Garden Centre Retail July/August 2023

SOLEX

A five-page special on the outdoor leisure exhibition

Sustainability

Proactive garden centres push to adapt for an uncertain future

2023 review GIMA analyses the state of the sector

EV Charging

Is this a growth opportunity for garden centres?

We create beautifully crafted outdoor furniture that delivers style, comfort and quality.

We create beautifully crafted outdoor furniture that delivers style, comfort and quality.

Since 2009, Maze brings you the perfect evolution of luxury outdoor living, with the comfort of indoor furniture. Contact us today to see how Maze can become a premium partner in 2024 for your business, share our exciting new products and develop a successful, long-term relationship.

Since 2009, Maze brings you the perfect evolution of luxury outdoor living, with the comfort of indoor furniture. Contact us today to see how Maze can become a premium partner in 2024 for your business, share our exciting new products and develop a successful, long-term relationship.

For more information call us on +44 (0)1440 840 086 or email us at commercial@maze.co.uk

For more information call us on +44 (0)1440 840 086 or email us at commercial@maze.co.uk

Welcome

Welcome to the combined July/August 2023 issue of Garden Centre Retail. In a strange twist of events, I once again find myself working on this magazine – a publication I helped launch in 2014 and subsequently had roles in right up until 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic.

I’m pleased to be back working on this brand that I know and love, in an industry that I’m passionate about. It’s an exciting time for garden retail – horticulture is becoming of increased importance in the general lives of the people in the UK, and as the high street is still in dire straits, garden centres are evermore becoming the meeting place of choice for a natter with friends, a browse and a purchase.

There’s also a lot of development in the sector, and this is where I’m most excited. Technology, sustainability and business growth continue to be pillars of activity for garden centres. As we as a brand plan to grow, we’ll be looking at these sectors in a lot more detail before the end of

2023. Next issue, the September edition of Garden Centre Retail, will be focused on the technological advancements happening in this sector, right now.

Following that, we will be producing our October issue as a sustainability special. There’s lots of developments in our industry that garden centres are already working on, but there’s a few other areas that we would like to shine a light on in this edition.

I must also mention the recent Glee exhibition that happened at the end of June. It’s a date that is circled in the diaries of the patrons in this sector each year, and with good reason. Glee 2023 was another example of a meeting of great minds, great products and great learning opportunities.

We were pleased to see so many visit our stand at the show, but now our attention turns to SOLEX on Monday 10 July. We’ll be in attendance and we’re looking forward to the latest releases in the outdoor living sector.

For any queries or questions, you can get to me at joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com . I look forward to hearing from you.

Eljays44 Ltd

3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex, BN16 3DA

EDITORIAL

Head of content – Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com

Tel: 01903 777 587

Senior subeditor – Katrina Roy katrina.roy@eljays44.com

Tel: 01903 777 570

Subeditor – Sam Seaton sam.seaton@eljays44.com

Tel: 01903 777 570

Senior designer – Kirsty Turek kirsty.turek@eljays44.com

Tel: 01903 777 577

ADVERTISING

Portfolio director – Luke Page luke.page@eljays44.com

Tel: 01903 777 580

Sales manager – Chloe Holbrow chloe.holbrow@eljays44.com

Tel: 01903 777 585

Sales executive – Luke Frost luke.frost@eljays44.com

Tel: 01903 777 583

MANAGEMENT

Managing director – Jamie Wilkinson

Chairman – Jim Wilkinson

CIRCULATION

Subscription enquiries – Tyler Gould tyler.gould@eljays44.com

Tel: 01903 959 390

Printed by Stephens and George Ltd

Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd

Garden Centre Retail is published by Eljays44 Ltd.

Joe Wilkinson Head of Content

The 2023 subscription price is £125. 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, non-commissioned photographs or manuscripts.

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.

Joe Wilkinson

HORTICULTURE IS BECOMING OF INCREASED IMPORTANCE IN THE GENERAL LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN THE UK

News

‘Very strong’ May BoT figures released by Garden Centre Association

The Barometer of Trade (BoT) figures from the Garden Centre Association for May showed a huge leap in sales of seeds and bulbs as well as for outdoors plants.

GCA member garden centres recorded seeds and bulbs up by 113.59% last month when compared to May 2022 and outdoor plants were up by 24.94%.

Peter Burks, chief executive of the GCA, explains: “We saw a very strong set of figures returned for May, especially considering the

Gates Garden Centre joins exclusive association

Gates Garden Centre in Oakham has become a member of the Tillington Group of Garden Centres, a not-for-profit association for independent centres. It brings the membership up to 11 companies in total spanning across 40 centres, with a combined turnover of £215m.

Caroline Owen, Tillington chair and Scotsdales’ managing director, says: “We really are very pleased that Gates have joined us. We had been in discussions with them prior to Covid but obviously had to park those talks and so it is great that we were able to pick them back up again. They are a like-minded, family business, that we feel will really add value to the group and it was great to formally welcome them at our recent senior principals meeting.”

Gates’ managing director Nigel Gates adds: “We are really pleased to have joined Tillington, a very well-respected group within the industry. It’s fantastic to have joined them and we look forward to getting involved and visiting member centres.” gatesgardencentre.co.uk

weather didn’t improve until midmonth. It certainly shows what a bit of sunshine, coupled with some pentup demand, can do.

“Eleven out of 13 categories were very positive, with furniture and BBQ the only ones significantly down at -10.76%. Other good performers in May were catering, up by 20.16%, and our food hall/farm shop category at 16.97%. Clothing sales saw an uplift of 14.08% and garden sundries 8.02%. Pet and aquatics came in at 6.08% and houseplants were up by 5.62%.

“In fact, it was a very strong month for gardening, with food and catering still doing well too. The only real concern remains furniture, but that has improved with the warm weather. May data has helped to close the year-to-date figures right down.”

May’s BoT returns also revealed gifts were up 1.25% and hard landscaping up 0.38%.

Overall sales for the month came in at 12.31% with a year-to-date variance of -2.39%. gca.org.uk

Simpsons invests over £100,000 in solar and energy efficiency

Simpsons has invested over £100,000 to “take a big step forward in its sustainability journey”, reducing energy costs and increasing energy efficiency across the business.

The Inverness-based garden centre has had over 300 PV solar modules installed, generating up to 100kW per hour. It is hoped this energy will contribute significantly to the daily requirements of the garden centre, greatly reducing its carbon footprint.

According to Simpsons, the solar panel project will also save 24.63 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, the equivalent of planting 1,131 trees.

The move expands the garden’s centres move to a more sustainable model, having already cut its energy costs by 25% in the past six months by switching all bulbs to LED

and becoming generally “more energy-aware”. According to Simpsons, the new solar panels installed will provide an additional 20% of energy requirements to the business.

Managing director Andrew Simpson said, “Like many businesses, we have seen huge increases in energy costs. Our decision to move to green energy was made some time ago and the journey to becoming more sustainable and energy efficient started pre-Covid.

“We have a significant roof space to work with and by maximising the number of solar panels on here ensures we maximise energy production for use across the business.

“We hope to eventually run the garden centre wholly on renewable energy, implementing even more energy efficient changes,” he concluded.

simpsonsgardencentre.co.uk

Yorkshire garden centre group first in UK to accredit its own sustainability training

The team at a Bradfordbased garden centre group is celebrating after becoming the first garden centre group to accredit its own Carbon Literacy Training.

The team at Yorkshire Garden Centres has developed the training programme in conjunction with the award-winning Manchester charity The Carbon Literacy Project to equip its 509 employees with the skills to contribute to becoming a carbon-neutral business.

The Carbon Literacy Project is based on the premise that, in order to cut carbon emissions by the kind of reductions demanded by science, then the culture needs to change alongside technology.

Yorkshire Garden Centres’ sustainability lead, Steph Bates said: “We plan to roll out the Carbon Literacy workshops to all our employees, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to learn and embrace positive changes to reduce their carbon impacts.

The aim is to create more awareness of the environmental costs and impacts of greenhouse gas emissions through our everyday activities, and to inspire people to

reduce emissions on an individual, community and company basis.

