Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

Garden Centre Retail ISSUE 61

•

PEOPLE • PRODUCTS • PROFIT

April/May 2022

Add Value With...

COULD CHILDREN’S GIFTS BE A LUCRATIVE ADDITION?

AN INTERVIEW WITH

LIZ WILLIAMS

THE HTA’S SUSTAINABILITY EXECUTIVE TALKING TRENDS THE GIFTWARE ASSOCIATION ON WHAT’S HOT ON THE MARKET

19 Cover-7.indd 1

CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY

HOW CAN GARDEN CENTRES HELP THOSE IN THEIR LOCAL AREA?

27

GETTING TO KNOW

THE BEESWAX WRAP CO. ON ITS POPULAR PRODUCT

38 07/04/2022 16:10

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Welcome

WELCOME TO...

Garden Centre Retail G

arden centre retail is booming, it would seem. This year, we’ve seen news of acquisitions, developments and redesigns. Industry stalwarts are celebrating big anniversaries, such as Bents, which recently announced it would be marking its 85th year by introducing homeware brand Lakeland to its store. Then there’s Notcutts, celebrating a whopping 125 years in business with an event at its revamped Woodbridge site. We also saw in March that Tong has appointed a new head of food to spearhead the growth of its food and drink offerings, from its food hall to its restaurants.

All of this points to there being opportunities for growth, and plenty of garden centres taking advantage of them, whether that’s new partnerships, new stores or creating new roles to take them to the next level.

It’s not just garden centres eyeing growth. Brands are spotting opportunities too, particularly in sustainability, as conscious consumerism continues to be the top priority.

Just look at the rapid success of The Beeswax Wrap Co. on page 38. Demand for its sustainable food wraps has soared over the past few years, and the brand has been approached by some of the biggest and most reputable British brands for partnerships.

Sustainability was the overriding theme at the Garden Press Event in March too. Brands were keen to showcase how they were lowering their carbon footprint, and many new products on display reflected these efforts. Whether it was reduced peat content, improved durability, or a switch in packaging, the latest products to hit the shelves are likely to be the most environmentally friendly so far – great news for retailers, consumers, and the brands themselves who are bound to reap the rewards.

ADVERTISING Sales manager – Tina Savelle tina.savelle@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 584 Horticulture Careers – Daniel Riley Tel: 01903 777 570 daniel.riley@eljays44.com

Nina Mason Head of content, Garden Centre Retail nina.mason@eljays44.com

PRODUCTION Design – Kirsty Turek Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd

It’s not just garden centres eyeing growth. Brands are spotting opportunities too, particularly in sustainability

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Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

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07/04/2022 16:16

OUTDOOR LIVING collection 2023 A complete selection for outdoor

Showroom opens on 20 april

Garden furniture | Solar lighting | Water features | Outdoor planters | Garden statues

A suitable for online sales collection Buying factory direct Around 1,500 items 50% new collection also many own designs

Make your (digital) appointment now via www.kaemingk.com or contact your sales representative!

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Contents

Garden Centre Retail ISSUE 61

•

PEOPLE • PRODUCTS • PROFIT

April/May 2022

Add Value With...

COULD CHILDREN’S GIFTS BE A LUCRATIVE ADDITION?

CO NTE NT S NEWS

06 NEWS

round up of the latest news fro the sector

09 RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW What to e pect for its trui phant return

BUSINESS

TALKING TRENDS THE GIFTWARE ASSOCIATION ON WHAT’S HOT ON THE MARKET

19

CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY

HOW CAN GARDEN CENTRES HELP THOSE IN THEIR LOCAL AREA?

27

Cover-7.indd 1

18 FOOD FOR THE WIN

35 PLANT FOCUS

19 TALKING TRENDS

36 ADD VALUE WITH

20 FLOWERTRIALS 2022

38 GETTING TO KNOW

22 ADOPTING AUGMENTED REALITY

41 HOW TO SELL

24 ALL ABOARD!

42 LATEST PRODUCTS

27 CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY

43 ANATOMY OF A PRODUCT

29 TOP OF THE RANGE TREATS

44 LATEST PRODUCTS

orticultural rade ssociation

ndrew urton

iftware ssociation

arden

onnect

he return of coach trips at osworth he

ardens

order iscuit

38 07/04/2022 16:10

32 GIMA

he

THE BEESWAX WRAP CO. ON ITS POPULAR PRODUCT

APRIL/MAY 2022

13 INTERVIEW he

GETTING TO KNOW

PRODUCTS

he return of the in person show

24

AN INTERVIEW WITH

LIZ WILLIAMS

THE HTA’S SUSTAINABILITY EXECUTIVE

roup

rand refresh

roducts fro illier

rst show of the season

urseries

hildren s ifts

eeswa wraps iftware

ood ifts uper oil ardenin

he eal oil o pany ifts

47 LATEST PRODUCTS

38

et ifts

48 LATEST PRODUCTS

ire pits outdoor heaters and chi eneas

50 MEET THE BRAND urston

arden roducts

42 www.gardencentreretail.com

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News

NEWS CENTRE British Garden Centres arrives in Nottinghamshire

B

ritish Garden Centres (BGC) has announced the arrival of the group’s 59th arden centre. i er ans Garden Centre of Woodborough, Nottingham joined BGC on Monday 14 e ruary . s with all the centres in the group, this centre will also carry a local name so will be renamed Woodborough Green arden entre.

Phillippa Stubbs, director of BGC South says: “We have known the site for many years and admired the way the Timmermans family have developed its strong reputation for quality plants, a wonderful restaurant and a great family shopping e perience. We are loo in forward to working with the team to develop the business further and build on its herita e.

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Timmermans Garden Centre has developed over the last 30 years into one of the leading garden centres in ottin ha shire.

In recent years, Sophie and Greg Timmermans-Delves have invested in the centre and restaurant. ollowin an extensive refurbishment programme in 2011, the team went on to be named 2016 Garden Centre of the Year at the Garden Retail and arden ndustry wards.

Sophie says: “We thought long and hard about who should become the next custodians. We are deli hted that our team is joining the fa ily. s we e ar on a new adventure, we are con dent that the centre will flourish and continue to serve the good people of ottin ha shire well. britishgardencentres.com

Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

Coolings becomes an Employee Ownership Trust

C

oolings Nurseries has announced that 75% of the third-generation company has been signed over to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), with staff across its four sites in Kent and East Sussex set to ene t.

Paul Coolings says: “We had already planned a meal at The House of Commons to celebrate successful navigation of the COVID pandemic and now we have an extra reason to raise a lass.

In speeches, former shareholders David Cooling and Gary Carvosso paid tribute to Michael & Shirley Cooling who both passed away efore the pande ic. t was Michael who took on the half acre Chislehurst site from his father in the 1960s and de eloped it into a pro ta le business before relocating to the now famous 14-acre site in

noc holt in .

Paul Cooling, who retains a 25% shareholding, praised the executive directors for guiding the business since their last celebration at the House of Commons in recognition of the company’s centenary in . ac then we had two sites, just over 100 employees and sales of around . ow we have four sites, nearly 200 employees and sales well over . n addressin the tea regarding the EOT he said: ou e earned it .

Coinciding with the change of ownership, Gary Carvosso now becomes chairman, Paul Cooling takes up the new role of vice chairman and Dwayne Ross becomes ana in director. an a on is production and operations director, and David Cooling has now left the usiness. www.coolings.co.uk

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06/04/2022 16:16

News

New garden recycling scheme launches

tewart ttwood

T

wo horticultural brands have joined forces to provide gardeners with a solution to plant pot recycling, preventing further plastic waste ending up in land ll. ustaina le plant pot designer elho has partnered with garden centre retailer Dobbies to provide plastic plant pot recycling bins across of its centres. his will a e it easier to reduce unnecessary plastic waste in the garden and prevent further plastic waste endin up in land ll.

It has been widely reported that er side recyclin of plant pots is challen in . olicies ary si ni cantly fro council to council, particularly when it co es to lac plant pots which can leave gardeners at a loss with what to do with their disre arded pots. ardeners can now ta e their plastic plant pots and trays to o ies stores for the to e recycled. he ins pro ide

a si ple eans of disposin of plant pots without having the clutter up arden sheds or addin to land ll.

Marcus Eyles, horticultural director at Dobbies Garden Centres, says: “We are always loo in for ways to e ed sustaina ility into our operations, and this is a positi e step forward. his is also so ethin our custo ers are increasin ly passionate about, and while we have encouraged pot recyclin for a nu er of years in-store, these new ins pro ide custo ers with a clear essa e and opportunity to recycle. www.dobbies.com www.elho.com/en

Cherry Lane acquires 16th garden centre

V

alue garden centre group Cherry Lane has acquired Retford & Gainsborough Garden Centre in ottin ha shire. he ac uisition the latest in Cherry Lane’s strategy of ongoing expansion, brings the group total to 16 garden centres across East Anglia, or shire and the idlands. herry ane has acquired both the garden centre and its on site itrus af . ic u ins chief e ecuti e of the QD Group which owns herry ane says he latest acquisition of Retford & Gainsborough Garden Centre is another step in the ongoing growth and success of Cherry ane. etford ains orou h

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has een tradin for ore than years and is well nown and lo ed locally.

“We are very pleased to welco e the arden centre tea who rin with the outstanding gardening nowled e and e pertise. We loo forward to continuing the centre’s rich history of serving the co unity. he arden centre which currently e ploys e ers of staff will e nown as etford Gainsborough Garden Centre

by Cherry Lane and all staff will e retained. he arden centre will e ana ed initially y ee ac son current ana er at near y herry ane e erley. www.cherry-lane.co.uk

Association news

GCA announces new chairman and chairman elect he arden entre ssociation has announced its new chair an for and its chair an elect. a y Woodhouse was of cially na ed as the s chair an for with Will la e director of t eter s arden entre eco in chair an elect. a y who is ana in director of ill roo arden entres says a thrilled to ha e ta en on the role of chair an for . loo forward to wor in closely with the e ecuti e and full oard of elected directors. hope to ether we can continue to e pand our e ership and stren then those all i portant relationships etween centres. would li e to than i e ur s who steps down as chair an for his tireless wor durin the past two years which ha e een the ost challen in any of us ha e e er nown. a loo in forward to i pro in the sustainability of our industry ta in forward the recently de eloped e year strategic plan for the GCA and hopefully eetin e ers in person at the postponed conference later in the year. www.gca.org.uk

HTA announces departure of its director of policy and communications he orticultural rades ssociation has announced that a es lar director of policy and co unications has decided to lea e after al ost three years with the or anisation. chair an a es arnes says want to than a es for all his hard wor and co it ent to the and its e ers. e has achie ed a hu e a ount leadin the successful ca pai n to reopen arden centres as the rst sector out of the loc down in ay esta lishin the s rst e er sustainability function and launching the association’s new a a ine nside orticulture deli erin i pro ed e er alue. wish a es all the ery est for the future. a es lar says o iously sad to lea e the ut it is the ri ht ti e to do so. e cited a out new opportunities. really pleased to ha e wor ed with such a reat award winnin policy and co unications tea . o ether we achie ed ey policy chan e i pro ed the ndustry s edia pro le and deli ered insi htful e er co unications. lea e with respect and ratitude to an industry that does so uch that contri utes to local co unities i pro es the en iron ent and ri htens peoples li es. a es has a reed to help with the transition until pril . he will co ence the recruit ent of a successor in due course. www.hta.org.uk

Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

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06/04/2022 16:16

THE SUMMER OUTDOOR LIVING EXHIBITION Be inspired by new products & ideas 12-14 JULY 2022 Halls 17/18/19 NEC, Birmingham www.solexexhibition.com solex@lofa.com | 02392 258844

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06/04/2022 09:06

RHS Chelsea Flower Show News

PREVIEW

RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

What does this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show have in store, as it makes a triumphant return to May?

