GTN September 2018

SPECIAL SHOW PREVIEW EDITION

gtn SEPTEMBER 2018

Advice and information for garden centre professionals

gardentradenews.co.uk

SPECIAL SHOW PREVIEW EDITION

gtn SEPTEMBER 2018

Advice and information for garden centre professionals Advice and information

for garden centre professionals

gardentradenews.co.uk

It’s Glee 2018 but not as we know it!

Get set for a revised, revitalised and refreshed event

GLEE PREVIEW

Great Expectations Garden centre retailers and exhibitors reveal their hopes for Glee 2018.

The expectations of visitors and retailers are already running high for Glee 2018. The first preview issue of Glee Daily News has been opened 78% more frequently than last year – and by 42% more readers. Similarly, entries for the Glee New Product Showcase, in association with GTN, are currently 40% higher as we near the end of August. With a new layout across Halls 6, 7, 8, 19 and 20, the refreshed event has the potential to re-energise the industry as this year of extremes continues.

GTN’s Trevor Pfeiffer asked garden centre retailers and exhibitors about their hopes for Glee 2018.

RETAILERS Adam Wigglesworth, Aylett Nurseries: “I always look forward to seeing the innovations that suppliers have brought forward, giving us optimism and enthusiasm for the season ahead. In the current retail climate, the right product selection is probably more important than ever.”

Paul Emslie, Wyevale Garden Centres: “Glee is definitely one of the highlights of our annual calendar and comes at a perfect time to plan ahead for the following year’s trade. It’s an event that our buyers, marketing colleagues and visual merchandisers all find exceptionally beneficial. Seeing existing and new products displayed to their best potential, and all in one place, really helps our teams to visualise the way they want to bring our next-year ranging to life, and provides valuable solutions to all garden needs. It’s also so important to be able to network across the supply base. Every year we expect the event to improve and it never disappoints. We will be particularly interested to see how suppliers are visually representing their ranges as well as understanding new and emerging themes that are likely to motivate customers to do more in their gardens.”

Julian Winfield, Haskins Garden Centre Group: “Simple, we need our suppliers to innovate, which will help both suppliers and our garden centres to grow and be stronger for the future!”

Boyd Douglas-Davies, Hillview Garden Centres: “I expect Glee will continue where it left off last year. Strong inspiration through the Retail Lab, new product introductions from the major players and an interesting mix of new opportunities presented by first-time exhibitors. There is no doubt in my mind that Glee will yet again prove to be the most important trade show in the industry calendar.”

Matthew Bent, Bents Garden & Home: “Our customers are looking for more gardening-related gift and decorative lines, plus we need to provide them with more environmentally friendly solutions. A lot of gardening companies have had a difficult year with all the extremes, so it will be good to see how they innovate to drive business forward. One thing is for sure, next year will be different, so we have to find lines to create more interest in the garden.”

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Martin Stewart, Stewarts Garden Centres: “After a tough year we have to say thank goodness for the innovative products the suppliers are bringing in. That’s what we will be looking for, as well as enjoying the conviviality of a fantastic trade show.”

Justin Williams, Fron Goch Garden Centre: “We will be desperately looking for innovation.

Our customers have a thirst for the new and a thirst for problem-solving, and we have a thirst for environmental features that are relevant to the way people live today, being time-poor and much more thoughtful about their environment.”

Andy Bunker, Alton Garden Centre: “As always, expectations at Altons are high. We’re looking forward to seeing the new branding from the likes of Scotts to Evergreen Garden Care, and Cadix to CAPI, which I’m hoping will have some great news for the 2019 season. I always really look forward to seeing both Apta and Woodlodge stands, with some great new ranges to get your teeth into. It will be

GLEE PREVIEW interesting to see developments in outdoor garden décor which, while it’s a big and growing category, does need to be careful of overkill with so much on offer and the risk of duplication.”

James Ducker, Langlands Garden Centre: “I am very excited and really looking forward to visiting Glee with my team this year. We are hoping to find some new and exciting products for the 2019 season. Glee is a great place to see what is available and what trends are in store for us next year.”

Gerald Ingram, Planters and Garden King Garden Centres: “We’re looking for new products that will sell well. Also revisiting old or existing suppliers to see what they have developed.

We will be looking at all areas of our business through this show.”

Heidi Bisset, Munro’s Nurseries Garden Centre, Inverness: “After leaving this season on such a high at Munro’s, we hope Glee will bring us a new range of innovative products and a positive buzz for 2019.”

And the last retailer word goes to Alan Roper at Blue Diamond Garden Centre Group, who will be at Glee buying for nine more centres than last year: “New suppliers, plus old suppliers with new product, would be my hope and expectation,” he said.

SUPPLIERS As for the exhibitors, they will all be looking forward to seeing as many potential stockists of their products as possible, plus getting feedback and orders for their new products. Here’s what a number of them told GTN as the show draws nearer.

Keith Nicholson, Westland: “Gardening is exciting, attractive, a great and rewarding pastime. At Glee, our products really underpin this. We will be revealing new products, new packaging and new media campaigns to build on that excitement. Lawns will be strong for 2019 and we have a totally revamped offer. Indoor gardening is not stopping and it’s one of the trends in 2019. You’ll see the results of our ‘green’ developments including the revolutionary peat replacement technology

called BIO3, which will feature in an exciting New Horizon range… it really is a window into the future of growing media. Plant foods and grass seeds will be stronger than ever.”

James Hoad, Apta: “We’re particularly excited about Glee this year. We have high expectations for the show as the new hall layout should give it a real lift. We have a new stand location with twice the space in comparison with previous years, and will be showcasing our biggest-ever range. We really hope the pre-show interest translates into increased footfall, so that we have plenty of customers to show it all to!”

Adam Taylor, Taylors Bulbs: “Glee is always a fantastic opportunity for us to catch-up with customers in the peak of autumn bulb retailing; offer in-season promotions and show products that were previously just a picture in the catalogue. With ordering of summer bulbs and seed potatoes rapidly rising to the top of the to-do list, we also get a chance to show our offer and talk through ideas for next year. Although I don’t know the finer detail, I like the principle of the revised layout to encourage browsing and I hope our customers will take home plenty of inspiration.”

Anthony Harker, AMES Group: “At AMES we have enormous opportunities ahead of us and we are looking forward to sharing those opportunities with as many customers as we can during the show. Glee has always been hugely important for Kelkay and we expect that to continue in the future for all the AMES Group companies. We will continue to put the UK garden centres at the heart of our strategy. It’s been a turbulent year for both retailers and suppliers, and we intend to make sure that the AMES Group companies deliver dependable service partnered with exciting innovation and category developments that will support our customers. We’re looking forward to sharing some of those plans with our visitors to Kelkay, La Hacienda and Anchorfast at Glee next month.”

Sarah McLafferty, Primeur: “We are looking forward to Glee 2018; on the back of winning the GIMA award in the Landscaping category we have designed a brand new, larger stand to present both our recycled gardening products as well as launching our new range of doormats. We have lots of new products to discuss with our existing and potential customers. Glee is vital for us in building upon existing relationships and establishing contact with new centres, we also will make good use of all the seminars, retail lab and the new product showcase to ensure we are fully updated on the garden trends and future of the market.”

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING Garden Trade News, Potting Shed Press Ltd Dairy Drove Thorney Peterborough PE6 0TX Tel 01733 775700 Fax 01733 775838 gardentradenews@tgcmc.co.uk www.gardentradenews.co.uk THE GTN TEAM Editor: Neil Pope neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk Associate Editor: Mike Wyatt mike.wyatt@tgcmc.co.uk Director: Trevor Pfeiffer trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk Publisher: Mandy Davies mandy.davies@tgcmc.co.uk Advertising: Alan Burdon alan.burdon@tgcmc.co.uk Ben Greenwood ben.greenwood@tgcmc.co.uk HOW TO SUBSCRIBE Tel 01733 775700 or email subscriptions@gardentradenews.co.uk Subscription rates UK: £145 Subscription includes a password for full access to GTN Online plus a weekly copy of GTN Bestsellers OUR PUBLISHERS GTN is published by Potting Shed Press Ltd, who also publish: * www.gardentradenews.co.uk website * Weekly GTN Xtra and Pet Trade Xtra newsletters * Garden Radio * Official Glee Catalogue and Glee Daily News Online – the only official guides to the garden industry’s leading annual trade show SMALL PRINT All material © Potting Shed Press 2018. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, either for sale or not, without the express permission of the publishers. The information contained in this publication is published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. Potting Shed Press Ltd cannot accept responsibility for any error or misrepresentation.

All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage caused by reliance on information contained in this publication or in the event of any bankruptcy or liquidation or cessation of the trade of any company, individual or firm mentioned, is hereby excluded.

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September 2018 3

GLEE PREVIEW

Gardman set to surprise and delight

The last exhibitor word goes to the gardening company that not only had extremes of weather to cope with but also a fire that wiped out their entire warehouse and £20m of stock.

Will Hemmings at Gardman: “Our expectation is to surprise and delight a lot of people at Glee. Immediately after the fire, many assumed that we would stop trading for a sustained period of time. As it happened, we were shipping to customers within just a few weeks. Some also assumed that this would put a hold on new product development, marketing activity and brand investment. This couldn’t be further from the truth. If anything, the fire accelerated our plans and we are now set to launch over 400 new products across our core Wild Bird Care, Gardening and Lighting categories.

“Most importantly, we want to ensure customers understand the process we have gone through to generate our new product ideas. Every product we’re launching at Glee starts with understanding our consumers’ needs. By way of example, we’ve conducted a lot of research into solar lighting. We know that the key barrier to buying solar is that consumers don’t trust solar to work all year

round. We also know that around 70% of households don’t have a solar light. Thus, rather than simply buying different solar designs ‘off the shelf’ from China, we’re rapidly expanding our range of Dual Power solar lights to “guarantee light all year round”. This offers customers a chance to premium-ize the sector whilst driving new consumers into the category. We will use Glee to showcase not just our new products, but our depth of consumer understanding and our category leadership credentials.

“The fire also presented us with further opportunities; for instance, we have completely redesigned and improved all our stands and point-of-sale across all product categories. We will reveal more than 30 new modular displays at the show following an investment of around £750K. We also had the opportunity to invest in TV media for our Gardman Wild Bird Care brand, which we will be showcasing at Glee.

