Garden Centre Retail December 2022/January 2023

Well, that’s that – COP27 has come to a close. Each of the world leaders has flown home, probably feeling pretty proud of themselves for dedicating a day or a few days to talking about climate change. And therein lies the problem. Whilst a lot of talking took place, there was a disappointing amount of action. Our Prime Minister didn’t even plan to attend the UN climate conference, only agreeing to do so after a media backlash.

But is it solely down to our government to lower our country’s emissions and make a difference? We all have a role to play, and the pages of our Green Issue this year celebrate those who are making a difference. We highlight

those reducing their peat usage or cutting it all altogether. We speak to Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, a leading garden centre chain in going peat-free and one that boasts both plastic pot and plastic bag recycling schemes. We also shine a spotlight on some of the ‘greenest’ products on the market.

Consumers are demanding more environmentally friendly products and they expect their retailers to be doing their bit. And whilst no-one is denying that there are challenges and sometimes significant costs to lowering emissions, it could lead to a more engaged, loyal and trusting customer base. Above anything else, though, even small changes could be helping the UK to tackle the climate crisis and creating a greener future.

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Nina Mason Head of content

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Watch these mesmerising sculptures dance in the wind, sketching ever-changing forms across the sky. Will Carr has been exploring and creating fascinating contemporary kinetic sculptures for many years, combing complex engineering and in-depth study of balance to create pieces that move silently in the lightest and strongest of winds. These sculptures enhance the spaces they inhabit; their endless flow brings viewers a peaceful connection to nature as they flicker in the wind, through day and night.

Please visit his website to see the sculptures in movement www.willcarrsculpture.co.uk willcarrsculpture

Association Updates

Dobbies welcomes awardwinning butcher to Edinburgh and Livingston stores

HTA’s OMC

discusses peat-free growing media and the cost of energy

The current position on the industry’s move towards peat-free growing media was high up on the agenda for HTA’s Ornamentals Management Committee (OMC). Those currently trialling and using peat-free mixes were highlighting concerns with the consistency between batches of growing media. Nurseries trialling peat-free batches are gaining good levels of knowledge and there was a call for information regarding issues with specific varieties. hta.org.uk

GIMA Awards 2022 winners have been announced

One of the most coveted accolades is the GIMA Sword of Excellence, and this year it was Westland who walked away with the honour for its Boost All Purpose Plant Food. Elsewhere, the team from Meadow View Stone was celebrating having been awarded the GCA Supplier of the Year Award for the second year running. The 2022 Gardenex Export Achievement Award was presented to Westland, with Mr Fothergill’s Seeds and Spear & Jackson enjoying finalist status. Sustainability was also high on the agenda, with not one but two companies walking away with this year’s Sustainability Award. Those winners are Woolcool and Willsow, with its plantable children’s books. gima.org.uk

GCA Conference back on for 2023

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has announced that its annual conference will return in January after previously being postponed due to COVID-19 in 2021 and 2022.

The conference takes place at the Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa in Lancashire from January 22 until 25. GCA chairman, Tammy Woodhouse, says: “We’re thrilled to finally be heading to the 700-year-old Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa, a recently renovated venue in the picturesque Lancashire countryside. Members can expect top-quality speakers and opportunities to catch up with friends, colleagues and associates in person at last.” gca.org.uk

Customers of Dobbies Garden Centres in the Lothians can now shop in store for awardwinning products by ‘farm to fork’ company Puddledub. The Fife-based producer already has a presence in Dobbies’ Dunfermline store not far from its family farm near the village of Auchtertool. The family business is now extending its presence to Dobbies in Edinburgh and Livingston, offering pork, beef, lamb, poultry and deli items, produced from its own livestock and sourced from other local suppliers.

The Mitchell family behind Puddledub have been at Clentrie Farm since 1905. The farm is focused on high welfare, sustainable pork production and caring for the

environment. Peter Mitchell, director at Puddledub, says: “Just like Dobbies, we’re passionate about offering our customers the very best products and have a highly skilled team.

“That’s why we work with trusted partners that share our ethos, commitment to value and high-quality standards. The butchers in Dobbies’ Dunfermline store has proven to be a great success and we’re sure it will be the same in Edinburgh and Livingston.” dobbies.com

Hillier Garden Centres acquires Rosebourne

Hillier Garden Centres has announced the acquisition of Rosebourne Ltd, a group of boutique destination garden centres across three sites – Weyhill, Aldermaston and Hampton in Arden.

The acquisition of Rosebourne follows a period of growth that has seen Hillier move from 12 garden centres in 2019 to 19 garden centres and an online shop currently; this acquisition brings the group to a total of 22 garden centres.

Visitors can expect to see Hampshire based Hillier Nurseries range of home-grown plants arriving in the Rosebourne garden centres soon, blending with the extensive product range already on offer in the centres.

“We are delighted to be adding Rosebourne with its three fantastic garden centres to our business,” comments Chris Francis, Hillier wholesale and retail director. “This acquisition continues the rapid growth the company has seen over the last few years and makes it well equipped to move forwards confidently into the future.”

hillier.co.uk

new solar panels set to halve electricity costs

Highfield Garden World’s

will be generating almost half of its electricity from the sun. The family owned independent linked with two local organisations to help access a grant and then install 875 solar panels across its roof space, with the business switching to solar input from the beginning of October.

Director Tim Armstrong comments: “With energy prices so high, we decided to fast track our planned solar panel project and minimise our dependence on the national grid as quickly as we could. Our roof space is projected to generate around half of our total electricity requirement.

News Flash

UK shoppers are taking 30% longer to make purchases

New research by global review platform Trustpilot suggests the days of impulsive consumer spending are over – with ‘savvy shoppers’ now taking 30% longer to make a purchase than they did 12 months ago.

NatWest offers free tool to help UK retail businesses lower energy bills and cut carbon

To support all retail businesses through the current cost-of-trading crisis, NatWest has created a new Carbon Planner tool, a free to use digital platform designed to help cut businesses energy costs, whilst reducing their carbon footprint.

Making a business case for investment in sustainability is seen as a key barrier for businesses looking to take action on their climate impact; however, NatWest’s A Springboard to Sustainability report, published November 2022, estimated that there is a potential £175bn revenue opportunity available for the UK economy through decarbonisation and Net Zero.

The report, commissioned in partnership with McKinsey, also found that with rising energy costs, the

“We are dedicated to adopting and encouraging climate-friendly ways of living our lives both on a business level and personal basis. We’re pleased that our use of green energy might encourage others to make similarly sustainable choices when they can.” highfieldgardenworld.co.uk business case for decarbonisation

is stronger than ever. For example, installing a heat pump pays back today in half the time that it would have taken in 2021 whilst elevated energy prices also mean that deploying solar panels today could pay back nearly 25% quicker than estimated in 2021.

The NatWest Carbon Planner aims to provide personalised actions based on user data, enabling users to make better informed decisions when looking to reduce their carbon emissions. It says businesses can benefit from vital information such as the potential savings of adopting sustainability measures and the time it will take to earn a return on investment. natwest.com

A poll of 2,000 adults found 63% claim to be more conscious about what they spend their money on compared to this time last year. The biggest factor informing decisionmaking is quality or reliability (61%), ahead of cost (58%) –consumers are thinking about saving money in the long term. Despite this, the study by global review platform Trustpilot found 46% of consumers ‘have no choice’ but to go for items with a lower retail price as they can’t afford to pay more. uk.trustpilot.com

Clothing sales warmed up in September

Garden centre customers were updating their wardrobes during September and potentially planning for the colder months according to the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Barometer of Trade report.

Sales in clothing departments were up 5.79% compared to the same month last year (2021). Sales in traditional categories were down for the month, with houseplant sales down -8.66%, outdoor plant sales down -19.62% and seed and bulb sales down -13.5%. Garden sundries sales were also down -23.35% while furniture and barbecue sales were down -31.57%. gca.org.uk

Thompson & Morgan continues to top online plant sales

Thompson & Morgan has retained the top spot as the most prominent in the UK when it comes to purchasing plants online, increasing in visibility by 45% on last year. That’s according to search marketing agency Salience, which revealed the 20 most prominent sites in the online plants sector.

The second spot goes to Bloom and Wild which has increased its online visibility by an incredible 75% since 2021.

Regarding search trends, Salience noted that searches for sansevieria plants are up 184% this year but searches for Chinese money plant have slightly reduced, going down 12%. salience.co.uk

Highfield Garden World in Gloucestershire

An Interview With Dobbies

Driving towards Dobbies’ new store in Tewkesbury, you might question why it has decided to open a flagship shop here. As it stands, the 70,000ft2 store is surrounded by a building site; Google Maps didn’t even recognise the postcode for it, it’s that new. But CEO Graeme Jenkins is looking ahead, because its Tewkesbury store is the first phase of a major development which will include the Cotsworld Designer Outlet, expected to open in 2024, and 1,310 homes.

