GTN August-September 2026 Glee Preview Issue - Garden Trade News UK

20 27

PR EV IEW

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2026

gardentradenews.co.uk

Advice & information for garden centre professionals

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. READY FOR ANYTHING. LAND HARDENED.

THE NEXT GENERATION

OF WEED CONTROL FROM RESOLVA! DUAL-ACTION TECHNOLOGY & MARKET CHANGING INNOVATION FROM THE LEADING BRAND.

VISIBLE RESULTS IN 1 HOUR LONG LASTING, FULL ROOT CONTROL

NEW PRODUCTS FOR 2027 KS LANDSHAPER PROFESSIONAL TOOLS

FRESH NEW LOOK FOR FEEDS

DRIVING GROWTH

IN WILD BIRD

SEED SOCIETY COLLECTION BY UNWINS

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. READY FOR ANYTHING. LAND HARDENED.

Built for those who won’t compromise on their tools, Landshaper® brings serious capability to every job.

Built for harder ground and tougher jobs.

This isn’t just another tool launch. Landshaper is Land Hardened™ – a new generation of professional tools built for landscapers and gardeners who expect more.

SHOCKABSORBING

REDUCES IMPACT

REINFORCED KNUCKLES

PROTECT AGAINST KNOCKS AND ABRASIONS

K-SHOK™ K A ANTI SHOCK T TECHNOLOGY

LAND L H HARDENED

FIBERGLASS SHAFT

PRECISION P E EDGE GE EOMETRY

DURABLE LEATHER

PALM FOR LONG-LASTING PERFORMANCE

ELASTICATED WRIST FOR ADDITIONAL COMFORT

K-SHOK™ anti-shock technology is engineered to absorb impact, helping to power through harder ground and tougher jobs.

The 27-tool professional range covers digging, cultivating, cutting and hand tools, plus gloves for demanding tasks. From the quickassembly Lawn Leveller to multi-function hand tools and a unique weeding tool, every product is designed to work harder.

Landshaper. Land Hardened™. Built to Keep Going.

Driving the lawn care category forward with consumer-led innovation

Introducing our most powerful natural feed

Ground breaking technology for incredibly fast green-up Our new Rapid Green lawn feed works as a foliar feed for ultra quick greening. This new feed is enhanced with wetting agents, trace elements, and chelated nutrients.

Safelawn One Feed delivers fast greening and combats weeds and moss. With balanced NPK for long-term care, this child & pet friendly solution has everything consumers need for a luscious lawn.

ULTRA QUICK 24HR GREEN-UP

A lawn seed bred for UK & Irish Climates Powered by Westland’s exclusive variety, West-Green, PureGreen is our most advanced blend that delivers a dense, deep green lawn with improved resilience. Deeper rooting results in strong droughtresistant performance and season long green.

DENSE DROUGHT EVERY SEED TREATED LEAF SWARD RESISTANCE

LAWN HEALTH

FOR RESILIENCE

CONDITIONS SOIL

FOR ROOTS

MOISTURE LOCK™ TO PROTECT AGAINST DROUGHT

A fresh new look for a category that’s rich in nature’s energy Capture growing demand for natural plant care with Westland’s new Seaweed Collection. Offering trusted results across all plant types, with tailored blends for vegetables, ericaceous plants, and tomatoes, the range delivers richer soil, stronger plants and improved yields.

Sustainably sourced and ultra-concentrated, the naturally chelated seaweed feed helps maximise nutrient uptake while giving retailers a compelling addition to the growing natural category.

Market-changing innovation from the UK’s leading weedkiller brand*.

Introducing Resolva Advanced+ Weedkiller.

Combining rapid contact action with deep systemic control for a weedkiller that meets all consumer needs.

Performance The next generation of weed control delivering a dual-action solution for results in one hour and total root control in a glyphosatefree formulation.

In-Store Supported by stand-out POS to drive education and awareness.

A full range Expanding our concentrates offer to cover all consumer uses in a consistent size format and improved merchandising opportunities.

Extending our plant protection range

Completing the indoor offer

Westland is expanding its houseplant range with stylish, practical solutions that protect plants and drive sales. New Limestone and Slate Pot Toppers combine contemporary style with natural pest protection. While introducing smaller 3l options in perlite and vermiculite graded specifically for houseplant compost — creating new opportunities to grow the category and increase basket spend.

Strengthening our cross-category offering as Resolva Rose Bug Killer joins Resolva Bug Killer to give consumers the most effective solutions when pests strike.

