Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016 by Eljays44

Garden Centre Retail Issue 26 • August/September 2016

PEOPLE • PRODUCTS • PROFIT

View from the top Sarah Squire says plants are the priority

Go & see

Exclusive

PET CARE RETAIL special

Glee show preview

Digital hit We meet Gardensite’s Nathan Dodd

Fraught forecasts

Weathering the British climate Page001 Front Cover NEW.indd 1

23/08/2016 10:56

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welcome

Welcome to...

Garden Centre Retail Winds of change

elcome to the August/September issue of Garden Centre Retail. It’s a busy time of year for us all at present. The weather is good, the new school term is starting, and it’s time for the annual Glee exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham. We’ve got a host of information if you’re planning on attending the show this year. If you are, make sure you pop along to our stand and let us know what you think of GCR. So it’s a huge issue for us this month. We’ve got some great features for you to get stuck into. Our latest interview sees Nathan Dodd of Hall’s Garden Centre go under the microscope. Hall’s is a family run garden centre which is pushing a lot of its products online, so we decided to speak to Nathan about his plans. Read his story on page 13. We’ve also got an article on how one particular garden centre prepares for Christmas. It’s the busiest time in the calendar for ost of s so find o t ho Highﬁeld Garden World prepares their shop for business and see what you can learn from them on page 27. Over the past couple of months, we’ve been asking you to send in pictures of your favourite area of your garden centre. We’ve had lots of responses and we’ve showcased the best images on page 28. Hopefully this will provide you all with inspiration and ideas about how you could do something differently.

Our big Glee feature is from page 55 onwards. We’ve got information on the 2016 show, a list of the top exhibitors we recommend visiting and a detailed look at a few of them in our Go & see at Glee feature from page 61. That’s it from me. Do come and say hello at the show, my colleagues and I will be there waiting to meet you. Enjoy the read, Joe Wilkinson

ADVERTISING Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 588 Sales Manager – Luke Chaplin luke.chaplin@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 584 Sales Executive – Tina Savelle tina.savelle@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 582

Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd

Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com Publisher Garden Centre Retail

MANAGEMENT Managing Director – Jim Wilkinson Director – Lisa Wilkinson Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Client relations – Amber Bernabe amber.bernabe@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 581 Subscription enquiries – Emily Maltby emily.maltby@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 575 Garden Centre Retail is published bi-monthly by Eljays44 Ltd. 2016 subscription price is £95.00. Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, noncommissioned photographs or manuscripts.

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EDITORIAL Publisher – Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 577 Editorial Assistant – Ash O’Mahony ash.omahony@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 585 Production Editor – Susie Duff susie.duff@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 578 Subeditor – Charlotte Cook charlotte.cook@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570

PRODUCTION Design – Fay Pritchard, Kara Thomas, Mandy Armstrong

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Whilst every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints, or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ responses to advertisements in the magazine. We also wish to emphasise that views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.

Garden Centre Retail August / September 2016

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Garden Centre Retail CONTENTS

contents Garden Centre Retail Issue 26 • August/September 2016

PEOPLE • PRODUCTS • PROFIT

View from the top

August/September 2016

Sarah Squire says plants are the priority

Exclusive

PET CARE RETAIL special

Go & see Glee show preview

Digital hit We meet Gardensite’s Nathan Dodd

Fraught forecasts

Weathering the British climate Page001 Front Cover NEW.indd 1

23/08/2016 10:56

28 NEWS 06 NEWS CENTRE

A roundup of the latest news from the sector

09 NEWS EXTRA

We interview Nigel Long on the Longacres acquisition of Bybrook Barn

FEATURES 10 VIEW FROM THE TOP

Sarah Squire shares her views on why plants remain the most important part of a garden centre

13 LET’S HEAR IT FROM

Nathan Dodd at Hall’s Garden Centre talks his journey to online retailing

18 A NEW AGE IN LAWN CARE

Andy McIndoe on trends in the lawn care market

19 FRAUGHT FORECASTS

Michael Wooldridge explains how garden centres can combat the sa es uctuations caused y unpredictable weather

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20 REACHING CUSTOMERS Methods to interact with customers through modern and traditional channels

23 BENCHMARKING

David Denny explains the HTA Garden Retail Monitor

24 GRASS RENAISSANCE David Hedges-Gower offers expert advice on how to take advantage of the resurgence of interest in lawn care products

27 PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS

We speak to Highfield Garden World about how they go about their preparations for Christmas

28 CROWNING GLORY

A picture special focusing on what makes you proud in your garden centres

32 PLANT FOCUS

Terri Jones of Joy of Plants explains what garden centres can take from online retailers and emulate in store

PRODUCTS

49 LATEST PRODUCTS:

35 PRODUCT NEWS

This month’s news from the suppliers

36 PACKS & PROMOS

New advertising campaigns and package changes from the manufacturers

39 INNOVATION

How GIMA members are keeping innovation exciting in new product launches

43 ANATOMY OF A PRODUCT

We take a look at the Spear & Jackson Dual Compound Telescopic Loppers

44 TRADING WITH...

Rebecca Spreckley at Town & Country talks company ethos

47 OUTDOOR BUILDINGS Paul Smith at Brundle Gardener lets us know how it’s possible to maximize your garden building offering no matter what space you have available

GARDEN BUILDINGS

Our collection of garden buildings for you to offer your customers

50 LATEST PRODUCTS: MACHINERY

A roundup of the latest garden machinery products

55 GLEE

Information on the 2016 Glee show, the top 100 exhibitors, seminar information and the best of the lot to visit when at the show

PET CARE RETAIL 70 CONCESSIONS

Pets Corner explains why it’s best to get a specialist to handle your pet offering

73 HEALTHY TREATS

Andrew Bucher at MedicAnimal explains how retailers can help the pet obesity crisis

76 LATEST PRODUCTS: PET PRODUCTS

Gathering the best of new pet products on the market

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 12:22

news

Worker hit by car after confronting shoplifters

NEWS CENTRE Squire’s Garden Centres wins gold at Hampton Court

quire’s Garden Centres is celebrating after winning a gold medal for its show garden at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Designed by Catherine MacDonald of Landform Consultants, Squire’s ‘80th Anniversary Garden’ is a practical garden for a suburban couple with grownup children. Elegant yet

achievable, people can take different elements from the garden and recreate the look at home. Peter Seabrook, gardening editor at The Sun, described the garden as, “A touch of class.” The RHS Hampton Court Show also marks the launch of a new garden design service being introduced by Squire’s in partnership with Landform. www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk

hieves ran over a shop worker as they escaped from a garden centre at speed. The woman was badly injured following the horriﬁc incident at the Newbank Garden Centre off Bury Road, near Radcliffe, in July. She had followed the two women and a nineyear-old girl to their BMW car and the driver reversed into her. The shop worker suffered a broken thigh and was taken to hospital. The centre’s manager Andrew Corristine said he was alarmed by the incident and appealed for people who know those responsible to come forward. “We’ve had to deal with shoplifters before, but nothing like this. It’s

Tong Garden Centre celebrates White Rose shortlist success

ong Garden Centre has reached the shortlist in the Outstanding Customer Service category of the Welcome to Yorkshire White Rose Awards. Of the shortlist, Tong Garden Centre’s co-owner, Mark Farnsworth said: “We’re so proud of everyone who has worked tirelessly to put the custo er ﬁrst and has he ped to transform Tong. “This shortlist success is testament to the commitment and loyalty

Garden Centre Retail August/ September 2016

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shocking,” said Mr Corristine. He added: “Everyone is thinking of her and wishing her well. I’d appeal to anyone with information about this crime to call the police.” She was taken to Royal Oldham Hospital suffering from a suspected broken thigh bone. www.newbankgardencentre.com

displayed by our growing team over the course of a busy, exciting and challenging year as we restore Tong to the garden centre it deserves to be.” Tong’s shortlist success comes on the back of its Highly Commended award at the Garden Retail Awards earlier in the year. It is one of Yorkshire’s biggest garden centres with 110,000sq ft of retail space. www.tonggardencentre.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 11:15

news

Michael Cole announces retirement from Notcutts after 38 years Michael Cole has announced his retirement from Notcutts Garden Centres after 38 years with the company. During this time Michael worked his way through the ranks from Planteria Assistant going on to fu ﬁ a variety of roles. These include garden centre manager, managing director, and more recently usiness deve op ent and retail property director. o e who has overseen the deve op ent of the award-winning new style garden centres in Tunbridge Wells and Nottingham will ﬁnish in his ro e as usiness deve op ent and property director in January 2017. Until then, he will maintain full responsibility

for the leadership of this important part of Notcutts. He is currently directing refurbishment projects at the company’s Norwich and Staines garden centres. have had a wonderfu association with Notcutts spanning almost four decades have een proud to have een invo ved in so many chapters of the co pany s history have ﬁna y decided that the ti e is right to spend more time with my partner doing all those things we have put off for so long. “At the top of the list is our own garden project – so ething that ﬁ s e with great excitement,” he says. www.notcutts.co.uk

The Old Railway Line wins Best Garden Centre for fifth time running The Old Railway Line Garden Centre, located in Three Cocks between Brecon and Hayon-Wye, hosted the annual Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Wales and West regional awards ast uesday evening The family-run, independent garden centre was awarded the top prize of Best Garden Centre in Wales and the West for the ﬁfth consecutive year alongside Best Customer ervice and est arden Products Retailer.

Garden centre manager Huw Lewis said, “We are delighted to have received such a prestigious award for the ﬁfth year in a row o e a e to ca ourse ves ‘the best’ in the whole of Wales and the West of England for another 12 months is a great achieve ent and is a resu t of the hard work and commitment of our amazing staff.” The centre was established in 1990 by owners Mark and Christina Cleary. www.oldrailwaylinegc.co.uk

Alyson, Andy and Ian step down as GCA inspectors

CA inspectors Alyson Haywood, Andy Campbell and Ian Boardman are standing down from their roles at the organisation this year. Alyson is taking on an operational post with Van Hage, Andy wishes to spend less time away from home and more time with his family and Ian is going forward to work on other projects. chief e ecutive ain Wylie said: “We’re really sorry to see these three widely respected industry experts go, but completely understand their individua decisions to step down at this stage and wish the a the very est with their new ventures hey

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have a een a p easure to work with and an integral part of the organisation. They will be missed and I’d like to thank them for all their hard work and commitment.” Industry stalwart and GCA inspector Roger Crookes will continue in his role at the body. www.gca.org.uk

Submit your news stories to Garden Centre Retail If you would like to submit any stories regarding garden centres or the horticultural industry, please email them to joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com

Garden Centre Retail August/ September 2016

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News extra news

Longacres acquires Bybrook Barn Award-winning Longacres Garden Centre has announced its acquisition of Bybrook Barn Garden Centre in Ashford, Kent in a growth strategy that sees it offer new life to ailing businesses. This new garden centre has started trading under the name Longacres Bybrook Barn. Garden Centre Retail spoke to group owner Nigel Long about the acquisition How did you get into the business of taking on and rejuvenating garden centres? Like most garden centres we evolved from a production nursery. In my early youth I was part of a nursery that opened along the A30, and we grew and sold plants to the garden centres in the area. I remember there was a summer when the garden centres didn’t take the volume of plants they normally did, so we had to open our gates up directly to customers and it grew from there. Why did you decide to take on Bybrook Barn? We’d been looking for opportunities to expand since we took on the Shepperton store about three and a half years ago. We’d been successful in turning what had been a redundant store for nearly 12 months into a good business fairly quickly, and viewed a few opportunities before placing our successful bid for Bybrook. When you look at some of the garden centres around the country you can ﬁnd so e of the need improvement in management or are struggling with stock, so we felt we could bring new life to one of these businesses. What changes are you looking to make to Bybrook? Our key strength is our cut ower depart ent and we want to focus on fresh produce, quality plants and a large range of products alongside this. We have a team at Bybrook at the moment ripping it apart inside – it’s been quite dated in terms of carpets and lighting

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Nigel Long, MD of Longacres Garden Centre, and Terry Burch of Bybrook Barn shake hands on the completion of the acquisition

etc. which are things we can make quick changes to. We felt the basic layout of the centre needed some changes. Why do you think Bybrook was underperforming previously and how do you plan to combat this? A nearby garden centre opened up just around the corner from Bybrook a number of years ago and that affected trade. They didn’t react quickly enough once that competition arrived. I think it was a combination of that and the recession – the previous owners didn t respond sufﬁcient y to changes in the market. The way we run our business in all of our projects is on a value offering, and ensuring our customers have a wide range of

choice. I also think we can react much quicker to competition and market changes, and we offer our cut ower depart ent which is a unique selling point. What are your long term plans for Bybrook? To turn it into one of the top garden centres in Kent, if not the south east. What are the main challenges you’ve found in taking on and rejuvenating garden centres? Realistically it’s the investment that’s required, and it’s always difﬁcu t when ta ing on a business in terms of staff, as they may be worried about their job security. We need to focus on turning the staff around from the mindset of working for the previous

business and get them on board ready to rejuvenate it. Another challenge we face is that when a garden centre is taken over, especially by a group, turnover does tend to drop. People don’t like change, but we’re very keen to try and keep the existing customers at Bybrook and ensure they’re happy with us and the improvements we make. Do you think garden centres are an important part of a community? If so, why? deﬁnite y thin so We re closely linked with schools and local charities and try to support them in a variety of ways including invitations to hold collections at the centre and charity raf es at our Christmas events. ◗

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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features View from the top

