swing’, Salvia ‘Salmon Dance’, Salvia ‘Violin Music’ and Scabiosa ‘Magic’.

Make sure you visit the HTA Hub where HTA Regional Account Managers and others specialist staff will be on hand to answer your questions and update you on the latest HTA initiatives and ways in which we can support your business. The area will be surrounded by merchandised displays of roses, heathers, seasonal plants and conifers representing some of the HTA specialist groups.

Lovania Nurseries were last year's Best Plant Display winners

New Plant Award entries flood in

Entries are flooding in for the New Plant Awards and the judges will have a challenging task in selecting the best plants from a strong field...

The jusges are HTA President Caroline Owen from Scotsdales Garden Centre, Gardener and TV broadcaster Christine Walkden, plant breeder Peter Catt, RHS Trials Manager Mark Heath and Head of Horticulture at the Garden Centre Group Tim Clapp. HTA Operations Manager Martin Simmons will chair the judging panel.

Companies submitting entries this year include: Earley Ornamentals, Fitzgerald Nurseries, Seoint Nurseries, Kilworth Conifers, Hillier Nurseries, Beekenkamp Plants, Young Plants, Farplants, The Bransford Webb Plant Company, Ball Colegrave, Kernock Park Plants, Wyevale Nurseries, Profit Plant UK, Darby Nursery Stock, New Forest Plants, Eagle Plants, Syngenta FloriPro Services, Boweco, Javado UK, David Austin Roses, Frank Matthews, Channel Island Plants, Fairweathers, John Woods Nurseries, West End Nurseries, New Leaf Plants, Suttons Seeds, New Place Nurseries, Young Plants, Florensis Flowers Seeds UK.

The New Plant Awards cover five categories: hardy nursery stock, herbaceous perennials, annuals, house plants and breeder innovation. Gold, Silver, Bronze and Best in Category awards will be presented, and Best in Category will go forward for Best in Show. Winners will be selected for the quality of plant, suitability for the market and whether it is an improvement on other plants currently available.

HTA Director General Carol Paris said: "The New Plant Awards continue to attract a high number of entries and provide a great focus for the show. It is hugely encouraging that despite the challenging seasons that the industry has been faced with we still see a plethora of new plants coming onto the market helping to inspire consumers."

Inspirational seminar speakers lined up for the show

Botanist, presenter and obsessive foodie grower James Wong will open the seminar programme at this year’s show...

Botanist, presenter and obsessive foodie grower James Wong will open the seminar programme at this year’s show.

During his seminar, sponsored by Suttons Seeds, which takes place at 10 am on Tuesday 25 June, visitors will hear James’ unique take on the future for Grow Your Own.

He’ll offer ideas for retailers to inspire a new wave of excitement in this product area that has generated so much interest over recent years. Using his own hands-on experience in growing a wide range of unusual plants, James could have the key to tapping into the next generation.

The second seminar, which takes place at 3pm on Tuesday 25 June, will be given by Michael Marriott, Technical Manager at David Austin Roses.

Working for nearly 30 years with what is probably the best-known brand in plants, Michael will share his views on how to capture the imagination of your customers, how to build and promote a brand, how to sell a dream - not just a plant – and how to grow sales in the plantarea.

It all comes from knowing what your customers want and giving it to them! Sounds simple but Michael (below left) will explain how you can actually make it happen.

Adam Pasco is the former editor of BBC Gardener’s World magazine, now running his own media and consultancy company, and will present his plant-focused views on what the public will be looking for from their gardens and garden centres in the year ahead.

Adam (above right) will review the trends we’ve seen over recent years and where he sees these going for 2014 and beyond. What do garden centres need to do to get customers buying more plants? What role can the media play and how best can retailers reach out to people still to buy plants and see their garden reach its potential? These are all questions that Adam will tackle, leaving you with plenty of inspirational ideas for your own business.

A 60-second interview with James Wong

We catch up with James Wong for a 60 second interview for a taster of what’s to come during his seminar on Tuesday morning at the National Plant Show.

Q: Why should visitors come to your seminar?