Resolva Advanced Weedkiller contains pelargonic acid & maleic hydrazide. Resolva Xtra Fast contains pelargonic acid. Resolva Path & Drive contains pelargonic acid. Resolva Rose Bug Killer contains lambda-cyhalothrin. Resolva Bug Killer contains lambda-cyhalothrin. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. *Source: GFK July 2026

Propagating new life in the garden We’re rejuvenating the propagation category with a complete, easy-toshop collection designed to inspire gardeners, simplify the shopper journey and remove the barriers to entry with a destination area that drives engagement and basket spend.

• Horticulturally complete consumer offering from Seed & Cutting compost, to Vermiculite and Hydroleca • Full suite display and POS available to bring the range to life in store and deliver engaging education in store • Leading consumer experience and communications to inspire, educate, and engage at every step of the growing journey.

Your plant partner from first root to full bloom Always leading the way with quality and performance, driving value, and continually providing solutions to gardeners’ pain points

Our original and best, now available in a small bag, for big results in little spaces. Giving gardeners the ultimate convenience for smaller tasks and giving retailers additional small bag cross-sell opportunities.

Tackling gardeners greatest enemies with a new fine grade mulch that prevents weeds, deters slugs and delivers soil moisture and temperature resistance, all while offering a decorative finish.

Our trusted Multi-Purpose Compost with added John Innes has a new design, giving the same proven performance inside that gardeners know and rely on, with a fresh new look.

Elevating extraordinary

Quality craftsmanship, extraordinary capabilities from the UK’s #1 tool brand*

Extending watering

Introducing new trending colour ways for Kent & Stowe’s extraordinary watering cans. Built with the quality craftsmanship expected from the brand, the new models are available in classic colours from botanical greens to earthy neutrals.

Slate Grey

Superior protection The greatest protection for gardeners tackling roses, brambles and dense shrubs.

Building on the award-winning Sure & Grip range, the new Gauntlet gloves are tested to EN safety standards for protection where it is needed.

Pebble Stone

Olive G Oli Green

Driving added value

NEW Gauntlet Gloves

The perfect glove for every task. New All Round Triple Packs bring together essential gloves for every job – from Ultra Fine for precision work to Rigger gloves when only tough will do.

Available in Plum and Navy, these easy-to-merchandise packs deliver added value and choice.

NEW Triple Packs

Warm, dry and reliable in cooler conditions Expanding on Kent & Stowe’s trusted glove collection the new Sure & Warm Thermal Gloves deliver comfort, durability and protection. Featuring a soft fleece lining, reinforced thumbs and waterproof material for tough winter tasks, they deliver reliable performance with an opportunity to drive sales beyond the traditional season.

Gloves to protect against intermediate mechanical risk according to EN388:2016 and cold hazards according to EN511:2006

Source: GFK Jan - April 2026

*

Everything we do

is for the love of birds The very best nutrition Only Peckissh feeds are enriched a®, our unique with Calviita blend off vitamins and miinerals that su upport healtthy bones, bea ak and fea ath her development.

Adding value through innovation

The right range that birds love Quality nutrition with no com mpromise: essential proteins, carefully selected ingredients and zero fillers, all delivered in a premium new look for Gardman.

We’re supercharging two wild bird favourites with ew Enriched Peanuts and ne Enriched d Sunflow wer Hea arts.

The e additio on of ou ur Calvita® Energ gy Bites hellps to provide essential pro otein, vitamins and lasting energy, and feeding tria als saw 30% higher consumptio on, giving our customerss a compelling tradeup oppo ortunity.

Easy cleaning g feeders New modular feeders designed with bird health and cleaning convenience in mind, encouraging the nation to Feed Smart.

Feed Smart

Driving education and impulse Bold new Peckkish and Garrdman display crates are bringing bird care to life in-store.

Designed to educate, inspire and convert, they help shoppers choose the right food, and the eye-catching displays drive impulsse purchase and valuable incremen ntal category growth.

#PollinatorPledge Building on the 2026 campaign, year 2 will encourage the nation to help us sow 5 million m2 of wildflower areas to help restore habitats for essential pollinators across the UK and Ireland.

Our wildflower blends contain only native and long-established flower seeds that cater to the unique anatomy of pollinators.

Deep neck flowers for long-tongued bumble bees Short neck varieties for short-tongued honey bees Red, orange and yellow flowers to attract butterflies Blue and purple flowers that are loved by bees Each sale contributes to a live national impact target, with a virtual map visible through a host of advertising platforms.