View from the top: Sarah Squire Sarah Squire, the deputy chairman at Squire’s Garden Centres, shares her views on the importance of plants remaining the main focus for garden centres

quire’s was founded in the 1930s by my grandfather D.J. Squire, and the business was incorporated in 1936 so we are celebrating our 80th anniversary this year. Initially it was a nursery and landscape gardening business, until the 1960s when my father Colin Squire developed the garden centre part of our business. He opened our first garden centre in Twickenham in 1964, which was one of the very first in the UK, and we now have 15 centres across the south east. When the first garden centres opened in the late 1950s more or less all that they sold was plants. Nowadays, the garden centre market has changed enormously. Firstly, the quality and variety of plants has improved dramatically thanks to the breeding programmes of so many fantastic nurseries, so these days the gardening public has the most fabulous choice of plants. Secondly, the range of other products available has grown exponentially, from superb suites of garden furniture to

replace the deck chairs of old, to barbecues that are larger than the average family cooker. Years ago, who would have thought that we would be selling speciality food ranges and homewares or that Christmas would become so important to us? Yet these goods help to drive sales at otherwise quiet times of the year and have been pivotal in driving footfall. The catering side of the business has also grown over the last few years too. Some people will decide which garden centre to visit based on the quality of their café, and our Café Bars are extremely popular. However, I still feel that we sideline our gardening offer at our peril, and that plants and gardening have to remain at the heart of what we do, otherwise garden centres have no reason for being. High street stores, the sheds, the internet and even the supermarkets can sell all the other product areas of our business and in many cases do it well. But garden centres can still offer a far superior range and quality of plant material

Squire’s 80th Anniversary Garden at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2016, Gold medal and People’s Choice Award winner

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Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

“Plants and gardening have to remain at the heart of what we do, otherwise garden centres have no reason for being” and gardening products and this must remain our USP. I feel immensely fortunate to work in the horticultural industry. It is a great privilege to be able to enjoy plants every day, both within our garden centres and at home. It is also a privilege to work with people who appreciate and love plants, both colleagues and customers who are always happy to generously share their knowledge and enthusiasm. Squire’s company ethos has always been to provide local people with really good quality plants that will do well for them in their own gardens. We put a huge amount of time and effort into sourcing the best plants, in terms of quality, range and price, and

this will continue to be our primary focus. Lots of outlets can sell gifts, garden furniture and barbecues, but they don’t have the specialist knowledge or expertise that garden centres have. ◗

CONTACT

You can get in touch with Squire’s at: 01252 356860 squiresgardencentres.co.uk

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Nathan Dodd

The interview features

Hall’s Garden Centre H ll de e ei h i i g he de i e ei g

ldﬁeld i lle i e i ge h

i de e de il i e ie ih e l li e ei g dd ell h he e i e i i l

COMPANY CV Turnover £5m per annum

Breakdown Gardening 30% Gifts/Christmas 10% Catering 30% Aquatic s 20% Other 10% Size of site 6,070m2 Employees 40

Nathan, what’s changed in the garden retail market since you’ve been involved? In the past, you needed to have some sort of garden centre or shop to sell gardening products. Then along came the internet and with it the ability to sell direct to the public. Hall’s was one of the ﬁ rst garden centres to move online about 15 years ago. Why was that decision made? We did it because we couldn’t grow the physical space we had anymore. Many garden centres have that option, but we are limited on space here. I was involved in the internet business myself at the time, and I could see the potential. I come from an entrepreneurial family, Hall’s was one of the ﬁrst garden centres in the è

www.gardencentreretail.com

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Garden Centre Retail August / September 2016

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features The interview

The Gardensite homepage (www.gardensite.co.uk) www.gardensite.co.uk www.gardensite.co.uk)

country, established back in 1952. We are often a ong the first to do new things. I remember selling our first greenhouse online and even the manufacturers weren’t sure what was going on. We came up with the idea, but we had to work with our suppliers to get the model working. We learned some hard lessons being an early adopter of the internet, but we have also reaped the enefits

can from the shop. We sell all over Britain. We’re very much a national brand.

So tell us a bit about the online side of the business, Gardensite... We created the Gardensite brand back in 1999. The website is about selling high quality garden products at great prices, but also the fact that we’re an independent, family run business means that we’re a site people can trust – customer service is at the heart of everything we do online. All that ‘handson’ expertise and product knowledge our garden centre employees have is also available to people who buy our products online.

Is social media a big part of your business? Yes, it’s very important. Gardening is going out of fashion with younger people, so it’s a great way to try and engage with that generation. t s difﬁcu t to offer discounts on social media channels because the more you offer, the more you squeeze your margins, but it should be part of the whole marketing mix.

What do you sell on the site? We sell over 12,000 products online. If we can send it in the post or deliver it in a van, we will sell it. Greenhouses, log cabins, sheds, lighting, barbecues, a whole host of garden care products, you name it. We can just as easily sell something to someone in Kensington or Brighton as we

Do you have plans to go international? Absolutely. You’ve got to do both. The way we see it, if we can send it to someone in this country, why can’t we ship it around the world? Unless garden centres evolve and keep evolving, unfortunately they will go under. Is there a discount on price if it’s bought online? Only in as much as the online price will often include the delivery cost.

re o fi n n that the supermarkets are offering more competition when it comes to gardening products? Yes, we’ve seen that over the ast five years or so The big boys have all gone into gardening. The sector has grown, but at the same time competition is more fierce oth on ine and fro traditional retailers. The big issue is price. People walk into a garden centre, pick up something and then get their iPad out to compare prices on Amazon or

“Purely focusing on plants is dangerous. If you have a bad summer, you’ve put all your eggs in one basket”

Garden Centre Retail August / September 2016

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www.gardencentreretail.com

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The interview features e sewhere to ﬁnd it cheaper that s a pro e as far as concerned We strugg e with ho ding prices how can garden centres continue to open their doors and have a the overheads of a shop when other co panies are undercutting the on ine We eep anging on at the supp iers a out supporting co panies with ow overheads ut the sector wi e very different in years ti e here wi e on ine on y garden centres or centres that are ain y coffee shops here won t e products ecause we won t e a e to co pete hat s a esson we are trying to teach the anufacturers who e pect us to retai their products So what changes have you made to compete? he ines are urring and co petition is good especia y for the consu er We ve oo ed at our usiness ode and we try to co pete on custo er service and price We are open seven days a wee answer the phone when custo ers ca and dea with custo ers face to face We need to have a garden centre where c ients can co e in and touch and fee what they want ur o is to try and get peop e into the garden centre in whatever way possi e or we wi end up c osing our gates for good So you drive footfall through your website – how else do you invite customers through your doors? he we site is very i portant to us as it shou d e to every usiness nteresting y attended an H ar eting event recent y and found that so e of the ig garden centres do ea et drops which is a great idea here are p enty of good ideas that we can a share oya ty onuses are great too ot ong ago we ought the pu ne t door to us and turned it into a coffee shop that s created custo er oya ty We

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try to e ess co other p aces

ercia than

Do you still face competition from the bigger chains? We have a Ho e ase oca y and five ig centres c ose y inc uding a Wyeva e arden entre o petition is fierce We focus on our strengths Here you can co e in pic up a ag of co post and get it into your car in two inutes whereas at one of the ig stores you have to wa a the way around We can a so e ore responsive We don t have a head office of uyers wor ing for us nationa y We can source products ore easi y and e receptive to oca peop e s needs ecause we now the oca ar et Most garden centres are becoming a destination. What does the industry need to do to let people know that garden centres are still what they used to be? very ody has their own view a out what a garden centre is thin they are seen as seasona and they re trying to change y eco ing a year round destination or us at hrist as it s i e a wonder and here enera y spea ing thin garden centres have eco e a out a shopping e perience wners have rea ised that pure y focusing on p ants is dangerous f you have a ad su er you ve put a your eggs in one as et iversification has eco e ey though they are sti ca ed garden centres they re actua y ore i e shopping centres depart ent stores with a gardening the e ◗ CONTACT Hall’s Garden Centre 211 Chester Road New Oscott Sutton Coldfield B73 5BD 0121 354 6858 www.hallsgardencentre.com www.gardensite.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail August / September 2016

23/08/2016 10:21

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features Lawn care

A new age in lawn care

Andy McIndoe offers his best advice for lawn care and discusses the state of the market

ur attitude to lawns has changed once the most important feature in the garden the perfect awn cou d e a thing of the past ew are the pride and oy of the an of the house anymore: most are more interested in the stripes in their sportswear than those in the sward. The lawn is a hassle, a chore to e dea t with as uic y as possi e n s a gardens the appea of the artiﬁcia awn is particu ar y great: no mower to store, no interruptions to the weekend and no dirty footprints es it does cost ore initia y ut if you get so eone in to install it you never have to touch it again apart fro the occasiona sweep or those with arge areas of grass a regu ar visit fro a awn care co pany is an appea ing option especia y if so eone does the mowing as well.

Go natural

The environmentally minded co e at this topic fro a different ang e hey see watering lawns as a waste of a va ua e resource say farewe to your hose and osci ating sprin er arden che ica s inc uding awn weedkillers are to be avoided, so it s good ye trip e action sti the ainstay of the awn care ar et ess anicured approach featuring onger grass and a few per itted weeds i e speedwe c over and daisy re ects the trends toward p anting for po inators meadows and a more natura istic approach re anufacturers and retai ers capita ising on this trend any se a few wi d ower seeds and instant meadow i es ut what a out organic awn ferti isers

Interestingly, slow release organic ferti isers are ig usiness in co ercia turf anage ent hey are so d successfu y on ine and few that use the wou d ever go ac to che ica a ternatives even if they are cheaper uying on ine eans the product is de ivered to your door and online infor ation is e ce ent sadly that is not always the case in garden centres

Best practice

ersona y use an organic ferti iser once a year in id spring t s easy to app y and safe o weed i er so it doesn t atter if so e drifts onto the order and it s s ow re ease and does not scorch so uneven app ication is not a pro e t contains a itt e iron which i s off any re aining oss after have scariﬁed the awn eforehand and ycorrhi a fungi to strengthen the grass roots and increase the effectiveness of the ferti iser in the ong run eave the c over a one and occasiona y spot treat

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

Page018 Andy McIndoe.indd 18

“Both manufacturer and retailer seem to be of the opinion that the offer still needs simplifying” dandelions and plantains later in the season. The result: a green lawn that stays looking good through summer. I have a big lawn, so buying large bags is not a problem. For those with smaller plots, ﬁnding s a er pac s of organic products can e a cha enge few garden centres stoc the hey are avai a e ut for traditiona uyers that still believe the only thing that affects the awn care ar et is the weather, they are regarded as marginal. oth anufacturer and retai er see to e of the opinion that the offer sti needs si p ifying However so e of us re ain unconvinced that re randing of we nown products he ps the consu er it can a so cost sa es sources of infor ation usua y co e fro e isting iterature

which high ights esta ished rands he active ingredients ay have changed ut the rand ives on passed fro generation to generation. ew and o d gardeners oo for na es they now When these disappear, do they just uy what is on the she f oth anufacturers and retailers need to take a serious look at this key area of the garden ar et if it is to grow again in the traditional garden centre t the o ent it seems to be driven by price and pac aging rather than eeting the needs of today s gardeners ◗ CONTACT

Andy McIndoe is a practical horticulturist, lecturer and author with over 30 years’ experience in garden retail. www.andymcindoe.com

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 10:26

pelsis Page19_Advert.indd 19

23/08/2016 09:11

features Customer interaction

How garden centre retailers can reach their customers Customers now expect retailers to interact with them in a much larger number of ways than before, as Swan Retail explains

raditionally, retailers would reach their customers through interactions in store or advertising in the local newspaper or on the radio. Now, there are modern online avenues as well as changes to traditional in store methods to contend with. While it can all seem daunting and like a lot to take on, if handled correctly you can reach not only your current customer base, but also a wider audience.

PoS displays

Printed material displayed in store can be used to promote new products, promotions, upco ing events the eneﬁts of joining your loyalty scheme or even just to let customers know of your social media presence. Make sure that they’re always up to date – you don’t want to advertise an offer which is no longer available or you run the risk of annoying customers.

Loyalty schemes

Whether it’s a points system, a percentage discount for card holders or a free coffee after a certain spend, you need to make sure that your loyalty

scheme rewards are good enough to entice people to sign up.

Campaign management

By using sales analysis you can divide your data down to better target your offers, giving a better chance of uptake. Think of your supermarket – they send you offers for products you buy regularly and encourage you to restart buying products you used to buy. To collect the necessary data you can ask customers to join your marketing database to receive promotions, ask them to sign up for your loyalty scheme or offer to send them their receipt via email.

Web

Your website can be a great advertisement for your store if it is set up and used correctly. Make sure it is well laid out, easy to navigate with lots of good imagery and product descriptions. The second aspect is making sure that you show up in search engine results, as there’s no point putting all that effort into your we site if no ody can ﬁnd it. To do this, search engines need to see your website as being relevant to the terms people are searching for. Google has a great keyword planner tool where you can see which relevant terms people are actually searching for, and you can make sure these terms appear on your website accordingly.