T

The Wilderness Foundation UK Garden, All About Plants, Designed by Charlie Hawkes

he RHS Chelsea Flower Show is returning this spring! After cancelling the show in 2020 and holding a virtual show in its place, followed by a postponed show in September last year, Chelsea is back in our calendars for May – and the RHS is not holding back. The show gardens are set to make a splash, focusing on themes from rewilding to mental health to soil.

Taking place from 24 to 28 May on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the RHS Chelsea Flower – sponsored by The Newt in Somerset – will offer isitors a ariety of plants and floral displays in he reat a ilion ideas for their own homes in the Houseplant Studios, and inspiration for their outdoor spaces with show gardens on Main Avenue, plus the Sanctuary ardens and those in the new ll out lants cate ory.

NEW AT CHELSEA

DO NOT MISS

Kingston Maurward The Space Within Garde esi ned y ichelle Williams, this anctuary arden will e lled with spectacular plants, with Mediterraneaninspired planting scheme accompanied by specimen architectural plants and trees. Wildlife habitats will form the boundary of this sanctuary. he ardens roup s ound ury ardens centre has supplied in ston Maurward College with some of the plants for this garden, as has Holme for ardens and oulds arden entre.

All About Plants For its 2022 show, the RHS has created new category All About lants to cha pion the ene ts of our reenery. our ardens will feature, complementing the offerings from various nurseries e hi itin in the reat a ilion this year.

Each garden has been created by a debut designer to Chelsea and will celebrate the work of a charity. Andy Smith-Williams has focused on the power of plants to reconnect communities in The ore rts ront arden e olution where ottie ela ain s e tile arden for ashion e olution e plores how plants are essential to the textile industry. or er counsellor ollyanna Wil inson will e e plorin the mental health of new mothers in The Mothers for others arden his oo hall ass whilst harlie aw es he Wilderness oundation arden de onstrates how plants connect us to the natural world.

A Textile Garden for Fashion Revolution, All About Plants, Designed

by Lottie Delamain

The Mothers for Mothers Garden, ‘This Too Shall Pass’, All About Plants, Designed by Pollyanna Wilkinson

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Two alstroemeria plants ari o lstroe eria s owner and head nurseryman Alec White has announced that the brand, which has been rowin in the since it was rst founded in 1938, will be launching two new alstroe eria products at this year s show. lstroe eria ittle iss une and lstroe eria ittle iss onnie ha e een na ed after lec s paternal and aternal rand others.

The size of both varieties will eventually e c which ari o lstroe eria says makes them ideal for containers, balconies and patios, as well as borders.

They will also repeat from May until November. www.parigoalstroemeria.co.uk ◗

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C

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CM

MY

CY

CMY

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APRIL/MAY 2022

BUSINESS 13

INTERVIEW Liz Williams, The Horticultural Trade Association

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FOOD FOR THE WIN Andrew Burton

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TALKING TRENDS The Giftware Association

20

FLOWERTRIALS 2022 The return of the in-person show

22

ADOPTING AUGMENTED REALITY Garden Connect

24

ALL ABOARD! The return of coach trips at Bosworth

27

CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY The Gardens Group

29

TOP OF THE RANGE TREATS Border Biscuit – brand refresh

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07/04/2022 16:08

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06/04/2022 09:08

I n t erv i ew B u si n ess

AN INTERVIEW WITH

LIZ WILLIAMS, HTA

A

t the end of February this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (otherwise known as the IPCC), released its latest assessment report on the state of the global environment.

The contents of the report were hardly what you’d call optimistic, revealing a situation in which the world is now facing “unavoidable multiple climate hazards,” with global warming anticipated at around 1.5 centigrade over the next 20 years.

A subsequent press release announcing the ndin s su ed the situation up in

Human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature and affecting the lives of billions of people around the world www.gardencentreretail.com

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©Squires

Sustainability continues to be a top priority, and the Horticultural Trade Association is working hard to help retailers appeal to conscious consumers

this way: “Human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature and affecting the lives of billions of people around the world.”

Taking the report at its word – and why wouldn’t we? – it’s clear that something needs to be done and done quickly, particularly in the realm of human beings’ habitual behaviour. One key area in relation to this has to be our buying habits and the ways in which we consume.

With that in mind, in this issue’s Big Interview, we’re going to focus on the efforts being made by an increasing number of businesses within the horticulture industry to lessen the environmental impact of their activities.

Rather than a garden centre or grower, however, this time around we’ll be talking to the Horticultural Trade Association’s sustainability executive Liz Williams.

For those who don’t know, the HTA currently runs a variety of initiatives in this area, with the intention both of raising environmental awareness amongst its members while at the same time

facilitating them to change their business in a systematic, strategic way. The latest addition to its ‘sustainability roadmap’ is its Reference Sites scheme, which got off the ground in March.

The fight against carbon Speaking in a press release at the time, a spokesperson for the HTA described the Sustainability Reference Sites as a way for members to share best practice, with the eventual aim of building what the statement referred to as a “supportive community.”

Current ‘reference’ businesses include Hillier Nurseries, The Barton Grange Group, The Gardens Group, and New Wood Trees.

The statement continued: “Sustainability Reference Sites are HTA member businesses who are already doing considerable work in terms of implementing positive change and embedding sustainability into their business plans. The reference sites are ready to share their knowledge among HTA members and to champion the industry to those outside of it.” 

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B u si n ess I n t erv i ew Before going into greater detail about the scheme, Liz offers some general background about the organisation’s work in this area. “The sustainability road map came about in 2019, driven by our chairman, James Barnes,” she says. “At the time, we wanted to try and anticipate where the industry might be going over the course of the ne t e years identifyin the ost important things that we’d probably need to look at.

“There was a lot of data coming out indicating what consumers were wanting at that point, and what their priorities were.

Frankly, the market had started to shift towards a concern for sustainability. At the same time, there was also a certain amount of noise coming from government, indicating that it had similar priorities.”

She continues: “It was at that point that we started putting together a devoted team, which is when I came on board.

We started to look at developing the roadmap, deciding what do we want to focus on and achieve, and how do we do it. We wanted to set targets and be able to measure progress.”

According to Liz, there are currently e areas where the HTA are

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concentrating its efforts in terms of sustainability. These include reduction of members’ carbon footprint and helping to reduce stress on the UK water supply, while at the same time increasing “innovation and circularity” when it comes to plastics/packaging. The organisation is also looking at ways to help “optimise the sustainability of growing media,” while also exploring innovation in pest and disease management and the minimisation of chemical use.

Asked why the focus has been put on these areas in particular, she says: “Following the initial announcement of the roadmap in 2019, we tried to get as much feedback from members as possible about what their areas of concern were. We wanted to make sure that the issues we focused on were realistic and, of course, applicable to horticulture.”

She explains: “I wouldn’t say that there’s a biggest single issue or area, other than the overall reduction of carbon.

All these other areas

impact directly on that, for instance in relation to something like plastics and waste. How much carbon comes out of land ll “We also wanted to help our members reduce the amount of mains water that they use. That also has a carbon footprint because the water needs to be treated.

One of the biggest things that we want to promote is rainwater harvesting to reduce environmental impact.”

One of the biggest things that we want to promote is rainwater harvesting to reduce environmental impact Going back to the subject of plastics, it apparently takes more than 400 years for it to degrade as a material (at least according to an article published

by National Geographic in 2018). If current trends continue meanwhile, it is anticipated that by 2050 there will be 12 billion metric tonnes of plastic occupying land lls across the world. s trou lin as these ures undoubtedly are, one thing they don’t necessarily take into account is the sheer volume of plastic which continues to be casually discarded as litter.

This behaviour also has profound implications

www.gardencentreretail.com

07/04/2022 13:40

I n t erv i ew B u si n ess

Getting involved As mentioned, the HTA is involved in a variety of initiatives aimed at helping horticulture businesses reduce their carbon footprint

www.gardencentreretail.com

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©St Peter’s GC

for the environment, particularly given that much of this waste – again, according to National Geographic – inevitably ends up in the sea.

While not an HTA Sustainability Reference Site, one garden centre doing sterlin wor in relation to the ht a ainst plastics and plastic waste is Trevisker in Cornwall. As readers may remember from a few issues ago, the business has put major effort into providing education for local school children around the topic of beach waste and its impact on the wider environment.

Perhaps more important in terms of the wider business discussion is that they’ve started to seriously limit the amount of plastic packaging which is available in store. One example of this is their wholesale replacement of black plastic plant pots with compostable bags. and contribute to the protection of the planet.

Perhaps the most well-known of these until now is its publication of a variety of ‘how to’ guides looking at ways to reduce carbon footprint, such as via the aforementioned rainwater harvesting.

The organisation has also recently published a guide to writing a sustainability plan, written in collaboration with sustainability certi cation or anisation Planet Mark.

It’s with the Sustainability Reference Sites scheme however that the

organisation is now moving best practice off the page and into the real world.

Discussing how the initiative works – and what needs to occur for a business to become a reference site – Liz says: “We’ve already been running sustainability workshops and webinars – we want businesses to be actively involved.

“In terms of actually becoming a reference site, in the rst instance you need to have already put together 

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B u si n ess I n t erv i ew a sustainability plan and be making pro ress on it. We ha en t een speci c in terms of what businesses need to be doing, but there should be a link to the focus areas which I mentioned before.

“The other key requirement is that you’re willing and able to get involved and actually help others. They need to be willing to get involved in case studies, present webinars, hold site visits and so on. All of the four reference sites so far have agreed to do that.”

She continues: “At the same time, these businesses don’t want to be seen as e perts in the eld or cha pions for the environment. Rather, they just want to show the ways in which they’ve embedded sustainability into everything

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they do, making it a core part of their business case.”

One of these reference businesses is New Wood Trees. Discussing its involvement in the initiative (via the press release mentioned above), founder Philip Nieuwoudt said: “Sustainability is a huge topic. There is an overwhelming amount of information available and knowing what to focus on is not easy.

“Most businesses do not have the luxury of having a staff member dedicated to sustaina ility and ndin the ti e to understand and implement changes is challenging. This is why we feel that it’s important to take part in the scheme.

Businesses need to share their knowledge and help each other make the changes which are so desperately needed.”

There was a time when businesses’ in ol e ent in the reen a enda ay have been considered little more than a nice to ha e rather than a ey component in the way that operations take place. Those days are clearly long gone, with the gardening and growing public now demanding a visible commitment and contribution to the sustainability piece across the board.

As well as a cast iron business case, there is also an urgent moral imperative when it comes to implementing change.

And if the horticulture sector doesn’t play its part, that would be a major failing. ◗

www.gardencentreretail.com

07/04/2022 13:43

THE GARDEN LIFESTYLE TRADE FAIR

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06/04/2022 09:11 25.03.22 15:52

B u si n ess A n d rew B u rt on

FOOD FOR

THE WIN

Garsons Garden Centre in Esher is a prime example of how a good food proposition can boost turnover

F

Andrew Burton explains why a food hall can be essential to a garden centre’s success

or many years now, both preCOVID-19 and during the pandemic, we have seen the rise of the food hall. They have increased in size, extended the range on offer and have become destination departments in their own right across the UK. Pre-2020, garden centre retail food department sales had risen up to 6% in many garden centres’ turnover; more than twice the amount houseplants were taking. The GCA Barometer of Trade report showed that in 2021 turnover for this department was up 24.85%. In December 2021, the GCA Barometer showed that 11% of turnover came from food; only surpassed

by Christmas, giftware and catering.

When we consider gift food in a garden centre, we know there has been a market for many years. I could always guarantee that my garden centres’ Christmas food and chocolates would be merchandised just days before the temperature hit 30º; but in all seriousness, gift food for Christmas food has been prominent for decades. However, garden centre food turnover is up all year round, not just at peak gift times. So, why is this?

The simple truth is that garden centres are improving their food offer to meet

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customers' needs, something that became particularly prevalent during the pandemic.