It’s what Graeme calls a “cracking location”, on top of what is already a strong presence for Dobbies in the South West. It has stores in Thornbury, Gloucester, Cirencester, Shepton and Swindon, and a little dobbies – its smaller high street chain of stores – in Bristol. Tewkesbury will be its flagship for the area, and it’s not the only store to be opening over the next few months. In the autumn next year, an even larger store will be opening in Antrim in Northern Ireland.

“We have a fantastic store in Lisburn, which has always been really popular with customers. We look a lot at postcode capture, to see where our customers are coming from, and we could see that in Antrim there was a big opportunity. The store will be 110,000ft2 , so it’s going to be a big shop and a real destination draw for the area,” says Graeme.

Planning consent has also been granted to redevelop its store in Reading. “We firmly believe that physicality of garden centres is key to their success. What we’re looking at is less about sales through dobbies. com as a channel, but more about how digital engages the customer right the way across the shopping journey. So, we’ll be launching a Dobbies app next year which will bring together loyalty and product information, and eventually will have lots of functionality.

“There won’t be many other garden centre retailers with it, so we think it will be a point of difference; but what it’s really about is engaging with customers digitally as they walk around the centre and helping them to shop by making it easier to find product information and recommendations.”

There are also plans to continue growing its chain of little dobbies stores. The first of the new concept stores opened in Edinburgh two years ago, with the chain quickly growing to five within a year, three of which are in London. The sixth little dobbies

WE CAUGHT UP WITH DOBBIES’ CEO GRAEME JENKINS AT THE OPENING OF THE CHAIN’S NEW STORE IN TEWKESBURY

PHYSICALITY OF GARDEN CENTRES IS KEY TO THEIR SUCCESS

store will be opening in Cheltenham in Spring 2023.

“We do a lot of catchment and footfall analysis, particularly in those high street locations, to make sure we get the best possible pitch, and we’re seeing pretty resilient numbers. I think it’s what the offer is; little dobbies really is quite a point of difference, to offer that strength and depth, with houseplants in particular complemented by other areas.

“Next spring, we’ll be able to do a bit more around ‘grow your own’ and

outdoor plants, which then takes it to the next level. We’re also activating click and collect, so you’ll be able to buy anything from the mainline business and have that delivered to a little dobbies.

“Ultimately, we’ll be rolling out a design and install service. We’re seeing quite a few customers coming in and saying, for instance, ‘I’ve got a balcony, can you help me with it?’ So, bistro sets, planters,

plants. We’re looking at a couple of tools to be able to do that in store and for it to be delivered and installed by one of the big garden centres, because each of the little dobbies has a parent mainline garden centre. So, it will be completely within the business.”

It’s another way for Dobbies to further engage with its customers. Since it was bought out from Tesco in 2016 – having been owned by the supermarket chain for nearly 10 years – membership of the Dobbies Club has grown by more than 500% and it is having a record year for recruitment. “Our member base is very engaged. You can see that through frequency of shop, which is actually increasing; we can see it through basket size and through open rates on emails. It’s really powerful within the business and customers love it.”

WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT

Dobbies’ overall goal, explains Graeme, is to improve the whole experience of garden centre retail and to be number one. It also has plans to expand its reach and is keen to look at further acquisitions. With 5% market share, Graeme says there is opportunity to grow, but it needs to be through the “right acquisitions at the right time, with the right types of centres and right types of catchments.”

Three years ago, it acquired 37 stores, doubling its footprint. Beforehand, it was mostly a Scottish based business. “For a lot of customers, it was, ‘who’s Dobbies?’ A lot of people asked if it had something to do with Harry Potter. Allegedly, [JK Rowling] wrote part of the book in our restaurant in Edinburgh. Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know, but our brand awareness has definitely grown. And

that was another aspect of the little dobbies –putting the brand even further into areas where you wouldn’t ordinarily see the brand on the high street.”

It’s not just about growth, though. Dobbies is striving towards net zero, which Graeme admits is a “tough target” and there “a lot of other positive targets around it”, such as its plastic pot recycling scheme with elho and its compost bag recycling in store with Evergreen.

This year, it won the RHS Chelsea Sustainable Gardening Product of the Year for its range of peat-free John Innes 1, 2 & 3 composts. It is also rolling out electric vehicle charging at its stores with Gridserve, including at its new store in Tewkesbury, which features heating and lighting generated by efficient low carbon energy technologies and rainwater harvesting for plant irrigation.

“We are market leading and we’ve seen a really positive customer response and sales have strengthened. Our top-selling line in our plant area is our peat-free compost. Sustainability has always been at the core of Dobbies. We have got a partnership with [food waste app] Too Good to Go and great charity partnerships too with the Stroke Association and the Teenage Cancer Trust, our two national charity partners.”

Dobbies also tries to offer “great value” across its ranges. “We’re very aware of the challenges consumers are facing. We’ve tried as much as we can to invest in value; there’s more than 1,200 what we call ‘value lines’ and that will go to over 4,000 for the spring. I’m delighted with where it’s got to so far; the sales

uplift in those lines has been really strong, so they’re definitely getting that cut through, and we’ll keep pushing that.

“We try to make gardening as inclusive as possible; it is one of our core values. We think everyone should be able to do some sort of gardening. And then beyond gardening, this is an experience; the average dwell time in here is an hour and 40. Garden centres are more than just retailers. I think what we’re trying to do is offer as much as possible.”

This includes Christmas experiences which launched in November, such as a Santa’s grotto

and a festive afternoon tea. The Tewkesbury store also includes its ‘Little Seedlings’ soft play area, a 10,000ft2 restaurant, a Walter Smith butcher and Waitrose products in the food hall, following a partnership it launched with the food retailer this year.

Dobbies’ new flagship store will quickly become a destination for those in the surrounding area, and the chain’s goal of improving the garden centre experience has arguably already been achieved.

WE TRY TO MAKE GARDENING AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE; IT IS ONE OF OUR CORE VALUES

Preview: Spring Fair 2023

SPRING FAIR, THE UK’S LEADING MARKETPLACE FOR WHOLESALE HOME, GIFT AND FASHION RETURNS TO THE NEC BIRMINGHAM FROM 5-8 FEBRUARY, HOSTING AN EVEN MORE DYNAMIC AND INSPIRATIONAL OFFERING.

As the largest and most accessible ‘shop for shops’, Spring Fair is the UK’s trusted platform for discovery and innovation, putting the most sought-after products, bright new finds, and industry-leading creative thinkers, under one easy-to-navigate roof whilst giving retailers unparalleled crossbuying opportunities.

Almost 90% sold out across the show, Spring Fair encompasses 14 sectors within four destinations across eight halls – Home which includes living & décor, housewares, everyday, and the summerhouse; Gift including Christmas, floral and seasonal decorations; Moda fashion featuring its own catwalk; and the newly launched responsible sourcing show Source Home & Gift – all offering thousands of much loved and established favourites alongside

an array of sustainable and new brands showing for the first time. The show creates a compelling and unmissable platform for buyers to touch, feel, and experience the latest products, trends and innovations.

Nicola Meadows, portfolio director for Spring Fair, says: “All of the team at Spring Fair are very excited about opening the doors to the next Spring Fair in February 23. We are all committed to offering our visitors, thousands of the UK’s brilliant retailers, the most accessible, diverse, and inspirational marketplace for discovering their shop’s bright new finds.

“The show offers an incomparable destination for sourcing newness, innovation and your next best-sellers. Our vision for discovery builds on the show’s heritage as a trusted platform for buyers and adds an improved layout and unparalleled opportunities for cross-buying and creativity.”

As the UK’s love for growyour-own and gardening continues unabated, visitors will not want to miss the Clever Pots team who will debut at the show showcasing everything greenfingered shoppers need to enjoy growing success year after year. Celebrating its 140-year anniversary in 2023, Widdop & Co continues to wow gift and home retailers with innovation and

excellence across its exciting portfolio of brands and licenses. Coming up to its 25th birthday, another much-loved returning favourite, Sass & Belle promotes the joy of home sprucing, lovingly designing trend-led gifts and homeware.

This year, DCUK are celebrating a Duckensian Christmas in honour of the great writer. You’ll find evergreen garlands, lavish gold trimmings and, most of all, a spirit of goodwill to all friends and friends-to-be. As always, they promise exceptional quality of gifts made by hand with love, symbolised by the DCUK pin. Every duck and feathered friend is fledged from earth-kind bamboo, with a light dusting of imagination and charm.

The much-loved Sophie Conran for Burgon & Ball collection sees new additions at Spring Fair to add fresh appeal to this popular range. Tapping into the latest Modern Rustic trend, new gardeners’ accessories in galvanized steel showcase the beauty of the material in which they’re crafted. Plus, a new heart-shaped trowel in mirror-polished stainless steel combines perfect planting performance with irresistible good looks.

A rising star in the gifting industry, Letterbox Love have recently collaborated on a Seeded Card and Wish Bracelet range with award winning wholesaler Richard Lang & Sons. The two Derbyshire-based businesses have teamed together to offer customers a sustainable gifting solution, these beautiful gifts offer the traditional and much-loved Richard Lang’s artwork and best-selling bracelets by Letterbox Love. Customers can plant the seeded card to grow wildflowers –

perfect for bees and butterflies – and treasure the bracelet, creating a wholesome and meaningful gifting experience.

