GTN April 2025 - Garden Trade News UK

APRIL 2 APRIL 2025 025

gardentradenews.co.uk

Stars Align for Blue Diamond at Roundhouse Awards

Advice & information for garden centre professionals

Floral farewell – Stuart Lowen interview as retirement beckons

THE WAR FOR TALENT MorePeople on how to win

BACKING THE BRAND

RHS Licensed products making an impact

MORE OPENINGS

Five more centres get new life

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Comment

It’s the weather, stupid!

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or once the weather is on our side. A glorious March and early April has seen garden centre sales reaching record levels and the forecast for Easter and beyond is looking set fair too.

At the start of the month we asked garden centre owners about their expectations for Easter and beyond. Their full responses were published in GTN Xtra Issue 14 2025, www. gardentradenews.co.uk Justin Williams at Fron Goch: “We are seeing better like for like growth in our current financial year of 11% , with better plants and furniture sales too and I feel this is likely to continue until the end of year. Odds on we will have better weather than last year too. I’ll put my neck out and say I have strong to high expectations for the rest of year, if international disruption avoids us.”

Sarah Squire at Squires Garden Centres: “After a good March, early April is shaping up well too. It is great to have enjoyed a settled period of lovely spring weather early in the season, following some recent springs where the weather has ranged from below par to dismal.

“Of course the weather is driving this, but with so much economic and geopolitical uncertainty, I believe that plants, gardening and nature can be really uplifting for people.

Will Blake, St Peters Garden Centre in Worcester and GCA Chairman: “It’s been very busy so far, and we’re expecting it to continue through until Easter, and hopefully beyond. A good early start to the season, and now people have started gardening projects, I’m sure they will continue regardless of any dips in the weather.

“Long may the good weather continue! It was

long overdue due and will really help our industry after a couple of very tough years!”

Simon Bourne at Perrywood: “Isn’t it wonderful to see some proper sunshine in spring! It certainly makes us feel much better in this industry.

Mike Burks of The Gardens Group: “We have had an extraordinary start to the season with March 26% up and early April at record levels too. And it is in core gardening and garden furniture where we have the biggest increases.

It’s all down to the weather and a reaction to how dull and wet the winter was.”

“Climate change has meant that the weather is such a lottery that predicting anything is somewhat foolish but I’m cautiously optimistic!”

David Yardley, CEO of Klondyke Garden Centres: “Will this be a good season or an average season, who knows? It will be the weather as always that determines this. It’s good to have some cash in the bank but there are a lot of weeks left in the season. We have to make the most of the good weather whilst we have it but not get carried away.”

Adam Wigglesworth at Ayletts: “Furniture and outdoor living sales are very strong here. We have no problem selling high priced sets and expensive gazebo’s. When the sun comes out the car park is full and people are shopping. We were 24% up in March, not a record breaker but a great start to the year. I’m very chirpy as we have a decent weather forecast for Easter and beyond.”

The last word goes to Derek and Andy Bunker at Altons: “The age-old answer is: Weather, weather, weather. That is 90% of the reason, nothing to do with the timing of Easter. Even with all the doom and economic gloom.”

A P R I L 2025 APRIL 2025

gardentradenews.co.uk

Stars Align for Blue Diamond at Roundhouse Awards

Advice & information for garden centre professionals

Floral farewell – Stuart Lowen interview as retirement beckons

THE WAR FOR TALENT MorePeople on how to win

BACKING THE BRAND

RHS Licensed products making an impact

MORE OPENINGS

Five more centres get new life

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING Garden Trade News Potting Shed Press Ltd Dairy Drove Thorney Peterborough PE6 0TX Tel 01733 775700 www.gardentradenews.co.uk THE GTN TEAM Editor Trevor Pfeiffer trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk Features Editor Anisa Gress anisa@pottinghsedpress.co.uk Advertising Sales Alan Burdon Alan@pottingshedpress.co.uk Digital Editor Neil Pope neil@pottingshedpress.co.uk Subscriptions Karen Pfeiffer karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk Design & Production AT Graphics Ltd www.atgraphicsuk.com Lucy Carnell – Design Alun Jones – Production Manager Robert Tipping – Managing Director James Tipping – Technical Director Printing CG Print Ltd Do you qualify for a copy of GTN?

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In this issue...

Alternatively, if you prefer your Garden Trade News digitally, sign up for GTN Xtra, our weekly e-mail newsletter at www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Potting Shed Press Ltd

The war for talent – More People on how to secure the best candidates

24

Floral farewell – GTN interview’s Stuart Lowen

Advertisers in this Issue 2

Evergreen Garden Care

Backing the brand – RHS Licensed products maximise sales

27

Bedding and seasonal bonanza GTN Planteria

7

GIMA Awards 2025

11

Country Forge – RHS-endorsed from Tildenet

29

Addressing misconceptions about SOLEX – LOFA Viewpoint

10

Plantworks

13

Belvoir Castle

12

Bramblecrest blossoms with the RHS

30

Boosting business development HTA Viewpoint

16

Museums & Galleries

18

spoga+gafa

14

Stars come out for Blue Diamond

31

20

Handy

17

Plan ahead for spoga+gafa 2025

21

Burton McCall

19

New beginnings for centres part 2

28

PATS 2025

22

Best foot forward for Greenfingers – Garden Re-Leaf Day 2025

32

Solex 2025

3 8

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Sunshine, sales and supply – GIMA Viewpoint

Garden Trade News is published by Potting Shed Press Ltd who also publish: GTN Bestsellers, GTN Xtra, Glee Daily News and the Glee Catalogue, and the Solex Sun. Potting Shed Press also supply Garden Radio to over 100 garden centres across the country.

Director Trevor Pfeiffer

SMALL PRINT: All material © Potting Shed Press Ltd 2025. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, either for sale or not, without the express permission of the publishers. The information supplied in this publication is published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. Potting Shed Press Ltd cannot accept responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage caused by reliance on information contained in this publication or in the event of any bankruptcy or liquidation or cassation of the trade of any company, individual or firm mentioned, is hereby excluded.

April 2025 3

Interview

The war for talent

Celebrating 25 years of recruitment, Guy Moreton and Andy Fitzmaurice talk to GTN about the journey of MorePeople and how garden centres can secure the best candidates.

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ith backgrounds in the cut flower business, Guy Moreton and Peter Hunt had a plan to build a one-stop-shop for horticultural retailers. Selling everything from fresh cut and silk flowers through to shrubs and pots, the concept was to buy a company already dealing in one of these core businesses and, over time, buy more to bolt on.

Luckily for horticultural recruitment, and all the companies that have since secured the right staff through MorePeople, it didn’t happen. They worked hard to find and buy the right business,

4 April 2025

but things just weren’t working out. “I was getting very frustrated,” says Guy who adds they were pipped to the post too many times and losing out on opportunities from companies like Lingarden and Flamingo.

It was through one of their many contacts and conversations, Guy was offered a job as a commercial director.

He turned it down but promised to find the company the right person. Hunt More Ltd didn’t have a name that conjured up the idea of recruitment, so Guy and Peter formed MorePeople and put their first advert in The Grocer magazine.