“In summary, Glee remains hugely important to our business and we feel confident we have the right insight, expertise and new products to both surprise and delight very many people this year.”

Get set for a revised, revitalised and refreshed Glee event Reflective of the need to keep retail environments fresh and interesting, the 2018 event will be updated to a vibrant and revitalised Glee exhibition. From a new location, to a refreshed floorplan and a wealth of additional features and innovative content, Glee 2018 will be THE show to attend if you want to stay ahead of the competition in 2019 and beyond.

Matthew Mein, Glee’s Event Director, said: “Glee 2018 is all about arming retailers and suppliers with the tools, inspiration and knowledge to grow their businesses.

“This year we have created a show that builds on the success of previous years but takes it to the next level. This means everything from a new floorplan that

4 September 2018

will help retailers to walk the show differently, sourcing new suppliers and exciting new products along the way, to a much more in-depth programme of content that will help cut through the noise regarding latest consumer trends, merchandising techniques and the future of garden retailing.

“The event is all about bringing together the most influential figures and brands from across the garden and outdoor leisure industry and providing them with a platform to network and find ways to grow together. In doing so we believe this will help to futureproof their businesses in this ever changing and demanding retail environment.”

“Glee has been growing at a significant rate – we had over 200 new brands join us

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at the 2017 event – and that means we’ve outgrown our previous home. Glee has successfully relocated before, and we believe that this next move will be received with the same level of industry support.

“Not only will we be able to better accommodate more exhibitors and visitors, but its refreshed layout will breathe new life into the show. This move is inspired by the way that retailers keep their store interesting for customers by constantly revising the layout. This way customers discover more, and ultimately spend more – something we know our exhibitors and visitors want to replicate during their time at Glee.”

GLEE PREVIEW

What’s New at Glee 2018?

In 2018 Glee will be benefitting from a complete relocation into NEC halls 6,7,8, 19-20, providing the show with a much bigger footprint, and an even larger and more exciting exhibition. Exhibitors will be relocating to new stand spaces, whilst visitors will be walking an updated floorplan; discovering new products and companies at every turn. The overall effect will be a refreshed, revitalised event.

Bigger content programme with more high-profile speakers Building more content to help support the continuous growth of gardening in the UK will be a key theme of the 2018 event.

Garden retailing is continuing to buck the trend, with growth for both garden retailers and suppliers continuing to grab the headlines. At Glee 2018 look out for more features, seminar sessions and year-round information relating to trends, merchandising and practical advice on ways to build better business, whilst also tackling the most burning issues set to affect the industry in the years ahead.

Glee’s Seminar Theatre will also be getting an upgrade in 2018, including a relocation to hall 8. With an increase in visitors to the theatre of 30% year-on-year, Glee will be working to bring even more high-profile speakers to the stage in 2018 such as Charlie Dimmock, The Skinny Jean Gardener, Romeo Sommers and Lee Bestall.

The purrfect place to source pet products – Pets at Glee Bigger and better than ever before, ‘Pets at Glee’ will be a thriving section of Glee, designed to make it even easier for garden centre pet buyers to directly source 2019 ranges, whilst also benefitting from

The New Product Showcase, in association with GTN, is the best place to see all the launches for 2019.

unrivalled networking and educational content.

A ‘Pets at Glee’ entrance (Hall 19) will drive retailers right into the heart of the pet area, whilst a special pet seminar stage will also be making its debut at the show. Marking a significant investment for this new era of Pets at Glee, the seminar stage will offer insight into the latest trends shaping the pet care sector such as the humanisation and

premiumisation of pet products, as well as interactive content that can be implemented instore to boost pet care within the garden retail environment.

The new look ‘Pets at Glee’ will also be a hub of information, innovative new products and business advice that will enable those 70% of garden retailers who currently offer pet products to boost their business in the year ahead, helping them to take a slice of the £5billion spent on pet products, food and accessories annually in the UK. PetQuip – the leading international trade association for manufacturers and suppliers of pet care goods and services – has also confirmed that it will be continuing its support for the PetQuip Business Village.

Retail Lab @ Glee returns The Retail Lab @ Glee was introduced in 2017 to showcase the latest trends within the garden industry, whilst also providing retailers with hands on advice and inspirational content that they can take back to their own stores to drive sales in the coming season. The response to this new area surpassed expectations, with suppliers and retailers remarking on the immediate ‘take home’ value of the Lab’s content.

This year the Retail Lab will focus on bringing Happy Gardening to the fore. This trend builds on much of the content showcased within the 2017 Retail Lab but will dig a little deeper into the many ways that gardening can enhance our lives – from GYO to ‘play’, pets and easy gardening for those making their first tentative steps into the garden, or those who require an easier style of gardening.

From getting outdoors more, to bringing together communities and families over the simple act of nurturing plants, fruit and vegetables, Happy Gardening is quite simply a theme which encourages us to get dirt under our nails, make mistakes, try something new, and celebrate the act of interacting with gardens, plants and the great outdoors.

Complementing the Happy Gardening theme will be the way in which the Retail Lab is presented. This year the area will benefit from a strong cubism design,

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chosen for its ability to be recreated within garden retail environments, as well as being reflective of the pop-up shop culture that has helped to make retailing more agile and able to respond to key trends almost immediately.

Additionally, these cubes are representative of urban living – an area where bringing more greenery into the home will greatly improve the quality of life on offer. During the show, these ‘cubes’ will be created to help visitors to the Retail Lab go on a journey through both the Happy Gardening theme, as well as within the retail environment, providing inspiration at every step and showcasing how to maximise multiple sales through clever merchandising displays.

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Moving forward for 2019 With more than 80 years in the business, NOMA’s expertise is second to none.

With a thriving Christmas lighting range, NOMA’s solar and battery garden lighting range can confidently shout about the innovative technology and superior product quality that keeps NOMA a household name.

2019 brings new collections to help buyers choose a range that not only sits well together but is sure to sit well with popular garden centre style themes throughout. The new NOMA Garden Art collections group together a selection of string lights, stakes, lanterns and hanging lights to create a stylish and effective garden theme. The new collections include a bright and fresh Coastal collection, a industrial Contemporary Living collection, a warming and mood setting global collection as well as Novelty, Decorative and Classic collections to suit all tastes.

The NOMA 365 Solar Technology has now been in the market for 3 years. With minimal returns and rave reviews online, Solar 365 is also becoming a household name and making a rightful place amongst the tried and tested NOMA Christmas products. Look out for the effective functional lighting as well as creative and innovative decorative lighting.

Visit us at Glee stand 6S50-U51

GLEE PREVIEW

Kelkay – showing why success counts It has been a very busy 12 months for the team at Kelkay and the statistics paint a clear picture of their continued success.

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Successful years

Antony Harker founded Kelkay in 2001 with his partner Hayley, building the business steadily from modest beginnings to the successful operation it is today. It’s always been truly a family affair, even the company brand is based around the names of Antony’s daughters, Kelsie and Cally. Kelkay now employs around 100 people and in 2018 it became part of AMES UK where Antony is now Managing Director.

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GIMA Award nominations

At this year’s GIMA awards in July, Kelkay were nominated for two awards in the garden landscaping category as well as being finalists in the best point of sale material and best product packaging. They were also runners-up in the GCA Supplier of the Year award. The awards demonstrate clearly how Kelkay prioritise innovation in their business strategy.

20% Growth

The past four years have seen particular success for Kelkay as they have expanded into new categories and introduced new brands. Sales in 2017 demonstrated over 20% growth compared with 2016, thanks to an ambitious programme of new product development as well as the launch of Portfolio porcelain paving and a successful licensing agreement with RHS.

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GLEE PREVIEW

New Categories

Expansion into new categories has been a cornerstone of success for Kelkay and 2019 will see them expand further thanks to their new International relationships, fostered as part of The AMES Co. At Glee 2018 visitors can expect to see a glimpse of the category development work underway with products and promotions in decorative stone, hand tools, garden accessories and their most recent and exciting venture into wooden furniture and garden structures.

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Fastest growing company

Sales agents

The eight most experienced sales people on the Kelkay team have more than 250 years of garden industry experience between them.

The team includes several ex garden centre buyers and store managers who bring a unique insight and understanding of garden centre requirements. The team prioritise customer service and are entirely dedicated to meeting the needs of independent garden centres in the UK and Ireland.

Kelkay was identified as one of Yorkshire’s fastest 50 growing companies at the Yorkshire Post’s business awards in March 2018. Antony Harker was especially pleased and said: “It’s such an honour for our business to be recognised as one of Yorkshire’s fastest growing businesses. This accolade is thanks largely to the dedication, skills and sheer hard work of my fantastic team together with the support from our loyal garden market customers.”

The AMES effect

www.kelkay.com

In February this year, Kelkay announced it had been acquired by Griffon Corporation, a US public company with approximately USD$2billion in annual revenue. The business has become part of The AMES Companies, Inc. (“AMES”), the largest supplier of non-powered lawn and garden tools in US, Canada and Australasia.

AMES UK also owns La Hacienda and True Temper and across the world own a large portfolio of other well-known brands in categories as diverse as hand tools, wheelbarrows, irrigation, pots and planters

amongst other home and garden products.

There are exciting times ahead for the company and its employees. Simon Hupfeld (left), CEO AMES, explains: “The AMES vision is to be the first and best choice – for our customers and our employees as well as suppliers, shareholders and the wider community. I really believe that our plans for the UK will bring further opportunities, especially for retail customers, who will benefit from access to our growing range of products as we expand into new categories.”

salesenquiries@kelkay.co.uk

Tel. 01405 869333

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GLEE PREVIEW

Green Heart makes return

Bringing added colour to garden landscaping RockinColour Ltd is an innovative company based in the UK that colour coats and adds surface finishing to a variety of substrates, from stones and gravels in various sizes, right down to sand. Their products are used for decorative features, landscaping and pot topping.

The company produce their own colourant on the same site as the production and packing facility, and even quarry the main aggregates used for coating within the same location. This means that all their products are sustainably produced.

This offers RockinColour’s customers ordering flexibility, and continuously innovative new colours and finishes at affordable prices, all under a strong brand.

The horticultural hub of Glee, the Green Heart, is making its return and is set to feature the widest selection of growers and plant specialists to this thriving section of the show.

Working in partnership with Woodlodge – the Green Heart’s official merchandising bench supplier – this year Green Heart will be made up of 114 benches, making 2018 the biggest ever Green Heart at Glee.