Social media

Social media can give you an informal avenue to interact

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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with customers, however you do need to be careful – people quite often see the public forum as a guaranteed way of getting a response to complaints. Each of the social media platforms offer something different which you can use to promote your business and interact with your customers. Facebook allows you to promote products and get feedback direct from customers, whereas on Twitter you can informally share snapshots of information with your followers. Instagram and Pinterest are perfect platforms for garden centres to make use of; both are about providing inspirational content through imagery to get people’s creative uices owing Pinterest, a sort of online scrapbook, is particularly great for this as you can create different boards for different ideas and themes. Make sure that your pins link through to

your website to encourage sa es trafﬁc Whether you use all of the interaction methods outlined above or just a few, the most important thing is for you to measure the success of any activity you do. You can do this by tracking online trafﬁc or footfa in store to see if there is any notable increase, tracking the use of your loyalty scheme after each membership push or promotion or through sales analysis. A good retail system will enable you to easily run the interaction methods outlined, but also analyse the effectiveness of all of your hard work. ◗ CONTACT

Swan Retail delivers fully integrated, multichannel EPoS and retail management systems. 02393 873 170 sales@swanretail.co.uk www.swanretail.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 10:58

Prepare to be surprised at GLEE Stand 18M10

Page21_Advert.indd 21

23/08/2016 09:14

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THERMOFLOR

THANKS TO GOOD REFERENCES IN THE UK

Visit us at Glee (BOOTH 17V56) & find out what Thermoflor can do for you!

Shortly after summer the ﬁrst newly built branch of Rosebourne in Andover will be opened. Thermoﬂor and HPW Architects professionally tackled the design and its implementation together. The Rosebourne team asked them to interpret the principle of “value for your money” and that is exactly what they did.

Neville Prest, Rosebourne: We are very pleased with our new building in terms of value for money and the quality of the structure. The building was delivered on time and on budget and the Thermoflor contractors worked very efficiently. The relationship with the main contractor was also very good and there were no areas of conflict during the build. Overall we would recommend Thermoflor to other operators considering expanding their garden centres.

Rosebourne (Andover) under construction

In September the new Leeds garden centre of Klondyke will open its doors. The Klondyke Group’s new garden centre will be yet another eye-catcher, with a welcoming, exclusive character.

Klondyke (Leeds) under construction

Thanks to the good experiences with the last project in Wilmslow, the Klondyke Group has once again entrusted Thermoﬂor with a remarkable project. The new Leeds garden centre, which will have an area of 3100 m2, is being built together with Geo Hodges. A lot of use is made of wooden elements in the design, to give the centres a sustainable appearance. The walls of the new garden centre will be covered with western red cedar wood.

Being the largest garden centre builder in Europe, Thermoﬂor helps garden centres to boost their business. And not only in Europe.

New garden centre Saskatoon, Canada

The Wilson brothers, garden-centre entrepreneurs in the Canadian town of Saskatoon, have chosen HPW Architects and Thermoﬂor to build an impressive new garden centre for them. The new ‘destination garden centre’ will be twice as large as their present shop, with an area of no less than 12 ,000 m2. It will form part of a large new retail and leisure centre incorporating various other shops, a restaurant and a gym. Thermoﬂor will start work at the site in August.

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Thermofloor2.indd 1 Page22_Advert.indd 22

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22/08/2016 14:13 23/08/2016 11:48

Benchmarking features

Benchmarking with the HTA The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has launched its Garden Retail Monitor, promising to help garden retailers improve their business through sales benchmarking

and category performance and develop more exciting, proﬁta e ranges for retailers. One project being discussed by the HTA is using the collated data to identify changing consumer preferences for colours and colour mixes. If that sort of project can take hold, it’ll lead to more compelling garden products for garden centres in coming years.

he new Garden Retail Monitor (GRM) system from the HTA aims to put more management information in the hands of garden centres than ever before. What’s more, there’s no burdensome monthly or weekly data entry needed, saving precious time for your business.

How it works

The concept is simple. Data from a garden centre’s EPoS system is automatically uploaded to a secure, encrypted database, where it’s collated with data from across the country. Participating retailers have an account, which lets them compare their business performance against regional and national averages. Comparisons can be made against businesses of similar size, helping to make a fair judgement of performance against peer businesses.

What’s available

Garden centres can benchmark metrics including total store sales, average transaction value and gross margin. Garden centres can also ‘zero in’ on the detail within their centres. Benchmark information is provided down to a department level so users can identify high and low performing areas which may hold opportunities for proﬁt growth Because of the way the system has been designed, garden centres aren’t forced to look at benchmark departments that are different to the ones they are familiar with. Departmental benchmark reports can be based on industry standards

www.gardencentreretail.com

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How to get involved

“Benchmark information is provided down to a department level” such as the GCA barometer of trade and the HTA regional business improvement scheme. This is enabled by the work the system does behind the scenes in mapping each participating garden centre’s sales data to a master ‘index’ in the system. This in turn enables benchmark reports to be presented in a variety of different ways.

More publicity

The data collated won’t only be used for garden centre benchmarking. The HTA has ambitious plans to use the data and statistics as part of its work to promote gardening to the public. Journalists love statistics, and the more of them that the HTA can provide quickly the more media coverage of gardening and

garden centres the association will be able to generate. Commenting on this, HTA PR manager Gill Ormrod said: “It’ll be fantastic to be able to give detailed statistics to media on gardening and around occasions such as Easter and Christmas. The more of this we can provide to the media, the more often we’re going to be able to get gardening and garden centres into the media.”

Informing product innovation

The collated, anonymised data is also going to be extremely valuable to manufacturers and suppliers. Because data is captured down to the barcode level that’s scanned at the point of sale, suppliers will be able to assess product

Any garden retailer in the HTA with a compatible EPoS system can sign up to use the GRM. Compatible EPoS systems include Corby & Fellas, CSY, Swan and NedFox, with others in the pipeline. If you use another system but would like to take part, the HTA can talk to you and your EPoS vendor about getting involved. A garden centre simply needs to supply a copy of their EPoS department hierarchy structure in an Excel proforma to the HTA. The HTA uses this to set up regular transfer and indexing of sales data in the system. Once this is done, the HTA provides you with a set of usernames and passwords for your staff, and sends through a ‘getting started’ guide to using the reports. It’s that simple. If you’d like to know more about or take part in the Garden Retail Monitor, your ﬁrst step is to contact the HTA. ◗ CONTACT

You can get in touch on 0118 930 3132 or by emailing grm@hta.org.uk www.hta.org.uk

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 10:32

features Grass trends

Grass renaissance

As the leading UK lawn care expert, David Hedges-Gower can categorically state that we’re witnessing the biggest ever renaissance in British gardening. Grass is back – and that means new business opportunities

orking closely with one of our leading DIY chains really brought home to me how much room there is for our industry to grow. This is a fantastic time to be in lawn care and horticultural retail – but we need to be ready if we’re to meet rapidly improving consumer knowledge and expectations.

Bad advice

The popularity of the lawn in 2016 isn’t just evident in domestic gardens; lawns are being reinstated as primary elements in all kinds of urban and semi-rural landscaping. And there’s a really good reason – grass is one of our toughest plants, cost effective to maintain and fantastic for the environment. But there’s a catch. The gardening consumer may be rediscovering the eneﬁts of the simple lawn, but our retail and professional sectors risk being caught with their pants down. We have limited product ranges based on what the manufacturers decided we need (not what today’s gardeners and lawns actually want) and we have eager but undertrained sales staff

The Chelsea Barracks Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016, designed by Jo Thompson MSGD

significant achieve ent ut it s more than that – it’s a beacon showing where sustainable garden practice is headed. And it comes in the nick of time. han s to a y superficia gardening journalism we very nearly became a nation of ‘garden saboteurs’. Irresponsible and ill-informed H h rofile lifestyle journalism encouraged Two of this year’s prize-winning many people to turn their front gardens at the RHS Chelsea gardens into dead concrete Flower Show featured lawns. zones, with the resulting scars After the bad press given to we see in many of today’s lawns in recent years, this is a streets (and which the RHS highlighted How retail should be profiting from the lawn renaissance as a serious How often do your customers hear these facts? environmental concern). • Grass swallows up vast quantities of carbon dioxide and other pollutants Despite this, • Grass sustains essential members of the food and pollination chains we are witnessing • Grass prevents soil erosion and reduces surface flooding an irreversible • Grass purifies contaminated rainwater as it enters the soil consumer-led • Grass cools our gardens in summer as much as trees. drive for more sustainable and Well it’s time we spread the word. It’s these messages – together with responsible products that reflect a modern approach to lawn care – that will see the gardening. With industry not just keep up with new consumer demand but lay the foundation better products, for even greater expansion. better training

unable to nurture the customer relationship to convert sales. However, alongside this we need to stop perpetuating the myths that lawns are specialised and tricky things to look after – decades of bad advice nearly killed the lawn.

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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and better informed sales staff, we can turn that into serious business growth. I hope you are as excited as I am about this opportunity. I have already published the guide, Modern Lawn Care, and will soon be launching two initiatives to help the industry – the British Lawn Association (BLA) to focus on professional development for horticultural workers, and training packages for garden centres. What we sell, and the way we sell it, is hugely important in maintaining the resurgence in lawns. But with greater proﬁts and greener gardens to be enjoyed, I guarantee that everyone will be very happy indeed. ◗ CONTACT

David Hedges-Gower is a lawn expert, National Trust advisor, RHS lecturer and innovator behind the new British Lawn Association. www.davidhedges-gower.com

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 11:06

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23/08/2016 09:51

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Christmas features

Preparing for Christmas Highﬁeld de i e i le

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de e elli g h i

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t Highfie d arden Wor d in oucestershire the hrist as tree order is confir ed around epte er and a out rea trees are so d every hrist as he ost popu ar choice is ft cut non drop trees and around a third of sa es are rooted potted trees on ason director and p ant area anager at Highfie d e panded he tota nu er of rea trees we se has increased fro around to over the ast coup e of years We thin that ay e due ore to the increase in footfa we ve een e periencing here than increased oca de and We a now if ast year s tree was a success custo ers tend to co e ac the fo owing year so we re hoping our sa es stay strong We a so price pretty een y We eep an eye on the co petition and price at e ow

Christmas

though the growing nu ers of rea trees eing so d at Highfie d ay not e indicative of changes e sewhere a different shift in uying ha its cou d e on e p ained usto ers are eginning to favour narrower trees with so e even as ing for raser firs y na e raser firs tend to have a s ight y si er profi e than others so won t ta e up uite as uch space in the roo We thin it s this which is driving their popu arity We a so offer to c ip and shape any trees for custo ers and cut in off the otto

Tree stands

t Highﬁe d it isn t ust the trees that se we at

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Page027_Preparing For Christmas.indd 27

hrist as on said very year a a ed at how any stands we se We a ways as tree uyers if they ve got their stand out ready at ho e at which point any

are decorating outside as we as their interior nowadays nterna ighting has a ways done we for us ver the ast coup e of years we ve een se ing ore e terna

“We price pretty keenly – we keep an eye on the competition and price at 10-20% below” rea ise they ve got one so ewhere ut can never re e er where here ust e a ot of hrist as tree stands in peop e s garages in oucestershire

Christmas lights

ight sa es are shining right as we on e p ained eop e

ights too ne factor which has in uenced that is the avai a i ity of attery powered e terna ighting t eans peop e can pop the ights into position ic the switch and en oy instant resu ts ast year s war winter did itt e for need e drop on e p ained how this affected

Highﬁe d ast winter it was sti very i d in cot and when our trees were cut o with the trees sti growing and the sap sti rising the shoc of eing cut resu ted in non drop trees shedding ore need es than usua We had a coup e of trees returned ecause of it ingers crossed for a co der winter this year ◗ CONTACT

ﬁeld den o ld lou e te e le d n nde endent den ent e ﬁeld den o ld tol o d t n te lou e te e ou

ﬁeld

den o ld

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:19

features Displays

Crowning glory Garden centres are so much more than the traditional meaning of the term these days. Garden Centre Retail asked you in the industry what your favourite part of your centre is and why

Totties Totties Garden Garden Centre Centre “With our displays we try to create ideas for customers to imagine in their own border with the plants mingling effortlessly, producing a great array of colour, form and height with the striking poker like Primula vialii, ruby Zantedeschia calla lily, deep pink dahlia and then the delicate foliage of the Pennisetum ‘Fireworks.’” ue rimble otties arden entre Holmﬁrth est or shire

Highﬁeld

arden

orld

“My favourite part of the garden centre is the restaurant patio. This is because of the beautiful views and of course the awesome tree lighting, which looks amazing in the evening when you drive up the hill.” Claire Bradford Highﬁeld arden orld loucester loucestershire

Tenterden Garden Centre “No matter how your day is going, what the weather is doing or how bad your mood, walking through our plant area reminds you just how beautiful nature can be. Our team are masters at putting together impactful displays that make it the most tranquil yet vibrant area of our centre. We love the way the scents and colours change through the seasons – how can you not love it?!” amantha ilmartin enterden arden entre enterden ent

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 11:37

Displays features

Steam and Moorland Garden Centre

ur new in ďŹ e tension etween the garden centre and the achinery centre is what a es us enor ous y proud t incorporates a restaurant in the s y and a new ain entrance Charles Hopkinson, Steam and Moorland Garden Centre, Pickering, North Yorkshire

Lealan Garden Centre We e ieve that we have one of the argest se ections of house p ants in the id ands and have a co ourfu disp ay a year round Ann Winwood, Lealan Garden Centre, Wolverhampton, West Midlands

www.gardencentreretail.com

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Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:38

features Displays

Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre

“We love our outside area. It is hard to take a photo which captures it. The thing is, we love plants – so we grow our own and we ﬁnd that in u y we ust don t seem to have the room for everything he owers bring in all the wildlife, irds ees utter ies and frogs, too. We cram as much as we can into our retail area. Our shop and farm shop is tiny so really this outside area is our ‘front of house’.” Ruth Goudy, Kiln Farm Nursery, Ipswich, Suffolk