“The project is one of many of our sustainability initiatives and will see our whole team do the training and make over 800 carbonreducing pledges by December 2024. Once made, these pledges have the power to save the equivalent energy to power 1,500 homes each year. It would take approximately 132,000 trees 10 years to capture this level of emissions.”

Organisations that have a Carbon Literate workforce can be accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project team as a ‘Carbon Literate Organisation’ (CLO). Yorkshire Garden Centres is on target to achieve a Bronze Accreditation by the end of June 2023. yorkshiregardencentres.co.uk

Gardenex’s Parker retires after 37 years in the industry

Gardenex and PetQuip commercial manager Charlie Parker has retired after 37 years in the gardening and leisure industry.

Parker, who has worked for Gardenex and PetQuip since April 1999, had already stepped back from attending trade shows over the last year and has been working part-time for the past few months.

“Charlie has always shown real enthusiasm for the gardening and pet sectors, as well as exporting, and his commercial experience from working previously at Hozelock and then Halls has been used to great effect in his support for member companies,” said Amanda Sizer Barrett, the directorgeneral for the Federation of Garden & Leisure Manufacturers.

“On behalf of myself and everyone within the Federation and its member companies, we would like to thank Charlie for everything he has done to help and support UK suppliers during his many years’ service to exporters.”

gardenex.com

Curcuma Skyline wins Best in Show at New Plant Awards at the HTA National Plant Show 2023

Profitplant BV’s Curcuma Skyline has been recognised as Best in Show at the New Plant Awards, sponsored by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). The awards took place at this year’s HTA National Plant Show.

HTA’s horticultural support manager, Martin Simmons, said: “This year there were a record 125 entries across four categories, with the houseplants category receiving more entries than ever. We judged against quality, suitability for the market and originality, and Curcuma

Skyline scored the maximum amount in all areas. It is completely different with really good sales-appeal.”

“Curcuma Skyline is a relatively easy plant to grow and care for. It prefers bright indirect light and well-draining soil that is kept moist but not waterlogged. It can be grown in a pot or container indoors or outdoors in warm, humid climates.”

Judge Chris Young of CY Gardens commented: “It’s always so interesting to see the new plants that consumers are going to be buying in the coming months.

As ever, there was a great range of innovative and exciting plants on offer at this year’s show, with breeders and developers clearly focusing on plants for smaller spaces. In addition, whether indoor or for outdoors, there was interesting leaf structure and of course great colour.”

hta.org.uk

British Garden Centres partners with Diabetes UK

British Garden Centres is delighted to announce it is partnering with leading charity Diabetes UK, for its annual Wellness Walks this summer.

Diabetes UK’s Wellness Walks take place from July to September passing through the neighbourhoods and landmarks of Birmingham, Glasgow and London, with British Garden Centres supporting each walk by supplying 1,000 packs of seeds to be handed out and a free coffee voucher to redeem in any of its 62 stores.

Gardening benefits mental and physical health, and the seeds will be given to the children taking part, encouraging them to engage with nature and gardening, helping improve their overall wellbeing. With every step, walkers across the country will be helping to fund Diabetes UK’s life-changing

Botanian launches professional grade growing media

Botanian has launched its range of home propagation products. For all outdoor and indoor plants, including vegetables, herbs and flowers.

Developed for the horticulture sector, the sustainable, peat-free products combine highest quality with convenience.

LBS Worldwide are the sole UK distributors. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer Botanian’s unique range,” says Richard Barker of LBS. “The new brand’s ‘Growing wherever you can imagine’ marketing – with plants everywhere from the bathroom to the balcony – is designed to appeal to Millennials, a demographic with huge potential.”

Botanian products are notably made from renewable sphagnum moss and coconut coir. botanian.com

lbsbuyersguide.co.uk

research, whilst supporting their wellness and that of their loved ones.

As well as taking part in the walk, participants will be given tips and advice on healthy eating, how to make changes to be more active and generally live well.

Amy Stubbs, development and project manager at British Garden Centres, said: “Gardening has so many great benefits, one being the impact on health and helping to live as active a lifestyle as possible.

“It is an excellent cardiovascular workout, but it also promotes endorphins and allows you to stay healthy and happy too. We are delighted to be donating seeds to the Diabetes UK Wellness Walks and helping to plant the seeds of good health.”

The Diabetes UK Wellness Walks take place in Glasgow on 11 June and Birmingham

on 2 July, followed by a London walk that will take place on 24 September.

britishgardencentres.com

diabetes.org.uk

Peter Beales Garden Centre for sale via Christie & Co

Christie & Co is marketing

Peter Beales Garden Centre in Attleborough, Norfolk, along with its successful online rose business, Peter Beales Roses. The business and property are being marketed at a guide price of £1,450,000 plus stock.

Peter Beales Garden Centre and its online platform is an independently-run business which trades from a large circa 10-acre freehold site. The garden centre has undergone significant recent renovations, including a large extension to its Rosarium Restaurant which now boasts 80 internal covers plus external seating.

The sale also includes a detached bungalow located on the site. Business director, Kenneth March, comments: “The garden centre business has been growing at a faster rate than industry averages and the large site includes a significant proportion that is currently undeveloped, so this opportunity offers considerable long-term scope for the new owner to continue growing the business and develop the site.”

Tom Glanvill, director in Christie & Co’s Garden Centre team, who is handling the sale, comments: “With a combined turnover of more than £2,300,000 per annum and huge scope for further growth, this business is one of the most exciting opportunities to come to the market in recent years. The business could be a great add on for an existing garden centre group or may appeal to a newcomer to the sector who is looking to buy a trading business.”

classicroses.co.uk

For Every Task.

Greenworks designs and manufactures quality cordless tools for every job in your home and garden. They work hard to create products that are not only environmentally friendly but also efficient and durable. The tools use an advanced Lithium-Ion battery pack to power any of our 50+ tools - ranging from lawn mowing to grass trimming, cutting logs to trimming hedges, and even drilling or sawing for DIY tasks. Simply choose the tool and battery kit you need, then add other tools in the future.

The 24V product range are all made to be versatile and practical - perfect for those who want a lightweight tool with enough power. But if you want even more power to tackle those large lawns or pesky leaves. The 2 x 24V system (48V) works together as one set and gives you all the benefits of 24V tools for lighter tasks, with the bonus of 48V power for tougher ones.

01243 554455

info@fordingbridge.co.uk

www.fordingbridge.co.uk

From Growers to Garden Centres, Fordingbridge has you covered

With over 55 years experience in supplying Garden Centre and Retail business, we are proud to apply designs to help your business grow.

Our broad portfolio covers plant area canopies, sustainable buildings, trolley bays, and covered walkways. The possibilities are endless.

We would love to discuss your plans and see what we can bring to your business.

Growth in EV destination charging is opportunity for SMEs

BUSINESSES THAT INSTALL ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) CHARGING IN THEIR CAR PARKING COULD RECOUP THEIR INVESTMENT IN LESS THAN A YEAR AND ENJOY PROFITS IN YEAR TWO AND BEYOND.

Businesses can generate revenue from EV chargers by charging drivers for the power they use, applying a percentage margin over the cost electricity price.

For a medium-sized business currently paying 28 pence per kWh for its supply, charging drivers the current average UK public medium/fast price of 49 pence per kWh2 at two chargepoints for six hours each day will generate first year revenue of £23,543 and costs, including installation, of £20,328.

In year two and beyond, the revenue will again be £23,543 but the costs, including maintenance, will be just £16,427 leaving an annual profit for the business of £7,116.

Any business with its own car parking could consider such an investment. Destination businesses could see their footfall and dwell time increase as well as non-charging revenue from additional sales, such as food and drink at leisure venues.

Global vehicle charging specialist CTEK has identified a trend for more EV drivers to charge away from their home, partly driven by wider take-up of EVs by people with no offstreet parking.

A survey conducted for CTEK by YouGov revealed that only 56% of EV owners are now charging at home (down from 78% in 2021), with 20% charging at shopping centres, 20% at work, 11% at hotels and 8% at restaurants.

As the number of EVs on Britain’s roads continues to grow, we are seeing a significant shift towards destination charging. This presents considerable opportunities for visitorfocused businesses to make money from EV charging as well as attracting more customers.

