GTN September 2022 New Products Special. Inside this issue:

• Problems solved with STV - GTN interviews Edwin Allingham
• Choice Marketing – Stronger together
• Lawns are eco-warriors
• Happy plants, happy planet by Sipcam
• The Fandango wood splitting revolution
• Harmonious gardening at Southern Trident
• Solex moves with the times
• Garden centres making Cultivation Street community connections
• Hex Living – LOFA Member profile
• GCA Regional Awards – Wales and West plus Scotland and Northern Ireland
• Glee New Product Awards – A judges behind the scenes perspective
• Glee New Product Directory Part 1
• PATS Telford Preview
• HTA Column – Hasta La Vista from Boyd Douglas-Davies

The last two weeks of August have seen garden centre sales get back up to 2020 levels and as a result the GTN Bestsellers All Products Sales index for volumes of items sold sits at 15.2% up on 2019, year to date.

July saw total sales volumes drop back to 2019 levels but August was 16.9% ahead of 2019.

Watch out for more GTN Bestsellers summer sales analysis over the coming weeks.

Treadstone are continuing their sustainability drive by launching a new glove range for their ClipGlove brand that is made using recycled plastic bottles. This on trend sustainable glove comes at an exciting time for Treadstone, who have developed several innovative products in the last two years.

ClipGlove is a brand that was launched by Treadstone in 2019 and the range has continued to grow since then. The range’s foundations are built on innovation as well as functionality, with each pair of gloves being held together with a carabiner clip. This clip enables gardeners to fasten the gloves onto a convenient place during and after use. This leads to a reduction in users losing their gloves, as well as making gardening tasks more efficient.

A handy sustainable option

The new multi-purpose recycled glove range features a stylish collection of Men’s and Ladies’ gloves made using recycled plastic bottles! The knitted glove is made from 95% recycled plastic bottles, with just a little added elastic for comfort. The Glove is then dipped in natural latex to provide grip and protection from dirt and water. The fun, colourful printed designs add a touch of style whilst giving a nod to the “bottle heritage” of the gloves. 

There are two versions available in the Bottle Glove range and both gloves are suitable for general garden jobs such as weeding, sowing, potting, and planting.

The Standard Bottle Glove features a textured palm coating of natural latex to provide grip and protection. Bottle Glove Plus is made from the same construction as the Bottle Glove, but with an extra coating of latex, which stretches up the back of the hand to provide increased durability and protection against moisture. The Plus offers a more hardwearing option for more intense gardening tasks such as landscaping. Common to both gloves is the famous carabiner clip which keeps the gloves close and in sight.

Synonymous to Treadstone Products retail focus, there is a merchandising stand to site the gloves on the shop floor for Garden Centres to take advantage of. This merchandiser reinforces the eco messages and leads on from the award winning ClipGlove Spinner Stand which is now stocked in hundreds of stockists around the UK.

A greener ClipGlove

The sustainable Bottle Gloves come at a time when the ClipGlove range itself is becoming more environmentally friendly. This is because from 2023, the glove production will use an average of 30% recycled content, using materials in production that would normally go to waste.

ClipGlove is a brand that continues to innovate and now offers gloves for environmentally conscious gardeners. If you are interested in stocking ClipGlove Bottle Gloves, DARE TO SELL DIFFERENT and get in touch today, email sales@treadstoneproducts.com.

Take a look at the Treadstone 2023 brochure (click here to view) for further information about their brands and products.

Watch the ClipGlove Recycled Bottle Gloves video below...

Boyd Douglas-Davies has broadcast his last HTA Update video as HTA President.  His 3 years in office comes to an end on Friday 9th September when he hands the reigns over to Alan Down during the HTA Annual General Meeting which will be held via webinar at 10.30am.

https://hta.org.uk/

Thousands of retailers including garden centres visited Autumn Fair, the UK’s leading wholesale marketplace for Home, Gift, Fashion and Sourcing, yesterday at the NEC Birmingham to source new products from hundreds of exhibitors as well as enjoy a host of insightful and educational talks and inspirational catwalk shows. The show floor was buzzing throughout the day, and feedback from exhibitors highlighted the volume of quality orders being placed while visitors were delighted to discover exciting new brands and products.

Taking place until Wednesday 7^th September, Autumn Fair offers the ultimate platform for retailers to discover, network, re-connect with peers, be inspired, and source their next best sellers for the golden quarter and latest seasonal and Christmas designs. Making the journey towards new discoveries even easier, a host of new features including the New Product Showcase, Gift of the Year Winner’s Showcase in association with the Giftware Association, the Sustainable Product Showcase, and the Power of One® stand, offered curated product inspiration and created a visual and interactive space for visitors to make their sustainability pledges. Visitors also learned more about Autumn Fair’s three Power of One® pledges to make positive changes towards better sustainability and wellbeing, while watching the talented artist Saroj Patel painting a striking mural.

Retailers in attendance from across the UK and overseas including White Magic, Pamela Shiffer, SUCCUBUS, Denby, Rumbul, Brown Thomas, Arnotts, Geschenke Direkt GmbH, Gibbs & Dandy Ltd, The Snug Room, Thomas Morans, Shoe Heaven/Hand Footwear, Lorraine Fire, Kosmelita, Lark London, Landmark Group, Home Sweet Home (SW) Ltd, Barkers, Chester Zoo, Elphicks Department Store, India Jane, Jigsaw, Next, TK Maxx, Yarton Home & Garden and many more, were excited to see the breadth of product offered across the 12 sectors.

Emma Cable, Buyer at Alton Garden Centre said: "We have been coming to Autumn Fair for the last 5 years and find its useful to meet existing suppliers and also nice to look around each hall to see if there is anything new we can stock in our garden centre."

Pamela Shiffer, Owner, Pamela Shiffer; "We always come to Autumn Fair and MODA, for us it's in the in-season hit we need. This year we've found some fantastic new brands, including FIKA and Candlehand. We already stocked and did really well with FYG (candles) and they told us their sustainable clothing sister-brand FIKA were here, so it was really exciting to see them here. They're very wearable and affordable for a sustainable brand. We also love Candlehand for some fun Christmas gifting bits. We love coming here and finding pieces like these as we can see how they immediately will sit with pieces we've already bought.”

Steven Morgan, Director of Imperial Games Limited said; “It’s my first-time visiting Autumn Fair, I have been surprised by the quality and range of the exhibitors along with the organisation of the event team. I will be back next year!”

Nicky Quinn, Owner of Quinns of Thorpe Bay said; “I've been coming to Spring and Autumn Fair’s for about ten years', I love it. I come for the variety and to find new things - I've met about 6 or 7 suppliers today that I look forward to working with in the future.”

Amy Mann, Owner of Pretty Stories said; "I've been in the retail business for ten years; I have a bridal boutique, and I opened my online clothing boutique about a year ago during the lockdown because my bridal shop was closed. This year is fabulous, we've only been here for two hours but we've already got a couple of new suppliers and made some orders. We don't waste any time. We caught one of the sustainability talks earlier, it's interesting because we were actually looking at a new sustainable brand whilst it was going on.”

Angela Teasdale, Director of Emporium Gifts Ltd said; “I have been coming to Autumn Fair now for 11 years, we come to buy jewellery, gifts and fashion accessories. We always really enjoy coming to the show.”

Ahmad Salam, Director of Fazaltex UK Limited commented; "We have been attending Autumn Fair since 2017, we come back each year as during every visit we source new suppliers. We have been here a couple of hours and already have found two new suppliers we will do business with after the show.”

Marian Shaw, Owner of Marian Shaw said; “The show has been better than anticipated, there has been a lot more to see than other shows we've attended.”

Delighted by the volume and quality of visitors, many exhibitors commented on how busy the first day was. The new Jewellery & Watch space in MODA attracted huge interest.

Jo McLenaghan, from jewellery business iXXXi said; “This is our first time in MODA and by noon we had already seen more 100 new contacts and have placed 5 new stockists throughout the UK. Retailers are loving our comprehensive menswear jewellery collection and concept of endless switching with ladies rings and jewellery.”

Tom Betts from My Doris added: “Super busy morning! It feels the busiest show with have done since the pandemic. It is also great to see wider variety of international brands exhibiting.”

As part of its ongoing strategy to deliver educational and inspiring content, the Inspiring Retail Stage presented a host of talks on sustainability.