Bringing the festive season to life, from small seasonal decorations to life-size Santa’s and show-stopping festive trees, explore the magical Christmas, Floral & Seasonal Decorations sector at Spring Fair with Christmas Inspirations BV, Festive Lights, Gifts 4 All Occasions, and Swift Imports.

Home to the finest, most magical children’s toys and gadgets, Kids, Toys and Play offers a celebration of the most beautiful, handcrafted toys, brain-teasing puzzles, must-have high-tech gadgets, and craft gifts for all ages. Tap into the hottest toy trends and those elusive Christmas hits from leading brands, including Willsow.

Go and See

A few of the exhibitors you won’t want to miss.

The Bottle Baking Co.

Stand Hall 4, 4B88

The Bottled Baking Co. will be showcasing its full range of mixes, including its new ‘Gorgeous Salted Caramel Cookie Mix in a Bottle’ as well as a new giant Easter Egg Cookie Mix which will be revealed at the show. The team will also be bringing along some twin pack gift boxes which will be on offer to those attending the fair.

Kaemingk

Stand Halls 6 and 7, 6A50 - B51

Every season, Kaemingk aims to design a complete and distinctive Christmas collection. Kaemingk always searches for the latest trends, and it has a reputation for creative styling and inspiring its customers. Kaemingk’s Christmas themes offer innovation and inspiration, season after season. Each theme has its own style and products with innovative colours, materials and shapes. This makes it easy to put together a collection for a specific target group.

Toynamics UK & Ireland

Stand Hall 5, 5M20-N21, Toynamics will be showing new products and extended ranges for its brands Hape, Skip Hop, Nebulous Stars, DinosArt, Beleduc, Korko and Nanoblock, plus unveiling a new brand. The line-up will offer retailers a wide choice in games, puzzles, STEM education, outdoor, plush, construction, preschool and licensed toys, as well as arts and crafts and collectibles. There will also be a large collection of sustainable toys.

Going Green

BURTON ON HOW ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY IS INFLUENCING THE DESIGN OF GARDEN CENTRES

In a world where sustainability and environmental responsibility are becoming must-meet requirements for discerning consumers, it is in all businesses interests to make sure their organisation ticks as many boxes as possible.

Recent research published by the British Chambers of Commerce and SUEZ reveals that most UK businesses have no environmental sustainability policy. The survey found that almost two thirds (64%) of 1,000 surveyed businesses have no environmental sustainability policy in place. I am proud that I work in an industry that has long championed environmental issues, and that many of our garden centres have environmental policies published for their customers to understand.

We have seen increased vigour from garden centres wanting to understand opportunities for environmental schemes, renewable energy and energy saving opportunities: these have included concepts such as solar power on roofs, solar farms, water harvesting, air source heating, ground sourced heating, wind turbines and electrical charging. Centres have also considered landscape aspects to benefit the community, and biodiversity is now playing a key part in design.

Eighteen years ago, Malcolm Scott Consultants director Chris Primett won an

award for his Ecocore design, which combined renewable energy and sustainability alongside commercial aims, and as a business, we continue to develop garden centre concepts that meet commercial needs, alongside the core values, which often support green issues.

Whether it be the style and pitch of a roof to support solar panels, landscaping that achieves biodiversity aims, or the way heat is sourced for a restaurant design, incorporating green influences into the design of a garden centre is essential for the business and the customer.

Research released by Deloitte about consumer attitudes and behaviours around sustainability over the past three years shows that consumers are increasingly making conscious decisions with sustainability in mind, so it’s important that garden centres not only highlight their environmental message, but crucially, that they back it up with actions.

When it comes to blending sustainable and environmental influences with commercial reasoning and business development, there are a number of ways to be ‘greener’ – consider:

• Taking a long-term approach to energy: minimising energy use in all stages of a building’s life, making new and renovated buildings more comfortable and less expensive to run. Integrating renewable and low-carbon technologies to supply buildings’ energy needs can help with long-term

cost management, such as designing buildings so the roof can house solar panels or designing a building that maximises natural light.

• Implementing water harvesting for safe external use in plant departments.

• Developing external areas that create a mindful, relaxing environment, alongside green development and biodiversity aspects.

• F uture proofing: designing garden centres with long-term plans, anticipating changes in use over time, thereby avoiding the need to demolish, rebuild or significantly renovate.

For garden centres, this is the perfect opportunity to develop your business whilst supporting longterm costs and development.

About Andrew Burton

Andrew works for garden centre and farm shop business strategy and rural planning specialists Malcolm Scott Consultants.

Andrew provides commercial, operational and business development experience and commercial advice to clients in the retail and catering sectors.

Andrew now sits on the Farm Retail Association Council, having previously been on the Garden Centre Association Board. andrewb@malcolmscott.co.uk

ANDREW

Everything you want to gift

Create special moments from the show floor to your shop floor. Best-sellers, contemporary designs, unique and personalised gifts –it’s all here waiting to be discovered.

Find out more at springfair.com

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Promotion Time for Tea

THE AWARD-WINNING BEYOND THE LEAF COLLECTION FROM AHMAD TEA, IN COLLABORATION WITH ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW, IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GARDEN CENTRES LOOKING TO CAPITALISE ON THE RISING POPULARITY OF FINE TEA

The perfect gift for tea lovers, Beyond the Leaf is a Great Taste award-winning collaboration between two iconic British brands, balancing Ahmad Tea’s four generations of tea knowledge with the natural beauty and heritage of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

The partnership, which supports ground-breaking conservation and preservation work in plant and fungal science, sees the prestigious English heritage brand come together with some of the world’s most beautifully blended teas to create a range that is refined, elegant, and quintessentially British.

Featuring four classic blends – Majestic Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon, Garden Afternoon and Elegant Earl Grey – it’s the perfect balance of quality and elegance for a smooth, delicious brew at any time of the day.

Naturally good tea

“As a leading authority in the natural world, Kew is the perfect partner for our Beyond the Leaf collection,” explains Dominic Marriott, Master Tea Taster at Ahmad Tea. “To produce the finest tea takes time, patience, and dedication. From hand-plucking the best leaves and buds from the world’s most prestigious tea gardens to tasting the tea at every stage in its long and intricate journey, every blend in our collection is nurtured to ensure the highest quality and the most exquisite taste.

“At Ahmad Tea, we’re lucky enough to have some of the world’s best Tea Tasters on our team who sample up to 500 cups each day to ensure the blends are perfectly balanced and the taste is consistent. Beyond the Leaf is testament to this; from the rich and malty Majestic Breakfast to the refreshing and lively Splendid Ceylon, Great British classics are elevated to a new level.”

A supportive sip: How Ahmad Tea supports global communities

At Ahmad Tea, from our HQ in Hampshire, we’re passionate about bringing communities together to help those in need, and we donate 20% of our profit from Beyond the Leaf (and our wider collection of award-winning teas) to support local grassroots projects, such as our project with Children in Need India.

Beyond the Leaf from Ahmad Tea in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens is available now. For trade enquiries, contact Ahmad Tea at info@ahmadtea.com or enquire via Petty Wood. RRP £9.99 for a 100g loose leaf tea caddy or £14.99 for a 4 x 10 teabag selection caddy. Find out more at: uk.ahmadtea.com/collections/beyond-the-leaf-collection

Beyond the Leaf: Four Classic Blends from Ahmad Tea and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Majestic Breakfast – a jewel in the British tea crown, this rich and malty blend balances Kenyan and Ceylon teas with second flush Assam leaves for a bold, full bodied brew. Best served with a splash of milk.

Splendid Ceylon – teas from high elevations give the brew its bright colour and deep flavour, whilst the medium grown teas add a citrussy freshness for a refreshing and lively finish. Serve with a slice of lemon for a classic Ceylon experience.

Garden Afternoon (1 Great Taste Star) –an elegant and uplifting blend, this delectable brew is the perfect partner for afternoon tea. A blend of Assam, Kenyan and Ceylon teas, with a hint of bergamot, provides an uplifting floral finish.

Elegant Earl Grey (1 Great Taste Star) –soothing and exotic, this refined Earl Grey balances teas from Ceylon and India. A touch of bergamot adds an exotic fragrance to lift the tea’s citrussy notes. Served with lemon or a splash of milk, this soothing brew is perfect at any time of the day.

Making the Switch

RETAILERS AND CONSUMERS ARE GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE TRANSITION TO PEAT FREE

The government has recently announced that it was banning the sale of peat-based composts to home gardeners from 2024. It’s been a long-time coming – the original ban was meant to be enacted in 2020. Although gardeners are becoming more eco-conscious, many do not realise that multi-purpose compost can contain between about 70% and 100% per cent peat.

So how can retailers and garden centre staff follow suit and transition to a peat-free industry?