While forging ahead with their original

business concept, requests for help with recruitment kept coming. “We were doing more and more recruitment and really enjoying it. We were loving talking to people,” says Guy Working from Guy’s garage in Huntingdon, Peter’s finance background in fresh produce and horticulture meant he could help companies looking for financial, technical and operational skills, while Guy was able to deal with sales teams. After just two years, help with admin was sought and an office in Stamford secured. Since then the business has moved twice to accommodate the growing team which

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Interview

Guy, Andy and Richard Hanwell, Managing Director, in Stamford where the business is based.

Chairman Guy Moreton, and Andy Fizmaurice, CEO.

now numbers 37.

“Initially our clients were supermarket suppliers of flowers, plants and produce because those were the sectors we knew really well,” says Guy. “They remain important to us because we are industry specialists, we care about the industry and understand its dynamics.” But as the business has grown, it has expanded into more sectors, with garden centres being one of them.

This was further enhanced in 2004 with the purchase of The Peepul Bureau, an established recruitment agency for garden centres run by Carol Holland.

Carol was looking to retire so selling her business to MorePeople was a good opportunity. The two businesses ran separately for a few years but eventually all garden centre recruitment was absorbed into MorePeople. “We immediately halved our marketing spend because we were only marketing one brand rather two,” recalls Guy.

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A new decade After 10-years, MorePeople took on recruitment specialist Andy Fitzmaurice, now CEO. Andy recalls how Guy was initially reluctant to employ him, but Andy persevered. “Guy liked hiring people who'd worked in the ‘real world’ of commercial horticulture, food or garden centres, but my experience was decidedly not real world,” he says. “But I think I came along at the right time as he and Peter were scratching their heads as to what the succession and the future of the business looked like”. Andy recalls how all the knowledge of the company was either stored in a filing cabinets or in the minds of Guy and Peter, and that needed to be changed.

Andy introduced and embedded new systems, a vision and culture which have enabled the company to grow and become more robust. “The environment influences the culture, the culture influences the attitudes, and the attitudes influence the passion and quality of the work. There have been hundreds if not thousands of very small, fairly easily implementable things that

we've put in place, and all of them for the arms race for talent, for our employees, and for finding other ways of adding value to our clients,” he says.

These changes enabled Peter Hunt to retire and leave a strong, forward-facing business. “We still have that passion and pedigree for the sector and want to find other ways of adding value to our clients beyond just filling vacancies. It's our goal to be to be viewed as being integral to the sector and not a peripheral hanger on which is why we lead the way with added value such as salary surveys, succession white papers and podcasts,” says Andy.

Staff retention Regardless of the sector, keeping hold of good staff is important, but Guy recognises that in the world of recruitment, ‘there always going to be some churn’. "It's not necessarily a vocation and many are university leavers, but the benefit of talking to hundreds of clients and candidates, is that we hear what works in other businesses and if any are congruent with our values, then we will try and make it work for us."

April 2025 5

Interview

Incentives, like Team of the Month, keep the MorePeople team invested in their own careers.

He explains this ranges from paying people what they're worth to having attractive bonus commission schemes, private healthcare, and incentives galore to hit targets, whether it's peer-nominated small weekly prizes or quarterly incentives for those that deliver above and beyond their targets. “We also lean heavily on external training to make sure people have got a career journey and feel invested in. It's not just a superficial, short term stuff,” he adds.

MorePeople also holds an annual conference and a Christmas party which in 2024 was held at nearby Rutland Nursery. “I would sooner spend the money locally or with a client,” says Guy.

key to how well MorePeople can sell the roles they need filling. “We need clients that care about how we perceive them because that is how we sell them and how the relationship blossoms. The better the relationship and the more we know about the business, the better we can sell their business,” Guy explains.

The term ‘war for talent’ has been used separately by Guy and Andy. “Because it is a war and it’s getting tougher.

A good person will get three or four job offers,” says Guy. He explains candidates still have to work hard to sell themselves and ask the right questions but if the client hasn’t work hard enough to sell them the job, its perks, career pathway and reasons why they need to take the role, someone else will employ them.

The interview process is also important as, says Andy ‘you only get one chance to make a first impression’ and people want to be sold a job not grilled. But few people, apart from recruiters, are trained to lead an

You only get one chance to make a first impression…

Garden centre recruitment

Today garden centres and suppliers to the sector account for around a third of MorePeople’s recruitment business. “I think it’s fair to say that we dominate the garden centre recruitment market now,” says Guy. Finding people for permanent, full time and salaried roles generally from £25,000 a year, the company also considers interim roles at management level. Most roles are planteria supervisors, section managers, and increasingly in catering. “For years, we held off on the basis there are so many catering recruiters out there. But we're recruiting their garden centre staff so naturally there’s a conversation to be had about recruiting restaurant managers and caterers,” says Guy. British Garden Centres and Blue Diamond are among MorePeople’s The MorePeople clients, but Guy is ‘chasing down office – an inviting space to work with the bigger independents’ and plants and natural is delighted with how it’s going. light.

Fostering a strong relationship is

6 April 2025

interview. “A lot of the first interviews won't yield the right candidate, so you're going to have to do it more times than seems necessary. And what happens for candidates if it doesn’t go well? They're going tell their colleagues and partners about the experience which could damage your company brand. And that's even more important if you're a garden centre because everybody you meet is a potential customer, and they in turn, know lots of people. Fortunately, most of the good garden centres do this well which is why they grow and employ good people,” says Guy. Expectations of the working environment in a garden centre are higher than, for example high street retailing, so it should attract a higher calibre of people. “And other shops and businesses will be fighting hard for those people too,” says Guy. Unfortunately there aren't enough people coming through horticultural colleges with industry qualifications to fulfil all the roles so a good business will be a bit broader minded about recruitment and who they employ.

“Of course, occasionally you need expertise. We get that. But often the expertise might be in a different product. And if that person has the skill set, competency and attitude then they are the right one. At interview there are ways to test capability and competence, but the attitude of an individual is rarely tested.

“Good people will always be needed. Even now with a slightly less buoyant economic climate than we've experienced previously, we still think it's quite positive. And the war for talent is still very, very hot,” says Guy.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

RHS Licensing

A win win win situation for the RHS, garden centres and customers. Products bearing the RHS logo send out a clear message that reassures customers they are buying quality.

Backing the brand

Garden centres can maximise their leverage of the RHS brand as more products gain endorsement.

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ith the RHS Chelsea Flower Show beginning to grab the gardening headlines, it’s the natural time to be promoting RHS Licensed Products. This spring the RHS has given its backing to a further three companies which are now able to promote their products with the RHS logo bringing the number of companies with RHS approval or endorsement to 52.

8 April 2025

Although some products are unlikely to be sold in garden centres, the majority are perfectly aligned to garden centre retailing and its customers. Two of the new lines are, Tildenet’s Country Forge brand of garden supports and structures and AutoPot’s environmentally friendly, automatic watering system. Both now highlight the RHS logo on packaging, point-of-sale material, and online.