The cost of electricity has gone up but is expected to fall in time and EV drivers are used to the current prices they pay for public and destination charging, just like the much publicised increase in home electricity bills.

CTEK research has also found EV drivers charging little and often wherever they stop, which presents real opportunities for businesses to earn revenue from EV charging. Daytime users of destination chargers are plugged in for, on average, 20 minutes.

The average private car travels less than 200 miles a week, and the 50 kW of power needed for this can be obtained in just 4.5 hours of 11 kW AC charging. This means that, for destination

chargers, a medium rate 3.7 to 22 kW AC (alternating current) charger is usually more than adequate.

Cecilia Routledge, global director of energy and facilities at CTEK, said: “Our research shows that, on average, businesses installing a dual EV charger that’s used for six hours a day could start to see a return on investment in under a year, with annual profits of more than £7,000 from year two onwards.”

Dual socket chargers like CTEK’s Chargestorm Connected 2 (CC2) are particularly suitable for small businesses, because only one installation is needed to provide EV charging for two vehicles, from the same unit.

The government’s Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) was extended last year to provide grants of £350 per EV charging socket to small accommodation businesses like B&Bs and holiday lets. This means that a dual socket charger like the CTEK CC2 will qualify for two WCS grants, totalling £700 for each charger installed. A list of chargers that are eligible for these OZEV (Office for Zero Emission Vehicles) grants are available on the gov.uk website.

About Cecilia Routledge

Cecilia Routledge is global director of energy and facilities at CTEK – the global leader for battery and vehicle charging. CTEK’s E-mobility solutions range from individual EV chargers to larger corporate and commercial installations with multiple charging stations, that require load balancing and integrate seamlessly with monitoring and payment equipment.

Maximising Your Garden Centre this summer

AS THE SUN SHINES FOR SUMMER 2023, ANDREW BURTON SHARES HIS TIPS FOR MAXIMISING TURNOVER FROM SEASON TO SEASON

In 2016, I left the garden centre industry, – an industry that I had fallen in love with – for a commercial role running a visitor attraction with over 250,000 visitors. This opportunity was there at the right time for me personally, and it was without doubt one of the hardest decisions of my life to take it. I felt that I was leaving a career behind that had been good to me.

Every day I was away from the garden centre industry I missed it, and when I joined Malcolm Scott Consultants in 2019, I relished the return to the industry I love and the opportunity to work with independent and family owned garden centres throughout the UK. Now that the business provides operational and business development guidance, fusing well alongside its existing town planning strength, I see my visitor attraction role as a secondment that opened my eyes wider to potential to drive footfall. This secondment gave me a detailed insight into customers who

wanted more than shopping; customers seeking an experience as their core reason to visit. The role also allowed me to step into a world where seasonality was something you had to create for yourself!

I’m often asked how a garden centre’s season can be extended, or how to level out the months where we see troughs. We know historically that the key months of March, April, May, June and December all drive turnover, but in an era where we can’t dictate the weather or extend the gardening or Christmas seasons, how does a garden centre maximise its turnover through the summer months to fill that

void between the key gardening period and Christmas? Seasonal dips in turnover can be a big problem for businesses, which can create business models that potentially have a knock on effect as to how they handle overheads. There are lots of ways to generate footfall, however I am a big believer in delivering something that maintains the brand and values of a business, whilst not causing detriment to it with regards profit or customer perception.

Focus on your existing customers

If your business operates a loyalty card system, this is great opportunity to focus your marketing efforts on database customers to offer them something extra when they visit. Identifying what to offer is down to each business, but creating something that rewards customers and thanks them for their

loyalty can encourage customers to continue to visit all year round. Such events tend to generate more loyalty card applications, helping future visits too.

Ideally, consider these events early in the year and build them into your budget. For example, a loyalty event held in August shouldn’t be reactive, it should be planned (I dare not mention the 5 P’s!), costed and be part of a 12-month rolling marketing plan.

Make sure your overall retail proposition supports more regular visits

Every product range has a season; some are just longer than others and some happen more than once a year. We know our garden centre trends and seasons, and the HTA and GCA supply some great information for garden centres to reflect on, but I sometimes wonder if centres are considering seasonal changes and industry changes methodically. I also look to see if their overall space allows for products that create regular visits – usually those entailing catering, giftware, retail food or pets. Seasonally, some garden centres may have an opportunity to be stronger with product range changes by changing department space and layout at exactly the right time.

Weather can ‘adapt’ a plan and change pace of a move, but having a space plan at differing times of the year can help focus on maximising

the right products in the right place at the right time: At the height of summer, do you know what you want your garden centre layout to look like to maximise turnover and footfall? Have you got the right stock and departments in place to deliver it? If not, look at your site layout and space available. If you don’t have enough space, consider how you can create it in a permanent or temporary format.

Maximise catering potential

Similar to in January, cafes and restaurants can drive footfall if marketed correctly to focus on the audience potential. Ensuring your menu is family-friendly and marketed effectively can encourage parents or grandparents to visit the garden centre with their family rather than somewhere else, resulting in a longer stay and more retail opportunities.

Likewise, while not viable for everyone, those garden centres with added attractions linked to the catering, such as play areas, soft play, woodland walks or tailored events or attractions can encourage a wider audience than the everyday customer.

Garden centres often provide a fantastic environment to eat outdoors. With views across their fantastic planteria or over adjacent land, highlighting to customers that outdoor eating is an option they can consider holds real appeal in dry conditions.

Over the past 12 months I have seen sustained growth in updated catering propositions and in garden centres adding to their overall proposition in the form of gatherings, events and attractions, all supporting an increase in turnover and levelling out the dips in quieter months.

Talk to others

Networking with others, be they within or outside the industry, is an effective way to learn, develop and grow. Talking to fellow owners/ managers, consultants, industry associations, buying groups and of course, the all-important customer can lead to great insight and ideas.

With so much knowledge and openness within the industry I’d encourage everyone to talk and share – we really are stronger together.

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

GIMA half-year review

AS THE SECOND FINANCIAL QUARTER OF THE YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE, GIMA’S VICKY NUTTALL TAKES STOCK OF THE PAST SIX MONTHS

When I think back to how we went into 2023, with massive price inflation and pressure on the supply chain, there was a certain amount of trepidation at the start of the year. Garden centres were still sitting on higher stock levels because of overbuying during shortages, and then the rising costs of raw materials, soaring energy bills, fertiliser costs, and so on, all came together and created the perfect storm for price inflation, like I’ve never seen before.

With such high profile inflation across the whole economy, thankfully, retailers were reluctantly accepting in the circumstances and so increases were passed on to the consumer. All we could then do is sit and wait to see if demand returned in the same volumes we saw in recent years or whether the cost of living crisis would put a block on sales.

There’s no doubt, we’ve had some really extreme conditions but people were ready –they dug in their heels and braced themselves for what was coming. To compound things further, unfortunately, the weather didn’t let up until after Easter, which resulted in a late season. It’s been a weird one, to say the least!

Core gardening strong

Speaking to retailers at the recent GIMA Golf Day, they seemed happy with how things are going, mainly because catering kept up throughout.

For our members, sales-wise, it’s been a game of two halves. Anyone operating in a core gardening area has fared well. The season started late but has been good so far.

Meanwhile, members in categories like landscaping, outdoor furniture, decorative items and big pots have found it tougher. Sales have been ticking over and they have had to work much harder for repeat orders but sales aren’t really where they wanted them to be. This is a general overview and isn’t the case for

everyone but, overall, it seems the categories that did really well during Covid are now the ones struggling. The hot weather that we are now experiencing has benefited barbecue sales which are the exception and are going well.

I’ve come to realise there’s no such thing as a normal year. There certainly hasn’t been in the past 10 years anyway!

While some input prices have settled somewhat and the weather has picked up, there is another shift that suppliers are having to adjust to and that is the change in the timing of Glee. The new dateline is more in line with

changes in buying cycles, but it does mean that suppliers must adapt to change in the pattern of their work. Products are now being launched during the season, instead of businesses wrapping up what is typically their busiest time of the year and then getting ready for Glee in September. It can be difficult for small companies with limited resources because the supplier’s workload during the season includes being at garden shows too but it’s about reshaping things

and will become easier once we are settled and used to this dateline.