In the opening panel What is the Future for Sustainable Retail?, Helena Mansell-Stopher from Autumn Fair’s sustainability partner Products of Change was joined by Futurist Tom Savigar and Georgia Bell, Sales and Marketing Manager of Co-cre8 / Honest, to discuss the future of sustainability, unlocking the value of waste, embracing ESG values and the new definitions of retailing. Mansell-Stopher said: “We’re in one of the most evolutionary times, some say we’ve started the 4^th industrial revolution.” Savigar stated that when he advises retailers on their sustainability strategy he changes their definition of retailing, “away from selling product to guiding choice, becoming a service business not a retailer so it’s not about the money as a metric for success.” They continued to discuss sustainability as better for business, offering a competitive advantage as consumers push for responsibly sourced goods, adding that communication is key. Savigar suggested resetting the speed of getting ‘sustainability’ communications out to the consumer to ensure the facts are correct, saying that “story doing not story telling”, is better for business.

Facing the Future: The Benefits of Sustainable Retail, saw Francisca Sassetti, Responsible Sourcing Consultant at SEDEX explore the benefits of sustainable retail and how sustainability is impactful across every aspect from business, from own practices to suppliers and beyond. Francisca took the audience through tools businesses large and small can implement practices that prioritise sustainability. From mapping out high-risk areas in supply chains whether it be waste, emissions or human rights issues, to opening peer-to-peer conversations and conversations with consumers for optimum transparency. The talk highlighted the importance of communication through all pillars of the sustainable journey, from visibility in the supply chain, introspective reviews of business policies, and how these expectations are embedded through suppliers and partners before being portrayed to consumers.

Sara Collins took to the Inspiring Retail Stage in conversation with Rae Adam, Founder of FWP by Rae for Sourcing Ethical Suppliers that are right for your Business. Sara and Rae discussed the journey of sourcing ethical manufacturers and suppliers, from choosing the right one for your business, building relationships, and managing expectations. Collins said: “Small businesses often think they need to do everything perfectly, but it’s not about right now, it’s about building continuum and trust between suppliers, and consumers. If you and your suppliers are working to the same goal, that’s the sweet spot. Build respect, manufacturers are an extension of your team, you have to work as partners.”

Day two will offer another packed schedule of talks and panels including trend presentations from TrendBible and Promostyl, as well as the launch of Hyve’s new responsible sourcing show Source Home & Gift taking place from 5-7pm on the Inspiring Retail Stage and featuring drinks and dancing.

Autumn Fair takes place until Wednesday 7^th September 2022 at NEC Birmingham. For further information and to register at https://www.autumnfair.com/visitor-registration.

Osprey Charging, one of the UK’s leading networks of rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging points, has been selected by British Garden Centres, the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group to provide rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging at its UK stores. 

Osprey’s rapid chargers can add 100 miles in range to an EV in 20-30min, fitting the garden centre dwell time perfectly and allowing customers to enjoy their re-charge time in a relaxing and comfortable environment.

The British Garden Centre in Carmarthen, Wales, will be the first to offer an Osprey rapid charge to its customers, at a hub with 8 ultra-rapid (150kW) chargers opening later this year. The Carmarthen hub will be followed by high-power hubs planned in Wimborne (Dorset), Carr Gate (Yorkshire), Braintree (Essex) and Harrow (London). A total of 11 further sites are confirmed with a mix of these larger hubs and some smaller installations depending on the size of the site and availability of power.

A family-owned and -run operation for over 40 years, British Garden Centres is reviewing its entire estate with the aim of bringing Osprey’s charging technology to all of its centres across the UK over the next few years.

Last month Osprey committed to delivering accessible and safe charging when it became the first charging network to subscribe to independent public EV charging endorsement body ChargeSafe, to inspect and rate its sites - this pledge will ensure the charging facilities at each British Garden Centre are as accessible as possible in the space available.

Ian Johnston, CEO of Osprey Charging said: “The British Garden Centres name is synonymous with first-class customer experience, and we’re delighted to provide safe, reliable, and accessible charging at their UK stores.  We look forward to a fruitful partnership as we work together to offer EV charging at more of its centres up and down the country.”

Amy Stubbs, daughter of the founder, from British Garden Centres said: “We work hard to provide our customers with expert gardening knowledge, great value, the industry’s best gardening products and the highest quality of food in our restaurants. Partnering with Osprey allows us to build upon this further by letting our growing number of EV driving customers charge their vehicles at a time and location that is convenient for them, whilst they visit our stores.”

STV have recently announced a new charity partnership with Greenfingers that will see them commit to raising £10,000 over the next 3 years.

Children’s hospices provide crucial care and support to thousands of families with seriously ill children across the UK and much of the hospice fundraising goes towards providing equipment and the vital care which goes on inside the hospice, leaving little funding for their outside spaces. Greenfingers Charity works to create magical gardens for life-limited children and their families who spend time in hospices across the UK. They believe that time spent outdoors, away from the bedside, can offer children and families under considerable stress a vital opportunity to embrace the benefits of being in the fresh air and engaging with the natural environment.

Katy Boyd, Brand Manager said, “We are very excited to be partnering with Greenfingers as one of their Silver Sponsors. All employees will have an opportunity to take part in the activities and fund-raising efforts, and we will be inviting everyone to come up with ideas and creative ways of raising money. On top of that, the company has generously agreed to match fund every penny we raise so we hope to be able to exceed our £10,000 target!”

On behalf of Greenfingers Charity, Director of Fundraising & Communications, Linda Petrons said: “STV International have been great supporters for many years. We’re delighted to formalise a partnership as we head towards our 25th Anniversary and are very much looking forward to working with the team as they support the charity over the next three years.”

So far, the STV team have planned fancy dress days, a bake sale, a sponsored walk along the local Peddars Way and the wearing of green for Greenfingers with lots more ideas in the pipeline.

STV International Ltd Forge House, Little Cressingham, Thetford, Norfolk, IP25 6ND, GB

Phone 01953 881580 Email info@stvuk.co.uk

British garden equipment manufacturer Handy has appointed multi-award-winning garden designer Adam Woolcott as its new gardening expert. 

Adam will be producing regular blogs and videos for Handy offering practical advice to retailers and gardeners around the nation, starting in September with the subject of how to revive lawns following the exceptionally hot, dry summer.

Adam has 30 years of experience as a professional gardener and has many accolades, but is probably best known for his four Gold Medals at The Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show and his three BBC/RHS People’s Choice Awards at the show (of which he is particularly proud) which he won as one half of Woolcott & Smith.

Adam is a seasoned veteran when it comes to the gardening media, making regular appearances on the ever-popular BBC Gardeners' World and across BBC Radio, as well as a designer on Channel 5’s Great Garden Challenge. His gardens have also been featured in leading national media, including the Saturday Times magazine and Daily Telegraph publications.

Adam will be providing gardening advice in the form of blogs and videos across all of Handy’s brands - Webb, Handy, Q Garden and Greenworks – which is a first for the company. “With the expansion of product lines across our brands, and increased investment in marketing and sales support, the introduction of a recognised gardening expert to expand our customer reach and add further weight to our credentials as the UK’s leading garden machinery supplier, was a natural next move” states Mark Moseley, Handy’s Sales & Marketing Director. “Adam has a real connection with the gardening public; they love his garden designs as can be seen from his incredible three BBC/RHS Chelsea Flower Show People’s Choice Awards.  For us, he was a natural choice to be our new gardening expert and we couldn’t be more delighted.”

Adam Woolcott said “It’s a joy and privilege to be associated with such an established, trustworthy, and professional company like Handy. Having used gardening equipment domestically and professionally for over three decades, I can't wait to share my expertise and passion with you all”.

Adam Woolcott's new gardening blog/video feature will be live in September via Handy’s website for the trade www.handys.co.uk.

Dobbies has welcomed the national pet care provider, Carrick Vets, to its Chesterfield store. The state-of-the-art veterinary practice, which boasts a large operating theatre and the latest digital x-ray facilities, has relocated from its previous site in Clowne. It has now opened its doors adjacent to Dobbies in Barlborough Links, Chesterfield.  

The new practice will offer current and future pet owners a quality range of services and facilities in a modern environment, while maintaining a warm and welcoming atmosphere.  

The service provided by Carrick Vets complements Dobbies’ existing dog-friendly approach and its range of pet products, as well as its dog-friendly restaurant.  

Graeme Jenkins, Dobbies CEO, said: “At Dobbies, we are committed to working with companies that share our values. Carrick Vets’ offering complements our existing dog-friendly approach and wide range of pet products.  