James says: Pick up any industry mag in the last 12 months and it will inevitably contain an article lamenting horticulture's declining audience - in particular amongst the younger demographic of the 'Facebook generation'. Yet scan through page after page of such news stories and you will find that specific ideas on how to turn this tide around seem few and far between.

Addressing this emerging crisis, my talk will cover my own -very personal- views on strategies that I believe garden retail (and in fact the whole industry) must adopt if it is to speak to younger audiences in an exciting, fun and relevant way. Whether it's to get 'em to pick a course at college or to secure a purchase at a garden centre.

Q: What’s your favourite plant?

James says: It has to be the Chilean Guava. It's got shiny evergreen foliage, stunning lily of the valley flowers, an intoxicating scent and deliciously sweet berries, all wrapped up in an easy-to-grow package. What's not to like?

Q: What do you think the future holds for the garden sector?

James says: As much as it pains me to say this, I believe the garden retail sector in the UK currently lags decades behind that of the food industry.

The all-consuming dedication to innovating radically new products, the active encouragement of customer experimentation and the huge influence of foreign travel - all of which have revolutionised supermarket offerings in the last 30 years - seem sadly seem to have passed the average garden centre by. I have always found this mismatch strangely perplexing as foodies and gardeners are generally the exact same demographic!

If our industry is going to survive it will need to take a leaf out of the books of ruthlessly innovative supermarkets, who are constantly striving to surprise and excite an increasingly discerning customer, instead of just churning out more of the same. For this reason I believe that inevitably garden centres will begin to need to look & feel more like plant 'food halls' than factory outlets in the very near future.

Q: Following a difficult season what advice would you give to garden retailers?

James says: Reward your core audience. Die hard gardeners wait all winter poised to get out and grow and unlike your average BBQ or hot tub customer most will be itching to get spending (on something!) whatever the weather.

Rewarding these horti-customers with a spread of exciting, novel varieties, quirky in-store displays and useful point of sale 'how to' advice - just like food and clothes retailers do as standard - is a guaranteed way to keep plant geeks (novices and veterans alike) wanting more.

Visit the Seminar Area, sponsored by Barclaycard, to be inspired and motivated by fantastic speakers including James’ at 10am on Tuesday 25 June. Register to attend the show now at www.nationalplantshow.co.uk.

HTA National Plant Show takes place Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 June 2013 at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry.

Keeping the gardening sector fresh

Gardening consultant and journalist Adam Pasco will tell retailers at the HTA National Plant Show that they need to drive their market in new, creative and imaginative ways...

Gardening consultant and journalist Adam Pasco will tell retailers at the HTA National Plant Show that they need to drive their market in new, creative and imaginative ways.

Adam will review the trends we’ve seen over recent years and where he sees these going, looking ahead to 2014 and beyond.

Here we catch up with Adam for a 60 second interview to get a taster of what’s to come during his seminar on Wednesday morning at the show:

What do you think the future holds for the garden sector?

When I entered the gardening sector in 1978 it was a much more predictable place to operate. Over the past decade or so we've experienced unprecedented upheaval and changes in retailing, the media, consumer confidence, plant and garden trends and aspirations, environmental concerns, not to mention the weather.

Any one of these would pose a significant challenge to the garden sector, but combined they could appear almost overwhelming. However, there's something comfortingly 'real' and grounding about gardening in an increasingly digital world, and this provides consumers with an alternative.

Shaping that alternative is the opportunity at our door. Those working within this sector have a passion for plants and gardening, so we must now explore new ways of working together to share this.

Following a difficult season, what advice would you give to garden retailers?

More than ever before I think retailers need to drive their market in new, creative and imaginative ways. Gone are the days when retailers can rely on the media to do this for them. We all remember The Dimmock Effect of the late 1990's, but with no new 'Ground Force' alternative on the horizon the industry must start working more closely as an industry to get plants and gardening on the consumers’ agenda. Of course individual retailers can develop their own initiatives, but just think what we could achieve if we worked together.

Why should visitors come to your seminar?

As a passionate gardener I think I know what makes gardeners tick. Having launched BBC Gardeners' World Magazine from scratch back in 1991 and remained its editor for over 21 years I appreciate how you need to change and adapt what you offer in order to move with the times and excite gardeners.