GIMA will be out in force at the show, where we will be running our Hosted Meetings programme in the GIMA Business Village. We’ll also be announcing the winner of the GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund, but we recognise the fact suppliers are having to adapt to the change, and that isn’t always easy.

Yet more legislation

Meanwhile, the cost of doing business increases the bureaucratic burden on suppliers. The Plastic Tax came into effect at the back end of 2022, followed by greater Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations for the UK, which will have had a massive impact on branded suppliers. It just highlights

the amount of additional administration, ever-changing legislation, and red tape that suppliers are having to deal with. It’s no surprise that the HTA is running a campaign to flag this up and is calling on the government to support the many smaller businesses in the horticultural industry through this.

It’s been an interesting six months to say the least. Across the whole market, the pressure is on the supply chain. I feel a responsibility to communicate that to the wider community on behalf of our members. GIMA puts things into place to support our members as much as we can, ensuring we always arm them with all the relevant info they need – including full guidance on EPR, for example – or can point them in the direction of the experts.

I recognise it’s a tricky time for some retailers too. It’s not just the suppliers that have to get tough over the next six months. Many are looking to reduce their stock holdings as they go into the autumn/winter period and expect seasonal suppliers to take on this burden in readiness for spring 2024.

Our events throughout the year, including our Golf Day, Day Conference, the Garden Press Event, workshops, webinars and Awards, are all designed to benefit our members but also foster an environment for more informal

networking between suppliers and retailers to nurture relationships and help keep that dialogue going. GIMA’s raison d’être is not only to build a strong network of suppliers but also to create a community of retailers and suppliers who communicate and work closely together.

Looking ahead

We’ve still got another six months to get through and we will see how that pans out, but we are excited for what we have ahead – including our annual awards, for which we have already had more than 200 entries in! It will also be another great opportunity for retailers and suppliers alike to blow off steam after an intense 10 months.

Every year has its challenges but I think, because we’re a seasonal industry, we’re geared up towards that dynamic. I don’t like to keep using the word resilient, but there isn’t a better word to describe our industry, because we are resilient!

About GIMA

Garden Industry Manufacturer’s Association (GIMA) is a membership organisation of around 150 members representing the majority share of suppliers and manufacturers in the UK gardening industry. Formed in 1999, 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

IT’S A TRICKY TIME FOR SOME RETAILERS TOO. IT’S NOT JUST THE SUPPLIERS THAT HAVE TO GET TOUGH OVER THE NEXT 6 MONTHS

An interview with Dick Woods

At Garden Centre Retail, we get to discover, interview and share a wide range of the businesses and companies operating in the sector with seemingly endless sources of innovation, focus and creativity.

While there’s obviously interest to be found in every part of the industry, it’s always especially fascinating to see businesses with a genuine vision in terms of what they want to achieve. These businesses tend to involve interesting personalities after all, often with a natural talent for thinking outside the box.

We are also seeing regular and everimproving examples of businesses proactively starting to show a real interest in protecting the environment and the natural world, most notably those going peat free or purchasing fleets of electric vehicles well ahead of recommended deadlines. With that in mind, this month we’re talking with Dick Woods,

the founder of bird feeder manufacturer and supplier Finches Friend, a company that has excelled at incorporating both technical innovation and sustainable ingenuity.

Design and development

Established in 2016 and now trading for the past 3.5 years, Finches Friend specialises in a specific product known as the Cleaner Feeder.

A key aim of the Cleaner Feeder, for company founder Dick Woods, is to help wild birds avoid an avian parasitic disease

GARDEN CENTRE RETAIL TALKS TO THE FOUNDER OF BIRD FEEDER MANUFACTURER, FINCHES FRIEND.

called Trichomonosis. It is transferred via saliva and causes lesions in the throat of the infected bird, which makes it progressively harder for the bird to swallow food. In addition to this and other signs of general illness such as lethargy and fluffed-up plumage, affected birds may regurgitate food or show laboured breathing. The infection is spread as birds feed one another with regurgitated food during the breeding season, and through contaminated food and drinking water. The product is designed to be extremely easy to clean. (An in-depth exploration of this design is available from the company’s own website).

Discussing his professional background and the origin of the business, Woods shares: “I’ve been involved in commercial vehicle infrastructure, principally on the design and development side.”

He continues: “I got involved in wild bird protection based on a bad experience of birds dying here. I’ve got an old, converted barn in Kent, and probably going back six or seven years now, we had greenfinches like you couldn’t believe. They were everywhere.

“We would see them in the garden the whole time. Then, within a period of about six to eight weeks, the whole lot died.”

While initially puzzled, Woods did some research and now believes he knows what might have happened, having come across information about the aforementioned virus.

Describing its effects, he says: “ Trichomonosis comes from a parasite, which lodges in or effects the throats of birds. The parasite stops the birds from swallowing by swelling their throat.”

To quote the British Trust for Ornithology’s website directly on the subject: “Trichomonas [the namesake parasite] typically causes disease at the back of the throat and in the gullet.

“Affected birds show signs of general illness (lethargy, fluffed-up plumage) and may show difficulty in swallowing or laboured breathing. Some individuals may have wet plumage around the bill and drool saliva or regurgitate food that they cannot swallow.

“In some cases, swelling of the neck may be evident. The disease may progress over several days or even weeks.”

The website continues: “Transmission is most likely to be through contaminated food or water, eg where a bird with difficulty swallowing regurgitates food that is then eaten by another individual.”

Woods says that the primary sources for his own research into the parasite’s modus operandi came from two organisations, both of whom have issued guidance on the subject. These are the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and Garden Wildlife Health, which is based in the UK.

Part of the latter organisation’s advice on the subject relates to the regular cleaning/ disinfecting of bird feeders and feeding sites. The advice also includes what to use as a cleaning agent, with its organisation referring to “a weak solution of domestic bleach” as being suitable for the job.

Building the company

Without getting too deeply into the Finches Friend Cleaner Feeder design, a key thing that it’s intended to accomplish, at least according to Woods, is facilitate the process of cleaning the unit.

While this is clearly useful, wild bird feeding is still a difficult market to break into. As mentioned, Finches Friend has been around since 2016, with Woods building the business himself from the ground up.

Going into greater detail about how the company got off the ground as well as its current set-up, he explains: “I’ve been involved in the development of commercial vehicle products since the age of 15.

“Over the years, I got to the point where I owned my own business, with around 80 people working for me. Producing mostly tipper trucks and some protected vehicles.

“About ten years ago, I got to a situation where I thought, I’m just going to use my design skills, which is what I enjoy the most. I sold my engineering company, and since then have worked on projects. That’s mostly been to fund doing this. For anybody in design, I don’t think that there’s a single path.”

As it turns out, starting a business – even one as comparatively small as Finches Friend – is not cheap, particularly if there’s a manufacturing process involved. Illustrating this, Wood mentions the company’s current development of a new peanut feeder, which is likely to cost between £65,000 and £70,000 “just to tool.”

Going back to the beginning of the current decade meanwhile, some of the ongoing funding has come from work which Wood carried out on behalf of the Angolan banking sector. This took the form of “50 armoured cars, used for moving cash around.”

“I’ll fund [the project],” he says, “and I never borrow. I work to build up sufficient funds to do what it is that I want to do. If I never make a profit out of this, that would be very disappointing. But it wouldn’t be that I can’t retire when I want to. This is really important to me.”

In terms of the size of the business, Finches Friend is somewhat of a cottage industry. As well as all the effort Woods puts in, his son also works part time. The picture is completed by PR and marketer Claire Amos.

WILD BIRD FEEDING IS STILL A DIFFICULT MARKET TO BREAK INTO. AS MENTIONED, FINCHES FRIEND HAS BEEN AROUND FOR LESS THAN A DECADE

In terms of stock, Woods estimates that they’ve always got reserves of around three or four thousand units, all of which he puts together himself.

Going back to arguably the most important aspect of the business – actually selling the products – he splits potential clientele into two distinct categories. The first of these are people who simply enjoy birds being in their garden. Then there are the people, he says, who’s hobby

is birds. He continues: “We do get a reasonable amount of people who are what in this world are called ‘birders’. That is, those whose hobby is birds.”