“As well as benefiting from Carrick Vets’ and Dobbies’ offerings at Chesterfield, customers will also be able to take advantage of The Muddy Paw dog groomers who are on site, making Chesterfield the ideal destination for local pet owners.” 

Jessica Podmore, Clinical Director at Carrick, said: “The new site adjacent to Dobbies has all the space we need to help grow our practice, while still remaining in a central location for our clients. We now have an additional consulting room, separate dog and cat waiting areas, and hospital wards to keep stress to a minimum for our patients. We look forward to welcoming clients to our new practice.” 

Seeing the latest pet product launches under one roof is one of the major attractions to PATS visitors, and this September’s show at the Telford International Centre is set to unveil a record number of new items.

An impressive line-up of more than 300 entries to the popular New Product Showcase is a positive sign that PATS Telford exhibitors are excited about their latest products and can’t wait to show them to visiting retailers and buyers.

Products entered into the Showcase will be judged by a panel of independent pet retailers on the first day of the show (Sunday, September 25) to decide the winners of the New Product Awards.

There are eight categories in the New Product Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews, and past winners admit that winning an award can certainly increase the profile of the items to the trade.

Henry Bell won the Best Bird Products Award at PATS Telford in 2021, and sales manager Alkan Gittins said: “We were delighted that the Henry Bell Sterling 3in1 Squirrel Proof Feeder was recognised at the awards last year. It takes time and planning to develop innovative new products and to have those efforts acknowledged is really motivating for us. The award has undoubtedly raised awareness of not only this but other products in the Henry Bell Bird Care range and has certainly had an impact on sales.”

Other winners at PATS Telford last year agreed that an award can have a great impact on a product’s launch.

Chris Broadbent, of Naturaw, was thrilled to have won the Best Dog Treats Products Award on the company’s first appearance at PATS Telford in 2021. “It helped us to get through the door with new suppliers and boosted direct customer sales. Our range of products has also expanded on the back of the win.”

And Chris Brierley, of Cotswold Raw, commented: “It was a real seal of approval for our new range Butcher's Block to win the Best Dog Food Products Award. It certainly grew sales yes, and awareness too.”

Adam Marsden, head of sales and marketing at Ancol, said: “We were delighted to win the Best Dog Accessories and Toys category with our Jawables Bad Boys at PATS Telford 2021. It gave us a great talking point at the show, and we merchandised the trophy next to the product on the stand. Sales have been really strong on this particular product and we know the award helped drive this – actually we sold out earlier this year before our stock was replenished.”

The Showcase is designed to help visitors to find easily the latest and most exciting products to hit the pet trade, as they are gathered together in one, extensive display. There is an information card beside each product, giving details such as suggested retail price and where in the show you’ll find the item’s exhibitor.

The New Product Showcase entries will be displayed under the following eight award categories:

• Cat Food and Products
• Dog Food Products
• Dog Treat Products
• Dog Accessories and Toys
• Dog Harnesses, Leads and Dog Wear
• Small Animal and Bird Products
• Pet Care Products
• Grooming Products

With so many new products on show and more than 210 exhibitors attending PATS Telford this year, the exhibition is set to draw an equally impressive amount of visitors. 

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

PATS Telford takes place at Telford International Centre on Sunday, September 25, and Monday, September 26.

2022 is the start of a great partnership for LOFA and the LANDSCAPE Show. The synergy between these two shows is undeniable. They both work to promote great products and innovation within the outdoor industry. This partnership will be sure to bring a new level of excitement to both events.

At this year's LANDSCAPE show, you'll be able to view a small selection of products from some of the best brands within the outdoor leisure industry which will give visitors an insider taste into what LOFA members have available for their landscaping needs. 

The LANDSCAPE how takes place in Hall 3, NEC Birmingham, on 28-29 September.

The LOFA Lounge will feature eight LOFA members.

Outback International UK Ltd 

Since its formation as a family business in 1979, the Outback brand has stood for quality, innovation, and total customer commitment, providing a comprehensive range of cutting-edge British-designed barbecues, spare parts and accessories that leads the way in quality and value.

Outback will have their signature 6 Burner Hybrid Gas BBQ on show, this full stainless-steel BBQ has interchangeable cooking surfaces enabling users to replace grill with hot plate, pizza stone, paella dish or wok.

https://www.outbackbarbecues.com/

Bramblecrest 

Bramblecrest creates outdoor furniture of the highest standard. A keen eye for detail combined with quality craftsmanship, are the guiding principles that have been with them from the word go and established their reputation as a market leader. 

They recognise that durable, comfortable outdoor furniture is paramount whether reclining by a pool, lounging on a sofa or dining with family and friends. They use the finest materials to produce furniture whose function and aesthetic are regarded in equal measure. It_’s_ _their attention to detail that makes them stand out from the crowd and a brand synonymous with alfresco style. 

Bramblecrest will be showcasing their Tetbury bistro table set with its classic style armchairs. The bistro table, with its tree-free top, features eye-catching skirting and the two dining chairs have gently rounded seat backs and arms. With its neat proportions and durable, lightweight weave, this small-scale set will complement any setting, indoors or out.

https://www.bramblecrest.com/

Beefeater Europe 

BeefEater Europe is a long-established supplier of high quality and powerful gas barbecues produced by Electrolux Australia. 

With a diverse range of products including built in and mobile barbecues, outdoor kitchens, fridges and build in doors, drawers, and accessories they offer a complete outdoor cooking solution. 

Beefeater will be bringing along a Cabinex 5 Burner Classic Outdoor Kitchen which will change the way you think about entertaining outdoors. As well as plenty of cupboard space and a generous working surface, these high-end DIY kitchens come complete with market leading appliances which include a 120 litre fridge, 4 or 5 burner barbeque and matt black sink & tap. 

https://www.beefeaterbbq.com/en-au/

Tripod Home

Tripod Home is a family-owned business. The business has been running for over twenty-three years operating as a wholesaler for outdoor furniture, statues, and giftware. Tripod Home operates sustainably through the use of recycled materials in many of their products such as the traditional window shutters from Javanese houses and the boat wood furniture range. Tripod Home’s products are great for adding statement pieces to the garden as well as offering complementary pieces to perfectly complete a space.

Tripod will be showcasing their cast stone Buddha head, which can be used as a water feature or stand-alone statement piece in any garden.

http://tripodhome.co.uk/

Maze Rattan

Maze is one of the UK’s largest and fastest growing premium outdoor furniture brands, committed to delivering style, comfort and quality. As an independent business they’ve had a different approach since launching in 2009, introducing new products and collections to match evolving consumer needs.

Maze Pulse Square Corner Dining Set with Fire Pit Table is the perfect way to combine relaxation with comfortable casual dining, The corner sofa style seats allow you to make the most of the space in your garden, and the large square table means there is plenty of room for everyone.

https://maze.co.uk/

Rotospa

Multi award winning company RotoSpa are recognized as the UK’s ONLY spa manufacturer. A family run business with over 18 years’ experience, RotoSpa has become the name synonymous with reliability, durability, and portability. You can view the Dura Spa, one of Rotospa’s most luxurious and prestige spa’s on the LOFA stand. Modern soft flowing lines provide a shape carefully contoured to give full depth seating including relaxed twin lounge positions and a dedicated master seat. Market leading features include multipoint turbo air jet system, LED mood lighting and soothing waterfall feature. The Dura spa offers unrivalled performance and value for money.

https://www.rotospa.co.uk/

Ginique

Ginique based in Shropshire, they are the exclusive UK distributors of Glowbus a Belgian manufacturer of Corten steel fire sculptures. Each piece in the Glowbus collection is a handmade, functional work of art. The unique design makes an eye-catching and beautiful garden structure. When lit the design and light play, takes an evening around a crackling fire into a completely different dimension.

Made from Corten steel the Dewdrop is the foundation of the Glowbus® collection. Its unique and eccentric design makes it the eye-catcher in any outdoor space. This outdoor fire sculpture is a real statement piece.

https://www.ginique.co.uk/

Celtic Spa 

Celtic Spas are UK distributors of a number of products within the home leisure market. They the UK sole distributor of Hanscraft products, a European manufacturer of quality hot tubs, swim spas & saunas. The Hanscraft OKA 3 Sapphire Hot Tub features 56 air jets for a thorough, effective, and relaxing massage for your whole body and will be on show in the LOFA Lounge.