Featuring more international companies than ever before, the Green Heart will be home to brands such as The Bransford Webb Plant Company, Javado, Armlee Nurseries, Darby Nurseries, Morley Nurseries, Farplants, Craigmarloch Nurseries Ltd, John Richards Nurseries Ltd, Lovania Nurseries Ltd, Porters Fuchsias, Lowaters Nursery, The Plant Yard, Wyevale Nurseries Limited, Florna Plants, Viking Nurseries, Chamberlain Nurseries, Hawkesmill Nurseries co Ltd, Philip Sonneville, Anglo Aquatic Plant Company, Dataflor, Deforche Export, Helleborous (Wilgenbroek), Herbachef, VDW Plants, Wharton Nurseries, and Worfield Plants - all coming together to create the strongest display of new plant varieties and inspiration for plant buyers and retailers looking to develop both their indoor and outdoor plant offering in the coming season.

Taylor Made Designs are a leading supplier of branded and unbranded uniform and workwear to garden centres. Fitting out your entire centre with polos, trousers, aprons, jackets, PPE, shirts, tees and more. Wide range of colours and sizes available. Contract Agreements. Uniform Management. Multi-site delivery. Online Ordering. Great Service! See Taylor Made Designs on stand 19P31

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GLEE PREVIEW

Kent & Stowe’s new Dig for Victory gifts recall legendary WW2 campaign In partnership with Imperial War Museums, Kent & Stowe have launched a unique collection of quality gifts inspired by the British civilians who were called upon to ‘Dig for Victory’ during the Second World War. This range tells the story of the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign, using newly digitised images from the museum’s vast collections alongside fun facts that give a fascinating insight into life on the home front. For example, did you know that even the moat at the Tower of London was transformed into an allotment and it is said that the Royal Family sacrificed their beloved rose beds for growing onions.

Imperial War Museums has been at the forefront of the First World War Centenary commemorations.

Considerable and compelling media coverage is expected as it concludes its five-year program marking 100 years since the end of the First World War, when the first ‘grow your own’ initiatives began.

There are initially 10 products in this delightful collection, including a Gardener’s Gift Pot, 2-litre Watering Can, Home & Garden Carrier Apron, 500ml Stainless Steel Flask, a ‘Dig for Victory’ engraved Hand Trowel and a nest of three uniquely designed Storage Tins. Each product comes with authentic wartime recipes and gardening tips from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Every product has been designed to stand out within your giftware and sundry departments with impactful point of sale support.

Research indicates the value of the gift market to be worth around £20bn with

consumers wanting to buy unusual and unique gifts that reflect the recipient’s hobbies and interests. The ‘Dig for Victory’ range is bound to capture the imagination of anyone who loves decorative home and kitchen accessories, gardening or has a keen interest in history. Positive reaction from garden centres and other retail outlets has led to considerable advance orders – and a commitment to expand the range.

Kent & Stowe has a three-year licence deal with Imperial War Museums for the use of imagery and branding in gardeningrelated merchandise. This partnership gives Kent & Stowe valuable access to their world renowned historical expertise and world class collections that will develop these quality gardening products into a true ‘collector’s item’ range.

More terrariums from Plantpak as houseplant category surges on Following the huge success of Plantpak terrariums at Glee last year, the range has been expanded with the addition of a beautiful large glass globe and an elegant teardrop shape. The Teardrop is a sophisticated and stylish terrarium with a metal frame and glass walls. Its contemporary geometric design, measuring 17cm diameter and 25cm high, is perfect for cacti, succulents and air plants. The beautiful mouth-blown 15cm diameter Glass Globe may also be used as a tea light holder for LED candles. Both feature one open side for air flow and can be hung or freestanding. The new products join the existing pyramid and small globe terrariums and a brand new stand has been developed to house them all. Merchandise the terrariums in the houseplant area and within sundries where the bright colourful display stand will make the most of this rapidly growing market sector.

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©IWM (D650)

The full ‘Dig for Victory’ selection will be available to view at Glee (7G50-K51) and products will be ready for despatch into stores during September and October. www.kentandstowe.com 01480 443753

NEW: Essential handipacks for every garden shed Plantpak is evolving its range to include gardeners’ handipacks - a collection of growing ‘essentials’ such as plant labels, tree ties, thermometers, pH testing kits, and greenhouse accessories.

This 55-sku range has been developed to meet the needs for quality functional accessories that every gardener needs to keep in the shed. You can now purchase cellular and fibre propagation, indoor and outdoor growing products as well as these new handipacks.

GLEE PREVIEW

Flopro Eco Smart harnesses solar power for efficient irrigation Flopro Eco Smart weather-responsive irrigation enables gardeners to harness the power of the sun to ensure regular and precise watering to help plants to thrive.

The system took first place in the important Growing and Planting Equipment and Sundries category at this year’s GIMA Awards, where the judges said its eco credentials made it a standout winner.

Harnessing solar efficiency for use with water butts and other non-pressurised water sources, it is easy to set up and use, delivering water every three hours to irrigate pots, plants, vegetables and more. A night mode system switches the controller off after dark.

These clever automatic solar powered systems, which come with either 12 or 24 drippers, ensure that the more the sun shines, the more water is applied.

A 200-litre water butt typically lasts for three weeks so holiday periods are easily catered for, but Flopro also offers a backup reservoir system that is ideal for holiday watering, smaller gardens, patios and balconies or where a water butt is not available.

Flopro Eco Smart watering systems provide precise watering direct to the roots and use up to 90% less water compared to a hose or watering can. www.flopro-uk.com

Eco Smart Watering systems come in 12-dripper or 24-dripper versions.

New reels, premium connectors and nozzles add value to the watering market New professional-standard metal watering products from Flopro are designed to satisfy growing consumer demand for premium styling and extreme robustness.

Coupled with its consumer-friendly packaging and POS, this upgrade gives

retailers an opportunity to encourage consumers to step up to a range offering unique benefits. The range includes connectors, spray guns and sprinklers, plus an elegant metal reel.

Flopro have also launched an entry-level Hose Reel that meets the need for affordable leak-free quality. Developed to a price point that will drive volume from stackable instore displays, it is compatible with other watering brands and is offered with a twoyear guarantee. With a capacity of 45m, it comes with a 20m hose, connectors and nozzle and can either be used free-standing or wall-mounted. Further Flopro reels and carts are planned.

For information on all Kent & Stowe, Flopro and Plantpak products, please visit www.crest-garden.com www.gardentradenews.co.uk

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GLEE PREVIEW

Zest for Leisure gears up for Glee Zest 4 Leisure is a proud supplier of high quality, FSC certified, timber garden products including decorative garden furniture, sheds and summerhouses, landscaping and decking, fencing and trellis, planters and climbing support, and an extensive ‘Grow Your Own’ range.

The company is gearing up for its sixth consecutive year at Glee and will be showcasing decorative and garden products for 2019, including new concepts such as Noah’s Arbour.

Zest 4 Leisure has an extensive ‘Grow Your Own’ range including the Stepped Herb Planter, a 2018 GIMA Award Finalist, which will be on display.

Another string to Zest’s timber bow is its quality fencing and trellis, which is manufactured with either pressure treated or dipped timber for durability and longevity.

You can visit Zest 4 Leisure on stand 20Z30 to see the company’s 2019 timber product range and to pick up a trade brochure.

The Pot Company offers plastic-free living with new Green Tones homeware range The Pot Company is contributing to the move away from plastics with a colourful and inspiring collection of eco-friendly homeware – made from ground down bamboo.

In bright, bold tones, the sleek products, which have been used in Channel 5’s Big Brother house, offer a natural choice for those wanting to ditch the many commonly-found plastic items inside and outside the home including garden pots, picnic sets, children’s tableware, pet bowls and takeaway coffee cups.

As well as being non-toxic and dishwasher safe, eco-conscious shoppers can also be reassured that while plastic takes 450 years to break down – putting enormous toll on our wildlife and ecosystem – the Green Tones collection biodegrades in under five years with minimal landfill impact.

If you would like to add the eco-friendly collection to your range, contact the team at the Pot Company on 01892 890 353 or sales@thepotco.com

Primeur will be showing their innovative garden products made from recycled rubber tyres as well as an exciting new doormat range.

As 2018 winners of the GIMA ‘Garden Landscaping’ award Primeur will present their complete range of garden edging, planters, stepping stones and decking – all made from recycled rubber, creating long lasting, indestructible products guaranteed to last in any weather.

The versatile doormat collection, Mighty Mats, brings both practicality and style to any home. Primeur have many merchandising solutions, POS and extended ranges, all of which can be seen on their stand at Glee.

14 September 2018

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Trading since 1925, Perry have thousands of products ideal for garden centres and retailers. With unrivalled packaging and merchandising options helping you sell more, Perry also offer you a dedicated account manager to help you select the best products to maximise your sales.

The Primus brand from Perry specialises in the most unique, quirky and eye-catching gifts for the home and garden. All Primus products are either handcrafted or hand finished by talented artisans to create a unique product every time.

Perry brands are built on Quality and Performance, providing you with the best products, competitive prices and un-matched service.

GLEE PREVIEW

Urban barbecues

by Cadac

NEW to Glee 2018, Grow Sow Simple™ truly believe that everyone, everywhere, should have the opportunity to experience the thrill of growing and eating their own fresh herbs and vegetables. The company’s aim is to offer this experience to their customers through a range of affordable, accessible and straight forward products. No matter what age, level of experience, or space available Grow Sow Simple™ aim to offer customers the confidence to grow through the new range of exciting, innovative well designed, quality products.

Always ahead of the trend, it will be no surprise that Bosmere’s Garden Furniture Covers range has increased in the number of size options and varieties to stay ahead and accommodate market requirements whilst not forgetting those with more traditional needs.

By offering four different fabric options Bosmere covers allow retailers to market a range best suited to their customer demographic without losing quality and give realistic guarantees to consumers.

Importantly a range of price options ensure profitability whilst maintaining flexibility to suit retailers’ individual requirements As part of the Tildenet Gardenware “home of quality brands” the rest of the Bosmere collection has been updated in product packaging, specification and increased value to maintain and build on its long-standing heritage. The free-standing display bins and headers have also had a complete overhaul with an eye on sustainability and recycling.

Innovation in product design along with proven practicality is what makes the Haxnicks brand grow, not just with core gardeners but also with an everincreasing number of new consumers to the market.