Products given the backing of the RHS align, in some way, with its ethical, environmental and sustainability aims. They take inspiration from the five RHS Gardens, such as Bramblecrest’s outdoor furniture ranges named after the gardens, its scientific work or the botanical illustrations held in the RHS Lindley Library. Burgon and Ball’s gift line of tools which are decorated with Passiflora, a watercolour from 1790 and Chinese hand-coloured engravings of songbirds and foliage dating to 1819.

About the AutoPot watering system

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RHS Licensing

RHS Licensed Products from companies that are sold through garden centres.

• Agriframes High-quality garden structures and accessories.

• AutoPot Responsive, zero-waste automatic plant watering systems.

• Bramblecrest Premium outdoor furniture including the RHS by Bramblecrest.

• Burgon & Ball Quality stainless steel tools and cutting tools and gardening gifts, featuring designs inspired by the RHS Lindley Collections.

• Caspari Exquisitely designed paper plates, napkins and stationery.

• Cottage Delight Premium food gifts using traditional, artisanal methods.

• Dexam Kitchen linens and accessories specialist and children’s lunch bags, drinking bottles and aprons.

• DJ Turfcare’s Child and pet-friendly organic and organicbased lawn fertiliser.

• Empathy by Plantworks Biological products containing rootgrow™ mycorrhizal fungi to promote plant growth.

• Frances Lincoln Beautifully illustrated diaries, address books, journals and notebooks.

• Freckleface Home Fragrance RHS Heritage and Botanics apothecary ranges, including candles, reed diffusers, room sprays and oils.

• Gabriel Ash RHS-endorsed timber greenhouses or cold frames.

• Genus Garden Ware Durable, high-performance gardening trousers and clothing.

• Gold Leaf Leather gardening gloves providing comfort, dexterity and durability.

Cathy Snow, RHS Licensing Manager says: “These systems are not only good for the environment but cost-saving and highly efficient – big pluses for both gardeners and the RHS. They also support making gardening accessible to all, whether in a greenhouse or on a patio, balcony or allotment.”

From AutoPot’s point of view, the partnership brings other benefits. It

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• Hartley Botanic The only aluminium glasshouse and greenhouse endorsed by the RHS. • Haws Watering Cans Handmade in England to make watering plants a pleasure.

• Melcourt Peat-free composts, bark mulch, grits and sands.

• Moorcroft Fine-art pottery, using heritage craft techniques.

• Mr Fothergill’s Seeds Flower and vegetable seed ranges.

• Scholastic Illustrated RHS children’s activity books to inform and entertain.

• SOCKSHOP High-quality socks and RHS designs.

• Sophie Allport Timeless homewares inspired by nature.

• The House of Sarunds Distributes world-class chocolate and confectionery to retail.

• The Somerset Toiletry Company Bath and body products.

• Tildenet Gardenware Horticultural specialist with the Country Forge range of stylish handcrafted garden structures.

• UK Greetings Publisher of RHS greetings cards.

• VegTrug Space-saving, posture-aiding raised planters and beds.

• West Design Products Arts and crafts kits for adults and children.

• Whichford Pottery British terracotta flowerpots with a 10year frostproof guarantee.

• Willsow Plantable products, including an RHS calendar.

• Woodlodge Terracotta, glazed and fibre clay garden pots.

says that connecting with established and aspiring gardeners has always been a priority and as a producer of powerfree, zero-waste irrigation systems, it has long been keen to communicate the ecological and lifestyle benefits of its approach to plant care. Having an endorsement from such a trusted, go-to authority as the RHS will help it immeasurably in achieving these aims.

April 2025 9

RHS Licensing

RHS Licensed products featured prominently at Blue Diamond Huntingdon Garden & Home

Technology supporting regenerative farming

10 April 2025

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Promotion

Fill the garden with quality Tildenet Gardenware launches the RHS-endorsed Country Forge Range of handcrafted garden structures, hanging baskets, and plant supports.

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eading independent horticultural specialist, Tildenet Gardenware, have announced the launch of a their RHS-endorsed Country Forge Range.

This beautifully handcrafted collection of garden structures, hanging baskets, and plant supports has been developed in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and will be available from April 2025.

The collaboration combines Tildenet’s dedication to quality craftsmanship with the RHS prestigious reputation, offering gardeners a stylish selection of elegant and functional garden products - each item in the Country Forge Range bears the iconic RHS logo reserved for products of the highest standards of quality and authenticity.

The Country Forge brand is reinforced with strong ‘Hand Crafted’ messaging on packaging and clear point-of-sale displays, giving customers confidence in the range’s traditional high-quality appeal.

Andrew Downey, Managing Director at Tildenet welcomed the partnership: “We are thrilled to be working alongside the RHS to bring these stylish and practical products to gardeners everywhere. This partnership

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Arches in Round and Gothic designs can be easily converted into stunning walkways using the extension kit, while obelisks available in five striking designs create instant impact in the garden. highlights our ongoing commitment to innovation and quality, ensuring we provide top-tier products that inspire and support gardeners in creating stunning outdoor spaces.”

Cathy Snow, RHS Licensing Manager, added: “Tildenet is renowned for its exceptional quality and stylish gardening products. The RHS is pleased to endorse the Country Forge Range, which offers a comprehensive selection of garden structures, plant supports, and hanging baskets designed to appeal to gardeners across the UK.” This partnership with the RHS underscores Tildenet’s positon as a market leader in horticulture, reflecting its dedication to developing high-quality products that inspire and support gardeners worldwide.

Garden structures With a powder coated steel construction ensuring the products are both beautiful and robust, the versatile RHS Endorsed Country Forge range offers a variety of styles to suit any garden setting.

Plant supports, screens & trellis Complementary Border Edging, Screens and Trellis are available in three classic styles and are finished in a matt black powder coated finish for a stylish and traditional hand-crafted look.

A versatile range of quality powder coated steel plant supports ensure that borders are kept looking at their best year after year.

Hanging baskets Traditional hand-crafted Hanging Baskets and Troughs complete the range. Three styles of basket are available with a range of Brackets and Accessories providing everything needed to create stunning displays.

To place your order visit www.tildenetgardenware.co.uk email: info@tildenetgardenware.co.uk or speak to your sales agent

April 2025 11

Promotion

An instant garden classic – the Rosemoor sofa and two benches with adjustable table.

Bramblecrest blossoms with the RHS Bramblecrest, the premium outdoor furniture brand, has been licensed by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to produce RHS by Bramblecrest, an exclusive outdoor dining, lounging and accessories collection for 2025.

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his year marks the 25th anniversary of Bramblecrest Garden Furniture.

As the long-standing Cotswoldbased company continues its commitment to product innovation and brand development, becoming an RHS licensee is the perfect celebration of this important milestone.

Leveraging this year’s industry trends of neutral and earthy colour palettes, the collection features soft shades of beige, mocha and green, with scatter cushions in beautiful botanical prints, inspired by

artwork from the RHS Lindley Collections.

Allowing garden lovers to bring an organic feel to their outdoor spaces.

Each range is named after a beloved RHS location: RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, RHS Garden Rosemoor in Devon and RHS Bridgewater in Greater Manchester. Wisley’s aluminium frame, in sage or mocha, with matching deep-filled cushions blend seamlessly with surrounding foliage and flowers.

