Garden Centre Retail October/ November

Garden Centre Retail Issue 27 • October/November 2016

PEOPLE • PRODUCTS • PROFIT

The interview

Paul Richards

of Mappleborough Green

Above and beyond High-end canopies from Fordingbridge

Steal the limelight

The latest in retail lighting

Click and collect

Delivering consumer convenience

Into the bushes

HOW TO SELL SHRUBS Front Cover.indd 1

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Canopies, walkways and inspiring buildings designed around you With over 50 years experience, Fordingbridge are passionate about helping garden centres transform their retail offerings to increase commercial potential and enhance the customer journey.

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We provide the in-house expertise and understanding to provide you with inspiring, durable and proven solutions.

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welcome

Welcome to...

Garden Centre Retail Christmas is coming

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elcome to the October/November issue of Garden Centre Retail.

After a successful Glee for GCR, we’re cracking on with preparations for the rest of the year, the imminent Christmas period and into 2017. lee as i en us e confi ence to continue what we’re doing – the visitors to our stand at the show were full of praise for the business-led content that we provide and enjoyed the tone of the magazine as a whole.

Our team has been out and about visiting garden centres over the past couple of months. We are constantly s ri in o i ro e so a erin firs an feedback from our core audience is imperative to us. Please feel free to email us regarding anything you see in the magazine. We’re always interested in what our audience has to say.

Onto the October/November issue. We have a Glee pictorial roundup, showcasing many of the products on show at the event in September. Check out page 10 for that. Our interview features Paul Richards, who sold a garden centre to Wyevale before realising he missed the lifestyle and started again.

Mappleborough Green Garden Centre is the result of this; read about Paul’s journey on page 13.

We’ve got excellent business features for you to peruse this issue. Take a look at the different play area options that garden centres can offer on page 17. Click and collect is covered on page 18 and we’ve spoken to lighting specialists to offer advice on lighting options on page 20. Our Plant Focus this month comes from Johnsons of Whixley, offering advice on getting the most out of selling shrubs.

We’ve got your pet needs covered too with our Pet Care Retail section from page 43. We take a look at the different ranges of pet food available and showcase a range of reptile and pet products for your offering.

That’s it for this month. Enjoy the busy period; Christmas will soon be taking over and we’ll see you in December.

ADVERTISING Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 588 Sales Manager – Luke Chaplin luke.chaplin@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 584 Sales Executive – Tina Savelle tina.savelle@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 582 Horticulture Careers – Tel: 01903 777 581 PRODUCTION Design – Fay Pritchard, Kara Thomas, Mandy Armstrong

MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Client relations – Amber Bernabe amber.bernabe@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 581 Subscription enquiries – Emily Maltby emily.maltby@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 575

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

Garden Centre Retail is published bi-monthly

by Eljays44 Ltd. 2016 subscription price is £95. Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, noncommissioned photographs or manuscripts.

@GardenRetailUK Garden Centre Retail www.gardencentreretail.com

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

MANAGEMENT Managing Director – Jim Wilkinson Director – Lisa Wilkinson Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson

Garden Centre Retail

www.gardencentreretail.com

ALL ENQUIRIES Tel: 01903 777 570 Eljays44 Ltd 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA

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

Joe and the GCR team

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Whilst every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints, or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ responses to advertisements in the magazine.

We also wish to emphasise that views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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Garden Centre Retail CONTENTS

contents Garden Centre Retail Issue 27 • October/November 2016

PEOPLE • PRODUCTS • PROFIT

The interview

Paul Richards

of Mappleborough Green

October/November 2016

Above and beyond High-end canopies from Fordingbridge

Steal the limelight

Click and collect

Delivering consumer convenience

The latest in retail lighting

Into the bushes

HOW TO SELL SHRUBS Front Cover.indd 1

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24 17 PLAY AREAS

NEWS 06 NEWS CENTRE

A roundup of the latest news from the sector

10 GLEE SPECIAL

Our showcase of the best images from Glee 2016

GCR speaks to two garden centres with different outlooks on play areas

18 CLICK & COLLECT

Wayne Robbins offers his advice on click and collect

20 LIGHTING

e fi o t hat ffe e t lighting systems can do for your garden centre

23 ONLINE RETAILING

FEATURES 13 LET’S HEAR IT FROM

Paul Richards talks starting again after selling a garden centre to a chain

Dan Burnham builds a guide on how best to set up shop online

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26 PLANT FOCUS

Mark Reynard of Johnsons of Whixley considers the resurgence of shrubs and how to maximise their selling potential

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35 LATEST PRODUCTS

A roundup of the latest products in the artificial grass and watering categories

38 TRADING WITH...

We find out about Ecowyse, a new range of garden cleaning products

41 ANATOMY OF A PRODUCT

PRODUCTS 29 PRODUCT NEWS

This month’s news from the suppliers

33 TALKING (ARTIFICIAL) TURF

GCR speaks to artificial grass manufacturers about the rise and rise of fake turf

A closer look at what makes up the Dalefoot Wool Compost range

PET CARE RETAIL 45 BONE APPÉTIT

Pet Care Retail compares three types of dog food and asks manufacturers why retailers should stock them

46 LATEST PET PRODUCTS

24 ABOVE AND BEYOND

13 www.gardencentreretail.com

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Fordingbridge proves why its track record in building garden centre canopies and walkways is so successful

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A roundup of the latest products available, from a focus on your reptile offering to what’s new in the general pet market

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news

Volo Commerce wins Best Product at eCommerce Awards 2016

NEWS CENTRE Notcutts worker receives Garden Centre Ambassador of the Year award

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Notcutts worker from Solihull has been named Garden Centre Ambassador of the Year for his outstanding contribution to community gardening projects.

Miles Butterworth, 42, has always had an interest in the outdoors and working with nature. His passion for gardening blossomed when he dedicated hours of his spare time to working with young people on various garden projects.

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Miles has featured on BBC One’s The Instant Gardeners series, on which he turned a family’s life around by creating a sensory garden for their child living with Down’s Syndrome. The greenfi e e es e t ho has become a mentor for the RHS ‘Green Plan It’ challenge, has also worked alongside Mill Lodge Primary School and organised various garden centre trips to encourage pupils to be more engaged with nature.

A delighted Miles said: “I am over the moon to win this award. I’ve always been a passionate advocate for community gardening and to be recognised for my work on a national scale is fantastic.

I hope this will encourage people of all ages to visit their local garden centre and grow their green skills.”

Looking ahead, Miles plans to continue donating bulbs and seeds to local schools to encourage pupils to try their hand at growing plants and vegetables. www.notcutts.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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olo Commerce has won Best Product at the eCommerce Awards 2016.

The leading provider of multichannel eCommerce technology and services won the category for Volo Vision, its analytics and reporting suite.

Paul Watson, CEO of Volo Commerce, said: “This achievement is a huge group effort and wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our customers. Working with such exciting eCommerce businesses gives us an insight into the challenges they face on a daily basis. This feeds into every new feature and service enhancement we make. This includes Volo Vision.”

Any businesses selling on online marketplaces face a a e of fi a c a o e at o a and logistical challenges. The suite, and Volo’s service as a whole, provides retailers with extensive visibility into day to day operations and the data required to streamline the business at a strategic level.

Paul Watson concluded: “Winning this award is an amazing endorsement for an amazing team. We take pride in the way we listen to our customers and create solutions that make a real difference to their fortunes. Our aim is to make selling online as easy as buying online.” www.volocommerce.com

Wyevale Nurseries sees 45% increase from garden design sector

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yevale Nurseries in Hereford has announced that it has seen a 45% increase in sales year on year from the garden design sector.

Wyevale Nurseries believes it has seen this growth in sales from the garden design market as more people move away from DIY to ‘Do it for me’ (DIFM).

Adam Dunnett, sales and marketing director at Wyevale Nurseries, explained: “It’s a fantastic sales increase and we feel the trend for DIFM has led to a greater demand for the services of garden designers and landscapers. In response to the trend, which we started to see in June last year, we launched a new garden design and domestic landscape sales department. We appointed Adrian Hoare as garden design and domestic landscape sales manager. He has worked for us for 30 years in a multitude of sectors and his experience

means he offers excellent service and advice to our customers.

“We have also made s fica t cha es to our production with more specimen shrubs and a wider range of herbaceous, container hedging and tree ranges. This is backed up with stock from our partner nurseries across Europe to provide a full pallet, giving designers and architects a o e sto sho to f fi e e the most complex of planting schemes and projects.” www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk

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news

Environment Award for Hare Hatch Sheeplands garden centre

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ork carried out by Hare Hatch Sheeplands garden centre designed to protect the environment has received public recognition.

At the annual awards ceremony of Twyford Together, the community initiative of Twyford and Ruscombe, the centre won the Environment Award for its efforts.

The judges praised the creation by Hare Hatch

Sheeplands for a ‘best front garden’ competition, open to anyone living in the RG10 area, which formed part of the Twyford in Bloom effort.

“I am really pleased that our efforts have been commended,” said Sheeplands owner Rob Scott. “We try in so many different ways to protect the environment.

“One small example is how we encourage customers to

take their purchases home in a recycled cardboard box rather than a plastic bag. The money we would have charged for a bag is going to local schools to encourage children to learn to protect the environment.

“I am passionate about protecting the environment and greatly encouraged by this award, which means our efforts have not gone unnoticed.” www.harehatchsheeplands.co.uk

Wyevale Garden Centres restructuring to get underway

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yevale Garden Centres is undergoing restructuring in an attempt to create more customer facing roles.

There are currently two regional operations directors leading 11 area managers, who will be split geographically to allow the area management team to spend more time in garden centres.

Thirty people were impacted by the changes, but the number of people likely to leave the business will be about half of that. The rest will be redeployed into customer facing roles.

A Wyevale Garden Centre spokesperson said: “Our aim is to maintain our position as the UK’s leading customer-focused garden centre retailer. As part of our ongoing plans to strengthen the business we have realigned our teams to place an even greater focus on customers. s a es t o e a hea office headcount will reduce, but there will be a shift to focusing more on customer facing roles. Where possible, we will maximise opportunities for redeployment elsewhere in the business.” www.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk

Vivagreen wins 2016 GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund

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he recipient of this year’s GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund prize package is Dublin-based Vivagreen.

Impressing the judges with its MossOff product, Vivagreen beat off tough competition to secure this year’s success. As winners they will receive support up to the value of £6,000 to help with development and marketing costs associated with entering the UK garden retail market, plus a year’s full GIMA membership, and a wide range

www.gardencentreretail.com

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of business support tools.

