Gardman has appointed Stewart Hainsworth as its new CEO and Justin Young as Commercial Director. These are the latest high-profile appointments at a major gardening firm following former Notcutts boss Andy King taking control of Dobbies, which was announced only last week.

Stewart, who will take over Gardman at the beginning of September, is a former main Board Director of the FTSE 100 listed Gallaher Group and has gained over 16 years of general management and Chief Executive experience within the Consumer Goods market with both publicly listed and private equity backed businesses. 

More recently he served as Chairman of the private equity backed “Ready to Drink” business, Bravo Premium, before becoming the CEO of Russian Standard Vodka distributing into both Independent and Multiple retail channels.

He brings to Gardman an enormous wealth of experience in branded consumer goods in both the UK and International markets, together with a strong understanding of multi-channel distribution challenges.

Based at Gardman's head office in Moulton, Stewart commented: “I am delighted to be joining at this exciting stage of the company’s development and look forward to building the plans for future growth with the team at Gardman.

"Benefiting from the continued support from our investors and the strong trading history with our trading partners in the gardening sector, I’m confident that we can build on the already considerable success Gardman has enjoyed in the past.”

Reporting directly to Stewart Hainsworth, Justin Young is appointed as Commercial Director and is tasked with continuing the development of the company’s new trading strategy. 

In recent months Gardman has reinvented itself in what is today an extremely competitive market. The company’s early success was built on its philosophy of making sure its wide range of products was very competitively priced and then further driving sales through excellent promotions. Gardman has returned to these trading roots and, using its acknowledged industry and retailing expertise, is working collaboratively with its agents and customers as they increase sales volumes and boost profits.  

“We are delighted to welcome Stewart and Justin to the company,” explained Jonathan Halford, Chairman of Gardman. “These appointments represent the next step forward in our strategy of focusing on trading our core categories harder for the benefit of our customers and their consumers.  We expect them both to make significant contributions to the future growth of our business.”

Justin also brings a wealth of relevant commercial experience, most notably in his previous roles as Trading Director of the Shop Direct Group and Supply Chain Director at Phones4U where he was responsible for a £500m purchasing budget. Prior to this Justin achieved much success as Managing Director of Mikey, the Jewellery retailer, where he managed a very diverse product range and developed the brand globally. His role takes immediate effect.

A former Gardman MD, Andy Bestwick, is joining Smart Solar as a non-executive director...

Since his time at Gardman Andy has worked with several other companies in the gardening sector. He will be working closely with the senior management team on specific strategic projects.

Jonathan Stobart, founder and chief executive of Smart Solar, commented, "I am delighted that Andy has agreed to join us. He has extensive market and product expertise which will be invaluable to us as we seek to grow the business. I am looking forward to working with him."

Retailers and suppliers are being warned to guard against bogus callers claiming to represent a reputable garden centre and then trying to place large orders for stock.

Jonathan Read, operations director at Podington Garden Centre, said: "This week we have discovered two scam orders. A person named Jenny has contacted two of our suppliers – Vitax and OMC barbecues – and placed large orders. She purported to be Podington Garden Centre and used our logo. 

"In both cases they had stated that they will be collecting the goods. Luckily both these companies have been in contact to validate these substantial orders and both have contacted the police.

"This type of scam is on the rise and it is important for suppliers to be vigilant to recognise unusual order behaviour."

GIMA also warned everyone involved in the industry to be on their guard. In a statement the organisation said:

"The order from this so-called Jenny, which received clearance from the wholesaler, who it was to be invoiced through, had all the correct product codes and prices and all appeared to be in order.

"A further call from Jenny said they were sending in a lorry to collect the order which is when suspicions started to be raised even though that is not totally out of order. Suspicions were aroused as a driver waiting to load had been caught up in a scam only the day before involving televisions, also organised by a girl called Jenny.

"The police were called and arrived at the same time as the driver who was questioned and allowed on his way as an innocent party. Skelmersdale Police in Lancashire have all the details and would like to hear of any similar incidents.

"Please all suppliers and retailers beware. With margins as tight as they are these days an awful lot of sales are required to make up a loss such as this might have been."

If you hear of any similar incidents let us know by emailing trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk, and make sure you inform the police.

Heatwave conditions this month have certainly helped to give garden centre sales a boost with feeding and watering products performing well.