The Oka 3 includes an ozonator and UV medical lamp sanitizer keeping the water clean at all times. Other features include colour LED lighting, anatomical head rests, a waterfall, a touch screen control panel and titanium heater system, a thermocover, and aquatic AV audio system.

https://celticspas.co.uk/

Glencrest Seatex

Trading since 1981 specialising in Garden and Cane Furniture Cushions, the company has grown from strength to strength and over the years have increased their colour palette and designs.

The Ashbury, a new contemporary garden furniture collection is designed for maximum comfort. This new collection achieves a unique blend of casual elegance and durability with generously deep upholstered cushions carefully engineered to enhance comfort within sturdy streamlined aluminium frames.

From casual lounging to all year al fresco dining, Ashbury’s co-ordinating furniture options will provide a beautiful cohesive outdoor living area and optimise any outdoor environment.

http://www.glencrestseatex.co.uk/index.php

Garden retailers wanting to offer more sustainable solutions will not want to miss out on Ivyline’s leading PULA range of planters, which is now ready for delivery from September 2nd.

Suitable for indoor and outdoor use, the PULA range is already tipped to be a star performer throughout the 2023 season thanks to its eco-credentials. Utilising 100% recycled natural waste materials to create a stone composite style planter, PULA planters can withstand the rigours of daily life, including excellent frost resistant properties, presenting a high-end, sustainable planter option.

Available in three colours inspired by natural pigmentation – think sunsets and blue seas - including a muted orange/coral, teal/petrol blue and dark grey/black, the PULA range also offers six different planter sizes including a trough style ‘trio planter’. The multitude of sizes enables this range to offer a great solution for those consumers that want to mix and match their look. Couple this with a price tag ranging from RRP £11.99 – £29.99, PULA remains an affordable option, and one that is perfect for those retailers that want to place sustainability front and centre in their stores without having to compromise on style or design.

To support retailers, Ivyline has confirmed that PULA stock is now available for delivery into store from September 2nd, perfect timing ahead of the autumn and Christmas sales period. Interested parties are urged to place orders before it sells out.

Find out more

To secure your delivery of PULA from Ivyline please contact your sales agent or contact the team direct via sales@ivylinegb.co.uk / 024 7633 9180.

Further details regarding Ivyline’s AW22 and SS23 collections can be found at www.ivylinegb.co.uk. A dedicated showroom at Ivyline’s HQ, Stoneleigh Park, is also open to buyers year-round. Please contact the team to book your next visit.

Hillier has announced its September initiative for its charity partner, Abby’s Heroes. The charity supports children receiving cancer treatment and their families who come under the care of the Piam Brown and the Teenagers and Young Adults wards at the University Hospital Southampton.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a subject naturally very close to the heart of the charity, and Hillier is supporting the cause by raising awareness and vital funds for Abby’s Heroes. Throughout the month, Hillier is donating £2 for every 2 litre Heuchera purchased at any of its 19 garden centres or online.

Throughout September, Hillier will also be donating £5 to Abby’s Heroes from every afternoon tea for two sold in its restaurants. Available from 2pm daily, customers can choose from Hillier’s traditional or its new savoury afternoon tea to share with a loved one.

Chis Francis, Hillier Garden Centre and Wholesale Nurseries Director, commented: “We are delighted to announce our September fundraising initiatives for Abby’s Heroes, as part of marking Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Heuchera is a beautiful plant that we hope will be very popular with our customers. Afternoon tea is a wonderful experience and a lovely way for our customers to spend quality time together, something that is incredibly important to the children and families supported by Abby’s Heroes.”

Hillier has pledged to support the charity over the course of two years through fundraising activities and providing advice and expertise. Abby’s Heroes, supporting families in the south of the country, is located close to several Hiller Garden Centres. Hillier hope to raise awareness in local areas of the work the charity does.

As well as the Hillier initiatives, there are many other ways to support Abby’s Heroes, including the Hillier Just Giving page, Amazon Smile, and Abby’s Heroes Lottery. Visit the Hillier Charity Partnership webpage for more information via www.hillier.co.uk.

Founded by Edwin Hillier in Hampshire in 1864, Hillier is a horticultural business with more than 155 years of expertise and now owns 19 garden centres across the south of England. Today, the business grows around two million plants a year across its Hampshire nurseries and is the largest grower of semi-mature trees in Europe. Hillier is proud to remain a family-run business to this day, with the fifth generation of the family actively involved.

Discover Hillier Garden Centre Three Legged Cross, a spacious, inspirational destination centre in East Dorset with a fantastic range of quality, seasonal plants, garden items and homeware available.

For further information, visit www.hillier.co.uk, find Hillier Garden Centres on Facebook, or @Hilliergardencentres on Instagram.

Plastics recycling charity, RECOUP, has always been at the forefront of raising awareness, showcasing innovation, and highlighting the potential for recycled content in products.

For the first time in its 32-year history the organisation is running its own awards to recognise those within the industry who are pushing the boundaries in terms of opportunities for recycled content as well as new ways to improve recyclability and resource efficiency.   

Stuart Foster, RECOUP, CEO, stated “Ensuring recyclability of packaging and products, and manufacturing new products with recycled plastics are two key elements of a successful plastic recycling system. With the intention to significantly increase plastic recycling as part of a circular economy model, there is an ongoing need to showcase and promote innovations to increase recyclability, and practical applications of recycled plastics into both closed and open loop products.” 

The winners of these hotly contested awards will be announced at the RECOUP Conference, on Thursday 29^thSeptember 2022 where all the short-listed entries will be displayed. 

The event offers an opportunity for organisations to demonstrate and showcase their commitments to sustainability and plastics resource management.   Registrations can be made at RECOUP.org/RECOUPCONF22.

Best Development or Innovation to Enhance Recyclability or Re-use the finalists are:

• PREP Design - Roll ‘n’ Recycle
• Greiner Packaging - K3® r100
• Waste Free Oceans with Partners - Corona beverage crate
• Waddington Europe - Hot Fill rPET Containers
• Berry Global - Closed Loop Recycled Paint Containers. 

Recycled Plastic Product of the Year category the finalists are:

• Waste2Wear - I used to be a fridge bag
• Faerch UK Ltd - Tesco and Faerch deliver tray to tray recycling 
• Nestlé Waters UK - BUXTON® Natural Mineral Water
• Packamama - Packamama eco-flat wine bottle
• Waste Free Oceans and partner DFS, Plastix and Epsotech – Circular Ropes
• Waste Free Oceans and partner Euro Optics – ReFocus Circular Reading glasses and Sun glasses
• Beko PLC - Recycled tub washing machine
• Cromwell Polythene - The r.UK sack
• Yes Recycling Fife – Ecosheet
• TRANSFORM-CE - Recycled products manufactured from PCR.

 Anyone organisation wishing to join RECOUP as a member can find out more details by contacting enquiry@recoup.org.   

Rachel Sheldon, UK & Ireland Sustainability and Innovation Manager, Greiner Packaging commented “Greiner Packaging UK & Ireland is delighted to be shortlisted for the RECOUP Plastics Recycling Annual Awards in recognition of our product development, K3® r100: the self-separating cup. Our K3® cardboard-plastic solution is one of the most sustainable packaging solutions on the market, and K3® r100 ensures materials are separated before they reach the near-infrared detection (NIR) system at the recycling facility, leading to proper detection, sorting, and recycling. We are very much looking forward to attending the conference and awards in September, good luck to all those shortlisted!”

Anthony Peyton, Director, PREP Design commented “We are excited to hear the news of being shortlisted for the RECOUP Awards in recognition of our product development, Roll 'n' Recycle. We are genuinely honoured to be recognised by RECOUP and send our best wishes to those who've also been shortlisted, which is already a fantastic achievement.”

Hayley Lloyd House, Head of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability, Nestlé Waters UK commented “We are delighted to be shortlisted for the RECOUP Plastics Recycling Annual Awards, recognising our achievement in overcoming the obstacles to make the full range of BUXTON bottles with recycled PET.  Working to close the recycling loop for PET plastic is a huge step forward in our goal to make the circular economy for plastics a reality, reducing the need for new, virgin plastic in our business. We look forward to attending this year’s Conference and hearing more great insights and developments from right across the plastics and recycling value chain.”

Amelia Dales, Commercial Director at Packamama, commented “RECOUP have played an integral part of Packamama's efforts to ensure that our flat, 100% recycled PET wine bottles are best-in-class for recycled content and recyclability. As such, we are thrilled to be recognised for our continued progress in this area, through being shortlisted for Best Recycled Plastic Product in the RECOUP Plastics Recycling Annual Awards.”