New home development has led to smaller areas

16 September 2018

for both leisure and gardening but the desire to cultivate both traditional and newer varieties of plants and vegetables is growing. Haxnicks’ new Balcony Garden offers not just a practical solution to urban gardeners but by using the Vigoroot technology within it will ensure better results for the consumer and therefore continue interest in expanding their usage.

The Easy Table garden and Tower Garden launched previously have grown in popularity making the Balcony Garden a strong addition to this range. As part of the Tildenet Gardenware Home of Quality Brands Haxnicks continues to grow the market. Watch out for the non plastic pots and propagation solutions to be launched at Glee.

Supporting the gardener has always been what Tildenet does best and as trends change there have been opportunities to develop into new areas.

Following the acquisition of Fleximas and a major supplier of Bulk Role products Tildenet will be launching a new Artificial Grass range offering a quality product across four price points with a constant supply source, so offering versatility and reassurance to the trade.

These will be launched for the first time at Glee and be available in 2m wide rolls with supporting information on complementary products and ‘how to’ guides for fitting. Other services will be added

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

In recent years The South African BBQ company CADAC (Glee Hall 6, Stand 6P34-Q35) has seen a significant shift towards stylish compact barbecues suitable for use on the smaller urban patios or balconies.

The free-standing Citi Chef 50 (£350) and table top Citi Chef 40 (£220) are easy to build, easy to use, easy to clean gas barbecues complemented by simple affordable modular accessories (£25£50) that will allow all patio gourmets to confidently create fabulous meals outdoors.

Cadac offer an extensive in-store POS programme, display stock and build support, visit the stand at Glee or e-mail info@cadacuk.com for additional information.

later such as bespoke sizes delivered direct to your customers and a list of approved installers if required.

The Tildenet Brand, as part of the Tildenet Gardenware Home of Quality Brands, will also be adding many new products to its range including a complete Screening range, Obelisks, new Cane options along with additions to its wire and fabric offers.

Mainframe continues to offer a system for building protective cages for use in gardens of all sizes using lightweight but strong aluminium poles and robust connectors.

A new point of sale stand will be launched at Glee with complete ‘how to’ guides for all the most popular Mainframe structures giving details of all the components needed for each design and advice on how to construct them with video screen option that will confirm you don’t need to be a mechanic to get the best results from Mainframe. .Customer feedback has told us that the most popular product used alongside Mainframe is Bird Net so the new stand will have room to accommodate rolls to cut lengths as required making for a quick and easy sale.

As part of the Tildenet Gardenware Home of Quality Brands, Mainframe will continue to be developed with many new options and uses being trialled to launch in the future.

GLEE PREVIEW

Tap into the trends with

Burgon & Ball

Burgon & Ball is launching a wide selection of new products at Glee 2018, with exciting new ideas in tools and giftware. Here’s a taster of what you’ll find on Stand 8E50-F51.

A flourishing obsession The houseplant obsession continues to go from strength to strength. A new selection of stylish indoor pots meets indoor gardeners’ cravings for design flair, and a collection of precisely-crafted tools for houseplant care is very much the perfect accessory. Burgon & Ball’s expertise in tools has been applied to this specialist range which includes precision Japanese pruning scissors and longhandled, small-headed tools for terrariums. These tools will appeal to customers who love the lush and leafy interior design trend.

A growing trend: container gardening Smaller gardens, urban living and busy schedules… modern life doesn’t always include the time or space for a large garden. Planted containers are a hugely popular way to flex green fingers, a fast track to bringing greenery into small spaces. With few dedicated tools available, this new range offers clever solutions to the unique requirements of container gardening, and will be a must-have for anyone who loves their pots!

18 September 2018

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GLEE PREVIEW

Cut weeds down to size

Gorgeous gardening gifts and accessories

Weeds have nowhere to hide, thanks to two new weed-busting tools! There’s a new hoe to cut weeding time in half, with a sharpened cutting blade which literally swings into action, biting into the ground at the perfect angle on both the push and pull strokes. And drawing on the success of the best-selling Weed Slice, another new weeding tool tackles weeds in different areas around the garden and allotment, and can handle a wide range of surface finishes, including aggregates.

A stunning new collection in the award-winning ‘RHS Gifts for Gardeners’ series, British Bloom is a dramatic confection of some of the garden’ bestloved flowers and most on-trend flowers, in fabulous rich colours. The range includes best-selling RHS lines, and introduces two new RHS-endorsed cutting tool and holster gift sets, and a new seed packet storage tin. And there’s also a new Love The Glove design in shades to complement Kneelo® kneeler favourites, for a perfect gardening gift set.

American engineering, built for lasting performance Glee 2018 sees the launch of Corona tools in the UK, in an exclusive first look at these exceptional tools from the USA. Drawing on a 90-year heritage, Corona will unveil an exciting range of garden tools, specially selected for the UK market. Engineered for lasting performance, these outstanding tools are the choice of professional gardeners across the America – and this autumn they will be available in the UK exclusively through Burgon & Ball.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

To find out more about these exciting products talk to the friendly and helpful team on stand 8E50-F51

Burgon & Ball www.burgonandball.com 01202 684141 September 2018 19

Glee Stand number 20U50 Always ahead of the trend, it will be no surprise that Bosmere’s Garden Furniture Covers range has increased in the number of size options and varieties to stay ahead and accommodate market requirements whilst not forgetting those with more traditional needs.

As part of the Tildenet Gardenware home of quality brands the rest of the Bosmere collection has been updated in product packaging, specification and increased value to maintain and build on its long-standing heritage. The freestanding display bins and headers have also had a complete overhaul with an eye on sustainability and recycling.

As part of the Tildenet Gardenware Home of Quality Brands Haxnicks continues to grow the market. Watch out for the non plastic pots and propagation solutions to be launched at Glee.

Glee Stand number 20U50 Supporting the Gardener has always been what Tildenet does best and as trends change there have been opportunities to develop into new areas.

Following the acquisition of Fleximas and as a major supplier of Bulk Role products, Tildenet will be launching a new Artificial Grass range offering a quality product across four price points with a constant supply source, so offering versatility and reassurance to the trade. These will be launched for the first time at Glee and be available in 2m wide rolls with supporting information on complementary products and how to guides for fitting. Other services will be added later such as bespoke sizes delivered direct to your customers and a list of approved installers if required.

20 September 2018

Innovation in product design along with proven practicality is what makes the Haxnicks brand grow, not just with core gardeners but also with an everincreasing number of new consumers to the market.

New home development has led to smaller areas for both leisure and gardening but the desire to cultivate both traditional and newer varieties of plants and vegetables is growing.

Haxnicks new Balcony Garden offers not just a practical solution to urban gardeners but by using the Vigoroot technology within it will ensure better results for the consumer and therefore continue interest in expanding their usage. The Easy Table garden and Tower Garden launched previously have grown in popularity making the Balcony Garden a strong addition to this range.

By offering four different fabric options Bosmere covers allow retailers to market a range best suited to their customer demographic without losing quality and give realistic guarantees to consumers. Importantly a range of price options ensure profitability whilst maintaining flexibility to suit retailers individual requirements

The Tildenet Brand as part of the Tildenet Gardenware Home of Quality Brands will also be adding many new products to its range including a complete Screening range, Obelisks, new Cane options along with additions to its wire and fabric offers.

Glee Stand number 20U50

Glee Stand number 20U50 Mainframe continues to offer a system for building protective cages for use in gardens of all sizes using lightweight but strong aluminium poles and robust connectors.

A new point of sale stand will be launched at Glee with complete how to guides for all the most popular Mainframe structures giving details of all the components needed for each design and advice on how to construct them with video screen option that will confirm you don’t need to be a mechanic to get the best results from Mainframe. Customer feedback has told us that the most popular product used alongside Mainframe is Bird Net so the new stand will have room to accommodate rolls to cut lengths from as required making for a quick and easy sale.

As part of the Tildenet Gardenware Home of Quality Brands Mainframe will continue to be developed with many new options and uses being trialled to launch in the future.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GLEE PREVIEW

Seed company with a difference

Blumen International – the UK subsidiary of Blumen Group, a seed and gardening company based in the North East of Italy – is making a massive impact in this country with its Seeds Collection and recently acquired FITO and GET OFF brands.

Trading since the 1920s, Blumen is now a market leader in the Italian garden market, dedicating itself to making gardening easily fit into today’s busy schedule for a more contemporary approach.

Blumen arrived in the UK in 2016 after completing the purchase of the FITO and GET OFF brands.

The company continues to develop and bring innovation to these much-loved brands and in turn to the UK gardening industry.

The Blumen story really begins with seed production. Priding itself on being a seed company with a difference, Blumen can call upon many years’ experience to provide quality seeds and fertilisers.

The company could have come into the UK with lots of ‘me-too’ products but instead it has been more market aware and as a result Blumen produces ranges that fit in with today’s market trends.

For example, the chilli seeds not only introduce UK gardeners into a world of chilli selection not easily found here but also give them the information on the origin of the seed.

This fact helps ensure that gardeners can reproduce that holiday-feel at home and really enjoy the fruits of their labour.

FITO range continues to be a bestseller The birth of the original FITO Automatic Dripfeeder came about in approximately in 2000, and ever since has been a chart topping hit, especially in the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 list.

Orchid, Foliage, Flowering Citrus, Cacti, Bonsi and Poinsettia feeders have been feeding plants across the UK and Europe for many years, and the original Dripfeeder family has now been joined by the Natural Dripfeeder range.

Based on an Algaecite recipe, these naturally nourishing vials are a simple way to feed houseplants as well as tomato and Chilli plants prior to transferring the plantlings outside or in the greenhouse.

FITO has added to its bestselling range with a series of new products, including FITO Natural, FITO Plant Healer, and FITO Liquid Fertiliser.

Visit Blumen on stand 8D70 at Glee to find out more about the company and how its innovative products can launch your consumers into the world of gardening.

For more information, call 01234 436200.

Visit Blumen at Glee on stand 8D70 www.gardentradenews.co.uk

September 2018 21

GLEE PREVIEW

Apta continues to invest As the leading supplier of quality outdoor planters and accessories, Apta are constantly finding new ways to excel, and 2019 will be no different. In fact, significant investment in several key areas is set to break new ground for the company.

Investment in innovation It all begins with product, and Apta are consistently first-to-market with new concepts and categories, be it in branded pottery, vintage themes, novelties or other ranges. 2019 will see a huge array of new lifestyle ranges in composite and lightweight materials.