MossOff is a multi-surface concentrate that offers a new and totally unique biocide-free way of controlling moss and algae on outdoor surfaces. The unique technology is chemicalfree and safe for children and pets as well as plant life and e e fish a o s. he concentrate dilutes easily and is applied using a garden s a e o ate ca fitte th a fi e ose.

GIMA director Vicky Nuttall said: “We’re incredibly pleased

to co fi that a ee s the 2016 winner of the GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund.

A truly innovative product, the judges were impressed with its simplicity, as well as its dual use that delivers results whilst providing peace of mind for consumers.”

As the winner, Vivagreen is now set to receive funding and help with the development and marketing of their product, together with support from experts within the industry. www.gima.org.uk

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news

Planning permission secured for extension at Glendoick Garden Centre

Furniture and barbecue sales sizzle in summer

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alcolm Scott Consultants has obtained planning permission for alterations and extensions to the awardwinning Glendoick Garden Centre near Perth.

The proposals, submitted to Perth and Kinross Council, saw the business given the green light for an additional 340m2 of oo s ace th the a e centre’s restaurant.

Chris Primett of Malcolm Scott Consultants said: “Restaurants have become a fundamental part of garden centre trade, and Glendoick’s has o s fica t o e the past few years, and has had a marked effect on the business’ bottom line.

“The business asked us to oversee this planning application in order to meet an increased demand from customers, and the resulting extension will enable a further 150 covers.”

Malcolm Scott Consultants has an established track record in obtaining planning permissions, and the team put together a solid proposal to enable expansion of the already successful restaurant.

Jane Cox of Glendoick Garden Centre thanked the team for their hard work and said: “This is good news indeed. We are delighted that the extension has been given the green light by the council and look forward to being able to cater to the additional demand we’ve enjoyed in recent months.” www.malcolmscottcons.co.uk

Rosebourne announces official opening date

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he much-anticipated offic a o e of Rosebourne, the new purposebuilt garden and leisure destination in Weyhill, near Thruxton on the Hampshire and Wiltshire border, will take place on Saturday 22 October.

TV celebrity gardener David Domoney, who presents ITV’s Love your Garden and is a regular face on ITV’s This o offic a c t the ribbon’ at 11am. He will also be holding a series of talks at midday and 2.30pm offering visitors top tips and garden advice.

Rosebourne will be a champion of locally sourced fresh produce within its food hall and table service

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restaurant, where customers can enjoy a sumptuous breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea throughout the week. One of the key suppliers to both the food hall and restaurant will be Owton’s Butchers, one of the UK’s premier wholesale butchers and farm shops, and which is now Rosebourne’s in house butchery. www.rosebourne.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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ustomers at garden centres across the country made good use of their gardens during the warmer weather with increased purchases of furniture and barbecues, according to the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) barometer of trade (BoT) results. Furniture and barbecue sales were up 12.1% with hard landscaping sales close behind at 8.74%.

Iain Wylie, GCA chief executive, explained: “We did enjoy some good weather this summer and from the results of sales in furniture and barbecues it looked like the British public spent a lot of this time in their gardens, which is great to see.

“They also bought clothing as sales were up 13.96%. Seed and bulb sales were generally down 16.5% due to the time of year, and outdoor plants were up just 2.55%. House plant sales were up 1.48% and garden sundries 6.48%.”

Sales showed a year to date increase of 4% and August’s overall increase was 5%.

Iain added: “The regions that saw the biggest increase in sales during the month compared to the same month last year were South Thames at 6.77% up and Wales and West at 6.37% up. The Midlands area saw the biggest year to date change of 18.84%.”

The GCA BoT reports are co e s sa es fi es

and provide an up to date trading position statement.

They are made available midmonth following the end of the prior month after all member garden centres have submitted their results. te e a e fi a ce director at Squires Garden Centres, said: “August was a good trading month for our garden centres with strong sales in plants and lifestyle categories. Our café bars continue to trade strongly e ect the c eas trend for eating out.”

Philip Gass, director of Creative Gardens Ltd, said: “August was a decent month of trading for us, weather was mixed but nonetheless sales across the board were up around 3% at each of our centres compared to the same month last year.

“Some of the noticeable improvements on August 2015 were the bird care department, which was up more than 200%, plants up 8.7% and gardening up 15.7%.” www.gca.org.uk

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

www.gardencentreretail.com

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The specialist agents and valuers for your growing business.

With over 25 years industry leading experience helping hundreds of companies and individuals to buy and sell retail and wholesale plant nurseries and garden centres, we are perfectly placed to do the same for you.

With specialist knowledge and expertise, we should be your first port of call.

Contact us now and let’s grow together for a brighter future.

01732 522222

info@alexandermackie.co.uk

alexandermackie.co.uk

for sale

Garden centre with café North-East England - ref. 9223GC Freehold circa 2.76 acres (1.11 hectares).

Long established. Busy ‘A’ road location.

Separate nursery with glasshouse, polytunnels and timber buildings.

EPC rating = ‘C’. Option to purchase a 5 bedroom detached house at an additional cost.

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

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Garden centre/retail plant centre with 3 bedroom detached bungalow

Garden Centre with licensed restaurant

Devon - ref. 9230RPC

Somerset - ref. 9191GC

Freehold circa 5 acres (2.02 hectares). Busy ‘A’ road location. Comprehensive buildings, glasshouses, poly and netted tunnels. Stunning views and enormous potential.

EPC ratings = Garden Centre: ‘C’ and Bungalow: ‘F’. N.P. 17.5% (F.Y.E. 2015).

Freehold circa 1.36 acres (0.55 hectares).

Located close to busy ‘A’ road. Covered sales areas. Close proximity to Exmoor National Park and coastline.

EPC rating = ‘D’. O.P. 7.8% (F.Y.E. 2015).

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

Guide Price £1,100,000 plus stock at valuation.

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features Glee Visitors mingling around the exhibition

All types of garden sundries were exhibited

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arden Centre Retail had a very successful three days at Glee 2016, which took place at the NEC in September.

A great mix of people visited the event and picked up copies of the magazine. The show carried the theme of f t e oofi the st so eth that each a e e o e of o ea e s sho fi ta o ta t. e e s a selection of the best images from the show. We look forward to seeing you next year!

Heritage Garden Pottery’s display of planters

rundle

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Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

ardener s display of fire alls

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Glee features There was a range of innovative and inventive setups on display

he

reenacres ArtiďŹ cial

rass stand

The halls were packed with the top suppliers in the industry

Westland launched its new innovative ground cover at Glee

Industry experts gave talks at the show

The Nature’s Feast stand

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Paul Richards

The interview features

Mappleborough Green Garden Centre

Paul Richards sold the Golden Acres garden centre group to Wyevale at the end of 2014, but wasn’t ready to retire from an industry he had worked in for over 30 years. This June saw the opening of Mappleborough Green Garden Centre after the site, formerly known as Badger Nurseries, was razed to the ground and built anew.

In January things started moving when Tim Mason of Sea Pop Ltd, who had pre iously uilt illier urseries agship ast ourne centre, was brought in to manage the development. The Mappleborough Green Garden Centre would now be built with the combined experience of both men. We recently caught up with Paul to talk about starting over and where he plans to go from here

COMPANY CV

Projected turnover £2.2m Breakdown Plants £550k Catering £550k Other £1,100k Size of site Approx. 12,140m2 Employees 30

How did you get into the garden centre industry?

I took violin lessons at school and the music room overlooked the school garden. I wasn’t that good at violin and the garden looked more appealing. Before long I was growing and selling plants to teachers and cleaners at school, and then to local shops. I went straight from school into my own business growing and selling plants.

What made you want to run the Golden Acres garden centre group?

I had a passion for business and coming from a farming background, I liked working on the land. I found eta ho t c t e f fi .

Why did you sell the group to Wyevale Garden Centres?

I reached 50 and felt the need for a change! I got bored quickly and here I am again.

Left to right: James White, Paul Richards, Tim Mason

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What was the process involved in starting again? t as ffic t eca se the tea around me had all transferred over with the sale. Getting the right people together is crucially important. 

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features The interview How did you decide the location of the new centre?

Mappleborough Green has a high population locally a he fi st oo e at the business it had a good turnover for a retail nursery with no coffee shop. I was sure that a high quality offer o o . o e o the philosophy ‘if you build it, they will come’.

What was the planning application like?

It was very long winded, but th that s to e e ecte o a a s. o e th the Malcolm Scott Partnership and we achieved what I wanted for the site.

Did the build go as planned?

It did, other than delays in starting the project caused by high voltage cables over the site of the new building.

What challenges did you have to face when getting the new centre up and running?

One of the biggest challenges was continuing to trade during the whole rebuilding process.

Turnover reduced due to the disruption, but I was able to ee the e st a t staff as a e e e ce co e fo the new centre.

Are you planning to do things differently from previous?

I’ve learnt a lot over the ea s a ho e ca ee learning and building on that e e e ce to a e each e o ect a tt e ette . ee to have purpose built retail buildings rather than convert old greenhouses. Customers

“I’ve learnt a lot over the years and hope I can keep learning and building on that experience to make each new project a little better”

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www.gardencentreretail.com

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The interview features

“One of the biggest challenges was continuing to trade during the whole rebuilding process”

do feel more comfortable in them, which means more visits and more spending.

What’s the new customer base like and has that changed?

We have a lot of younger people now shopping and eating with us. I think they see the new building, and particularly the coffee shop, as being more contemporary – we seem a little more ‘trendy’ than before.

What were the costs to start over?

The cost of a new build is clearly higher than extending or refurbishing. However, in the long term I’m sure the operational and maintenance cost savings, along with creating a more appealing building, will mean the business is more robust and a e to e e ate h he ofits.

Have you made a decision as to whether you will be including concessions in your offering?

Yes. We are happy to have Brantano and Klass on the sho oo a a e a to have at least two more concession partners on the site. Concessions add more interest and make the centre feel like a retail destination.

As long as you don’t let the concessions become o a t the a e a e efit.

Is there a plan to expand the business? es. ee to fi oe sites. We are actively looking.

What’s next for Mappleborough Green Garden Centre?

A sister business. ◗ CONTACT Mappleborough Green Garden Centre, Mappleborough Green, Studley B80 7DL 01527 852 631 www.mappleborough greengardencentre.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

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PC_MixedPallets210x265:Layout 1 28/09/2016 12:19 Page 1

Introducing mixed pallets

Discounted from standard wholesale prices - a great way of buying!