Bridgewater’s intricate cast-aluminium detailing pays homage to classic English garden style, perfect for courtyards and walled gardens.

Meanwhile, the Rosemoor’s open-weave rattan and warm, neutral cushions create an instant garden classic. Printed scatter cushions, with filling made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, provide the finishing touches for each range.

The products form the focal point of this year’s 25 years of Good Times campaign, embracing a lifestyle and experienceled approach to the customer’s garden furniture purchasing journey. An extensive library of POS, lifestyle and product imagery is available for use by RHS collection stockists.

Tim Pennell, Head of Sales, Bramblecrest says: “We’re delighted to be working with the UK’s best-known gardening charity to bring this wonderful range of high-quality, stylish garden furniture to outdoor areas, across the UK.”

Explore the full collection at bramblecrest.com/rhs-collection.

For more information and pricing, please contact your dedicated account manager or email sales@bramblecrest.co.uk.

Elements from the RHS Wisley and the RHS Bridgeewater collections.

12 April 2025

® The Royal Horticultural Society. Trade marks of The Royal Horticultural Society (Registered Charity No 222879/SC038262) used under licence from RHS Enterprises Ltd.

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Industry awards

The team from Newbridge Nurseries in West Sussex proudly take home The Oak Cup Award 2024 for the best larger Blue Diamond centre.

Stars come out for Blue Diamond More than 700 members of the Blue Diamond team attended a star-studded evening at Roundhouse in London to celebrate a year of achievements.

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ondon’s famous Roundhouse venue has hosted rock legends and performers from The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix through to Elton John and Britney Spears. And at the 2025 Blue Diamond Awards, it added another very special guest to its line up with Alan Roper, the centre’s Managing Director taking the stage dressed 80’s pop heart-throb Adam Ant.

All 700 attendees of teams and guests were encouraged to dress as their favourite rock and roll, or pop heroes and they eagerly took up the challenge. The evening of fun, awards and presentations was partnered with announcements about recent new acquisitions and the news that in 2024, turnover reached £335m. Highest growth was recorded in Fashion

up 15% and with profits of £19.1m, followed closely by Christmas up 13% with profits of £10.3m.

For 2025, Alan has his sights on a £400m turnover but stressed the profit would be affected by £11.6m due to increases to the minimum wage and National Insurance contributions.

Left: Alan Roper in full swing as Adam Ant’s ‘Dandy Highwayman’.

Right: Wilton House Garden Centre in Wiltshire won The Acorn Cup Award 2024 for the best smaller Blue Diamond site.

14 April 2025

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Industry awards Blue Diamond Awards 2025 – Full Winners List Destination Garden Centre of the Year • The Oak Award: Newbridge

Core Garden Centre of the Year • The Acorn Award: Wilton House

Restaurant of the Year • OAK: Grosvenor • ACORN: Nailsworth

Department Awards • Stock Management: Redfields • Customer Experience: Sanders • Home: Adam Smith - East Bridgford, Laura Ross - Coton Orchard • Fashion: Tracey Bull - East Bridgford, Lyn Walklet - Trelawney • Christmas: Sophie Dawson - Le Friquet, Sadie Baker- Peterborough • The Magic Of Christmas: Max Davey / Esther Knaggs - Great Amwell, Bijal Mistry / Amy Robers - Fryers • Outdoor Furniture: Matthew Gouveia - Le Friquet, Sadie Baker - Peterborough • Gardening: Pat Langford -Le Friquet, Anne O'Hare - Tunbridge Wells • Seeds and Bulbs: Mollie Oliver - Derby, Daniela Underhill - Nailsworth • Wild Animal: Darren Gillott - East Bridgford, Claire Poulton - Harlow • Seasonal Plants: Emma Nash - Cadbury, Eliane Purcell - Lower Morden • Hardy Plants: Gita Evertovska - Redfields, Dick Plug - Chatsworth • Indoor Plants: Maria Carney - St Peters, Annette Dexter - Chenies • Food retailer: Kirsty Membery - Cadbury, Sharon Strange / Ian Richardson – 3 Shires • Barista of the Year: Chloe Sum - Sanders • Head Chef: Adam Winters - Melbicks • Pastry Chef: Joanne Romera - Bicester Origins • Origins of the Year: Mere Park

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

April 2025 15

Great British brands. One great collection.

E: sales@mgml.co.uk

museumsgalleries.co.uk

Tel: 01373 462165

spoga+gafa

Plan ahead for

spoga+gafa International outdoor living show spoga+gafa moves to a mid-week event with a focus on design in gardens and products.

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n the face of political and economic uncertainty, gardening and outdoor living continue to hold their own.

Plants, the green industry and garden design are proving crucial in climate mitigation and future market growth, and spoga+gafa 2025 is looking to strengthen this further with a vibrant, mid-week show.

Claudia Maurer, the new Director of spoga+gafa, says the move to mid week dates was decided upon after much discussion with exhibitors and visitors.

For 2025, the show will focus on the role that design plays in the look, feel and design for modern gardens, patios and balconies. “Design connects ideas, function and form, it reflects cultural influences and values, outlives short-term trends and unites sustainability and efficiency.”

New features for this year include the Start Up Square devoted to up and coming young businesses and Outdoor Kitchen World – the centre piece for live bbq shows

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and lectures. The Boulevard of Trends and Green Ideas is the meeting point to see current trends and new products while the POS Green Solutions Island will help with inspiration to sell outdoor living all year round. After their debuts last year, the Cooling World and BBQ for Every Wallet areas return with refreshed looks.

With 90% of the exhibitor stand sold out by early March, and companies such as 4 Seasons Outdoor, Yeti Uk, Ooni GmbH and Capi Europe already booked, it looks like this year’s show is the place to see the latest trends and ideas to help sell more outdoor living products.

To make the most of a visit and see the best highlights, spoga+gafa is offering guided tours of the show, with an Englishspeaking guide, lasting 45 minutes. spoga+gafa 2025 24 - 26 June Kolnmesse, Cologne, Germany www.spogagafa.com

April 2025 17

spoga+gafa 2025: 24 – 26 June, Cologne

The world’s biggest garden and BBQ trade fair.

THE ENTIRE DIVERSITY OF THE GARDEN INDUSTRY IN ONE LOCATION. Also beyond this spoga+gafa offers the widest and deepest range of products in the global garden industry.

One-stop shopping at the best time for ordering for all segments of the garden!

garden living

garden bbq

garden unique

• Furniture + shading

• BBQ trends and innovations

• Premium furniture

• Decorations & equipment

• Outdoor kitchens

• Sports & games

• BBQ accessories

Learn more and discover our exhibitors and special areas at spogagafa.com

International Business Media Services Ltd. info@koelnmesse.co.uk Tel.: +44 1425 48 68 30 #spogagafa #designgardens | spogagafa.com

Garden centre revitalisation

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ive more centres have reopened this month following major refurbishments by new owners. Four have previously been Dobbies garden centres and are now part of the Blue Diamond and British Garden Centres families. One has returned to the previous owners before it was a Dobbies while Caulders Garden Centres in central Scotland has reached a significant milestone with the opening of its 10th site and at The Old Railway Line the opening of a brand-new Entrance Building and Covered Plant Area marked the Garden Centre’s 35th anniversary.