“There is an increased demand in the market for modern styles and lightweight planters and we’ve put a lot of resource into developing some great new pots in these areas,” Commercial Director James Hoad told GTN. “We have also recently strengthened our design team with a key appointment which will allow us to increase the pace of development even further in the future.”

22 September 2018

Investment in brands RHS, Laura Ashley and The Royal British Legion are much-loved and trusted brands and Apta works with them to create commercially-successful products that consumers love, but that also retain the essence of the brand and remain true to their values.

“These ranges have gone from strength to strength since we introduced them,” adds James, “and the RHS remains the best-selling branded pottery range in the UK.” Investment in stock and service Apta hold over £5m of stock held before and during each peak spring season to enable maximum replenishment and allow

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

its customers to take advantage of all sales opportunities. In addition the new £4.5m purpose-built facility in Ashford is due to begin construction in 2019, which will facilitate further expansion in the years to come. “We invest hugely in stock and hence our availability in peak season is excellent,” says James.

There is also a significant investment in manpower, with a dedicated team for the warehouse pick and mix service, which allows customers to take a wide range of stock ‘little and often’, and up to 50 merchandisers across the country in peak season.

“Our customers really value the exceptional service we provide, which ultimately maximises their sales in the allimportant March to June period.”

GLEE PREVIEW

The Laura Ashley Pelham Planters won a prestigious GIMA Award in July, clinching top prize for Decorative Garden Pots & Planters.

Pelham is one of the earliest known Laura Ashley designs, taken from a silk scarf hand printed by Laura and Bernard Ashley in the 1950s. Named after the first London Laura Ashley store, the Pelham design has a timeless, handcrafted feel.

The GIMA Award judges said: “A great design and the perfect style statement.”

Investment in technology “The introduction this year of business intelligence software has allowed us to analyse trends and category manage customers’ ranges even more effectively,” says James.

“Additionally we have introduced a new website and new branding, and are in the process of installing an iPad ordering system to quickly and efficiently process orders for even better fulfilment.”

With such a commitment to continued improvement it is easy to see how the company’s customer base has increased so dramatically over the last few years, and why it remains at the forefront of the planters market.

Make sure you pay a visit to stand

7J40-L41 & 6L40-M41

To discover how Apta’s continued investment can benefit your business, visit them at Glee on stand 7J40-L41 and 6L40-M41.

For more information about Apta’s products visit www.apta.co.uk www.gardentradenews.co.uk

September 2018 23

GLEE PREVIEW

Bigger than ever before

New products, new trends and new technology...

Smart Garden confirms big plans for Glee.

As market leaders, the garden retail industry expects big things of Smart Garden Products. Not wanting to disappoint, this year at Glee 2018 (10th-12th September, NEC Birmingham – Hall 6, stand L50-R51) the company is set to take ‘BIG’ to the next level!

Due to its greatest ever product introduction and a colossal space at the heart of the exhibition, a visit to the Smart Garden Products stand is a must for any retailers wanting to optimise sales throughout 2019.

From Solar and Gardening to Wild Bird Care, Garden Décor and Christmas…the list goes on!

It’s safe to say that Smart Garden knows how to set the benchmark when it comes to launching ‘newness’ to the market.

Having started originally as a niche solar business, the company has forged ahead year after year, always bringing something new and innovative to the market. 2019 will be no exception.

With over 360 new products being launched at Glee – representing the company’s single biggest expansion since 2014 – Smart now supplies 11 major product categories – Lighting, Water Features, Hanging Gardening, Plant Support, Garden Décor, Wild Bird Care, Clocks, Lanterns & Lumières, Doormats, Growhouses and Christmas!

24 September 2018

Innovation across the board – key new product expansions to look out for: Setting the standard in solar lighting, this year Smart will be launching new lighting technology that taps into the ever-growing Smartphone generation. Combining solar with advanced Smart lighting technology, this new product range – under wraps until the exhibition itself – will be an exciting addition for retailers wanting to tap into the tech-savvy millennial market, whilst also offering a year-round lighting solution.

Smart’s strong lighting pedigree will also be underlined with the introduction of the new Eureka Lighting brand. Dedicated to all non-solar lighting products, including both practical and decorative solutions, the Eureka brand will showcase an exciting selection of bold and bright lighting options including Cool Flame – a realistic flaming effect without the heat, LED Neon Décor, Galaxy Mirrors, Glo-Globe String Lights and Bright Ideas!, a range of practical and bright lights.

“…one of the most exciting and innovative lighting ranges on the market today…” www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Jonathan Stobart added: “Lighting is changing all the time, both in the way it is used around the home and garden, as well as in the development of new technologies which create new opportunities. Our 2019 introductions have been designed to adopt these advances, creating one of the most exciting and innovative lighting ranges on the market today.”

Beyond lighting, Smart’s other leading brands welcome several new, exciting and market-oriented expansions. Flamboya, that has enjoyed resounding sales success this season with an unrivalled selection of garden décor, gifts and collectibles, is set to be expanded even more with over 90 new designs, helping to further cement Flamboya as the market-leading brand in this sector.

GLEE PREVIEW

A renewed focus on core gardening has also shaped much of Smart’s planning for next season. Having witnessed significant success with its GroZone range of Grow Houses, 2019 will see further expansion into the garden care market. 93 new products will be made available covering Plant Support, Hanging and Patio Gardening and Landscaping, on top of the extended GroZone collection.

Jonathan Stobart added: “Delivering solutions for hobby gardeners is an obvious move for Smart and we have many

In numbers Smart Garden at Glee 2018 365

the number of new products joining the Smart Garden product family – making this the single largest product launch since 2014. One for every day of the year!

60 93 80

brand new solar powered products joining the award winning range!

the number of products being added to Smart’s core gardening collection.

new designs making their home within the Flamboya range of stunning garden décor.

5,700 1

square feet of exhibition stand – Smart’s biggest ever!

Happy First Birthday to The Eureka Building!

Smart’s £20 million logistics hub opened exactly a year ago.

customers now asking us to do so, especially following the great success of our GroZones.

The new ranges provide retailers with even more options, safe in the knowledge that the products on offer meet consumer expectations in relation to quality, functionality and design. It also makes it even easier and more reliable for our customers to order a complete collection from Smart alone. We’re excited for our retail partners to see what we have created for them and are confident that this extensive new collection will complement and enhance their ranges.”

Celebrating two years as part of the Smart portfolio, ChapelWood continues to provide a comprehensive array of Wild Bird Care for garden bird lovers, making it an essential ranging choice. With 36 new products launched for the coming season, these latest additions will set new standards in Wild Bird Care design, breadth of range and affordability.

Now focussed on ‘hardware’, Smart’s Product Development team have produced several superb solutions within Bird Feeders, Feeding Stations, Birdbaths and Nest Boxes.

Anti-Squirrel Feeders in particular is one area that sees the biggest expansion, with a battery of new designs at phenomenal volume-driving price points.

Finally, the Outside In range of indoor and outdoor mats has continued to hit the mark with retailers and consumers, with consistent year-on-year sales growth. A selection of new designs will be launched at Glee, including Alfresco Rugs, a range of new outdoor, washable polypropylene rugs.

Jonathan Stobart concluded by saying: “What a year it has been! Our in-house teams have been working tirelessly to create exciting, beautiful and practical new collections.

We’ve been careful to create ranges that not only fill the gaps in our portfolio, but also work to meet consumer needs. From practical solutions to products that address the latest interior and exterior trends, we have delivered products that will drive sales, build profitability and encourage consumer loyalty.

We’re very pleased with the retail proposition we have to offer and are confident that our customers will welcome this latest wave of our product development.”

FIND OUT MORE 4To see more from Smart Garden, including their 365 new products, visit the Company at GLEE in Hall 6, Stand L50 – R51.

The Eureka Building celebrates first anniversary Serving Smart Garden customers across the UK and Europe, Smart Garden’s £20million Eureka Building has set a new standard for Garden Product Logistics in the last 12 months.

With 250,000 sq. ft. of warehousing and state of the art showrooms, it’s now hard to imagine the times before The Eureka Building.

Celebrating one year since its official opening, Smart’s Chairman Paris Natar said: “The Eureka Building has become synonymous with the Smart Garden brand over the last year and has further improved our customer service levels. From increased stock availability when it is needed most, to our comprehensive showrooms featuring all our market-leading brands, our customers are now enjoying the best and most reliable service possible. We look forward to many more years at The Eureka Building and invite those who have yet to visit us there to get in touch, so they too can enjoy the facilities we have to offer.”

Located just one minute off the A1 at Peterborough, The Eureka Building provides Smart Garden with up to 40,000 pallets of garden products, £80m at retail prices. With significant further range expansions earmarked for 2019, this additional capacity will enable maximum stock availability and planned future growth.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

September 2018 25

GLEE PREVIEW

Spotless performance Patio Black Spot Remover has changed people’s perception of the performance and success of patio cleaners, giving instant results, at a better than professional standard.

What are Patio Black Spots and where do they come from?

When the wind blows, clouds of microscopic spores of black lichen, the size of pollen, emanate from the surrounding trees, and are deposited by the rain into the pores of the stone on garden terraces, driveways and pathways. Feeding off the minerals in the stone, these spores not only grow across the face of stonework, but put down fibrous roots, anchoring themselves like limpets into

26 September 2018

the stone and then blooming on the surface, after two years as ‘Patio black spots’.

Attempts to remove them by pressure washing become futile. Excess pressure washing vibrates the surface causing sandstone to delaminate and exposing the aggregate in composite slabs. In addition, the pressure opens the pores in the stone, leaving it porous and susceptible to frost damage, not to mention dislodge the pointing.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

What makes Patio Black Spot Remover different to other stone cleaning products?

Most proprietary patio cleaning products focus on algae, and take weeks or months to work. Patio Black Spot Remover works instantly to penetrate the surface of the stone and kill the root of the Patio black spot, releasing their grip, and allowing them to be simply washed from the surface.

This action completely restores the colour to the stone.

GLEE PREVIEW

Spot the difference See how effective Patio Black Spot Remover can be with these ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures...

Patio Black Spot Remover also removes red and green algae, white fungi spots , dirt and moss. The product is both bio degradable and pet friendly. Patio Black Spot Remover is the stand out performer in the garden retail market so you get what you pay for!