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planters Cost £870 RRP £2052 Profit £840 margin 49%

Although we have no minimum order, we understand that many of our customers order large quantities of certain products to fulfil their stock requirements. Our mixed half pallets not only allow you to purchase a variety of designs or colours in one pallet, they also offer exceptional value!

We have 16 mixed pallet options available so you should always be able to find a pallet to suit your needs!

sales@thepotco.com 01892 890 353

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Play areas features

To play or not to play o consider the enefits that come with oth large and small play areas in a garden centre, spoke to marketing manager of ong arden entre o ales and askins chief e ecuti e ulian infield to find out what play areas mean to their usinesses

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eciding to implement or expand a play area in a garden centre comes with important factors to consider – how the size of the play area will affect health and safety practices, noise levels and existing customers.

Having acquired Tong Garden Centre in May 2015, Jo says that building a play area was a top priority for the company: “As we have young families ourselves, we recognised this was a great way to reach the family audience all year round, and give them a meaningful reason to visit in some of the quieter summer months.” Tong’s play area, Grass Hoppers, has been immensely successful since opening and was expanded by 50% in June this year to cater for its popularity.

Garden centres should however be wary of a large play area ostracising customers without children, warns Julian: “At Haskins our core customer is 40 years plus. A garden centre needs to consider if children making lots of noise is right for their customers.”

Haskins’ decision to keep their play areas small and limited to pre-school children

“A garden centre needs to consider if children making a lot of noise is right for their customers” ulian

infield

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“We recognised this was a great way to reach the family audience all year round” o

ensures safety is manageable, explains Julian: “By keeping our play areas on a smaller scale we can offer something for parents and grandparents with young children, with the narrow age range reducing the potential for accidents. We also don’t want a lot of noise, which our customers without children wouldn’t like.” the e efits a a e a area can have for a garden centre, Jo explains: “A large playground attracts the family market, especially mums with young children who are, after all, our future customers. It exposes this audience to your centre, product offering and catering facilities. There may not be immediate, measurable e efits t t ce ta positions you as the local go-to garden centre.”

An accurate view of existing and target customers is essential in deciding whether

ales

a larger or smaller play area is right for your centre, Julian says: “I doubt that increasing the size of our play areas would ha e a s fica t e efit to Haskins sales, as the number of customers that bring young children to the centre is small.”

Conversely, Tong’s clientele has responded well to Grass Hoppers, Jo explains: “Since acquiring Tong we’ve made major changes throughout the centre and footfall has dramatically increased. We recognise a much larger proportion of the family audience using our centre, and Grass Hoppers has undoubtedly contributed to this growth.”

Before deciding on a large play area, Jo advises the potential ripple effect should be considered carefully: “Space, car parking and health and safety are key. You need to ensure you meet the safety

guidelines set out by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and manage the customer experience in very s t es. taffi s a so a important consideration for a large sized playground.”

Julian agrees: “The issues with health and safety are critical.

However well your play area is designed and maintained, accidents will happen, and the larger the play area is the more likely this is to occur.”

For the best chance of success with a play area, a garden centre will need to ensure it is able to maintain health and safety standards while simultaneously managing space and demand. Garden centres considering building or expanding on their play area should ensure its decisions e ect ts a c e te e a target customers. ◗ CONTACT

Jo Dales is marketing manager of Tong Garden Centre. www.tonggardencentre.co.uk Julian Winfield is chief executive of Haskins Garden Centres. www.haskins.co.uk

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features Click and collect

Click and collect

Wayne Robbins, director at Iconography, offers advice on click and collect services

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hings change. Things are always changing. People and their expectations, in all aspects of their lives have changed.

Whether it’s a drive-thru burger restaurant, a Chinese takeaway delivered to your home, shopping at 9pm in the local supermarket, booking train tickets online or pausing live television – a constant theme runs through each of these everyday things: convenience. The world is becoming more convenient, more immediate, and consumers expect more than they once did.

E-commerce is very much part and parcel of the new world of consumer convenience and it has evolved in a number of contradictory ways to offer it.

On the one hand supermarkets have developed home delivery services to save consumers the hassle of getting in

their cars and going to the shops. They can do it through their phone, tablet or PC. the s e e co e ce has also evolved to enable customers to order products online from home and collect in store as and when it suits them – removing the hassle of queueing or visiting the shops o to fi the te s the a e interested in are not available.

For garden centres this is an interesting development.

It means people may be more attracted to purchasing online and avoiding delivery costs by collecting the items themselves. Retailers should think about the implications of the much promoted ‘free delivery’ and whether they should have a lower price for customers prepared to do the legwork themselves.

Offering collection of items which may be ordered in, such as an outdoor sofa and table, is a relatively simple step for most

“E-commerce is very much part and parcel of the new world of consumer convenience and it has evolved in a number of contradictory ways to offer it”

retailers and is about having suitable storage, parking and collection areas with good organisation so the items are readily located and handed over to the customer.

If retailers also want to extend this service to stock items, then it is essential that they have in place a system with an accurate view of stock across all stores and that web orders with collection are readily picked and set aside for collection. Nobody wants to have customers turning up to collect the items they’ve ordered through their e-commerce site, the towels, cutlery, lamps and so forth, only to be inconvenienced by the items not being there due to a ‘problem with the system’.

Retailers who get ‘click and collect’ and ‘reserve and collect’ right are differentiating themselves on service; they are more convenient to deal with and more relevant to how people shop nowadays.

Furthermore, the e-commerce website is not only delivering sales, it is also delivering footfall to your centre.

At present we think garden centres are a little behind the curve in terms of rolling out and promoting click and collect services, and educating consumers. Customers enjoy visiting garden centres, so why not combine the visit with collecting an item ordered online? We are seeing click and collect accounting for around 2.5% of online orders, whilst footfall (anecdotally) sees a marked increase where garden centres have produced websites which show consumers the breadth of products available to view in store.

Savvy retailers with effective customer relationship management software will understand the implications this has for upselling, crossselling, customer engagement and loyalty.

The retailer will know that ‘Mrs Jones’ is coming in on Thursday at 2pm to collect the item she ordered online.

This is a great opportunity to impress ‘Mrs Jones’ with a well presented collection area and to think about other items or promotions which may be of interest to her when she comes in, based on her purchase history and preferences.

Leading independent furniture retailers, department stores and garden centres that want to compete on more than price should think seriously about how they can offer click and collect and reserve and collect services to their customers, driving additional business to their traditional brick and mortar stores. ◗

CONTACT

Wayne Robbins is the director at Iconography.

01460 258 530 www.iconography.co.uk

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13/10/2016 10:53

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features Lighting

Steal the limelight

With new lighting technologies on the increase, a garden centre has a lot to consider. But what questions should they ask before deciding on what lighting is best for them?

Garden Centre Retail spoke to Howard Lawrence, sales director at ommercial ighting to find out more

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hen considering how much of your budget to allocate to lighting, garden centres should consider the affect that their choices can have on sales. A variety of research, including a study

by Phillips Lighting and Human-Technology Interaction Group, has found that the lighting in a retail setting has a direct impact on a customer’s perception of the space, as well as their tendency to examine, handle and purchase merchandise.

Lighting in a garden centre is therefore a choice that should be considered carefully, as Howard Lawrence states: “Today’s garden centres are multifunctional spaces, so the lighting needs to e e e. co ect lighting system will help to better promote the product you are selling – if you have a warm-coloured item which is washed out by a cold lamp source, the product will not look as attractive and be less likely to sell.”

Choice of lighting for a garden centre comes with several important considerations, such as what is appropriate vs. what is achievable, what is commercial vs. what is ecofriendly, and ultimately what will make your customers most likely to notice and purchase the products on display.

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Cost

What lighting where?

On lighting options available to garden centres, Howard says: “There are many types available, it really depends on the type of space to be illuminated. Is it open plan?

Does it have a ceiling or is it an external space? There are a huge range of lighting products available including LED panels, LED high bays, track and LED spotlights, LED downlighters and LED external lighting.”

In terms of what’s feasible for a given space within a garden centre, Howard assures: “Most lighting o cts ca e fitte e easily as they are individual points. As long as the cabling infrastructure is there and suitable it is normally quite a painless procedure.”

Trends

Garden centres should also be aware of what’s current or new in lighting, but should balance this by what they can afford, says Howard: “Today’s trends air around connectivity, smart lighting, connected commerce and people

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tracking. The IoT (internet of things) is the buzzword, but that all comes at a cost.”

Budget

What are the more inexpensive lighting options for a garden centre?

Howard says: “With today’s technology, LED has to be the most economical way of lighting any space. Very often the mistake is made going with a cheaper high bay solution, because of the nature of the building usually being a large open space. h h a fi t es a e o available, but unfortunately most people look solely at equipment and upfront costs – when you start to look at the cost of ownership and reduced energy bills, ongoing maintenance, lamp changes, a decent LED fi t e sho give you 50,000 hours of trouble free lighting, so LED really begins to make sense.”

Garden centres should also be aware that the costs of their lighting aren’t just the price of the light products themselves, warns Howard: “You should factor in the size of the building, scope of works and what electrical works are required. It is not just down to the unit cost; other factors come into play and should be allowed for within budgets.”

Lighting is a multifactorial issue for garden centres, with not only costs and maintenance to consider but also eco-awareness, style, ambience and customer experience. With the retail lighting industry always evolving, options are on the increase and garden centres have much to deliberate over. Howard concludes: “Make sure you research the product you’re being offered, from LED wattages, o t ts a effic e c es to ongoing maintenance costs and warranties.” ◗ CONTACT

Howard Lawrence is sales director at Commercial Lighting Systems Ltd. 01489 581 002 www.commerciallighting.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

13/10/2016 10:56

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Online retailing features

Setting up shop online Dan Burnham, head of customer success at Volo Commerce, provides a guide for entering the market of selling home and garden products online

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large number of retailers are still hesitant about selling home and garden products online. The challenge often lies in the size of the merchandise and the nature of the products.

However, this sector represents 8% of the total online sales registered in the UK and studies show the market is on the rise.

So how can online sellers make more hay while the sun shines on this sector? We’ve put together a brief plan and top tips that should help home and garden retailers to untangle the intricacies of this growing sector.