The food hall proposition is something that needs to consider a 12-month return and needs serious consideration.

I am fortunate to have been able to judge the Farm Retail Association Farm Shop Awards for the past two years and I also support the Farm Retail Association Council, which supports its members and the farm retail industry. I understand that every farm shop has a considered customer proposition that is quite unique and that each farm shop is different, supported by both their locations on a farm and their brand.

For a garden centre to replicate this is always a challenge. Should the range be focused on an all-encompassed food proposition, or should it focus on aspects such as sustainability, or local food, or convenience? Whatever the options, retailers need to identify what is right for the centre and the customer.

Garden centres often have the facilities and space to create their own proposition; one that meets the brand and that gives the customers a range of goods that meet their needs. These departments can help control the seasonal ups and downs by

creating regular visitor patterns, and by linking the gift food to the restaurants/ cafes on site, can help fuse their business into one proposition. Location of a food hall in a garden centre is important, and where the department is on the customer journey can affect sales potential.

Garden centres often have the facilities and space to create their own proposition; one that meets the brand and that gives the customers a range of goods that meet their needs The Malcolm Scott Consultants team specialises in garden centre and farm shop design and planning and understands why a food offerin ene ts usinesses. ur question to all garden centre owners and managers is: Have you considered your food proposition in the depth you need to and, if not, why not? ◗

www.gardencentreretail.com

06/04/2022 16:44

T ren d s B u si n ess

TRENDS

Learn the latest trends on the market from Sarah Ward, chief executive of The Giftware Association

B

eing the head of a trade association for our industry over the last few years has certainly been very interesting. Navigating our way through seismic events like Brexit, the pandemic, trade show cancellations, the recent shipping crisis and the eventual rising costs associated with the forementioned events.

Being at the forefront of our industry has proved just how resilient and creative the gift and homeware world is. We have seen businesses pivot to digital, non-technical members are creating consumer-facing websites to bypass closed high streets and we have also seen the rise of digital marketplaces fast forwarded by the need to reach customers through different and exciting channels. It’s been great to see these changes and trends emerge and for gifts to be at the forefront of our nation and as important as ever.

As things return to normal, trade shows are opening their doors again, and we ha e isited ore than in the rst few months of this year alone. It’s so good to be back speaking to people face to face, but also to get insight into what they are doing and the changes they have made.

It’s been great to see these changes and trends emerge right in front of our eyes and for gifts to be at the forefront of our nation Here are some of the trends that we have seen so far across our industry.

1. Sustainability

We know, we know – it’s not a trend, it’s here to stay. But it is more relevant and noticeable than ever. One of our compass points for e er in eha iours is our ift of the Year competition. We added the ethical and sustainable category a few

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Giftware association.indd 19

years ago and it has fast become one of our largest categories and continues to grow fast.

The ethical and sustainable element is not just limited to this category either as sustainability spills across the whole competition as more companies change processes to become more eco-friendly.

We are currently highlighting these companies through our own campaign which showcases the changes these companies have made for the better of the environment and a happier future, featuring companies large and small; as the goal is a non-compete it’s great to share, and learn from businesses who have made those initial steps. We have also partnered with the Products of Change association to help your businesses take the rst steps to e ore sustaina le.

2. Convenience

An important consumer trend that we have noticed in the past 24 months is convenience. As businesses are offering the full omnichannel shopping experience, consumers are more likely to use your business based on the choice you offer and how convenient it is for them. Think of multiple ways to pay including part payment options (Klarna, PayPal), free shipping and returns and Click and Collect options. A recent study by Kantar revealed that 66% of consumers choose retailers

based on convenience and services offered compared to 47% whose priorities were pricing and value. If you can’t offer these to your end consumer, then you will overtaken by your competition.

3. Social media

Social media has always been massive, but as the world goes digital it has become increasingly evident that businesses need to be on this channel to reach new audiences. One thing the pandemic taught us is that businesses need to move fast and evolve quickly when needed.

Many brands took to social media like a utterfly and found new audiences and in turn social media developed new ways of reaching customers such as increased ads and longer reels to showcase products. It is also great way to reach new audiences with stats suggesting that youn er enerations acti ely use it to nd gifts, and this is only going to increase with new generations that are native to new and upcoming apps – tying into the all-important omnichannel offering. o nd out ore a out he iftware Association and join as one of our members, please get in touch with us at enquiries@ga-uk.org ◗

Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

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06/04/2022 15:58

A d v ert ori al

FLOWERTRIALS FlowerTrials is returning in full force for 2022

After the cancellation of the 2020 edition and last year’s digital alternative ‘Studio FlowerTrials’, the organisation is preparing again for a classical edition with physical attendance. From 14 to 17 June 2022, more than 60 breeding companies in the Westland (NL), Aalsmeer (NL) and Rhineland Westfalen (DE) area will open the doors at 29 locations to show their latest assortment in pot and bedding plants to growers, exporters and buyers from across the world.

Worldwide pot and bedding plant industry represented During the pandemic, the promotion collective has continued to expand. This edition, nine new companies will show their assortment for the rst ti e durin week 24. he olish itroflora is renowned for its extensive perennial assortment whereas Hortinno from Belgium specialises in indoor azalea, outdoor japonica and rhododendron. Graff Breeding is based in Denmark and

20

offers high quality hibiscus, poinsettia and mandevilla.

HiBreeding from The Netherlands will show its latest development in innovative hydrangea breeding. The German Bruno Nebelung, owner of the famous Kiepenkerl brand, breeds and distri utes hi h uality flower and vegetable seed varieties for home gardeners.

Clause from France breeds e eta le and flower varieties for gardening amateurs. The French Voltz Horticulture (Graines Voltz) not only offers seed and young plants to home gardeners but also to the professional market in Europe. Finally, two Italian companies have joined the group: Lazzeri is a breeder and young plant supplier of ornamental plants for Italy whereas Sentier breeds and grows cyclamen and other young plants for the local and European market.

The following companies will return as exhibitors: ABZ Seeds, Agriom, AllPlant Young Plants, Anthura, Armada Young Plants, Beekenkamp Plants, Benary

Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

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Samenzucht, Brandkamp, Cohen Propagation Nurseries, Danziger - Bongartz, Danziger – Imperial plants, Decock Plants, Dümmen Orange, Ebbing-Lohaus, Elsner pac Vertriebsgesellschaft, Endisch, Evanthia, Floranova, Florensis, Floricultura, Green Works, Gruppo Padana, Hassinger Orchideen, Hendriks Young Plants, Hem Genetics, HilverdaFlorist, Hishtil, Horteve Breeding, Jonge Planten Grünewald, Jaldety Plant Propagation Nurseries, ient ler un pflan en Holland, Koppe Begonia, Marathon Plants, MNP/ Suntory, Morel Diffusion, PanAmerican Seed, P. v.d.

Haak handelskwekerij, Prudac, Queen® Genetics, Royal van Zanten, Sakata, Schneider youngplants, Schoneveld breeding, Selecta one (Dutch & German location), Syngenta Flowers, Takii Europe, Van den Bos Flowerbulbs, Volmary and Westhoff.

Visual rebranding A new visual identity has been adopted to give the brand a fresh and modern look.

Stylised drawings of breeders, visitors and their assortment in fresh, attractive colours provide a new image to accompany the slogan ‘where plants meet people.’

Marjolein Kuyucu-Lodder, international product manager at Florensis and FlowerTrials board member says: “Our new visuals are highly unique and will really stand out in both print and online applications.

They can be adjusted yearly while keeping the same style, allowing our brand identity to remain unique and modern, yet recognisable.”

Registrations are open The FlowerTrials website offers a clear overview of all participating breeders and their assortment. Visitors can pre-register on: www.flowertrials.com CONTACT

FlowerTrials Jacoba van Beierenweg 97-1A 2215 KW Voorhout organization@flowertrials.nl 071 364 9101

www.gardencentreretail.com

06/04/2022 15:53

14 – 17 JUNE 2022 The International Pot and Bedding Plant event held at 29 locations in The Netherlands and Germany No fewer than 61 Pot and Bedding Plant breeders proudly present their innovations, creative concepts and an incredibly wide range of crop assortments. From technical information to retail inspiration, from breeding breakthroughs to latest trends, every professional in ornamental horticulture has a reason to meet at FlowerTrials®.

For an overview of the participating companies, routes and free registration visit www.flowertrials.com

register online

WWW.FLOWERTRIALS.COM

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06/04/2022 09:11

Business Augmented Reality

ADOPTING

AUGMENTED REALITY Edwin Meijer of Garden Connect explains how new technology is changing the way consumers shop online a ow ar e retailers ca e e t

O

nline shopping just gets easier and easier. And if we thought Apple Pay was impressive, there is a whole new area of technology ready to sweep us off our feet – augmented reality. Customers returning their garden furniture because it didn’t “suit their garden” or was “too large for the space” could become a thing of the past with this new technology too, as Garden Connect has made it available for garden furniture online.

Augmented reality allows customers to virtually place products, such as garden furniture, in their home or garden via their smartphone. This offers the opportunity for users to see whether the product is the ri ht t for that space hopefully a in a return less li ely if they opt to uy it.

Garden furniture could be one of the i est areas to ene t too. arden Connect notes that in 2020, 34% of consu ers purchased or loo ed at arden furniture online, and it is adamant this will not be less this year. So, in February it launched an augmented reality extension for we shops for arden retailers to ta e advantage of this browsing boom, even if they are not currently using Garden Connect services.

With the help of a lin on the product page, consumers can virtually place the garden furniture set in their garden using only their s artphone. his a es the purchase of new garden furniture a lot easier,” says Edwin Meijer on behalf of Garden Connect.

“A lot of research has already been done into the effectiveness of AR in webshops. The use of AR increases conversion rates by about 94%. This is not surprising because consumers get a true picture of whether a product ts their home or garden.” etailers li e ea ha e already en a ed the innovation. According to the Google Consumer AR Survey, 66% of people say

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they are interested in using AR for help when shopping; and six in 10 people say they want to be able to visualise where and how a product could t into their li es says Garden Connect.

“Garden furniture is an expensive purchase, so it was a great place to start with for AR,” says Edwin. “Aside from furniture, we have also created a pot and

Aside from furniture, we have also created a pot and plant configurator which is already live and running plant con urator which is already li e and runnin . t allows isitors to choose a pot and a plant and place the combination in his living room. The visitor can then add the chosen combination to his shopping cart with ust one clic .

The AR shopping is easy to use too.

For a start, no app is required to use the add-on as it can be accessed directly through the browser; the product pages in the we shop contain a lin or code which open the user’s camera on their smartphone when scanned. Once the 3D model has loaded, users can then see how the garden furniture – or plant and pot – will loo in their arden or home.

“Our ambition is to help every webshop in the garden industry to use AR, even if they are not on our platform. can code for t is a new technolo y the full experience

that ts well with arden centre products because they are visually strong and so eti es uite e pensi e. n addition to garden furniture, this includes barbecues, decorations, and plants.”

To help garden centres promote the use of AR, Garden Connect provides them with promotional materials for their website, and every user has access to database of AR models.

“The biggest challenge in implementing AR is creating all the necessary models.

Because we have more than 300 shops that partly sell the same products, we can or anise this uic ly. We already ha e ore than odels of well nown brands available, and that number is growing rapidly.” onsu ers are continually loo in at easier ways to a e their purchases – and their purchasing decisions – and augmented reality could be the answer. ◗

www.gardencentreretail.com

06/04/2022 16:04

A d v ert ori al

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING

AT GARDEN CENTRES All there is to know about offering EV charging to your customers

I

t’s no secret that the future of personal travel is electric vehicles (EVs). The government won’t stop talking about it, we won’t stop talking about it, and sooner or later you won’t stop hearing about it. In this article, we explain the types of charging available and what we, at Mer, think would be most suitable for garden centres, and why.

