Garden Centre Retail June/July 2021

Garden Centre Retail ISSUE 56

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PEOPLE • PRODUCTS • PROFIT

June/July 2021

OUTDOOR

LIVING SPECIAL

AN INTERVIEW WITH

TONG GARDEN CENTRE STRIVING FOR

Sustainability GARDEN FURNITURE IS GOING GREEN

OUTDOOR LIVING TRENDS

WHAT ARE CONSUMERS SEEKING THIS YEAR?

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SUPPLY STRUGGLE FOR SUPPLIERS MATERIAL SHORTAGES CAUSING DELAYS

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GROWTH IN GRILLING GADGETS HOW BBQ TECHNOLOGY HAS DEVELOPED

42 03/06/2021 10:59

Visit our

SHOWROOM & WEBSHOP Make your (digital) appointment now!

Solar lighting Water features Garden furniture Home & Garden deco

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us

via www.kaemingk.com or contact your sales representative

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01/06/2021 15:23

Welcome

WELCOME TO...

Garden Centre Retail L

ockdown restrictions have changed drastically since our last issue – and for the better. Two dates were etched into the minds of the British public since the roadmap out of COVID-19 restrictions was announced and garden centres with cafes and restaurants were no doubt counting down the days to both.

From 12 April, outdoor hospitality was allowed, and not even the usual British weather could get in the way of customers flocking (in a socially distanced manner) to their favourite eateries. Then a month later, on 17 May, we no longer had to battle wind and rain as customers were able to sit indoors to tuck into their food and drink.

Whilst there’s no denying that the months of closures have taken their toll, the latest lifts in the rules have been a relief to many. And despite uncertainty over the final date on the roadmap – 21 June, when all restrictions will be lifted, and all businesses are able to open fully – there is a growing confidence that we will all be celebrating come the end of June. Granted, social distancing and face masks may still be common practice, if not actively encouraged, but it’s a small price to pay for a return to a normality of some sort.

Here’s to the next – and hopefully final – date circled on the calendar.

Nina and the GCR team

Subeditor – Sam Seaton sam.seaton@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 ADVERTISING Head of sales – Jessica McCabe jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 587 Sales manager – Tina Savelle tina.savelle@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 584

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

Horticulture Careers – Daniel Riley Tel: 01903 777 570 daniel.riley@eljays44.com PRODUCTION Design – Kirsty Turek

Whilst there’s no denying that the months of closures have taken their toll, the latest lifts in the rules have been a relief to many

Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd MANAGEMENT Managing director – Jim Wilkinson Director – Lisa Wilkinson Business development manager – Jamie Wilkinson MARKETING AND CIRCUL ATION Client relations – Millie Genner millie.genner@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 582 Subscription enquiries – Jessica McCabe jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 587 Garden Centre Retail is published bimonthly by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2021 subscription price is £95. Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, non-commissioned photographs or manuscripts.

@GardenRetailUK Garden Centre Retail www.gardencentreretail.com

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EDITORIAL Head of content – Nina Mason nina.mason@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570

Subeditor – Katrina Roy katrina.roy@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570

Garden Centre Retail

www.gardencentreretail.com

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

Garden Centre Retail June/July 2021

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03/06/2021 11:08

THE UK’S PREMIER SHOWCASE OF HOUSEWARES, TABLETOP, GIFT AND SMALL ELECTRICAL BRANDS

Safe, controlled and secure. Stimulating, exciting and friendly.

The industry gets back together at the Exclusively Show.

Request your ticket today at www.exclusivelyshows.co.uk @EXCLUSIVELYSHOWS

ALL SECURE STANDARD

Safe | Hygienic | Clean Run by the industry for the industry

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01/06/2021 15:24

C on t en t s

Garden Centre Retail ISSUE 56

•

PEOPLE • PRODUCTS • PROFIT

June/July 2021

OUTDOOR

LIVING SPECIAL

AN INTERVIEW WITH

TONG GARDEN CENTRE

CO NTE NT S BUSINESS

NEWS

06 NEWS

A round-up of the latest news from the sector

GARDEN FURNITURE IS GOING GREEN

OUTDOOR LIVING TRENDS

WHAT ARE CONSUMERS SEEKING THIS YEAR?

SUPPLY STRUGGLE FOR SUPPLIERS MATERIAL SHORTAGES CAUSING DELAYS

18

16 MAKING THE MOST OF THE

38 PLANT FOCUS

17 STRIVING FOR SUSTAINABILITY LOFA

18 TREND WISELY

Five outdoor trends that are taking hold

21 VITAL SIGNS

Karl Hunter, MD of HFE Signs Ltd

22 FALLING SHORT

Succeeding despite global shortages

26 COMBATTING CLIMATE CHANGE

03/06/2021 10:59

PRODUCTS

37 HOW TO INCREASE SALES

Responding to COVID-19 impact with Andrew Burton

42

JUNE/JULY 2021

15 CULTIVATING YOUR FUTURE GREAT OUTDOORS

HOW BBQ TECHNOLOGY HAS DEVELOPED

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35 THE RETURN OF EVENTS

With RHS’ Master of Horticulture

GROWTH IN GRILLING GADGETS

22

11 AN INTERVIEW WITH Tong Garden Centre

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STRIVING FOR

Sustainability

GIMA’s exciting line-up

Advice for selling pelargoniums Four vibrant, popular plant picks

40 PTMD STYLE SHOP

From The Orangery Collection

42 GO GO GADGET GRILL

BBQs with market-leading features

43 LATEST PRODUCTS

BBQs, grills, stoves and ovens

47 SELLING GARDEN FURNITURE Lyndan Orvis, Hayes Garden World

48 LATEST PRODUCTS

Trendy outdoor living products

Forward-thinking furniture with LOFA

30 CATERING FOCUS

30

Flourishing farm shops

11 www.gardencentreretail.com

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42 47 Garden Centre Retail June/July 2021

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N ew s

NEWS CENTRE Dobbies announces second Northern Ireland store

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arden centre giant Dobbies announces plans for a second store in orthern reland located at The Junction Retail and eisure ark. his is part of a m investment in the shopping destination.

At ft 2 it will be one of the biggest stores in the obbies’ estate and will create in the region of new full and part time roles making it one of the biggest employers at he unction. xisting retail space will be redeveloped to incorporate a not your average’ garden centre experience for customers with plants and gardening products pet department home and cookshop books toys and gifts as well as a food hall and restaurant. raeme enkins at obbies said ur isburn

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store is one of our most popular and we want to build on this success with a complementary store in Antrim. he unction Retail and Leisure Park is a fantastic location and this development reinforces our ongoing ambition for growth.

“The Junction has a strong retail offer and we are very much looking forward to working with them contributing to a must visit leisure and shopping destination. arlier in the month obbies had opened its 71st store located in oston incolnshire. reviously ohnsons arden entre the store has undergone a refurbishment including a new look ainsbury’s food hall. www.dobbies.com

Garden Centre Retail June/July 2021

Grimsby Garden Centre teams up with Too Good To Go

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rimsby Garden Centre has become North East incolnshire’s first independent business to team up with food app oo ood o o after reopening its caf this month.

Helping to prevent surplus food from going to waste the new partnership means food which hasn’t sold will be available to oo ood o o users. very year the hospitality industry wastes more than one million tonnes of surplus food. oo ood o o lets people buy surplus food from restaurants cafes retailers and producers to stop it going to waste using an app to

show nearby businesses with unsold food. sers can purchase magic bags’ via the app to collect and enjoy at an allotted time but don’t know what is inside the bag until they pick it up.

A i head of commercial services o een says e’re really focused on ensuring that no edible food goes to waste.

Too Good To Go makes it easily available to local people at a reduced price. ot only is that better for the environment but it also means more people get to en oy food that may otherwise have been thrown away. grimsbygardencentre.org.uk

Creative Gardens acquires new store

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amily run garden centre reative ardens has added a fourth store to the group. t has ac uired the ogwood ill arden entre near allyclare following the reopening of its existing garden centres after three months of lockdown. reative ardens has been listed alongside other orthern reland companies as the one of the most

inspirational firms. t boasts centres in onaghadee ushmills algorm astle and now at the former ogwood ill arden entre. t does perhaps seem a strange thing to do given the uncertainly posed by and rexit says enny the youngest of the ass family which owns and runs the centres. ut the opportunity came along and we couldn’t

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N ew s

Sale of peat products to be banned

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lans to boost biodiversity, protect peatlands and create new woodlands have been set out by the Environment Secretary, George Eustice.

Speaking from Delamere Forest, he announced new measures to tackle climate change and the biodiversity crisis and deliver our net zero commitment. This includes a ban on selling peat products by the end of this Parliament, subject to public consultation this year.

Further details of the Government’s new peat action plan will be announced, setting out a framework to improve the management, protection and restoration of both upland and lowland peatlands. As England’s largest carbon store on land, peatlands play a vital role in trapping carbon, helping to control flooding and encouraging plants and vegetation that act as

resist it. Logwood is a longterm investment for us, and we are confident it will be a huge success.

“My parents started the business close to 40 years ago and my two brothers Philip and Oliver and I are really keen to carry it on to the next level. We just love the changing seasons and the wonderful range of products a garden centre sells represent that so well.”

The new garden centre at ogwood was officially opened on 19 April. www.creativegardens.com

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homes for wildlife, but when damaged, for example when mined for compost, they can end up emitting their carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

A new Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme will support the restoration of 35,000ha of degraded peatland in England, backed by over £50m between 2021 and 2025. The Garden Centre Association is fully supportive of the need to remove peat from amateur horticulture.

In a statement, it said: “We support the Growing Media Taskforce statement and will be working alongside our colleagues in its aims.

“There is a need to assist gardeners in making the transition from peat based growing media and we believe this is possible by 2025, subject to the availability of quality peat free composts to meet consumer demand.” www.gov.uk

News in brief GIMA re-elects president GIMA has announced the re-election of Simon McArdle of Westland Horticulture as GIMA president, following the association’s virtual AGM on 20 May. Following his election Simon gave a short address during which he said: “On behalf of GIMA and our members, we recognise that we are all incredibly fortunate to be part of an industry that has benefitted from bringing so much oy to the nation during what has been, by any measure, a tumultuous year.” www.gima.org.uk Defra-funded Plant Passport e-learning launches A new Plant Passport e-learning module, developed and funded by Defra, has been launched by the HTA, in conjunction with A HA. he first courses are free and the module is voluntary to use. Lord Gardiner, Minister for Biosecurity, said: “The plant passport system ensures plants moved within Great Britain are both healthy and traceable to source. This Defra funded module is designed to help operators in complying with the plant passport system, to protect British businesses and our environment better from harmful plant pests and diseases.” www.gov.uk Pershore garden centre and nursery sees record sales A Pershore garden centre saw the biggest sales month in its history as demand for plants soared across the country.