1

Plan your seasons

Planning around seasonality is a critical requirement in the home and garden business. If you’re selling in the UK, you know that the prime season for such products is between March and June.

Make sure that you have your bestselling products stocked long before that period and also plan for shortages, shipping delays and customs particularities, especially for larger items.

i l

2

li

r

Shipping rates and service levels are critical to home and outdoor sellers. With volume-based rate packages, oversized shipments, spikes in rates for remote locations and weight ac ets act ofita t t s c t ca o ha e e e shipping options with real time tracking in place.

Over time, it can save you not only energy and money, but also prevent unpleasant shopping e e e ces fo o c sto e s.

3

Bundle your offerings

Matching items and bundling them together is a very effic e t st ate fo c eas the a e a e spend per order. The bundles you put in ace sho cate to a e ofi es a reward those who purchase more. This will gain their loyalty and inspire repeat purchases.

ti is

r sta fi g

he a e a o e co e o 4 stock, the more pressure on supply logistics, warehousing and delivery.

Use technology to automate simple, repetitive and manual business processes.

Free up your staff to focus on where they can add a ea e oe e o th o o t t es.

5

Get your data right

You can make high value decisions on planning, staffi a sh th a to ate acc ate e o ts that sho e act hat s se ho fast, when you’re going to run out of it and how long it will take to get more stock in.

Figuring out in detail how much money you’re making on each item and how much cash is tied up in slow-moving merchandise that’s sitting in your warehouse can prove crucial he o a t to c ease ofit a s and push your business forward.

6

Expand into international markets

While the UK is a strong market for home and garden products, you want to see your revenues grow all year round. For this, you need to fi the e o s he e o can sell during the domestic low season. You can also a o se th o e ofit margins towards the end of the season when you need to clear up the warehouse and offer s fica t sco ts.

Do your research, learn as much as you can about local marketplaces and adapt your promotional and pricing strategy accordingly.

Whether you’re selling home improvement or outdoor products, nailing this sector comes down to mastering co e t a fac tat the movement of goods from suppliers to buyers. With a strong multi-channel solution that automatically manages your sales, supply a f fi e t o can boost sales and develop your business with ease. ◗

CONTACT

Dan Burnham is head of customer success at Volo Commerce. www.volocommerce.com

“Free up your staff to focus on where they can add value and explore new growth opportunities” www.gardencentreretail.com

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Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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13/10/2016 10:57

features Fordingbridge

Above and beyond Fordingbridge is at the forefront of the design and build of canopies and walkways

W

est Sussex based Fordingbridge has more than 50 years’ experience in the design and build of innovative canopy, walkway and sustainable building solutions to a wide range of sectors.

Starting in horticulture, Fordingbridge progressed from manufacturing and sta f ct o a effic e t polytunnels to creating more customer-facing environments

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in garden centres. Being in complete control of manufacture and engineering design allowed Fordingbridge to grow its product range and expand into markets such as education, leisure and retail.

Over the past 50 years, Fordingbridge has earned an excellent reputation for creating aesthetically pleasing, affordable, durable solutions. The Fordingbridge name has

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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become synonymous with quality, leading to 70% of projects being past clients and recommendations.

With 50% of Fordingbridge’s clients in the garden retail industry, the team has plenty of experience in the sector, offering cost effective ways of increasing retail space, as well as converting existing canopies into insulated space. The idea is that the environments created are inspirational, increasing the time that customers want to spend in store.

Fordingbridge assists in creating a ‘one stop shop’ destination garden centre whilst helping to improve sales performance.

The company’s unique selling point is that they are specialists in offering in-

www.gardencentreretail.com

13/10/2016 10:58

Fordingbridge features house, design-led expertise, leading to quality and industry-leading guarantees.

The team offers an expertise rarely found anywhere else whilst having a strong focus on customer service and communication. It’s the collaborative approach working with stakeholders and architects that has been key to the success of the company.

On top of this, sustainability is of utmost importance. It is embedded into the very

fabric of the company and is involved in every stage of the process.

So what’s next for Fordingbridge? They want to continue innovating and looking for the best ways to enhance the experience of the customer. There are also some material trials being undertaken; Fordingbridge is currently testing innovative a s to se a o e based plastic material, in roof coverings as an alternative to glass. ◗

“The increased sales in nursery stock and bedding at each of our centres were directly related to the size of newly covered external space. The larger the canopy, the bigger the increase in turnover we saw from the previous year.”

Chris Francis, retail director of Hillier Garden Centres

CONTACT

“We have found Fordingbridge to be an excellent company to deal with from the planning stages to the construction a fi sh . e o ot hes tate eco e them to other businesses and would look forward to using them again in the future.”

Andrew Pearson, owner, Radway Bridge Garden Centre

www.gardencentreretail.com

Fordingbridge.indd 25

Fordingbridge plc Arundel Road Fontwell Arundel BN18 0SD 01243 554 455 info@fordingbridge.co.uk www.fordingbridge.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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13/10/2016 10:59

features Plant focus

Into the bushes There has been a resurgence of shrubs over the last few months.

But how do you maximise their selling potential? Mark Reynard, garden centre sales manager at national nursery Johnsons of Whixley, has the answers

Mix shrubs with herbaceous perennials like Crocosmia, seen growing here at Johnsons of Whixley’s nursery in North Yorkshire

T

he e a e a e efits to choos sh s fo the a e h ch a e the s ta e fo a a e of ho eo e s a o c sto e s. s a o a te a ce a t the a e e fect fo fi st t e a e e sa ae o a th ho eo e s ho a e oo to c eate ac th the t e of he ht a te t e that sh s o e.

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s a ch e a the offe s a te est f o the eaf a ste co o to the e es a o e s. t es te the a e efits the e s a ce ta s that s e e to se sh s e to the s t et . h s ea s eta e s ee to o ha e . e a e ce t e h ch has see os t e sa es of sh s s o e s a e

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Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

Plant Focus.indd 26

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e te e cast e. e the ast t o ea s e ha e see a o th sh sa es h ch s o to a e of facto s sa s a a ecto a t o e . o e s has co t e to se the t a t o a etho of se h ch see s to ha e o e fo the . a t co t es st o es th the seaso s e s e ee o s a s te est . e a so stoc a a e of co e sh s th o ho t the ea c o sa ho s a. he st e ce t o of the s that t s ffic t to se t the fo a of co a seaso a st th co e sh s has o e e fo s. t a so he s that the e a e o o e sh sa a a e th co o a a e te est h ch a es th s cate o o e a ea a so too oes the o ot o of sh s th o h o a es s ch as a e es o h ch he s to ee the f o t of fo c sto e s. ◗

www.gardencentreretail.com

13/10/2016 11:00

Plant focus features Trend watch – Mark’s top 10 shrubs for 2017

Choisya ‘White Dazzler’

This relatively new introduction produces beautiful white fragrant o e s h ch s t a o e its delicate dark green foliage. Its growth habit is not too vigorous, making it ideal for smaller gardens.

Hypericum ‘Little Misstery’

This is going to become afi fa o te the years to come. It provides weeks of interest, with large, rich, yellow, sa ce sha e o e s summer, set against rich variegated foliage.

Cotinus ‘Royal Purple’

This plant provides spectacular purple foliage throughout summer and autumn which turns deep orange and red later in the season. If this isn’t enough, it also produces majestic feathe o e es late summer.

“By offering season-long interest, shrubs provide a permanent canvas of colour in the garden throughout the year”

Elaeagnus ‘Viveleg’

Hebe ‘Lime Zest’

Pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’

Sambucus ‘Golden Tower’

A new introduction to the Eleagnus ‘family’ and in my view easily the best of the variegated forms. Its ‘tight’ growth habit really makes it an ideal plant to use for evergreen colour in the garden.

This versatile plant can be grown in a container to provide spectacular foliage colour. As the plant matures, the foliage can take on an almost pure black appearance later in the year.

A new variety of this popular group of plants, it produces beautiful pink o e s es s e which are complemented by vibrant variegated foliage. This is an ideal plant for growing in a small space or a container.

This is a new variety with an upright narrow habit.

It will provide a superb backdrop or ‘canvas’ which can provide privacy or partial shade. Its golden foliage will glisten in the summer sun.

CONTACT Mark Reynard has worked for Johnsons of Whixley for 35 years.

Viburnum ‘Lisa Rose’

A superb low maintenance plant which is tolerant of shade. Produces clusters of deep pink buds which o e to a e o es in late autumn. This plant will provide interest in the winter months which is a bonus to any garden.

www.gardencentreretail.com

Plant Focus.indd 27

Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’

This is another shrub which is perfect for smaller gardens or containers.

The bright yellow and light green foliage will intensify in colour throughout summer and deepen to red. It will also produce t te h te o e s.

Viburnum Opulus ‘Compactum’

Here’s something a little bit different to offer some fo a e co o o es and berries in the garden.

This medium-sized shrub has a neat rounded growth habit and a lovely se e ce of o e s.

As a nationwide supplier to DIY chains and independent garden centres, Johnsons’ plants can be found in gardens nationally.

Mark’s main responsibilities include new product development and managing key accounts.

01423 330 234 markr@nurserymen.co.uk www.nurserymen.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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13/10/2016 11:01

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If a line or collection is not performing, then clear it and replace it with a better one. Test and measure the selling potential of all your products in a Greenwood Sale. ● SELLING SKILLS - Get good at selling. Most retailers don’t bother with proper retail sales training for those big-ticket lines. The successful ones do. Invest time and money in quality sales know-how. Call Greenwood to arrange an effective sales training course for your team. ● COMPETITION – Check your competition to find out what they are offering. Avoid all-out price wars. Be sure to out-do your competition on the most relevant beneficial points including choice, quality, value and service. Call Greenwood to mystery shop your competitors. ● PROMOTION – Promote your business effectively.