Jeroen van der Wind, COO, Waste2Wear, commented “Waste2Wear is honoured to be a finalist in the RECOUP Plastic Recycling Awards for our innovative bags made from recycled polypropylene taken from discarded fridges and other old domestic appliances. Every piece of recycled plastic counts. We look forward to attending the awards and celebrating other companies doing business for good.”

Eduardo Gomes, Managing Director, Waddington Europe, commented “Waddington Europe are delighted to be shortlisted for our revolutionary product development, Hot Fill PET at the RECOUP Plastics Recycling Annual Awards. The RECOUP conference is thecoveted event of the year for the plastics recycling value chain, and we are excited to be attending again in September to learn and catch up with industry friends and colleagues. We wish the best of luck to everyone who has been shortlisted for an award.”

Jamie Riley, Sustainability Lead, Berry Superfos, commented "Berry Superfos is delighted to be shortlisted for this prestigious award. Demonstrating plastics’ circularity and its vital role in the circular economy are essential to the continued success of our industry and are a fundamental part of Berry’s Impact 2025 sustainability strategy, where we work with our customers to help them meet and exceed their own sustainability goals."

Teresa Arbuckle, Managing Director, Beko PLC commented, “Beko PLC is thrilled to be shortlisted in the RECOUP Plastic Recycling Awards for our recycled PET washing machine tubs.  It’s vital that manufacturers find innovative ways to use the range of plastic coming from recycling plants, reducing our reliance on virgin raw materials and moving to a truly circular economy.  These awards shine a spotlight on what can be achieved through creative thinking and prioritising investment in R&D.  We congratulate all those who are nominated. “

Alexander Lee, Commercial Director, Cromwell Polythene commented, “We are delighted to be shortlisted for Recycling Product of the Year at the RECOUP Awards. Our nominated product the r.UK Sack™ exemplifies the mission we set ourselves, to be the cleanest, greenest, most resourceful company in plastics. The r.UK Sack™ is manufactured from 100% recycled content at our Derbyshire manufacturing plant. These bags are an homage to the 3 R’s, Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle and are helping to promote the circular economy of resources in the domestic market.”

Prof. Craig Banks, Principal Investigator for TRANSFORM-CE commented, “The TRANSFORM-CE team are so pleased to hear that their ‘recycled products manufactured from post-consumer, single-use plastic waste using additive manufacturing and intrusion-extrusion moulding’ have been shortlisted for the Recycled Plastic Product of the Year award at the RECOUP Plastics Resource and Recycling Conference 2022! We’re looking forward to attending this prestigious event and celebrating all of the innovations and achievements within the plastics recycling industry with the other shortlisted candidates and attendees."

Omer Kutluoglu, Co-Owner, Yes Recycling Group commented, “Yes Recycling Fife is honoured to be chosen as a shortlisted business for the RECOUP Plastics Recycling Annual Awards. Our product Ecosheet, developed and produced in Fife, Scotland, is an alternative to plywood, creating a sustainable resource; we thank RECOUP for this recognition. Good luck to all the other shortlisted businesses; being part of such a group is fantastic.”

Southern Trident are delighted to once again be bringing their range of eco-friendly growing media to Four Oaks 2022 with some fantastic new additions to their portfolio. Building on the success of their new products brought to the market in 2021, their range promises to be even more exciting in the year ahead with the introduction of their latest additions for 2023.

Meeting the needs of all types of gardeners in an eco-friendly way is something Southern Trident are passionate about. Coco & Coir, leading the way in the production of coir-based growing media and garden accessories, is introducing not only four brand new indoor composts and a beginner-friendly Microgreens Growing Kit for consumers, but also an innovative new barbecue briquette. Coco Burn promises to bring a 100% natural, smokeless, and near-ashless alternative to traditional wood-based charcoal, eliminating the need to destroy more carbon-capturing trees by turning a ‘waste’ product of the coconut industry – the coconut shell - into compact briquettes. 

The all-new Houseplant, Cactus, Citrus, and Orchid Composts on the way for 2023 are made from coconut husk and will be sure to resonate with both beginner and experienced gardeners alike. These new compost blends are made from natural materials, following Southern Trident’s experienced approach in responsible sourcing taken for all of their products. Each compressed block of peat-free compost is easy to store and an exceptional choice for homeowners with limited space – and for easy stocking on shelves.

Protecting the environment is another important factor considered when Southern Trident are creating any new product, standing by their company ethos of ‘Green Today, Greener Tomorrow’. Harmony Gardens, the world’s first PAS2060 certified carbon neutral growing media brand introduced in 2021 to widespread positive acclaim, is also being shown with some brand-new additions to its eco-friendly range. Added to the current range which features a Multipurpose Compost, Grow Bag, Soil Improver, and Top Soil are a brand-new Farmyard Manure, Fruit & Vegetable Compost, Chipped Bark, and a fully peat-free Ericaceous Compost. Discover more about Harmony Gardens on their newly released website www.harmonygardens.uk - With consumers demanding more environmentally friendly products than ever before, Harmony Gardens is a brand that truly resonates with the modern gardener.

Visit Southern Trident at Stand D39 at Four Oaks 2022 to get hands-on with our brand new ranges.

For further information about the range of Southern Trident growing media, visit the website – southerntrident.com – contact the company at sales@southerntrident.com or call us on 020 3633 7786.

Wyevale Nurseries is launching an innovative new ivy aimed at commercial landscapers and garden retailers at the 50th anniversary Four Oaks Trade Show.

Hedera Algerian Bellecour®, which is non-climbing, versatile, easy to look after, as it has no arborescent stage, will be unveiled at the show on September 6 and 7.

Ian Wright, Commercial Sales Director at Wyevale Nurseries, says: “Hedera Algerian Bellecour® is a wonderful new addition to our range, which is particularly useful to amenity and commercial landscape contractors and architects, as well as consumers, as it doesn’t climb and remains in a juvenile form so requires little to no care.

“It has the ability to green large areas in a carpet of evergreen foliage, is low maintenance and doesn’t climb. So, we’re certain it will be a huge hit with those looking for a commercial landscape solution, as well as garden centres wishing to offer their customers something different that does a great job.”

Discovered in the Bellecour district in Lyon, France, Hedera Algerian Bellecour® is a ground cover ivy that’s vigorous and resistant.

Its large three-lobed leaves change from tender green in spring to dark green as winter approaches and it’s perfectly suited to the base of trees and in large beds.

“More than 10 million plants have already been sold on the continent, primarily as an alternative to grass, as Bellecour® requires a lot less maintenance, just trimmed to the path/road edge once or twice a year, depending on the situation.

“It’s ideal for local authorities to use on roadsides, especially busy, high-speed roads where grass mowing regularly is difficult due to safety. It’s also excellent on steep slopes as a soil stabiliser and for areas where it is too dry to retain healthy looking grass.

“But that’s not all, this ivy just keeps on giving. It can be use in areas in the shade of buildings and trees that are difficult/impossible to green with grass. It’s ideal for airports where nesting birds are unwelcome, as it has no nectar, pollen and berries to attract them. However, it does provide an excellent habitat for invertebrates.

“It also provides a living mulch beneath shrubs and trees that retains soil moisture and minimises or, when established, prevents weeds. Once established it is very drought tolerant too, so is fine in dry soils.

“Therefore, all the problems with standard hedera have been removed: it has no arborescent, woody, flowering stage that needs more pruning to maintain ground cover effect and, as it doesn’t climb, it doesn’t damage paint work and masonry. But Bellecour® has all the positives of hedera too. It’s ideal for steep inclines, hard to maintain areas and urban settings. It’s evergreen, hardy to -20°C, very glossy, non-flowering, non-climbing, weed suppressant, low maintenance, requires infrequent pruning and is drought resistant. It reduces soil erosion, noise pollution, surface water, air pollution and heat island effect, which means it doesn’t increase heat in urban areas.”

The Four Oaks Trade Show is an international exhibition covering the whole of commercial ornamental horticulture. The event takes place on a 23-acre nursery site in Cheshire, close to the Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope, covering an area of 13,000m² under glass with additional outdoor areas.

This year’s Four Oaks Trade Show will be held in honour of the late Pat Coutts, who organised it for many years. 2022 will also be the 50th anniversary year after the prolonged restrictions of Covid-19 led to the postponement of the 2020 and 2021 events.

Displays of plant material form the heart of the show, with plant producers using the platform to launch the next season’s lines. Mature stock and specimen plants from across Europe create showcase displays. Machinery, growing media, sundries, retail products, Christmas ware, services can also be found at Four Oaks.