During my seminar at the HTA National Plant Show I hope to share ideas on how the garden sector can stay fresh, offering something different and distinct. With competition around every corner – or just a click away – it’s now essential to develop a personal relationship with your customers, and I'll review ways this can be done.

Allensmore Nurseries

Allensmore Nurseries will be back again at the HTA National Plant show 2013 with a colourful display of perennials and bedding ranges...
Allensmore Nurseries will be back again at the HTA National Plant show 2013 with a colourful display of perennials and bedding ranges.

It has extended the range for this summer by introducing many new plants and adding even more of the traditional varieties.

The range of added value containers will be on display to give ideas for instant colour for those impulse sales.

Italian specimen plants, Mediteranian palms and Citrus plants will also be offered ready for delivery the following week, all with British care cards which are now demanded by concerning customers. 'Allensmore, no one gives you more'.

Ball Colegrave

Ball Colegrave will present their recently introduced programme of high performing Zonal and Ivy Leaf Geraniums...
Ball Colegrave will present their recently introduced programme of high performing Zonal and Ivy Leaf Geraniums.

This refreshed range incorporates existing top performing varieties with great new genetics from leading Geranium breeders.

All are supplied in a Ball 84 Paper Pots providing an excellent medium for your plants to get off to a flying start.

The strong growing Geranium ‘Designer ‘is the classic green-leaved zonal series for growers. Now available in 15 colours of large, early bright semi-double flowers, this series is perfect for 11-15cm pots sales.

Geranium ‘Fantasia’ is a new comprehensive collection of dark-leaved zonalvarieties for easy and fast production in 11-13cm pots, all with excellent vigour and garden performance.

In Ivy-leaf types there is the Geranium ‘Supreme’; a superior series of free-branching, cascading plants with large, crisp and bold single flowers. Geranium ‘Precision’ offers growers an easy to grow and fast production plant for 11-13cm pots and basket work which boasts a wide colour range of semi-double flowers and free branching plant structure.

Forest Edge Nurseries

Forest Edge Nurseries continue to enhance the range of new heathers with the introduction of the outstanding Winter/Spring flowering Erica carnea ‘Saskia’...
Forest Edge Nurseries continue to enhance the range of new heathers with the introduction of the outstanding Winter/Spring flowering Erica carnea ‘Saskia’.

The new larger bespoke labels have been welcomed throughout the retail sector as a great improvement and, following on this year, it now offers the 9cm range of heathers with the option of a pot printed bar code.

With the aid of bed label pricing this now eliminates sticky labels which have to be replaced or deteriorate and completes the Forest Edge product range for 9cm, 1.0 litre and carry packs.

Gardeners Kitchen

Gardeners Kitchen, the leading supplier of vegetable and herb plants to garden centres across the UK and Ireland, are set to revolutionise the shelf life of young plants for retailers...
Gardeners Kitchen, the leading supplier of vegetable and herb plants to garden centres across the UK and Ireland, are set to revolutionise the shelf life of young plants for retailers.

The family run business with over 50 years of experience near Evesham in Worcestershire, the heart of UK vegetable growing, have developed a cultural technique which can add as much as two weeks to the shelf life of most of the 140 or so named vegetable varieties Gardeners Kitchen produce.

Months of trials have consistently shown extended shelf life with no harm to growth and crops for the amateur gardener longer term. Gardeners Kitchen plants are grown chemical and organic pesticide free.

The company operate an Integrated Pest Management system using good bugs who love bad bugs.

Gardeners Kitchen produce over 11 million plants a year in packs and pots using the best varieties that will ensure amateur gardeners see satisfying results.

Weekly deliveries take place to garden centres throughout the UK and Ireland via specialist transport, ensuring retailers have fresh topical stock at the right time.

Gedney Bulb Company

Gedney Bulb Company are a specialist grower of bulbs, herbaceous and alpine plants. Nationwide deliveries are available with a minimum delivery of 1 trolley which can be made up of plants and bulbs to avoid overstocking and keep sales areas fresh...
Gedney Bulb Company are a specialist grower of bulbs, herbaceous and alpine plants. Nationwide deliveries are available with a minimum delivery of 1 trolley which can be made up of plants and bulbs to avoid overstocking and keep sales areas fresh.