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13/10/2016 09:54

News products

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

Smart Garden to buy Chapelwood Birdcare

Kettler to distribute ‘Everdure by Heston Blumenthal’ barbecue range

K

ettler GB Ltd plans to fie the a ec e a et as the a ea st to fo the e e e esto e tha a ec e a e. o o a s ccessf a ch at o a e est of h o st a a t t the ea st a a co s e o cts co a that e e o e the a e th esto e tha a a e to ett e a a ecto s e the ea . he a e co ses of th ee cha coa a t o as o ee a ec es s

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e of accesso es c oast ac s coo o es a o a a ec e co e s. ach o ct has a host of o e o at e a eas to se feat es. esto e tha sa a e e c te to hea ett e t e st t e e esto e tha . he s e the so the a o of the foo a ec s a o e f se so e e e ce a a eat a to coo th f e s. es te o seaso a eathe the e s a h e e a fo

Wildlife World wins Glee award with new Simon King product fe o s e e t e th o o t a a a fo the est e fe a et o ct at ee . fe o as a a e e of the cate o fo the sh oo o este h ch s a t of the co a s e a of o cts c eate a t e sh th o . fe o as a so a fi a st th the o e eho ee e . o a e e s a a ecto at fe o co e te e a e so ease a ho o e to ha e o the

www.gardencentreretail.com

Product News.indd 29

est e o ct a a fo fe a ets es ec a fo th s a t c a o ct. e ha e ee o th o fo so e t e to c eate o cts that e ho e o e c te the a et a th s s a e ce e t sta t. o s o e e a e e t se has a o e s to c eate o cts that a e t e efic a to sa othe fe s ec es. he est o as a o a othe o cts the e a e that e e s a e at the sho a a e e a eat ea of te est f o s to s. www.wildlifeworld.co.uk

ofess o a a ec es the a the tech o o eh e a e ea s that a o e ca et sta te . www.kettler.co.uk

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s c c at at ee that a t a e e e the to the cotts ha e oo s ess ha e ee co fi e as the co a es a o ce that the ha e a ee te s. e a e e hte to ha e fo a ta e e e ce e fo th s s ess sa he a e e a a a e of he cotts ac e o o a . e a e a ec s o to foc s o o co e s ess h ch s ot ca e a t as c ea that e ha to fi the ht co a to ta e ha e oo fo a . www.sgpuk.com

New original Gardena system to be rounded off fte o e tha ea s a e a has e a ca ef o e ha at the hea t of ts a a e the a a e a ste . he e a e has ee fi she t e fo the a e seaso a a ate accesso es f o the o fo t a e a es a e o f ost oof a eas e to ha e. hethe o e s a o s a a ce the a a e a ste o es the ht ate accesso fo e e a cat o the ho e o a e . o cts feat e te ate f ost otect o tech o o a ae cha acte se the

h h e e of o e at co e e ce. he e co fo ta the ha e to the o e ha e sha e feat soft ast c e e e ts. o o ca sha e t e tto s th te ate oc s a e o e at o co e e t a ossess the a e e a sta sta fo h h a t a o a t of s ste a ts. www.gardena.com/uk

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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13/10/2016 11:01

products News

Product news The latest in updates from the product sector

Eco-friendly compost launched

Garden waste collected from householders across North Yorkshire has been recycled into compost which is now on sale across the county.

Yorwaste, along with its sister company SJB Recycling, recently launched the new compost, which is known as Yorganics.

Yorganics is a 100% recycled, peat free, locally sourced and produced compost which is accredited to the British Standards Institution (BSI) PAS 100 Standard, which recognises the production of high quality compost. It is now on sale from a number of wellknown stockists including Sam Turners & Sons in Northallerton and Harpers in Harrogate, as well as from Yorwaste sites in Scorton, near Richmond, and York. Further stockists will be added in the coming months.

The compost is being sold in 40L bags, which are ideal for the garden, and Yorwaste/SJB is also providing Yorganics in bulk for the agricultural and horticultural sector.

Yorwaste’s head of sales and marketing, Matt Wilkinson, said: “We launched Yorganics at the Great Yorkshire Show and were absolutely delighted with the interest from farmers, retailers and members of the public. Its biggest selling point is that it is a 100% recycled, peat free, locally sourced and produced compost which meets high national standards for quality.” www.yorwaste.co.uk

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Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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New look for Wilkinson Sword tool range

Bord na Móna launches Growise Pro 5 range

Wilkinson Sword has unveiled a new look for its iconic carbon steel range.

The collection, previously available in black, has now turned green with an a e oo a fi sh.

Durability is at the heart of the products’ design, to meet the strains of the busy gardener and deliver the performance expected of Wilkinson Sword. All products feature the same carbon steel head as before, providing strength and performance for all tasks.

The carbon steel collection consists of o cts fi e of h ch a e ha tools and the remaining 10 of which are long handled. The range is led by the digging spade and fork which have an extra long socket and double rivets reinforcing the shaft in place to withstand the challenges of robust gardening. The two spades have tread plates to ensure secure foot placement, ideal for digging into harder ground.

Nick Hills, garden division general manager, commented: “The carbon steel collection is one of our most popular ranges.

We decided to rejuvenate the range following customer feedback from which we learnt that gardeners want something where the aesthetics match the performance capabilities.

It’s not style over substance – with the new range the design is just as good as the functionality.” www.wilkinsonsword-tools. co.uk

Bord na Móna UK has launched an allpurpose premium range, Pro 5, which includes both high quality fertiliser and specialist growing media. This follows its launch of 18 fertilisers for the 2017 season and the expansion of its growing media range. Pro 5 is a professional range consisting of a 50L bag of all-purpose compost and a 7kg tub of all-purpose fertiliser, together with two smaller boxes of all-purpose fertiliser sized at 2.5kg and 900g. he e e efit of the fe t se s its unique formulation, combining essential nutrients for complete plant feeding in ways never seen before in the retail market. Pro 5 All-purpose Fertiliser is premium grade slow release and works for up to 20 weeks.

It contains a unique set of ten essential nutrients plus humic acid and seaweed to improve plant growth, and is ideal for all garden use.

Pro 5 All-purpose Compost has a high quality peat content blended with sustainable alternative ingredients and fertilisers to give superior performance for up to seven weeks. It also contains vermiculite to improve air/water balance and ensure strong roots.

Ideal for seeds and cuttings, it is also suitable for tubs and baskets and can be used all around the garden. www.bordnamona.ie

www.gardencentreretail.com

13/10/2016 11:03

THE FASHIONABLY FUNCTIONAL Leading the way in the latest trends and product innovation, Grange Fencing has launched a number of stylish decorative fence Panels and Gates - all cleverly constructed using cutting edge Mortise and Tenon jointed frames for maximum strength and durability.

CONTEMPORARY VOGUE PANEL

ELITE MELOIR DOUBLE DRIVEWAY ELITE LILLE PANEL This minimalistic Panel features a horizontal trellis top for a refreshed, ontrend twist. Featuring planed, straight cut slats, the Lille Panel boasts a clean finish and super smooth feel.

Available in a choice of three widths, this sturdy Gate features a wave top lattice design for a decorative appearance. When used in conjunction with the matching Meloir Panel and Garden Gate, the new Double Driveway Gate provides a harmonized garden periphery.

A new addition to the hugely popular Contemporary collection, the Contemporary Vogue Panel is constructed with timber slats on both sides of the frame for ultimate privacy. One of the most substantial panels on the market, the Contemporary Vogue can be used alongside other Contemporary collection pieces, including the matching Arch, Arbour and Planters for a coordinated look.

Alongside the impressive design innovations, all of Grange’s new products are pressure treated for protection against wood rot and decay and are available under the company’s Home Delivery service. Available for Spring 2017, retailers can find out more by visiting www.grangefen.co.uk or can contact the company on 01952 588 088 or by emailing sales@grangefen.co.uk

Download the FREE Garden Centre Retail app today 1 Go to the App Store 2 Search ‘Garden Centre Retail’ 3 Download the free app 4 Choose and download your issue

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13/10/2016 12:37

Award winning porcelain paving looks - and feels - like wood Paving and aggregates specialist Deco-Pak took home the top prize in the landscaping category at the Glee 2016 new product awards this year, as the team launched a new paving range inspired by authentic Italian al fresco dining.

The company’s Milano paving offers a unique combination of the attractive look and texture of newly sawn timber oo tha s to a s ec a o s fi sh. he a sa s a a a e t o s es fo eas sta e ae es sta t to oss a a ae as e as being able to withstand extreme hot a co te e at es.

These porcelain slabs are extremely to h ot o ca the thsta to of e ht t the a so retain their colour despite prolonged e os e to s s o a a . eco a s e cha se occ es a co act . . a ea to e o st ate the o ct s t so c sto e s ca to ch test a et a realistic feel for how the product would oo the o a e s.

Deco-Pak Milano Porcelain Paving Large RRP £29 per large tile (0.48m2) . o c ea th c .

Deco-Pak Milano Porcelain Paving Small RRP £17 per small tile (0.24m2) c o c e th c . a a e o e o e a a o e o each t e effect es sa t s f ost es sta t a e es o a oss.

• The smaller size tiles allow for easier sta e a e the large slabs can be laid using traditional paving slab laying techniques – no specialist materials e e .

www.deco-pak.co.uk

Tel: 01422 204 394

Fax: 01422 204 544

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

and for anyone using a wheelbarrow or trolley.

The new Broadway Lean-to brings all of the Eden Zero

followed up with an addition to the range – the Eden

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

Broadway Lean-to – launching this autumn ready for the

the benefit of British design and manufacture, the Broadway

2017 season.

Eden Zero Threshold™ is one of a very few design

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

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

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

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13/10/2016 09:54

Artificial grass features

alki g artificial tur

© ArtificialGrass.com

hat are the enefits of a garden centre selling artificial grass, and who s really uying it talks to Artificial rass com s sales and marketing director Andy ri er and A ify Artificial rass s managing director oe ehdawi a out artificial grass in the garden retail market

“It’s great for active families, especially those with dogs – a natural lawn can’t withstand that activity”

I

n the modern day, the average person has an ever-decreasing amount of time to spend ensuring their garden looks its best. For those with hectic schedules, demanding work commitments and family life to contend with, a beautiful lawn may seem a luxury that simply can’t be afforded in money, effort or time. To this increasing customer base, a t fic a ass s soa popularity as a quick and easy solution for a good looking garden without having to spend time maintaining natural grass.

Will it sell?

The most important question for a garden centre considering stoc a t fic a ass s t se t fic a ass has become an increasingly attractive option for modern a e o e s sa s “It’s massively popular, and its popularity is always growing.

We've seen demand rise

www.gardencentreretail.com

Artificial Grass Feature.indd 33

hugely, and the market itself s o s fica t e e ea . oe co c s f t fic a ass has see a increase of 40% in the past 12 months alone – as an industry this is the busiest and most ofita e t has e e ee .

An integral factor in whether this product will sell in a garden centre is staff knowledge on the product, e a s t s ot a product you can just buy off the shelf and start using like weedkiller; you need to know how to install it, to have the right equipment, do the right ground work etc. We've seen big and small garden centre chains that have bought a t fic a ass t the staff didn't know how to advise their customers and the product didn’t sell. The correct training is a big thing to get right.”