Wyevale Nurseries’ product selection is envied across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.

Its 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 about Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk.

Over the past few years of turmoil and the two-year show sabbatical, Fordingbridge has announced its participation as part of the Four Oaks 50th Trade Show.

The company says:

"With our expertise in Horticultural Polytunnel structures, our in-house manufacture plant, and more importantly our strides towards sustainability and our years of experience, we cannot wait to get back into the swing of sharing our products and services to those garden centres, nurseries and farming communities stretching across the UK, here in Cheshire.

With our latest product launch of the Hybrid, we are ‘making the industry aware that Fordingbridge is still very much involved in horticulture’, as Garry Summerfield explains, as well as showcasing the industry-leading products that have been a part of Fordingbridge’s core business for decades; there’s always an opportunity to invest in a Polyhouse. Chris and Garry will be exhibiting and showcasing the best of our latest innovation. We expect there to be many questions, enquiries about our latest Hybrid structure; with its larger span, gutter heights increased, and the significant internal spacing enhancement, this could be a consideration for many.

"Our Horticulture sales team are excited for the chance to catch-up and discuss with those of the horticulture, agriculture, and arboriculture, as Garry continues, “a fantastic opportunity in meeting clients both old and new face-to-face, building relationships, and the chance to discuss possible new projects”. There have certainly been developments since the last show in 2019 and we can’t wait to share them with you. Our team will be around to chat all things polytunnels at stand D93 from Tuesday 6th September to Wednesday 7th September! With Chris and Garry’s combined experience, your enquiries will be in safe hands. Don’t hold back: discuss your future projects, any plans to resheet and repair existing structures, and our guys can collaborate with you on the best solutions for your business needs, no matter how big or small it may seem.

"Grasp this opportunity to learn more about our products, the services we provide, and of course find out the best solutions for you from within our Horticulture Team here at Fordingbridge.

"We hope to see you there!"

Local garden designers and landscapers and a Dutch Allium grower were recognised on Friday with the presentation of Awards on the opening day of the BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair. The Fair launched on Friday 2 September at English Heritage’s Audley End House and Gardens, in Saffron Walden, Essex, running until Sunday 4 September. 

The Autumn Fair’s Beautiful Borders and Small Space Gardens provide garden and planting inspiration for compact and challenging spaces. The winner of Best Beautiful Border was garden designer Shona Lockheart for her border, We’re All Cuckoo Here, inspired by an old farm near her home town, Colchester. The Platinum award-winning Autumn Fair border was Shona’s debut show garden. 

Assessors for the Beautiful Borders were horticultural expert, Bob Sweet, and editor of Garden News, Ian Hodgson. 

Bob Sweet said: “We were impressed with the symmetry of Shona’s design. The broad palette of unusual plants and delicate finishing touch made it a brilliant border all round.” 

Shona said: “I’m shocked, humbled and overwhelmed to have won this award. I don’t have formal horticultural training but am a very enthusiastic plant lover, and have had so much support and encouragement from nurseries near and far who I’ve called on for plant advice along the way. I call them my ‘plant family’.”  

The winner of Best Small Space Garden and Gold award was Val Christman, a designer from Widford in Hertfordshire. Her compact garden, Aspects of Rock, was inspired by Pulhamite, an artificial rock developed by Pulham, an eminent landscaping firm of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, used for plant displays, including those at Audley End. The designer discovered that she was descended to the Pulham family while researching her family history.    

Val said: “Winning this award was a lovely surprise, I’m so pleased.”  

Assessor Ian Hodgson said: “We were interested to learn of Val’s connections with the Pulham family who were so instrumental in building the Audley End landscape. Val singlehandedly recreated the artificial rock waterfalls which were a hallmark of Audley End, and planted the garden using a palette of plants from the Pulham era.” 

The winner of the Association of Professional Landscapers Professional Skills Competition and Platinum award was Gadd Brothers from Bury St Edmunds. Entrants were challenged to put their landscaping skills to the test to build a competition garden by award-winning designer, Kim Parish from Landscapes of Distinction, in just 16 hours.  

Steve Smith for the Association of Professional Landscapers said: “Gadd Brothers proved their expertise, carrying out a well thought out plan in which they made strategic decisions about marking out, levels and construction. Across the skills required, from bricklaying, paving and creating a water feature to planting and finishing, Gadd Brothers won by a clear head and deserve their Platinum award.” 

Winner of Best Floral Display by exhibiting nurseriesand growerswas W.S. Warmenhoven, a fifth  generation family business from the Netherlands, for their Allium display.  

Assessors were local horticultural expert, Rupert Eley from The Place for Plants, East Bergholt, and BBC Gardeners’ World Live plant expert, Saul Walker. 

Rupert Eley said: “Peter and Karen Warmenhoven made their journey from Holland worthwhile by impressing the assessors with a stunning display of Alliums.” 

Rachel Poletti-Gadd, Portfolio Director - Gardening Division at Immediate Live, organisers of the BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, said: “These worthy award winners will have inspired many a gardener visiting the Autumn Fair over the weekend. Our congratulations to them all.”  

The BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, in association with English Heritage, took place at Audley End House and Gardens from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th September. Highlights included seasonal expertise from the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine editors, BBC Gardeners’ World TV presenters and special guests, plant expert tours, garden inspiration and floral displays, plants to browse and buy, garden shopping, the BBC Good Food Market and live music.  

www.bbcgardenersworldfair.com 

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The first edition of the PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt fair, which took place on 24 and 25 August, was a major success. The largest garden plant event in Europe attracted visitors from all over Europe and far beyond.

Exhibitors were very enthusiastic about the fair’s new layout, its green look and the pleasant atmosphere in which to do business and make new contacts: “It was the perfect climate for creating warm new business relations,” said Jerrie van Leeuwen van Addenda. Victor Hooftman was thrilled and amazed by the quality of the visitors, especially those from outside the Netherlands, and Silas Crezée from Leybaert in Belgium was impressed by every aspect of the fair. This great allround satisfaction is also evident from the number of participants who have already put their names down for participation in the spring edition of the fair, which will take place on 7 and 8 February 2023.

Lots of good visitors

Fair director Linda Hoogendoorn–Veelenturf is also very pleased with this first edition: “In spite of the hot weather the fair attracted lots of good visitors, to the great satisfaction of the exhibitors. There are of course a few lessons to be learned, but all in all it was a most successful first edition for us. In my capacity as the new fair director I was most pleasantly surprised by all the positive reactions; it’s clear that everyone’s appetite has been whetted for more,” says Linda.

The many visitors came from both within and outside the Netherlands – buyers of all the (leading) European chains of garden centres and DIY stores, exporters, growers, suppliers and media representatives.

Novelties

The fair’s focus was garden plants. At the centre of the fair was a presentation of the plants and concepts submitted for evaluation in the categories of Best KVBC (Royal Boskoop Horticultural Society) Novelty and Best Market Introduction, and the plants nominated for the Visitors’ Favourite. The winners in the first two categories were announced during the fair’s opening on Wednesday morning. They were the Wild & Inheems (Wild & Native) perennials concept of Griffioen Wassenaar from Boskoop in the first category, and the Phlox 'Olympus' (Paniculata Group) submitted by Rijnbeek and Son Perennials BV from Boskoop in cooperation with Compass Plants BV from Hillegom in the second category.

Visitors were invited to vote for their favourite novelty using a green ball system. At the end of the fair, Clematis ‘Z018179’ (PROUD MARY) produced by J. van Zoest BV from Boskoop proved to be the undisputed favourite. 

See an impression of the fair here:

Like GROEN-Direkt’s Autumn and Spring Fairs, the Green Retail Fair PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt is the ideal place for all colleagues and suppliers active in the green sector to meet one another. The next edition will take place on 7 and 8 February 2023, coinciding with GROEN-Direkt’s Spring Fair. The fair will be held in and around the GROEN-Direkt hall at the International Trade Centre in Hazerswoude/Boskoop, the Netherlands. More information can be found on the websitehttps://plantariumgroendirekt.nl/?lang=en.

The UK’s leading marketplace for wholesale home, gift, fashion, and design & source, Spring & Autumn Fair, has outlined a host of community-based and charity initiatives undertaken by the teams who work across both shows to support the retail industry.

With Autumn Fair due to open from the 4th – 7th September at NEC Birmingham bringing together the retail community and providing the platform for business, networking, re-connecting with peers, and inspiration, its organisers Hyve Group plc has revealed some of the behind the scenes work the teams have been involved in.