Caulders Linlithgow

New owners for a new gardening year Following last month’s update on garden centres opening under new ownership, GTN continues to record a busy period for garden centre re-openings and re-furbishment.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Colin and Mandy Barrie, owners of Caulders have opened Caulders Garden Centre, Linlithgow. They bought the site, formally Forth Valley Garden Centre, last year and have invested more than £1million in its refurbishment. “When Caulders was founded, reaching double figures in the number of garden centres was never something we imagined,” says Colin Barrie. “This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our fantastic team and the ongoing support of our loyal customers.”

The garden centre has undergone a substantial transformation and now offers a comprehensive and diverse range of plants, garden essentials, homeware, and gifts. As with all Caulders locations, a strong emphasis has been placed on creating a welcoming atmosphere that encourages customers to enjoy both retail and hospitality in equal measure.

Blue Diamond Harlestone Heath A proud moment for the teams at Blue Diamond Harlestone Heath in Northamptonshire as the new-look store opened for business on 24 March. Blue Diamond Managing Director Alan Roper reports that the re-opened centre took £250k in it’s first week and has settled at £200k per week since then.

April 2025 19

Garden centre revitalisation

The re-opening marks the start of a new chapter for Rowena and once again suppliers pulled out all the stops to help get the centre set up for spring trading. Product offerings have the added dimension of ranges through from APAC owned by the same family. The team from Corby + Fellas were on hand at the opening to ensure smooth sign ups of the Rowena Rewards loyalty app.

Rowena Garden Centre

Blue Diamond Huntingdon

In Leicester, Rowena Garden Centre, re-opened on April 5 back in the hands of the family who started the Rowena business more than 30 years ago. Led

by Roger Mackay, three generations of the family were on hand to welcome customers back to the site after a six-week re-generation following the closure by Dobbies.

Blue Diamond MD, Alan Roper, along with the Easter Bunny welcomed hundreds of queuing customers at the opening of Huntingdon Garden & Home on Thursday 12th April. The store, previously part of the Garden & Leisure group and then Wyevale, had been closed by Dobbies at the end of 2024 as part of their restructuring plan. Alan Roper told GTN Xtra: "Huntingdon (ex VAT) took £206k in the first first 4 days, Thursday to Sunday."

A notable welcome return for customers at Huntingdon was the Walter Smith butchers counter, reported by Alan Roper as taking £1m

per year when the centre itself was taking less than £3m per year. Alongside that is now a vibrant fruit and veg offering supplied by Tommy who also provides fruit and veg to Great Amwell, Frosts and Beckworth Blue Diamond centres Customers will have to wait until Phase two of the re-opening in Autumn 2025 for the fashion department and some new in-store concessions.

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20 April 2025

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Garden centre revitalisation

The Old Railway Line Garden Centre

BGC Northampton Garden Centre Northampton Garden Centre reopened on Saturday 14th April after being acquired by British Garden Centres only 6 weeks prior.

TV and radio presenter Nicki Chapman performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony as hundreds of visitors waited to see the new store in Newport Pagnell Rd, Wootton.

Amy Stubbs told GTN: “We are super pleased with the results from Northampton. The numbers came in a lot better than we were expecting with a very high basket spend!”

Staff numbers have more than doubled across

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the garden centre and The Gardener’s Retreat Restaurant which has undergone an expansion, now featuring a new carvery along with an updated menu of freshly prepared meals, light bites, and desserts.

Northampton Garden Centre was the first purpose built garden centre for Wyevale when it fifirst rst opened and previous managers of the centre during those times, Neil and Nicci Gow were also industry guests at the opening.

The Old Railway Line Garden Centre welcomed hundreds of visitors through the doors on Saturday 12th April for the grand opening of its brand-new Entrance Building and Covered Plant Area. The event also marked a significant milestone – the Garden Centre’s 35th anniversary.

Huw Lewis, Finance Director of The Old Railway Line Garden Centre, said: “It was such a special day for us, made even more memorable by the support and excitement from our customers. After months of hard work, seeing so many smiling faces enjoying the new space was a truly proud moment.”

April 2025 21

Garden Re-Leaf Day

All set for the South Walk.

Best foot forward for Greenfingers In March, the industry came together to walk, run, cycle and hold fun events at their centres for Garden Re-Leaf Day and raise money for Greenfingers Charity.

O

nce again, the industry pulled out all the stops in aid of the Greenfingers Charity and got wholeheartedly involved in Garden Re-Leaf Day. Says current Chair Boyd Douglas-Davis who came up with the idea for the FUNdraising day back in 2011: “Who would have thought that Garden Re-Leaf Day would become a feature of the industry calendar and go on to raise more than £1million, and counting, for the Greenfingers Charity?”

BGC Newton Regis Garden Centre, donned green wigs and drummed up funds via a raffle.

22 April 2025

As fundraising events continue beyond the actual day, the final sum raised The team at is still being added up but it will be BGC Charlbury announced at the Greenfingers Garden Centre set themselves a Charity Floral Ball on 26 June at 58km exercise bike Coombe Abbey in Coventry. challenge.

Raffle and charity book sale at BGC Wolseley Bridge.

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Garden Re-Leaf Day

Lined up and ready for the North Walk.

initiative, which rewarded customers every time they donated, featuring everything from a free primrose to 20% off all plants in their trolley!

The Blue Diamond Group also joined the effort by supporting Chris Jesson’s Guernsey Walk around the coastline of this beautiful island, further demonstrating the retail industry’s commitment to this important cause.

Sander Teunissen of Kaemingk, the international decoration supplier, travelled all the way from The Netherlands to take part in the South Walk. His participation was further bolstered by an incredible £2,025 donation from Kaemingk.

Garden centres show the love On Friday 21st March, two groups of sponsored walkers set off from BGC Tring Garden Centre in Hertfordshire and the Holmfirth region of North Yorkshire. Two cyclists and 63 walkers took part in the South Walk, while 14 hiked the beautiful Yorkshire track for the North Walk led by local Greenfingers Ambassadors, Jane Lawler and Will Armitage and sponsored by STV International.

As the walks and bike ride got underway, garden centres around the country hosted fantastic events of their own to drum up vital funds for Greenfingers Charity. These included British Garden Centres where cake sales, bingo nights, donating plants and giving the Greenfingers garden at St Andrews Hospice a

Gardening guru and social media influencer, Chris Jesson, finished his mammoth 39-mile trek along the Guernsey coastal path and raised more than £1000.

spring tidy up, raised £20k on the day.

Centres in the Haskins family organised tombolas and raffles while the Ferndown site also hosted an additional prize draw and a Floral Day. Old Railway Line held a Curry and Quiz Night, while a dedicated team from Carrgate Garden Centre took on a 16-mile sponsored walk.

Customers at Pugh’s Garden Village supported the cause through a special product promotion, Longacres held a raffle and Millbrook Garden Centre once again held a Donate and Save

Top Left: Pedal power at the ready for the South Walk cycle.

Top Right: Runners synchronise watches as they set off from Tring.

Bottom: Fun on the South Walk.