Hayes Garden World

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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“Our deli counter, which offers a beautiful selection of freshly made salads, is the perfect link between the garden centre and the restaurant. Our customers seem to love this offer and always come back for more! It is an ideal, healthy and tasty option.” Denis Guillemin, Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, Taunton, Somerset

Kiln Farm Nursery

t is so difﬁcu t to choose a favourite area but perhaps our most unique feature is our spectacular setting, near the centre of Ambleside and a stone’s throw from the shores of Lake Windermere. This image from the roof terrace of our very popular Four Seasons Terrace Café says it all.” Keith Laird, Hayes Garden World, Ambleside, Cumbria

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 11:37

FINE REPLICA FLOWERS & Foliage

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23/08/2016 09:27

features Plant focus

What retailers need to learn from online sellers Terri Jones explains why online shops work for the modern gardener, and how bricks and mortar retailers can sell more plants by adopting aspects of online

hen shopping online, peop e ﬁnd things uic y and co pare things easi y eop e are never ade to fee stupid We a fee a it stupid when investigating the purchase of so ething that we don t fu y understand n particu ar we fear eing in a shop and an assistant as ing us si p e uestions when they are trying to he p us and we have to ad it we don t understand the asic ter ino ogy

o onﬁ en e

ost everyone reading this artic e wi have this fear in so e area or other uying a hi ﬁ a aptop ateria s anything new Huge nu ers of peop e anyone who s not a p ant e pert ay have it when uying p ants an he p you there sir h was oo ing for rhododendrons ertain y sir ur a a eas are over here h no said rhododendrons n a a ea is a rhododendron sir h orry i y e What soi type do you have h cru y rey ish o ean is it ericaceous acidic h sorry uh go ﬁnd out e right ac ut he won t e ac not this ti e and pro a y not ever ay e he uy her a nice tur uoise rooch instead or ay e he shop for p ants on ine

When you uy p ants on ine the fear is re oved n ine se ers inc ude easy eans of navigation and searching photos and descriptions of p ants and the chance to ﬁnd the infor ation you need to a e your choice ut the fear is re oved in store too if the ayout is c ear there are too s on hand to he p you search for things and products are carefu y a e ed with a the infor ation you ight need in p ain ng ish

lar t an ease

n ine stores focus on three things a c ear indication of where the user is an o vious p ace to search for things and ways of ﬁ tering to he p you ﬁnd the p ants to suit your garden tastes and udget

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

Page032-033_Plant Focus.indd 32

he e ar s the reta ler’s e alent of the lant nfor at on a e etai ers can do the sa e things in store rovide aps at ey points to show where you are an infor ation point or ios with a p ant ﬁnder that custo ers can use the se ves to search the wide range of p ants on sa e and p ant disp ays that ﬁ ter y co our environ ent the e and perhaps price n ine stores usua y offer uyers various groupings of p ants to rowse for inspiration garden sty es environ ents current trends co ours ti e of year resident

e pert s choice group wi typica y have a ey i age a few words to co unicate the vision and a short ist of p ants ny one group ight e ust what a uyer needs to provide the starting point for se ecting p ants to uy n store any forward thin ing retai ers are doing a si i ar thing using disp ay gardens groups of i ed p ants and p ant co ections a ongside the p ant rac s hese show how to create a particu ar oo or choose p ants for a particu ar

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 11:42

Plant focus features environment, and are often curated to include only plants that are easy to grow and maintain.

Removing all doubt

Every plant in an online store has its own page, with one or more pictures of the plant at maturity. It includes key facts that can be used to help decide whether a plant is suitable and to compare plants with one another. The key fact might be plant size, or whether it’s hardy, evergreen, or can cope with a seaside site. The layout of the pages is consistent, so it’s easy to compare one plant with another. The plant page covers all the questions a buyer might have – if any doubts are left, they may not buy. The bed card is the retailer’s equivalent of the plant information page. Although in store you can look at, touch and smell plants, your senses can’t tell you all you need to know. A bed card is a plant’s silent salesperson, reassuring a potential buyer that it’s the right one, or advising them to quickly move on to other plants instead. Making bed cards consistent and easy to scan helps buyers ﬁnd the p ants that are right for them. Plant losses are discouraging for new gardeners, so helping them choose the right plants can bring you lifelong customers. Customers get used to the silent advice bed cards provide, can shop without

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Screenshot of New Hopetoun Gardens’ website (www.newhopetoungardens.co.uk)

“When shopping online, people ﬁn th n s l an are ne er made to feel stupid” staff assistance unless they want it, and this peaceful, independent atmosphere for shopping, for those who like it, becomes part of the retailer’s offering.

Competing with online Online stores strongly communicate their brand

image. Although they may sell manufacturer brands within the store, the overall look and feel, colour scheme and prominent logos on an e-commerce site will all be branded to the online seller. All will be designed to make the buyer feel they are in the right place for them to shop, a p ace that re ects their own lifestyle, self image and aspirations. Retailers are usually equally careful to protect and project their brand image in their stores. You can extend this right across the plant area by using own-brand bed cards, rather than a mixture of cards from individual suppliers (or, often, large areas without bed cards). The modern consumer expects to shop 24/7, and they can online. Buyers can research purchases at any

time of day or night, save possible products on wishlists, review choices later on, and make a purchase whenever they’re ready. Retailers can compete with all but the buying part of this 24/7 shopping cycle. They can add a p ant ﬁnder to their website that lets gardeners do their research, save a list of favourites, and even build a shopping list ready for their trip to the store. If they are coming to your website to do their plant research, they are already halfway to your store. Garden centres that provide the same advantages as online sellers, as well as their own obvious advantage of experiencing plants in the esh wi inevita y e the ones who succeed in future. ◗

CONTACT Terri Jones is managing director of Joy of Plants Ltd, supplier of plant information to award-winning plant retailers and growers around the UK. 07717 532 323 info@joyofplants.com www.joyofplants.com

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:42

NATIONWIDE DELIVERY OF PRE-PACKED DECORATIVE AGGREGATES, ROCKERY STONE & COMPOST TO THE GARDEN CENTRE TRADE

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23/08/2016 12:52

Weather features

Fraught forecasts:

managing sales through e he i i h el

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dl dge e l i i ed

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ithin the horticulture industry, weather will always impact outdoor activity and trade. This is particularly true for garden centres, which experience a direct correlation between weather and sales. The largely unpredictable British climate often causes havoc for businesses and creates nervousness around demand for stock, so garden centres need to consider the risks and how to address them. This year began with relatively cold conditions, and has since seen changeable weather with late frost and heatwave warnings throughout spring. The erratic weather and early Easter saw low sales ﬁgures for retai ers with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reporting a 0.7% fall in like for like sales in March compared to the previous year. However, the May bank holiday brought in good results for garden centres, with the improved temperatures in certain areas of the attracting shoppers and resulting in positive sales.

Stocking up

Many garden centres and outdoor retailers are understandably concerned

about the impact of weather, and are often uncertain about how much stock to order and when. The product listings and sales forecast is usually done in autumn the previous year, and long before weather predictions can be accurately made. At that time, buying decisions are based on previous trading ﬁgures predicted growth and new product releases, with size of outlet and consumer demographic accounted for. The springtime weather and early sales then determine conﬁdence for the season often impacting which products are re-ordered and how much stock is purchased. As such, a cold or wet spring can dampen expectations and result in reduced supplies for the rest of the season.

Managing peaks

Rather than yielding to weather concerns, retailers must take a conﬁdent approach to avoid causing problems later in the year. A cold spring often means warm weather in the

www.gardencentreretail.com

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following months, with summer temperatures lasting well into autumn. Customers will be deterred by depleted or empty shelves when temperatures do inevitably rise, so retailers must not be caught out and left scrambling to meet demand – often an unfortunate repercussion of poor weather in earlier months. Garden centres should also pay attention to annual trade patterns and take these into account when forecasting sales and ordering replacement stock. Finally, retailers must remember that sales will unavoida y uctuate due to weather and many other variables throughout the year. onth y trade ﬁgures a ance out in the majority of cases, with some products naturally performing better than others depending on factors such as customer trends, popular products and new ranges.

Whatever the weather

Whilst wet and cold climates often keep people indoors

and away from garden centres, the reverse is also true, with hot sunshine discouraging customers from travel and shopping. The key to managing the uctuations of ritish seasons is understanding that exact predictions cannot be ade ut ensure sufﬁcient stock is ordered to entice shoppers and increase revenue during peak sales periods. With hopes that summer 2016 will maintain mild temperatures until late September, retailers must plan for a longer season, prioritising products most popular later in the year to ensure consumers’ needs and spending patterns are catered for. ◗ CONTACT

Woodlodge is the UK’s leading supplier of garden pots, distributing to over 2,000 garden centres and retail outlets nationwide. 01666 501 000 pots@woodlodge.co.uk www.woodlodge.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:32

Canopies, walkways and inspiring buildings designed around you.

01243 55 44 55 www.fordingbridge.co.uk info@fordingbridge.co.uk

With over 50 years experience, Fordingbridge are passionate about helping garden centres transform their retail offerings to increase commercial potential and enhance the customer journey. If you are visiting GLEE, come and discuss concepts and ideas with our team on stand 17Q53. Discover how we can work together. Page36_Advert.indd 36

23/08/2016 09:32

News products

Product news All the latest news from leading product providers in the horticultural and garden retail sector

e i g e sales growth

Crest adds to creative team rest arden has announced the appoint ent of two ey rand ro es to acce erate the deve op ent of opro and ent towe ata ie tu ington oins the co pany as product anager for opro to deve op the current opro watering rand and create new inspirationa and ar et eading initiatives ata ie s wea th of now edge creative ta ents and wide e perience of product design and deve op ent wi advance the growth of opro across the watering

dle ﬁ e

category ata ie has wor ed in product and uying for any years with e perience in arge g o a co panies such as eorge sda and ost recent y von i Huynh has een appointed assistant product anager with responsi i ity of deve oping the award winning range of ent towe garden too s and antpa propagation i adds practica and re evant e perience to the tea and wi have responsi i ity for ensuring a new deve op ents are

dge

fire a depicting fa ous ondon and ar s has een crowned the est ew roduct at the o e show rund e ardener s state ent showpiece wowed the udges as the eading who esa er started its trade show season with a ang au ith usiness anager at rund e said We were p easant y surprised ut very p eased with the award it under ines our confi dence in the showpiece ondon y ine ire a ur fire a range has proven popu ar over the ast few years and we decided to invest in new the es shapes and si es

www.gardencentreretail.com

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de ivered on ti e i oins rest arden fro a strong product and rand ac ground fro ost nota y high end fashion rand ac ues ert www.crest-garden.co.uk

tepping stone sa es fro e ay have increased y over during the ﬁrst ha f of e ay is we p aced to e p oit this growing trend a es director ichard yrah said We now fro e perience that consu ers are see ing ways to add hard andscaping features to their gardens ut they are cautious of tac ing a or pro ects dding stepping stones across grassed areas or through orders is a rea y easy pro ect that even the east e perienced gardener can tac e nd it s rea y uic and effective www.kelkay.com

MPL Gardening sends propagators to Middle East

fo owing the success of the dragon and forest the es With the ﬁre a showing off the fa ous ondon s y ine the udges aro aris chief e ecutive of the H and for er eisure and utdoor urniture ssociation chair an ric Hopper were c ear y i pressed www.brundlegardener.co.uk

ardening a su division of a ton astics td a p astic in ection ou ding co pany ased in ic ering orth or shire has recent y secured an order for two pa ets of propagators for ship ent to u ai eoff in ney sa es representative who oversaw the dea said was surprised when the en uiry ca e in for propagators destined for the idd e ast t s i e sending fridges to the rctic he fa i y owned co pany is headed y rae e ith having esta ished the co pany with his wife ue in produces

p astic in ection ou ded co ponents for various app ications and have an annua turnover of and are a so accredited www.mplgardening.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 12:16

GROWING BRANDS ACCELERATE YOUR SALES IN 2017… Gardman’s exciting plans for growth in 2017 are all anchored by consumer insight and shopper trends. We believe that the right recipe to grow sales is a combination of focusing on core business, reinvigorating core brands, exciting consumers with new innovation whilst, at the same time, making it easy for our customers to buy, shop and merchandise our brands.