At the moment, Finches Friend don’t sell into garden centres, instead doing all of their business online. Woods is interested in expanding however. “I am interested in finding garden centres where we could give them feeders to put up outside,” he says.

“At the minute we sell through our website and on Amazon, and that’s all we do. We’re very open to opportunities, but it all comes down to what’s possible between what is effectively three people working in the business.”

Finches Friend is a compelling company for any number of reasons, not least the products themselves. And naturally, it’s always fascinating to talk to someone as driven as Woods clearly is. It will be interesting to see how they expand from here, and the part which garden centres play in the company’s story going forward from here.

WE’RE VERY OPEN TO OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO WHAT’S POSSIBLE BETWEEN WHAT IS EFFECTIVELY THREE PEOPLE WORKING IN THE BUSINESS

Nova is proud to be one of the largest and most established outdoor living brands in the UK. We’re passionate about offering customers innovative and premium garden furniture solutions, designed to enhance memorable outdoor living experiences time and time again.

SOLEX 2023 A CELEBRATION OF SUMMER

ARE YOU A PART OF THE OUTDOOR LEISURE INDUSTRY? DO YOU WANT TO CHECK OUT THE HOTTEST TRENDS IN OUTDOOR LIVING PRODUCTS? IF SO, THEN YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS SOLEX 2023. A “CELEBRATION OF SUMMER”.

This three-day event unites the most prestigious luxury outdoor brands, giving quality buyers and visitors an opportunity to explore what’s new in both retail and contract markets. From trendsetting designs made with an eye towards sustainability, to making new relationships within the industry, SOLEX is the place to be!

What can you expect at SOLEX 2023? First off, this premier event allows key industry buyers to discover new products, witness innovations in design, explore retail and contract market solutions all under one roof. In addition, SOLEX offers a relaxed and friendly atmosphere with a professional focus on both retail and contract markets. As such, it gives both business professionals and buyers alike a chance to establish new relationships within this vibrant industry. Lastly, it enables buyers to check out the hot trends for shop floors in spring/ summer 2024.

At SOLEX 2023, you will find some of the finest luxury outdoor brands from around the country showcasing their products. You will also find out more about sustainable initiatives that are being taken by these prestigious companies as they look towards providing better products for the marketplace while caring for the environment. With so much innovation on display, it is sure to be an exciting experience!

The Solex team understands the needs of retailers who are passionate about outdoor living, offering nine distinct product lines to discover: garden furniture and shading; barbecues; garden decoration ideas for creative

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN BEAUTY AND INNOVATION AS YOU EXPLORE WHAT’S NEW IN BOTH THE RETAIL AND CONTRACT MARKETS

flair outside your home; leisure buildings for extra space in those special spots around the garden; outdoor spa and heating products; and outside entertainment solutions.

Whether you’re looking for trendsetting designs or sustainable initiatives in outdoor living products, make sure you visit SOLEX 2023 – the place where outdoor leisure buyers come together. Immerse yourself in beauty

and innovation as you explore what’s new in both the retail and contract markets. With its relaxed atmosphere and professional focus on attendees from multiple and independent garden centres, high street and department stores, online retailers, DIY stores and other industry professionals, this premier event offers boundless opportunities for everyone involved.

What’s new?

SOLEX 2023 is proud to be collaborating with Perennial and LOFA in the roll out of their new “Promote Health Campaign”. The Interactive Health Kiosk, which is sponsored by LOFA, provides a confidential way for individuals to get a quick assessment of their physical health. This includes Wellbeing Age™, weight, BMI, body fat content, blood pressure, and heart rate – all of which were identified in Perennial’s research as being critical issues. At SOLEX 2023, we believe that taking care of one’s health should be paramount and with this campaign we are hoping to encourage just that. Taking a Free Health MOT can take from as little as eight minutes, enabling exhibitors and visitors to self-test key indicators of their general health and wellbeing and walk away with a personal confidential printout of their results with a comparison to medically accepted standards. These free health checks will help contribute towards keeping our industry safe and healthy.

What’s happening at Solex?

CHECK OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SCHEDULE FOR 2023

1. Network with tv stars and industry professionals

Fire Food & Outdoor Living Evening | Tuesday 11 July | 5.30pm – 7.30pm Summer is a season that is all about fun and enjoyment, and what better way to embrace it than by attending events that allow you to mingle, network, and make new friends.

Solex 23 is hosting an evening event on Tuesday 11 July that promises to be a night of excitement, entertainment, and connection. The event is set to be one of their best, offering guests the chance to network with other visitors and exhibitors while enjoying music, a free bar, tasting some delicious food, and mingling with celebrities.

The Fire Food and Outdoor Living evening event is designed specifically for you to network, socialize and create genuine connections with like-minded professionals in the outdoor retail industry. This year’s event theme is all about outdoor summer living, so expect a lively atmosphere. Attendees at the event will be interested in the latest outdoor furniture designs, barbecues, and garden accessories for their businesses.

Solex is thrilled to announce that top chef and TV presenter Matt Tebbutt, along with broadcaster Jules Hudson from Escape to the Country, will be special guests at the SOLEX Fire, Food & Outdoor Living evening, hosted by BBQ magazine, at Birmingham’s NEC next month.

The duo will join Andy Clarke, one of the most exciting voices in the food and drink industry, to mix with exhibitors and guests and also judge the BBQ Hero competition.

BRANDS ON DISPLAY

Alexander Rose

Ascalon

BBQ Gourmet

Beefeater

Bramblecrest

Broilking

Buschbeck

Celtic Spa

Charbroil

Cheeky Charlie Ovens

Daro Trading

Extreme Lounging

Firepits UK

Firmans

4Seasons Outdoor UK

Gardeco

Garden Furniture Global

Glencrest

Garden Impressions

Hartman

Hex Living

Innovators International Instashade

Kaemingk

Kamado Joe

Kettler

Leisure Grow

Lifestyle Appliances

Lifestyle Garden Mercer Agencies

Minster Stylish Living

Munro Importers

Norfolk Leisure

Outback International Pacific Lifestyle

Pit Boss

Quest Leisure

Rotospa

Signature Weave Supremo

TOBS

Tramontina

Tripod Home Woodlodge

2. Primetime Appointments at Solex 2023

The PRIMETIME Appointments system is a scheduling tool that allows attendees to pre-book a meeting with SOLEX exhibitors before the event. This means that you can secure your appointment with your preferred exhibitors and avoid the hassle of trying to find them amidst the crowds.

To access this system, visit the SOLEX floor plan via the website and select the exhibitor you want to meet with. From there, press the button bar at the top of their page for easy access to the calendar system.

You can book in 30-minute blocks or extend if needed. Once confirmed, an email will be sent out to confirm your appointment.

To make the most out of this system, we recommend the following tips:

Solex floorplan 2023

NINE SECTORS

Garden Furniture

Shading

Outdoor Living Accessories

Barbecues

Garden Decoration

Garden Leisure Buildings

Outdoor Heating

Outdoor Health

Outdoor Entertainment

Plan ahead: Before making appointments, identify the exhibitors that are most important to you and prioritise them accordingly. Be flexible: Keep in mind that some exhibitors may be in high demand and may not have availability at your preferred time. Have an open and flexible attitude while booking appointments and consider alternative times.

Allow buffer time: It’s always good to allow some buffer time between appointments in case some appointments run over time or if there are last-minute changes.

3. Get to know Marcus Bawdon: The BBQ Whisperer

If you’re a fan of the smoky, char-grilled goodness of barbecue, then you have most likely heard of Marcus Bawdon. Known as the “BBQ Whisperer,” Marcus has made a name for himself within the BBQ fraternity as an experienced chef.

Marcus will be at SOLEX for all three days of the event and will be taking on a variety of roles, including judging the Best BBQ Award, conducting interviews with exhibitors in our Loving Outdoor Living Zone, and giving a BBQ masterclass.

Marcus’ passion for outdoor cooking doesn’t stop with his work and hails from his love of creating simple, delicious food over live fire. Marcus’ philosophy highlights how that pleasure has been a long-standing practice across different cultures around the world and brings people together over the love for the same thing. His approach is to spread that passion and knowledge through his classes, teaching everybody from beginners to chefs alike. His teachings leave his pupils with a deeper appreciation of BBQ and the shared joy of cooking and eating.