Does Patio Black Spot Remover work on any type of stone?

Yes! The Patio Black Spot Remover works on any natural or composite stone, from Indian Sandstone to old farmyard Yorkstone. It has been successfully used on stone more than 100 years old with amazing results!

Is the product easy to apply?

Very easy. The Patio black Spot Remover comes ready mixed, and you just need a 5 or 7 litre pneumatic garden spray pump and a pressure washer. Most gardeners own these anyway or can pick up when buying our product from selected garden centre stockists.

What happens after treatment, do the Black Spots return over time?

Once you have used our Patio Black Spot Remover, providing you buy and apply our Patio Black Spot Preventer, at 12 month intervals, you will never need to repeat the Removal process again! The Preventer works by killing the spores that have landed since the Remover was applied; it is a quarter the price and does not require washing off. The system therefore cuts down on the need to pressure wash, ensuring longevity to the surface of garden stonework.

Is the PBSR System harmful to pets or the environment?

The system is acid-free, biogradable and safe to use around pets although as a chemical product we always advise keeping pets indoors when treating.

Has the product been well received by consumers?

When first launched over seven years ago, there was little knowledge in the market about what the Patio Black Spots were, or why they appeared.

By appearing, personally, at more than a hundred garden shows over the last six years we have been able to meet and discuss the problem first hand, imparting knowledge and of course the Solution to the problem face to face. On the back of this, we have experienced a huge upturn sales over the last 7 years both in store, online and via our selected stockists with some retailers seeing sales increase up to 300% over a 3 year period. Most of this has been attributed to exceptional customer experience of use of the product and word and mouth.

The positivity and excitement contained in unsolicited Customer Reviews received, are so good, we couldn’t improve them! Michele from Hertfordshire wrote this about Patio Black Spot Remover for Artificial Stone: “I am absolutely delighted with the results, my patio really does look as good as new!”

How are you supporting in-store sales?

We offer fully branded Point of Sale stands to all PBSR retailers, with in-built demonstration video monitors. Our research has shown that where POS units are in place, sales are significantly increased. Last year, these Point of Sale Stands, were positioned in many garden centres, with an explanatory video, backed up by staff training. It has been noted that the stores that use these show considerably higher sales, attributable to information imparted therein, than those that did not. The staff training helps to impart the knowledge to be able to explain, first hand, why the product works, and therefore allay any potential scepticism from the buying public.

Any plans for the future or new product launches at Glee 2018?

We are launching a new product, with “monumental” performance , capable of being applied to a vertical surface, specifically to be used on garden ornaments and statues. These require a different technique for cleaning.

Visit Patio Black Spot Remover on stand 6L80-M81 at Glee to find out more.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

September 2018 27

GLEE PREVIEW

Keep up to date with all the latest developments with Glee Daily News The team from GTN are proud once again to be the official media partners for Glee, and will be bringing regular updates through our special digital newsletter Glee Daily News.

Glee Daily News, in its unique email format, will keep visitors up to date with what they can see at the show and will give exhibitors the most up-to-date vehicle for ensuring buyers know about their new products and other Glee activities.

For advertorial and advertisng opportunties please contact Ben Greenwood, Alan Burdon or Mandy Davies at Potting Shed Press Ltd, owners and publishers of Garden Trade News, Garden Radio and The Greatest Awards, by calling 01733 775700.

To make sure you receive your copy of Glee Daily News email trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

30 September 2018

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GTN PREVIEW

Primeur has the edge The eco-friendly credentials of Primeur are helping the West Yorkshire company gain a foothold in the garden industry. Fresh from success at the GIMA Awards, where it claimed the Garden Landscaping prize, the team is now getting set for more joy at Glee...

How did you feel when you won the prestigious GIMA award and were you surprised by your success?

To be honest it all felt a little surreal. We joined GIMA in late 2017, and as it was our first entry into the awards, we definitely felt the pressure on the night. After all, we were up against some huge established names and exciting innovation. Whilst we all personally love our garden border and knew it was unique and different, it was such a proud moment to actually win and receive recognition from such a prestigious panel of industry experts. Needless to say the award has taken pride of place in our office!

What other garden products are in your extensive range?

The Roman stone border is just one product from a wider collection. We have a full range of garden edging, stepping stones, decking and planters – they are all made from recycled rubber tyres.

What reaction do you get when you point out your products are made from recycled rubber tyres?

It’s a great story to tell, especially at the moment when there is so much pressure to reduce the use of plastics and re-purpose materials. We love nothing more than presenting the range to customers and seeing their reaction when we tell them it’s made of recycled rubber! Practically the rubber brings strength and flexibility, allowing our edging to bend and flex to create dramatic curves, whilst the planters are literally indestructible. Trust us there will be no issues with breakages or markdowns instore.

32 September 2018

Are there many gardeners on the team?

None of us profess to being green fingered but we love gardening. Our firm favourite would have to be the EZ borders. We have all used them in our gardens, purely for the fact they are easy to install, with no groundwork or expertise needed. In addition, many of us have young children and have chosen the products as a softer and safer alternative within the garden.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

How important is an exhibition like Glee?

Glee is vastly important to us. As newcomers to the industry the exposure and genuine feedback is invaluable as we continue to grow within the category. The chance to present our products face to face with independents and on a multiple level with buyers has been vital to us, helping us tailor our products/POS and display solutions to varying markets.

GTN PREVIEW

Exclusive new range of doormats What other products do you sell?

Aside from gardening, we have been busy supplying doormats to the retail industry for the last 50 years. We were a family run company then and still are now, just in a slightly larger format!

We employ over 60 people at our West Yorkshire site, where our head office and warehousing facility are combined. From this base we have a full design, sales and merchandising team allowing us to service accounts individually and provide an easy one stop shop format for our customers.

What new products will you be showcasing at Glee?

To coincide with our 50 year anniversary we have been working hard on an exclusive new range of doormats to suit our independent customer. The new Mighty Mats collection brings something new and fresh to the market displaying design and practicality. We can’t wait to showcase at Glee.

Come and visit us on the stand to find out more.

Meet the GIMA Award-winning Primeur team at Glee, Hall 19, stand D10-E11 www.gardentradenews.co.uk

September 2018 33

Sipcam expands Child and Pet Safe range Sipcam, one of the world’s leading plant technology companies, launches four new ecofective Child and Pet Safe products at Glee 2018, stand 8D81.

Many people are concerned about the safety of their children or pets when they use garden care products such as pesticides, plant feeds or cleaners. The ecofective Child and Pet Safe range does not rely on conventional chemical pesticides or biocides but instead uses natural ingredients with favourable eco-toxicological credentials, thus making it safer for the user and environment. Children and pets do not need to be removed from the treated area and the products are also safe to be used around wildlife and bees too.

The new offerings include an Organic Liquid Lawn Feed, containing a unique natural formula ideal for family lawns.

Available in a 1.25 litre bottle, the feed is simply diluted in a watering can or sprayer, making it quick and easy to apply, with each bottle treating 125sqm. The nutrients within the formulation are taken up quickly, creating a lush, green lawn in no time.

34 September 2018

Artificial Grass Cleaner Concentrate and RTU spray complete the range. The unique dual-action formula which is naturally derived from surfactants and advanced probiotics (friendly bacteria), washes away grease, grime and dirt, even mess residue left by pets, and leaves millions of microorganisms to feed on any remaining dirt, providing a long-lasting effect.

Due to popular demand a new pesticide free XL Slug Defence is available. The nontoxic granules provide a physical barrier around edible and non-edible plants to stop slugs and snails from reaching the stems.

Ideal for GYO and Organic Growing, and perfectly safe to use around children & pets.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

The new products are clearly branded as part of the Child and Pet Safe range and continue to feature no hazardous pictograms on the back label. High impact POS provides retailers with a complete bundle offer.

4For further information visit stand 8D81 or visit ecofective.uk.com

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

September 2018 35

AFRICA’S LEADING BBQ ✓IN-STORE BUILD PROGRAMME ✓ SOUTH BRAND SINCE 1948 AND ENGINEER QUALITY ✓UK BASED WARRANTY SUPPORT ✓ DESIGN MODULAR GAS BBQ’S

✓ DISPLAY STOCK SUPPORT ✓ EXTENSIVE POS SUPPORT

✓5 YEAR PRODUCT GUARANTEES GLEE STAND: 6P34-Q35 T: 0333 2000 363 E: info@cadacuk.com W: www.cadac.uk.com

GREAT BBQ’S MADE BETTER

38 September 2018

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www.gardentradenews.co.uk

September 2018 39

40 September 2018

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GLEE PREVIEW

New and innovative products from Kadai Kadai Firebowls’ presence at Glee has grown year on year with their impressive barbecue and firebowl portfolio. The company offers an extensive range of pioneering cookware accessories to aid Live Fire Cooking and other barbecuing techniques.

For 2019, Kadai will be amplifying the quality and customer service provided by offering a 5-year warranty on the ‘NEW’ Recycled Kadai, which has a heavy duty base made from one piece of solid steel and new style High and Low stands.

Kadai will be showcasing 14 new and innovative products, which will provide a new dimension to cooking on the Kadai together with the existing award-winning accessory range, which varies from gloves and shovels to wood-fired pizza ovens.

The show-stopping metre wide Wilstone Kadai with Tripod Pulley System will be launched at Glee, perfect for cooking food that needs to be temperature controlled. The Tripod Pulley System is amongst the latest must have gadgets for Live Fire Cooking, the hottest new trend on the barbecue scene.

You’ll also be able to take a look at the Garden and Living Range, including: Lanterns; Teak Tables; Benches; Planters and the impressive Gazebo and stunning Rose Arch, both of which come with a 10-year warranty.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Find out more 4Visit Kadai on stand 6Q14-R15 for all this and more! Visit www.kadai.com or call 01694 771800 for more information.

September 2018 41

Visit us at our Glee stand 8A20-B21

where you will see a selection of our bestsellers and limited-edition products

NEC Birmingham, September 10-12 Hall 8, Stand A20-B21 01903 761222 sales@gardenpridemarketing.co.uk to arrange a meeting

NEW RANGE

NEW BRANDS

2018

©Green Digit Limited (T/A) Grow Sow Simple™ 2018

where imagination grows

Phone: 0191 499 0448 | info@growsowsimple.com |

www.growsowsimple.com

Grow Sow Simple™, Blaydon Business Centre, Cowen Road, NE21 5TW

STAND8D91 www.gardentradenews.co.uk

September 2018 43

GLEE PREVIEW

A-Mir & Co back at Glee with its amazing Royalcraft Weather-Shield Fabrics A-Mir & Co Ltd is a leading supplier of outdoor furniture and owner of the longestablished Royalcraft brand. For Summer 2019, the company is proud to launch its amazing new Weather-Shield Fabric cushions, which are set to revolutionise the world of outdoor furniture.