Mer is an electric vehicle charging company with more than 400 charge points in the UK, and over 10,000 across Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria and the UK. With a large portion of the global sustainability conversation focusing on carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and wildlife conservation, it’s impossible to see garden centres as anything other than beacons of hope for a sustainable future.

Mer is also owned by Statkraft: the largest renewable energy producer in Europe.

In our conversations with commercial landowners, it has become clear that the myriad of information out there can sometimes obstruct the uptake of charge points, rather than assist it. We are keen to make sure the message of EV charging infrastructure is articulated so that people who aren’t in the charge point world can understand it and explain it to customers, staff, colleagues, and friends.

It’s worth noting that the amount of power the car can ‘pull’ will depend on factors like:

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• The maximum capacity of the battery • The charge level of the battery at the beginning of charging • The battery type • The outside temperature • Whether or not someone else’s car is plugged into the same charging unit The table below shows how many miles of charge you could expect from a variety of charger types:

AC is anything from 22kW and lower, while DC is anything from 25kW. If a driver wants a slow charge, one that would take fourplus hours for a good top up, AC is the way to go. If, on the other end, a faster charge is needed, then DC is more appropriate.

One important consideration is matching the type of charger to your customer’s dwell time. In the case of garden centres, this is typically 45-60 minutes; which would point you towards rapid (DC) chargers.

If you have AC chargers installed, most customers won’t be there long enough to make using them meaningful and so you’d be missing out on service to your customers as well as revenue.

We think rapid (50-150kw), and semi rapid (25kw) (DC) chargers are the best choice for garden centres, although we provide a provision of fast (AC) chargers to cater for the plug-in hybrid community.

Any charging company can install any charger type, but most tend to specialise in either AC or DC. Mer is one of the few operators to offer both, with a customer centric approach seeking to supply a solution for the whole driver community.

With the ene t of studyin any years of data analytics, Mer now specialises in predominately DC charging and is working with landowners across the UK to install DC chargers in suitable locations.

What can you expect?

TABLE HERE

There are also ultra-rapid chargers (anything over 100kw) which can take a car’s charge level from 0-80% in just 20 minutes. These are approximate times and are for illustrative purposes only.

So, what about garden centres?

It’s best to think about charge points in terms of fast (AC) and rapid (DC) chargers.

Mer would pay for the upfront costs and do the installation work, including new grid connections. Mer would also operate the back-end software and integrate charge points with Zap Map and a range of other similar locator platforms, meaning people looking for a charger will be able to see the ones on your site via Zap Map. You could typically be paid either a competitive annual fee for each bay, or a pro t share of the char e your users are paying for; this is typically between 1020%. Finally, contracts are likely to be 1520 years long. Long leases often provide a stronger chance of achieving a return on investment. Mer also replaces out-of-date hardware and provides 24/7 customer service for users. uk.mer.eco info.uk@mer.eco

Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

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06/04/2022 16:52

B u si n ess Coac h T ri p s

ALL

ABOARD!

B

osworth’s Garden Centre really does go the extra mile for its customers. On 7 May, it has organised for a coach trip to take customers from its shop in Kettering to the RHS Malvern Spring Festival at the Three Counties Showground in Worcestershire. t s the rst of a series of a coach trips that the garden centre is providing this year, with BBC Gardeners’ World Live booked for June, Sandringham Flower Show for July, and a beach day in Hunstanton planned for August.

It’s been two years since Bosworth’s Garden Centre has been able to organise its popular coach trips. hey rst e an when current owner Sam Bosworth’s parents were running the store, having taken over from his grandparents who rst founded the usiness. a s u started to put together the trips to enable customers to visit events they might not be able to otherwise.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, the events the garden centre had planned to attend were cancelled. “It threw a lot of things out of place and it’s only now starting to come back,” says Jonathan Biggs, Bosworth’s marketing and technology manager. “We would have liked to have started the coach trips last

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Coach trips.indd 24

©travellight/Shutterstock.com

Bosworth’s Garden Centre is bringing back its coach trips due to popular demand

year, but we could only sell every other seat and it just wasn’t viable. Now all the restrictions have stopped, we’ll hopefully get back to full coaches again.”

There tends to be a core group of people who attend each trip, but they are available to anyone, not just customers.

The schedule is advertised on the garden centre’s website and social media, as well as via a brochure in store, and those interested can book and pay for their place through an online booking system.

It potentially attracts new business for the garden centre. “Some people who come on the coach trips have probably not been to the garden centre before, so although the coach trips often start before the garden centre opens and come back after it shuts, they are then aware of us and will likely come in at some point.”

Bringing in customers is not the reason Bosworth’s organises these coach trips, though. “It’s something for the community. We make a little bit of money on it ut it doesn t a e a assi e pro t.

It’s something that people enjoyed when the current owner’s mum used to run them and something people still ask for now.

It’s about the community and providing something alongside the usual gardening services that we offer.”

Jonathan says that the garden centre has built a good relationship with a local coach company to enable it to offer the trips, and contacts each of the events it plans to

It’s about the community and providing something alongside the usual gardening services that we offer attend to enquire as to when the tickets will be released, ready for group bookings.

On the day of the event, passengers are checked on to the coach and the event tickets handed out.

For this year, Bosworth’s has started with four events to gauge interest, but as they seem to be booking well, Jonathan says they will continue to plan them for the rest of the year, with the garden centre wanting to bring back events in-house too, such as a children’s club it ran pre-pandemic.

Coach trips might take time and effort to organise, but the value to customers and the local community is invaluable, and it could make a garden centre stand out from the crowd. ◗

www.gardencentreretail.com

06/04/2022 16:41

The UK’s leading garden and outdoor living trade show. @glee_birmingham

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01.04.2022 14:38:26 06/04/2022 09:11

What is Strulch?

A garden mulch made entirely from wheat straw with added minerals.

Which acts as a deterrent to slugs and snails Packed in recyclable bags

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1 pallet minimum order discounts for 5, 10, 20 pallet orders 48 x 9 kg (100 litre) bags on a pallet Delivered in 3 working days All stockists advertised on our website Email or call for a quotation: info@strulch.co.uk 01943 863610 strulch.co.uk

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06/04/2022 12/08/2021 09:13 16:24

C o mmunity Business

CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY

S

Garden centres can play a key role in their local community, and The Gardens Group is an exemplar of this

ardens roup for instance pro ided taff at a doctor’s coffee ouchers to a local litter pic in surgery in Cerne roup. t also opened up one of its arden Abbas can now centres as a enue for the lac ore nd solace in the ale ine co unity rail partnership to surgery’s courtyard. host its oard eetin s. ouise has since A new garden was created eco e a ud e in the awards where in e ory of the late they reco nise and reward the stations r rai Wa eha alon the railway line for how they are who passed away fro presented. he cere ony is then held at in pril the arden centre too. after leadin the practice f they d ha e had to hire a roo they for years. would ha e incurred a cost which is ust tuart e on a e er unnecessary says i e. o it doesn t of the sur ery s atient need to e hu e funds allocated to these upport roup led pro ects it s al ost etter when it s not. the transfor ation of Craig’s Courtyard is a planting project taking shape in memory of ou can ust e a catalyst to ena le the space into a uiet the late Dr Craig Wakeham, who led the practice for 30 years before a pro ect to ta e place. tran uil area for staff passing away following a battle with COVID-19 in April 2020 t its astle ardens site openin up to rest and reflect. or its three sites in her orne eo il and the arden centre as a enue for other plants and ul s he reached out to he ound ury the co pany reaches out for roups has pro ed ene cial in a nu er ardens roup whose store in ound ury and is approached with arious ways in of ways. n what it calls he reen hed orchester was cele ratin its th which it can lend a helpin hand to others. run y ricuro adults with learnin anni ersary that year and was see in t s a cultural part of the or anisation. dif culties chop up waste ti er into co unity pro ects to assist with to ouise and funda entally elie e that if indlin the ost eautiful undles of cele rate. ounders i e ur s and his you do your usiness in an area then you the ost perfect product says i e wife ouise were ore than happy to help. ha e a duty to support that co unity which he ardens roup uys fro the as part of your social responsi ility the and sells in its arden centre. whole tea elie es in this. or i e and ouise this is si ply the Rather than a standalone he tea really en oys ettin way to run a usiness and it s an i portant project, the courtyard in ol ed so it s ood for the tea to part of it. arden centres are part of feel that they ha e the power to e a le the co unity and this is the way he at Cerne Abbas Surgery to o out and help the co unity and ardens roup li es it. ◗ is just one example of that they ha e the ac up of the or anisation to do that. t how The Gardens clearly uilds custo er loyalty Group connects with too which eans we eco e the third place . his co es its local community fro the idea that people would ha e their safe places We didn t want to et in the way of the their ho e their wor and pro ect ut wanted to support it where er then the third place is the local we could says i e. o arden arden centre where they feel desi ner n ela orley who we wor an ownership and loyalty. t closely with went in and put to ether i es us resilience in tou h a desi n for the and then we supported ti es the custo er ase will the pro ect with the plants oin down support the usiness ecause there and settin the out. they now that we will support ather than a standalone pro ect the the co unity. courtyard at erne as ur ery is ust hese pro ects don t ha e to The Green Shed at Castle Gardens, run by Tricuro, provides one e a ple of how he ardens roup or o ort nities or a ts ith earning i fic ties e lar e or costly either. he connects with its local co unity. ro

www.gardencentreretail.com

Community.indd 27

Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

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06/04/2022 15:33

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06/04/2022 09:13

Cat eri n g Foc u s B u si n ess

TOP OF THE RANGE TREATS Border Biscuits’ new look is set to create its own section of the market, which could sit well with garden centre cafes’ premium offering

T

hey’re typically the treat awaiting you in your hotel room, if you’re fortunate enough to stay in a hotel which offers them. Or you might come across them in a café and have them as a treat with your tea. Either way, Border Biscuits are always a treat. The premium biscuit brand knows it, too, and it’s now ramping up its efforts to make its products more accessible but without losing its stature.

It is calling this “untapped segment” of the market “accessible premium” and has revealed a new look and identity to its range to appeal to consumers looking for more than an “everyday” product. The family-owned biscuit brand is calling the move the biggest in its 38-year history as it seeks to “maintain and unlock new opportunities”.

Garden centres are one of the markets Border Biscuits is looking to tackle, as cafes continue to be an important add-on to these retailers. The company says its biscuits are already consumed across 90 million occasions per year, which it believes is down to the success of its Mini Packs as well as its Dark Chocolate Ginger and Classing Sharing Pack in the retail channel. The Mini Packs are so popular, in fact, that one is eaten every second in the UK. But how can products such as these, which are individually wrapped, appeal to the conscious consumer? It’s something which Border Biscuits has already considered and has taken action to improve its green credentials.

Its plastic packaging, for instance, has been reduced by 90%, and over the course of the next year an additional two tonnes of plastic will be removed from Border Biscuits’ packaging, as the ini ac l is now fully recycla le. y order Biscuits is aiming for all packaging to be recyclable.

Paul Parkins, managing director at Border Biscuits, co ents We e identi ed a real opportunity for Border Biscuits to lead the accessible premium category. We understand what consumers want, and our trusted brand and track record in innovation mean we’re in the perfect position to deliver it.

“We’re passionate biscuiteers who pride ourselves on being an honest brand that uses uality in redients with fla ours that co e fro authentic family recipes which have been developed over the years. We’re already the number one premium biscuit brand out-of-home in the UK, and now we’re using our success in Scotland as a springboard for future growth in a category

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Catering focus-2.indd 29

with huge potential UK-wide. Our aim is to be the number one accessible premium biscuit brand across the market.”