How retailers are transitioning to peat free Using peat-free products has resulted in plant areas facing new hurdles. With varied materials and combinations used,

garden centres have had to alter watering and feeding patterns after previously using peatbased products sent from growers.

The HTA and the Growing Media Taskforce have been leading the way in educating the 1,800 garden centres and retail nurseries across the country. A spokesperson for the membership body tells us: “The Growing Media Taskforce, of which the HTA is a member, has produced a comprehensive e-learning guide for retailers on helping consumers to succeed with peat-free growing media. This was launched in early 2022 and is available free of charge to retailers via the HTA and Garden Centre Association (GCA) e-learning platforms.”

Dobbies was the first to introduce peat-free compost across its 75 centres nationwide as horticultural director, Marcus Eyles explains: “As the first UK retailer to produce its brand, peat-free compost with added

John Innes and the only garden centre to be 100% peat-free in relation to bagged compost, our team is trained on the benefits of these products and how to best use and care for them in a responsible way including sustainable watering methods and feeding. We also have online learning for peat-free and sustainability available for team members across all areas of our business, not just our horticultural team.”

Learning and development have also been key for Perrywood Garden Centre which owns two stores in Essex and provides a mixture of online training to its team to educate them on the most up-to-date advice on how best to use peat-free compost.

Working together with the compost suppliers is also vital to plant area staff so they can provide the most accurate advice to shoppers. Louise Smith, senior communications manager at Perrywood says: “Our suppliers visit at the beginning of the season to give us a rundown of the new composts and the best methods to achieve good plant health. We also of course learn a lot through trial and error, learning what works best for different plant types.”

Blue Diamond echoes this sentiment with category manager Bryn Saysell explaining: “All our staff have or will have received training on the different requirements of peat-free compost. Due to suppliers using different blends of raw materials staff receive regular updates and training directly from our suppliers. On top of all the training, we provide we will provide a list of products which will aid with water retention, plant health or feeding.”

Squire’s Garden Centres has 16 centres across the Home Counties and stopped selling

bales containing 100% moss peat over a decade ago. The team at each of its stores instead recommends manures and mulches as soil improvers or its range of peat-free compost.

Educating the gardener

Whilst consumers are becoming more aware of the peat debate, some gardeners swear by peat after years of growing successfully. Education is key and many retailers are stepping up to teach the benefits.

Bryn from Blue Diamond continues: “We are committed to providing POS to aid the customers in their journey as well as providing targeted email campaigns throughout the year. These campaigns are linked to all stages of growth from seed to establish plants as well as targeting trends like organic growing. We have also launched partnerships with The National Trust & Soil Association, allowing us to provide our customer base with all of the best hints and tips they have for peat-free growing”

Sarah Squire, chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres explains: “Our signage shows the peatfree content of all our composts and allows the consumer to make an informed choice. Our plan is for our garden centres to sell only peat-free bagged compost from 2024.”

Perrywood has been focusing its marketing on peat-free for three years. Louise says: “We hold peat-free weekends with demos and the team on hand to advise customers. We have t-shirts that the team wear to promote our peatfree range, especially on the compost drive-

thru. We also list all our peatfree ranges at the top of our price list and our POS boards clearly label them. It is all about encouraging our customers to make slight changes to become more sustainable.”

Customer education helps to instil customer loyalty by building trust and accelerating value, with Marcus adding: “Dobbies promote the range in-store and on social media. We’ve lowered our prices on our peat-free compost, and we reinforce best sustainable practices through our free Grow How demonstration events, as well as our Little Seedlings workshops.”

The best peat-free compost options

Today, there are many alternatives to peat-based compost for the consumer to choose from. Compost manufacturers have rapidly increased the number of peat-free composts on sale, so educating the consumer on the varied materials and ratios is essential.

Lake District-based Dalefoot Composts has been making peat-free composts since 1997 and now boasts over 180 stockists across the UK. Its premium range is made from sheep’s wool, bracken and comfrey which requires far less watering than other brands as wool cleverly retains moisture. Simon Bland of Dalefoot Composts says: “We state our major selling points clearly on our bags, POS and communication with stockists and gardeners. Often the compost

surface can appear dry but further down the pot, there will still be sufficient moisture, so encourage gardeners to water to touch.”

SylvaGrow introduced its retail range in 2014 encouraged by grower retailers who were being asked by customers if they could use the same peat-free compost that they use in the nursery. Catherine Dawson, technical director at Melcourt Industries, says: “Part of the challenge is overcoming preconceived notions that peatfree is not as good as peat-based – which we would refute in the case of our products. We have point-of-sale materials and leaflets but apart from this, it is through our social media channels, #SylvaGrow, where we can signpost to our instructional videos and website.”

Durston Garden Products is also on a mission towards a peat-free future by launching new growing media. Launched at Glee 2022, the new multi-purpose peat-free compost and Organic Multi-Purpose Compost Peat Free both deliver Durstons’ unique GRO BOOST additive, a high nutrient content, good drainage and aeration, plus a wetting agent for long-term plant health.

The Real Soil Company offers a range of vegan-friendly topsoils that are specially enhanced with ethically sourced organic components. SuperSoil, Vegetable & Fruit Topsoil and SuperLawn have been designed to appeal to amateur gardeners seeking environmentally friendly growing media, they perfectly meet new legislation well ahead of the 2024 peat ban.

The Real Soil Company MD, Simon Hedley, says: “Garden centres and nurseries who are nervous about the impending ban can rest assured that they won’t have to compromise on quality or performance with The Real Soil Company products. Peat-free is the right way to go for our industry and the environment.”

PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS OVERCOMING PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS THAT PEAT-FREE IS NOT AS GOOD AS PEAT-BASED

Could solar solve the energy crisis for garden centre retailers?

MATTHEW LUMSDEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CONNECTED ENERGY, EXPLAINS WHY THIS COULD BE THE CASE

As energy bills go through the roof, retailers are looking again at their roof space – could solar photovoltaic (PV) panels help solve the energy crisis? In short, the answer is – yes, but retailers could be selling themselves short if they don’t look at battery energy storage, too.

Solar PV generation in the UK increased from 21TWh to 156TWh in 2020 and it’s already estimated that the nation ‘wastes’ a staggering amount of renewable energy from wind every year, enough to power a million homes. This is because that power isn’t stored.

Research has shown that if industries such as warehousing and logistics installed PV on roofs, then this sector alone could deliver the entire UK solar requirement for 2030 forecast by the National Grid without using an inch of new land.

Already, grocery retailers are committing to solar. Tesco has committed to adding panels to 187 sites covering 335,000m 2 , whilst Sainsbury’s is the UK’s largest operator of rooftop-mounted solar PV.

The secret to maximising the value of PV and unlocking carbon and cost savings and realising energy

security is through battery energy storage. Battery energy storage systems or BESS are devices that enable energy from renewable sources like wind or solar to be stored and released when power is needed.

Connected Energy’s BESS is made from 24 used Renault Kangoo batteries. Operationally equivalent to BESS made from brand new batteries, this will create huge carbon saving compared to using new batteries.

Underutilised PV

Many PV systems generate more energy than they need. Combining PV with battery energy storage allows sites to generate energy during hours of solar generation and store it for later.

Ultimately, the best way to maximise solar power is to utilise the clean energy that the site generates and only export the minimal amount of surplus back to the grid.

In sites with heavy, round-the-clock energy requirements a BESS unit can store solar power during generation time to use later. The surplus energy stored in a BESS can be capitalised on by either feeding power back

to the grid or providing balancing services – something that a site can be paid for and therefore generate revenue for business.

Storage can also support a site to manage peak energy periods, such as charging electric

A BESS UNIT CAN STORE SOLAR POWER DURING GENERATION TIME TO USE LATER

vehicles, when more power is needed. This is increasingly vital with the rise of EV charging stations at industry sites. By the end of 2022, Blue Diamond’s 39 sites will feature 300 new fast charging points whilst Dobbies Garden Centres has launched a partnership with GRIDSERVE to deliver EV charging at its 30 destinations.

For sites focused on decarbonisation, the added benefit of capturing solar from PV within a BESS helps maximise the use of clean energy.

Financial support is also now available to install energy storage systems including ‘battery storage as a service’, where data management and battery swapping is included part of a monthly payment plan.

To truly harness the power of solar, battery energy storage must become as ubiquitous as its companion, solar PV.

About Matthew Lumsden

With over 15 years’ experience in low carbon energy and transport sectors, Matthew founded Connected Energy to commercialise a range of energy storage and control systems. In an emerging energy storage sector, a key focus of Connected Energy is to provide customers with endto-end expertise and support in developing their projects. c-e-int.com

Outside

Thinking the Box

GEORGE WILLIAMS, FOUNDER OF TWO BUSINESSES RECENTLY ACQUIRED BY CROCUS, SHARES HOW HE BUILT A SUCCESSFUL APP AND SUBSCRIPTION BOX SERVICE

Eight years ago, George Williams set up one of the first plant identification apps in the UK. It started modestly, with monthly care advice being added with a reminder sent to users each month for what they needed to be doing to help their plants to thrive.