Supportive suppliers Suppliers also stepped up. Smart Garden organised volunteering efforts at Helen & Douglas House, while Centurion Europe and Mulch hosted a Florals and Fun day. Evergreen held a bake sale, Woodmansterne ran a cake sale and raffle, and Gardengram sold signed T-shirts to raise funds.

Shopping channel QVC contributed through donations from the proceeds of two dedicated shows while Rob Jones and his team from the Garden Design Co organised a Sow and Grow Day at the Alitex Garden Pop-Up at Torberry Farm, South Harting.

“On behalf of the Greenfingers Charity I want to say a great big thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who got involved in Garden Re-Leaf Day this year and helped make it such a success,” says Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising & Communications.

“Without the garden industry pulling together like this the work of Greenfingers simply wouldn’t be possible.”

There is still time to donate to the 2025 Garden Re-Leaf effort by visiting: www. justgiving.com/greenfingers/donate Or take part in other events: • The Greenfingers 650 mile Challenge ongoing • The Floral Ball – 26 June • The Greenfingers Dragon Boat Race – 6 July • The Greenfingers Charity Wing Walk – 28 August • Charity Challenge to the summit of Mount Kilamanjaro – 10-21 June 2026 For more details visit: www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk

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April 2025 23

Interview

Stuart with the late Barbara Windsor in 2004 promoting Vivacious Violas.

In the late 1980’s when bizzy lizzy was all the rage.

Floral farewell As retirement beckons, Stuart Lowen, Marketing Manager at Ball, looks back on the industry's resilience, innovation and breeding breakthroughs.

S

tuart Lowen has been a friendly face at Ball for 37 years, keen to share his seasonal plant knowledge with all. But this spring he is retiring and taking a step back – he might even be able to take a summer holiday! But before he disappeared into his own garden, he took time to speak to GTN and share his thoughts on what’s shaped the industry and how he sees its future.

Since 1988, Stuart has been based at West Adderbury in Oxfordshire, his first post being Trials Manager. At the time the business was Colegrave Seeds, but as it developed so did his career and he was able to make his way to Marketing Manager at what is now Ball.

Things were perhaps a little simpler then. Around 90% of bedding plants were

24 April 2025

Part of the judging panel at RHS Tatton Park Flower Show.

grown in garden borders, and the range was small. Petunias, marigolds, geraniums and mesembryanthemum were in vogue with busy lizzie the most important of them all. Today the availability list is in the thousands, busy lizzie accounts for a much smaller percentage, and container growing has taken the lead.

“When I joined, I was very fortunate.

The business wanted to develop the trial grounds so built a shiny new greenhouse, which at the time, reflected the latest in greenhouse design and technology,” he says. This marked the evolution of the Showcase which now hosts three open events every year and is the place for growers, retailers and landscapers to come together to see and compare new and exciting seasonal plants.

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Interview

When Stuart joined the company, the seed list was a pamphlet.

In 2002, Impatiens were still number one and today full colour books are the norm.

Firm foundations

Headed up by David Colegrave, who Stuart describes as a ‘pioneer’, Colegrave Seeds began in the 1960. David was a keen traveller and understood the industry was global and not just local.

“He was keen to introduce plants that were commercially beneficial to the industry and the growers but were also great in the garden,” says Stuart. “He was the first person to bring F1 hybrid flower seed, such as impatiens, into the UK and at the time, everybody thought it was crazy

because this seed was so expensive. But very soon the benefits of what F1 stood for from a commercial point of view were demonstrated.”

This coincided with the early days of automated plug plant production which demanded uniformity, reliability and high seed emergence to guarantee a quality young plant. “It quickly became clear that F1 hybrids were going to be at the forefront of the industry. Even though the seed was more expensive, production became more efficient and cost effective,” says Stuart.

“It represented a quantum shift in the way the bedding plant industry was able to move forwards. And from a retail point of view, growers were able to produce a more reliable, accessible and more affordable product for garden centres.”

Alongside F1 seed, Stuart started to work more closely with plants produced vegetatively from cuttings and micropropagation which brought a whole new raft of opportunities and significant improvements. “For the retailer and home gardener we can now have plants in our gardens we would never have dreamt of, and breeders are enhancing and developing these plants to make them even more suitable for the UK climate,” says Stuart.

Disaster out of the blue In 2003 and again in 2007, impatiens downy mildew wiped out all busy lizzie from planterias. “From breeders to distribution companies, we all agreed to take impatiens off the market. But the wonderful thing about plant breeding is that it became the holy grail to develop a plant with high resistance,” recalls Stuart.

Less than a decade later, and Ball Colegrave introduced the impatiens Beacon® series. Although initially it had a

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limited colour palette, this was offset by its ability to withstand this devastating disease.

This was a significant development, and in his time at Ball Colegrave, Stuart has been involved in bringing retailers groundbreaking introductions. “We have a cupboard full of awards for novelties like Petunia Bees Knees and Petunia Black Velvet but in the background, there are always lots of silent improvements which help growers to be more efficient and successful.”

One of these has been the concept of the Speedplanter, introduced about 10 years ago, which have seven premium colour coordinated plants in a shallow pot which can be easily dropped into a final retail container. Stuart explains this revolutionised production for growers, as it saved space and quickly establish a saleable product. “It’s been a really successful solution for growers when space is at a premium and for the end customer. They get a mixed container without the fuss of choosing all the individual plants.”

Shaping decisions The changing climate and weather are increasingly influencing the decision process when it comes to plant breeding and buying. “The public are more aware and concerned and that’s driving the way we develop plants, what we grow and what we retail. We work closely with plant breeders who are actively trying to find plants more resilient for climates around the world. From our point of view, we want to make sure we select plants resilient for the UK climate and growing conditions we face,” says Stuart.

The market has changed but the desire for seasonal colour remains the same as it was in 1988. “You would buy plants, plant them, get the summer display and then throw them away. That’s not changed,” says Stuart. “What has changed is the format. Today we tend to sell plants in a larger pot that are a bit more forgiving. It’s already in flower but will still give the same amount of pleasure in the garden.”

Industry relationships Stuart is a firm believer that good relationships are the secret of success.

“We’ve always valued being part of the relationship triangle with us, the grower and the retailer. Trust and working together is so important and much stronger than it’s ever been. Those working closely together seem to reap the greater benefits,” says Stuart.

April 2025 25

Interview

"Our part is to ensure we show ideas, retail concepts and up and coming varieties, so retailers are at the leading edge of new plants to market. What we don't want is for retailers and growers to be surprised when something appears in our catalogue and they have missed the opportunity to see it growing beforehand."

Pasture not so new Making the decision to retire hasn’t been easy. “It’s a hard decision and I will miss this place tremendously. It’s been a really exciting 37 years. I've travelled to Australia, China, Canada, and over Europe, meeting lots of exciting people and visiting great places. Just being a very small part of the company’s history is lovely. But now is the time to step aside and for the team of talented people at Ball Colegrave to move the marketing forwards," says Stuart.

Although he’s leaving Ball, Stuart’s

experience will continue to be appreciated.