Sneak peak Solex 2023

SOLEX SHOW DIRECTOR, GINA HINDE, REVEALS WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THIS YEAR’S SHOW...

What’s new at SOLEX 2023?

We’re going to have a hall full of our LOFA members. There are 50 exhibitors this year in total showcasing new products and new ideas. This year’s partnership will be with industry charity Perennial – they’ll be at SOLEX with their interactive health kiosk which is sponsored by LOFA. Planet Mark will also be there, working with exhibitors and ourselves to help reduce our carbon footprints.

We’ve got the fire food and outdoor living evening taking place on Tuesday 11 July from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. We’ll host the Barbecue Hero Competition in conjunction with BBQ Magazine, and we’ll be joined by TV’s Matt Tebbutt from Saturday Morning Kitchen and Jules Hudson from Escape To The Country. It will be a great night with music, free drinks,food and networking opportunities.

What trends are you expecting to see at the show?

I think the passion for weave has started to diminish, so exhibitors will be showcasing other products at SOLEX 23 such as mixed material products – wood and metal for instance. I know there’s going to be a lot of eco-friendly fabrics on offer – a lot of the exhibitors are thinking more seriously about sustainability. I’m not sure what else to expect, a lot of our exhibitors usually launch their new products at SOLEX, so if they have something new, this is where they launch it, and I don’t really see it or hear about it until the first day of the show – exciting!

Are you expecting sustainability to play a big part this year?

Yes, I think sustainability is high on everyone’s agenda. I know Lifestyle Garden make product ranges out of marine waste. A lot of companies are producing recycled cushions and fabric made from recycled bottles and I know a lot of the exhibitors are looking to bring in more sustainable materials into the market, as well as looking at how they can be more sustainable in their manufacturing processes.

Will there be learning opportunities at the show, or is it all about visitors getting up close and personal with products?

You can discover the stories behind the products and meet the experienced exhibitors behind them. Our exhibitors are passionate about what they create. Get up close and personal with them to learn the fascinating details about their products.

What key events are happening besides the Tuesday evening event?

You can join us on Monday evening for our awards ceremony. We’ll be presenting awards for the best stand, best furniture product, best barbecue, best sustainable product, and best individual product.

Have you seen more exhibitors in the outdoor living sector?

At SOLEX, we excel in outdoor living. Our expertise lies in outdoor kitchens, outdoor rooms, leisure buildings, BBQs, furniture, entertaining, and lighting. For anything related to living life outdoors, SOLEX is the place to be.

When and where is SOLEX?

Hall 5 at the NEC Birmingham from Monday 10 July to Wednesday 12 July.

Registration is available online, but you can also turn up on the day and register when you arrive.

University by Dr Geoff Whiteley. It is made from wheat straw, is an earthy brown colour has a neutral pH and lasts on the surface for up to two years.

Strulch stops weeds germinating by blocking light, retains moisture in the soil and the added minerals and texture deters slugs and snails.

13.5kg bags of Strulch are available on pallets of 12, 25, 40 and 48 bags. Delivered within 4 working days.

Trade discounts available

Baytree Living Startup Package

Planet Positive –How Garden Centres are

cutting their carbon footprint

WHY AND HOW GARDEN CENTRES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE PROACTIVELY MAKING SUSTAINABILITY-FOCUSED CHANGES TO THE WAY THEIR BUSINESS OPERATES

Since the 1980s, ‘sustainability’ has been a buzzword in business and has since come to be prevalent in our everyday lives. Garden centre owners have realised that you don’t have to choose between what’s good for business and what’s good for the planet, but in fact that sustainability can be good for business.

Eco-conscious consumers now expect companies to act transparently and care about social and environmental issues, so garden centres now need to adjust. We spoke to several retailers shaping the future of sustainability across the garden industry to learn about their practices and how they minimise waste, conserve resources, and reduce emissions.

Investing in the future

Ever-increasing energy costs have meant that over the past few years, the cost of heating nurseries and garden centres has risen significantly. Installing renewable energy solutions can play a key role in enabling garden centres to take control of and reduce their future energy costs.

One of the sustainable ways retailers have done this is through solar panels. Although a large investment, the future benefits will be huge, lasting for many generations to come. Nick Crabbie is the chairman of three garden centres in the northern tip of England and Scotland. “At Dunbar Garden Centre, we have 145kW of solar panels, underfloor heating throughout the garden centre and restaurant

powered by biomass, rainwater harvesting for irrigation purposes and four electric vehicle charging points,” he said. “Berwick Garden Centre has newly installed 85kW of solar panels, plus we also had one of the first electric vehicle charging points in any garden centre in the country. Our nursery, Plantsplus grow a huge range of plants on site, and has large-capacity biomass heating for both the production nursery and underfloor heating for the restaurant and hot water.”

Another simple but effective sustainable measure can be seen at Dunbar Garden Centre’s car park, where planted around the border are 150 Cotoneaster franchettis. They have been purposely planted here as they trap 20% more car emissions than other types of hedges.

Tammy Woodhouse, managing director of the Millbrook Garden Company tells us of the big wins the garden centres have taken to reduce their carbon footprint.

“We will be upgrading our solar panels this June to cover more of the roof at Gravesend and we have a planning application in for Staplehurst to do the same,” she said.

Simpsons Garden Centre in Inverness and Aberdeenshire has also invested in solar and energy efficiency as marketing manager, Siobhan MacBean explains. “We have had over 300 PV solar modules installed, generating up

to 100kW per hour. This will save 24.63 tonnes of CO 2 emissions annually – the equivalent of planting 1,131 trees, whilst supplying an added 20% of energy requirements to the business.

We have undertaken a significant energy efficiency programme to reduce our building emissions. Ross McEwan, sustainability manager for Squire’s Garden Centre, comments: “Part of this was for all our garden centres to find ways to save energy consumption. This work not only reduces our utility use and cost, but more importantly, our carbon emissions. Ideas have been successfully rolled out across all our centres.”

Hillier Nurseries has achieved Planet Mark certification for a third consecutive year. The company, which owns 19 garden centres across the south of England, aims to be a leader in sustainable, environmental

practises and its renewed certification reflects its efforts. The garden centre chain has reduced its total carbon per employee to 14% lower than the previous year, based on emissions from bought electricity, transmission and distribution losses, natural gas, fuel, waste and business travel.

Hillier has also decreased their electricity usage with an 8.5% drop alongside a 52% reduction in waste production and a 49% decrease in overall water usage. It has also signed a new threeyear electricity contract ensuring all departments across the business are serviced with origin (REGO) certified

renewable energy and installed L.E.D alternatives to fluorescent lighting. A move towards electrical forklifts is also underway, with 14 of the 19 Garden Centres currently using electrical forklifts, and the new acquisition at Ruislip is set to make the switch soon.

In-store and everyday processes

Sometimes, it’s simple changes to everyday procedures that can help reduce the environmental impact of your business. One of the key weapons to reducing your carbon footprint is employee engagement.

Bellis Brothers in Wrexham is committed to continuous environmentally friendly development and wants to function and grow sustainably. Over 96% of company waste is recycled, whilst staff are encouraged to turn off lights and electrical equipment when they are not needed. Timers and thermostats have also been installed to prevent the waste of resources.

At the tills, Bellis supplies cardboard boxes from deliveries for customers to reuse. The use of plastic bags has been drastically reduced by introducing a charge and all bags are now biodegradable.

Karen Hughes, operations director of Raglan Garden Centre said: “Raglan’s approach to sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint is ‘every day another step closer’ and this year, in addition to our existing sustainability plan, we focused on further reducing our energy usage and expanding our waste management programme.

“We trialled early store closing throughout January and early February to reduce our energy usage on site, achieving approximately

40 hours on heating and electricity. This was only possible with the support of our great team who were fully onboard, appreciating an earlier finish during the wintery months, and with our countryside location, this didn’t cause any disruption for our customers. Raglan’s next project will be installing solar panels onsite, taking us another step closer.”