The new Border Biscuits brand refresh will be rolled out across the portfolio in April. The rand refresh will e supported with a rand in est ent and si ni cant capital in est ent. ◗

Border Biscuits Mini Pack range

Border Biscuits Mini Packs 100 is made up of the following products: iennese Whirls hocolate oo ies utterscotch runch hort read in s olden at ru les Other pack sizes include Mini ac and ini ac to suit all customers. The Mini ac contains sin le iscuit pac s.

www.border.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

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06/04/2022 16:19

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APRIL/MAY 2022

PRODUCTS 32

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LATEST PRODUCTS Gardening gift items

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LATEST PRODUCTS What’s new for pet gifts?

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LATEST PRODUCTS Fire pits, outdoor heaters and chimeneas

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MEET THE BRAND Durston Garden Products

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G I M A G ard en P ress E v en t

GIMA’S LATEST

A new product round-up from o r rst s ow o t e seaso

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nother successful Garden Press Event is under our belts and the early-spring sunshine which shone on the event was hopefully a herald of a great season to come in the gardening world.

There were so many excellent new launches fro e ers rst amongst which was the winner of this year’s Best New Product Award, Wildlife World, for its Natural Rubber Cell Trays. With the Plastic Packaging Pledge uppermost in our minds ahead of the new government tax this April – and sustainability leading the agenda for consumers, retailers and manufacturers alike – the timing of the launch could not have been better.

The large contingent of garden journalists and editors who attended the event obviously agreed and voted in their droves for this hero product.

The Real Soil Company, which is riding high on the sustainable wave with its peat-free SuperSoil, has extended its product range with an all-new 100% organic and natural Vegetable & Fruit Topsoil, a rich blend of topsoil and soil improver which enables plant crops

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Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

to thrive from day one and deliver higher yields. The Real Soil Company found themselves inundated with inquiries from press keen to support this sustainable alternative to peat, as did neighbouring stand-holder, Carbon Gold, which also offers excellent peat-free growing media and was keen to show journalists exactly what its organic topsoil is made of.

New GIMA member, GUANORGANIC, was deli hted to e at its rst showcase, presenting its unique organic fertiliser which comes with a compelling backstory, having been utilised in Peru for hundreds of years, since the time of the great Inca civilisation. Nutrient dense and 100% natural, the non-polluting fertiliser consists of easy to apply and safe to handle Guano pellets – excrement of seabirds – which combines well with any type of topsoil or compost and is suitable for use on soil anywhere on an allotment or garden, within growing containers, veg trugs or plant pots, either outside or in the house.

Johnsons Lawn Seed exhibited its market leading lawn seed range, complete with brand new digitalised packaging featuring scannable QR codes on the front and back of all their grass seed boxes. The packaging retains Johnsons’ distinctive and instantly recognisable branding whilst incorporating the new

technology designed to facilitate the customer experience.

Another new GIMA member, Hex Living, was present with a large stand on the round floor of the usiness Design Centre, close to the spectacular display put together by Dobbies Garden Centre. An offshoot of parent company, Alpha Manufacturing, Hex Living is offerin a enuine ade in ritain ran e of steel garden sheds, boxes, bin shelters and planters, which come with a lifetime guarantee.

Its hero product, Hixon, is the ultimate stora e solution a aila le in e

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G ard en P ress E v en t G I M A

substantial sizes and ideal for storing bikes, garden furniture, garden equipment and other household tools. Constructed from a 0.5mm thick, high grade, powder coated, galvanised steel, Hixon is ultradurable and maintenance free. Suited to a myriad of garden and patio environments, it is modern in design and comes in two stylish yet subtle colourways, anthracite grey and sage green.

Spear & Jackson launched new line extensions and reinforced its move to sustainable packaging ahead of April, when the Government’s plastic packaging tax comes into play. “We are getting rid of as uch superfluous pac a in as possible and where we can be replacing

More than ever, retailers are loo ing to find supply partners that have a transparent approach plastic with cardboard, including labels, and using less adhesive,” said Karen Abbott. “We have reduced the plastic packaging used in transit and at point of sale and have also changed the packaging on certain product SKUs, including secateurs, which no longer have full plastic blisters, only the tops are covered. It’s more of a challenge on larger items which need more securing to stay in place.”

The Kew Garden range is leading the sustainable charge for Spear & Jackson.

Whilst the scale of the plastic free challenge for many manufactures is si ni cant aren elie es it could e even harder for garden centres to replace single use plastic plant pots with good, affordable alternatives, and to make the transition to peat-free soils.

Jardinopia had a raft of new launches on display, including bamboo eco-pots, reed diffuser ornaments, tools, workwear and bags, some of which formed part of its new Beatrix Potter licensed range, following on from the successful launch of its Peter Rabbit and Friends potty feet at Glee. The range also includes high quality secateurs, gardening gloves, gift sets and other items, all complete with the fully

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recycled, plastic-free packaging which Jardinopia has used since its launch four years ago.

Acknowledging it was ahead of the game with its plastic-free pledge, Jardinopia national sales and account manager, Mark Hewitt, commented: “More and more customers are demanding zero plastic packaging, with the National Trust and RHS, for example, both looking at entirely plastic-free supply chains within three years.”

Jardinopia also introduced its rst isney licensed ran e at the show, which involved painstaking work with the licensor but will surely “open the door to all retailers”.

Leon Boots Co. was busy throughout the event as journalists queued to nd out ore a out their ultralight wellingtons, with the ankle boot design proving especially popular with consu ers and flyin off the shelves at garden centres up and down the country.

Woodlodge presented a lovely new collection of solar lanterns alongside new garden sundries and extensions to the Emberwood range, all designed to capitalise on the booming outdoor living trend, extending evenings outside with atmospheric lighting.

Woodlodge’s new Honey & Wild additions are also poised to set the trend for garden décor in 2022, with brand-new insect hotels and bird feeders that will e ene cial for wildlife and ecolo ical balance in the garden. Then there is the Wooden Hedgehog House to help protect Britain’s favourite native animal, whilst the reignited love of garden birds for many people will see sales of the new range

of wooden bird houses soar. Also brand new at the show were solar mirrors in both contemporary heart and gothic church designs and solar wall art in the form of utterflies and dra onflies. lso on display were new designs in the RHS licensed collection of pots and planters, which are sure to be a hit with garden centres throughout the country.

For long a sustainable-living star, Primeur was een to e tol the ene ts of its unique borders that bend, non-slip stepping-stones and ultra-lightweight decking, all made from recycled rubber tyres. he new ulty ec range was also on display, showing how it can be the ideal solution for all manner of outdoor jobs, from full-scale patio and terrace projects to offering a tidy decking space for bins or offering muddy ground protection outside a shed or caravan.

Another highlight for fans of sustainable living could be found on the Sipcam Home & Garden stand, where the ecofective® range is proving more popular than ever. Best known for its ‘Child and Pet Safe’ credentials, the ecofective® range has won the favour of le ions of shoppers as the ene ts for both the family, wildlife and planet are easy to see.

Nigel Thompson, head of sales at Sipcam Home & Garden said: “More than e er retailers are loo in to nd supply partners that have a transparent approach to not just product development but also sustainability and positive environmental practices, with ecofective® repeatedly hitting the mark. It’s an exciting time for the brand.” ◗

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06/04/2022 16:48

REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE VIA EMAIL

HB-101

A Natural Plant Vitalizer that Increases the Vitality of Plants

(limited quantity)

HB-101 is an all-purpose natural plant vitalizer that is highly effective for use in growing all kinds of plants.

All you have to do is dilute HB-101 with water. It is easy to use, safe and harmless, which makes it perfect for organic and reduced-chemical cultivation. HB-101 has gained the approval of many people who enjoy growing plants, including farmers, farm business operators, kitchen gardeners, horticulturalists, and garden hobbyists throughout Japan.

PRODUCT OUTLINE HB-101: All-purpose natural plant vitalizer A safe and harmless nutrient that’s perfect for organic and reduced-chemical cultivation!

HB-101 is a natural plant vitilizer effective for growing various kinds of plants and is made from essences of such long-lived trees as cedars, Japanese cypress, and pines as well as from plantains (a well-known medical herb). Safe and harmless, HB-101 is perfect for organic and reduced-chemical cultivation.

Can be used for growing all kinds of plants!

HB-101 can be used to good effect by anybody who enjoys growing virtually any kind of plant, from farmers and farm business operators to kitchen gardeners, horticulturists, and garden hobbyists. It is so easy to use! All you have to do is dilute it with water and then spray it on the plants.

Reduce costs with bigger harvests!

If you use HB-101, you will achieve larger harvests, which adds up to an overall reduction of growing costs.

WE RECOMMEND YOU USE TO: Vitalize your plants Increase the longevity of flowers Improve your harvests Reduce costs Grow organically or with less chemicals

INGREDIENTS OF HB-101

Cedars

Japanese cypress

Pines

Plantains

EVERYSPROUT / HB-101 Official Distributor Email: info@everysprout.co.uk Web: www.everysprout.co.uk Advert EverySprout.indd template.indd 1 12

06/04/2022 28/03/2022 09:14 13:05

P lan t Foc u s P rod u c t s

Plant Focus

Forsythia x intermedia ‘Discovery’ JOHN MITCHELL

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ith more than 155 years of horticulture knowledge, Hillier is celebrated for growing exceptional quality plants and is proud to be adding Forsythia x intermedia ‘Discovery’ exclusively to its range. he introduction of this speci c Forsythia comes following its disco ery years a o in the arden of ohn itchell rst of cer in the erchant na y. ohn itchell was a rst of cer in the merchant navy and his love was the sea, with one of his last ships being RSS ‘Discovery’ – an apt name for this Forsythia variation.

A single branch sport was found which was propagated by ohn. his rooted and eca e the rst plant for which all others have been vegetatively propagated, meaning they are all clonally identical to the rst cuttin .

This new plant variety will be available exclusively in all 19 Hillier garden centres across the south of England as well as through the new Hillier Online Shop.

A vigorous ariety flowerin from early to mid-spring instantly adding colour to a post winter garden.

Fully hardy, easy to maintain and can grow to 2.5m height x 2m spread.

After a spring prune, Forsythia can increase by up to three feet of fresh rowth flowerin the following year, offering an exciting option to use as screening plants.

Plant in sun or partial shade. These are sun-loving shrubs so need plenty of direct sunlight exposure.

For delightful blooms of fantastic pale-yellow prune after flowerin to encourage a bushy habit with an abundance of yellow.

Bare stems are smothered in beautiful, lightly scented pale yellow flowers that create a contrast against the deep red stems.

The unique form has a distinctive creamy-yellow margined foliage with a strong upright habit.

or

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This new variety adds striking variegated foliage to the already impressive flowers of this enus.

Is a sturdy shrub so will survive in almost all soil types but thrives when planted in moist, well-drained soil.

rt er i ormatio isit www. illier.co. illier ar e Centres on Facebook, or @hilliergardencentres on Instagram.

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06/04/2022 15:30

Products Children’s Gifts

ADD VALUE WITH…

CHILDREN’S GIFTS Garden centres can encourage the next generation of gardeners – and it can prove lucrative too

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a growing trend too, particularly since the rst loc down. With everybody at home over the last two years, it has seen huge growth. With the challenging times we’ve all been through, getting kids outside and engaging with the natural world has brought huge mental and physical health ene ts and fa ilies are keen to encourage their youngsters. These are tomorrow’s gardeners we’re talking about; getting kids into gardening at a young age nurtures an interest which will last a lifetime.”

So, what types of products can garden centres stock to encourage young gardeners? “Products that are fun, colourful and engaging certainly help engage children and make them enjoy their experience more. Having their own tools give them some ownership and responsibility which they love,” comments Ireland.

“Gardening and Explorer Kits are a great way for kids to take some ownership in the great outdoors offering

t’s National Children’s Gardening Week at the end of May. From 28 May to 5 June, a packed schedule of activities will be taking place to encourage children to enjoy the great outdoors and learn a bit about gardening in the process. Garden centres across the UK will be getting involved in the annual event, but also throughout the year to engage the younger, greenn ered eneration.