He continues as a member of the RHS Ornamental Plants Expert Group and part of the Floral Fantasia at RHS Garden Hyde Hall, set up by the late Peter Seabrook, as a garden to offer a bridge between the industry and home gardeners.

“For the industry, this is really important because it’s an opportunity, and there are not many of them, where the commercial world can expose the gardening public to the cutting-edge plant breeding.”

Stuart will also continue to be a Trustee of the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation. “The Ball Company has been Petunia Black Velvet really kind to me and and Bees Knees have given me opportunities been recognised with many industry so it’s nice to give awards. something back to the young people coming into the industry."

Stuart's stars of the future

Value begonias Offering great value for money and performing well in all conditions are begonias.

“They're easy to maintain, always bright and colourful, and have foliage which contrasts really well with the flowers. In the past we’ve had the semperflorens and nonstop types with not much in between, but now we're exposed to so many wonderful varieties with all sorts of great features.”

Mediterranean feel Of the industry influencers shoring up the future of seasonal plants, Stuart believes calibrachoa is at the top because of its colour combinations, ease of growing and weather resistance. Million Bells was the forerunner catching the imagination of both growers and gardeners. “But it was misunderstood. It didn’t like hard water, being wet or cold and it wasn’t incredibly floriferous as it tended to flower on the tips of the plants and not the whole canopy.”

"Varieties like Calibarchoa Cabaret® (pictured) have revolutionised baskets and containers in the garden and I think this is only the tip of the iceberg," he says. “They have revolutionised baskets and containers in the garden, and I think this is only the tip of the iceberg,” he says.

26 April 2025

Dahlia Gardenetta Velvet Crush

Dazzling dahlias “Everybody seems to love dahlias,” says Stuart who adds there is lots of breeding work going on behind the scenes. "We are finding strong, robust plants that are naturally branched and busy with large flowers, wonderful colour and contrasting foliage such as Dahlia Gardenetta®. They easily fill containers and borders."

Plants with a more tropical feel are also on the rise, illustrated with Lanata Passion Fruit (above) voted favourite by visitors to the Ball Colegrave summer 2024 trials.

Mandevilla Tropicana ® (pictured) was placed in 10th place which hints at its potential as a basket and container plant for summer-long colour even though it has a long way to go before gardeners are familiar with it. “It looks great on the end of benches in planterias with clear point of sale,” says Stuart. “It should be part of the general pot and patio garden seasonal mix as it does everything other plants do and more. It is a bit more expensive, and sometimes we get a bit hung up about what people should be paying, but they're going to get value from it. Without a doubt, it’s the best basket plant I’ve ever grown! It flowered right through the summer well into October – it’s a no-brainer.”

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Planteria

Bedding and seasonal bonanza

F

For inspiration and ideas, a visit to FlowerTrials is worth the trip.

lowerTrials 2025 is on the horizon, the event from 10-13 June when 56 breeders of seasonal bedding and pot plants in The Netherlands and Germany, open their doors to the trade. Last year 5000 visitors from 80 countries made the trip to see the latest in plant breeding and innovation.

Traditionally focussed on pack bedding, the event has evolved to now include pot plants and perennials. "The modern consumer is looking for sustainable varieties that are heat-resistant, drought-tolerant or attractive to pollinators.

And growers are looking for plants that can be produced in a more energy-friendly way,” says Marjolein Kuyucu-Lodder, Chair of the FlowerTrials Committee.

“During FlowerTrials, our exhibitors are presenting the latest plant solutions, providing growers with the necessary cultivation information while inspiring retailers to successfully tell their customers the stories behind the plants."

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New for this year, Eyecatching Percallis POP! from Beekenkamp will certainly stop shoppers in their tracks.

April 2025 27

Planteria

Retailers welcome Annieck Nota-Ruijgrok, Marketing Manager at Beekenkamp Plants has certainly seen an increase in visitors from the retail sector during Flower Trials and Beekenkamp

is responding with sales solutions and inspiration.

“Retailers often visit in combination with a grower, but also

independently with their purchasing team.

The upcoming FlowerTrials will feature the new Pericallis POP! series as an extensive retail concept. that really stands out on the shelf in early spring.”

Michael Perry, (Mr Plant Geek), is an advocate of FlowerTrials and believes its relevance is growing. “This event has rapidly become a must do in the horticultural calendar,” he says. “It is the perfect showcase of new varieties, but also the ideal place to rediscover forgotten varieties, and to see the performance of existing varieties too. The level of displays is excellent, and really helps you see the plants at their best, but it also can give some ideas for retail, which is fantastic.

Not to mention, the hosting, the lunches, the cups of coffee, the endless supply of notepad and pens, they really do treat you well all week nonstop!! And of course, the people, you will be meeting the people you buy plants from, making new contacts, and these will be from all around the world, that’s why they call it the event where plants meet people.”

An online route planner for FlowerTrials makes it easy to optimise travel between breeders to make the most of the trip.

Register online at: flowertrials.com

Some of Michael's favourite retail ideas from last year’s event. Pictures courtesy of Michael Perry

THE PET & AQUATICS TRADE SHOW

28-30 SEPTEMBER NEC BIRMINGHAM

Where the Pet & Aquatics Trade meet to do business

Exciting new product launches Be inspired by emerging trends Scan to see all the exhibitors

Located in the heart of the UK

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

www.patshow.co.uk 28 April 2025

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Viewpoint

Setting the record straight: Addressing misconceptions about SOLEX Gina Hinde, LOFA General Manager

Demand for products suitable for limited outdoor spaces is anticipated.

I

believe SOLEX has developed a somewhat undeserved reputation. After conducting a brief survey following last year’s exhibition and enquiring why certain garden retailers do not attend SOLEX, we discovered we have been unfairly labelled as an event that only serves companies looking to place large container orders.

This is simply not true.

SOLEX is owned by LOFA (Leisure & Outdoor Furniture Association) and caters to the whole outdoor living sector.

Numerous exhibitors maintain stock in their warehouses which can be ordered throughout the season, and this perfectly suits smaller retailers who lack the space to store 20 or 40-foot containers.

retailers contemplating entering the outdoor living market or aiming to offer your customers a wider range of products than you currently do, then attending SOLEX is essential. Our LOFA members will guide you through their product ranges, assist you in selecting the most popular items in the latest colours, and help you embark on the journey

Vehicle for selling to all

of selling outdoor living products in your stores.

Additionally, they can steer you towards the trends that will dominate shop floors in 2026 and 2027 and offer you insights into what consumers will be seeking in the future.

We anticipate demand for smaller products suitable for those with limited outdoor space, more portable items for renters, adaptable furniture for remote workers, outdoor

Established in 2008, SOLEX was designed to assist LOFA members in selling their products to the entire outdoor living industry, not just those placing large container orders. While they are more than capable of fulfilling such orders, they also enjoy collaborating with smaller, niche companies that wish to provide something fresh and unique for their clientele.

If you are one of the smaller independent

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…they also enjoy collaborating with smaller, niche companies that wish to provide something fresh and unique for their clientele.’

structures, minimalistic designs, outdoor kitchens, and a diverse colour palette.