By the time the SmartPlant app was acquired by online plant retailer Crocus in October this year, the app had reached 800,000 downloads and it had partnered with more than 50 growers and retailers. George had started to work with garden centres and plant growers to add his app’s logo with a QR code to as many plants as possible. Around half a million plant labels were due to go into retail – and then the pandemic hit.

“COVID-19 just inverted everything. We were left a bit stranded as an app, even though we had a lot of downloads. That’s why we launched a plant retail scheme. For every plant sold, we were donating to the NHS, and we sold 50,000 plants in a month. That’s when we realised selling plants was a good thing to do, particularly given our revenue stream had dried up.”

So, George set up the second business that Crocus would acquire – subscription box service Mind, Body & Soil. Subscribers are sent a plant each month with either material to learn more about and care for the plant, or other activities to do at home, such as books or arts and crafts. For its November box, for instance, it worked with Wool & The Gang to provide a floral embroidery kit, which was followed up by a live embroidery class. And in the summer, it sent out a box focused on breathwork, with founder of Breathpod and Radio 1 DJ Stuart Sandeman holding a live class.

“It was a very COVID-friendly business proposition, but it actually chimes with a lot of things which are relevant to the horticulture industry now, such as young millennial houseplant lovers and a more acute focus on wellbeing, self-care and sustainability.”

It chimed with Crocus too. George approached them earlier in the year, and the online retailer decided to add the subscription box as a new service to its own offering and to incorporate the functionality of the SmartPlant app into its own app, Iris. At some point over the next six months, the SmartPlant app will be switched off, before which existing users will have been directed to Iris.

George is working with Crocus on a simple way to migrate their accounts and will continue

to work with the online retailer going forward. “I have spent all my adult life building businesses and trying to think outside the box, so I hope to add more entrepreneurial flare to the business as a whole.”

It’s a tough time for subscription services, admits George – there is plenty of competition on the market, and there were some highprofile instances of subscription services losing a significant number of subscribers once the final lockdown was lifted. But there is plenty of opportunity too. “A lot of large retailers are too

FINDING

WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHICS IS REALLY IMPORTANT

slow moving to be able to add a subscription service, and whilst now might be a bad time to start one, there is a lot of potential in that space, and it’s great that Crocus is identifying that and moving into it. Finding ways to engage with younger demographics is really important, and Mind, Body & Soil is a great way that Crocus has identified of doing that.

Having set up two businesses in eight years and showing resilience to market conditions, George’s presence at Crocus can only enhance what is already a successful business.

It’s Beginning to Taste a lot Like Christmas

ROB WARD OF GRUPPO CIMBALI SUGGESTS SPICING UP THE SEASONAL DRINK MENU WITH A FESTIVE TWIST AND HERE HE SHARES TWO SUGGESTIONS FROM HIS OWN RECIPE BOOK THAT YOUR RESTAURANT CUSTOMERS WILL LOVE

Bring a little bit of Christmas cheer to customers by getting creative with the seasonal drink menu.

A bean-to-cup machine such as the Cimbali S30 (which I’ve used in making these drinks) automates key aspects of the brewing cycle and drives consistency into the finished drink. This can help make the task of creating interesting variations on classic festive recipes that little bit easier.

Fairytale of A Spicy New York Irish Coffee

When it’s prepared correctly, an Irish Coffee is a fabulous end to a meal or a warming treat for weary Christmas shoppers. Here’s my take on the classic recipe which was inspired by the Pogues’ Christmas song featuring Kirsty MacColl.

Recipe:

• 10ml Spiced Tea Muscovado syrup

• 40ml Pogues’ Irish whiskey

• 20ml hot water

• 4 0ml shot cinnamon coffee or a coffee with Christmas spice, chocolate and sherry flavour notes

• Whipped cream to top

Method:

To make spiced tea syrup simply brew a mug of your favourite spiced tea. I use Jeeves & Jehrico Spiced Masala Chai then add equal weight of dark muscovado sugar and heat gently in a pan until all the sugar is dissolved and slightly reduced. Quick cheat: Use three parts Monin Muscovado sugar syrup and one part Jeeves and Jericho Spiced Bombay Chai concentrate and stir well to integrate. Spiced Bombay Chai concentrate and stir well to integrate.

So many Irish coffees are made in the traditional Irish coffee glass, quite often with a cheaper, bolder coffee and cheapest whiskey from the shelf. But in this recipe, I serve the drink in a smaller, piccolo/cortado glass and reduce the amount of cream that sits on top of the drink making it a much tastier balance of the coffee, whisky, sugar and cream, and a little bit more like a dessert.

Add the sugar syrup and whiskey to a preheated glass and stir well to incorporate the flavours. If using a Cimbali S30 you can program the machine to deliver the next stages automatically. First 20ml of water is added to the whiskey and sugar mix, followed by the espresso shot. Stir the drink to mix the flavours together.

Now for the topping. Gently whipped cream is the traditional topping for this drink and I shake the cream in a small glass bottle until slightly thickened and then pour through a sieve to remove any bubbles. For a lighter option, use semiskimmed milk through the S30 using the Snow Foam option to create a light and luscious cream milk top. For a

dairy free option why not try

Whippable Creamy Oat to add a great layer of luxury.

The Pogues’ single malt whiskey brings great notes of peanut butter and s’mores and the muscovado syrup adds a spicy, festive edge to this delicious drink. Your Irish Coffees will never be the same again!

Santa please stop here

Nonalcoholic option

It’s always good to have a nonalcoholic option on the menu and this is where Monin can help out with its vast array of flavoured syrups. It’s easy to stock up on the popular flavours of vanilla, caramel and hazelnut. But, with a little thought we can mix things up using some of the more unusual options, creating delicious drinks and telling a story as we go.

This recipe is inspired by the cookies and milk that we leave out for Santa. Some people switch the milk for sherry and that got me thinking about an idea for a great drink.

There are some natural processed coffees, as well as some experimental process coffees that have a boozy edge to them which can give sherry and rum notes, without the need to actually add alcohol to the drink. For example, La Chumeca Anaerobic fermentation coffee from Costa Rica works well and gives you the boozy notes needed in this recipe. Yes, you can brew specialty coffee like this very well on a beanto-cup machine and for this recipe I used the Cimbali S30.

Oatly

Recipe:

• 4 0g shot of coffee (see above recommendation)

• 5ml shot Monin Pumpkin Spice syrup

• 10ml shot Monin Chocolate Cookie syrup

• 20ml Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat

• Maldon Sea Salt

• Ice

• Carrot twist to decorate

Method: I used 17g of coffee with 2s preinfusion to help develop the boozy flavour notes and a yield of 40g of espresso poured directly onto 5ml of Monin Pumpkin spice syrup, 10ml Monin Chocolate Cookie syrup, 20ml of Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat and a couple of flakes of Maldon Sea Salt; Stir together so the hot coffee melts and combines well with syrup and the oat cream, then pour into a cocktail shaker ¼ filled with ice. Shake hard, double strain into a Martini glass and serve with a carrot twist, just for Rudolph.

This creamy, dairy free treat will be a great no alcohol pick me up for anyone in the middle of Christmas shopping.

Experimenting with different flavour syrups to get a great balance in your drinks is so important. For example, adding salt or using a saline solution, as well as using pepper cordials like Paragons pepper collections cordials can bring balance and a wonderful spice note to the drink. Or using different flavour bitters like orange bitters can work well in Christmas drinks and reduce the perceived sweetness of the drink.

SLAYER ESPRESSO DESIGNS AND MANUFACTURES PROFESSIONAL ESPRESSO MACHINES. THIS DRINK IS DESIGNED BY

FELLOWS, SLAYER UK BRAND AMBASSADOR AND DOUBLE WORLD COFFEE IN GOOD SPIRITS CHAMPION

Spice Orange Espresso Martini 40g Slayer Espresso Brewed in the style of a ‘Slayer Shot’, this espresso utilises two flow rates controlled by the proprietary needle valve; around 1.5-1.7g of brewing water delivered per second during a 20-30 second Pre-Brew phase, followed by a 20-30 second ‘Full Brew’ phase at a flow rate of 8g per second.

This gentle saturation of the espresso puck and extended contact time highlights the sweetness and body of a coffee and improves flavour clarity. For this recipe, we recommend a coffee with flavour notes of citrus, dried fruit and spice.

40ml spiced spirit / non-alcoholic spirit alternative

This can be any spirit to your preference, but we recommend pairing this with the coffee chosen. A coffee with the recommended flavours of citrus, dried fruit and spice pairs perfectly with barrel aged spirits such as golden rum and whiskey. Opt for a spirit/spirit alternative with flavour notes of vanilla, citrus, and spice.

For best results, infuse with two cloves, one cinnamon stick, a grating of nutmeg and the peel of one orange. Leave this mix to infuse for at least 24 hours at room temperature before straining and freezing. The cold temperature of the spiced spirit/spirit alternative offsets the hot espresso and avoids over dilution.