The GTN Bestsellers Epos data reveals that volumes have been at a higher level year on year for the past 14 weeks – in fact, 20 out of 29 weeks have been up on 2012. Looking back it was just the key weeks early on in the year that were poor!

Garden centre footfall is still particularly high at this time of year with restaurants reporting good business.

The good weather has meant that plenty of outdoor furniture and barbecues are being sold, plus surprisingly high volumes of plants. Even growing media sales are sustaining high sales levels – over the past eight weeks volumes are 39% higher than 2012, and 31% up on the same eight weeks of 2011. Gardening must be cool!

All this welcome activity poses the following questions. Is this increase in business throughout July solely down to the fact that gardeners are making up for a poor spring? Or is it more to do with garden centres making themselves a more attractive place to visit during the summer?  What do you think? Email trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year:

• Garden Products – up 18%
• Veg-2-Gro – down 25%
• Growing Media – up 41%
• All items index – up 17%

To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here 

Watering and watering-related plant foods are holding sales at a higher level than last year – this week’s GTN Bestsellers Garden Products volumes are up 18% on 2012. 

It’s interesting to note that during the same week last year there wasn’t a single hose product in the chart – just Greenwash watering cans – and there wasn’t a hosepipe ban either. It must just be the heat forcing people to fill up paddling pools or run sprinklers for children to play in, rather than just watering garden plants.

Hozelock lead the way with nine lines in the Top 50. These include:

• Top 10 positions for Standard Hose End Connector and Double Male Connector.
• New entry Hose Connector Twin Pack.
• Multi Spray Gun (pictured above) at No 44.

Garden lighting products have also been selling in volumes this week with 11 lines in the Top 50, headed by Gardman Ice Orb Solar Light at No 2. Gardman also have a new entry in Solar Flower Glows (assorted colours) at No 25 and their Solar Rock Spot Light is the highest climber at No 19. Premier Decorations Bottle Tea Light Holder is the highest re-entry as it returns to the chart at No 31.

Outdoor plant feed is the other main sector performing well with Scotts Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food (1-litre) the highest new entry at No 7. Bayer Toprose is also in the chart at No 32. There is no change at the top with Tomorite holding on to No 1 spot.

See the full GTN Garden Products Bestsellers Chart here.  Subscribers Only

To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business.  Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.

Ben Reid Garden Centre in Aberdeen has taken its most unusual delivery – an entire garden − a Gold medallist in the Show section of this year’s Chelsea Flower Show.

Simon Fraser, owner of Ben Reid Garden Centre, explains: “The delivery of several mature dogwoods and crate after crate of plants, from Aquilegias to Verbascums, is all for  the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Roof Garden project – the first of its kind in Scotland. We will store and tend the plants while preparation for the roof site and fundraising continues."

The original 'Blue Water Roof Garden' (pictured above), which wowed the crowds at Chelsea this year was donated to the roof garden project by the Royal Bank of Canada.  It was designed by Prof. Nigel Dunnett − he also created the meadows for the Olympic Park − and The Landscape  Agency. Prof Dunnett will also design the new garden for inpatients and their families in Aberdeen.

“We are proud to support local projects and this one is dear to my heart – as a nurseryman I see every day how flowers, plants and shrubs, as well as being outdoors and breathing fresh air, make a huge difference to our customers," said Simon.

"Imagine being indoors for days, weeks or even months without fresh air and the chance to see growing plants – that’s what it can be like for a patient who is confined to bed, or has difficulty getting about. I am also a founding member of the project’s steering committee, advising on the gardening aspect of the initiative, so we have a lot of very interesting work ahead.”

The Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Roof Garden project was launched last year and has attracted substantial support, both financially and ‘in kind’, like Ben Reid Garden Centre’s support, and that of transport firm ARR Craib who brought the planting and all the other materials, such as decking pebbles and terracotta pipes, to Aberdeen. 

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary serves the whole of the North East of Scotland and also receives many patients from the Northern Isles and neighbouring areas.

The campaign for the therapeutic roof garden is being led by the Rev James Falconer, the Chaplain at NHS Grampian.

He said: “We are extremely grateful for the generous support of Ben Reid Garden Centre and for Simon’s continuing and excellent advice. The garden will make an amazing difference for patients − I know this from listening to former patients and from clinicians. We look forward to creating a space filled with nature where people can relax and reflect and in a green sanctuary.”

Pictured below: Ben Reid Garden Centre take delivery of the plants from the Chelsea Gold medal winning garden.