The plants all have very attractive colourful point of sale material. Alpine plants is an extensive range of 9cm, 1ltr and 6 packs, with colour labelled and are available throughout the year.

There is a wide range of promotions available - 6 packs include mixed varieties and sedum, sempervivum, aubrieta, phlox, saxifrage and anemone blanda. The 1ltr promotions include anemoe blanda, dianthus, lewisa, aubrieta, fritillaria melegris, primula denticulata, saxfrage and rhodohypoxis goliath.

Herbaceous plants include a wide range of top quality 9cm & 2ltr plants ready for retail sales, with eye-catching colourful labels. The 9cm range is particularly suitable for multi-buys and include osmacote and have a long shelf life.

Potted bulbs are an excellent impulse line for spring and there is an eye catching range with colourful labels. The bulb range is wide and features all the traditional favourites as well as inspiring additions and competitive offers. Bulbs are available in nets, pre-packs, loose and showcases.

Easy to use online ordering system to order from weekly availability lists which also show 'this week's must have plants'.

Kernock Park Plants

Kernock Park Plants will be entering two exciting new introductions into the plant awards as well as introducing over 50 new plant introductions to their catalogue for 2014...

Kernock Park Plants will be entering two exciting new introductions into the plant awards as well as introducing over 50 new plant introductions to their catalogue for 2014.

Superbells ‘Pomegranate Punch’ is the latest Calibrachoa in the Proven Winners Superbells series that will be entered into the New Plant Awards.

The plant has velvety flowers of crimson-red that diffuse to black in the centre, with strong yellow eyes.

The striking blooms form in a high abundance of uniform flowers all over the plant, and start flowering right at the beginning of the summer season up until the end of October.

Like all Superbells, the variety has an excellent mounding, trailing habit which means it grows well in hanging baskets, pots and containers. It could also be planted in well-draining raised beds.

“Pomegranate Punch is a real showstopper”, says Mark Taylor, Business Development Manager for Kernock, “it’s another great performing Superbells variety that will look stunning in the garden.”

The second entry is Bidens ‘Rockstar’, another Proven Winners introduction.

So called for its extra-large flower heads and more upright habit that has transformed the role of this Bidens from a trailing filler, into the centrepiece of the patio pot.

“The big, golden-yellow flower heads will really light up containers” says Bruce Harnett, MD of Kernock Park Plants.

“We strive to bring exciting new varieties to the UK market, and our network of breeders have really shone again to make next year’s catalogue another exciting selection.” continues Bruce

This year Kernock will also be displayingthe Proven Winners range of plants and POS offering for retailers at the National Plant Show, as well as discussing the results of their product trial and market research project, conducted in collaboration with Kevin Waters.

Bransford Webbs Plant Company

Bransford Webbs Plant Company's stand is guaranteed to inspire you to make the most of your plant area with some stunning colour and great new promotions...
Bransford Webbs Plant Company's stand is guaranteed to inspire you to make the most of your plant area with some stunning colour and great new promotions.

The company have built their name by introducing new and exciting plant promotions to the garden centre market.

At this year's show, their stand will continue this theme as it showcases the very best new introductions for 2014.

Alongside the new plant introductions, look out for some fantastic new marketing initiatives to help promote volume plant sales in your plantarea. Summer colour will be a key part of the stand this year, offering promotions to help you maximise your plantarea sales outside the key seasons.

Hebes are a mainstay of the Bransford Webbs spring range but pop onto the stand to see how the range is evolving to give this important plant a longer presence in garden centre sales.

Social media and the use of the web is becoming key to promoting plants to your customers, so why not visit the stand and let the sales team show you how the company is trying to drive sales in your garden centre.

Young Plants Ltd

As a premier supplier and distributor of plants to the commercial and wholesale trade Young Plants Ltd continue to offer exciting new products and genetics to the market place...
As a premier supplier and distributor of plants to the commercial and wholesale trade Young Plants Ltd continue to offer exciting new products and genetics to the market place.

Through their exclusive partnership with Dummen GmbH and the Red Fox Brand they can bring to you innovative and unique breeding and concepts.

The company also supply extensive products from other world renowned and recognised breeders.

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