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23/08/2016 09:34

GIMA products

Keeping innovation exciting With the announcement of the 2016 GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund winner imminent, now is the ideal time to look at what makes a product truly ‘innovative’, as well as how the experts get it right

here’s a lot we take for granted in our industry that should be considered true modern innovation. Johnsons Lawn Seed, for example, is one GIMA member that has leapt forward in terms of the application of new grass varieties discovered by parent company, DLF. Its recent development of new tetraploid grass varieties has twice as many chromosomes as diploid varieties, providing twice the eneﬁts to the range of consumer lawn seed products. Tweaking products is an integral part of product development, but for a truly successful innovative product, that leap onto the next curve is what makes the difference. True innovation eschews the mainstream and can polarise the audience, especially in marketing new products. Ronseal, GIMA marketing award winner, is well known for its concise marketing strategy. For its One Coat Fence Life product, it took a risk. First was the cost; three minutes of prime time TV is not cheap. But also the advert content – all viewers saw was a man painting a fence, with the dialogue coming in the last few seconds to remind the audience that they’d just been watching paint dry. The advert managed to

get people talking and helped make #RonsealAdBreak a trending hashtag at the time, with over 500,000 engagements on Twitter. Truly innovative products don’t always begin as an overnight success. Haxnicks (part of newly joined GIMA member Tildenet) is renowned for its grow your own innovations, the most famous being the plastic Victorian e c oche When it was ﬁrst launched, the original design did not have ventilation holes at the top; they came a few years later and added a whole new dimension to plant protection, going on to sell millions of units around the world. Innovative breakthroughs such as this can a so insti conﬁdence in future product development, evident in the company’s latest Sunbubble instant plant house designs. We are now entering an age where the latest consumer technology is being cleverly integrated into gardens. Hozelock’s remote watering Cloud Controller enables gardeners to use their smartphone to water their plants while away from home. Consumers have become familiar with the concept of cloud control, thanks to

“What might be a success tomorrow is impossible to predict today. Even with a plan that is executed perfectly, a product often performs poorer than expected” www.gardencentreretail.com

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similar innovations that help to manage home utilities such as heating – so for early adopters of this technology, this will be a must-have product. Getting bogged down in the planning stage is another pitfall for some businesses, and it sometimes takes a short sharp shock to boost the development of an innovative product. This is certainly something which Dan Robson of Green Digit, manufacturers of SeedCell which earned the 2015 GIMA Innovators Seedcorn Fund, can relate to: “Our main aim was to introduce the SeedCell concept to the market, possibly gaining some insight into how we can further develop our offering. With the concept for SeedCell only planted in June 2014, and

the ﬁrst ﬁnished ite co ing off the production line in July 2015, we were concerned it may have been too early to launch. What actually transpired was the award.” What might be a success tomorrow is impossible to predict today. Even with a plan that is executed perfectly, a product often performs poorer than expected. However, there is one thing you can guarantee and that is change. Whether that change is in consumer’s tastes and attitudes or the introduction of brand new technology – all of these create opportunities for innovation. ◗ Further information about the GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund can also be found at: www.gima.org.uk

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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23/08/2016 09:43

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23/08/2016 09:44

GARDEN RETAIL REFRESHED

GET YOUR FREE TICKET www.gleebirmingham.com Show open: Monday - Wednesday

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23/08/2016 09:39

Spear & Jackson products

Anatomy of a Product: Spear & Jackson Dual Compound Telescopic Loppers Over the years, Spear & Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products have become widely recognised for their heritage and high quality. The Spear & Jackson Telescopic Loppers are made from high grade carbon steel and feature a PTFE coated cutting blade that delivers clean cuts. These anvil loppers have an easy to use twist and lock system that enables extension of the tubular aluminium handles from 19in to 31.5in The dual compound loppers feature S50C carbon steel blades for lasting sharpness and the cutting blade is PTFE coated, providing a smoother cut and rust resistance.

Dual compound cutting action provides more cut for less effort, offering 80% more cutting power than standard design loppers.

Strong, durable, but lightweight aluminium handles, allowing users to prune for longer without weighing down arms.

Telescopic handles which extend from 19in to 31.5in allowing greater reach when pruning stems and small branches.

Non-slip soft feel grips for comfort, providing stability and peace of mind when cutting.

www.gardencentreretail.com

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To learn more, contact Spear & Jackson or visit the website: 0114 281 4242 sales@neill-tools.co.uk www.spear-and-jackson.com

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 12:27

products Business

Trading with... Rebecca Spreckley, national account manager, Town & Country Rebecca Spreckley from Town & Country talks to Garden Centre Retail about the company’s market-leading range of gloves, footwear and accessories for the garden retail sector

Can you give us a brief outline of Town & Country and its products? For more than 30 years Town & Country has been designing and developing gloves, footwear and accessories for the garden retail sector and is today the UK’s leading gardening brand with a reputation for innovative, high quality, competitively priced ranges that have gained huge appeal and trust from consumers.

What’s the history of the company?

The company was founded in 1960 by the current managing director B. A. Page. Town & Country is a family run business with a heritage that dates back more than half a century, when the

company began designing, manufacturing and supplying a range of fashion-led leather products including handbags and gloves. For the past 30 years our focus has been on bringing innovation to the gardening sector with a range of gloves and footwear that combines quality, functionality and style, with a price tag that represents exceptional value for money. Today the company is recognised as one of the UK’s leading gardening brands and offers one of the most comprehensive collections of gardening gloves and footwear currently available under one roof. Town & Country has been in the vanguard of all major developments in the gardening gloves market for

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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“We look to the fashion arena for inspiration and keep a close eye on the latest trends” the last 29 years and, as the UK’s top-selling specialist, demonstrates an attention to detail not matched in the industry. Having ade the ﬁrst steps into footwear in 1997, Town & Country has continued to invest in the range and we currently have over a total of 11 different styles. In a recent feature in the Daily Mail, Town & Country’s Premium Wellingtons were rated on par with Hunter in terms of quality – at a fraction of the price.

Our aim is to continue to develop our gloves and footwear offer to bring the very best in style, quality and performance.

What is the target audience for your products?

65% of glove sales are in the 35 to 65 year old bracket, however we aim to target all ages. One of our main focuses this year has been to encourage children to spend more time in the garden; our

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 11:27

Business products

“Town & Country is heading in the right direction to get our next generation gardening” ﬁrst co petition we co ed entries fro oca schoo s across eicestershire and the nationwide co petition received his new initiative wi show that own ountry is heading in the right direction to get our ne t generation gardening Why have you decided to concentrate on getting children into the garden? We fee it is rea y i portant for the future that chi dren understand the i portance and eneﬁts of gardening ardening is a way of escaping de stressing and doing so ething to e proud of With re evance to hea th cu tivating p ants is so i portant We cannot eat drin or reathe without the around ardening provides us with happiness ecause of the positive fee ing you get and se f satisfaction ou can earn a ot a out gardening fro p anning pro e so ving and creativity t s an activity you can do with others or on your own ina y with regards to the environ ent oca y grown food is often if not a ways etter tastier and ore nutritious ot on y does it save your udget ut contri utes to environ enta conservation What are your bestselling products? he aster ardener which is the nu er one se ing g ove in the with one so d every inute of every day fo owed y the as aster uasure ti a and the radgate and osworth we ington oots What are Town & Country’s unique selling points? High ua ity rand awareness

www.gardencentreretail.com

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a first c ass service and nu er one in gardening protection What are the lead times for a garden centre ordering your products? We understand the i portance of supp y to our custo ers and ai to fu fi orders within hours Do you offer any point of sale equipment or anything to help garden centres present your products? es we have a wide range of o ur new y designed free standing disp ay units are fu y interchangea e and can e oved around in store very easi y We a so have various assisted o which e p ains the ey features and enefits of the products and he ps the consu er in their purchasing decision Do you have any TV or consumer print advertising planned? We are now in the process of p anning a consu er ca paign which wi inc ude e posure via nationa and regiona advertising Why are your products different to anything else on the market? ua ity anufactured to the highest specification and products that our custo ers and consu ers can trust and re y on hey are a eticu ous y designed in the and each has their own specific purpose What’s the next step for the company? We are in the process of roadening our product range to appea to a uch arger custo er and consu er ase ◗

CONTACT

Town & Country Bardon, 22 Industrial Estate, Leicestershire LE67 1TE 01530 830 990 www.townandco.com

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:27

Handy Distribution FP.pdf

22/08/2016

10:15

The Garden Equipment Wholesaler

For all of your garden machinery needs... Handy has the solution

Come and visit us at GLEE Hall 19 Stand C30-E31 For some amazing show deals & to see how Handy Distribution can help your store.

Plus many more leading brands

Sawing. Cutting. Mowing. Tilling. Cleaning. Chipping. Shredding. Sawing. Cutting. Mowing. Tilling. Cleaning. Chipping. Shredding.

Contact Handy today on 01793 333212 or email sales@handydistribution.co.uk Page46_Advert.indd 46

23/08/2016 09:47

Outdoor buildings features

Outdoor buildings need space to turn browsers into buyers Paul Smith, business manager at Brundle Gardener, discusses the best way to present your garden building offer to maximise the money-making power of this particular sector

ake a look around any garden centre in any part of the country and you can be spoilt for choice in the garden building market. So how do you strike a balance between too much choice? Yes, that is a danger – and how can you showcase the right products in the right way to ensure you turn a browser into a buyer? In the case of outdoor buildings, many garden centres are blessed with a bit of space. They have the room to shine a spotlight on a number of different shapes, sizes and materials to cater for all tastes and requirements.

Room to breathe

But space is not everything. Outdoor buildings still need to be showcased in the right way to turn ‘browsers’ into ‘buyers’. While the temptation might be to cram as much as possible into a space to look like there is choice, this can be a dangerous tactic. Allow the buildings to breathe by giving each one suitable space. This will allow customers the chance to have a look around and a look in. And why stop there? Add subtle surroundings to your display to create the right setting and help customers to start visualising what the product might look like in their own garden. The bigger home furnishing stores have been laying out mock living rooms and bedrooms for years. Why should an outdoor building setting be any different?

www.gardencentreretail.com

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“Help customers to start visualising the product in their own garden” If it is a place of rest, make subtle improvements to the building by adding cushions, a blanket, and maybe even some music. If it is more designed for storage, why not allow customers to be greeted with some hanging tools when they look inside? Ensure that the choice of outdoor buildings caters for all types of garden and budget. Tool sheds can be the perfect product for a small garden,

and not everyone is going to have the room or money for a luxurious log cabin. If your space is limited, but you have plenty more products to peruse online, then make sure you are promoting your website at every chance. Tell customers what to expect from your site so if they can t ﬁnd what they want in store, they feel compelled to rush home and log in. But make sure your

website is easy to navigate and very visual. In the same way as your garden centre has made a purchase as simple as possible, the website has to act in the same way. ◗ CONTACT

0131 335 5955 sales@brundlegardener. co.uk www.brundlegardener. co.uk

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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Garden buildings products

Latest products

Garden machinery There are lots of different options – and lots of different tools – that class as garden machinery. GCR have picked out 11 products with a motor for you to consider

WEBB BV26 26CC PETROL BLOW VAC • 26cc full crank two stroke petrol engine • Blow speed: 114mph (183.6km/h) • Mulch ratio: 12:1 • Metal shredding blade • 40L debris bag with shoulder strap

RRP from £139.99 www.handyonline.co.uk

EGO LM2104E-SP LAWNMOWER • Ego Power+ 56v arc lithium 7.5Ah battery • At 52cm is Ego’s largest cutting width • Self-propelled • Six stage cut height adjustment from 28-94mm • Mulching capabilities

RRP £699 www.egopowerplus.co.uk

WOLF-GARTEN LIONPOWER34 • Cable free, 72v lithium ion • 14kg with quick release soft grip handle • Three in one – cut, collect and mulch • Advanced cut and collect systems • Six central height adjustment from 25-75mm

RRP from £329.99 www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk

ROBOMOW RC308 ROBOTIC LAWNMOWER

COBRA HT62C HEDGETRIMMER

• Sleek, streamlined with a base station • Discreet, compact and precise • Can regulate from a smartphone • Strong cutting system • Completes a lawn faster than competing robomowers

• 62cm blade designed for all types of hedges • 22cc two-stroke Cobra engine • Twist grip handle to help tackle awkward jobs • 28mm tooth spacing • Weighs 4.6kg

RRP £1,499

RRP £169.99

www.robomow.com

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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www.cobragarden.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 11:51

Increase your Profits with I.S. Sundries Preferred added value packaging supplier to UK’s largest garden centre group

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Solutions tailored to your needs to increase your profits: • Transform everyday plants into fabulous gifts • Create eye-catching displays, for eye-catching profits • Add style & profit to your packing station

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT GREENWOOD SALES… Greenwood’s promotional sale plans help retailers all over the UK and Ireland to generate record breaking sales and profits. The benefits of holding a ‘Greenwood Sale’ are many… Your sales event will be a profitable financial success in itself. Plus, you’ll generate instant cash flow, clear your redundant stock – with good margin maintained - and, longer term benefits include increased market share from the positive publicity created by the event. Also, staff morale is lifted by the increased activity – your team will love to see the business doing so well. Find Out More About Greenwood Sales. Take a look at our website or call us now on 01565 650101, or, send an e mail enquiry, and we’ll gladly contact you to discuss the exciting possibilities we can offer you, without obligation. BOOKING 2017 SALES NOW. RING TODAY 01565 650101

For everything you need to start making your garden centre a profitable success today! Contact Jane Nicholls Head of Garden Centre Sales 01733 261000 janenicholls@isgroupltd.com www.issundries.com

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GREENWOOD RETAIL LTD Britain’s Leading Experts in Retail Sales Promotion since 2002 sales@greenwoodretail.com

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10 %

Au D tu is m co n u sh n ow t or on de rs *

The Zero Threshold™ Greenhouse Revolution

Antiqued ornamental stoneware from Hampshire Gardencraft Handcrafted in Hampshire from reconstituted limestone. Hardwearing, finely detailed and beautifully finished. Trade only - Trial orders available - Contact us for details Phone | 01730 895182

The new award winning Eden greenhouse range. Finally a sliding door that will not jam and without a threshold bar there is no possibility of tripping. To make an appointment to discuss becoming a dealer with one of our sales specialists call 01242 676625 100% Designed and Manufactured by British Craftsmen

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Garden centre with café North-East England - ref. 9223GC Freehold circa 2.76 acres (1.11 hectares). Long established. Busy ‘A’ road location. Buildings consist of glasshouses, polytunnels, canopies and timber buildings. Planning consents granted for extension to existing café and kitchen. Separate nursery with glasshouse, polytunnels and timber buildings. Profitable business with sales of circa £750.000.00 per annum. Option to acquire at an additional cost a 5 bedroom stone built detached house. EPC rating = ‘C’.