The UK may experiencing hot weather at the moment but only four months ago this was the scene at Armitages Pennine Garden Centre near Huddersfield. But the gallent efforts of garden centre staff to shift the snow has now been recognised by a 'special' prize at the GCA North East Regional Awards...

Armitages Pennine Garden Centre received the 'Surviving the White Stuff ' Award. The team shifted tonnes of snow to make way for customers and their cars.

Full marks for innovation go to the plant area team who were selling snow as a linked sale on the alpine troughs (below)!

Vitax is reaping the rewards of the Coronation Festival after showcasing its latest range of products and fertilisers within the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

Hosted by the Royal Warrant Holders Association and with around 60,000 visitors in attendance, Vitax joined 200 Royal Warrant holders to exhibit at the exclusive event which took place from July 11 till July 14.

The event marked the 60th anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation and enabled Vitax to display its in-demand product Slug Gone along with its other well-known brands - Nippon and the Q4 fertiliser range.

More than 10,000 samples of the Q4 fertiliser, which is used by the royal gardeners, were handed out to visitors but Slug Gone was the real attraction proving that slugs were a real concern amongst visitors.

Paul Gooding, chairman at Vitax, says: “The Coronation Festival was a once in a lifetime opportunity and for the duration of the four days, we were inundated with visitors who had a genuine desire to learn about the product range. 

“The entire experience and atmosphere was fantastic and provided Vitax with an opportunity to meet with members of the royal family and customers from both the UK and overseas.

“We received some great feedback and requests for different products, especially regarding pest control which we will be looking into in the future.”

Royal Warrants are a mark of recognition to individuals or companies who have supplied goods or services for at least five years to the Households of The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh or The Prince of Wales, and are regarded as hallmarks of quality, excellence and service.  Vitax was granted its first Royal Warrant in 1965.

The Coronation Festival celebrated cultural life during the reign of Her Majesty with Royal Warrant holders exhibiting across four areas: Design and Technology; Food and Drink; Style, Pursuits and Pastimes; Homes and Gardens.

Well-known artists such as The Feeling, Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson and Katie Melua all performed at the evening galas alongside other artists.

Family-owned Highfield Garden World has scooped two business awards in its home county of Gloucestershire.  

In its first year of entering the annual Stroud Life Business Awards, Highfield started by winning in its chosen category of ‘Family Business of the Year’, and was delighted to go on to be crowned overall winner of the event as ‘Business of the Year’.   

The leading independent garden centre in Gloucestershire, Highfield beat off stiff competition to win the awards. The business was founded and is still run by the Greenway family, and was praised for its contribution to the local economy and to local employment during its 26 years of trading.  

The award wins have made a great year even better for Highfield. Earlier this year the business embarked on a £2m+ redevelopment of its site.  On track for an Autumn launch, the work will increase retail space to 5,300 sq m, and the end result will include a new 260 cover restaurant designed to make the most of the site’s enviable waterside hilltop position and views. 

Tim Greenway commented:  “We hoped we were in the running to win ‘Family Business of the Year’, but to scoop the big prize as well was a lovely surprise!  It’s always welcome to have hard work recognised, and this has been a real boost for the whole team here.”

Garden Radio congratulates the team at Poplars on becoming Best Destination Garden Centre in the North Thames region of the GCA for 2013.

They are so proud of winning this award they already have a new announcement playing on Garden Radio telling their customers about their success, and thanking them for their help and support.

That's just one of the many effective in-store messages playing on Garden Radio at Poplars: Big Chris and his deliveries, their lovely pair of tits, Suzy who is the newest Poplars Priviledge club member and "give it a go" with Rachel.

You can hear all of the current messages recorded and produced by Garden Radio for Poplars playing in the garden centre or if you phone them and ask to be put on hold, or you can listen to them here.

Poplars Garden Radio Promo String 1

Poplars Garden Radio Promo String 2

Poplars Garden Radio Promo String 3

Poplars Garden Radio Promo String 4

Poplars Garden Radio Promo String 5

Poplars Garden Radio Promo String 6

To get the best garden centre music and messaging system there is playing in your garden centre call Trevor Pfeiffer today on 07973 504214 or the Garden Radio office on 01733 775700 or e-mail trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

As Poplars messages on Garden Radio always end:  Poplars for Quality, Choice and Value.

Proudly supported and added to by Garden Radio, the best music and messaging system for garden centres... ever!