Millbrook Garden Centre has two centres in Staplehurst and Gravesend and marketing manager, Anna Worboyes, tells us how they have implemented some simple processes that can help stores every day. “We have a Green Group which Tammy chairs with representatives from all parts of the business looking at day-to-day practices. Our first initiative was to improve our recycling so we added more recycling bins for customers and staff through the centres and carried out training with the whole team on what can be recycled.

“We also found which lights need to be turned on first and which can wait, labelling all the switches with red, amber or green stickers to help staff. Our next project is water saving –we have upgraded all our plant tables to flood benching and stopped all overhead irrigation. We have trained all staff on watering efficiently and now we are watching our water usage to see what impact this has had.”

Building a Green Team seems to be a common theme as Ross from Squire’s Garden Centre explains: “We are now in the second year of our Sustainability Champions programme. This is working well across all our 16 centres and have seen growing interest from colleagues who want to be actively involved too. With more challenges facing the environment now, showed in all our daily lives, colleagues strive to support the programme, working in collaboration, to make changes to how we run. There has been a sea change in how we think and how we act, which is great to see.”

Water efficiency is also a priority for British Garden Centres as waste and sustainability manager Nathan Nice explains: “We’ve installed capillary mattering in store, so water is kept helping keep plans hydrated for longer without wasting water. We are also keen advocates of rainwater harvesting which greatly reduces the amount of mains water our staff use to water plants.”

Nathan also tells us of procedures that have been undertaken in the 62 stores. “We regularly check the heating and air conditioning used in our stores and head office. This stops any unnecessary heating or cooling of areas, therefore, stopping any wasted energy. We also maintain entrances and exits to stop any heat

COLLEAGUES STRIVE TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMME, WORKING IN COLLABORATION, TO MAKE CHANGES TO HOW WE RUN

from being lost, allowing centre and restaurant temperatures to remain constant.”

“Deliveries are often made on pallets to garden centres and simply sending the pallets back to a supplier or pallet company will see them reused rather than processed through a waste treatment centre,“ Nathan continues. British Garden Centres are also moving away

from singleuse plastics in packaging and turning to reusable and recyclable packaging options that are available. These simple but effective acts may feel small but are deceptively powerful, Simpsons Garden Centre has already cut its energy costs by 25% in the past six months by switching all bulbs to LED and becoming generally “more energy-aware”. As well as this, both centres are implementing recyclable pots and containers in store, sourcing their bedding plants as locally as possible ensuring minimum transportation and maximum quality, and watering all plants by hand ensuring there is no wastage.

Squire’s approach to packaging and gift wrap supports its customers’ desire for sustainable options. It has introduced ‘home compostable’ carrier bags and boot liners in all centres, replacing previous biodegradable bags for easy home composting, as well as a re-usable 100% natural cotton bag-for-life.

In the restaurants

Greening your restaurant can be done in several ways. From the garden centres that we spoke to, staff members were motivated to take part by setting small, attainable goals. Consumers are increasingly seeking out organic, local produce. Increasingly, people are buying organic food at supermarkets, so it’s only natural that this influences what they eat in restaurants.

Raglan’s operations director Karen Hughes outlined the procedures that now take place in

its Sugarloaf Restaurant.

“We expanded waste management into our restaurant, and this has proven very successful. Food separation and recycling began in early February and has shown a reduction of almost a third in our general waste volumes and a small reduction in the costs of removing waste from the site. What could be more rewarding than reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and helping to create renewable biogas and organic fertiliser to help grow the food we serve?”

All three sites of Dunbar, Berwick and Plantsplus Garden Centres have farm shops promoting locally sourced produce wherever possible and are producing food on-site for retail sale. The stores are also trialling having their waste coffee grounds from the restaurants available in the plant area for customers to take, as plants love them!

Simpsons’ centres compost all their food waste and reuse cooking oil from the kitchens which is repurposed for biofuel and animal feed. The heating for the restaurant is recycled from excess heat from the kitchen whilst compostable straws, coffee cups, juice cups and sandwich, and salad cartons are the norm.

Reusing cooking oil

SENDING THE PALLETS BACK TO A SUPPLIER OR PALLET COMPANY WILL SEE THEM REUSED RATHER THAN PROCESSED THROUGH A WASTE TREATMENT CENTRE

is also a best practice for British Garden Centres as Nathan tells us; “The oil from our Gardener’s Retreat restaurants is sent to companies who can recycle it by processing and using it again as cooking oil or used in vehicles as biodiesel.”

This is also the case at Bellis Brothers which has refillable water jars present to reduce people buying single-use plastic water bottles. The store also has a working market gardening farm next door and sells homegrown seasonal fruit and vegetables in the farm shop, as well as using the produce in the restaurant resulting in zero food miles.

Squire’s is committed to reducing product waste, especially when it can still be used. In its food halls (Frensham & Wokingham), stores have introduced ‘Too Good to Waste’ selection boxes for food items that were approaching the ‘end of retail sale,’ but still perfectly good for consumption. Ross comments: “We have seen a reduction in food waste and positive customer

uptake. Both our food halls also have links with local food banks that collect fruit, vegetables, and bakery and store cupboard items and this has been well-received.”

In the community

Supporting the communities in which garden centres serve – whether it’s working with local charities to support relevant local initiatives or supplying recycling facilities – is important, as Ross at Squire’s explains. “In efforts to help our customers

be increasingly more sustainable, we have introduced ‘Reuse & Recycle Bin Stations’ to all 16 garden centres, enabling customers to easily recycle plastic pots, trays and compost bags. Material is then 100% UK recycled most appropriately and efficiently – with nothing going to landfill – prepared ready for remanufacturing into new everyday items.

He adds: “Our Long Ditton centre takes part in a local Climate & Nature weekend by hosting talks and activities. Our Sustainability Champions hold talks and demonstrations educating the audience on our sustainability journey and how to attract more wildlife to gardens in the locality. Audience feedback is extremely positive, and we look forward to holding similar events in the future.”

WE HAVE INTRODUCED ‘REUSE & RECYCLE BIN STATIONS’ TO ALL 16 GARDEN CENTRES, ENABLING CUSTOMERS TO EASILY RECYCLE PLASTIC POTS, TRAYS AND COMPOST BAGS

Products Lighting

BRIGHTEN UP YOUR SPACE IN STYLE WITH THESE STUNNING OUTDOOR LIGHTING SOLUTIONS

Alya

Nordlux

Alya is a cordless, solar powered wall lamp in a modern and minimalist design. It is charged by sunlight during the day, and turns on automatically when detecting motion. The downwards facing light is perfect for illuminating your main entrance, driveway or other areas with a lot of traffic. Easy installation with no cables needed. Nordlux offers a five-year LED guarantee.

RRP £49.45

nordlux.com

26M / 85FT “Super Festoon” warm white outdoor plug-in inter-connectable LED string lights

Lighting Legends

The Super Festoon string lights help create a warm and cosy outdoor space. The Warm White outdoor LED string lights brighten up any outdoor space which allows the creation of a relaxed setting. These lights are ideal to use all year round for outdoor dining and seating areas or entertaining friends and family out in the garden.

RRP £119.99 lightinglegends.com

The

Bulb 7 String NOMA Garden Art

The Bulb 7 String from NOMA features Solar 365 technology, and will work 12 months of the year with minimal sunlight. It contains a six-hour timer, turns on at dusk and lasts for six hours to conserve power. This product is available with “The Cube” – NOMA’s exclusive lighting display box to show the bulb at its best.

RRP £25.99

noma.co.uk

WiZ Connected outdoor spike light

4Lite

This robust and versatile smart garden spike light creates the perfect garden ambience with millions of colours and 64,000 shades of white. Supplied with a wall mounting bracket and spike, it is pre-wired with 2m of rubber insulated cable, dimmable via the WiZ app and includes setting schedules for different times of day, night lights and energy saving. Can be controlled wirelessly and remotely with the WiZ app or paired with voice control devices including Hey Google, Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri.

RRP £24.99

4liteuk.com

Solar lantern

Kaemingk B.V.

These beautiful, metal solar lanterns are available in two sizes and two atmospheric colours; black and green. The delicate pattern brings a warmth and high-summer vibe, giving your garden even more ambience. They work entirely on solar, so no cables needed. Good to know; almost all of our solar items come with a functioning presentation version, so you can light them on your shop floor.