Guide Price: £700,000 with saleable stock in addition at cost valuation.

Garden centre/retail plant centre with 3 bedroom detached bungalow

Garden centre, farm shop and fully licenced restaurant

Devon - ref. 9230RPC

Norfolk - ref. 9221GCR

Freehold circa 5 acres (2.02 hectares). Located adjacent to the busy A377. Comprehensive buildings, glasshouses, poly and netted tunnels. Potential with new investment to benefit from new shop and tea room. Stunning views and enormous potential. EPC ratings = Garden Centre: ‘C’ and Bungalow: ‘F’.

Freehold circa 4.1 acres (1.66 hectares). Frontage to busy ‘A’ road. Additional 7.1 acres (2.87 hectares) of adjacent land, if required at additional cost. Excellent portal framed sales buildings plus canopy and glasshouses. Total recent refurbishment/ new build at cost of circa £1 Million. EPC rating = ‘C’.

Guide price £550,000 with the saleable stock in addition at cost valuation.

Guide price £1,350,000 with saleable stock in addition at cost valuation.

To request a comprehensive sales information brochure; please contact Alexander Mackie Associates Ltd. quoting the reference number.

01732 522222

Advert template.indd 27

info@alexandermackie.co.uk

alexandermackie.co.uk

23/08/2016 12:57

Garden machinery products KARCHER K5 COMPACT HOME

WOLF-GARTEN GTE845 TWIN LINE TRIMMER

• Two carrying handles for easy transportation • State of the art water-cooled motor • High pressure hose is easy to manoeuvre • High pressure gun, standard quick connect • Innovative motor extends life

• Twin line spools with 5m x 1.6mm line • Second adjustable hand grip • Telescopic handle and 20m cable for easy reach • Trim and edge function • Lightweight at 2.2kg

RRP £284.84

RRP from £84.99

www.karcher.com

THE HANDY EV2600 GARDEN BLOW & VAC • Two functions: blows and vacuums / shreds • Leaf shredding ratio: 10:1 • Collection bag capacity: 35L • 2600W motor • Cable length: 6m

RRP £39.99 www.handyonline.co.uk

HYUNDAI HYLS4000H ELECTRIC LOG SPLITTER

www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk

HOZELOCK GREEN POWER THERMAL WEEDER • Eliminate weeds without chemicals • Destroy weeds with a thermal shock • Precise weed control • A unique way to control weeds • Delivers a thermal shock of 600°C to the weed

RRP from £59.99 www.hozelock.com

BOSCH AHS 70-34 HEDGETRIMMER

• Powered by a 1500W, 230v/50Hz electric motor • Produces 4t of splitting pressure • Low weight at 42kg • Eliminates back, arm and neck strain • Ideal for domestic users

• Up to 15% lighter than earlier models • Transparent hand guard, softgrip handle • New blade design with 34mm tooth spacing • 700W high performance motor • High-torque (50 Nm) slipping clutch

RRP £249

RRP £169.99

www.hyundaipowerequipment.co.uk www.gardencentreretail.com

Page050,053 LP Garden Machinery.indd 53

www.cobragarden.co.uk Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 12:32

TAKE A SEAT

...or the whole coordinated range!

The choice is yours. To find out more about the new Keter range of Garden Furniture call 0121 506 0006 or email enquiriesuk@keter.com www.allibert-outdoors.com www.keter.com

UK QUALITY DESIGNS • Arches • Obelisks • Supports • Stakes • Trellises

UK MANUFACTURED

PROUD TO BE ENDORSED BY

SEE US AT GLEE HALL 19 - 19A59

harrodhorticultural.com • Tel: 01502 509508 • Email: retailers@harrod.uk.com

Page54_Advert.indd 54

23/08/2016 10:02

Glee Show preview

SHOW PREVIEW

Hello and welcome to GCR’s Glee preview... This handy guide is everything you need to start planning your trip around Glee 2016 – and what a show we have for you! Glee remains an unmissable event in the garden retail calendar, both within the UK and internationally. This three-day event brings together everything that garden retailers, garden designers, landscapers and builders’ merchants need to get inspired for the year ahead. From thousands of exciting new product launches to access to some of the iggest and ost in uentia rands unrivalled networking opportunities and added value content, a visit to

www.gardencentreretail.com

Page055-067_GLEE.indd 55

Glee really can help the long term deve op ent and profita i ity of your business. Looking ahead to this year’s show can confir that ee is in great shape. In fact, it is in the best shape it has been for some ti e We ve seen significant growth across all eight sectors, and we’re set to deliver the strongest possible showcase of big name brands and niche suppliers, as well as brand new start-ups and inspirational innovators – the kind of suppliers that help garden retailers develop individuality and targeted content. This year’s exhibition is set to

be home to over 550 exhibitors, including a phenomenal 220 companies making their return or debut at Glee in 2016, as well as over 100 exciting international brands. I’ve no qualms in saying that this year’s Glee exhibition is set to be one of the most exciting showcases of garden retail and outdoor living brands anywhere in the UK. So what are you waiting for? Grab your buying team and hit the aisles at Glee 2016! I hope you have a fantastic show.

Matthew Mein Glee event director

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:09

Show preview Glee

Keynote: Insights and advice Diarmuid Gavin will share his experience and celebrity in the industry. Diarmuid Gavin, founder, Diarmuid Gavin Designs

11:45 - 12:15

The different gardeners in the UK David Denny and Rupie Bahra will show how the UK’s demographics are set to change in the coming years, and discuss the opportunities this will drive. David Denny, HTA market information manager and Rupie Bahra, HTA market information assistant

12:30 - 13:00

Simple tips for effective recruitment This session will offer advice on how to select the correct staff for your speciﬁc needs Lucy Semmens, HR director, RHS

13:15 - 13:45

roductivit and proﬁle arnessing data in the garden industr David Denny will outline the HTA’s new Garden Retail Monitor system, and show how its data is being used to promote gardening to the public. David Denny, HTA market information manager

14:00 - 14:30

he outdoor room tilising oue outside spaces With a passion for bringing communities together through gardening Chris Collins will e p ain his ﬁrst hand e perience of how this can be done. Chris Collins, director, CM Collins

14:45 - 15:15

Growing media spotlight An update for retailers on the progress of projects including the Responsible Sourcing Calculator and a standard industry test for the performance of growing media. Neil Bragg, Bulrush Horticulture and Paul Alexander, RHS

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

Page055-067_GLEE.indd 56

11:00 - 11:30

eginner’s guide to social media This session will give you a basic understanding of social media. Mick Collins and Chris Day, Buckingham Nurseries

11:30 - 12:00

12:00 - 13:00 BPL drinks

13:00 - 13:30

Key points to remember when growing our usiness Growth is a very exciting stage of the business cycle, however it can e difﬁcu t to now where to start his session wi tac e this Greg Anderton, founder, Leafy Lytham

13:30 - 14:00

14:00 - 14:30

ow to optimise social media This session will give you a more complex understanding of social media and how to optimise it. Mick Collins and Chris Day, Buckingham Nurseries

14:45 - 15:15

Growing media spotlight An update on the progress of projects including the Responsible Sourcing Calculator and a standard industry test for the performance of growing media. Neil Bragg, Bulrush Horticulture and Paul Alexander, RHS

Wednesday 14 September

11:00 - 11:30

Tuesday 13 September

Monday 12 September

Seminar programme 11:00 - 11:30

My journey to Chelsea nn arie wi e p ain how she started from the bottom of the industry to achieving the most prestigious award in gardening: a Gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Ann-Marie Powell, founder, AnnMarie Powell Gardens

11:45 - 12:15

12:30 - 13:00

People, places and plants Jim Gardiner’s passion for plants has seen hi wor ing in a nu er of gardens throughout the UK, and his ta wi high ight why it is such a great career to be in. Jim Gardiner, executive vice president, RHS

13:15 - 13:45

14:00 - 14:30

Keynote: Gardening trends and how the industr is changing The gardening industry is constantly evolving and changing – this session will advise how to stay current with the latest gardening trends. Ann-Marie Powell, founder, AnnMarie Powell Gardens

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 11:09

ECOWYSE ARE SEEKING DISTRIBUTORS AND STOCKISTS. Ecowyse is a range of biocide-free products for the home and garden market. Born by combining years of experience in the production of market leading specialist products, Ecowyse offers the consumer an alternative to the usual synthetic, often harmful chemicals available today. All Ecowyse products are manufactured in Great Britain by N-Virol - experts in the manufacture and supply of specialist diverse products, ranging from damp proofing treatments and thermal anti-condensation paint, through to basement waterproofing membranes. N-Virol is part of Linemark

UK - manufacturers of the world’s leading line marking paint for sports pitches and hard surfaces. Our products are sold throughout the UK and we also export around the world to 34 different countries across 5 continents. We are proud to announce that for the second time, Linemark Group has won a Queen’s

Ecow The etho s y and se is to c behind natu r ral p eate org r an od reall y wo uc ts tha ic t rk!

THE ECOWYSE RANGE WILL BE LAUNCHED AT GLEE 2016 AND WE WELCOME VISITORS TO OUR STAND 17N60, WHERE WE WISH TO DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES WITH POTENTIAL DISTRIBUTORS AND STOCKISTS.

GET INTO THE ZONE WITH GRANGE FENCING

GLEE HALL 20 STAND G02J01

Award for Enterprise - International Trade 2016. Our company stretches back over 20 years and our products have been used at some of the most prestigious and iconic events, including London 2012 Olympics, 2014 Commonwealth Games and the Rugby Union World Cup.

There is a growing consumer trend for structuring the garden in terms of a series of ‘outdoor rooms’ in order to maximise space and usage. With this in mind, Grange Fencing has unveiled a trio of on trend collections, including a variety of Planters, Screens and Pergolas, with which to separate these ‘zones’.

CONTEMPORARY ARBOUR

URBAN PERGOLA

VALENICA CORNER ARBOUR

The Contemporary Range

The Urban Range

The Valencia Range

Grange’s premium ‘Contemporary’ range comprises of several chic, modern pieces, such as the Contemporary Arbour and Arch, both of which boast a substantial curved apex design and chamfered edges for a beautifully smooth finish.

The Urban collection features clean, sharp lines for the more minimalist gardener. The range includes an eye-catching Planter as well as a slatted ‘Urban’ Garden Screen, which is ideal for creating private, zoned off areas, even in small sized gardens.

For more traditional gardens, the ‘Valencia’ collection incorporates a delicate lattice design for a timeless style. The stand out piece of the range is the Valencia Corner Arbour, offering the perfect shelter for alfresco dining and entertaining.

As with many Grange products, the collection pieces are also available in a choice of pre-painted colours. For more information and to view the new collection videos, please visit www.grangefen.co.uk or speak to the company at GLEE Hall 20, Stand G02-J01. Retailers interested in working with Grange can contact the company by calling 01952 588 088 or emailing sales@grangefen.co.uk

Page57_Advert.indd 57

23/08/2016 10:13

Bathgate Half pg Ad Glee v6.indd 1

03/08/2016 09:29:43

Smart Solar • Indisputably the UK’s market leader in Solar Lighting. • Unrivalled innovation, performance and choice. • Over 50 new Solar Lights.

Outside In designs® • A new comprehensive range of Doormats. • An inspirational selection of new Clocks and Lanterns.

Smart Garden • The popular Garden Décor range expands further with some stunning new designs. • New additions to the Hanging Gardening and Plant Support ranges.

Visit Smart Garden at GLEE to see the next wave of innovative and fast-selling new products.

Page58_Advert.indd 58

Visit us at GLEE on stand 18K30-K31

23/08/2016 10:18

Glee Show preview

Exhibitor list Exhibitor

Stand

Exhibitor

Agralan Ltd

19H60

Ecowyse

Agriguard Ltd

19C66

Eden Greenhouses Ltd

Albany Shed Co Ltd Barenbrug

20K26-L27 18M04

Stand

Exhibitor

17N60 20G54-H55

Stand

Kelkay Ltd

19B10-C11

La Hacienda Ltd

17U20-V21

Elho International B.V.

19G06

Maxicrop (UK) Limited

EP Barrus Ltd

19C50

Meadow View Stone Limited

20H20-J21

19E66-F67

Mr Fothergills Seeds Limited

19G50

19A55

Bathgate Silica sand Ltd

20G30-H31

FairyGlass Ltd

Bayer Garden

18N08-P09

Fallen Fruits Ltd

18H30

Nap Brands Ltd

17Y40

Belle Engineering Sheen Ltd

18L56

Fargro Ltd

19C60

National Structures

17R60

Belstane Ltd

18L61

Firepits UK

18M02

NedFox B.V.

17V55

19G56

Neudorff

Besp-Oak Furniture

17P10-Q11

Fiskars UK

Black Country Metal Works Ltd

19B66-C67

Fitrite Fencing and Decking Ltd

Bonningtons

20N16-N23 17X10-YO9

Floramedia

17V58

Petface Ltd

20L20-M21

20K20-L21

Perfectly Green

Bord na Mona UK Ltd

18L10-M11

Fordingbridge Plc

17Q53

Pleydell Smithyman Ltd

Bosmere Products Ltd

19G30-H31

Forest

17T58

Powys & Marches Stone Ltd

20K41 18M30-N31 17Q50 20F26-G27

Briers Limited

19H05

G Plants Ltd

19C10

Quinton Edwards (Newbury)

17P50

Brundle Gardener

18K56

Gardeco Ltd

19D56

Rollins Bulldog Tools Ltd

19B54

Burgon & Ball

19C26-E27

Garden Centre Retail

17T54

Seedball

20A39

Cadac Leisure Ltd. t/a Cadac UK

17X25-Y26

Garden Connect Ltd

17R58

Smart Direct (Europe) Ltd

20J37

Cadix (UK) Limited

20E26-F27

Gardena

19C30-E31

Smart Garden Products Limited

18K30-K31

Charles Bentley and Son Limited

17Q41

Gardman Ltd

19E30-G31

Smiemans Projecten B.V.