Garden Radio also congratulates: Old Railway Line - Best Garden Centre in the West, Armitages Pennine Garden Centre - Best Destination Centre in the North East, Planters Tamworth - Best Garden Centre in the Midlands, who all choose Garden Radio as their in-store music and messaging system.

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 printed newsletter and on the GTN website www.gardentradenews.co.uk.

New for this year, every week we give sales volume comparisons with 2011 as well as 2012 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £120.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most upto date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 01733 775700, or subscribe on-line here

 

or e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

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

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

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this 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.

Autumn planting seed potatoes fill five of the top six places in the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart...the first sign that Christmas is on the horizon, as far as GYO enthusiasts are concerned anyway.

Casablanca, a new entry from Taylors, jumps straight in at No 1, while another newcomer from the same company – Catriona – fills No 6 spot.

Taylors also have the highest re-entries at Nos 2 and 3 in Charlotte and Maris Piper while their Duke of York is the highest climber, jumping 46 places to No 4.

Sales volumes are slightly behind last year but the autumn seed potato lines appear to have gone on sale a week later than last year – watch this space as an indicator of Christmas sales to come!

Other new entries include the following:

• Unwins Gro-Sure Carrot Charlemagne at No 27 and Unwins Lettuce Mixed Baby Leaf one place behind.
• Thompson & Morgan Lettuce Lollo Rosso.
• Gardeners Kitchen Patio Runner Beans Hestia (No 41), and Sugar Snap Peas (No 46).

See the full GTN Veg-2-Gro Bestsellers Chart here.  Subscribers Only

To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business.  Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.

Bosses at a Bolton garden centre have installed their own road sign to keep business levels up while a nearby bridge is closed for roadworks...

The Giants Seat Garden Centre, in Red Rock Lane near Kearsley Road, had asked engineers for improved signage coming from the Bury side of the A667 — before taking action themselves.

Alan Kidd, 52, a partner in the family business, said they spent about £200 on a yellow sign at the junction of Ringley Road West and Outwood Road.

Ringley Bridge is set to be closed until mid-December and Mr Kidd said he feared the existing “Road Closed” signs give the wrong impression and could threaten sales.

He said: “They’ve warned of the bridge closure a mile-and-a-half ahead but you can still get to the garden centre going that way, by forking left before the bridge.

“The issue was that it is not clear which businesses were still open.

“They obviously don’t want people going towards the bridge because they’d have to turn round and it would cause chaos.

“With road closed ahead on signs, we’ve had people turn back and then ring us to ask whether we’re still open or not.”

Giants Seat has virtually sold out of summer stock because of the hot weather and the surge in sales prior to the bridge closure. It is now in full production of autumn plants.

Mr Kidd said access to Giants Seat, which pays business rates to Bolton Council despite having a Manchester postcode, has been properly signed from the Bolton side, even though the route has been blocked.

He thanked Bolton councillor Liam Irving for his work in helping local businesses manage while Ringley Bridge is closed.

Mr Kidd said he understood why Ringley Bridge had been closed but added that local businesses must be supported through the period of upheaval.

A spokesman for Bury Council said they had no problem with Giants Seat putting up its own sign and that highways officers had not been approached by engineers voicing any concerns.

People were planning for barbecues and improving their outdoor living spaces in June, according to the Garden Centre Association’s Barometer of Trade results for the month.

The best performing category was barbecues and furniture with sales up 36.24% in comparison to June 2012.

Peter Burks, Chairman of the GCA, explained: “The good sales we saw in May continued into June with outdoor living products being the best performers. Sales of hard landscaping were also up 34.67%.

“Outdoor plants were up 29.24%, garden sundries 23.46%, seeds and bulbs 19.82%, food hall and farm shop 11.58% and catering 6.79%.

“It is really positive that we had yet another strong month following a good April and May and it is definitely a step in the right direction to helping our members make up for the losses they had earlier in the year. The overall year to date figures, calculated at the end of June, stand at 1.6% up.”

The GCA BoT reports are compiled using actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement.

David Little, Managing Director of Poplars Garden Centre in Bedfordshire, said: “Sales of garden furniture and barbecue accessories have been particularly strong thanks to the weather.

“Our customers have been able to enjoy some outdoor living now that summer has finally arrived. Hartman weave sets in particular have sold through very quickly and I wish I’d ordered more. Sales of parasols and bases have also been very strong and if this great weather continues we should clear our remaining stock pretty quickly.