Why have you decided to return to Glee after a gap of seven of years?

We had our best show ever in July at SOLEX so have decided to also exhibit at Glee. The show attracts buyers from a wide cross section of retail customers and from different channels so we want to try to reach as many new clients as possible.

What do you hope to achieve at the show?

We want to create awareness and interest in our new offers for Spring/Summer 2019, with new innovation and ranges. It’s our intention to keep the ROYALCRAFT brand in the minds for Spring/Summer 2019, and to attract new and old customers.

How has your Weather-Shield Fabric been received since you launched it into the UK? There has been a fantastic reception to the launch of our Weather-Shield Fabric cushions. All the buyers who have seen the product being demonstrated have all said it has the ‘Wow Factor’. It’s a great innovation that works and meets a consumer need.

Due to success of the new fabric we have extended it to our parasol and gazebo range for Summer 2019.

What are the qualities of Weather-Shield Fabric?

The Weather-Shield Fabric cushions to be used on our new ranges in 2019 are weatherproof – in other words they water-proof and UV resistant. Plus they have the added benefit of being stain resistant.

Will you be exhibiting some of your furniture ranges at Glee?

Yes we will. We have secured one of the last spaces available so it’s only a small stand.

However, we want to show several sets across different materials so some of our new Seychelles rattan, a range we have doubled for next year, our core wood options plus new cast aluminium range pieces plus several accessories will be on display.

You’re demonstrations to show the qualities of the fabric have certainly caught the attention of retailers, will you be doing them again at Glee?

Yes, this will be the main activity at the exhibition. In our demonstrations water is poured over cushions to show the waterproof capabilities, and red wine and ketchup is applied and removed to demonstrate the stain resistant qualities.

The stylish Seychelles furniture range.

Would you like to be seen as a one-stop shop for your customers?

That is how many of our customers view us.

With our ability to offer private label options via FOB containers, through to our large UK warehouse stocks to support palletised deliveries into distribution centres and stores and direct to customer dropship for on-line retail partners, we do offer a onestop shop to support our customers.

Water can just be shaken off the fabric.

Visit stand V30-W31 To see the Royalcraft Weather-Shield demos visit the A-Mir & Co stand in hall 20, stand V30-W31.

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September 2018 45

NEWS UPDATE

TALKING POINTS 5 STORIES THAT MADE THE HEADLINES

1

Career Moves

2

In a landmark USA law case, Monsanto were ordered to pay $289m (£226m) damages to groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson who claimed herbicides containing glyphosate had caused his cancer. The Californian jury found that Monsanto knew its Roundup and RangerPro weedkillers were dangerous and failed to warn consumers. Monsanto denies that glyphosate causes cancer and says it intends to appeal against the ruling.

Hilco Capital, the new owners of Homebase, who bought the DIY chain for £1 from Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers in May, announced that 42 stores were planned for closure.

Meanwhile, results posted by Wesfarmers for 2017/18, underlined the disastrous impact that buying Homebase for £375m two years ago has had on the company’s finances. Wesfarmers posted a 58% drop in net profits to $1.2bn, after more than $1.3bn in losses and costs.

3

4

Kelkay Ltd announced the acquisition of Anchor Fast, marking a further exciting step in the development of AMES UK under the leadership of Managing Director Antony Harker. Anchor Fast, an outdoor wooden furniture and garden structures company, has a 34,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility based in Doncaster and employs more than 20 people. The business is dedicated to crafting its range of FSC certified products for both retail and commercial markets.

Roger Crookes announced he is retiring as an inspector for the Garden Centre Association after 11 years in the role.

He became a GCA inspector in 2007 after a career in garden centres around the UK since 1977. Roger said: “I plan to continue my work as a freelance consultant within the UK garden retail trade and also supporting school gardening projects, with some exciting projects already lined up nearer to my home in South Wales. Hopefully I can continue to be of some service to GCA members in the years to come. I just need to focus on other projects for the next few years.”

Crest Garden has increased its sales team with the appointment of a National Account Manager and a new Area Sales Manager. Katie Smith joins the company as National Account Manager responsible for national, multiple, online and key international accounts.

Hannah Shoesmith knows the garden industry well, joining Crest as Area Sales Manager from a well known garden centre where she was an experienced buyer of garden sundries.

Decco has appointed Martin Sutcliffe as Manager for Decco Leeds, following Andrew Ballantine’s promotion to Chief Operating Officer. Martin joins Decco from sister company Edmundson Electrical, where he began his career in 2011 as a graduate trainee. Since then he has managed three different branches, the most recent being Edmundson Electrical Grimsby.

5 Squire’s announced the purchase of Frensham Garden Centre from Wheelhouse Warehousing Ltd. Under the terms of the agreement, which was signed in early July, Squire’s will take over all the assets and business of the garden centre, and the Frensham team will become part of Squire’s. Financial terms of the transaction were not announced.

Full versions of these reports first appeared in GTN Xtra, our weekly e-newsletter mailed direct to registered email addresses to keep readers in touch with industry news as it happens. To register, send your email address to: trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk and put ‘GTN Xtra’ in the subject line.

46 September 2018

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Adam Dunnett has left his role of Sales and Marketing Director at Wyevale Nurseries to take up a new position as Amenity Sales Director at Hillier Nurseries in Hampshire.

Andy Johnson, Managing Director at Wyevale Nurseries, said: “We would very much like to thank Adam for his contribution to the company during the past four and a half years.”

GTN PROMOTION

What’s new at lunch! 2018?

lunch! – the UK’s favourite food-to-go trade show, is back this month on 2021 September, at ExCeL London. With a record 370 exhibitors now confirmed, it’s an essential visit for buyers looking to expand their grab and go offering.

Valued at £20.7bn1 , the British food-to-go market is big business. It is ever evolving, highly competitive, and getting bigger by the year. And it is new innovations – like the ones being showcased at lunch! 2018 – that are helping to feed that growth. “lunch! has proved itself year after year to be an essential visit for food-to-go buyers to see what’s new and compare the latest innovations from emerging start-ups and niche speciality producers alongside some of the best known brands,” says lunch!’s group event director Chris Brazier.

Who’s exhibiting?

With 370 exhibitors now confirmed, this is the UK’s biggest food-to-go showcase of the year.

There’s a wealth of innovation down every aisle, to suit every taste and business need.

The following are just some of the suppliers planning to unveil their new launches at the show: Cocofina (organic hazelnut chocolate spread), Freaks Of Nature (dairy free yogurt alternatives and gluten free hot puddings), Wholesums (popped vegetable snacks), Crealine UK (Gazpacho to Go in 240ml), Paterson Arran (Paterson’s Jammy Shortbread), One Earth Organics (Jackfruit chips), Honey & Date (rawcake brownies), and St Pierre Bakery (a range of nine anytime snacks, including pain au chocolat, vanilla brioche swirl and Belgian waffles).

Plus, there will be 28 new brands making their lunch! debut in the Start-up Zone.

Among them are: JEKL steak On The Go! (gourmet meat snack), Other Foods (crunchy

mixed mushroom chips, including Shiitake, Oyster and King Oyster), PHIT (protein high indulgent truffles), YAAR (Nordic quark bars), Green Sisters (vegan samosas), The Healthy Protein Co (vieve protein water), humble warrior (super plant elixirs), Roqberry (tea blends and infusions), and Land & Tide (ready to drink vegan cold brew iced coffees).

Other new exhibitors – there are 144 to choose from this year – include Alara, Biomel, Mother, Honesty Bakery & Kitchen, Wonder Drink / Pure Steeps, Diablo Sugar Free, Pollen + Grace, Upbeat Drinks, Luv Sum, Clam’s Handmade Cakes, Raw Bake Station, No1 Rosemary Water, Jude’s Ice Cream, Thirst Quenchers UK, Fine Cheese Company / Artisan Biscuits, Beanies Flavour Coffee, Cool Cold Brew, Grenade, and For Goodness Shakes.

For sustainable packaging, eco-friendly coffee cups and disposables, check out Papier-Mettler UK, Harfield Tableware, Pactiv, Pockito, Ecoffeecup, Huskup, Benders Paper Cups, ButterflyCup, Sabert Europe, and Biopac UK. 1. Source: MCA Food-to-go conference, February 2018

4To register for a free ticket to lunch!

2018, please visit www.lunchshow.co.uk and quote priority code LU88.

Essential info Opening times – 10am to 5pm both days (last entry 4pm) Dates – Thursday 20th and Friday 21st September Venue – ExCeL London Website – www.lunchshow.co.uk

Big name Keynote speakers

There are over 20 free business seminars – including exclusive Keynotes, interviews, research updates, and panel discussions to enjoy – in two dedicated theatres.

Highlights include: 4Julian Metcalfe OBE, founder of itsu and co-founder of Pret A Manger 4Hannah McKay, head of food & beverage at Caffè Nero 4David Ross, head of category at Greggs 4Clare Clough, food & coffee director at Pret A Manger 4Shereen Ritchie, operations director at LEON 4Arnaud Kaziewicz, director of food and beverage at EAT 4Angelina Harrisson, Food & Commercial Director, Tossed 4Sam Roberts, CEO of Boston Tea Party 4Ollie Rosevear, head of environment at Costa Coffee 4John Upton, chairman of The Naked Deli and street food brand Mother Clucker

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September 2018 47

NEWS UPDATE

Blue Diamond makes its move The garden centre landscape is changing in the UK with the break-up of Wyevale Garden Centres well underway. The first major move in what’s being dubbed as the ‘Sale of the Century’ was made by the Blue Diamond Group, who bought eight centres from Wyevale. The centres comprised Bicester, Cadbury, Cardiff, Endsleigh, Melbicks, Percy Throwers, Sanders and Weybridge.

Roger Mclaughlan, Chief Executive of WGC, said: “We are pleased to have agreed the sale of eight of our largest centres to Blue Diamond, one of the UK’s biggest and most experienced garden centre operators.