17R59

Copely Developments Ltd

19C18

Garland Products Ltd

18H10-K11

Spear & Jackson

19D10

STV International

18L50

Swan Retail Ltd

17R41

Creative Products Ltd

18N30-P31

Gilbert Evans

17Q56 20G06-J07

Crest Garden

19G21

Grange Fencing Limited

CSY Retail Systems

17V51

Green Digit Ltd

20L01

Taylors Bulbs

Cuprinol

19C02

Grono Lawns Limited

20C46

The Pot Company

20D20-E21

Dalefoot Composts

18K57

H2o2go Water Carts

17T65

The Scotts Company (UK) Ltd

18M20-N21

Davidson-Richards Ltd

17T40

Hallmark Cards

18H50

THERMOFLOR B.V.

17V56

Town & Country

18M10

Treadstone

19H55

Vision Commercial Kitchens Ltd

17V31

De Ree UK Ltd

17R10-T11

Handy Distribution

Deco-pak

20J30-K31

Hawkesmill Nurseries co Ltd

DJ Turfcare Equipment Ltd DLF Trifolium

19A03 18H26-K25

Hozelock Ltd Hum Flowerpots

19C30-E31 NB20 20J10-L11 20F36

Vitax Ltd

Doff Portland Ltd

19D17

Hutton Garden Products

20D10-E11

Woodlodge Products

Durston Garden Products

18K02

Jeyes Limited

20B20-C21

Zest 4 Leisure

Easitill Ltd

17T30

Kaemingk

19E20-F21

www.gardencentreretail.com

Page055-067_GLEE.indd 59

19G02

19E10-G11 20N01 20L30-M31

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:09

The Award Winning Kadai Firebowl BBQ Designed in England - Handmade in India See us at GLEE - Stand 17U18

www.kadai.com BLEEDSGarden Centre RetailGLEE 2016 half page ad.pdf

Tel: 01694 771800 1

20/07/2016

15:07

CMY

www.spear-and-jackson.com

Page60_Advert.indd 60

/SpearAndJacksonTools

@spearandjackson

spearjac

23/08/2016 10:20

Glee Show preview

Go & see at Glee Glee 2016 is right upon us. Garden Centre Retail picks out a selection of stands that you must visit during your time there

FISKARS Stand 19G56 Fiskars unveils the new PowerGear X range, an evolution of engineering and ergonomics that makes pruning and lopping easier than ever. The PowerGear mechanism creates three times the power in every cut. With PFTE coated precision blades designed to slice through tough wood, the PowerGear X range is weather resistant, virtually unbreakable and features a structural 3D soft grip for increased grip and optimal comfort. www.ﬁskars.co.uk

TOWN & COUNTRY Stand 18M10

DAVIDSON RICHARDS Stand 17T40

www.townandco.com

www.davrich.co.uk

ELHO Stand 19G06

GRANGE Stand 20G02 - J01

www.elho.com

www.grangefen.co.uk

Visit Town & Country at Glee 2016 as they will be showcasing three new gloves all designed by children. Town & Country will also be announcing a new partnership agreement, sharing more on how they are encouraging children into to the garden, presenting new colours, products and collections, introducing new members of staff and handing out their 2017 catalogue.

Dutch company Elho is showcasing its bestselling products and previewing 2017 collections at GLEE. Elho will be showing four key collections: outdoor containers, indoor pots, grow your own solutions and the stunning Pure collection of premium containers. David Nicholson, Elho’s new UK sales manager, will host the stand.

www.gardencentreretail.com

Page055-067_GLEE.indd 61

Garden centre EPoS specialists Davidson Richards work for over 70 organisations including single sites, multiple stores and destination centres. Their OpSuite multi-channel EPoS and retail management solution provides resilient trading in store and 24/7 access to your real time retail data for total management and control.

Grange will be providing Glee visitors with a feast for the eyes, creating a number of stunning ‘garden rooms’, alongside more traditional fencing displays. Whilst half of the exhibition space will be used to showcase some of the company’s most popular ranges, including the hugely successful Ultimate Panel, along with a number of commodity products, the second half will be split into a trio of garden rooms.

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:10

Show preview Glee WOODLODGE Stand 20N01

Woodlodge will be exhibiting its new pots and planters at Glee 2016, in addition to the recently launched outdoor living collection. Woodlodge is delighted to expand its extensive catalogue of garden pots with the introduction of new collections as well as further additions to the existing Fibreclay, Feather and Heritage Garden designs. The distinctive designs and materials are crafted to suit diverse garden styles and bring a touch of originality to any outdoor space.

BONNINGTONS Stand 20N16 - N23, 17X10 - Y09

Bonningtons will be launching its new identity during Glee and demonstrating its three core values – integrity, quality and trust. Visitors will be invited to Bonningtons Central, where they can ﬁnd out a out the new business launch and collect their personal prize cube as well as refreshments. Customers will get a journey through the company’s exciting range of brands with Bonningtons Brand Street.

www.woodlodge.co.uk

www.bonningtons.com

COPELY DEVELOPMENTS LTD Stand 19C18

KLASS Stand 18N50

ope y aunched its ver ow premium garden hosepipe at Glee last year with great success, and returns again in 2016 as demand goes from strength to strength. Endorsed y the H ver ow has een dubbed ‘the unstoppable water hose’ thanks to its patented Evercore technology which a ows water to ow continuously even if the hose becomes kinked or knotted.

Klass offers a wide range of sophisticated and modern clothing at an affordable price. Klass provides bespoke shop ﬁt designs to a ow a sea ess addition, irrelevant of layout. A thriving part of garden centres, Klass now trades in 50 sites nationwide including Polhill, Carr Farm, Squires, Tong, Klondyke & Strikes, as well as many other independents. Visit their stand for a chat if you would like to know more.

www.copely.com

www.klass.co.uk

GARDENA Stand 19C30 - E31

GARDEN CONNECT Stand 17R58

Visitors to the Gardena stand this year can expect a big push from Gardena at Glee as they have been increasing their brand awareness across the UK. To tie in with this, Gardena will be launching the Gardena smart system and the Gardena city gardening products. The smart system lets the consumer control their watering and lawn care from their phones wherever they are.

Visit Garden Connect at Glee and spin the wheel of fortune to win a £1,500 online marketing campaign boosting your online presence this Christmas. Other prizes include a complete Google check up of your website and an expert review with valuable tips and tricks to improve your site. How can you afford not to go to the stand of the market leader in the industry?

www.gardena.com

www.gardenconnect.com

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

Page055-067_GLEE.indd 62

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 11:10

BRAND EXTENSIONS FROM BORD NA MÓNA UK AS IT LAUNCHES NEW PRODUCTS AT GLEE Following on from the continuing success of Bord na Móna Growise, the peat and peat-free growing media and soil improvers brand, GLEE will see a considerable expansion of the growing media range as well as the launch of the Bord na Móna Growise brand in the fertilisers category. 15 new growing media and soil improver SKUS will be on the BNM UK stand

(18L10-M11) including specialist blends such as Cactus and Bonsai, Orchid and Citrus, never previously available from the company. There are also a number of new pack sizes and consumer friendly packaging initiatives. In the fertilisers category, Bord na Móna Growise will debut with an initial 29 SKUS including Growmore and a Premium multipurpose slow release fertiliser.

CHARLES FARMER, HEAD OF SALES UK SAID: “This is a significant level of product development and reflects our confidence in the Bord na Móna Growise peat to peat-free brand based on its strong performance in garden retail since launch this time last year.”

BORD NA MONA UK, THE FORGE, THE STABLES BUSINESS CENTRE, SOMERSET BS26 2TH

Advert template.indd 23

www.thegreenergardener.com

t: 0800 973 555 f: 0800 055 6681

23/08/2016 13:05

NEW BROADWAY LEAN-TO GREENHOUSE ADDS TO EDEN’S ZERO THRESHOLD™ SUCCESS The success of Eden Halls Greenhouses’ revolutionary Eden Zero Threshold™ range in its first season is being

and for anyone using a wheelbarrow or trolley. The new Broadway Lean-to brings all of the Eden Zero

followed up with an addition to the range – the Eden

Threshold™ technical innovations to the lean-to market. With

Broadway Lean-to – launching this autumn ready for the

the benefit of British design and manufacture, the Broadway

2017 season. Eden Zero Threshold™ is one of a very few design

has a starting RRP of £888.00 including VAT and home delivery.

developments within the aluminium frame greenhouse market for many years. Including the new Broadway, the five-strong product range is traditionally styled, but with many superior technical benefits, never seen before in the market. The range boasts game changing design breakthroughs including the award-winning and patent pending, Eden Zero Threshold™ Sliding Door System, which offers users ‘no trip’ access – a popular safety and convenience feature, particularly helpful for wheelchair users

INTERESTED RETAILERS SHOULD CONTACT THEIR EDEN REPRESENTATIVE OR CALL THE COMPANY ON 01242 676625 OR EMAIL MAIL@EDEN-GREENHOUSES.COM.

th Sa e ve Da te !

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22/08/2016 10:26

at 12-14 September 2016 NEC Birmingham UK Atrium Halls 17-20 Stand 19 Showcasing: New products for 2017 Latest in-store POS and fixtures Launch of our new media campaign Product demonstrations & giveaways

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26/07/2016 13:36

23/08/2016 13:00

Glee Show preview CADAC UK Stand 17X25 - Y26

GREEN DIGIT LTD Stand 20L01

www.cadac.uk.com

www.seedcell.co.uk

Since 1948, Cadac has designed and engineered a range of premium barbecues. Easy to build, easy to use and easy to clean, Cadac has also pioneered the way with a range of modular, interchangeable cooking surfaces. Recognition came quickly within the leisure sector and more recently Cadac have invested heavily in bespoke tooling for an extensive range of patio barbecues covering price points from £200 to £1,500.

FORDINGBRIDGE PLC Stand 17Q53

At Fordingbridge, we are passionate about transforming your retail offering to increase commercial potential and enhance your customer journey. When you visit the

SEEDBALL Stand 20A39

Seedball will be sharing its ove for wi d owers ees and utter ies at ee eed a is all about inspiring people to grow for pollinators, whether in a large garden or window box.

VITAX Stand 19E10 - G11

Green Digit Ltd are set to receive a big green thumbs up from the world of garden retail as they prepare to present their award-winning product SeedCell at Glee for the second year running. Green Digit Ltd successfully launched the range of SeedCell products into the garden retail market at Glee 2015, winning the Garden Industry Manufacturers Association’s Innovation Award.

Fordingbridge stand at Glee, you will be able to experience what a new timber canopy will look like at your garden centre. Find out how to renew, extend and convert your retail spaces. www.fordingbridge.co.uk Developed by conservation scientists, Seedball is an easy impulse purchase at £5.99 a tin and the brand is supported by 20,000 plus followers over social media channels. www.seedball.co.uk

DALEFOOT COMPOSTS Stand 18K57

Vitax will be taking a front row seat at Glee again this year, but it is the stand and products that will steal the limelight. Vitax has invested in a new look structure that showcases both its brands and products. As an exclusive preview for visitors at Glee, Vitax will be unvei ing the ﬁrst visua s of its new consumer-facing website. Designed to help drive gardeners into garden centres, the site will be launched this autumn.

Dalefoot Composts, producers of professional peat free growing mediums, will be launching to trade a peat free compost designed to help the UK’s kitchen gardeners produce healthy, strong and tasty veggies. Whether your customer’s garden is in a backyard, balcony, windowsill or allotment, wool compost for vegetables and salad has been perfectly blended using nature s ﬁnest ingredients to help them grow nutritious and delicious crops.

www.vitax.co.uk

www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

Page055-067_GLEE.indd 65

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:13

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Decorative Aqua Globes provide a simple and effective way to water plants indoors & outdoors

Visit us at Glee. Hall 17, Stand 17R02 Web: www.neatideas.tv Tel: 01476 576289 Email: sales@neatideas.tv

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for Vegetables and Salads

bulldogtools.co.uk

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Premium 100% peat free compost that outperforms peat Feeds through the growing season Up to 50% less watering as the wool retains moisture Made in the lake District from sustainable Wool and Bracken Meet Meet usS us at RH Dalefoot Farm, Heltondale, Nr Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2QL Ha ton at mp Glee CoStand urt and T: 01931 713281 E: info@dalefootcomposts.co.uk RHS Tatton 18 K57 Sho ws

www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk

23/08/2016 11:40

Glee Show preview TREADSTONE Stand 19H55

FALLEN FRUITS Stand 18H30

www.treadstoneproducts.com

www.fallenfruits.co.uk

HALLMARK Stand 18H50

SWAN RETAIL Stand 17R41

Following the success of Treadstone launching its Peter Rabbit themed Outdoor Adventures range for children, the company is offering retailers the opportunity to a i ise proﬁts with the he p of a bespoke merchandising display. The merchandiser comes with PoS boards and colourful images of Peter Rabbit and his friends.