“Garden centres are key to inspiring children to get outside and into their gardens,” says Bigjigs Toys’ operations director Sam Ireland. “Helping to build a gardening culture will only help garden centres to thrive going forward. Some of the best examples I have seen are garden centres offering open days for kids to come along and learn how to grow different types of fruits,

e eta les and flowers. ettin children involved and active is so important.”

It’s a great way of getting children back outdoors with nature too, says a spokesman for Willsow, which has created the rst plantable children’s book.

“Outdoor play is essential for child development and there are a whole host of ene ts to ardenin ranging from mental health to vitamin D. It’s all about making it exciting for them, making sure there’s no pressure and that being out in the garden is a happy escape from where they know they’re allowed to get messy.”

Rainer Schubert, managing director at Burgon & Ball, says it’s

Happy Bee Edition Sprout pencils

Gardening Caddy Bigjigs Toys Ltd

The Plantable Children’s Book Willsow

Sprout pencils can be planted after use and grow into herbs, flowers and e eta les.

The Happy Bee Edition gives a helping hand to the threatened bees. The Sprout appy ee dition contains e eco friendly and biodegradable Sprout graphite pencils, with decomposable cellulose seedcapsules for her s flowers or e eta les.

Ideal for gardens or window boxes, the Kids Garden Caddy is packed with children’s garden tools and everything young gardeners need to get started. The garden caddy comes with 11 play pieces in total, including gardening gloves, a ruler, a trowel, a fork, a rake and more. Each gardening tool is designed with little hands in mind.

Willsow books are 100% biodegradable, making a great, eco-friendly gift alternative. The cover pages are embedded with around 500 non-GMO which means the kids can tear off the back page and grow real herbs and vegetables.

RRP . for a pac of e Launch date Available now www.sproutworld.com

RRP £29.99 Launch date April 2022 www.bigjigstoys.co.uk

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Add value with.indd 36

Helping to build a gardening culture will only help garden centres to thrive going forward

RRP £9.99 Launch date Available now www.willsow.com

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06/04/2022 16:35

Children’s Gifts Products them the tools to learn to grow their own produce and also explore nature on their doorstep.”

Willsow adds that hands-on, interactive and educational products are key. “Kids don’t need to be lectured about technology use; they just need to be shown how fun being outside is and that the possibilities are endless when gardening, growing plants and building things in the garden.

There’s no need to spend a fortune on products. Recycling and reusing household items are great for getting kids into the garden – it shows them you don t need a speci c toolset all you need is a bit of creativity.”

Think outside the box, agrees Schubert.

“Think about items which are useful not just for traditional ‘gardening’ activities; a bucket is great for ponddipping or a minibeast safari, or maybe a gardening apron which will work for crafting or baking too.”

For beginners, Sprout World’s CEO and founder Michael Stausholm recommends grow kits, or its own Sprout pencils

which he explains have a double function. “First you write, then you plant – it’s fun for kids. It’s become a symbol of sustainability because it grows a second life when it’s no longer of use.”

Products such as these are popular with customers too.

“We see an increase each year in sales of our plantable pencils and many of them are being used as gifts for both kids and adults,” says Stausholm.

As Stausholm alludes to, it’s not just children’s gifts which are proving popular, but gardening gifts on the whole. “Gardening items have proved to be some of our

Johnsons Little Gardeners Caterpillar Greenhouse Kit Johnsons Seeds

National Trust Made by Burgon & Ball ‘Get Me Gardening’ children’s gardening tools and accessories Burgon & Ball

Including everything needed to grow basil, peppers and tomatoes, children can learn how to sow seeds and look after them.

Each kit contains: A re-usable caterpillar propagator tray and lid; basil, pepper (sweet) and tomato seeds; Jiffy-7® compost pellets wooden plant la els and a leaflet with growing tips and a pizza recipe.

RRP £11.00 Launch date Available now www.johnsons-seeds.com

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Gardening items have proved to be some of our bestselling ranges over the past two to three years. Kids and parents have been more active outside which has led to a surge in sales bestselling ranges over the past two to three years. Kids and parents have been more active outside which has led to a surge in sales,” says Sam Ireland.

“Items which work as gifts as well as for own-use gardening are proving very popular in this category,” adds Schubert. “Grown-ups who enjoy being in the garden are generally keen to share their interest with the youngsters of family and friends, so gifting sales are good.

Again, this is where eye-catching design is helpful, as an item which has the ‘cute factor’ is a great impulse sale.”

Sustainability is an ever-growing trend too, says Willsow, and gardening gifts that are sustainable tick all the boxes. “One of the silver linings of the pandemic [is] that everyone takes better care of their garden and now appreciates what was once a small space often neglected is actually a haven and respite. The year of 2020-2021 has changed the way this country views its gardens forever, so anything to get the kids outside is an ever-growing popular choice.”

There’s seemingly no better time to grow your gift range, and with National Children’s Gardening Week just around the corner, it’s an ideal time to be stocking up on gifts for the next generation of gardeners too. ◗

Otter KIDS Wellingtons Leon Boots Co

The National Trust ‘Get Me Gardening’ Made by Burgon & Ball’ collection of children’s garden tools is the ideal range to help children enjoy the garden. It has been created to appeal to six- to 10-year-olds.

Developed from single-injection moulded EVA/TRC polymer, Leon Boots’ Otter Kids Wellington are a sturdy wellington boot with super soft, washable velvet liner. Otters are fully insulated against temperatures as low as minus 30°C, split and crack resistant, and are 100% waterproof. Designed for young feet. Available in navy, pink and yellow.

RRP £9.99 - £18.99 Launch date Available now www.burgonandball.com

RRP £19.99 Launch date Available now www.leonbootsco.com

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P r o duc ts Beesw ax W r ap s

GETTING TO KNOW

BEESWAX WRAPS Since Fran Beer founded The Beeswax Wrap Co. the company has grown exponentially. So, what goes into making beeswax wra s t e eco rie l alter ati e to cli lm What are beeswax wraps?

It started with the Egyptians, says Fran Beer, who founded The Beeswax Wrap Co. in 2017. “Egyptians used waxed fabric to put over pots; it was the natural way for them to store food.” But whilst the concept might not be new, but The Beeswax Wrap Co. is making it trendy, and the wraps are quickly becoming a popular and sustainable replacement for single use clin l and plastic tu s.

How exactly are the wraps more eco-friendly?

By using organic cotton for a start, which Fran says is something to look out for when retailers are looking to stock beeswax wraps. “If you bought beeswax wraps made from normal cotton, the

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getting to know.indd 38

amount of water, pesticides and chemicals that go into growing that cotton means you i ht as well uy clin l . he i issue with cotton growing in countries like India and China is that the chemicals used run off into the water supply for the local population, which can lead to illness and poor crops. So, you have to start with organic cotton which uses much less water and no chemicals. It’s making sure that each element used to make the beeswax wraps isn’t causing a bigger issue at the beginning of the supply chain.”

Where is the wax sourced from?

The Beeswax Wrap Co. uses UK beeswax, all sourced from within 30 miles of its workshop in the Cotswolds, though Fran warns of companies claiming to be using ‘organic’ UK beeswax as there is no such thing. “We’re such a small island and bees only roam for a couple of miles, so there is no way that you can say that it’s organic – it doesn’t exist. So, it’s looking for clarity in where the beeswax comes from.

We’ve met all the beekeepers that we get our wax from, so we understand their standards of care for the hive, for instance. Look at how far companies

go to fully understand where they’re purchasing their products from.”

So, what else goes into making a beeswax wrap?

Pine resin, which The Beeswax Wrap Co. buys from Portugal, and jojoba oil – it’s this which Fran says the company has struggled with somewhat. As it seeks to source all its raw materials sustainably and ethically, the company switched from Israel to America for its jojoba oil, which Fran admits has a bigger carbon footprint but offers more peace of mind and transparency. The team is now looking into sourcing its jojoba oil closer to home but using a company which offers complete transparency for the whole supply chain.

“We want to improve every element of the ingredients we use, whether that’s the carbon footprint or the supply chain or something else. It’s about being aware of the positives and negatives of the ingredients that we buy and how, over time, we can improve as things change and develop.”

Are these products handmade?

Yes – The Beeswax Wrap Co. makes all of its ingredients by hand, melting everything down and soaking the fabric in the wax mixture for more than an hour so that e ery re is saturated in the wa .

This helps to prevent the wax coating fro cru lin or fla in after only a couple of uses, which can happen with cheaper alternatives.

Can other products be sold alongside the wraps?

Re-wax bars, handmade solid dish soaps and natural dish scrubbers – which are made from the inside of courgettes by The Beeswax Wrap Co. – are great for stocking alongside the wraps. The re-wax bars enable the wraps to last up to six years, says Fran, and the company is working on extending this further. “For us, it’s all about prolonging the life of the wraps and not just getting people to buy every year.

We want people to invest in them and buy a re-wax bar to iron on more of our wax mixture. So much goes into making

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Beesw ax W r ap s P r o duc ts

Products

the cotton; we don’t want people to just throw it away for it to biodegrade, we want people to keep using it for as long as they possibly can.”

Rather than being bad news for retailers looking for repeat purchases, there are opportunities in these additional products to upsell. The Beeswax Wrap Co.’s Clean

For us, it’s all about prolonging the life of the wraps and not just getting people to buy every year & Care Kit comes with a solid dish soap, a natural scrubber, a rewaxing blend, a rewaxing tea towel with instructions on, and two sheets of baking paper.

“We calculated that if a family of four replaces their daily clin l for their sandwiches with four beeswax wraps – which a one-metre roll would provide, and more, for £20 – then you could replace of clin l used per year. fter si years, you’ve saved quite a lot of money to what you would have spent on sandwich a s and foil and clin l . lus nothin has one to land ll.

How have they grown in popularity?

It started in 2017 for The Beeswax Wrap Co. Fran’s background is in advertising, but she retrained as an acupuncturist which led to her learning more about the pollutants and toxins to your body, such as the chemicals released when a single-use plastic water bottle heats up. She began making beeswax wraps and selling them at local markets. Then Blue Planet II aired, and awareness of the damage single-use plastics were causing to the environment

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getting to know.indd 39

soared, leaving customers scrambling for suitable alternatives. From a small workshop on the side of her house, Fran’s business moved to a 1200 sq ft solar-powered workshop at the end of 2019. Fran herself had been running her acupuncture clinic until the end of the previous year, but after working exhausting hours – sometimes from 7am to 3am the following morning – she decided to dedicate herself entirely to The Beeswax Wrap Co. The products have proven so popular that for the rst two Christmases, the company had to cease all advertising to ensure that it could continue to deliver its high level of customer service. Fortunately, a bigger workshop now means that these tough decisions are a thing of the past.

So, what’s next for The Beeswax Wrap Co.?

New patterns will be launching this year, with new collaborations to be revealed – three partnerships are launching in the next six months.

“We’re looking at how we can give our customers an even better sustainable option as a beeswax wrap and are collaborating with other businesses to offer really lovely sustainable alternatives for everyday items. So, it’s going to be a busy year.” ◗

Emma Bridegwater Toast Print 1m roll The one-metre roll is designed to be cut to size, so you can use a small square to cover a little ramekin or cut the perfect size for your loaf, and everything in between. The Beeswax Wrap Co. X Emma Bridgewater’s iconic Toast & Marmalade print is now available in a metre roll of beeswax wrap. Choose from either Black Toast or White Toast designs. his product is the co pany s rst one metre roll with Emma Bridgewater.

RRP £22 Emma Bridegwater Polka Dot and Bee Print reusable cotton bags Crafted from organic cotton and printed using low-impact dyes, this useful and versatile set of two medium sized reusable bags are perfect for collecting and storing rice, pasta, or any number of dried goods from re lla le stores or for bagging loose fruit and veg. These drawstring bags are a helping hand with zero-waste shopping trips, storage in the kitchen and home, or for P.E. kits, pencil cases and toiletries.