15ml

Light Muscovado Sugar syrup

Add two parts sugar and one part boiling water to a bowl. Mix until the sugar dissolves and store in the fridge. All sugars can be used for this, but muscovado works well with the other ingredients due to its characteristic profile of butterscotch, toffee and fudge.

1g Saline solution

Seasoning cocktails is a hugely underrated technique. Adding a small amount of saline solution to this drink harmonises all of the ingredients and enhances the flavours. To make, dissolve 10g good quality sea salt into 50g boiling water.

Serve To serve, shake all ingredients hard over ice. Use ice which has not started melting, ideally straight out of the freezer/ice machine. In the words of Bea Bradsell, daughter of Dick Bradsell who created the Espresso Martini in the 1980s, ‘shake it like you hate it’. Once shaken, fine strain into a frozen coupe glass. Garnish with a twist of orange peel and ground cinnamon/nutmeg.

If you would like to simplify the recipe, substitute the spiced spirit/spirit alternative for an unspiced version and use Monin Winter Spice syrup in place of the muscovado syrup.

Any espresso based drink is only as good as the espresso at the heart of it, so utilising excellent coffee, techniques and best equipment available is critical. Slayer exists to create the tools you want and need to Make Coffee Better.

GIMA members GO GREEN

GIMA MEMBERS ARE MAKING HUGE STRIDES TO HELP CREATE A

GREENER GARDEN CENTRE INDUSTRY

Sustainability, going green, protecting the planet, environmentally conscious –however you describe it, we can all agree that becoming more sustainable is a business and world-saving imperative and is something that GIMA members are striving to achieve. In fact, no other topic has warranted such a strong response from members. Here, we look at those brands, products, materials and practices that are setting the benchmark for sustainability within garden retail.

Material matters

Burgon & Ball’s latest RHS Gifts for Gardeners collection ‘British Meadow’ has ditched the plastic, instead featuring recyclable cardboard gift boxes, whilst its collaboration with the National Trust has created core gardening, gifting and children’s gardening ranges – all presented in recyclable cardboard packaging, printed with vegetable-based inks.

The Garden Village guarantees that all its products are handmade, using only sustainable FSC® Certified, expertly sourced pressure treated timber. The company’s passion for the environment ensures that all products and packaging come from renewable sources, with a two-year plan to offer only 100% recyclable packaging and to achieve net carbon zero.

FSC timber also forms a huge part of Zest’s ‘Natural Choice’ positioning, which has seen the timber garden furniture, GYO and decorative garden structure specialists introduce a range of new sustainable products ahead of the 2023 season. Supporting this product portfolio, Zest has also confirmed that it uses solar panels and biomass boilers and is dedicated to re-planting trees in Europe

alongside its European partners, and to nurturing woodland habitat in the UK.

Charles Bentley’s range of garden tools are also manufactured from FSC-approved timber

ZEST HAS ALSO CONFIRMED THAT IT USES SOLAR PANELS AND BIOMASS BOILERS

and feature recycled bristles, whilst over at Onduline, its EASYLINE roofing sheets are made up of 50% to 60% recycled fibres and contains no hazardous substances.

Taylors Bulbs has started trialling a new packing line that replaces plastic with paper – look out for this material within its autumn 2022 ‘Select’ range. Additionally, the team has installed over 3,000m 2 of solar panels, which will help the company save approximately 125t of CO ² per year and, when at 100% efficiency, generate enough electricity to boil 260 kettles.

Elho’s newest collection combats ocean pollution by transforming waste maritime plastic into beautiful pots, while preventing the materials from further polluting our oceans.

Reinventing waste materials has also shaped Capi Europe’s ‘Waste NL’ collection. Produced ‘C0 ² neutral’ the range uses old fishing nets, used corks and recycled Capi planters, along with a lifetime guarantee.

Spear & Jackson is committed to improving sustainability by changing to eco-friendly packaging across its range of garden tools. Highlights includes the cumulative removal of 5.5t of plastic from the supply chain and the removal of 2.25t of single-use plastic by switching to PET alternatives.

With the ability to be recycled time and time again, Edelman’s new glass collection is semi handmade, food safe and made with totally organic paint, helping it to earn Edelman’s “Because We Care” label.

Greener growing

Peat-free growing media is one area that has reported significant growth in sustainable solutions.

Southern Trident –which operates under the motto of ‘green today, greener tomorrow’ – has made great strides

in sustainability, having been awarded PAS 2060 carbon neutral certification for its Harmony Gardens range of growing media – the first carbon neutral growing media range in the world. The eco-friendly range of bagged composts and topsoil is all moving to packaging made from at least 50% recycled materials, up from 30%, by 2023.

Key ambassadors of peat-free also include Bathgate Horticulture with its Champions Blend and Bathgate peat-free ranges – both of which are created to offer affordable, yet effective, growing solutions – and The Real Soil Company, who’s really driving the conversation around natural, peat-free topsoil.

Durston Garden Products has also introduced new peat-free additions for the 2023 season, including a peat-free grow bag, whilst Bloomin Amazing™ continues to provide organic-approved, 100% peat-free mulch, easy feed and soil conditioner from the renewable energy industry. A by-product from anaerobic digestion, RocketGro’s ‘rocket fuel’ is the magic ingredients in its impressive peat-free offering, which includes 12 growing media essentials.

Elsewhere, Carbon Gold’s range of enriched biochar-based soil improvers, fertilisers and rejuvenators is perfect to not only improve the health of soil and substrates, but its biochar sequesters (locks) carbon into the ground, thereby reducing harmful CO ² from being released into the atmosphere.

Finally, LECHUZA – manufacturer of selfwatering planters – is encouraging retailers to consider its PON growing substrate. Offered as a pre-stocked pallet, and with a 50% profit on wholesale prices, PON is reimagining houseplant sales whilst helping to reduce reliance on water.

Products that protect the planet

Recognising the rising consumer demand for natural and organic alternative, Hygeia created its Nature Safe range, which includes 16 organic products packaged in recycled material.

Protecting the environment and sustainability have always been at the core of Thorndown’s ethos. All of its paints are water based and the company only uses VOC (volatile organic compounds) free colour pigments and VOC-free resins, one of which is made from 100% recycled plastic from windscreen laminates. Additionally, Thorndown’s factory operates at minimal impact to the environment producing sustainable, recyclable or compostable packaging, using green energy, with most waste going to recycling and the little that cannot be recycled sent for heat production.

AutoPot is making it easy for retailers to showcase the eco credentials of the ‘most environmentally-friendly watering system in the world’. Sustainably packaged, the range is supported by illustrative, fully-branded gondola ends that allow gardeners to easily grasp the simple principles of AutoPot’s power-free, zerowaste watering systems.

Water saving is the order of the day at Gardena which has introduced an updated Micro-Drip-System for 2023, which saves up to 70% water consumption compared to standard irrigation method, whilst Qwickhose’s unique hose connectors also reduce water leakage.

HEX Living is all about designing and manufacturing products that are built to last, and is a division of the The HEX Group, which is on track to be carbon neutral by 2037.

Offering a different approach is Bermuda, with ‘My First

Pond’ kits, designed to get children outdoors and exploring nature. These complete kits help children get up close and personal with wildlife, in turn helping them to understand what is at risk.

HEX LIVING, A DIVISION OF THE THE HEX GROUP, IS ON TRACK TO BE CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2037

GIMA Sustainability Champions

The recent 41st GIMA Awards saw 12 ‘Sustainability Champions’ crowned, plus Woolcool – the brand behind Hortiwool, the allseason multi-use garden pads, and Willsow, with its plantable children’s books were confirmed as joint winners of the GIMA Sustainability Award.

Sustainability Champions included Wildlife World, with its Plastic-Free Gardening range of natural Fair-Trade Association FSC rubber seed trays – also winners of Glee 2022’s Sustainability Award and the Best New Product Award at the 2022 Garden Press Event.

Another winner, Solar Centre has paved the way for designing sustainable products and creating eco-conscious solar lighting. Guided by the ethos that good design demands lighting that can stand the test of time, Solar Centre lights are built to last and perform like mains powered lights but with completely renewable energy.

Finally, Primeur – multi-GIMA award winners – has seen popularity of its recycled rubber garden collections soar, as retailers and consumer better understand the unique benefits of this material.

(GIMA)

1999,

About GIMA Garden Industry Manufacturer’s Association

is a membership organisation of around 150 members representing the majority share of suppliers and manufacturers in the UK gardening industry. Formed in

its goal is to promote commercial, trading and industrial interests of UK and EU based companies. GIMA is run by a small team of dedicated professionals and governed by a council of members. gima.org.uk

Add Value With Nature Guides

THE PUBLIC’S APPRECIATION OF NATURE SEEMINGLY GREW DURING LOCKDOWN. DR REBECCA FARLEY-BROWN, FROM THE FIELD STUDIES COUNCIL, EXPLAINS HOW THESE NATURE GUIDES COULD FURTHER AID AND SUPPORT THAT ENTHUSIASM...

What is the Field Studies Council, and how do nature guides fall under its offering?

