Garden centres have just a few days left to win a footfall-boosting, on-site appearance by ITV gardener David Domoney during Garden Re-Leaf weekend.
In support of Garden Re-Leaf Day, David is offering a series of free, 30-minute expert talks on Sunday 16th March to the garden centre that wins the ‘Gardening Date with David’ competition – which has a closing date of Friday 7th February..
Any garden retailer registering their participation in Garden Re-Leaf Day by 7th February can enter. Once registered at www.gardenreleaf.co.uk, simply enter the competition by emailing info@gardenreleaf.co.uk, including your full contact details and saying, in 200 words or less, how you would make the most of David’s visit on 16th March as part of your Garden Re-Leaf Day events. The best idea wins his visit.
Carol Paris, HTA Chief Executive, commented: “I think it’s fabulous that David has offered his time to a retailer as part of Garden Re-Leaf. When I was at The Garden & Leisure Group, David came to give a talk at one of our centres for Garden Re-Leaf that was extremely well received, drove a lot of footfall and was good for business. His enthusiasm about gardening really comes across, and we had some great feedback from the day.”
The competition winner will be notified by 12th February, allowing time to publicise David’s visit to customers.
The winner can also liaise with David to choose the topic of the talks. Organisers request that the winning retailer makes David’s visit a ticketed event, with proceeds going towards Garden Re-Leaf Day’s nominated charity for 2014, the Greenfingers ‘Rosy Cheeks’ appeal – the nationwide charity dedicated to building gardens in children’s hospices around the UK.
Expert ITV gardener David is currently on our screens co-presenting ITV’s prime time gardening show, Love Your Garden, and is one of the most decorated garden designers in the UK having won 27 Royal Horticultural Society medals. He is an active supporter of Garden Re-Leaf Day, and is launching his second Cultivation Street campaign – a national, joint community gardens initiative with the HTA – during Garden Re-Leaf weekend.
Garden Re-Leaf Day’s founder and Hillview Garden Centre CEO Boyd Douglas-Davies added: “Our thanks go to David for donating his time for free for this fantastic competition. We’re also reminding all garden retailers to register their participation in Garden Re-Leaf Day now, and start planning their activities. It’s the epitome of a fun, fund-raising day, combined with real retail benefits.”
Garden Re-Leaf Day, the garden industry’s annual, season-starting charity fund-raising day, takes place on Friday 14th March and across the weekend, raising money for charity whilst launching the garden retailing season. Hundreds of retailers nationwide are expected to run fund-raisers and customer activities as part of the event.
Many suppliers are also offering special Garden Re-Leaf Day product and plant promotions to help retailers raise further funds through sales. Since 2012 Garden Re-Leaf Day participants have raised more than £116,000 for the cause; enabling several life-enhancing hospice gardens to be created.
Get involved
- Visit www.gardenreleaf.co.uk and follow @GardenReLeaf on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates
- To enter the free, ‘Gardening Date with David’ competition email info@gardenreleaf.co.uk by 7th February
- To run the Garden Re-Leaf Day ‘Celebrity Gardening Quiz’ at your site, order an organiser’s pack (£100) from 0118 930 8918 or email pat@gca.org.uk