RRP from £10.99

kaemingk.com

WiZ Connected LED up and down wall light

4lite

The 4lite WiZ Connected up and down wall light is ideal for illuminating exterior features and creating outdoor ambience. The durable, diecast aluminium fixture has a sleek design and textured paint finish. It is also dimmable via the WiZ app, with millions of colours and 64,000 shades of white, schedules can be set to save energy and for different times of day. As with the above 4lite device, it is compatible with voice control devices such as Hey Google, Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri.

RRP £49.99

4liteuk.com

Atlas Solar spotlights (set of four)

The Solar Centre

Illuminate any driveway, path or bring a whole new look to your garden with this set of four Atlas Solar Spotlights. Featuring a compact design that makes a big impact, with no mains power necessary, your garden can be completely transformed in minutes.

RRP £69.99

thesolarcentre.co.uk

Products Barbecues

THESE MACHINES ARE IDEAL FOR ANY BUSINESS LOOKING TO CATER FOR BUDDING GARDEN CHEFS

7000 Series Premium 5 Burner BBQ & Side Burner Trolley BeefEater Europe

The new 7000 series premium trolley BBQ, that like all BeefEater products, are built to last. Both burner box and roasting hood are made from 304 grade stainless steel with large and durable cooktops that are manufactured from porcelain coated cast iron. The side burner trolley includes a concealed chopping board and ice box. There is LED lighting on all control dials and hood which also has a built-in back burner, perfect for using with a rotisserie.

RRP £4,995 beefeaterbbqeurope.co.uk

Citi Chef 50 Cadac UK

With innovative, award-winning design, the Citi Chef 50 is light and manoeuvrable, making it the ideal choice for urban living. The compact style yet generous 47cm cooking space mean it is perfect for anyone with a taste for outdoor entertaining. The single high-performance burner has automatic piezo ignition, and with a removable drip cup, cleaning is a breeze. Discrete on-board gas storage, removable bamboo side tables and four lockable castors make storage easy when not in use.

RRP £385 cadacuk.com

Infinity 400 Norfolk Grills

With an already extensive catalogue of high-quality brands and being renowned for bringing innovative garden furniture to the UK market, Norfolk Leisure is celebrating its 25th year with the launch of its very own range of BBQs, Norfolk Grills. The Infinity Gas BBQ is available in four or five burner options; both models include ergonomic controls with added LED lighting. A lower cabinet gives customers added storage and the handy 3.3kw side burner, condiment storage and tool hooks make sure essential cooking tools are never far away.

RRP £1,199

norfolkleisurelifestyle.com

Timberline and Timerline XL Traeger Grills

Traeger has perfected the outdoor cooking experience with the introduction of the all-new Timberline grill and the Timberline XL, with the ultimate combination of consistency, convenience, and versatility. The new Traeger Timberline redefines what a grill can do, pushing the limits of cooking outdoors, while bringing people together to create memorable meals.

RRP Timberline £3,699 and Timberline XL £3,999.99 traeger.com

Plain Jane FirePitsUK

The ultimate fire pit for cooking and warmth, the Plain Jane comes with FirePitsUK’s unique BBQ Rack Swing Arm which gives “unparalleled” control when cooking over wood. Easily removeable, the rack simply lifts off and then the Plain Jane fire pit is the perfect height to keep everyone toasty late into the night. It comes in a range of sizes from 40cm to 90cm diameter.

RRP From £270 firepitsuk.co.uk

Weber

The 2022 SmokeFire Wood Fired Pellet Grill

STEALTH Edition, brings a sleek, distinctive black-on-black aesthetic to Weber’s all-in-one SmokeFire pellet grilling experience, which centres on exceptional wood fired flavour through both high heat searing and low and slow smoking.

The 2022 SmokeFire Wood Fire Pellet Grill

STEALTH Edition series includes two models.

RRP From £1,899 weber.com/GB/en

Alfresco Chef Ember Pizza Oven

Alfresco Brands Ltd

Convenient, portable and artisan are just a few words to describe this multi fuelled pizza oven. There is a full range of accessories to complement the oven. At an affordable price point, it looks great on display in any outdoor setting; whether it be the garden, camping or glamping, the end product is the same within 90 seconds. The multi-functional oven which can be used for cooking meat, fish, vegetables and, of course, pizza. The Ember can sear, bake, roast and smoke any food reaching up to 500ºC.

RRP £249.99 alfrescobrands.co.uk

SmokeFire Wood Fired Pellet Grill, STEALTH Edition

Glasshouses supplied, erected, dismantled. Bespoke structures. Expert reroofing in polycarbonate and composite panels. All aspects of glasshouse work and refurbishments. Maintenance, cleaning. Gutter and door replacement.

Tel: 01724 734374 Fax: 01482 648032

Email: info@newcenturyglass.co.uk

Web: www.newcenturyglasshouses.com

Products Garden Furniture

CHAIRS, BENCHES AND SEATS THAT HAVE SERIOUS APPEAL FOR ALL AGES AT A RANGE OF BUDGETS

Cherry Blossom Bench

Zest

Inspired by Japanese architecture, this elegant bench brings an oriental feel to your garden or outside space. Delightfully decorative the Cherry Blossom Bench manages to look effortlessly graceful whist being constructed from chunky pressure treated wood making it the perfect accent for any outdoor space. It is made from sustainable slow-grown softwood sourced from PEFC-certified (PEFC/16-37-1490) forests and comes with a 10-year guarantee against rot.

RRP £269.99

zestoutdoorliving.co.uk

Cordial Luxe Lucy chair

Alexander Rose

The Lucy chair is the signature piece within the Cordial Luxe range. It comes with either a sturdy base or cantilever frame, and a unique and attractive chunky rope weave is handwoven onto the frame and makes up the chair surround.

RRP £2,449 (on a cantilever frame) alexander-rose.co.uk

Garden Bar and two Stool Set

Zest

The award-winning Garden bar is quick and easy to set-up by simply opening the two main storage doors to make a sturdy base for the fold-down counter which acts as a bar. Opening the side panel hinged doors reveals fully fitted cabinet shelving to display drinks and glasses. Guests can sit comfortably at the bar by removing the two sturdy stools from the base section. Like the Cherry Blossom Bench, it is made from sustainable slowgrown softwood sourced from PEFC-certified (PEFC/16-37-1490) forests and comes with a 10-year guarantee against rot.

RRP £619.99

zestoutdoorliving.co.uk

Sorrento Dining

Alexander Rose

Sorrento is a luxury furniture range which uses 100% premium teak, FSC-graded and sourced from sustainable forests in Brazil. New to the Sorrento collection is the Sorrento Dining, which consists of a generous sized armchair and a choice of eight or 10-seater table.

RRP £6,771 for eight-seater, £8,339 for 10-seater alexander-rose.co.uk

Santiago 9 Piece Dining Set

Keter

Available in a contemporary graphite grey, the Santiago 9 Piece Dining Set is the perfect piece of garden furniture to relax, entertain and dine alfresco. Made from durable, UV protected, all-weather resistant materials, it comprises a spacious table, four chairs and footstools, plus comfortable seat and foot pads, all of which store a compact cube in between use.

RRP £499.99 keter.com

Bramblecrest

The new Mauritius range from award-winning garden furniture company Bramblecrest includes a sleek set, featuring a unique speckled Heron Grey rope design which blends beautifully with the Anthracite Grey aluminium frame and Eco cushions in Cobble – made from recycled plastic bottles.

RRP £1,999

bramblecrest.com

Vilamoura Square Modular Sofa with square Teak Coffee Table

Bramblecrest

The new Vilamoura range from award-winning garden furniture company Bramblecrest has an open frame, creating a ‘floating’ effect to carry its user away from everyday life into a calm and relaxing outdoor space. With a lightweight and weatherproof aluminium and sustainable teak structure, Vilamoura is a contemporary addition to a garden and is Bramblecrest’s most innovative modular system to date.

RRP £2,199

bramblecrest.com

Mauritius 2-Seater Sofa with 2 Armchairs & Rectangle Ceramic Top Coffee Table