RRP £14 Hedgerow Print Beeswax Wraps The new Hedgerow Designs from The Beeswax Wrap Co. are bright and refreshing. The designs have been drawn up and carefully selected by founder Fran Beer and created with the company’s special process in the Cotswolds Workshop. They have taken inspiration from their incredible surroundings in Gloucestershire. Each combo pack includes two designs; a old reen flower lled garden print with bees, irds and utterflies and a yellow ochre print, dotted with cow parsley and buzzing bees. Wrap over, under and around almost anything (just like clin l to eep food fresh for longer.

RRP £12 to £30 beeswaxwraps.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

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06/04/2022 16:08

Adorable Gifts for all those Special Occasions First abbit™ Peter R ties Set o Bo

Guess How Much I Lov Soft Toy with Muslin e You Gift Set

My First Peter Rabbit™ and Flopsy Bunny™

Ring Rattle and Comfort Blanket Gift Set

Cuddly Winnie-The-Pooh Very Hungry Caterpillar Large Plush

Guess How Much I Love You Large Nutbrown Hare

inspiring kids’ imaginations for 50 years

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T: +44 (0) 1672 565 060 M: +44 (0) 7875 027 369

W: www.worldwide-structures.com E: stuart@w-sl.com

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06/04/2022 09:15

H o w to S ell P r o duc ts

HOW TO SELL GIFTS

W

ith so many categories of giftware to choose from, it can e dif cult to now how to a e the ost of these products and ensure custo ers are spottin the as they rowse throu h the store. ortunately andleli ht roducts a iftware supplier cele ratin its th anniversary this year offers top tips on how to successfully stoc and sell iftware in arden centres.

Candlelight Products offers advice for garden centres on how to display giftware and the key considerations when planning for one

What are the options for a garden centre when it comes to showcasing gifts?

Experience notes that the best way to showcase gifts in a garden centre settin is to spread ifta le products throu hout the store i in custo ers ore opportunities to purchase. ll our ifta le products can sit within a nu er of scenarios we ha e a fantastic ran e of desi ns that t well with rustic classic floral and country stories.

What are the key things a garden centre should consider when deciding how to display them? onsideration should e ta en in ter s of the est and ost ef cient use of space. We reco end usin a echanisin solution such as a free standin unit that holds a lot of stoc . hese can e placed alon side ed shel in and at the end of aisle and at till points. his is a fantastic way to direct custo ers to a pic up purchase and to pro inent way to utilise space. We can discuss re uire ents to pro ide a full ran e of erchandisin solutions for all our iftin candles fra rance and fau plants which allows the oods to e displayed in a co ordinated anner.

What are the pitfalls of displaying/stocking gifts?

When considerin stoc in ifts for your arden centre care should e ta en to ensure the lon e ity of the products candles fra rance reed diffusers are all e cellent sellers as an add on purchase to plants. easonal and speci c ifts often ha e a shelf life so consider stoc in non period sensiti e ifta le ranges. We have a dedicated team of arden centre retail specialists that can support centres in the est and ost appropriate iftin that will pro ide the ost pro ta le sell throu h. ◗

www.gardencentreretail.com

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L atest P r o duc ts F o o d G if ts

FOOD GIFTS

Eggcellent Mini Egg Cookie Mix Bottled Baking Co

Stokes Cheeseboard Collection Stokes Sauces Ltd

This Eggcellent Mini Egg Cookie Mix from Bottled Baking Co has all the dry ingredients required to make ini lled coo ies. Whether it’s been bought as an Easter gift, as a rainy-day activity with the little ones, or just as a personal treat, with the addition of just a few extra cupboard staples, this Eggcellent Mini Egg Cookie Mix promises of the tastiest coo ies.

Stokes Cheeseboard Collection is the perfect gift for anyone partial to a little cheese and wine. t contains four of Stokes most popular relishes and chutneys: Fig Relish brims with dried s for a sweet acco pani ent yet wonderfully tart nish hilli a is sticky, sweet with gentle chilli notes ed nion ar alade is a full fla oured reduction with lac treacle and alsa ic and tic y ic le rounds the cheese oard up super ly.

RRP . www.bottledbaking.co.uk

RRP £15 www.stokessauces.co.uk

Pizza Lover’s Biscuit & Craft Kit Craft and Crumb i a and iscuits surely are a winning combination, so Craft and Crumb has put them to ether into a wonderful i a iscuit a in it. ach it co es beautifully packed and contains all the dry ingredients and tools needed to create your own pi a slice shaped iscuits and pi a untin craft too.

Marshmallow Toasting Gift Set. The Naked Marshmallow Co The original and bestselling marshmallow toasting gift set, perfect for those with a sweet tooth and for any marshmallow fans out there. usto ers can e perience the fun of toastin our et marshmallows at home with their very own marshmallow toasting gift set, which can be used both indoors and outdoors and includes everything they need to start toastin ri ht away.

RRP . www.nakedmarshmallow.co.uk

RRP £20 www.craftandcrumb.com Baking Bottle TTK Confectionery

Platinum Jubilee bottle Popcorn Kitchen

TTK Confectionery’s signature Treat Kitchen milk bottles, but with a slight baking twist!

The twist being that all the ingredients you need to make the chocolate bakes are in these bottles – the perfect food family activity, without the essy clean up. here are three options available: Triple Choc Cookies, Chocolate rownies or riple hoc uf ns.

opcorn itchen un eiled two new lines for 2022, one of which is a large, 550g latinu u ilee ottle containing its bestselling Sweet & Salt popcorn to celebrate the Queen’s accession to the throne in . opcorn itchen has also launched chocolate orange popcorn in 30g treat pac s.

RRP £5 www.ttkconfectionerywholesale.co.uk

RRP . www.popcornkitchen.co.uk

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www.gardencentreretail.com

06/04/2022 15:41

Adv er to r ial

ANATOMY OF A PRODUCT 100% organic SuperSoil has been brought to market to open up a conversation regarding the importance of quality within topsoil. For too long, a lot of topsoils ha e not een t for purpose.

Many are nothing more than 80% sand and 20% compost, leaving consumers disappointed. The Real Soil Company has created something that proudly breathes new life into this product category, whilst also increasing consumer buy-in through the strong eco-messaging.

The Real Soil Company brand is backed by Boughton Loam Ltd, a leading supplier of soils, seeds and su strates. ene ttin fro a ased manufacturing site, in-house marketing support and logistic partners, The Real Soil Company is ready to respond to retailer demand in any season. This is a brand you can trust in, and one that cuts through the noise in a highly saturated marketplace.

With The Real Soil Company, it is possible for retailers to offer something different; something which will drive up the average basket spend at the point of sale whilst arming consumers with a product they can place their loyalty in. The team has invested si ni cantly in uildin a real standout rand supported with highly visual packaging and POS material. Featuring artful hand-drawn gardeners, e eta les and flowers and flash infor ation SuperSoil provides an easy reference for consumers looking to boost their grow-your-own results.

Aimed at the premium garden centre customer, organic SuperSoil has been specially enhanced using ethically sourced natural components.

These topsoil ‘heroes’ are added to enrich and enhance the soil, providing natural ‘boosters’ to ensure quicker plant establishment, better resilience against pests and disease, whilst also ena lin edi le crops to ene t fro nutritional enhancement and a higher crop yield. Its improved biology means that SuperSoil consistently outperforms market-leading topsoils in key areas, including phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, organic matter and sand/silt/clay content.

Meeting and improving on the BS:3882 standards for compliance and reliability, The Real Soil o pany offers a nu er of other ey ene ts including 100% natural ingredients and material traceability. The enhanced soil also offers better water retention and release for optimum plant growth, whilst also providing a more balanced and workable material for gardeners.

www.gardencentreretail.com

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Product SuperSoil Manufacturer The Real Soil Company Launch date 2021 RRP From £5.99 Tel 01536 510 517 Email info@therealsoilcompany.co.uk Web therealsoilcompany.co.uk

Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022

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L atest P r o duc ts G ar dening G if ts

‘Rewild Your Home’

by Victoria Harrison Quadrille

‘Planting for Garden Birds’ can help to make a garden irresistible to birds and create an environment for wildlife to thrive in. Even the smallest of gardens can be transformed into a suitable habitat for all sorts of birds, from planting small trees and clusters of shrubs to making a garden pond. This illustrated guide shows the plants and trees that encourage birdlife, the seasons in which they thrive, and their value to the wildlife of a garden.

Focusing on the concept of ‘biophilic design,’ the idea of weaving nature into the home environment, ‘Rewild Your Home’ looks at increasing natural light, maximizing outside views, and using natural colours, textures and patterns in interior spaces.

The book includes practical ideas for a variety of budgets and spaces, with projects such as making your own seasonal room fragrance, creating light maps, and growing edible indoor gardens.

Illustrations ©James Weston Lewis

‘Planting for Birds’

by Jane Moore Quadrille

RRP £12.99 Launch Date Available now www.hardiegrant.com/uk/quadrille

RRP £18 Launch Date Available now www.hardiegrant.com/uk/quadrille

Plantsmith houseplant care product range Plantsmith

British Meadow trowel and fork set Burgon & Ball

Traditionally, houseplant care products are packaged and sold like traditional garden care products. They’re functional but not aesthetic; you’d hide them under the kitchen sink for example. Plantsmith is a new range of professionally formulated products, designed to look as good as they perform.

RRP From £10.99 Launch Date Available now www.plantsmith.co.uk

Photography ©Maria Bell

GARDENING GIFTS

This RHS-endorsed trowel and fork set looks very striking in the new British Meadow design, and also features plastic-free cardboard packaging. The tools have painted blue handles bearing the RHS logo and the trowel carries an engraved Gertrude Jekyll quote.

RRP £25.99 Launch Date Available now www.burgonandball.com

Kent & Stowe Eversharp Bypass Secateurs Westland The new Kent & Stowe Eversharp Secateurs transform traditional secateurs into a revolutionary ambidextrous tool. Fully benchmarked against the rest of the market by the independent professional knife and cutting trade association, CATRA. Eversharp secateurs are guaranteed to stand the test of time. They come in both all-purpose bypass, and dead wood anvil options.

RRP £34.99 Launch Date Available now www.gardenhealth.com

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www.gardencentreretail.com

06/04/2022 15:43

G ar dening G if ts L atest P r o duc ts Town & Country Lux-fit women’s gardening gloves Town & Country

Kew Gardens Collection Patterned Kneeler Spear & Jackson The delicate decorative pattern is based on botanical illustrations that are synony ous with the oyal otanic ardens ew. he neeler is constructed with a e layer co ination of and foa that oulds around the nees for opti u co fort. t has an easy clean uic dryin nylon co er and an SBR (neoprene) waterresistant linin . t was oted est in cate ory y ud es at the reat ritish rowin wards

o in ulti ate protection across new stylish patterns the delu e t wo en s lo es are desi ned to a e the hardest of tas s that it easier. au leather with e tra paddin across pal s and the nuc les pushin e tra safe uardin aterial on the thu and fore n er to withstand any o in hand. he naturally stretchy shape allows free o e ent with an elasticated hoo and eye fasten to pro ide co fort and a i u wrist fle i ility.

RRP .

Launch Date aila le now www.spear-and-jackson.com

RRP .

Launch Date aila le now www.townandco.com

Hedgehog highway Seedball

spi y creates a ho s to t throu h.

c

Wildflower specialist eed all has launched a ed eho i hway which has een desi ned to help increase this connecti ity etween ardens creatin a corridor for the to roa freely and ensure no isolation within the populations. reatin a hed eho hi hway is easy with the carefully desi ned product fro eed all. he steel fra e e careful it s a little corridor once cut throu h perfect for

RRP Launch Date aila le now www.seedball.co.uk

New compact stainless steel spade and fork Wilkinson Sword The Stainless-Steel Compact Spade and Fork both ene t fro a s aller er ono ically desi ned weather proofed wooden ash handle and has a dou le ri eted strapped soc et for e tra stren th. he tool heads are ade fro irror polished rust resistant stainless steel ensurin that they will re ain in pea condition for years. han s to their co pact si e they are ideal for wor in in s aller areas such as di in flower eds and re o in weeds.