Another consideration for garden centres should be the level of involvement an a t fic a ass co a s e a e to ha e sa s oe

“It’s really important for garden centres to invest in an a t fic a ass co a that offers support to help drive revenue of their product sales – for example offering free DIY guides to customers, or having advice lines available.”

Who’s buying it?

he a t of a t fic a ass to retain an effortlessly evergreen aesthetic is one that continues to draw in an expanding customer base, sa s t fic a ass provides the ideal solution for people that want the perfect lawn but don’t have the time or energy required to achieve it. It's great for active families, especially those with dogs – a natural lawn can't withstand that activity. Another key demographic is garden owners who are struggling with the upkeep – a lot of our customers are members of the aging population who want a beautiful garden but just can't maintain a natural lawn. It's

a very practical, increasingly popular choice.” t fic a ass c sto e s also include garden owners who struggle to grow a lawn naturally due to any number of adverse conditions, from the garden being overly shaded to c a so . sa s ot of our customers come to us because they've re-turfed two or three times and the natural grass just isn't taking, so this is the only alternative – other than paving, with which you lose that green area.”

st c artificial grass

hat e efits ca a a e centre expect from stocking a t fic a ass he ses are always diversifying and therefore the demand has never been higher, Joe e a s toc a t fic a s h e ofita e fo a e centres and is trending. More a o e c e ts a t a ess looking grass and they want it o a o a t fic a a popular option.” a ees h t ea s a o a t fic a ass as e much used just for roll out solution and exhibitions, which it's still used for now, but the quality in the products has massively increased and the technological advancements th a t fic a ha e ee huge. Now you've got a great selection of fantastic products to stock for customers to choose from.” ◗ CONTACT

Andy Driver is sales and marketing director at ifi cial ass.co .

Joe Mehdawi is managing di ec o a if ifi cial ass. www. assif .co.uk

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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13/10/2016 11:03

BORD NA MÓNA GROWISE FERTILISER RANGE LAUNCHED BY BNM UK Bord na Móna UK is adding to its comprehensive peat to peat-free growing media and soil improvers range with the launch of a Bord na Móna Growise branded range of fertilisers.

The new range comprises 18 new products in a selection of consumer-friends pack sizes and innovation formats. The launch follows the immense popularity of the brand’s growing media and soil improvers range launched in 2015 and now considerably expanded.

powder form, a 3.5 Kg granular formula of Lime, 10 Kg and 2.5Kg pellets of Chicken Manure, 7Kg, 3.5Kg and 900G granules of Slow Release General Purpose, 3.5Kg and 1Kg granules of Rose, Tree & Shrub, 1.5 Kg granules of Ericaceous, a Compost Maker, three types of All Purpose fertiliser and a 20 tablet pack of Water Retaining Gel. Retailers interested in working with the Bord na Móna Growise brand should contact 0800 973 555, email info@thegreenergardener.com or visit thewebsite www.thegreenergardener.com.

The Bord na Móna Growise fertilisers range comprises Growmore, Fish,Blood & Bone, Bonemeal in 10Kg, 3.5Kg and 1.5Kg granules, Sulphate of Potash, Sulphate of Ammonia, Superphosphate, Sulphate of Iron, Epsom Salts in 1.5Kg

Austin Stone A e ne About Us We are a manufacturer of stone garden ornaments. We use the best materials and techniques to make high quality ornaments at affordable prices.

Higher Quality Our ornaments are finished in the popular Cotswold cream with highlights to bring out the high levels of detail. They are then treated to improve resistance to frost, mould and most other types of weathering Better Terms We are happy to offer a full display of our stone ornaments on a sale or return basis. Our representative will regularly monitor your display on your behalf and help you reorder when necessary.

Superior Service We are happy to display our products ourselves on delivery. Our products can be pre-priced at your chosen mark-up and can include barcodes if needed.

Guarantee If you are unhappy with any of our products or are struggling to sell it on then we will be happy to swap it on our next visit.

More Information Website: austinstonegardenornaments.weebly.com Email: austinstone@hotmail.co.uk Telephone: Chris on 07963 116 359 New Designs Now Available in Antique!

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13/10/2016 09:55

Artificial grass products

Latest products

Artificial grass

As the artificial grass market continues to soar in popularity, here are a few options for you to consider stocking

WHOLESALE ARTIFICIAL GRASS EDEN 30MM TRI-COLOUR • Soft touch • Realistic looking • Pet friendly • Great for children • Low maintenance

RRP £14.99 per m2 www.wholesaleartificialgrass.co.uk

THE GRASS FACTORY WINDSOR

FOREVER GREEN LAWNS LOS ANGELES

• Looks and feels like a healthy natural lawn which can be used all year round • Low maintenance • Easy to clean and no more mud trampled into your home • Ideal for children and pets • Simple and quick to install

• Very soft and tactile • Perfect for children playing in the garden • 35mm piled grass • Two tone blades with a green and brown thatched root system • Pet friendly

RRP £18.99 per m2

RRP £22.99 per m2

www.thegrassfactory.com

GRONO LAWNS LTD PRESTIGE • Densest product on the market • 26 stitches per 10cm • Superbly soft • Truly luxurious • Highly realistic

RRP £36.76 per m2 www.grono.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

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www.forevergreenlawns.co.uk

GRASSIFY ARTIFICIAL GRASS SERENITY 30MM • Free draining • Eight year UV warranty • Made in the UK • Luxuriously soft and dense • Ideal for both children and pets

RRP £19.99 per m2 www.grassify.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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13/10/2016 11:06

products Watering

Latest products

Watering GCR’s roundup of the latest thirst quenchers to keep your customers’ plants happy

CLABER KIROS 30M HOSE REEL KIT • Ridged quality to help prevent kinking • 40m capacity drum made from weather resistant ABS plastics • Comes with a set of wall brackets • Comes with hose connectors and a spray nozzle • Full colour box for visual display RRP £29.99 www.cla er.co.uk

HOZELOCK CLOUD CONTROLLER

CREST GARDEN FLOPRO MULTI-COLOUR LED SPRINKLER

• Control watering via smartphone • Water even when at work or on holiday • Suggests changes to watering based on local weather data • Uses a low power signal to connect • Manage a balcony, garden or greenhouse remotely

• Water with colour • Colours change with water pressure with rainbow effect • No wires, batteries or electricity • o s a s a fit to all watering brands • Set up multiple number for additional effects

RRP £135

RRP £12.99

www.ho elock.co

IRRIGATIA SOL-C12 SOLAR AUTOMATIC WATERING SYSTEM • Weather responsive • Pumps directly from a water butt • Waters up to 12 irrigation units (e.g.

12 tomato plants) • Waters up to 5m above the water source • as eco effic e t RRP £79.95 www.irrigatia.com

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Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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www. o ro uk.co

GARDENA COMFORT MULTI SPRAYER • Frost protection • Five spray patterns: soft s a fi e st hard jet, bubble jet s a a at s a • One-hand water quantity regulation • te ate fi te can be removed and cleaned • Made in Germany

RRP £24.99 www.gar e a.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

13/10/2016 11:09

INDEPENDENT IMPARTIAL INVALUABLE

BEDFORDSHIRE

DORSET

NURSERY & GARDEN CENTRE

SWANSEA

ESSEX

GARDEN CENTRE

GARDEN CENTRE

GARDEN CENTRE

FOR SALE

FOR SALE LEASEHOLD FREEHOLD MAY BE AVAILABLE

TO LET / FOR SALE

FOR SALE LEASEHOLD Due to Retirement

Circa 5 acres

Attractive Site of Circa 7 Acres

Potential to increase Turnover & Profitability

Good Range of Nursery & Garden Centre Buildings Modern Restaurant

Possibility to Increase Retail Area/ Or add Craft Units

With or Without 3 Bedroom Home

Further Land Available

by Separate Negotiation

With or Without 3 Bed Bungalow

REF: 0242

REF: 0247

REF: 0246

Successful Garden Centre Planning Consent to Increase Covered Accommodation Circa 8.4 Acres

New Modern Retail Building Edge of Town / Close to M25 Established Site Great Potential REF: 0251

Quinton Edwards Chartered Surveyors, Bartholomew House, 38 London Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 1JX

quintonedwards.co.uk

sales@quintons.co.uk

Win an unforgettable away-day for your whole team by adding some pizazz to your poinsettia display! Boost your poinsettia sales to win an experience voucher worth £500, claimable on a huge array of activities.

THE COMPETITION Get creative, jazz up your poinsettia display or come up with a special poinsettia POS idea, send a photo to Stars for Europe and the garden centre with the best entry will win a fantastic prize for the whole team.

THE PRIZE A £500 experience voucher for a team away-day. Try a speed-boat ride or quad biking session, opt for a more relaxing spa day for a post-peak rest, enjoy a foodie experience or a pick a pub tour for those prone to a Sunday morning sickie.

Other options include one-day boat hire, pamper sessions, tall tree climbing, jet skiing, a zombie survival experience and many, many more.

HOW TO ENTER To enter, send photographs of your poinsettia display or poinsettia POS idea (e.g. posters, A-boards etc.) to hello@purplespotted.com with your name plus the name and address of your business.

OPEN TO ALL UK GARDEN CENTRES, THE COMPETITION CLOSES ON 13TH DECEMBER 2016

The winning entry will be the display or POS idea that the judges decide is most likely to grab the attention of visitors in an attractive, fun, clever or innovative way.

FOR FULL TERMS & CONDITIONS VISIT WWW.SFE-WEB.COM/EN/POINSETTIA-COMPETITION

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13/10/2016 09:55

products Business

Trading with... Ecowyse Ecowyse, a range of organic garden cleaning products manufactured by N-Virol, is new to the market and gaining traction fast. We spoke to N-Virol manager Scott Worrall about the past, present and future of Ecowyse Can you give us a brief outline of the Ecowyse brand?

The Ecowyse range is manufactured by N-Virol Specialist Products, part of the Linemark Group.

Operating from a 48,000ft 2 manufacturing and warehouse facility in Rossendale Valley, Lancashire, the group exports to co t es ac oss fi e continents. Linemark UK recently won a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2016, the second success for the co a afte fi st ece a Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2011.

What is Ecowyse?