We started back in the 1940s as a group of people wanting to get people outside and learning about their environment and nature. It grew through a series of education centres, training programmes and report writing, so developing resources which developed into the publications section, which I run.

We then realised these could have a much wider appeal and so we moved from just identification guides, to guides with wider appeal too. These are our fold out, Wild ID range of charts and our Nature Spotters, popular with the general public. They’re a great start to finding out what’s in your garden or on your walk. They were developed and used from our teaching programmes. You can take it outside and, with a laminate covering, they’re robust enough to chuck into a rucksack and get slightly splashed.

So, we run 17 education centres, we run online courses and we run a publications unit which we sell online and to retailers.

How many Wild ID guides are available?

More than 90! But there are a key set of five to 10 which sell everywhere.

Some are more specialist and niche, such as harvestmen which isn’t going to appeal to everybody. But there are also guides on

ladybirds, butterflies, bees, woodland trees and flowers, garden birds; they have a real general appeal. It gives them a manageable selection to look at so that they don’t get overwhelmed.

Why should a garden centre consider stocking them?

Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a wider interest in nature. A lot of people are getting outside more and looking at what is in their gardens and local spaces. We had an upsurge in sales during COVID-19, and garden centres have seen a greater need for a greener approach. People are interested in wildlife gardening and planting for pollinators, and we site alongside that. If you have a large area for garden bird feeders and bird seed, why not put a selection of garden bird guides next to it? The guides link to other products in garden centres. They can sit with general gifts, or a book focused area, as they can be a bitesize takehome or a top-up present. They could also sit

also working on the design of a narrow countertop point of display which can stack three.

What are the top five guides you’d recommend?

Butterflies; Park and Garden Birds; Garden Bugs and Beasties; Bees; and Woodlands.

Does Field Studies Council produce other products for garden centres?

We’ve got a children’s series called our Nature Spotters: ‘In the Garden’, ‘In Trees and Woodlands’, ‘In the Countryside’ and ‘At the Seaside’ – with a series of things to go and look for. If they find 20, they reach Bronze Nature Spotter level, then they can move up to Silver if they find more, building up to Gold.

Are there plans to grow the range?

We’re looking to develop a couple more for Nature Spotters and we have talked for a few years about launching small, pocket-sized guides, and these are something which we now have clear plans for developing.

alongside wildflower seed mixes or a wildlife gardening area or with the bird feeders. They could also sit at the tills as an impulse buy.

Do you provide POS for the guides?

We can provide a big spinner, which is narrow with 20 slots, so it can take a mix of guides or have the top five repeated around it. We’re now

Are garden centres a key market?

It’s one we’re looking to expand into. We exhibited at Glee and we’re booked in for next year too. The show helped us to realise that we needed more than a spinner; that we needed countertop displays, as it’s a big ask for everyone to take a large series at the start. So, it’s a market that we’re working towards.

The future of mowing?

HUSQVARNA RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF NERA, ITS FIRST AUTOMOWER® ROBOTIC MOWER THAT SUPPORTS BOUNDARY WIRE-FREE MOWING IN PRIVATE GARDENS

More than 25 years ago, Husqvarna launched the world’s first robotic mower. Now, it is bringing to market its latest innovation in this market, the NERA, early next year. It supports EPOS, Husqvarna’s satellite navigation system which launched for the professional segment two years ago.

The NERA lets the user create virtual cutting zones with the help of a mobile phone. It gives the user the flexibility of deciding where to cut, when and at what height. The Automower® NERA range can handle more complex terrains and steep slopes, and steers away from unwanted objects on the lawn.

The Automower® NERA range comes in three models:

• Husqvarna Automower®

• Husqvarna Automower®

• Husqvarna Automower®

Husqvarna Automower®

430X NERA and 450X NERA can cut lawns of up to 3200m 2 and 5000m 2 respectively, while Automower® 320 NERA is optimal for lawns up to 2200m

in the 400 series come equipped with the object avoidance feature, based on radar technology, that helps the mower detect and avoid common objects like toys and garden tools. This reduces the stress of always keeping the lawn tidy and reduces the number of unwanted stops. All models come with improved terrain handling, which reduces the wear and tear of the lawn and can also be washed easily with a hose.

Ryan Patterson, PGE segment manager at Husqvarna UK says: “The UK robotic lawn mower category has seen strong, year-on-year growth of over 25% which is attributed to the

huge demand for sustainably sound smart home and garden technology. As the world leaders in robotic technology, we continue to grow and invest in the market for residential and professional users and the launch of the new Husqvarna Automower®

NERA, our first boundary wire solution

using Exact Positioning Operating System (EPOS) technology that caters to garden areas of up to 5000m 2 , is a prime example of how we continue to deliver pioneering features to meet consumer demand.”

Husqvarna Automower® NERA can operate with a precision of 2cm to 3 cm and take on rough terrain and slopes with up to 50% inclination. For the NERA range to operate without physical boundary wires, an EPOS plug-in kit will be required, which will be sold as a separate accessory.

husqvarna.com/uk

Products Outdoor Wear

FROM

STYLISH JACKETS TO COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR TO THE ULTIMATE GARDEN GLOVES, OFFER YOUR CUSTOMERS THE BEST CLOTHING FOR THE OUTDOORS

Barbour Beadnell Wax Jacket Barbour

Based on the legendary Bedale but cut to a flattering, feminine silhouette, the Barbour Beadnell Wax Jacket is an iconic style crafted in traditional Thornproof waxed cotton. Boasting a sit-down corduroy collar, classic tartan lining and a wealth of pockets for all the customer’s storage needs, several enhancement options are available, including a zip-in liner and a hood, making the Beadnell a versatile, all-season jacket.

RRP £219.00 barbour.com/uk

EVA Cloggies™ Pluma Town & Country

These comfortable, waterproof Cloggies are made from a supple and lightweight EVA material, with a sturdy slip-resistant sole. The easy slip-on-and-off design is perfect for gardening or as a backdoor shoe. The contoured shape and cushioned, patterned insoles ensure a comfortable fit, and look great at the same time.

Available in a range of colours.

RRP £16.99 townandco.com

Burgon & Ball ‘Love The Glove’ women’s gardening gloves

Burgon & Ball

Available in 11 patterns and two size options, the ‘Love The Glove’ range brings fashion and flair to gardening gloves. Technical features include padded palm for protection, wrist strap to keep out debris, and mesh between the fingers to keep hands cool. Ideal for gifting as well as self-purchase. Supplied to retailers without individual plastic wrapping, to reduce waste.

RRP £16.99 burgonandball.com

Ankle Boot

Leon (ULTRALight) Boots

The ultralight Leon Boots weigh only as much as a couple of apples, or 219g. Leon Boots is offering something that is built to last, looks great and appeals to a wider range of shoppers. £39.99 leonbootsco.com

Lux-fit Pluma Gloves

Town & Country

These soft and supple gloves are perfect for comfortable, enjoyable gardening. With extra padding on the palm, a breathable pattern on the back, and the secure fastening at the cuff, these light and luxurious Pluma gloves provide all-around comfort and are superbly fitted.

RRP £16.99 townandco.com

Gold Leaf Gardening Gloves

JAYCO (UK)

Limited

The RHS endorsed range of Gold Leaf Gardening Gloves is used by keen, professional and passionate gardeners alike. Hard wearing, comfortable, dextrous and a joy to wear, Gold Leaf Gardening Gloves are also the perfect gift for all gardeners.

RRP From £21.95 goldleaf-gloves.com

Burgon & Ball RHS Gifts for Gardeners ‘British Meadow’ women’s gardening gloves Burgon & Ball

From the top selling RHS Gifts for Gardeners collection, the women’s gardening gloves in the latest collection ‘British Meadow’ feature an eye-catching design of native British wildflowers and butterflies. They’re packed with features to enhance the gloves’ performance too, including a cushioned palm for protection, gathered wrist to keep out debris, and soft fabric between the fingers for dexterity and comfort.

Supplied to retailers without individual plastic wrapping, to reduce waste.

RRP £16.99 burgonandball.com

Products Green

FILL THE DEMAND FOR MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS

Wool Compost Double Strength

Dalefoot

Composts

Premium peat-free soil conditioners, ideal for no dig gardening and packed with natural nutrients. Made from sheep’s wool, bracken and comfrey, Wool Compost Double Strength is designed to mix with soil or spent compost. Fertiliser-strength, it is perfect for reducing drought problems in lighter soils.

RRP £8.99 to £12.99 dalefootcomposts.co.uk

Southern Trident

Harmony Gardens is the world’s first carbon neutral, peat-free, multipurpose compost. Perfect for plants growing in containers and seed sowing. Made from 100% natural peat-free ingredients, mixing coir, composted bark, recycled wood fibre, and green compost with additional nutrients for plants to thrive. Colourful, attractive packaging made from at least 30% recycled plastics highlighting its eco credentials stands out on shelves. An eco-friendly growing media for any garden.