We would like to thank our great colleagues at these centres, who have been central to our turnaround in the past few years, and wish them well for the next stage of their business’s growth and development under Blue Diamond’s ownership.”

Alan Roper, Managing Director of Blue Diamond, said: “We are delighted to be acquiring these fantastic centres. Over the next three years we plan to invest £16million to remodel and transform them into destination centres modelled around our Redfields Garden & Living Centre in Hampshire, and our Blue Diamond Garden and Home store near Nottingham. We look forward to working with our new colleagues across the centres and welcoming them into the Blue Diamond family.”

In separate transactions, WGC also agreed the sale of two further centres in Alfold and Binfield, to Q Developments and Spitfire Bespoke Homes respectively, as well as the sale of a parcel of excess land adjacent to its Beaconsfield centre to Oakford Homes. All three sites are likely to be redeveloped for residential use.

From this... ...to this

Leading garden centre groups by number of outlets 1 2 3 4 5 6 7= 7= 9 10

Wyevale Garden Centres Dobbies Blue Diamond Klondyke Notcutts Squires Hilliers Cherry Lane Hillview British Garden Centres

Source GTN - updated August 13th 2018

48 September 2018

135 34 30 22 18 16 12 12 11 10

At the time of going to press no other announcements had been made by Wyevale on further stores being sold.

Discussions on the sale to Blue Diamond and the individual centre sales started before the appointment of Christie & Co to explore offers for all or part of the remaining WGC business and that process is continuing. WGC has received a significant number of offers for all or part of the

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remaining WGC business from national, regional and financial operators as well as local entrepreneurs.

GTN has produced a Top 10 of Garden Centre Groups based on the number of stores they own (see left).

Until further Wyevale store sales are announced the group remains firmly in top spot. It will be interesting to see how this table changes over the coming months.

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September 2018 49

GLEE PREVIEW

A busy 2018 so far RockinColour™ has already had a busy 2018, growing in new markets including France and the Benelux, as well as recently completing a successful project with Hermès Fashion House. Some of the world’s top models walked on 350 metres of RockinColour’s Chilli Red line of colour coated stone at Paris Fashion Week in February. The company made their debut with a total of 30 tonnes of the stone covering the catwalk.

Wayne Stevenson, Managing Director, said: “We’re really looking forward to attending Glee 2018, and have a number of exciting new innovative ranges in both decorative stone and sand to introduce.”

“This year we are also eager to introduce our new point of sale and other special offers to support retailers in selling the RockinColour™ range. Together we can add some extra colour to the garden retail industry!”

Your customers will be able to create their own bespoke system of colour with RockinColour’s™ fantastic selection of coloured stone. Choose from our wide range of colours to add some serious colour to a garden/landscape project.

100 % made in the UK From one site, RockinColour: Quarry, screen, wash, colour coat and pack all our products. This ensures quality control and an environmentally sustainable product. Using only high micron, high clarity, contemporary designed packs, to produce strong, quality packaging, that protects and show cases the premium product within.

RockinColour lab Within the same facility, RockinColour operate the RockinColour lab which under the guidance of our chief colourist, develop and the produce the colourant used to create vibrant colour coatings.

RockinColour lab has the tools and expertise to develop or colour match any colour on the RAL or Pantone charts, to create a truly bespoke finish for a special project.

The environment is important, and at RockinColour we catch, recycle and reuse all colourant excess during our unique production process.

A family business started in 1948, with 70 years’ experience this year!

With over 70 years’ experience working and experimenting with stone, the creative team at RockinColour have developed an exciting, range of coloured decorative stone unlike anything else available in Europe.

From decorative landscaping and surface finishing to product development it can be used to bring a serious amount of colour and texture to any project.

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GLEE PREVIEW

NEW product range launch at Glee 2018 Those visiting RockinColour™ at Glee 2018 will be able to view 4 new product ranges up close and understand the high quality and long lasting colour process that ensures a fresh, bright decorative feature for gardens and plant pot topping.

RockinRoyal Hot Pink, Sunset Orange, Irish Lavender, Aqua Sea,

Purple Rain, White Mist and Mellow Yellow: an exciting range of regal colours. Create a righteously royal look to a project with these rich luxurious colours.

RockinMetal Silverstone, Beach Bronze, Copper and Blue Steel: is an exciting range of special metallic finishes. Creating a shimmering, shiny, futuristic look.

RockinEarth Chestnut Brown, Oak Gold, and Plum red: is a range of earthy tones, for those who are looking for a more earthy finish, but still want out of this world colour!

PlayinColour Vibrant range of colour coated play and art sand: available in 7 new fun colours.

Special offers and promotions To help launch the new range RockinColour are offering mixed single pallet offers available with branded point of sale delivered anywhere in the UK. Come along to our stand to discuss the best option to successfully launch the innovative RockinColour range in your store.

Explore the new RockinColour™ range on stand 19C40 in Hall 19 at Glee 2018 www.gardentradenews.co.uk

September 2018 51

EVENTS

Excitement builds as PATS Telford gets set for epic pet exhibition The excitement is building as the pet industry gears up for one of its biggest events of the year…PATS Telford on Sunday and Monday, 23-24 September.

All the latest innovations, exciting new product launches, unrivalled networking opportunities and future trends come together to create the industry’s most thriving exhibition.

Visitors can expect to see more than 200 exhibitors at PATS Telford with the industry’s leading companies, plus a growing number of new businesses, ready to showcase their products and services.

Final preparations are being made as the eagerly awaited exhibition gets set to open its doors at Telford International Centre in a just over a month’s time.

This year’s show has attracted: 4Record numbers of new exhibitors – 63 in total 4Biggest ever showcase of new products 4Unrivalled show offers and competitions 4Top groomers for insightful demos 4Informative seminars “There is a tremendous buzz surrounding the show,” says organiser Annie Foord. “So much is happening at PATS Telford over both days of the exhibition, it really is a must-visit event for retailers and buyers. You won’t be disappointed.

“All the latest new product launches will be unveiled as well as great talks from some of the industry’s most respected names and demonstrations from the country’s top groomers.

“I can promise it will be great day out so make sure you travel to Telford and attend

the biggest pet trade show for years.”

With so many exciting plans it could easily be a record-breaking year for attendance numbers as well.

On arrival at Telford International Centre, a large majority of visitors will head for the New Product Showcase, which will have a huge presence at the exhibition. All entries in the Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews, will be judged by a panel of retailers for the New Product Awards on the first morning of the show, and the winners will receive their accolades at the PetQuip Awards Dinner in the evening.

As well as seeing an unrivalled array of new pet products and speaking to top suppliers

and manufacturers, visitors will also be able to witness demonstrations from the country’s leading dog groomers and listen to talks from prominent industry figures.

All visitors to PATS Telford will receive a free catalogue, free tea and coffee, and free parking, and you can register online for free entry at the PATS website www.patshow.co.uk.

A full and up-to-date list of exhibitors is available on the website together with information on how to reach both venues and regularly updated show news.

The New Product Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews, is a great way for visitors to see and touch the new products they will be stocking.

Last year more than 300 new items were entered into the Showcase so it is the best place to view potential bestsellers.

PATS Telford will be presenting state-of-the art grooming demonstrations and talks on both days of the show. The grooming programme, in association with British Dog Groomers’ Association and The Welsh Grooming Academy, will include some of the country’s leading groomers.

PATS Telford has secured a strong line-up of speakers for two days of seminars designed to give pet retailers ahead-of-the-game ideas on new lines, new approaches and new profit potential.

The talks by prominent industry figures look set to keep visitors entertained and informed.

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Opening times Sunday, 23rd September, 2018: 9.30am-5pm Monday, 24th September, 2018: 9.30am-4pm

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September 2018 53

VIEWPOINT

How environmentally conscious consumers are shaping garden retailing VICKY NUTTALL DIRECTOR OF GIMA A quick browse on social media will throw up hundreds of examples of how consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious across all aspects of their lives. The impact of primetime TV programming such as David Attenborough’s Blue Planet has certainly brought to the fore the long-term impact we have upon our planet and the changes we need to make to ensure the longevity of this place we call ‘home’. As an industry we have a responsibility to play our part, with many suppliers already impressing with their eco-friendly approach to new product development and range selections.

At the recent GIMA Awards, four out of the 10 product awards were awarded to products that provide natural solutions or meet strict ecofriendly credentials. Those winning big on the night were Neudorff with its VineWeevilFree – Nematodes; Flopro and its Eco Smart Watering System; Fallen Fruits for its Green Picnic range; and Primeur with its Ecofriendly Recycled Rubber Garden Borders. Having already caught the eye of our GIMA Awards judges, I have no doubt that many retailers will be walking Glee with a clear ‘eco’ agenda, looking to source products that provide quality and functionality without compromising on their green credentials.

One area that we as an industry can make a difference to is packaging. There is no doubt that we are already waking up to the possibility of a circular packaging economy.

We’re already seeing a move away from single use plastics with a number of growers recently moving to taupe coloured plastic pots that can be widely recycled more so than the

54 September 2018

GIMA Award winners with eco credentials.

Will we see more products like these at Glee?

traditional black pots.

A recent UK Government consultation looked at the many ways changes to the tax system, or additional charges, could be used to reduce the amount of single-use plastics we waste by reducing unnecessary production, increasing re-use, and improving recycling. It’s certainly an interesting prospect.

France has already implemented economic measures to fight pollution by forcing up the prices of items sold in non-recycled plastics by around 10%, whilst making those packaged in recycled plastics around 10% cheaper.

In the wider sphere, we are

also seeing huge developments in plant based durable and biodegradable bioplastics, many of which are suitable for food services, but as far as I’m aware, we have yet to find a commercially viable alternative for goods with the strength and durability that is required in our sector. I’m sure it’s not far away and, as always, GIMA will be supporting our members by providing information and suppliers who can help with suitable solutions.

After exploring the subject further, there is also an ongoing debate about the UK’s recycling infrastructure and its ability to cope with bioplastics. Perhaps

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not a discussion for now, but it’s certainly something we should be keeping on the agenda for future conversations.

I will be keen to see how we have moved on as an industry at this year’s Glee. We already have extremely strong environmental credentials, so let’s not wait to be forced to react to legislative changes and economic factors.

Let’s get there ourselves first.

4GIMA is here to hear the thoughts and experiences of its members, and would also love to hear from non-members also. Please share your experiences by emailing info@gima.org.uk