Pershore College Garden Centre and Nursery took sales worth more than in April – the highest sales figure since its records began. Retail sales at the garden centre rose 15% but the biggest rise came in trade sales at the nursery; he nursery saw a 61% increase in sales as garden centres around the region bought stock in a race to meet demand from their own customers. www.wcg.ac.uk

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N ew s

Event Updates Glee to return in September Hyve Group has announced that Glee will return to the NEC Birmingham from 14 – 16 September 2021. Following its Time to Grow manifesto, Glee will be designed to support the industry, helping garden retailers and brands to build on the momentum the industry has gathered over the past year.

Working in line with Hyve Group’s Safe and Secure guidelines, Glee will provide a space for COVID-safe trading, networking, inspiration and more, enabling the garden industry to gather once again.

Matthew Mein, event director for Glee commented: “We are delighted to be returning to the NEC Birmingham, doing what we do best; bringing the garden industry together at the UK’s leading garden and outdoor living trade show, facilitating trade, collaboration and creativity.” www.gleebirmingham.com

spoga+gafa cancelled for 2021 The world’s largest garden lifestyle trade fair, spoga+gafa, is not going to be staged this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation and the related restrictions. The next trade fair will take place at the Cologne fair grounds from 19 to 21 June 2022.

Even if a survey that was carried out among international visitors and exhibitors at the end of February indicated that postponing the trade fair to August 2021 was an option, ultimately all parties involved have agreed that it will not be possible to conduct a trade fair that would do justice to the spoga+gafa brand at the beginning of August. spoga+gafa will take place as a hybrid trade fair next year at the Cologne fair grounds as well as in digital space in the form of spoga+gafa @home. The application forms for spoga+gafa 2022 will be available to the exhibitors online soon. www.spogagafa.com

©Koelnmesse/spoga+gafa/Thomas Klerx

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Garden Centre Retail June/July 2021

Notcutts Woodbridge Garden Centre to start phase two of redevelopment

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otcutts Woodbridge Garden Centre has announced that work on phase two of its major modernisation and improvement programme is set to begin.

Phase two, which will further enhance the destination experience enjoyed by customers, follows the opening of the new restaurant, restored woodland nature walk and a show garden.

The new redevelopment work starts in June and includes two large new canopies which will create

a magnificent covered area for customers.

A dedicated new entrance for customers is being created close to the car park on the side of the site. Delivery vehicles will be kept separate, using the existing access point.

To enhance the environment of the garden centre, four new statement trees are being planted.

Caroline Notcutt, vicechairman of Notcutts Garden Centres, said: “I have a strong emotional connection to our Woodbridge Garden Centre as it was the first of the Notcutts Garden Centres to open in 1958. My greatgrandfather Roger Crompton Notcutt enjoyed the wellbeing benefits of growing plants and being outdoors on this site when he founded Notcutts almost 125 years ago.” www.notcutts.co.uk

Haskins Roundstone wins local ‘Garden Centre of the Year’ award

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askins Garden Centre in Roundstone has won The Brighton Argus ‘Garden Centre of the Year 2021’ Award after being nominated by readers in the Sussex region.

Haskins’ Roundstone centre in Littlehampton, West Sussex, was successful after going up against other centres in the area including Up Country Garden and Country Store, Staverton Nursery, ESK Plants, Lime Cross Nursery and Hailsham, in The Brighton Argus Local Garden Centre of the Year competition.

The Brighton Argus asked members of the local community to nominate their favourite garden centre in the area throughout March.

Readers were then given the chance to vote for the overall winner, which was

announced earlier this week.

Nick Joad, general manager of Haskins Roundstone, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have won this award and to be recognised by our local community in this way. It wouldn’t have been possible to achieve this without our wonderful customers and, of course, our dedicated team.

“This award reinforces the important role that garden centres play in our community and the pandemic has only made this more apparent.” www.haskins.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

02/06/2021 15:56

JUNE/JULY 2021

BUSINESS 11

AN INTERVIEW WITH Tong Garden Centre

15

CULTIVATING YOUR FUTURE with RHS’ Master of Horticulture

16

MAKING THE MOST OF THE GREAT OUTDOORS with Andrew Burton

17

STRIVING FOR SUSTAINABILITY LOFA

18

TREND WISELY Five of the biggest trends for 2021

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VITAL SIGNS How to easily guide customers through garden centres

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FALLING SHORT Succeeding despite global supply shortages

26

COMBATTING CLIMATE CHANGE Forward thinking furniture, LOFA

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CATERING FOCUS Farm shops are flourishing

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03/06/2021 10:51

Save the date

2021 14-16 September NEC BIRMINGHAM

gleebirmingham.com

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28.05.2021 14:04:34 01/06/2021 15:24

I n t er v i ew B u s i n es s

AN INTERVIEW WITH

TONG GARDEN CENTRE

GCR takes a trip to Yorkshire to report on Tong Garden Centre’s increasingly successful ‘garden living’ offer

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has presented arguably the most challenging time in the history of UK garden centres.

Without wanting to get too much into the – at this point, ]tedious – details, this has meant not just potential loss of revenue, but also the inability to plan ahead in terms of stock staffing and so on. The effect on morale has also been profound, with both management and staff in many businesses feeling potential insecurity about the future.

As vexing as it has undoubtedly been from a business point of view

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however, it has also presented some real opportunities for growth, many of which have been directly linked to governmentimposed restrictions.

The most obvious of these is probably the fact that garden centres, at least in England, have been able to remain open during a period when many other forms of retail have been forced to shut. At the same time, the inability to meet inside for months on end has meant that gardens themselves have become increasingly important to people’s social lives (not to forget it’s role in affecting mental wellbeing).

The latter has proven advantageous to garden centres, something which has become increasingly obvious during our conversations with a variety of businesses over the past couple of months. It will surprise no one that many of those conversations have centred around the category of ‘garden living’.

With that in mind, we’re focusing on a garden centre – Tong – for whom this category is now integral to its strategy.

Indeed, it would be fair to say that they’ve turned the selling of garden furniture fire pits, outside pizza ovens and the like into a fine art. 

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Garden Centre Retail June/July 2021

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I n t er v i ew B u s i n es s

The great outdoors Tong Garden Centre is located in Yorkshire, just south-east of Bradford.

Discussing the history of the site, managing director Mark Farnsworth said: “Tong started trading around 1984, run by the previous owner and his family. They had a ma or fire around the year after which it was rebuilt into what is still the main part of the garden centre. That’s about s uare feet of space.

He continues: “We bought the business in ay following a period of what could be regarded as under-investment. he business had declined since but we recognised that the building and general infrastructure represented a great opportunity for us. The competitive landscape had not changed, even during the time when Tong had declined.

“We’ve spent the last six years trying to rebuild it and restore its reputation, and we’ve been really pleased with how customers have responded. As I mentioned, we took over about six years ago, and the turnover at the time was £3m with around 45 members of staff.

Our turnover this year – even without

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restaurants and play areas – will be close to . m with members of staff.

According to Mark, the core reason for this upturn has been a conscious decision on the part of the current management to broaden the appeal of the business.

Whereas the previous owners focused primarily on ‘traditional’ (i.e. older) garden centre customers, for instance, he and his colleagues started to deliberately appeal to a younger demographic. his has been reflected not only in what they sell but the strategies through which they sell it adding both more floor and storage space, as well as an increasing number of on-site features.

Discussing these changes, as well as the overall effect on business, Mark says: “In contrast to what we found when we arrived, we knew there was the potential to develop a real destination garden centre, and we set about evolving the offer accordingly. We’ve added a play area to appeal young families and mums with toddlers, for instance, as well as improving the restaurant, and adding an event space.

“We’ve also made a real effort to retain the traditional garden centre shoppers, who are obviously extremely important

Our turnover this year – even without restaurants and play areas – will be close to £11.5m with 200 members of staff.” to us. We’ve done that by improving categories across the board specifically things like the food hall and giftware.

Nowhere has this been more evident in the way that the Tong now approaches the ‘outdoor living’ category, something which Mark says has been become a central feature of the centre’s overall success. He illustrates this once again with a comparison with the old regime. hey were always uite big on furniture, but again, we felt that it was all uite old fashioned he says. hey had a massive cane furniture section, which is typically the sort of material that older customers put in the conservatory. We stock aluminium and rope, but I don’t think we do cane anymore.

“In the last few years, we’ve seen outdoor living really evolving across the 

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board. That includes things like adjustable height tables reclining chairs but also fire pits, which have been huge this year for obvious reasons. In addition, there’s also things to help style outside areas, such as scatter cushions and solar lighting. All of those are now seen as part of the same package by the customers.”

As well as broadening their offer when it comes to this part of the business, Tong has also placed a heavy focus on the customer experience itself. The rationale for this is that if someone is spending serious money kitting out their garden, they deserve to be treated well.

According to Mark, this effort to make customers feel special begins as soon as they enter the store, with the outside living offer currently flagged up in the main entrance display. This consists of two potential garden set-ups, styled by the merchandising team, in order to demonstrate how the products could transform peoples’ own gardens. “We do a similar thing to Christmas,” he says.

“People gasp and take pictures.”

Continued success n terms of ark confirms that there has been a palpable impact on business, for instance due to the enforced

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Garden Centre Retail June/July 2021

closure of the restaurant. In other areas, Tong has continued to thrive.

Discussing turnover, he says: “We had an absolutely fantastic March, as well as our best April ever. People now seem really optimistic about the summer, and I think that’s symbolised by the thought of being in the garden. Garden sundries – as well as outdoor living – has gone through the roof. We actually saw signs of a real resurgence as early as the autumn, when we had a massive increase in bulb sales in particular. And the evidence is that upward trend is only going to continue.

This is not to say, of course, that the last 12 months has necessarily been any easier

We actually saw signs of a real resurgence as early as the autumn, when we had a massive increase in bulb sales in particular

for the owners of Tong than for any other garden centre. Indeed, as Mark tells it, at one point during the pandemic, businesscritical decisions were having to be made on an almost daily basis, particularly around things like buying policy.

“There were moments when it was a complete nightmare, but again, we veered on the side of optimism. We took in three loads of compost during the first lockdown, because we had a gut feeling that when things re-opened it would go mad. Thankfully, that was borne out.

“At the same time, there were also always uestions about staffing particularly in the early spring of last year. rior to the first furlough announcement we honestly didn’t know what we were going to do. That has been fantastic, and things are a lot more solid now.”

Tong is the epitome of the modern garden centre, mixing a ferociously customer first’ attitude with an ever broadening offer. As Mark says, there’s no reason not to believe that its success won’t continue long into the future. w

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02/06/2021 12:56

A d v er t or i a l

CULTIVATING YOUR FUTURE

I

Jack Shilley, assistant store manager and group buyer for Rosebourne Garden Centre, a young graduate of the RHS Master of Horticulture (MHort) Award, explains how investing in learning has aided his horticultural career

’ve worked in horticulture my whole life, and I always knew that I wanted to continue learning and develop my horticultural skills further. Having researched different options, the RHS Master of Horticulture appealed to me, as it was a well-known, internationally recognised award for those wanting to be the best in their field. also liked that fact that it had a well-rounded look at horticulture, with options to specialise in modules that were more relevant to me, directly benefiting my day to day work.