Ecowyse is a range of organic and natural products for the home cleaning and garden

38

market. Born by combining years of experience in the production of market leading specialist products, Ecowyse offers the consumer an alternative to the usual synthetic, often harmful chemicals available on the current market. So, with a brand, product range and performance you can trust, Ecowyse will have customers’ problems solved.

Due to the Biocides Directive which was introduced by the EU, many current products containing biocides will cease to exist. Our chemist has worked tirelessly creating and testing several new products that do not contain any harmful biocides and h ch fit e fect to the Ecowyse range.

The products are new to this market. What makes them different?

The main selling point is the fact that the entire range is based on natural and

Unlike other similar products on the market, the Ecowyse range is based on natural and organic active ingredients, setting us apart from our competitors and providing a fantastic choice of natural products that really work.

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

Trading With.indd 38

What are the key selling points of the range?

organic active ingredients.

The consumer can therefore make an informed decision as to whether the product they purchase contains mainly synthetic, often harmful ingredients from other manufacturers or the natural and organic active ingredients found in the Ecowyse range. None of the Ecowyse products contain any harmful biocides and we know that, given a choice, consumers would purchase a product that is biocide-free rather than a product which contains harmful biocides.

What are the lead times?

As all products are manufactured and stored

“Unlike other similar products on the market, the Ecowyse range is based on natural and organic active ingredients” www.gardencentreretail.com

13/10/2016 11:11

Business products

“The Ecowyse collection of products is new to market and the feedback we’ve received has been extremely positive” on one site, we can offer a standard lead time of three to four working days. Next day delivery may be an option and the customer should contact us for further details.

What support are you offering garden centres?

We understand that brand awareness is of utmost importance when launching a new range of products, therefore we are able to supply garden centres with a fully branded pallet display PoS. This allows the retailer to take delivery of their order, position the pallet in the desired location and assemble the enclosed promotional display.

Other promotional materials include printed catalogues, available for garden centres to display where convenient.

What’s the next step for the brand?

The Ecowyse collection of products is new to the market

www.gardencentreretail.com

Trading With.indd 39

and the feedback we’ve received so far has been extremely positive. We are excited about the future of the Ecowyse brand and we’re already working to develop new products to expand the

range, giving customers even more choice.

Who are the key contacts at the company?

All new customer enquiries and technical information

will be dealt with by Scott Worrall, N-Virol manager.

General enquiries and sales order processing will be dealt with by members of the office staff. ◗

CONTACT

N-Virol (Ecowyse) Units 1-3 Riverside Business Park Holme Lane Rawtenstall Lancashire BB4 6JB 01706 212 030 info@ecowyse.co.uk www.ecowyse.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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13/10/2016 11:11

FireBalls Great Sales Opportunities for You

Benefit from a strong double act!

One ticket, countless benefits: christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com floradecora.messefrankfurt.com

27 – 31. 1. 2017

GB

Best New Product Award 2016

London Skyline

DU: 06.09.2016

Floradecora meets Christmasworld: Fresh flowers and ornamental plants are popular as decorations and gifts throughout the year. Now you can order the best festive and seasonal decorations together with your fresh floristry. The attractive Floradecora sales concepts can quickly and easily be integrated in your product offer – in any sector! Lucrative additional business to enthuse your customers.

Best New Product Award 20

Dragon

27 – 30. 1. 2017 info@uk.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83

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63520-001_CW_FD_GardenCentreRetail_Synergie_91x265 • FOGRA 39 • CMYK • tg: 06.09.2106

Inspiration in the Garden

Forest

Call: 0131 335 5955

Email: sales@brundlegardener.co.uk

Fax: 0131 335 5960

Web: www.brundlegardener.co.uk

DO YOU WANT MORE VISITORS TO YOUR GARDEN CENTRE?

Garden Connect has been helping garden centres to generate more footfall via innovative online marketing solutions since 2002. Over 250 garden centres in 4 countries already rely on our extensive service scheme: are you next?

WWW.GARDENCONNECT.COM - 0203 475 5541

13/10/2016 09:55

Dalefoot Composts products

Anatomy of a product: Dalefoot Composts: Wool Compost Dalefoot Composts produces peat-free compost from the Lake District, designed to be fully sustainable through the use of bracken in its recipes for signature brands Wool Compost and Lakeland Gold Wool Compost is a premium, peat-free potting compost that produces healthy plants with no need to feed and 50% less watering. Made from sheep’s wool and bracken, it is packed with natural nutrients and with a similar soft texture is a real alternative to peat.

Lakeland Gold, a bracken compost and clay-buster, is ideal for improving heavy London soil and for use as an autumn mulch.

Wool Compost is ideal for pots, containers and general garden use. A good all-rounder that suits plants, shrubs, trees, fruit and vegetables.

Sustainable gardening made easier for your customers. Wool Compost is made by Dalefoot Composts in the Lake District from fully renewable ingredients. The idea for this compost came from old gardening books which talk of wool’s natural ability to hold water to itself and provide long term nutrient release.

Other peat-free products made

by Dalefoot include Wool Compost for Seeds, Wool Compost for Vegetables and Salads, Wool Compost Ericaceous and Wool Compost Double Strength which is perfect for dry, sandy soils. A blooming number of professional growers are using the Wool Compost range.

www.gardencentreretail.com

Anatomy.indd 41

To learn more, contact Dalefoot Composts or visit the website: 01931 713 281 info@dalefootcomposts.co.uk www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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13/10/2016 11:12

LUE T VA !

GREA EAL S ET D L L A P

value for money seasonal benching Why not give your plant area a kick start this season with some great displays to enhance your merchandising and add an attractive feature to your centre?

3 TIER DEAL PALLET T SE AR L UL DEA D MO LLET A P

GENERAL DIS PL AY PALLET DEAL

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

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13/10/2016 09:56

Pet concessions Pet Care Retail

Pet Care Retail 45

Bone appĂŠtit: which types of dog food to stock

46

Options for reptiles www.gardencentreretail.com

PCR Cover.indd 43

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Latest pet products Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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13/10/2016 11:13

Meaty Takeaway Tough Toys

- Meaty tough toys designed for powerful chewers - Long lasting delicious flavours making them irresistible to dogs! - Available in small and large sizes - Bacon Bone and Tough Wood Bone available in large size only - Packaging colours complement the flavour of the bone and are blister packed to preserve the scent for your dog.

Full range available October 2016

www.rosewoodpet.com

ARIAS

®

Classic, Hand-Tuned Wind Chimes Made in the USA

24” Silver 33” Bronze 42” Forest Green

07851 075944 nmorris@qmtwindchimes.com www.qmtwindchimes.co.uk

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13/10/2016 09:56

Dog food Pet Care Retail

Bone appétit

Pet Care Retail asked three on-trend dog food companies what they offer, who their customer base is and why garden centres should be stocking their products

The market for dog food is at an all-time high, with retail outlets being offered an ever broadening range of options. With so much choice, garden centres have the c eas ffic t o of selecting which products to stock to ensure they are catering for customers, keeping up with trends and still providing variety.

But help is at hand...

Raw/Biologically Appropriate Company Nutriment Ltd What is it? A raw dog food is exactly what it says – raw. If you cook a product the nutritional value is lowered. By feeding a raw diet, those nutrients are ese t a eas este h ch es ts fi e e stools. We produce a BARF diet, which means we look at the requirements for manufacturing pet food and achieve these nutritional values with fresh, high quality and biologically a o ate e e ts. o e e fi a e e ts h h ca oh ates s ch as a ce o ce ea o our products. We also avoid preservatives and use a freezing process to lock in the nutritional goodness.

Who buys it? Those who wish to feed their dogs a biologically appropriate raw diet. The market for natural pet food is the fastest growing sector of the pet food market. Raw feeding falls into this category, and we have experienced considerable growth since we opened the doors to our factory in June 2013.

Pet owners are becoming more knowledgeable about what their pets should and should not be fed.

Why stock it? Raw feeding is really making waves in the pet food industry, with substantial growth shown over the last decade. The customer retention with raw products is brilliant, as the e efits of a fee a e so a a e t. stoc a raw product you expand your customer base, whilst showing you are a forward-thinking retailer who strives to offer the best products for your customers’ pets. We have several ranges to satisfy the needs of all clientele including Core for active dogs, Just for DIY raw feeders, Dinner for Dogs for smaller, less active pets and the new Laverstoke Park Farm Organic range.

www.gardencentreretail.com

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Dehydrated Human Grade Company Pure Pet Food What is it? Dog food made with ingredients suitable for human consumption, made through dehydration. This means all ingredients are air dried to preserve their nutrients. Owners buy the food dry and add water before serving, so they are essentially serving a fresh food.

Who buys it? Owners of fussy dogs who may be struggling on a kibble biscuit or wet food, as the products are a fresh homemade meal making it appetising for fussy dogs. Owners of dogs with sensitivities, as the products are grain and gluten free which allow even the most sensitive of dogs to thrive.

Why stock it? In the USA, refrigerated pet food and air dried human grade foods are two of the fastest growing categories. In the UK the growth of raw feeding and home cooking, and the increase in dogs with sensitivities and ailments due to poor diets, is driving the growth in the human grade air dried category. Pure Pet Foods sales have quadrupled and tripled in the last two years.

Organic Company Lily’s Kitchen What is it? Organic dog food ingredients are produced using organic farming, which means higher welfare standards for animals with free range as a minimum and holistic husbandry methods to reduce stress.

Who buys it? Organic ingredients are seen as the epitome of health, attracting dog owners that are trying to solve health issues as well as those looking to reduce costly vet bills. There is a perception that organic human food only appeals to af e t sho e s t o a c o ce a ea s to co s e s that want to be assured of better animal welfare standards or lower levels of pesticides.

Why stock it? More pet parents are scrutinising what is going into their dogs’ diets and they are actively seeking those with transparent labelling and recognisable ingredients lists. Organic is an assurance of the quality of the food inside the tin.