To give you an idea of our variety, we have numerous exhibitors who manufacture exclusively in the UK. We have companies that supply eco-friendly items, small and mediumsized family businesses providing custom products, and new firms showcasing designer goods. Additionally, you’ll find companies offering spas, garden décor, and unique products unavailable at other exhibitions.

Don’t hesitate and don’t listen to gossip; we cater to the entire outdoor living industry ensuring whether you are a small or a large retailer you will find valuable opportunities at SOLEX. With our support and resources, you can confidently expand your product offerings and meet the needs of your customers.

SOLEX 2025 8-10 July NEC, Birmingham Come and join us.

Registration is free at: solexexhibition.co.uk

April 2025 29

Viewpoint

Boosting business development Will Armitage, HTA President

Will has travelled the length of the country to visit industry members including BennyBeg Garden Centre in Perthshire and Kernock Park Plants in Cornwall.

A

t the time of writing, it seems to have been a good month for most of us, with the weather beginning to pick up and many customers eager to spend their time and money investing in their gardens – a welcome return after what has felt like a particularly long winter.

As always, there has been a hive of activity happening at Horticulture House and throughout the wider HTA team. Our government lobbying continues at a rapid pace, with the policy team providing evidence to multiple parliamentary committees, demonstrating the long-term effects of the shift to at border checks, which are currently costing our sector more than necessary and damaging supply chains.

We’re still investigating the extent to which the Autumn Budget’s impacts will affect our members’ businesses, following a Spring Statement that offered little relief for the horticulture sector. I sense that for many of us, it feels like the government is trying to squeeze sectors like ours, which could be growing and employing more, but the government seems to want to do the opposite by increasing the costs associated with hiring staff and blocking our confidence to invest.

30 April 2025

The HTA team continues to work hard to inform policymakers of the lasting challenges our sector faces and to represent you as best as possible; it has not gone unnoticed. The Trade Association Forum recognised our own Katie Neenan (Senior Policy Executive) with the latest Rising Star Award – truly well deserved.

The HTA also received a Highly Commended award for our Regional Meetings programme, thanks to the dedication of our Member Engagement Managers.

Helping to improve business As President of the HTA and a consultant, I’m very lucky to visit some fantastic places and chair incredible meetings. I’ve been involved with the HTA’s Business Improvement Scheme groups in Scotland and the southeast, as well as the Nursery Business Improvement Scheme, and it has been crucial to see and hear how I can best support members as their President while they develop their businesses.

Looking ahead, we’re gearing up for another Plants in Parliament event hosted in Westminster to meet policymakers on St George’s Day (23rd April). This follows

on from the success of a previous event in November and again we will be inviting MPs, peers and staff to come and engage with the HTA to hear directly about the impact of key policies, from economy and trade to health, and wellbeing.

We’ll have both HTA and APL members present at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (20th- 24th May) and National Children’s Gardening Week is set to bring events to children across the country (24th May – 1st June).

Additionally, our events team is taking bookings for both visitors and exhibitors at our much-loved National Plant Show, held at Stoneleigh Park on 18th – 19th June. If you would like to know more about any of the HTA events, schemes or councils, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Find out more

The Horticultural Trades Association is the UK industry’s leading membership organisation and welcomes all sectors of environmental horticulture. To learn more, pleasse visit www.hta.org.uk or to enquire about membership please email: membership@hta.org.uk

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Viewpoint

Sunshine, sales and supply

Vicky Nuttall, Director of GIMA

Y

ou’d be forgiven for thinking we’d been transported back to 2020, based on the current demand for garden products. With the weather finally playing ball and Easter bringing with it day after day of glorious sunshine, it’s safe to say consumer appetite for gardening is as strong as ever.

The demand has been staggering, with products flying off the shelves across all categories. One of the biggest comeback stories has to be landscaping. After a washout in 2024, where poor weather halted many landscaping projects in their tracks, 2025 has so far painted a very different picture.

This season, consumers have hit the ground running. Patios are being laid, borders reshaped, and garden buildings erected in record numbers.

But with great sales comes a familiar thorn in our side – supply pressures. As we approached the season, many in the industry were understandably cautious. Government policy updates, including the National Insurance and Living Wage ‘bomb’, as well as proposed inheritance tax changes, left many tightening the purse strings to safeguard cash flow. This ‘perfect storm’ resulted in a hesitancy to invest in pre-season stock, which is now leading to a surge in reorders that are outstripping pre-orders and, in some cases, supply capabilities.

Adding to the complexity is the spring calendar, packed with two bank holidays in quick succession. While they’re great for driving footfall and sales, they do create pinch points in the supply chain. As a result, it’s never been more important for retailers and suppliers to communicate openly and plan effectively.

So, what can we do?

The key takeaway here is simple - forecast, forecast, forecast! It’s no longer enough to simply react to demand, instead we need to be anticipating it. Take stock of the data we have at our fingertips and build a picture of what’s likely to come. But don’t stop there.

Once you’ve got an idea of what’s needed, share that forecast with your supply partners and, crucially, commit. This level of communication and confidence will help smooth

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It’s no longer enough to simply react to demand, instead we need to be anticipating it.’ the way forward and avoid unnecessary disruption.

Of course, this is what we’d call a ‘nice’ problem to have. High demand is, after all, far better than the alternative. But we owe it to our customers and our businesses to manage it as effectively as possible. Some shortages may be inevitable, but where we can plan and mitigate, its imperative that we do just that.

Away from the shop floor, it’s also been an eventful few weeks on the international stage.

The recent tariffs introduced by the American administration have certainly raised eyebrows globally. It’s an issue that remains fluid, and we at GIMA are keeping a close eye on developments. These moves could potentially lead to a renewed focus on domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports.

A silver lining, perhaps, but one that will take time to shape.

hit 200 members by midsummer, collectively representing over £4 billion in trade. What’s more, the represented product categories covered by this membership is ever expanding, representative of the versatility of garden retail.

As we head into peak season, let’s keep the momentum going. I’m hoping that by my next column we’ll still be riding this crest, with our sector on track for a bumper year!

But before this, let’s be sure to lean on each other, plan ahead, and don’t be afraid to have those conversations about stock, strategy and support.

2025 Key Dates for Your Diary • GIMA Charity Golf Day: 5th June • GIMA Buyer Connect with Hillier: 17th June • GIMA Awards Judging Days: 23rd - 24th June • Glee Birmingham: 16th - 18th September • GIMA Awards Gala Dinner: 6th November

More members Meanwhile, at GIMA HQ, things have been moving at pace. From our well-attended Day Conference to engaging webinars and Buyer Connect events, there’s been no let-up in activity. What’s particularly exciting is the growth in our membership. We’re on track to

Find out more

Any businesses interested in joining GIMA can contact the GIMA team at 01959 564947 or info@gima.org.uk. Full details regarding GIMA’s multiple-member benefits can be found at www.gima.org.uk

April 2025 31

TRADE EVENT

Summer is in the air Source: Pacific Lifestyle

The best outdoor living trade event in the UK 8 - 10 July 2025 NEC, Birmingham solexexhibition.com Garden Furniture | Barbecues | Shading | Outdoor Living Accessories | Garden Decoration Garden Leisure Buildings | Outdoor Heating | Outdoor Health | Outdoor Entertainment