As a horticultural retailer, working in and managing garden centres, I found the business and operations management elements of the course were perfectly suited to developing my skills and allowing

I found the business and operations management elements of the course were perfectly suited to developing my skills me to progress further in my career. These subject areas gave a real opportunity to deep dive into management theory, production and waste control staffing financial forecasting and budgets all while being specifically tailored to horticultural settings – something you just can’t get on other business or management courses.

I use what I learnt in these modules almost on a daily basis in my current position. The ability to apply management models, forecasting and other skills to solve problems and genuinely benefit the business is invaluable and something that I am so pleased to have in my toolkit.

An unexpected benefit was learning to self-direct study, and organise my time appropriately. This has greatly helped my self-discipline, ensuring I am better at prioritising, working to deadlines, and getting tasks done.

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My dissertation focused on how successful garden centres could be when operated as a social enterprise/ not for profit.

I was working at the time for a not for profit garden centre, so the dissertation provided an opportunity to develop key action points for the charity, and how to apply the learnings from my dissertation to the store itself. It was massively important to me to choose something that was relevant to my profession and career, and while I have moved on to a new business since then, the dissertation has helped me view business and models applied in a very different way and I continue to use what I researched then at Rosebourne now. The learnings from my dissertation continue to be implemented in my previous business and I am so thrilled that not only did this benefit my studies, and me, but genuinely made an impact too.

I would thoroughly recommend the MHort to anyone already in the industry that wants to progress into senior and upper management. The skills, connections and discipline developed throughout the program are invaluable and continue to prove their worth every day. The feeling of accomplishment at the end, wearing your cap, gown and celebrating is the best feeling in the world – and one that I will keep with me for the rest of my life!

Just go for it – you won’t regret it and your career will be so much better for it. w

About the RHS Master of Horticulture

• The MHort is the Royal Horticultural Society’s most prestigious degreelevel award.

• Studied over three years, predominantly online.

Affordable and flexible payment options, including monthly.

• Holders of the award may use the designation MHort (RHS) after their name.

• Applications close on 2 August 2021 (for October start).

Email: MHort@rhs.org.uk Twitter: @RHSEducation www.rhs.org.uk/mhort

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B u s i n es s A n d r ew B u r t on

MAKING THE MOST

OF THE GREAT OUTDOORS Andrew Burton of Malcolm Scott Consultants gives his advice to garden centres on how to respond to the impact of COVID-19

I

f there has been one key focus for a garden centre restaurant over the past year, it has been to seize every opportunity to maximise its customer footfall. The beginning of the year saw all hospitality venues forced to restrict themselves to takeaway food and drink, so when the ‘outside seating only’ directive came into force on 12 April, restaurants were more than ready for it.

While we don’t know what the future will bring, we can develop and invest in those areas that we expect to endure; and the outdoor seating area is a great example.

We have to consider the very real possibility that there may yet be certain times in the future where outdoor dining may be the only option for restaurant visitors

paramount. In fact, we have to consider the very real possibility that there may yet be certain times in the future where outdoor dining may be the only option for restaurant visitors.

September 2020 saw planning changes brought in that gave garden centres and hospitality venues the flexibility to develop new seating areas, but planning is crucial to make an area work to its best advantage. Creating outdoor seating areas needs consideration into investing wisely in outdoor décor, creating an atmosphere that reflects a centre’s brand and working in harmony with the surroundings.

Malcolm Scott Consultants has been working alongside many businesses to develop both front and back-of-house areas to support staff and customer safety with possible future distancing controls, and to create environments that support customer wants and needs. These developments include kitchen layout designs to support distance working and productivity and also outdoor-indoor

customer seating zones; places where customers can sit in a covered, purposebuilt outdoor environment, with aspects such as bi-fold glass walls to open when the weather is good or close on cold days to create an instant indoor seating area.

Continuing to think about how to improve outdoor dining and the flexibility of this area in a restaurant is essential.

I think that this ‘new normal’ will be sustainable and based on what we know about COVID-19 and how it has affected our customers’ mindset, we will see more restaurants redefining the boundary between their indoor and outdoor areas.

Personally, I feel that over time our garden centre restaurants will have to remain adaptable, with seating plans that grow and contract effectively and easily, supporting safety and providing a great visitor experience. Admittedly, there could be a financial aspect to consider but right now I don’t think a garden centre can afford to miss the opportunity to adapt and meet their customers’ expectations. w

Government directives have seen garden centre restaurants develop their seating areas to improve ventilation and maximise outdoor space. Every summer the demand for outdoor dining skyrockets in the UK, but the option to sit outside all year is now

Images ©5 Star Construction Services Ltd

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02/06/2021 12:44

L O F A B u s i n es s

STRIVING FOR

SUSTAINABILITY O

The Leisure & Outdoor Furniture Association (LOFA) explains how the outdoor living market has changed as a result of the pandemic, and how its partnership with Planet Mark is addressing consumer demand for sustainable practices

ne of the good things to come out of the last 14 months is the fact that everyone has gone gardening crazy. Not being able to travel or leave our homes for any length of time means that the garden has been the place to be. It seems our sector in particular has had one of the best trading years ever which is great news for LOFA and its members.

While this may limit growth prospects this year as the UK economy recovers, this sector continues to be one of the most dynamic reflecting the increased emphasis on garden and outdoor spaces.

Exposure to online sales was boosted during lockdown; this shift means that our industry is opening up to a whole new audience, in particular younger consumers.

A younger audience means that there is a need to provide more information and interaction in the way they are most used to retrieving content and advice.

More than ever, gardens and outdoor spaces became areas for relaxation and wellbeing and furniture and cooking products achieve this balance by appealing to a much broader range of adults. Building on this upsurge in interest on the use of gardens for leisure, barbecues and garden furniture have performed exceptionally well.

This year also highlighted the importance of environmental matters for many adults and the visible impact

of on traffic and pollution environmental issues are assuming greater priority, especially among young adults.

Issues like reducing the use of plastic or carbon footprints from manufacture to customer are now essential.

Environmental responsibility is important for many consumers; a commitment to the reduction of plastics and offering products

Commitment to the reduction of plastics and offering products made from sustainable materials is high on their list of priorities made from sustainable materials is high on their list of priorities.

Looking after the planet can realise many business benefits like better brand positioning, attracting great talent, cost savings, customer loyalty and gaining a competitive advantage. uture proofing our businesses, in particular, is something that should be at the top of every to-do list, which can only have a positive impact.

LOFA has teamed up with Planet Mark, a company that cares about the planet and wants to help businesses action and power change. ts certification recognises continuous improvement, encourages

action and helps build an empowered community of like-minded individuals to make a whole world of difference.

By measuring and reducing our carbon footprints with Planet Mark we can directly and measurably contribute to up to nine Sustainable Development Goals and address 25 SDG targets. Some of our members have already started down this road – Alexander Rose, Lifestyle Garden @Scancom, Leisuregrow, Zest4leisure, Que Fresco, Kadai and Ginique to name but a few – and are well on their way to reducing the effect they are having on the planet.

Planet Mark supports the Eden ro ect and also ool arth a non profit organisation that works alongside rainforest communities to halt deforestation. Every business that joins Planet Mark protects an acre of rainforest for every year of membership. So far, Planet Mark has protected hundreds of acres of rainforest in Peru and LOFA’s involvement will protect hundreds more. w

ABOUT

LOFA is an organisation representing the very best brands within the outdoor leisure industry. The organisation was established in 1967 and its goal is to support the commercial trade and industrial interests of its members as well as providing up-to-date information on lifestyle products for outdoor spaces.

www.lofa.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

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B u s i n es s O u t d oor T r en d s

TREND WISELY We take a look at five of the biggest outdoor trends surfacing in 2021

Wildlife friendly

According to Gardener’s World Live, consumers gaining a greater understanding of our impacts on the world has led to a desire to be mindful of wildlife and the environment when gardening. This includes choosing plants for pollinators and creating areas for wildlife.

The Royal Horticultural Society recommends hawthorn annual sunflowers honeysuckle, sedum and buddleias as the best at attracting birds, bees, and butterflies due to their pollen and nectar rich qualities. Other wildlife friendly items include bird boxes, bat boxes, hedgehog homes and bug hotels.

Technology

Hot tubs

Hot tubs increased hugely in popularity throughout the national lockdowns, but even as we move out of these restrictions, their popularity shows no sign in slowing down.

In June of last year, eBay saw hot tub sales rise by 1,000%. Similarly Wave Direct reported an increase of 1,600% in April 2020 and £10m worth of sales throughout the year. This has continued to snowball and as of April 2021 Growth Partner have made a multimillion-pound investment to grow the company even further.

Of the variety of hot tubs on offer, the hard shell is more expensive and higher maintenance but far more durable and suited to year-round use whereas the inflatable hot tubs are portable and budget friendly but smaller and not suitable for use all year.

Technology has played a huge part in allowing people to enjoy their garden more and for longer.

Lighting in particular allows the garden’s use to extend into the evening. Solar LEDs are especially popular due to its easy instal and the flexibility of use these include path lights, portable lights such as lanterns.

Weatherproof outdoor speakers, pro ectors and inflatable outdoor movie screens, and garden Wi-Fi boosters are all further helping to bring the inside out.

Outdoor kitchens

According to the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), 43% of consumers use their garden to “entertain family or friends”. Indeed, outdoor entertainment isn’t complete these days without an outdoor kitchen. A trend to keep an eye on is the use of outdoor kitchens as a bar and to cook, bake, but also smoke. Pizza ovens, griddles, and smokers are becoming popular additions, while the inclusion of fridges, ice makers, and kegerators have become some must-have bar items.

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Garden buildings

According to AMA Research’s Domestic Garden Buildings and Structures Market Report – UK 20202024 – factors that have impacted the market’s growth include weather, grow you own activities and product development. It adds that the market is relatively optimistic “assisted by improving housebuilding levels and the trend for using buildings for leisure activities, homeworking and accommodation purposes.” he trend for moving office spaces into the garden was emerging before COVID-19, but as many were forced to work from home the popularity soared, alongside their use for leisure, as the nation tried to make the most of its gardens. The popularity of garden buildings may also be due to the ease of build, versatility, lack of planning permission needed, and price point – being cheaper than an extension or loft conversion.

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02/06/2021 14:47

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S i g n a g e B u s i n es s

VITAL SIGNS Karl Hunter, managing director of HFE Signs Ltd, explains why we should be encouraging customers to use outdoor seating areas and how the right signage can help to do this

T

he past few months have forced a commercial uptake uptake in outdoor living. Garden centre restaurants and cafés have explored their imaginations to maximise their seating capacity in the great outdoors. Understandably this has come with advantages and disadvantages for both the owners and customers alike.

Thanks to the big brands and clever engineers, outdoor living has never been so comfortable, with quality weatherproof seating, outdoor heating, dazzling water features and beautiful fire pits all readily available to transform the outdoors into a space that has never been so welcoming and luxurious.

Whether you enjoy your meal with a nice glass of Pinot noir or perhaps reading a book whilst listening to the birds, the outdoors gives us that space where we can opt out of regular life for a few peaceful moments and soak up some tranquillity and reset our thoughts.