As its official charity partner, Spring & Autumn Fair has worked with Retail Trust for over a year fundraising and raising awareness of the great work the charity does to support workers in the retail industry. This October, to raise more money, seven Hyve employees will tackle the Three Peaks Challenge, including Divisional Managing Director Julie Driscoll, Head of Global Partnerships Stuart Thomas, and Lucy Green, Charlotte Forshaw, Alex Oxley, Hannah Thomson, and Susannah Griffin from the marketing team. This demanding one-day trekking challenge involves climbing the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales in 24 hours. Snowdon in Wales (1085m), Scafell Pike in England (978m) and Ben Nevis in Scotland (1345m). The total walking distance is 23 miles (37km) and the total ascent is 3064 metres (10,052ft).

Lucy Green, Senior Marketing Manager at Spring & Autumn Fair says; “Spring and Autumn Fair are so proud to support the Retail Trust and to be able to name them as our show charity partner. We want to give back and raise what we can to support this phenomenal charity, which is why we have decided to embark on this challenge as a team. Over the last year, we have partnered with the Retail Trust to provide independent retailers access to free and confidential health and well-being support. Well-being and mental health is the number one priority at Hyve, which is why this partnership means so much to us all. Being able to offer support to our customers is critical. The Retail Trust cares passionately about the health and well-being of everyone in retail. Over the next couple of months, we will be fundraising as much money as possible before we undertake the challenge in October. We would be so grateful for any support you can give; share our posts on social, help spread the word to friends and colleagues about Retail Trust and/ or donate to our GoFundMe page. If you want to donate, please use this link https://gofund.me/b5fa5ef1, or there will be card machines and money buckets at Autumn Fair. We really appreciate all the help we can get!”

Last year alone, 97,863 people accessed the Retail Trust helpline and digital self-help support. They delivered nearly 7,000 counselling sessions and provided £800,000 in financial aid to enable retail colleagues to remain in their own homes, feed their families and improve their quality of life. This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the help that the Retail Trust do! Visitors to Autumn Fair can also attend the Wellbeing Hour at Autumn Fair on the Inspiring Retail Stage, Tuesday at 3.50pm, for the Retail Trust Flight School with Retail Trust’s Wellbeing Practitioner Andrea Woodside and come away with a plan for having a productive wellbeing conversation with any member of your team currently struggling with their wellbeing. 

In July, members of the Spring & Autumn Fair teams took part in the Cardgains charity walk challenge. Each year, Cardgains chooses a different charity to support and since the first event in 1998, have raised around £350,000 through various events including golf days, bike rides, and major walking challenges. Event Director Daniel Mayhew, as well as Yvette Marshall, Daniel Goodban and Jason Carvey, took part in this year’s 22-mile Ultimate Ullswater event helping to raise thousands of pounds for Alzheimer’s Society.

Autumn Fair is also partnering with the Greetings Card Association (GCA) this season, inviting exhibitors in the Greetings sector and visitors to the show to take part in the Thinking of You Week activity. Thinking of You Week, running this year from 19th – 25th September, sees people across the world send cards to friends, loved ones, work colleagues, neighbours to say hello, thinking of you, share a joke or just to reach out and connect. There is scientific evidence to show that receiving a handwritten card makes people feel much more special than receiving instant social media communication. Greetings card exhibitors including Paper Salad and The Little Dog Laughed have donated cards for a Thinking of You Week Wall in the Greetings sector at Autumn Fair.

Daniel Mayhew, Spring & Autumn Fair’s Event Director says; “Spring & Autumn Fair can often be perceived as big corporate events but there is so much more going on behind the scenes to support the community we are part of. We are incredibly proud to get involved in, as well as initiate, so many worthwhile charity activities, as well as facilitate the drive towards sustainability with our Power of One® campaign.  I’m proud to say that there is a lot of heart on the Spring & Autumn Fair team. These are the actions that make a difference and make our jobs so rewarding.”

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

Sales Director, David Tracey commented ‘We’re getting excellent feedback from wildlife rescues, and members of the public about our new semi-moist hedgehog food. Sales are taking customers by surprise as they keep running out of stock!’ Brambles Pet and Wildlife are urging retailers to stock up on this popular hedgehog food and the others in their range.

Photo shows Little Teal enjoying some Brambles Semi-Moist Food, courtesy of Prickles and Paws Hedgehog Rescue.

Brambles Pet and Wildlife is a family business whose food is used and recommended by wildlife rescues all over the UK.

Brambles Semi-Moist Hedgehog Food

Size 850g

RRP £5.79

All sales of peat to amateur gardeners in England will be banned by 2024, the government has announced today (Saturday).

Peatlands are the UK’s largest carbon store but only approximately 13% of our peatlands are in a near-natural state. This degradation has occurred due to drainage for agricultural use, overgrazing and burning, as well as extraction for use in growing media. Bagged retail growing media accounts for 70% of the peat sold in the UK and is frequently misused, for example being used as a soil improver rather than a medium in which to propagate plants. When this extraction takes place, the carbon stored inside the bog is released as carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change.

Peat extraction also degrades the state of the wider peatland landscape, damaging habitats for some of our rarest wildlife such as the swallowtail butterfly, hen harriers and short-eared owls, and negatively impacting peat’s ability to prevent flooding and filter water. A significant proportion of the UK’s water supply lands or flows through peatlands. 

The measures announced today will contribute to efforts to achieve our ambitious target of restoring 35,000 hectares of peatlands by 2025 and wider efforts to achieve Net Zero. 

The announcement follows an extensive public consultation, which received more than 5,000 responses with over 95% in favour of government taking action to ban retail peat sales. The Government has also pledged to continue to work closely with the professional horticulture sector on speeding up their transition to peat-free alternatives ahead of a ban for the professional horticulture sector, recognising that the professional horticulture sector faces additional technical barriers that will take longer to overcome.

The Government is also launching a new £5million fund to promote the use of peatlands for sustainable farming. It will support the uptake of paludiculture – the practice of farming on rewetted peatland – which will help, further safeguard food security, produce alternatives to horticultural peat and reduce environmental impacts.

Environment Minister Richard Benyon said: “This Government understands the importance of keeping peat healthy and in the ground, here and around the world – to lock up carbon, strengthen drought resilience and serve as a powerful nature-based solution to climate change.  

“The actions announced today mark a new chapter in the story of our iconic peatlands – safeguarding their long-term health and vitality as part of our commitments to achieve Net Zero and deliver our 25 Year Environment Plan.” 

Chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper said: “Peatlands are precious ecosystems that harbor beautiful and fascinating wildlife, shape the character of iconic landscapes, purify water and help to reduce flood risk. They are also out largest natural carbon stores, locking away over 580 million tonnes. This ban on the sale of peat-based compost and work to phase out use in other areas is an essential step toward protecting these valuable natural assets and allowing for the recovery of degraded areas.

“We are working with Defra and partners on the ground to restore thousands of hectares of peatland habitats, and today have awarded over £11 million to restore lowland sites in the south-west of England, and upland sites in the north of England. These projects will have multiple benefits, holding carbon, helping some of our scarcest wildlife to recover, reduce flood risk and render landscapes more resilient to climate change impacts such as drought and fire.”

Professor Alistair Griffiths, Director of Science and Collections at the Royal Horticultural Society, said: “Peatlands are the world's largest carbon store on land, with great potential to store carbon long term, helping to reach Net Zero. They reduce flooding, when rewetted reduce fire risks and provide valuable habitats for both plants and animals. To tackle the climate and biodiversity crises, it is essential that we have a sustainable transition to peat-free alternative growing medias. The RHS stopped selling peat-based growing media bags in 2019 and will continue to work with Defra, industry and gardeners to accelerate the transition to peat-free."

Through round two of the Nature for Climate Fund Peatland Restoration Grant, Natural England has today awarded nearly £11 million to six projects to support restoration works on over 7,000 hectares of peatland, adding to more than 8,000 hectares already funded through round one.

Round two of the Restoration Grant has supported a blend of lowland and upland restoration works, with the Somerset Peatland Partnership convening to restore lowland sites in the south-west of England, and the Great North Bog and Moors for the Future partnerships restoring upland sites in the north of England. We will also shortly be announcing the winners of our second round of Discovery Grants.

New alternatives to horticultural peat, produced through paludiculture and otherwise, present the opportunity for England to protect nature through green job creation, as well as become one of the global leaders in the production and sale of sustainable growing media.   

Response to Defra announcement on the sale of horticultural peat on behalf of James Barnes from the Growing Media Taskforce (GMT).