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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13/10/2016 11:15

Pet Care Retail Reptile

Latest products

Reptile care

GCR rounds up the options for products to stock in your reptile department

PEREGRINE LIVE FOODS

BEARDIE FEED GROWING KIT • Higher nutritional value than fast grown salads • Everything needed to grow fresh food • Loam soil provided • Fresh food can be provided all year round • Replacement kits available RRP £13.99 www.peregrine-livefoods.co.uk

WHITE PYTHON

VETARK PROFESSIONAL

• Calcium, vitamin and mineral supplement • Added beta-Carotene to enhance colour of reptiles • Natural ingredients • Suitable for sprinkling onto all food sources • No other supplement required

• Top reptile calcium and vitamin balancer in UK • UK manufactured for 26 years • Veterinary formulated • Highly recommended by professionals and zoos worldwide • Cost effective pocket money price

RRP £6.49 for 65g

RRP £5.38 for 50g

NUTRIREP

www.whitepython.com

ARCADIA PRODUCTS

REPTILE GUIDE • Hardback 372 page keeping guide • Vital keeping processes • In depth look at live plants, lighting, nutrition, hydration and viv building • How to use ‘wild’ data • #1 bestselling title RRP £17.99 www.arcadia-reptile.com 46

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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NUTROBAL

www.vetark.co.uk

PETTEX LTD

PETTEX REPTILE SUBSTRATES • 100% natural, nothing added • Substrate available for all types of reptiles • Absorbent and biodegradable • Stimulates natural digging and burrowing behaviour • Absorbs waste and controls odour RRP £6.99 www.pettex.co.uk www.gardencentreretail.com

13/10/2016 10:33

Products Pet Care Retail

Latest products

Pet products The latest in products to stock in your pet department and inspire your customers

PETTORWAY PETROVER ACTIVITY MONITOR

• Helps an owner quantify the act t a fit ess of their pet • Monitors activity • et fi e that has a light for night time • Great price • Extremely small and lightweight RRP £28.99 www.pettorway.com

AQUEOS CARE LTD

CANINE DISINFECTANT • Disinfects patios, decking and yards • Kills bacteria, fungi and viruses • Alcohol and bleach free • Easy application • Dogs can return to treated areas RRP £18.99 www.aqueos.co.uk

NORTHERN PET TRADE

KAYTEE EXACT • Trusted by vets, breeders and parrot owners worldwide • Nutritional complete diet • Includes DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid • Generous mark-ups • Available to buy as single or cases RRP from £6.50 www.northernpettrade.com

www.gardencentreretail.com

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ROSEWOOD PET PRODUCTS TOUGH TOYS

• Meaty tough toys for powerful chewers • Long lasting delicious a o s • Chicken, beef and aco a o s a a a e • Blister packed to preserve the scent • Fresh new packaging RRP £4.99 - £8.99 www.rosewoodpet.com

RENASAN

FIRST AID SPRAY • Kills 99% of germs • Safe for animals, humans and the environment • Can be sprayed into eyes and ears, and is safe if licked • pH balanced, so will not sting • Only hypochlorous product to meet UK and EU standards RRP £10 for 250ml www.renasan.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail October/November 2016

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Pet Care Retail Products

PETLIFE

OXBOW WESTERN TIMOTHY HAY • High quality nutrition • Grown in the American climate making the quality consistent • An ideal long-strand fi e so ce eco e e ets hfi e o ote and low calcium content RRP from £5.99 www.petlifeonline.co.uk

EXO TERRA HABISPHERE TERRARIUM

• Bent front window for o t a e oca o t a oo • Easy to install and maintain e effic e t a a night LED lighting so a a a e to retailers is an eyecatch she f s a RRP £129.99 www.exo-terra.com

RUFFWEAR

FRONT RANGE HARNESS

SUPREME PETFOODS SELECTIVE TREATS

a e e e ts s a ets • Fastest-growing small ets a oa e s a a to h hfi e • Rich in Omega 3 & 6 s co ta s at a e ot cs • Healthy treat www.supremepetfoods.com

TRILANCO EASIDRI GROOMING TOWEL

• Reduces grooming time to e a so e t a e sto e a the ast c t e o e h a e ea fo a a a s a e s fecte a machine washed RRP from £12 www.trilanco.com

WOODSIDE AC TRADING ANIDERM

o fo ta e e e a harness sto sa e fit th fo o ts of a st e t a e chest a e a e fo oo oa s e so • Two leash attachment o ts a a e fo co o s a fi e s es

• New range of dry and et sha oos o es a at a s management system • Works in a three stage system • Tailored to work with a o s coat t es e a e e a a a e to eta e s

RRP £39.95

RRP £5.99 - £6.99

www.ruffwear.co.uk 48

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www.woodsideactrading.co.uk www.gardencentreretail.com

13/10/2016 10:38

Tel: 01279 899927

www.i-read.co.uk

Email: sales@i-read.co.uk

Mole catching made easy

l One-click arming l Highly efficient l Fully reuseable l Made in Britain

E S D T A N LE U B TR CO A L IS I D VA A

You i-Read is a publishing company pay f only that offers independent retailers a or range of activity books including you s what ell! children's pre-school, sticker and activity, adult colouring and puzzle books all on consignment. This will complement any traditional book offering you already have in place.

There is no upfront financial investment and you only pay for what you sell. You keep a fixed percentage of sales revenue and as the products are zero-rated, there is no VAT involved.

Not only that, i-Read's expert merchandisers will tailor the price points to your customer base and regularly manage your stand to maximise its sales.

Endorsed by Master Mole Catchers in the UK

EasySet Mole Trap only £17.50 each RRP

www.beagleproducts.com or call us on 01223 927216

The Glasshouse Specialists.

Glasshouses bought and sold.

Venlo specialists. Structures for Garden Centres.

All aspects of glasshouse work including poly roofs snow damage and Composite panels.

Tel: 01262 608831 Fax: 01262 409004 Email: info@newcenturyglass.co.uk Website: www.newcenturyglasshouses.co.uk

IT WORKS OVER 450 cvs online to browse

OVER 20,000 JOBSEEKERS VISIT OUR SITE A MONTH

48,000

OVER emails are sent to candidates monthly

cv

on average there are

New and second hand aluminium benching: Fixed, Semi rolling, mobile and sales benches.

5 strong candidate applications per job

Weekly jobs mailer

Feature jobs inside relevant print magazine

Jobs featured on weekly news and round up emails

Different solutions to secure quality applicants

VALEKA BV • Heliniumweg 14 • 3133 AX Vlaardingen, The Netherlands Tel: +31-10 599 74 02 • info@valeka.nl • www.valeka.nl

Antiqued 10% off on Autumn orders - see website for info ornamental stoneware from Hampshire Gardencraft

Handcrafted & beautifully finished Phone | 01730 895182 www.dragonstone.co.uk

sales@hampshire-gardencraft.com

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official job board:

visit the website at horticulturecareers.co.uk call AMBER today on 01903 777581 13/10/2016 09:58

jobs

For full details on all jobs, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk Call 01903 777 570 or email hortcareers@eljays44.com with your vacancy

GARDEN SUNDRIES RETAIL MANAGER

GARDEN CENTRE MANAGER

Our client is a nationwide group that is continually developing leading garden centres across England and Wales. This is an exciting opportunity for an outstanding applicant to join a cutting edge garden sundries department. The ideal candidate will have a background in garden centre retail with excellent garden sundries product knowledge from seeds to clothing. They will manage seasonal changes and have the ability to present and merchandise their department to the highest standard. Team leadership skills are essential as is the ability to communicate well with customers. Candidates must have a background in retail and be able to merchandise and manage rapidly changing stock.

A unique opportunity to join one of the UK’s leading garden centre groups who hold a prominent position within the industry and take pride in their inspirational approach to retailing. Their centres offer style and innovation providing complete customer satisfaction. The role will involve joining at an important time as they start ambitious plans to transform the site from its current format into a purpose-built garden and living destination. The appointed person will have a proven track record in a similar retail environment and will be able to drive sales and maximise profits, identify trends in sales and profit opportunities, develop and motivate the team and have a clear focus on driving exceptional performance and customer service.

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

WHOLESALE NURSERY GARDEN ASSISTANT

GARDEN CENTRE MANAGER

MOREPEOPLE Essex

ANDERSPLUS Hertfordshire

Our client is seeking a garden assistant to join their successful wholesale nursery. The role will involve housekeeping tasks around the nursery including potting, weeding, sowing and seeding, watering and feeding, spraying and replenishment. The candidate should be flexible and prepared to work in all areas of the nursery as required, possess some relevant retail experience and have excellent customer service skills. Horticultural qualifications are desirable.

HORTICRUITMENT Essex

TAYLOR2RECRUITMENT LTD South East Our client is a family-run garden centre based in the South East seeking an experienced manager for one of their sites. The candidate should be either an assistant manager seeking the next step or a manager looking for a new challenge.

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

HORTICULTURAL PLANT CENTRE MANAGER

GENERAL MANAGER

Our client is a busy Northamptonshire garden centre with a well-stocked plant area and a popular garden shop that offers customers a range of quality gifts and garden sundries. They are currently looking for a superb plants person to manage the plant section of the garden centre. The role will be to manage the plant section on a day to day basis ensuring plant stock is in top condition and merchandised to a high standard. Candidates must have a proven track record in the industry along with good man management and supervisory skills, excellent plant knowledge and a background in horticultural retailing, and be a team player with the ability to offer outstanding customer service.

An outstanding opportunity for a dynamic and retail focused general manager to join a highly successful independent award-winning garden centre at the start of a 10 year business plan. Responsibilities will include driving sales and maximising profits, marketing and advertising, delivering exceptional standards of customer service, identifying trends in sales and profit opportunities and managing all controllable costs.

The appointed person will have a proven track record in delivering high levels of commercial performance within a £5m+ destination centre at management level.

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

MOREPEOPLE Northamptonshire

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HORTICRUITMENT Staffordshire

www.gardencentreretail.com

13/10/2016 11:16

Come and meet the Magrini family.... ...Magrini Baby Changing Units Contoured, contemporary design Extra deep sides increase safety and eliminate the need for straps Withstands static loads in excess of 100Kgs Hygienic, easy-clean surface MH42 Horizontal Baby Changing Unit Choice of colour to suit any project

MV64 Vertical Baby Changing Unit

MH42 Horizontal Baby Changing Unit

Fully Compliant with BS EN 12221: 2008 MT80 Countertop Baby Changing Unit

MX33 Stay-Safe Baby Seat

..Magrini

High Chair

Stacks 8 high for easy storage Front load stacking, eliminates need for up & over lifting Light weight - weighs less than 3.9kg Push-up design conserves aisle area Adjustable safety strap with instant release buckle Durable, solid, moulded-in colour will not peel or flake

Charcoal & Red White & Grey

White & Red

Charcoal & Grey

Fully Compliant with BS EN 14988: 2006

Tel: 01543 375311 Email: sales@magrini.co.uk www.magrini.co.uk Advert TEMPLATE.indd 18

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