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Studies prove that spending time in green space and immersing in nature brings benefit to both your mental and physical wellbeing. Outdoor garden development has driven the demand for some fantastic creativity and ideas – making it possible for almost everyone to create their own little slice of bliss.

Commercially, garden centres’ restaurants with outdoor seating and play equipment have always been a favourite in the nice weather, particularly with children and young families. The last few months have forced investment from cafés and restaurants to bring their outdoor space up to spec in order to meet legal requirements, whilst also maximise seating capacity – and for some this investment has been considerable! With any business

Making customers aware of newly developed seating areas and tucked away spaces can be quite a challenge

investment the payback period must be considered, and as restrictions are lifted these outdoor areas will provide additional seating capacity that will give scope to cater for increased numbers in the future whilst also giving customers further choices of where they would prefer to be seated.

Making customers aware of newly developed seating areas and tucked away spaces can be quite a challenge – it is essential to follow the guidelines and it is advised to remind customers of the rules with correctly positioned signage.

To overcome this commercial obstacle, HFE Signs Ltd has a wide range of signage readably available and a dedicated website section that has been developed especially for distancing and social safety, all of which can be customised with your own branding at no extra cost.

In regard to getting customers through the door, printed banners would be the perfect choice – there has never been a better time to buy banners with deals such as ‘buy two get third free’ and ‘free UK mainland delivery’. HFE offers a free bespoke design service and already serve many of Garden Centre Retail’s readers. www.hfe-signs.co.uk w

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02/06/2021 15:59

B u s i n es s I n d u s t r y C h a llen g es

FALLING SHORT

T

Outdoor living products are proving so popular amongst consumers that retailers are struggling to keep up thanks to a global shortage of materials

he garden retail sector has revelled in a rising appreciation for gardens since lockdown began. Sales have soared over the last year, and this demand has continued into 2021. A survey from the Garden Centre Association showed that, despite February typically being a slow month, its members reported furniture and barbecue sales were up 79.17% this year compared to 2020. But whilst customers might be getting their orders for furniture in early this year, there’s a problem – a shortage in materials.

Towards the end of last year, with the industry struggling to cope with a surge in demand, the Timber Trade Federation warned supply challenges would continue into the second quarter of 2021, and its prediction was Unfortunately accurate. So, what’s behind the shortages? How have

they impacted the industry? And how long can we expect these challenges to continue?

A cocktail of causes, most of which are a knock-on effect of COVID-19, have led to shortages in steel and timber. From sawmills closing in the UK and Europe as a result of lockdown to an increasing number of DIY projects causing high levels of demand for timber and wood products, the pandemic has pushed suppliers to their limits. And with the popularity of these products continuing into 2021, there has been little time to replenish stock levels.

In December, David Hopkins, chief executive of the Timber Trade Federation, said: “Pre-COVID, timber buyers were used to there being plentiful landed stocks available to meet immediate demand.

Suppliers were also used to having time over traditionally quiet periods in the

trade to re-build stocks for the following season. This situation has now been turned on its head. It is understandable that many customers should be surprised by, and angry about, the new reality we are facing together. The reported price inflation has also made it difficult for some manufacturers to accurately price projects for customers. The challenge going forward will be to achieve the balanced product mix needed by the market, a factor which may be further complicated by the haulage demands and new customs and plant health procedures engendered

by Brexit.”

It won’t come as a surprise that Brexit has played its part. A spokeswoman for the Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association (LOFA) says that increased customs procedures are impacting deliveries. “It seems that UK ports are more expensive and more congested than EU ports and many ships are being re-routed to European ports to circumnavigate this problem.

“Post-Brexit administration has increased UK/EU shipping times at least three-fold; what used to take a week is now taking a minimum of three. This is affecting supply of products from the European mainland and deliveries to both Northern and the Republic of Ireland.

This shortage is global; factory orders from all over the world are up on garden furniture and there is now a shortage of skilled workers, raw material and production space “Keeping up with the increased demand means that delays are inevitable; our members are ordering products that will be leaving as late as April, May and June and this will certainly extend the season.

“Demand is outstripping capacity and as a result of warehousing limitations there

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02/06/2021 15:21

I n d u s t r y C h a llen g es B u s i n es s

Strong winds caused the crew of the Ever Given to lose control of the ship, driving it ashore and causing a blockage of one of the busiest waterways in the world – the Suez Canal. ©MartinLueke/Shutterstock.com

are widespread reports of production being behind schedule. This shortage is global; factory orders from all over the world are up on garden furniture and there is now a shortage of skilled workers, raw material and production space. There is a rise in wage and manufacturing costs, as well as an FE price rise of 10 to 20% due to exchange rates – all this plus COVID restrictions are affecting production and dispatch times.”

LOFA says the lack of space on shipping containers continues to cause concern and that some members are yet to receive stock this year. Deliveries are two months behind schedule, on average, and the blockage caused by one of the world’s largest container ships earlier this year only exacerbated the problem. More than 180 ships were blocked in the Suez Canal in both directions after the Ever Given was driven aground by strong winds, disrupting trade across the globe. t took six days to re float the vessel due to the sheer size of the ship, which weighs 200,000t and stretches 400m in length. An extra five to days were added onto already extended journeys, says LOFA, and delays continued at the ports as ships waited to be docked and unloaded.

Jack Whiteley, chairman and CEO of Katie Blake Furniture, says the company’s three years of “tremendous growth” have been brought to a halt by shipping issues. “Back in October, we were told that all the prices for containers

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from the Far East were increasing. Today, the average cost from China or Vietnam – where most garden furniture is made – is between $10,500 and $15,000; in October last year, it was $1,750. That cost has meant a massive increase in retail prices. Added to this problem is that it is almost impossible to get containers as the shipping lines have reduced the availability on board the ships by taking at least 50% of the ships off the routes.

We have over £8m of stock in our Chinese factories that we simply cannot ship due to the lack of containers and ships to put them on.”

LOFA shares concerns over the costs of shipping from China, which it says are seven to eight times higher than normal – some of its members have even been quoted up to $13,000

for one 40 foot container recently.

“Considering many have to bring in 30+ containers in a season this is a lot of extra funding they are having to find this year.

It’s not just shipping costs which are on the up. “The timber shortage has pushed demand higher than the supply available, plus material costs have gone up 15 to 20%,” says Matthew Cowan, managing director of Essex-based Poplar Nurseries. “Demand for garden furniture is extremely high and up 200300% on what we’d traditionally expect in an ordinary year. We’ve seen our sales increase by 30%, but we’ve had big struggles – like everyone – in getting in the level of garden furniture we need to fulfil the large amount of orders.

“There’s importation and shipping issues to consider, with a shortage of containers increasing delays and driving up the prices for furniture, hot tubs and BBQs. Luckily, we have good longstanding contacts and we’ve been able to fill our order books moving forward which is great news.”

Online independent retailer Garden Street has seen consumers shift their purchases based on availability too. 

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02/06/2021 15:27

B u s i n es s I n d u s t r y C h a llen g es “As we offer goods from a variety of different materials, we’ve offered diversity in product choice to maintain healthy stocks across the website,” says co-managing director Sam Norris.

“For instance, we’ve seen a shift of people moving from wooden sheds to metal sheds as the choice of metal was available when wood was not.”

Sam adds that Garden Street is now experiencing a “domino effect” from 2020. “Those who missed out on their

Those who missed out on their preferred choice of product due to the 2020 surge in sales ended up buying much earlier in 2021 preferred choice of product due to the 2020 surge in sales ended up buying much earlier in 2021. As a result, the

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whole season was kicked into life much earlier than in a usual year, as people bought earlier to avoid disappointment again. This has led to some lines selling out for the season, and pre-order dates on other lines being up to August/September for other imported goods. Many manufacturers in the UK also couldn’t build up stock for 2021, as they cleared a lot of products with the surge in sales in 2020.”

Consumers are likely to continue seeking material alternatives to see them through this summer, with another earlier buying season in 2022, says Sam. LOFA says this year’s buying season is also likely to be prolonged to enable products to arrive and orders to be fulfilled with websites citing stock arrival dates which it says normally wouldn’t be necessary.

The association has been lobbying government to help with the materials shortage – it has approached the Home ffice local s the epartment of nternational rade the epartment of ransport the abinet ffice and the ffice of ustoms and order esign to

no avail, so has turned its attention to the Competitions and Market Authority “to see if they can help with the extortionate costs and price fixing that the freight firms are continuing to levy on manufacturers and importers”.

Unfortunately, there are no signs yet of the problem abating. EKJU, which specialises in producing timber garden furniture, says there is no certainty yet as to how the situation will develop.

“Tenders and price offers are usually almost done, but everybody has put things and predictions for 2022 on hold,” says a spokesman for the brand. y adding additional forces to our raw material purchase department, we are able to find more suppliers and improve the situation with our production demand. ut this year we are already looking to different strategies to secure necessary timber amounts for 2022.”

It looks like yet another year of adapting to survive – something which the industry has had no choice but to become adept at since the pandemic began. w

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02/06/2021 15:30

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01/06/2021 15:26

B u s i n es s S u s t a i n a b i li t y

COMBATTING

CLIMATE CHANGE

©LifestyleGarden

Garden furniture is going green, with bold sustainability ambitions from industry association LOFA and its members

E

very market is having to respond to the climate crisis, and the outdoor living market is no exception. From sourcing materials to assessing the entire production process, manufacturers are exploring ways in which they can lower their environmental footprint. It’s no easy task, though.

Working to reduce carbon footprints within a business can be overwhelming as there is so much to think about but we advise to start small, because even the smallest change can make a huge difference 26

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“Working to reduce carbon footprints within a business can be overwhelming as there is so much to think about but we advise to start small, because even the smallest change can make a huge difference,” says a spokeswoman for trade association LOFA. “That is why we joined up with Planet Mark to help them to begin this journey.

“If a LOFA member has signed up to the Planet Mark initiative and they have completed the carbon footprint audit, they will receive a lanet ark certificate which recognises their commitment to continuous improvement in sustainability and measures their carbon footprint on an annual basis.”

CEO and founder Steve Malkin launched Planet Mark in 2013 with Sir Tim Smit KBE, co-founder of Eden Project, to help organisations move towards a more sustainable future. When Sir Tim Smit spoke at the GCA conference last year, LOFA took note and teamed up with the

certification. he association says that by measuring its carbon footprint with Planet Mark, it can now directly and measurably contribute to up to seven Sustainable Development Goals. These include affordable and clean energy, by reducing its energy use, and climate action by reducing its absolute carbon emissions, donating to Eden Project and protecting an acre of rainforest, as Plant Mark strives to halt deforestation. n the A office we have already switched to a green energy supplier. We make sure that we recycle all plastic and cardboard waste. We try not to print if we don’t have to and save paper by having all documents stored on our hard drives, plus our council meetings are now taking place via Zoom so that has cut down on our carbon footprint. So, even these small steps are making a difference.”