“We have provided hard data and practical solutions to Defra from across our industry. However, it is disappointing that today’s decision does not appear to be based on the evidence available. The UK is leading Europe in peat removal and while this consultation process has been running, the industry has developed and put into progress a plan to remove peat voluntarily that is already seeing significant results. Any reluctance to embrace peat-free growing media is based on the significant red tape and technical barriers to removing peat which government needs to work with the industry to address.

“Due to the current lack of quality alternative materials to peat, an immediate ban on peat could impact significantly on the availability of growing media. This would mean that the UK’s 30 million gardeners would be faced with products which have not gone through a lengthy enough quality assurance process, and which would have higher costs. All this at a time when so many are already challenged by the extremely high cost of living.

“The industry is developing new products and alternatives to peat and is making real progress on this journey. It has voluntarily committed to removing peat from growing media in retail as early as 2025 and last year made real strides, removing 30% of peat from compost in one year alone.

“Defra’s announcement does not support progress and we repeat our ask to government that it put its energies into addressing the barriers to alternatives rather than unnecessarily legislating.

“We welcome Defra’s acknowledgement of the complexities of removing peat from professional horticulture, and of the need for exemptions from any ban. And whilst the announcements on investment in paludiculture are to be welcomed, the more immediate need for industry in the context of removal of peat by 2024 is to unlock access to more of the materials like wood chip and digestate fibre that could be available at the scale required by 2024 ”

Background information

Organisations like HTA, GMA, NFU, Garden Centre Association, represent and have consulted with thousands of businesses which employ tens of thousands of people dependent on a responsible transition away from peat. Around 30 million gardeners rely on the sector’s expertise and commitment not only to make the UK’s compost more sustainable, but also to perform well in the garden, and in the production of our plants, trees, and food crops. 

Defra’s consultation was delayed throughout 2021 and 2022. In the same period the industry has:

• removed over 600,000 cubic metres of peat from growing media.
• launched the responsible sourcing scheme for growing media and a consumer education campaign to help gardeners move away from peat (growpeatfree.org).
• trained retail staff in best practice in the responsible retail of growing media, including peat removal.
• implemented a knowledge transfer programme to help commercial growers remove peat.
• identified barriers and red tape that the government could address to speed up the use of peat alternatives such as wood chip, green compost, and anaerobic digestate fibre.

The Growing Media Task force brings together organisations from across horticulture representing thousands of garden centres and retailers, commercial plant and food growers, and growing media manufacturers. It includes the NFU, Horticultural Trades Association, Garden Centre Association, Growing Media Association, and the Responsible Sourcing Scheme for Growing Media.

Around 0.5m tonnes of CO2 is emitted from UK’s use of peat in growing media in the UK, out of total UK CO2e emissions of 405m tonnes; peat in UK growing media accounts for 0.12% of the UK’s carbon emissions and is already rapidly falling

Peat extraction in the UK is from around 1,000 hectares or 0.04% of the UK’s peatlands, and is falling rapidly

The industry reduced the volume of peat it used in 2021 compared with 2020 by 0.5m (30%) cubic metres in the growing media supplied to gardeners

Peat is no longer the most voluminous component in growing media sold to gardeners, having been overtaken by wood-based materials such as wood fibre.

The British Garden Centres Christmas Elves have been working hard at Tarporley Garden Centre to create their biggest and, arguably, best Christmas Department!

Working through some of the highest ever temperatures recorded at the centre, the team has pulled out all the stops and completed the festive task in record time, so the department has already opened (20th August).

Phillippa Stubbs, Group Director, and part of the family that bought Tarporley in 2019, went on to say, "Christmas is one of our busiest seasons and we see thousands come though the centre doors and talking to customers over the last few weeks we know that people are planning a great festive celebration this year BUT also want to spread the cost over a number of months. By getting the department open early we are helping them to do this. We have 61 centres in the group now and we decided to open the department at Tarporley first this year as we know how popular the displays are with customer, young and old".

Tarporley Garden Centre employs over 60 people, this has more than doubled since the centre joined the British Garden Centres Family. Talking of the future, Phillippa went on to say, "we are very excited to have planning permission to develop the centre further. We're getting to understand the area and have some great ideas for Tarporley that I and the team look forward to revealing next year."

This is the first year British Garden Centres have launched a Christmas department before the August bank holiday, beating most of the high street retailers to being the first to launch for the season. This is a massive achievement for the group and something they hope to continue in the next few years.

Dobbies Garden Centres marked the opening of its second Waitrose foodhall on Thursday (August 25), with Brighton being the next store to feature the new offering.  

The foodhall at the Warren Road store brings Waitrose’s wide range of high-quality food, grocery products, and everyday essentials.  

Shoppers at Dobbies’ Brighton can choose from an extensive selection of products including the Essential Waitrose range, which is the biggest value tier of any supermarket, plus its premium range - Waitrose No. 1 - and Waitrose Duchy Organic. Ready meals, free-from and vegan ranges, prepared fruit and vegetables, snacks and cupboard staples will also be available.  

The Waitrose foodhall is one of more than 50 that are to be launched at Dobbies’ stores across the UK and which will bring the supermarket brand to 20 new towns and cities. 

Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “As we continue to build on the success of our foodhalls, Waitrose was the natural grocery partner as they share our commitment to great value, quality and sustainability. We look forward to welcoming shoppers in Brighton to our new-look foodhall.” 

The first Waitrose to open in Dobbies was in Edinburgh. 

To find out more about the partnership, visit www.dobbies.com.  

Garden Centre Association members in Scotland and Northern Ireland are celebrating after picking up awards during a presentation evening at Klondyke Polmont Garden Centre.

In Scotland, Simpsons Garden Centre (above) was awarded Garden Centre of the Year in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category and Klondyke Garden Wise, Dumfries (GC) category. In Northern Ireland, Creative Gardens Bushmills (GC) received the accolade.

Tammy Woodhouse, GCA Chairman, said: “Our final regional awards presentation evening was a great success and it was great to hear from inspector, Gordon Emslie, who presented his findings from his inspections, which took place earlier in the year.

“We’d like to thank Klondyke Polmont for being fantastic hosts for the evening and all our attendees for taking on all the feedback as we know they will be taking it back to their own centres in order to make any improvements straight away.”

GCA Inspector Gordon was responsible for inspecting member garden centres in the Scotland and Northern Ireland areas.

He said: “It was lovely to be back visiting Scotland and Northern Ireland again. The overall operating and service standards being delivered in every centre was excellent.

“None of the centres have stood still over the last five years and the businesses have all invested heavily in developing their offer, growing sales and giving customers a unique retail shopping experience. There was a great level of consistency experienced across all centres which demonstrates their practical use of the inspection process.”

Simpsons Garden Centre picked up a total of six awards on the night.

Andrew Simpson, Director at Simpsons Garden Centre, said: “Being presented ‘Scotland’s Destination Garden Centre of the Year’ is a huge honour. This has been without doubt the most challenging few years we have ever faced as a business, and I want to thank our staff for their amazing and continued hard work, determination and dedication.

“Going forward we are committed to investing in the business and our team, so that we can continue to deliver an exceptional retail experience for our customers and create new employment opportunities for the local community.

“We set out to create a business that was rooted in the Highlands and we firmly believe that we have achieved this. We have a bold, exciting vision for Simpsons that we believe will set us apart from other garden centres.”

Creative Gardens Bushmills was also awarded the Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant.

The full results for the Scotland region GCA area awards are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:

Garden Centre of the Year: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Garden Wise, Dumfries (GC)

Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Klondyke Polmont Garden Centre

Environment and Sustainability Award: Joint winners Klondyke Garden Wise, Dumfries, Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre and Simpsons Garden Centre.

The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Klondyke Garden Wise, Dumfries

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Klondyke Polmont Garden Centre

The Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Mayfield Garden Centre (GC)

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Garden Wise, Dumfries (GC)

The Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Dunbar Garden Centre (GC)

The Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Polmont Garden Centre (GC)

The full results for the Northern Ireland region GCA area awards are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:

Garden Centre of the Year: Creative Gardens Bushmills (GC)

Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Creative Gardens, Donaghadee

Environment and Sustainability Award: Creative Gardens, Donaghadee

The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Creative Gardens, Logwood

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Creative Gardens, Donaghadee

The Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant: Creative Gardens Bushmills (GC)

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Creative Gardens, Donaghadee (GC)

The Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Creative Gardens, Bushmills (GC)

The Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Creative Gardens, Donaghadee (GC)

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

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