Garden giftware company, Fallen Fruits, whose designer collections are inspired by nature, will be launching a host of new products at Glee including a wide variety of garden accessories, gift solutions and outdoor furniture ranges. Popular collections such as the company’s range of award winning in ata e pouffes and Nature Print umbrellas have been expanded to include a wider choice of print designs and new ideas.

Hallmark is delighted to be e hi iting at ee for the ﬁrst time this year, sharing the exciting ways they can partner with garden centres to grow their card category. From creating inspiring environments to designing exclusive products in the Handpicked collection, Hallmark thinks they have the right ingredients to partner with you. But they want you to e the udge ﬁnd out ore about how Hallmark could help your business.

Garden centres of all sizes use Swan’s multichannel EPoS and retail management solution. Swan has the capability to support concessions, special orders, loyalty, restaurants and accounts, making it highly functiona and e i e We wor in partnership with Iconography which offers fully responsive e-commerce websites which integrate with the Swan system to manage your entire business.

www.hallmark.co.uk

www.bayergarden.co.uk

DJ TURFCARE Stand 19A03

NEUDORFF Stand 20K20 - L21

DJ Turfcare is the sole UK importer of Viano organic lawn and turfcare products. This year’s Glee offers the ideal opportunity to learn about the products and their effectiveness and value to gardeners, landscapers and groundsmen. Viano’s MO Bacter is an award-winning fertiliser with an exceptional action for lawns with moss infestation.

After launching 10 new products for the 2016 season, weed, feed and control brand Neudorff is set to return to Glee with its largest stand to date, showcasing its expanding product offering, whilst introducing some updated products and consolidated ranges. 2016 has been an extremely positive season for the company, which has experienced record sales of key products.

www.djturfcare.co.uk

www.neudorff-trade.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

Page055-067_GLEE.indd 67

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:13

GARDEN STYLE

Garden Style is our range specifically curated in response to the demand from Garden Centres for “immediate purchase”. It consists of affordable natural stone and porcelain paving, setts, pavers and features, ideal for small DIY projects. Discover our full range at www.globalstonepaving.co.uk/products or call 0845 60 60 240 (Lo-call Rate)

LUE T VA ! GREA EAL S ET D L L A P

value for money seasonal benching

OUTDOOR LEISURE Some Great Sales Opportunities For You! Rattan Furniture

Mosaic Bistro Set

Wooden Furniture

Children’s Furniture

Aluminium Dining

Illuminated Bistro

Why not give your plant area a kick start this season with some great displays to enhance your merchandising and add an attractive feature to your centre? 3 TIER DEAL PALLET

GENERAL DIS PL AY PALLET DEAL

For details on more of our value for money pallet deals please download the Pallet Deals Brochure from our website: www.timberdisplays.co.uk or to place an order please call 01323 831888 or email sales@timberdisplays.co.uk

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23/08/2016 10:59

Pet concessions Pet Care Retail

70 Animal magic: how pet retailers are helping to grow business

Pet treat alternatives www.gardencentreretail.com

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Latest pet products Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

23/08/2016 11:56

Pet Care Retail Pet concessions

Animal magic: how pet retailers are helping to grow business Dean Richmond, managing director at Pets Corner, discusses the rise of pet concessions d he e eﬁ ll i g i he li hed e e ile Pets Corner has been providing exceptional customer service and high quality products to people and their pets for nearly 50 years. The business prides itself on delivering the best animal welfare in the industry through the provision of thoroughly researched, natural pet foods and friendly, classroom trained staff. We spoke to Dean Richmond about their 80 successful concessions in garden centres across the UK and their plans for more in the future.

hat are the enefits of et reta ler on ess ons Can a garden centre a e ore one olla orat n w th one he first enefit is the guaranteed income afforded by a concession. Instead of a garden centre re ying on profits from the sales of their own goods, a concession provides a monthly income in the form of either ground rent or turnover rent. Additionally, the range of products on offer to customers is more competitive. At Pets Corner we are constantly researching and reviewing our pet foods and products utilising both feedback from our customers and our insight into the market. We stock a huge range of own label

and exclusive products, making our offer more competitive than our nonconcessionary counterparts.

How ortant s e ert se an a ar en entre l lo alt fro sto ers f staff e ers are etter nfor e a o t the ro ts the are sell n

Knowledgeable staff are incredibly important for building loyalty and trust, and maintaining repeat business. All the staff at Pets Corner undergo extensive classroom training, which consists of a curriculum of more than 300 documents covering everything from animal husbandry to pet behaviour, treatments and medicines. We are the only retailer in the UK operating such a comprehensive staff training programme. If customers know they can get help and advice from informed staff, they will want to return. The garden centre will naturally reap the eneﬁts fro this loyalty and continued custom in both its overa proﬁta i ity and market reputation.

oes t a e sense for a ar en entre to e one a n s a e to a on ess on Yes, the pet retail industry is an extremely specialist sector, particularly

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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er eal we o s ta lore to the n al ar en entre in relation to pet nutrition and health. We’ve been researching, manufacturing and advising on natural pet foods since 1968 so we have a unique insight into the processes involved and ingredients used, which are easily misunderstood. This expertise is invaluable not only for pet health and wellbeing but also for building customer loyalty through advice and recommendation. Garden centres selling third party pet products are relying mostly on impulse purchases of toys and treats and are unable to offer this type of service.

hat are the o erall eneﬁts to ar en entres for a o t n reta ler on ess ons

Alongside our extensive expertise and high quality products we also offer customer incentives, such as our extremely popular

Saturday morning Puppy Hour, which is a fun way for puppy owners to socialise their pups and receive discounts and doggy treats. We also offer a free health club with pet weigh ins and a harness ﬁtting service. It’s the extra touches like this that make all the difference to customers.

How are on ess ons nto ra t e

Every deal we do is tailored to the individual garden centre, however we always stipulate a minimum ten-year term. We favour turnover rents because it s utua y eneﬁcia and allows us to collaborate with the garden centre more closely to drive sales. ◗ CONTACT

For more information about Pets Corner and contact details, please visit www.petscorner.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 12:48

garden centre ad half page 7.17.pdf 1 21/07/2016 16:49:14

CMY

Austin Stone About Us We are a West Midlands based manufacturer of stone garden ornaments. We use the best materials and techniques to make high quality ornaments at affordable prices. Higher Quality Our ornaments are finished in the popular Cotswold cream with highlights to bring out the high levels of detail. They are then treated to improve resistance to frost, mould and most other types of weathering Better Terms We are happy to offer a full display of our stone ornaments on a sale or return basis. Our representative will regularly monitor your display on your behalf and help you reorder when necessary. Superior Service We are happy to display our products ourselves on delivery. Our products can be pre-priced at your chosen mark-up and can include barcodes if needed. Guarantee If you are unhappy with any of our products or are struggling to sell it on then we will be happy to swap it on our next visit. More Information For a full catalogue, price list and more information please contact Chris on 07963116359 or at austinstone@hotmail.co.uk Sales Agents Required Sales Agents required particularly in the East Midlands and South West areas

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23/08/2016 11:08

ARIAS

Classic Colors Hand-Tuned Made in the USA 07851 075944 nmorris@qmtwindchimes.com www.qmtwindchimes.co.uk

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24” Silver 33” Bronze 42” Forest Green GLEE Hall 20, Stand 20J36

23/08/2016 11:11

Healthy treats Pet Care Retail

Pet treat alternatives i

ih i e ei e ee g d i e e l e il gh ih de edi i l ﬁ d h

di e e g e i he l ﬁ e e h e e eedi g e de e e he de d hie e e i ﬁ e e ile le hi

here has een a increase of dia etes cases in cats since with dogs seeing an rise his signiﬁcant increase is a resu t of owners feeding their pets hu an food and high ca orie treats which in s with the rea ity that our pets are eco ing hu anised and increasing y pa pered n the it is esti ated that ha f of a dogs and cats are overweight which is one of the ain reasons dia etes in pets is on the up

Sweet treats

s any studies have shown o esity and weight have eco e increasing y pro e atic a ong hu ans in deve oped countries t has een seen that these conditions are a so sensi y increased in co panion ani a s ndrew co ented ur pets are without a dou t va ued e ers of the fa i y and as such they are eco ing hu anised t is i portant to keep treats as treats and not regu ar snac s to prevent o esity and noc on hea th effects any pet treats are high in ca ories fat and sugar which can e ad for the if not regu ated urprising y in dogs and in cats in the are overweight or o ese and the proportion ight e even higher in the ne t few years i i ar y to hu ans o esity in pets can ead to serious diseases such as dia etes heart disease respiratory pro e s and arthritis hus pet o esity has eco e a serious issue that concerns veterinary surgeons in the

www.gardencentreretail.com

Page073-074 PCR Healthy Treats.indd 73

“Pet shop personnel are able to inform owners about dietary food or treats” One health

ccording to a study pu ished in in the eterinary ecord the re ation etween o esity in hu ans and pets is stronger than e pected one hea th approach which eans cooperation etween hu an and veterinary ﬁe ds has een suggested as an effective so ution for the pro e ood is used as a for of co unication y owners who are overfeeding pets to gra their attention or strengthen the re ationship

Owners may tend to hu anise their pets offering the hu an food or treats that are not easy to eta o ise a anced and tai ored diet ow in car s and high in proteins as we as regu ar e ercise is strongly recommended in overweight or o ese pets different ifesty e healthier approach and a etter awareness of the topic fro the owners are the key elements to help reducing weight in pets and owners

here are any speciﬁc weight loss treats and scientiﬁca y for u ated nutritiona products on the market with a lower overall calorie density that still maintain an appropriate nutrient a ance

Address the issue

wners shou d ring their pets to the vet for an appropriate eva uation of the pro e

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016



23/08/2016 12:00

Pet Care Retail Healthy treats

Three tips to healthier pet diets: • Remember that no more than 10% of a pet’s total daily energy intake can be treat based.

• Do not use treats to replace good quality bonding time. Do not forget that your dog would much rather have your attention and time than a snack. Take them for a walk, teach them a new trick, show or do something new with them regularly.

• As a rule of thumb, do not give treats that are very hard as this can cause tooth fractures. If you can leave a mark in the treat with our thum ﬁngernail then it is soft enough. An exception would be rawhide which becomes soft on chewing, just remember to remove any small bits of rawhide.

and be advised on the right diet tailored to the condition of their pet. Companion animals may struggle to digest and metabolise treats of human food high in fats and carbs. In fact, human processed food seems to be responsible for much obesity in pets. Treats should only be intended as ‘complementary’ to a well-balanced diet and not a way to satisfy or calm our pets. Low calorie treats, games and exercises should substitute table scraps or other high calorie treats. Pet shops and online retailer personnel are normally well trained on the topic and able to inform owners about dietary food or treats. Adherence to the diet is crucial for the success of any weight loss plan since the pet’s family is responsible for feeding the correct amount, weighing the pet regularly, following through on adjustments, exercising and controlling the pet’s access to unmonitored food sources. The family must be fully committed to the weight loss programme. Vets may adjust the diet during the programme as well as considering the risk of concurrent diseases which are also an important aspect of weight management. Healthy treats are not costlier than others. Whether low calorie, hypoallergenic, anti-hairball, dental or training treats, they don’t have to be low quality to be affordable – you can easily get a pack of 50 healthy treats for £3. Just like food, customers are very keen on organic and natural treats. Another clear trend is that pet owners are buying more and more treats that help them deal with a particular health issue (plaque and bad breath with a dental treat, obesity with low fat treats, training treats for behaviour, etc.). ◗ CONTACT

ou t

Garden Centre Retail August/September 2016

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n ﬁnd ed ed n

n l l o

www.gardencentreretail.com

23/08/2016 12:00

Zest 4 Leisure

New Products For Next Season! Come & See Us At Glee 2016 (Stand 20L30 - M31)

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Quality Timber Garden Products... www.zest4leisure.co.uk

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New gravel, birdhouses and fire pit slated for Glee Visitors to Deco-Pak’s double stand (Hall 20, stand K30) at Glee this year will get the chance to view many brand new product additions that are set to take the company further into the outdoor living and gift market, as well as cement its place as a leading landscaping supplier. New products are all firmly under wraps until the show opens, however the company has hinted at some really fun additions to bolster retail offerings. A major new Greenfingers tie-in that revolves around children’s playtime will launch together with creative learning guides, a dedicated web site and even a fun educational smartphone app in the future. Craig Hall, Marketing Manager for DecoPak, added: “Our aim with this new range addition is to capitalise on our bestsellers, as well as the continued popularity of the range. We also want to demonstrate our desire to improve product value perceptions and the level of sales support beyond what retailers would expect. It’s a really exciting time for us, we’ve got a really dynamic team here at the moment

and it’s opening us up to developing intelligent, marketing-led products that will continue to perform for many years to come.” Deco-Pak’s Garden Bazaar Decorative Birdhouses, feeders and insect hotels ranges are to receive an urban makeover this year, with the addition of three brand new designs. The products will all feature in one half of the stand, dubbed the ‘outdoor living’ section, which hints at a slightly new direction for the aggregates experts. A natural stone fire pit, ultrachic paving and an exciting range of contemporary stepping stones are all slated to make an appearance. The Heritage Stone Co. range that has proven so successful in retail trials this year, will provide the centrepiece for

www.deco-pak.co.uk

Page75_Advert.indd 75

Tel: 01422 204 394

the other half of the stand, being made available to all customers in new packaging which will finally be revealed, along with all the new products, on the first day of Glee.

Fax: 01422 204 544

23/08/2016 11:35

Pet Care Retail Products