Its members are also endeavouring to make a difference. LifestyleGarden and parent company ScanCom, for

www.gardencentreretail.com

02/06/2021 15:32

S u s t a i n a b i li t y B u s i n es s

©LifestyleGarden

PRODUCT SHOWCASE Panama

©Keter

instance, made waves with the launch of DuraOcean. Launching in the UK towards the end of 2019 after two years of research and development and a multi-millionpound investment, the DuraOcean chair is made from 3.5kgs of recycled ropes, nets and trawls from the maritime industry, and it can be fully recycled at the end of its lifecycle. The chair scooped the Best New Product Award at the 2019 SOLEX exhibition.

“Together LifestyleGarden and ScanCom are raising the bar in regard to sustainable business in a way that has not been seen before within the garden and leisure sector,” says sales director Paul Cohen. “From corporate social responsibility, human and labour rights, and environmental management practices, every part of the business, from production to people, is heavily focused on ensuring the company’s motto ‘Doing Business the Right Way’ is carried out.”

For ScanCom, this motto means scrutinising every aspect of the business to minimise its environmental footprint.

“To maintain the highest standards, ScanCom controls its supply chain using 100% internal production, with all materials for LifestyleGarden products made in-house, guaranteeing quality, consistency and sustainability.”

DuraOcean is ScanCom’s response in helping to tackle the issue of plastic waste in the ocean, one which shocked many consumers and companies into action after seeing the devastation it causes

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Sustainability.indd 27

on BBC programme Blue Planet II. “The horrific volume of plastic waste that’s suffocating marine wildlife and polluting the world’s oceans has been declared a worldwide crisis,” says Paul.

“Each year we produce 300 million tonnes of plastic waste – that’s nearly the same weight as the entire world’s population – and an estimated eight million tonnes of this discarded plastic ends up in our oceans. To put that into context, that’s enough to circle the Earth 425 times.

Together this ‘ocean plastic’ is estimated to be killing more than 100,000 marine creatures every year, and predictions are

Each year we produce 300 million tonnes of plastic waste – that’s nearly the same weight as the entire world’s population that by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish calling the ocean its home.

ScanCom says that, to date, DuraOcean is responsible for removing or preventing more than 150t of plastic from reaching of further polluting the oceans.

It’s a headline-hitting statistic, and others want their products to have the same impact, including home and garden product manufacturer Keter. At the end of

Panama collection represents the ultimate in low maintenance design.

Rigorously tested for complete performance assurance, the range is made from weatherproof, lightweight and sustainable aluminium, and requires little to no assembly or ongoing maintenance.

The full range – including four, six and eight-seater dining sets - is also complemented by LifestyleGarden®’s new finishing technology which gives the illusion of wood accents on the chair arms and tabletops – AluPrint. Created entirely in-house, the AluPrint ® finish enables a natural look to be added the metal whilst also maintaining a very low weight and high durability.

RRP From £385 Launch date Early 2021 www.lifestylegarden.com last year, the company – which provides a range of sheds, outdoor furniture and home storage solutions – unveiled five sustainability pledges it is aiming to achieve in the next five years. ne of these is to use 55% of recycled content in total production, whilst another is to continue to produce no single-use plastic consumer products. “Our high-quality products are designed to be long-lasting and durable,” says European marketing director Kerry urfin. he contentious issue of single use plastic continues to be a widely debated subject and is a real issue.”

Keter has also pledged a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from production. “This is going to be a challenge but one which we are determined to achieve,” says Kerry. “We will be looking at ongoing efficiencies at plants globally alongside an improvement in energy generation carbon factors in different regions.

“Transport is one of the big producers of emissions, so we are going to be more 

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B u s i n es s S u s t a i n a b i li t y

LOFA: Questions to ask suppliers

“Most of our members shout about their environmental achievements, but here are some uestions to ask to find out what they are doing to reduce their carbon footprints.”

How green’ are your products and what is your carbon footprint? o you use alternative energy sources such as wind and solar How are you engaging your employees in your sustainability efforts?

• What percent of your capital expenditures are related to sustainability? ith which groups are you partnering regarding key sustainability initiatives How do you engage your supply chain in your sustainability efforts? hat percentage of your packaging materials is made from recyclable materials and is recyclable Are your products certified’ sustainable by an internationally recognised organisation here do you stand on sustainability relative to your competitors? www.lofa.co.uk streamlined there by cutting down on unnecessary travel and making sure all routes are pre planned. n addition to a focus on climate resilience, our fourth promise is to achieve ero waste to landfill from production in the next five years. his is an area where we are seeing great progress already at both our UK factories we have the ability to recycle our waste enabling us to regrind any defected products. e are certainly on track to achieve the goal both in the and across the wider business. he final pledge is to introduce product end of life programmes in all regions as whilst eter has the ability to recycle its products it still needs to implement “a simply way for the products to be returned . hese commitments are based on three key areas of the business, says Keter, the first being better products for better places’ with further enhancements being made to the company’s circular approach for product design manufacture and lifetime product use. he second area is better planet’ which looks at operational efficiencies and environmentally positive actions throughout its supply chain. And finally better business’ by delivering social value through ethical conduct and community investment.

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©Keter

©Keter

n ritain almost a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions come from businesses alone, so it is the responsibility of all companies to play a part in realising their environmental consciousness. At Keter this has always been at the core of the way we operate. e are investing in innovation to provide the most durable products using minimum virgin resources enabling our consumers to en oy our beautiful and functional designs year after year while preserving the integrity of our natural

environment. areful planning and opting for more sustainable practices in your business can ensure that everyone plays their part in driving a greener future. ustainability pledges such as these and the launch of innovative product lines such as ura cean showcase the changes – from easy-to-implement initiatives to large costly investments – which can be made now to ensure a better and greener future which goes beyond the outdoor living market. w

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02/06/2021 15:46

Our products are cleaning up in the garden!

Making the gardener’s life EASY

Mix & Match FSDU available now!

The UK’s leading range of outdoor surface and patio care products for professionals is now available in three handy sizes for gardeners. Presented to consumers in a single, attractive garden centre display unit, it’s the easy way to care for your garden.

Grass and Foliage Greener • • • • •

750ml trigger spray High performance reviver gives the appearance of living foliage and grass Disguises unsightly patches on lawns and in hedges ‘Resin-Loc’ technology for long lasting performance Water-based and low odour

Black Spot Remover • • • • • •

3ltr and 5ltr bottles available Removes black spot and white spot lichen Also cleans concrete and stone Contains no acids or solvents Safe to use on sensitive stone Can be applied with a garden sprayer

View the full range at www.azpects.co.uk

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Artificial Grass Cleaner and Sanitiser • • • • • •

1ltr super concentrate and 750ml trigger spray High performance cleaner for artificial grass and plastic decking Powerful cleaning with disinfectant Water-based, non-caustic formula Fast acting and safe to use Fresh scent

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Stand #6C26-D27

01/06/2021 15:27

B u s i n es s C a t er i n g F ocu s

FLOURISHING

FARM SHOPS

Farm shops have thrived over the last year, reaping in significant sales but the ve had to adapt to do so.

F

arm shops have been the constant.

When garden centres were forced to close at the end of March, farm shops were deemed essential stores. And two months into the first lockdown last year, they were proving more popular than ever. The Farm Retail Association (FRA) found some 92% of farm retailers reported a significant rise in new customers since lockdown first began.

This drive for local, seasonal produce hadn’t diminished by December, with 40% of those polled by NFU Mutual saying they were planning to buy more from farm shops and local producers for Christmas.

“A recent survey of our customers has revealed that shopping locally is the top permanent change they plan to make after the pandemic is over says an addever senior agent at NFU Mutual Liskeard and St Austell. t’s not all talk either as food sales soared for garden centres with farm shop or food hall offerings. The Garden Centre

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Association’s arometer of rade report for this January showed food hall and farm shops sales were up 6.48% from the previous month.

“Given the amount of news on this subject and that restaurants have mostly been closed, it will come as no surprise

A recent survey of our customers has revealed that shopping locally is the top permanent change they plan to make after the pandemic is over to you that food sales were up in 2020 by similar to garden centres says Alan Roper, managing director of nationwide garden centre chain lue iamond. ear to date in because food and garden centres were about the only stores allowed to open, sales increased to 86% for food and in the garden centres.

With increased demand, though, comes obstacles to overcome. Fortunately,

garden centres were up to the challenge.

“We were impacted by the well-publicised baking enthusiasts during lockdown – flour and eggs were extremely sought after says an ichardson managing director of Garsons, which recently unveiled a new building linking its Esher-based garden centre and farm shop to support undercover and socially distanced shopping. “We found a great supplier who helped support us and we managed to stock flour and egg varieties throughout the lockdowns while the big supermarket chains couldn’t fulfil demand.

Garsons also saw a “considerable rise in fresh fruit and vegetable sales which an says the garden centre welcomed. t’s so refreshing knowing that people were going back to basics and cooking from fresh raw ingredients. ts resident evan’s utchers also experienced a dramatic rise in sales of fresh premium meat products . hen unfolded and the country was placed into lockdown, we knew that our farm shop could be imperative to help the local community, so we were determined that the farm shop remain open says an. he support from our customer base ustified our decision.

The team worked tirelessly with suppliers

www.gardencentreretail.com

02/06/2021 15:03

C a t er i n g F ocu s B u s i n es s

We knew that our farm shop could be imperative to help the local community, so we were determined that the farm shop remain open to ensure we were always fully stocked with the essentials, and this meant that our sales grew significantly primarily due to increased customer spend.

“Obtaining stock was a constant daily challenge but we achieved it through perseverance and broadening our list of suppliers. e have been astounded by the tremendous effort and excellent service from many of our suppliers. upporting a growing demand and ensuring customer and staff safety, were top priorities for arsons. t built bespoke till screens enforced rules such as individual shoppers only and limited the number of customers allowed in its stores at one time. arsons also focused on the welfare and mental health of its staff, making sure the team were closely monitored and encouraging them to share their thoughts and raise concerns. n when lockdown was first announced arsons also began supporting ood with ove – a charity striving to provide free food for the vulnerable – with near perfect food

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wastage to then be used towards making more than hot meals per day. he company plans to continue with this support going forward. he farm shop has changed a great deal over the last year says an ichardson. e invested and commissioned an expansion pro ect to link the existing farm shop barn to the garden centre. he building work started in anuary but obviously came to an abrupt halt in arch however it was completed in eptember. his was perfect timing for the Christmas trade which proved extremely successful. or those unable to wander around the physical store arsons implemented a click and collect service. And they’re not the only ones to do so – an A poll found some 79% of farm retailers had introduced a click and collect

service due to coronavirus. Another said they had introduced home deliveries. hese efforts have proven successful too with farm shops processing more than . million home delivery or collection orders since the initial lockdown began. he A reports that of farm retailers have either hired additional staff or furloughed fewer employees than first expected. he rise of these rural retailers has been no mean feat says an addever of utual. any farm shops have worked round the clock transforming their business model. taff have adapted to processing and delivering online orders, and stores have redesigned their layouts to offer safe shopping experiences. he big uestion though is whether these adaptations – and consumer demand – will continue when restrictions lift. e would obviously love to see people’s shopping habits remain as they are now and for customers to remember that it was the independent local retailer who was there for them when they needed supplies says an ichardson. he uality freshness and diversity of our offer is something we hope our customer will keep coming back for. e have an opportunity to ensure we don’t let them forget and we will continue to work with our suppliers and act uickly to change because this is where we win w

Garden Centre Retail June/July 2021

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02/06/2021 15:07

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01/06/2021 15:28

JUNE/JULY 2021

PRODUCTS 35

THE RETURN OF EVENTS GIMA’s exciting line-up

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HOW TO INCREASE SALES of pelargoniums

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PLANT FOCUS Experts pick their favourites to inspire outdoor spaces

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PTMD STYLE SHOP Unique garden centre concept, The Orangery

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GO GO GADGET GRILL BBQs with market-leading features

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LATEST PRODUCTS BBQs, grills, stoves and ovens

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HOW TO SELL GARDEN FURNITURE with Lyndan Orvis

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LATEST PRODUCTS Trendy outdoor living items for 2021

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03/06/2021 10:49

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Extremely stable – Tripod design stops any wobble Lightweight – Made from premium aluminium Long life – all joints welded for strength and durability Rubber feet protect hard surfaces 5 year guarantee If there’s still tasks to do indoors, a Henchman Tripod ladder will keep you safe inside too. Its ‘crows nest’ platform means you can tuck in and brace your thighs for added safety. Ideal when you need both hands for painting ceilings, putting up architrave, mending lights or accessing the loft.