 I’m afraid we are still losing sales of barbecues to the internet for the considered purchase, however sales are steady to customers that want a barbecue right away. What is clear is that a few weeks of good weather and a reasonable forecast for the weeks ahead and customers are happy to invest in this category.”

The BoT reports produced by the GCA allow member garden centres to compare their trading positions with other centres.

Do you think your latest innovation has the potential to be the next ‘big thing’? Do you offer something new that has the potential to boost the profits of any garden retailer who stocks it?  If any of these descriptions match a product you have introduced to the garden retail market this year, then be sure to enter it into the New Product Showcase at Glee, which takes place at the NEC on September 15-17.

Reintroduced for the 2013 show, the Glee New Products Showcase serves two very important functions.  The first being that from the exhibitors' perspective, all participants enjoy the opportunity to have their latest lines displayed in an area of high buyer footfall – and the possibility of winning a prestigious award judged by recognised industry experts. And secondly, time-short buyers can see 'what's new' in a matter of minutes within two central located ‘new products hubs’ within the heart of Halls 4 and 5.

This year the showcase will feature entries from eight product categories, with winners decided by a judging panel made up of a cross-section of industry experts and retailers.  Product categories include:

• Best Garden Care Product
• Best Landscaping & Garden Design Product
• Best Nursery & Planteria Product
• Best Garden Leisure Product
• Best Home, Gift & Clothing Product
• Best Retail Support Product
• Best Pet Product

Judging will take place during build-up of the show, and on the opening day the winners of each category will be awarded with the highly coveted titles of ‘best in category’ at a special ceremony on-stand at the Glee New Product Showcase Hubs.

Entry into the Glee New Products Showcase is now open, and is completely free of charge to all exhibitors. To enter, simply download the entry form from the Exhibitor Manual (online at gleebirmingham.com), and ensure that your completed form is submitted by August 30.

i2i’s Matthew Mein, Glee event manager, said: “Following significant industry feedback since the close of Glee 2012, it became apparent that the industry wants and needs a dedicated new product showcase at the show, in order to better source and celebrate the wealth of innovation throughout the industry.  The Glee New Products Showcase is always an exciting part of the show, and we have no doubt that reintroducing the original format will once again create a real buzz around the show.  I am also particularly excited to see the results of the retailers vote.  This is the first time that visitors to the show can cast their own vote, so the results will no doubt generate debate and discussion.”

Entry to Glee is free of charge to all pre-registered visitors.  Simply register via the Glee website www.gleebirmingham.com/register.  All pre-registered visitors will save £20 on the door, as well as receiving the Glee Buyers Guide before the show to help plan their visit. 

Yes, it’s true...the fastest percentage growth in this week’s Growing Media chart has been made by Westland Cacti Compost (10 litres), which re-enters the chart at No 39 after increasing sales by 100%.

It seems that gardeners are still wanting to buy growbags, and Scotts Levington Original Gro-bag is the highest re-entry with an 82% rise in sales.

Other notable performances this week are:

• Arthur Bowers New Horizon Multi-Purpose Compost (50 litres), a re-entry at No 28.
• Westland Gro-Sure All Purpose Compost All Purpose Compost (50 litres) increases sales by 53%.
• Westland West+ Multipurpose Compost & 4 Month Feed (25 litres) moves up the chart to No 25.

See the full GTN Growing Media Bestsellers Chart here.  Subscribers Only

To Subscribe to the full GTN Bestsellers Weekly Charts for only £120.00 per year click here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts can seriously improve your business.  Only subscribe if you want to invest 15 minutes each week in improving your turnover and customer satisfaction.

The HTA is supporting The Real Poppy Campaign in its quest to encourage people to plant poppies ahead of the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One on August 4.

As part of the initiative the HTA will be giving away 60,000 packs of poppy seeds with one pack being given away with every purchase of a ‘limited edition’ poppy National Garden Gift Voucher in spring 2014. In addition a further 60,000 packs of poppy seeds will be donated to the campaign as part of their wider activities.

The seeds, grown and harvested in the UK, are being supplied by HTA member Thompson & Morgan.

HTA Director General Carol Paris comments: “We have been delighted to work with The Real Poppy Campaign over the past few months to develop this initiative to commemorate the anniversary of the start of World War One. The limited edition National Garden Gift Voucher and poppy seed giveaway are sure to capture the interest of the nation and we anticipate that many members will want to take part.”