RRP . each Launch Date TBC www.wilkinsonsword-tools.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

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MISCELLANEOUS GIFTS Pastel glass candles The Country Candle Company ntroducin he ountry andle o pany s re i a ined astel lass candles eautifully etched lass essels with effortlessly ele ant fra rance la els perfectly desi ned to suit any interior. ll scents in the ran e are hand decorated with delicate petals fro ritish rowers and fra ranced for of the urn. hese uni ue candles will offer stri in displays in all retail en iron ents.

RRP .

Launch Date aila le now thecountrycandlecompany.com

ECOCOOL Latitude 52 Dalesman International Ltd he atitude is the rst of its ind to e ade with recycled post consu er recycled resin ta in plastics ottles which would o to land ll ac into use. he cooler is perfect for the outdoors or arden lar e foldin ra handles a e it easy to carry and cup holders in the lid a e it dou le as a ta le.

RRP .

Launch Date pril www.dalesman.uk.com/igloo

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Adv er to r ial

MEET THE RANGE

SNIFFE & LIKKIT Award-winning grooming, gifts and treats made in the UK using natural ingredients. Launched in 2020, with the gift range added in early 2021 Products • Dry Shampoo, £14 (grooming) – SNL11.

Unique, no-rinse dry shampoo.

• Cologne Spray, £14 (grooming) – SNL41.

Wafts away woofy whiffs!

• Wipes, £7 (grooming) – SNL21. 100% biodegradable gentle cleansing wipes.

• Inn The Doghouse, £17 (gift) – SNL94.

A gorgeous gift pack with four key grooming items included.

• Home Barking Kit, £15 (gift/treat) – SNL61.

Tasty and low-calorie canine cakes!

Contact

Sniffe & Likkit Tel: 07368 327 247 Email: hello@sniffeandlikkit.com Website: sniffeandlikkit.com

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www.gardencentreretail.com

06/04/2022 15:48

P et G if ts L atest P r o duc ts

PET GIFTS Tricks and Trivia Goodchap’s

Rough & Tough Crab Beco

The bonding card game for humans and hounds; the original card game that both owner and their dog can plan.

Compete against others with tricks and trivia to see which human and hound have the strongest bond. Each pack contains 51 playing cards divided into 18 tricks, 12 truth, 15 trivia and six bonus.

Beco’s Rough & Tough Crab is made from a mix of recycled materials, and each toy is stuffed with an average of six recycled plastic bottles, helping to give waste plastic a second life and keep our oceans clean and free of rubbish.

RRP £8.99 www.becopets.com

RRP £9.50 www.goodchaps.co.uk

Inn the Dog House Sniffe & Likkit niffe i it the fast rowin ritish do roo in and treats r has created this attractive gift set to help maximise gifting opportunities for garden centre retailers. It features four of Sniffe & Likkit’s signature products – including ‘Fragrant Fur Coat’ shampoo, a pack of ‘Wippets’ wipes, ‘Give a Dog a Cologne’ fragrance spray and a scented hanging sachet, ‘Scent Something Nice’.

RRP £17 www.sniffeandlikkit.com

Multi-backpack Denzel’s Each multi-backpack includes six packs of soft-baked chews. Inside every pack there is also a special collectable card, full of fun facts. Denzel’s snacks are made from 100% natural ingredients, gently baked in the UK with nothin arti cial whatsoever. They also come in totally plasticfree packaging.

RRP £12.50 www.denzels.co.uk

Weenect GPS tracker for pets Weenect Weenect is most well-known for its innovative GPS trackers that have been incredibly successful across Europe. Its products are famous for being the smallest and lightest trackers available on the market, weighing only 25g and measuring 59x23x12mm. In addition to the GPS tracking functions, Weenect offers something that other trackers do not – training functions. The trackers can vibrate, ring, which can be used to train your cat or dog to respond to the prompts and come home at the touch of a button.

RRP £49.95 www.weenect.com

www.gardencentreretail.com

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L atest P r o duc ts F ir e P its

FIRE PITS, OUTDOOR HEATERS AND CHIMENEAS ame heater Li estyle liances

Reignite the spark of the summertime social with the NOVA fla e heater series. rowned arden eisure roduct of the ear ifestyle ppliances latest fla e heater has een noted for its powerful presence and practicality. o top off the s ood li hts uni uely co ple ent the espo e eauty of a li in fla e.

RRP From £239 Launch ate aila le now www.li estylea liances.co.uk

ig ue resco

Whether at ho e or on an ad enture pi is ersatile for ulti purpose wood or charcoal red coo in and heatin . aila le in two si es with additional accessories for e erythin fro chargrilling, pan cooking, rotisserie and o en s o in .

RRP From £329 Launch ate aila le now www. ue resco.co.uk

a e Lyra Patio Heater a e attan Ltd esi ned with a conte porary pleated shade the a e yra atio eater is a odern ultifunctional addition to an outdoor space. tend an outdoor li in into cooler e enin s with the warmth of a three-setting halogen heat element, plus an inte rated to pro ide additional li ht. he o a le arch stand ensures users are war while they rela into the e enin .

RRP £575 Launch ate aila le for pre order www.ma e.co.uk

el ury ini odular with ire it u remo Leisure his co pact el ury ini odular is ersatile and stylish perfect as the spot to ather around and war up an e enin . his lu ury ran e consists of a co pact corner odular two wide stools for additional seatin and a s uare as powered re pit.

RRP .

Launch ate aila le now www.su remouk.com

aida Traveller Porta le olding ire it Li estyle liances n ideal acco plice for een ca pers the aida features four foldin le s for easy asse ly stora e and sta ility. o plete with a re uard liftin tool and carry a this escapade con dante is well e uipped for an alfresco feast as well as t for storin when not needed.

RRP ro .

Launch ate aila le now www.li estylea liances.co.uk

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www.gardencentreretail.com

06/04/2022 15:38

F ir e P its L atest P r o duc ts Tower Magna Gas Fire Pits RKW Ltd

The Cook King’s Toronto 80cm Norfolk Leisure Lifestyle

Tower introduces stylish outdoor heating solutions with the Magna Gas Fire Pit range. Marrying sleek design with sophisticated functionality, the range uses durable natural stone for its e cellent re and oisture resistance. la e and heat control settin s are easily ad usta le for ele ant s o eless fla es and safe operation. ncludes red la a roc s lass re uard protecti e co er hose and regulator. Available in round or rectangular shapes.

The Cook King collection includes a ran e of hand ade crude steel outdoor heating and coo in sto es re owls as et and accessories. All versatile and unique in style and design. he oronto c is a popular re owl in the oo in ran e with its large size and attractive side decoration it’s a perfect outdoor feature. Utilise the array of hand ade steel accessories includin and woks.

RRP £699.99 to £899.99 Launch Date April 2022 www.rkwltd.com

rill plates

rates tripods

RRP £309 Launch Date Available now www.norfolkleisurelifestyle.com

Fire Pit (Modern Design) Landmann and ann s ire it odern Design) has a sturdy raw steel basket that allows a unique view of lo s urnin creatin the perfect e enin a ience with friends and fa ily.

RRP £249.99 Launch Date u er www.landmann.co.uk

Stone Fire Pit Coffee Table Kettler Convert a garden for proper evening use with no need to head indoors when the ercury drops with the c ettler tone ire it offee a le. nce the propane fuelled ele ent is lit uests can cosy up to the war in re ele ent co e coffee ta le. he ersatile alos re pit ta le can also be used as a coffee table during the day.

RRP £949 Launch Date Available now www.kettler.co.uk

The Plain ane fire it ire its irepits s he lain ane with its uni ue win r ac is the ulti ate culinary ulti tas er. he win r ac i es control when it co es to coo in eanin char rilled need no lon er ean charred.

RRP to Launch Date Available now www.fire itsuk.co.uk

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06/04/2022 15:38

L atest P r o duc ts M eet th e Br and

MEET THE BRAND

DURSTON GARDEN PRODUCTS Director Dan Durston shares the family business’ impressive growth and its ambitions for the future

How was urstons fi rst ounded Durstons has been in existence for over years. uilla urston ou ht the rst piece of land in 1860. He cut peat by hand for fuel and delivered it door to door with a horse and cart.

Making a move into the growing media category became an obvious step.

Throughout all of this, it has always been family owned with six generations of the family having been involved in its longevity.

How would you descri e the com any A lot of changes have taken place over the last 160 years, not least the transformation of our manufacturing processes from manual to fully automated, backed by a state-of-the-art facility that has both production and packaging capabilities. hese facilities ena le us to not only ful l our annual orders but also to be highly adaptable to customer demands.

Recognising that the highest possible product quality counts for a lot, the team has also made it its mission to ensure customers are fully supported with all aspects of orderin ful l ent and stoc in . hat roducts does it su ly The Durstons offering is focused on delivering quality, UK-sourced growing media products. The current range includes volume ranges such as multipurpose compost plus a leading peat-free

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offering. Additionally, we offer four John Innes composts, specialist composts including seed and cutting, tub and as et ul re rose tree and shru and ericaceous options. Adding even more value for retailers is Durstons’ soil additives, bark, grow bags and vegetable planters.

The aim is to provide a product portfolio that provides a true one-stop shop of core and added-value growing media ranges. hat are urstons’ Ps With its origins as a family business – and its desire to maintain this status – it has created a unique position within a market so often dominated by the big corporates.

For the company, customer service, UK manufacturing, ability to adapt and responding to needs during the season, provides us with a real point of difference. t is proud to ha e een one of the rst growing media manufacturers to introduce 100% recyclable packaging, and is also proud of ‘Gro Boost’ – a unique organic additive which stimulates growth and features in the majority of our products.

This specially-formulated blend of organic materials from renewable sources allows Durstons to be less reliant on peat whilst providing plants with a vital nutrient boost.

How is it incor orating sustaina ility Durstons currently has a long-term vision for incorporating sustainability with a peat-

free future at the heart of this. The team is working hard to expand its peat-free offering without compromising on quality. ill urstons e attending any trade shows this year We will be attending Glee in June. Glee is an important part of our annual marketing calendar as it supports us meeting with existing and potential customers. The exhibition is a great way to network and engage in important conversations. hat can we ex ect in This year will focus on developing our peat-free offering with new introductions joining our portfolio. Besides this, we will be focusing on ensuring our customers’ needs are met. After two crazy years, we have been working hard behind the scenes to stay ahead of forecasted seasonal demand. We have over 40% of our annual stock on the ground and have doubled our production capacity so no matter what this season holds, we are ready to respond. ◗

Contact

Durston Garden Products Tel: 01458 442 688 Email: info@durstongardenproducts.co.uk Website: durstongardenproducts.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

06/04/2022 16:50

Products that deliver on their promises For over 26 years, we have manufactured quality ultrasonic animal deterrents here in the UK Our products deter cats, foxes, mice and other pests from gardens and homes.

We want to help you achieve the best with our products so we offer: Free staff training Low MOQ’s Custom packaging Continuity of supply Our product CATWatch is tested & approved by the RSPB Contact our friendly team to find out more:

www.conceptresearch.co.uk 01438 727183 Bowmans Trading Estate, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2DL

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

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

Maintenance, cleaning. Gutter and door replacement.

Tel: 01724 734374 Fax: 01482 648032 Email: info@newcenturyglass.co.uk Web: www.newcenturyglasshouses.com

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Supplying commercial growers, nurseries & garden centres for over 55 years

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www.fordingbridge.co.uk info@fordingbridge.co.uk 01243 55 44 55 06/04/2022 09:26