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For more information or to order, call on 03333 444 229 or visit www.henchman.co.uk/centre Advert template.indd 9

01/06/2021 15:28

E v en t s G I M A

THE RETURN OF EVENTS The garden retail sector has missed in-person events, but GIMA has an exciting line-up now that restrictions are lifting

A

t the time of writing, the nation is taking tentative steps towards a sense of normality. Retail has opened up, hospitality has thrown open its doors, staycationing is booming and nights in with friends and family are back on the agenda. This also means that in-person events are also back in business for the garden retail sector and we could not be happier.

The last year has been tough. Whilst we have thrived as a sector thanks to gardening’s vital role in keeping the nation entertained and helping to boost mental and physical wellbeing, it has also meant that we have been working under immense pressure to deliver what consumers so badly desire. There is no question that collaboration and open, honest lines of communication across the supply chain have helped us to ride the storm, but now that reconnection with one another in-person has a vital role to play.

Whether networking at exhibitions, bonding over a corporate game of golf or celebrating our successes at an awards evening, these kinds of events have been sorely missed. Businesses thrive on building relationships at face-to-face events, whilst such events also provide an unrivalled opportunity to showcase new product development and focus on issues and trends which will shape the future of garden retail.

Whilst Zoom and online

Businesses thrive on building relationships at face-to-face events, whilst such events also provide an unrivalled opportunity to showcase new product development and focus on issues and trends which will shape the future of garden retail. meetings have facilitated our immediate need for communication, they are no substitute for the sense of community that is felt when we are together in person.

The fact that our annual GIMA Charity Golf Day sold out in record time is testament to our need for in-person interaction. Taking place on 9 June at Belton Woods Hotel and Golf Course, this is the first team building opportunity since our last event almost two years ago. To see so many teams signing up for a little leisure time in their hectic schedules feels like a welcome step towards normality.

Another event which I know many are rejoicing in the return of is Glee (14 to 16 September, The NEC, Birmingham). The 

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G I M A E v en t s

first industry event to return in person we have every confidence that lee supported by he and government guidelines will be reopened safely and securely. his means that visiting retailers and exhibiting suppliers can get on with the important ob at hand – showcasing new product development highlighting future bestsellers and securing long term retail partnerships. e’ve heard from many retailers that they are desperate to be onsite to see what is new as so much innovation has been missed in the absence of exhibitions. ith garden products so in demand there has never been a more important time to secure newness. elebrating newness will be the order of the day at the A Awards on ovember. aking its return for the first time since uly these awards will highlight the best that our industry has to offer for the period of to .

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Garden Centre Retail June/July 2021

All the usual categories – including the A upplier of the ear ( A) ardenex xport Achievement and the word of xcellence (last won by rimeur in ) – are set to make a return whilst a new ustainability award will also be oining the line up to recognise a product business initiative or wider business ethos that demonstrates how suppliers are successfully driving the sustainability agenda. ookings for this much loved event are already exceeding expectation and entries are flooding in from suppliers across the board who want to showcase their hard work and innovative thinking. f you’d like to oin us then be uick hilst it is good to be back we feel it is important to continue to develop our hybrid communication and events calendar which includes a number of online webinars. hese sessions which have been incredibly well received over

Whilst it is good to be back, we feel it is important to continue to develop our hybrid communication and events calendar, which includes a number of online webinars the last year are designed to support our members with key content on important business topics. ackaged in uick and accessible online workshops these sessions have the ability to educate and inspire from the comfort of your own desk offering value for both our manufacturing members and the retail community. w

www.gardencentreretail.com

02/06/2021 16:37

A d v er t or i a l

ADVICE FOR RETAILERS: HOW TO INCREASE SALES OF PELARGONIUMS Five essential considerations for maximising the impact of sales of the vibrant, varied pelargonium

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or many retailers, pelargoniums are a welcome sight for much of their core customer demographic.

But the new generation of gardeners may be less familiar with this classic bloom and are often drawn to more contemporary plants. However, with a wealth of key selling points, including ease of care and resilience in a range of weather conditions, retailers are potentially missing out on a significant sales opportunity. Here, the experts at Pelargonium for Europe (PfE) share some top tips on how retailers can increase sales of pelargoniums this season and beyond.

What am I buying?

Many consumers like to know what they are buying before committing to a purchase. In the case of pelargoniums this might relate to the ultimate size of the plant, quick information on care and watering and flowering time. hilst much of this information will be present on the plant label, retailers can help increase impulse sales by making this basic information even clearer so that the customer’s attention is drawn from across the shop floor. A chalk board for example is a simple and cheap way to communicate key details whilst providing consumers with the confidence to purchase. nsure that staff within the indoor plant area are well versed in pelargonium aftercare so they can help encourage more sales.

All the colours of the rainbow

One of the greatest joys of pelargoniums is the vast array of colours and types available. By grouping together different colours and types – such as zonal, ivy leaved, regal, scented leaf and angel – retailers are able to easily showcase just how varied pelargoniums are. Create a display that is full of colours and textures and signpost the differences with small signs which highlight key facts to impress

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consumers and help to increase the average basket spend.

Cross merchandise like a pro

Savvy retailers will know that positioning the plants alongside pots and planters will increase sales, but PfE also recommends building on this further. hy not also plant up a range of different planters so that consumers can see how the plants works against different planter styles, colours and garden designs? Co-locate additional products such as compost, gardening gloves and trowels alongside the planter pot, plants and planters to make it even easier for consumers to ‘create the look’.

Optimise key gifting periods

Plants make for perfect gifts, so retailers have a superb opportunity to drive up the average customer spend in the lead up to and during key events. Signposting the gifting potential of plants such as pelargoniums makes it easy for customers to grab an appropriate gift quickly, but why not also consider adding a wrapping service in-store?

Utilise the Pelargonium for Europe resource library PfE has been set up to help increase sales of the much-loved pelargonium. The organisation has created a rich resource library where retailers can access and download a wealth of sales support tools including point of sale signage and information to support aftercare and uality messaging. A large image video library is also available, providing retailers with material for use on social media and within direct marketing to help drive more customers into stores. For more information and images of geraniums, visit: www.pelargoniumforeurope.com.

Publication is free of charge with the photo credit: “Pelargonium for Europe”. w

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02/06/2021 16:29

P r od u ct s P la n t F ocu s

Plant Focus

We ask some experts for their recommendations on the most beautiful planting to inspire outdoor spaces

Wyevale

Plant name: Senecio candicans Angel ings’ RRP: £14.99 Size: Available in 3L pot Senecio candicans Angel ings’ is a striking foliage plant that’s tactile and suitable for a variety of garden settings. ts extra large silky and silver white coloured leaves provide a particularly dramatic impact while offering a modern look to inspire the st century gardener. uring summer it produces flat terminal clusters of small yellow flowers creating a new focal point for any outdoor entertaining space. asy to grow and maintain it flourishes particularly well in moderately fertile free draining soil in warm sunny positions. t’s also tolerant in coastal conditions and is drought resistant. lace in mixed containers beds and borders or in a stand alone container on a patio or balcony. www.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk

Johnsons of Whixley

Plant name: Alstroemeria RRP: £12.99 to £13.99 Size: Available in 3L pot If you want an impressive display of flowers for your patio during the summer months into early Autumn an Alstroemeria is the plant for you. t is available in various colours including pink yellow and white tones working well in borders combined with other plants or in a container pot on your patio. ertain varieties have different growing habitats such as the warf Alstroemeria nticancha ’ unlight’ as pictured. www.nurserymen.co.uk

Perrywood

Plant: Geum Price: carlet empest’ . otally angerine’ .

Size: Available in 3L pot he Geum is a versatile herbaceous perennial and makes a beautiful addition to any garden border. ur favourites are the deep red carlet empest’ and the vivid orange otally angerine’. he vibrant reds and oranges contrast really well against all other colours in a border. hey begin flowering in ay and will continue blooming in abundance right through until autumn. Geum is an easy to care for trouble free plant which is lucky enough not to attract slugs or deer – and they’re perfect pollinators. he Geum is happiest in a sunny spot with a moist but well drained soil. hey’re uite hardy so not fussy about soil type and will thrive in a sheltered or exposed position. www.perrywood.co.uk

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Dobbies

Plant: Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ Price: £9.99 Size: Available in 2L pot Lavandula angustifolia Hidcote’ is the perfect plant for all gardens as it is easy to grow in a well drained soil in a sunny position. reat for a terracotta pot on the patio it doesn’t get too big and will flower all summer – beautiful flowers of deep violet purple from une to eptember borne of silvery foliage. he flowers and leaves are fragrant whenever you brush past. Attractive to bees and butterflies it is also great for the environment. www.dobbies.com

www.gardencentreretail.com

02/06/2021 16:23

Proudly supplying garden centre retailers canopies, covered walkways & sustainable statement buildings for over 55 years Contact our team today to see what we can bring to your centre 01243 55 44 55 info@fordingbridge.co.uk www.fordingbridge.co.uk

Our products are supported by point-of sale boards, designed to help boost sales.

Help your customers get the best out of their garden with Bathgate’s vast range of horticultural products.

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We use the latest technologies and finest ingredients to ensure our products are consistently high quality.

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Ideal for gardeners of all abilities, our range can significantly improve the performance of plants, seeds and shrubs.

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01/06/2021 15:29

A d v er t or i a l

PTMD STYLE SHOP A unique garden centre lifestyle concept

PTMD Collection is an independent design house exclusively for the independents, with existing partnerships all across the . ith a boundless love for innovation and craftsmanship, this Dutch lifestyle brand travels all over the world to collaborate with exceptional artists to create its rough and daring aesthetic.