The bright red Flanders poppies (Papaver rhoeas) also known as corn poppies, will be planted by thousands of people all across the nation during spring 2014 – for flowering late July/early August.

The 2014 Real Poppy Campaign is the brainchild of The Greenhithe (Kent) Royal British Legion.

Chairman Phil Berry said: “We would like to see the UK covered in real Flanders poppies during August 2014, just imagine thousands upon thousands of bright red poppies growing alongside motorways, hundreds in every garden, hedgerows, fields, window boxes - the entire nation covered in poppies.”

For further information about The Real Poppy Campaign (TRPC) visit: www.realpoppy.co.uk

The Association of Professional Landscapers is celebrating after winning more medals at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park this week. 

The Precious Resources garden, sponsored by Bradstone, designed by Paul Hervey-Brookes and built by a collaboration of the founder members of the APL North West Cluster Group has won silver at the North's biggest garden party.

Built by Andy Kirman of Kirman Design, Steve Foxcroft and Simon Ford of Foxcroft Landscapes, Stephen Hargreaves of Seasonal Landscapes and Mick Topp of Vision Landscapes, the garden  uses modern materials to create a contemporary urban oasis that puts how we use water at its heart. 

The striking design uses a wealth of plants that are both decorative and have culinary uses; combined with beautifully cast paving it creates the perfect outdoor living space. Part of the Grow section at the event, this is the first time that the APL has had a show garden at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.

A Stainless Century won Gold and Best Large Garden and was built by APL members Garden Style. APL members Greenbelt Landscapes also won Gold for the construction of the Alzheimer's Society Remember to Reflect Garden and Silver for The Dirty Stop Out Garden, which was also sponsored by member Natural Paving.

APL Chairman Mark Gregory said: "This is the first time we have had an APL branded garden at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park and I am delighted to see a medal win for the North West Cluster Group.

"It is great to see the APL's work showcased at this level and we hope the Tatton public will choose APL when considering getting their garden landscaped."

Wilkinson Sword’s RazorCut Comfort Pruners were winners at the recent GIMA awards held in London, scooping the Garden Tools, Machinery and Implements prize.

The RazorCut range is brand new for 2013 and features four options: medium and large bypass, anvil and pruning snips. Each pruner is lightweight and extra strong and has a convenient ‘squeeze me’ opening mechanism.

Yvonne Weaving from EP Barrus said: “We are extremely proud of the new RazorCut Comfort range and it has been selling in-store very successfully alongside the professional RazorCut Pro range.

“We are delighted to have won the garden tools category of the GIMA Awards; it’s a great boost for the team and a testament to the quality of the pruners.”

Police were called to Manor Garden Centre in Cheney Manor Industrial Estate at 6.30am on Wednesday after reports of a stolen JCB forklift truck.

The premises were locked at 5pm the previous day so it is believed the incident happened overnight.

Suspects moved an old JCB to get to the newer truck and it appears they cut through a padlock. 

Tails were wagging when guide dog puppy Webster and the woman who named him came nose to nose for the first time at Webbs Garden Centre in Wychbold.

Gill Hill was the winner of a popular competition to name the new Webbs’ guide dog puppy. Generous Webbs customers had raised over £5,000 for the charity Guide Dogs, giving them the opportunity to name a puppy and sponsor it for the first year of its life.

Gill was one of 24 people who entered the name Webster as the most perfect fit. As Webster was so popular the names of all those who had entered the suggestion were put into a hat and Gill’s was pulled out as the lucky winner.

The 66-year-old Brierley Hill resident doesn’t own a dog herself but fondly remembers the family cocker spaniel from when she was younger.

She was told of her competition win back in April but was not able to meet Webster until all his pet vaccinations were in place. Her three granddaughters Daisy, 10, and Rosie Hill, four, and Morgan Hill, nine, were also excited about meeting the puppy.

“I was thrilled when I found out I’d won the competition and we are all so excited to meet Webster. He’s just gorgeous and it’s wonderful to know he will make such a huge difference to the life of someone blind or partially sighted,” said Gill.

Webbs chairman Ed Webb said: “It was lovely to see Gill and Webster, they struck up a bond straight away. He also won over the hearts of lots of our other customers. We will follow his progress with regular visits to Webbs when Webster will be brought along by his local puppy walkers.”