RRP £13.99 southerntrident.com

Levington John Innes Peat-Free Range

Evergreen Garden Care

Evergreen announced the launch of its Levington John Innes Peat-Free Range at Glee 2022 completing its entirely peat-free portfolio across both Miracle-Gro and Levington. EGC includes its own patented wood fibres in the composition of these new Levington John Innes products, which perform as well, if not better, than peat-based compost. This patented technology uses fibres that are infused with organic nitrogen, preventing plant starvation and in turn, promoting stronger and healthier plant growth.

RRP From £5.99 lovethegarden.com/uk-en

Lakeland Gold

Dalefoot Composts

Lakeland Gold is full of rich organic material and feeds for two years. Made from potash-rich bracken, it is veganfriendly and a fantastic clay-buster.

RRP £8.99 to £12.99 dalefootcomposts.co.uk

RocketGro

RocketGro is working hard to demonstrate to garden retailers that visibility of material and processes isn’t just another marketing strategy but something that can and will make a difference in the retail environment, particularly as consumers become more environmentally responsible. The current portfolio includes 12 products that are low-carbon, peat-free, 100%-sustainable, Soil Association-approved, and UK grown, manufactured, sourced and produced.

RRP From £9.99 rocketgro.co.uk

SuperSoil

The Real Soil Company

The original SuperSoil from The Real Soil Company has been ‘super charged’ with organic single-source plant-derived materials that are expertly blended with the finest natural topsoil. The company says this formula consistently outperforms current market-leading topsoils in its phosphorous, potassium and magnesium content, plus organic matter which improves soil structure, water retention and drought tolerance. SuperSoil is also free of low-quality inorganic fillers.

RRP From £3.99 therealsoilcompany.co.uk

Harmony Gardens Multipurpose Compost

The full RocketGro ‘Rocket Fuel’ collection of growing media

Peat-free compost booster

Sipcam Home & Garden

Created to partner with peat-free compost suppliers and to drive up the average basket spend and increase consumer engagement and confidence with peat-free growing media, this carefully balanced compost booster is full of all the essential nutrients plants need to grow within peat-free compost, including an NPK of 5-4-3 to enable greater growth and strong plants. Available in powder form, gardeners can easily mix it into the compost.

RRP TBC sipcamuk.co.uk

Gardena EcoLine range

Gardena

Gardena’s EcoLine range of watering products and handheld tools are designed with plastic components that consist of at least 65% post-consumer recycled material and are sustainably manufactured with a 25-year warranty. The wooden elements on the handles of the Ecocline small tools and secateurs are made from FSC-certified beech wood and all packaging is made from 100% recycled and recyclable cardboard, printed with water-based ink.

RRP From £12.99 gardena.com/uk

Peat-free Grow in the Bag

Durston Garden Products

Durstons’ Peat Free Grow in the Bag has been extremely well received by the industry and has had a lot of enquiries from buyers who feel it plugs a gap in the peat-free market. The extra-large grow bag is the same size as Durstons’ Vegetable Planter and is perfect for growing a wide range of fruit, vegetables and salad crops.

RRP TBC durstongardenproducts.co.uk

EcoStone collection

Deco-Pak

Deco-Pak’s EcoStone range raises the bar when it comes to sustainability, transforming waste materials once destined for landfill into decorative aggregates that meet the latest design trends. The range includes Glasglo, translucent pot topper stones and cobbles made from recycled televisions; EcoStone Rubber Chippings, which give new life to former tyres which are recycled into chippings for weed suppressant mulch; and EcoStone Seashells, sourced from a whelk processing factory to create pots and terrariums dressing and natural slug control solutions.

RRP From £9.49 deco-pak.co.uk

EZ Border Mower Edge Primeur

The innovative new Mower Edge Border is designed to make grass cutting a breeze, thanks to the L-shaped design which enables a mower to run true along the lawn border, enabling grass to be cut clean against the edge without leaving a line for which a strimmer would be required.

Made from recycled rubber crumb and supported by Primeur’s specialist pallet displays which highlights the material’s unique benefits including ultralightweight, mould resistant and flexible.

RRP From £20.99 primeur.co.uk

Pula planters

Ivyline

Utilising 100% recycled natural waste materials to create a stone composite style planter, Ivyline’s PULA planters can withstand the rigours of daily life, including excellent frost resistant properties, presenting a high-end, sustainable planter option.

RRP £11.99 - £29.99 ivylinegb.co.uk

Lechuza Pon Lechuza

Lechuza Pon substrate consists of high quality, mineral stones – Bims, Lava, and Zeolith – that are free from contamination and pollutants. It is also loaded with slow-release fertiliser to keeps plants fed for six to eight months. Lechuza Pon is free-flowing and replaces potting compost, meaning it is all customers need to get growing, once they have selected the pot of their choice.

RRP From £6.50 lechuza.co.uk

Bee Boxes (Pack of 3)

Seedball

100 Ball Grab Bag Range

Seedball

Each bag contains approximately 3,000 native UK sourced wildflower seeds. With a coverage of five square metres per grab bag, these are ideal for larger garden areas. The bags are plastic-free (made from paper) and can be home composted. With their colourful designs they can also work nicely as an ecofriendly wildlife gardening gift. All seeds are from the RHS ‘Plants for Pollinators’ list. Packaging size 13cm x 17cm x 2cm. The seed balls are UK made from peatfree compost, wildflower seeds, clay and chilli powder. RRP £15 seedballtrade.co.uk

250ml concentrates

Neudorff

A colourful set of seed boxes, each containing bee friendly wildflower seeds balls, and approximately 180 seeds per box. Available in green, pink and teal, each with a different mix of wildflower seeds. Boxes made from recycled card. Each box is 5.8cm x 3.7cm x 1.5cm (like an old small matchbox size) and contains six seed balls to grow beautiful native wildflowers in a window box, balcony pot or garden bed. One box will cover one to two pots.

RRP £3 each seedballtrade.co.uk

Neudorff’s 250ml concentrate bottles now comprise 90% recycled plastic, saving around 7.5t of CO2 per year. The move has reduced the use of virgin plastics by 4.7t per year, while Neudorff’s bottles are 100% recyclable, reinforcing its commitment to closed loop manufacturing. Neudorff has the widest range of products certified by the Organic Farmers and Growers’ Association, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to sustainability to retail buyers and consumers alike. The 250ml concentrates include BugFree Bug and Larvae Killer, CleanLawn Moss Control for Lawns Concentrate and WeedFree Plus.

RRP Prices vary neudorff.co.uk

Meet the Brand

How was Fieldfare founded?

Fieldfare was founded over 40 years ago in Kent, when Anne and Richard Cryer decided to offer customers ’scoop your own’ loose frozen fruit and vegetables, providing shoppers with best quality produce in the quantity needed.

How has the company developed since?

The concept proved popular and as shopkeepers recognised the opportunity that loose frozen foods represent, the stockist list grew, as did the range and variety of products. Still owned by the Cryer family, Fieldfare is now stocked in hundreds of speciality food stores, including farm shops, delis and garden centres. Fieldfare continues to thrive, as allowing shoppers to choose exactly how much they want and giving them the opportunity to reduce packaging and food waste, has never been more relevant or desirable.

What products are available from Fieldfare?

Quality frozen fruit and vegetables are the company’s heartland, but over the years the range has expanded to include award-winning frozen fish and meat lines, convenient popin-the-oven meals, tempting desserts and

to choose from, Fieldfare supports each customer by helping them to tailor a range best suited to their store.

How does it work for the consumer?

Shoppers are encouraged to “pick, pack and weigh” Fieldfare purchases. Compostable bags are provided, into which shoppers can scoop as much or as little of the products they need. Products are sold and priced either by individual portion or by weight. For many of the products, we even provide a cost per average scoop, which helps shoppers to keep an eye on their budgets. Ingredients and cooking instructions are also provided.

What support is provided to stockists?

From the minute a store registers interest, we work closely with their team to ensure they get the most out of their offering.

We help to plan and manage installation of the Fieldfare livery. Our quality, energy efficient branded freezers are not only eyecatching, but as they use only 3.3kwh of energy per day, they offer outlets a solution that is 2.5 times more energy efficient than upright freezers. So, we can help customers to keep costs low and maximise profits.

Taking the outlet’s needs and customers into consideration, we help with the curation of an ideal range and work with the customer to review the offering on a regular basis.

Our marketing activity helps raise awareness amongst consumers and drive shoppers in store. This includes consumer media advertising and PR in titles such as BBC Good Food and Country Living, and brand ambassadors, such as influencer @ellypear, who offers tips on how to use Fieldfare.

The ‘find a stockist’ function on our website lists every stockist and also helps shoppers to discover their nearest Fieldfare retailer.

Tell us about Fieldfare’s rebrand last year. The new brand identity is contemporary, eyecatching and designed to challenge the way

shop by offering an easily, attainable alternative. It encourages them to actively “Choose Loose”, which is the tag line of our ongoing marketing campaign.

What’s next for Fieldfare?

We continue to drive the business forward. Whilst we have ambitious growth plans for the next few years, we are also being realistic about the challenges our customers and their