The PTMD Style Shop is a unique Dutch lifestyle concept for garden centre retailers.

It presents a vast collection of 8,000 lifestyle designs, including thousands of interior plant pots. he garden centre buyers can handpick their selection for their concept

40

shop. his concept is designed to support cross-category selling by enhancing sales in the houseplant category with its irresistibly tactile pot collection and provides a platform to modernise garden centres’ home and lifestyle offerings.

Atmospheric and always current, this successful retail model boasts excellent sell through. orking in partnership with established garden centres across the UK and Ireland, PTMD collaborates with centres to design a bespoke lifestyle space to suit their business.

In addition to its modern shop furniture and merchandising

Garden Centre Retail June/July 2021

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by their Dutch styling team, PTMD and The Orangery provide complementary space planning service to position their Style Shops with the aim of enhancing cross category sales. o ensure the collection always looks in style, it launches 4,000 limited edition NPD every six months, so that there is always something new to offer customers. hese are designed in line with current interior trends which continue to maintain the performance of the concept shop.

PTMD Collection has developed into a lifestyle brand that is characterized by high quality appearance at affordable prices. mall cacti pots meet large specimen vessels, dramatic botanical light sculptures and carefully designed faux botanicals.

Owing to its producer’s specialist technical skills, the collection has a distinctive character and offers a unique style. y using simple robust and pure materials, PTMD products have a naturally warm and characterful appearance.

PTMD has proudly been presenting uniquely wonderful interior plant pots since .

Its ever-evolving, limited edition collection of thousands of pots is a celebration of texture. t embraces the

beauty of polished reactive glaze surfaces, textured bubble underglazes and distressed englobe finishes.

The organic nature of its production allows each design to organically develop its own uni ue identity.

The catalyst of the houseplant revolution, biophilic philosophy, has become a vital element of garden centre retail. his ethos is founded upon mankind’s innate desire to surround oneself within elements of nature, whose properties catalyse the creation of positive wellbeing.

This principle forms the architecture of PTMD’s interior identity; inspired by raw materials and the sculptural forms of nature, we aim to create positive interior spaces with our extensive interior and faux botanical collection.

To learn more about the PTMD Collection and its Style Shop contact, please contact he rangery ollection.

CONTACT

PTMD Collection Head Office, Pietseweg 13a, 4751 RT Oud Gastel, Netherlands sales@theorangery.org 07872 606 299

www.gardencentreretail.com

03/06/2021 10:48

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01/06/2021 15:30

P r od u ct s B B Q T ech n olog y

GO GO

GADGET GRILL

What technological advances in barbecues are making these the hottest products on the market?

B

arbecues are a summer staple.

And whilst you can still simply throw burgers on the grill over some hot charcoal, you can also take barbecuing up a notch with the latest technologies. Manufacturers have thought of everything from lighting to the inevitable involvement of our smartphones.

“Barbecues have come a long way since 1952, when our founder George Stephen fashioned the first kettle grill from a buoy says Chris Trewhitt, marketing director for Western Europe at Weber. “Seventy years

on we are launching the world’s first smart barbecue – it is an incredible evolution.

And arguably good timing, as barbecue sales surge. “Our recent research has revealed that one in 10 people used their barbecue daily during the pandemic, and the grill has become a centrepiece for many households explains hris.

“Now, with restrictions being lifted, we have found that UK consumers are keen to improve their grilling skills, particularly after the huge rise in barbecue purchases over the last year, and barbecue technology is an important part of this.

This is where Weber Connect comes in. The manufacturer calls it a “virtual barbecue assistant providing step by step cooking instructions and sending push notifications to your smartphone.

This technology currently comes in the form of the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub, which can be used with any barbecue. But for this summer, Weber is integrating this technology into the barbecues themselves, launching the

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worlds first smart gas barbecues – the eber enesis® and pirit ®.

Using an app to perfect your barbecuing is impressive but isn’t the only innovation to hit the market. har roil’s nfrared cooking technology for instance, ensures that the heat is spread evenly across the cooking area, avoiding cold or hot spots. hen there’s har roil’s hybrid as oal . he har roil as oal converts from gas to charcoal in a matter of seconds, with a special tray that fits above the burners so you can easily switch depending on your mood and taste on any particular day says uke Hopkins national sales manager for har roil . e’ve also recently introduced a super fast Sear Burner to our Professional PRO range of grills. The Sear Burner reaches super high temperatures really uickly making it easy to seal in flavour and give the all important sear marks for a perfect steak.

Napoleon has also brought infrared grilling to its range. “We introduced a signature infrared Sizzle Zone™ using short wave infrared energy which allows the side burner to reach 800° in just 30 seconds, allowing you to sear restaurant uality steak at home as well as infrared rear rotisserie burners says artin Sobey, Napoleon Grills UK’s national sales manager.

One of the small changes which has made a big difference,

though, is Napoleon’s afety low ight ight knobs with bespoke spectrum control lighting, which showcases a huge range of colours and settings as well as proximity lighting which beams the apoleon logo on to the floor on approach and turns the knob lights on.

“Garden centres need to have a well thought out range across gas, charcoal and the associated accessories. They need to create a credible eye catching display that draws people in and suits a range of needs. Having a single barbecue often won’t cut it. har roil ’s uke Hopkins adds that offering customers the choice from simple barbecues to the latest technology is important. “There are all sorts of different types of barbecuers’. t’s therefore important to stock a range of grills that cover as many of these re uirements as possible.

So, whilst it’s easy to be drawn in by the raft of innovations, don’t forget to stock the basics too, and to showcase technological advances as best you can. w

www.gardencentreretail.com

02/06/2021 14:22

B B Q s L a t es t P r od u ct s

BBQS Citi Chef Cadac UK

Pit Boss® Navigator Series Pellet Grills Pit Boss®

The lightweight body and legs of the compact Citi Chef 40 FS mean it is easy to move and set up on the balcony, patio or terrace. It also has two handy, removable side tables, plus utility tray for condiments, tools and locators for secure storage of the Cadac Power Pak gas supply. The single high performance burner delivers rapid heat up to 200° in just a few minutes and the 38cm grill diameter is ideal for BBQ feasts for two to six people.

The Pit Boss® Navigator Pellet Grill range gives all the natural wood flavour of an outdoor cooking adventure, with advanced Direct Flame Grilling Technology and eight-inone cooking versatility, to smoke, bake, braise, roast, grill, barbecue, char-grill and sear all on one rill. t boasts a five year warranty.

RRP £275 Launch date Available now www.cadacuk.com

RRP £599 to £1099 Launch date Available now www.pitboss-grills.com

Tramontina Beer Barrel Grill Tramontina United Kingdom Ltd Combining the passion and tradition of barbequing with contemporary elements and efficiency Tramontina has re-invented the beer barrel grill. This innovation combines a contemporary stainless-steel construction with high performance design greater efficiency and safety.

RRP £79.99 Launch date Available now www.tramontina.co.uk

Enders® from Lifestyle: Monroe Pro 4 Turbo Gas BBQ Lifestyle Appliances

Traeger Pro 575 Traeger The Traeger Pro 575 offers all the versatility of a traditional oven adding delicious wood fired flavour to all outdoor cooking. he ro packs a real flavour punch to any meal and can be controlled via WiFIRE®connectivity, meaning the grill can be controlled from anywhere via a smartphone.

RRP £899 Launch date Available now www.traegergrills.eu

This grill is ready to sear steaks to perfection with its Turbo Zone®, grill with precision with its Heat Range®, and is ready to grill again with its Easy Clean® grilling chamber components.

To top it off, the Monroe Pro 4 Gas BBQ is Switch Grid® accessory compatible.

RRP £749.99 Launch date August 2021 www.lifestyleappliances.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

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L a t es t P r od u ct s B B Q s

Ozpig range Que Fresco Ltd (Ozpig’s UK distributor)

Morsø Balcone Electric BBQ Morsø The objective of the Morsø Balcone is to provide the opportunity for people to enjoy the grilling experience regardless of where they live. The design creates a balance between a modern stylish product and a functional grill to enjoy the benefits of grilling’ either inside or outdoors.

RRP £349 Launch date Available now www.morsoe.com/en

The range from Aussie brand Ozpig has now expanded to include the new Big Pig and Oven Smoker attachment along with a host of accessories. The versatility of a wood burning stove, heater and cooker in one, in two sizes.

Stand out from kettle barbecues and clay chimineas and give your customers an all-in-one solution for the home, campsite, and everything between.

RRP £295 Launch date Available now www.ozpig.co.uk

The Cube Ginique Ltd By day, it can be used as a handy seat or table; by night, add a few logs for a warm and cosy fire to sit around. Add the adjustable grill and you have got yourself a barbecue. t’s totally transportable and extinguishing a fire is really simple – you ust turn it upside down. he fire bowl which is suspended within the ube tilts and the fire is out.

Char-Broil Professional CORE Gas BBQ Char-Broil The Professional CORE line is a high-quality range of TRUInfrared grills, with new extra-high double-layer cold-rolled stainless steel lids and chrome-front knobs with smart red LED illumination.

The light-up knobs bring greater grilling pleasure as well as improved safety, and the SureFire electronic igniter is a neat, easy and quick way to get the fired up.

RRP £299, Corten steel; £349, black Launch date Available now www.ginique.co.uk

DeliVita Wood Fired Oven DeliVita A family business based in Yorkshire, DeliVita has combined its Italian heritage with inspired design to create an authentic, clay, wood fired oven. t’s one of the lightest on the market weighting just 30kg, making it portable and versatile as it can be positioned on any table top surface. Handmade in the UK and available in six colours, it reaches over 500°C in just 25 minutes and as well as cooking pizza in 90 seconds, it’s a modern a hot smoker, a tandoori oven, slow cooker and even bakes bread.

RRP From £449.99, 2-burner; From £719.99, 4-burner Launch date Available now www.charbroil.co.uk

RRP £1,295 Launch date Available now www.delivita.com

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www.gardencentreretail.com

02/06/2021 14:58

GRUFFPAWTRAITS

Speciality dog greetings cards www.gruffpawtraits.com

gruffpawtraits@hotmail.com

Handmade in the UK Over 50 Designs Available

thewheatbagcompany.co.uk E: sales@thewheatbagcompany.co.uk T: 01747 840499

New Luxury Velvet Collection

Bespoke Display Stands Available

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PADi Pillows A stable, lightweight, hands free tablet stand. Perfect for holding and supporting any mobile device.

Suitable for iPads, Kindles, phones and all other portable devices.

Microwaveable Wheat Bags Our handmade wheat bags are perfect for when you're feeling cold, stressed or suffering from tense muscles and aches. Each wheat bag is filled with cleaned English wheat and come either unscented or with English lavender buds.

Door Stops

01/06/2021 15:31

Keeping Fruit and Veg Crisp and Fresh for Longer

SYM Fresh Reusable Press’n’Seal bags Help your customers reduce their food waste

Raising awareness of Britain’s declining wildlife. 10% of all sales is donated to British wildlife charities. www.creaturecandy.co.uk e: lovenature@creaturecandy.co.uk t: 07712 651 757

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For more information please reach out to SYM Fresh exclusive UK distributors:

Plastismart Ltd

07500 343 114

www.plastismart.com/symfresh

01/06/2021 15:31

O u t d oor L i v i n g P r od u ct s

HOW TO SELL

GARDEN FURNITURE

Lyndan Orvis, e-commerce manager for the largest garden centre in North West England, Hayes Garden World, shares his knowledge on how best to display garden furniture and common customer queries What options do garden centres have when it comes to showcasing outdoor living products, particularly garden furniture?

Having a dedicated outdoor furniture department allows the customer to view all options in a single space, and they are therefore able to compare their favourites.

Incorporating the furniture into other departments, such as gifts or a café area, allows the customer to imagine the furniture surrounded by their own possessions.

If possible, make a garden setting for each furniture set so customers can imagine it in their own garden. We are really selling the customer a dream of what they can have in their own outdoor living space if only they buy that set of furniture.

What are the key things a garden centre should consider when deciding how to display them?

Is there enough space for the customer to fully examine and try out the pieces? Can the customer actually imagine that set in their own garden? Are you selling them the dream?

Make sure the price is clearly displayed, as is exactly what they are getting for their money. Point out the advantages of buying from your store – warranty, delivery, quality construction and expert advice from the staff.

www.gardencentreretail.com

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What works best for garden centres with limited space?

Stick to a limited product range and keep to a price range you know your particular customer base would be likely to pay. If you are renowned for high quality, don’t go for a budget range, and incorporate the sets throughout the store.

What are the pitfalls of displaying garden furniture?

arge furniture can be difficult to accommodate, however corner and lounge suites are getting bigger which can’t be avoided. We have to balance the customer experience with maximising the amount of furniture we can display. Other issues are overcoming limited ceiling space to display the range of parasols available.

What are the top questions customers are likely to ask?

• Are materials ethically sourced and recyclable?

• How is it constructed?

• Will they be able to add to the set in the future?

• How long should it last?

• Warranty information.

• Delivery information.

• Flexible payment options.

• Cushion colour options.

hayesgardenworld. co.uk w

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L a t es t P r od u ct s O u t d oor L i v i n g

OUTDOOR LIVING Scatter Cushions Bramblecrest

Water Studio Woodlodge Products

This season, Bramblecrest has introduced ‘Sky Blue’ to its scatter cushion collection. There are three ‘Sky Blue’ designs which can be mixed and matched according to preference. They are made from high quality, season-proof fabric with a wipeable, shower-proof coating and removable cover.

Water Studio continues to build on Woodlodge’s tried-and-tested approach to plug-in-and-go water features for instant impact.

Each model features a pump and cable and is easy to set up with little maintenance, including no direct water sourced required. To date, the range includes more than 50 models, including a number of different colour ways for ultimate choice, as well a number of indoor water feature options.

RRP £23 Launch date Available now www.bramblecrest.com

RRP Check local stockists Launch date Available now www.woodlodge.co.uk

DuraSpa RotoSpa Ltd RotoSpa is an award-winning family-run business with more than 18 years’ experience. It has been showcased on ITV4’s Made in Britain and now supplies to more than 400 UK businesses. The range includes the DuoSpa for 2 to 3 people, QuatroSpa for 5 to 6 people, Orbis for 4 to 5 people and the DuraSpa (pictured) for 5 to 6 people. The spas are built to order on a fantastic lead time.

RRP From £4050 across spa range Launch date Available now www.rotospa.co.uk

4lite WiZ Connected LED Up and Down Wall Light 4lite The 4lite WiZ Connected up and down wall light is ideal for illuminating exterior features and creating outdoor ambience. The durable, die-cast aluminium fixture has a sleek design and textured paint finish. immable via the WiZ app, with millions of colours and 64,000 shades of white, schedules can be set to save energy and for different times of day. Compatible with voice control devices such as Hey Google, Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri, it can also be controlled via the WiZ app.

RRP £49.99 Launch date Available now www.4liteuk.com

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Sunwing® CASA AEL Outdoor Solutions Swiss designed and built from high quality precision engineered materials, including lightweight aluminium that stand up against the elements, this cantilever sunshade features 50+ ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) on all fabric covers, tested by independent experts. Intuitive controls located on the mast and side pole provides tilting up to degrees. ue to the innovative design the Sunwing® CASA needs little space but provides an exceptional amount of shade.

RRP £550 Launch date Available now www.glatz.com

Lumify USB Solar Edison Bulb Lights The Solar Centre eaturing a range of five different bulb styles (tubular pear straight candle, straight tapered and arbitrary) this range of festoon lights offers instant character and charm to any outdoor space. Using the latest solar power technology, these are a summer garden must-have.

RRP £69.99 Launch date Available now www.thesolarcentre.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

02/06/2021 14:14

O u t d oor L i v i n g L a t es t P r od u ct s Katie Blake Mayberry Range Glencrest Seatex

Cosiloft Fire Pit Lounge Table Pacific Lifestyle

The Mayberry collection stands out thanks to the oversized chairs with deep filled cushions allowing users to relax or dine in luxury. Available in either rey or atural weave a complimentary cover is provided to protect this handmade rattan furniture from the elements. acked by a year guarantee.

he osiloft fire pit lounge table is available across five colourways. ustomise a cosi with handy optional accessories including the glass surround which makes it child/pet-safe and the cover plate which allows it to function as a table when unlit. as powered it produces a smokeless flame ideal for creating warmth on long summer evenings but also creates an ambience to en oy with guests.

RRP £1195 Launch date Available now www.katieblake.co.uk

RRP rom .

Launch date Available now www.pacific-lifestyle.co.uk

Happy Cocooning Bowl Norfolk Leisure Lifestyle Ltd his range of Happy ocoon gas fire pits makes for a multi use garden feature with a handy control panel that gives the user full control of the size and intensity of the flame so it doesn’t matter how small an outdoor space is.

RRP rom Launch date Available now www.norfolkleisurelifestyle.com

Amalfi Fire Pit Casual Dining Set Mercer Leisure

Pulse 3-Seat Sofa Dining Set Maze he a e ulse sofa dining set offers striking design and the ultimate in convenience with cushions which can be left outdoors all year round. rafted using the durable and renowned e ita outdoor fabric and incorporating a e’s popular ift ock ad ustable table your customers will be able to both entertain with drinks or raise the table to dine in comfort outdoors. his collection also offers great retailer margins across ex warehouse and direct delivery options.

RRP £2849 Launch date September 2021 www.maze.co.uk

his is an affordable stainless steel fire pit casual dining set. his comfortable set seats up to eight people and delivers . w heat. ith availability throughout the year ercer eisure offer this as part of its direct despatch programme.

RRP £1899 Launch date Available now www.merceragencies.com

Ceramic Fountain Kaemingk B.V. his three tier ar water feature crafted with authentic ceramic techni ues has a floral motif gla ed finish and is available in two on-trend colours: offwhite and green. he fountain also has built in lights. very piece in the ceramic gla ed fountain collection is uni ue and hand painted.

RRP .

Launch date Available now www.kaemingk.com/en

www.gardencentreretail.com

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L a t es t P r od u ct s O u t d oor L i v i n g

Log Store Seat Firepits UK

NOVA LED Flame Range Lifestyle Appliances

he new log store seat makes the perfect garden accessory for the fire pit owner and doubles up as a table when cooking. Hand forged from high uality ritish steel in ales this is a new original design from one of the leading fire pit makers irepits .

ith enhanced fuel efficiency intimate mood lighting and a powerful presence amongst any outdoor living space the A’s compact design makes these outdoor heaters ideal for smaller spaces yet sets of integrated s offer a powerful presence in larger areas.

RRP Launch date April www.firepitsuk.co.uk

RRP . medium . large Launch date uly www.lifestyleappliances.co.uk

Appleton Gazebo Zest 4 Leisure he Appleton is an ideal ga ebo for s and outdoor entertaining. ade from sustainable high uality pressure treated timber the Appleton provides shade or shelter for cooking outdoors. he solid panelled back gives privacy whilst the curved roof with apex supports give it a solid and stylish look.

RRP .

Launch date Available now www.zest4leisure.co.uk

Sarasota Collection Innovators International Ltd nnovators nternational’s updated range of rattan furniture was developed in con unction with its customers’ re uirements. his range was created in response to demand for a mid price range of uality rattan furniture which was affordable to all. t combines some of the company’s bestselling rattan items to create an exclusive selection and is offered in two colours.

RRP heck local stockists Launch date August www.innovators-international.co.uk

Waspinator Waspinator Ltd Miami Collection Firmans Direct Ltd his year sees the launch of the iami collection. arden centres buying into this newest offering from irmans have sold out within days. ith its stylish roll back arms deep cushions rise and fall tables and its iconic wide weave in warm grey tones the iami collection is a modern approach to maintenance free garden furniture.

RRP £1799 Launch date Available now www.firmans irect.com

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he aspinator – as featured on his orning eremy ine adio and ardeners’ orld – is a bestselling gift shop and garden centre impulse purchase. aspinator keeps wasps out of a garden all year without harming them and without using chemicals or poisons. t’s maintenance free – ust hang it up and that’s it all year round. here are new countertop and free standing displays incorporating free sample and sample hanger.

RRP . pack of two Launch date Available now www.waspinator.co.uk

www.gardencentreretail.com

02/06/2021 14:19

Tel: 01778 4

Tel:01778 01778422700 422700 Tel:

Email:sales@timberdisplays.co.uk sales@timberdisplays.co.uk Email:

Tel: 01778 422700

Email: sales

www.timberdisplays.co.uk

www.timber

www.timberdisplays.co.uk www.timberdisplays.co.uk

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For further information please call 01778 422700 or Email: sales@timberdisplays.co.uk We have a lot of showing your spent merchandise to time this year

email us at sales@timberdisplays.co.uk or its full potential. visit our website www.timberdisplays.co.uk

For further information please display products to the garden and and tocentre add an attractive feature to your outlet while remaining competitively priced. call 01778 422700 or email us nursery industries. at sales@timberdisplays.co.uk For further information please call 01778 422700 or visit our website We have spent a lot of time this year www.timberdisplays.co.uk email us at sales@timberdisplays.co.uk or

or We have spent introducing some new products to our range and these can now be found on our website.visit our website www.timberdisplays.co.uk introducing some n sure our products are made to a high specification from pressure treated ncrease your turnover by showing your merchandise to its full potential and these can now

active feature to your outlet while remaining competitively priced.

further information please call 01778 422700 or eemail continued us at sales@timberdisplays.co.uk or to ensure our products are SUBSCRIBE TO isit our website www.timberdisplays.co.uk nd designed to increase your turnov nd to add THE an attractive feature to you

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Glasshouses sourced, refurbished and erected. Venlo specialists. Bespoke structures. All aspects of glasshouse work including reroofing, maintenance, cleaning, gutters and refurbishment Tel: 01724 734374 Fax: 01482 648032 Email: ken@newcenturyglass.co.uk Web: www.newcenturyglasshouses.com

01/06/2021 15:33

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02/06/2021 09:25