Offer a meaningful environmental initiative for your customers and take the #PollinatorPledge

TAPPING INTO THE VALUABLE AND NEW UNWINS KEY ALLOTMENT OWNERS SPEND PROPAGATION Unwins Seed Society collection is a curated range of 46 superior seed, hand-picked for outstanding germination, disease resistance, high yields and delicious flavour.

To give every seed the best start, we’ve added the assurance of VantagePlus™ – a natural, organic seed treatment used by pro-growers to improve germination, promote strong roots, boost vigour, increase stress tolerance and help deliver higher yields.

This year, Unwins expands into propagation, bringing seeds and essential growing products together under one brand.

The range includes Visiroot™ propagation with moisture bridge cells for even watering, alongside fibre pots and other propagation essentials.

By bringing seed and propagation together, Unwins offers consumers a simpler, more connected sowing journey while creating opportunities for retailers to drive incremental basket spend.

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2026

gardentradenews.co.uk VOTES POUR IN FOR GTN’S GREATEST RESTAURANT & FOOD HALL AWARDS Advice & information for garden centre professionals

See you at Glee!

45 page Bumper Glee Preview

WAR ON WASTE

Cutting out food waste

GROWING HELP

Fothergills plan to grow the market

DIVERSIFICATION

A strength or a weakness?

Comment AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2026

gardentradenews.co.uk

Greatness at Glee Y our rain dances are about to be answered. As this bumper Glee Preview issue of GTN goes to press there is rain forecast for most of the UK for the next three days. It won’t be enough to save summer plant sales but should provide a welcome relief to all and start to soften the ground for autumn bulb planting and replacing lost plants.

Fortunately, we’ve heard plenty of reports of record furniture and BBQ sales which have kept garden centre trade at levels for owners to be happy about and offset the downturn in plant sales.

We also know that many centres have been adapting their restaurants and food halls to keep summer sales up. We’ll be celebrating that at Glee with the winners of GTN’s Greatest Restaurant & Food Hall Team Awards on Wednesday 9th September at 1:00pm on The Feed Your Business Stage. Do come and join us as we announce the results of thousands of customer votes.

Customers are after all the final arbiter when it comes to Greatness.

Gatefold Cover What’s new at Westland for 2027 8 GTN at Glee 12 Discover the Vitavia difference 17 GTN’s 45 page Glee Preview starts here 18 Glee at a Glance 21 Glee hall highlights 22 Durstons at Glee – one year on 24-60 Glee exhibitor News 28 Apex Pot Products launches at Glee 32 Floral FUNdraising at Glee 36 Adding Klass Holiday Shop at Glee 40 New to Glee: Angro - house of brands 62 Fothergills growing plans – GTN Planteria 64 Nurture retailing – Adapt or Die 66 Diversification, a strength or a weakness – Paul Peydell 67 Grow your staff with GCA Grow – GCA Viewpoint 68 Remembering our roots – HTA Viewpoint Advertisers in this issue 6 Durstons 11 Smart Garden Products 16 Meadow View Stone 20 Greenkey Happy Havens

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Advice & information for garden centre professionals

See you at Glee!

45 page Bumper Glee Preview

WAR ON WASTE Cutting out food waste

GROWING HELP

Fothergills plan to grow the market

DIVERSIFICATION

A strength or a weakness?

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING

Baytree Garden Centres’ Summer Specials Menu. Is your menu more tantalising? See www.gardentradenews.co.uk to enter The Greatest Tantalising Menu Award

Now it’s time for us to finalise the entries for the Glee New Product Awards and compile the next issue of Glee Daily News. Phew, it will be good to get to Glee! See you there.

Trevor Pfeiffer

In this issue...

VOTES POUR IN FOR GTN’S GREATEST RESTAURANT & FOOD HALL AWARDS

26 27 30 32 35 39 43 46 47 49 50 51 51 52 53 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 65 69 70

Melcourt Handy Festival Home & Garden Evergreen Garden Care LV Bespoke Greenkey Garden & Home Soilworx Lava-Lite Pelsis Doff Vitax Elho Angro Palladone Sockshop Klass Zest Marvellous Mulch Bees Seeds Burton McCall Museums & Galleries Grass Gains Greenfingers Charity PATS 2026 Fordingbridge Solex 2027

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?

If you’d like to be added to the GTN distribution list, please send your details to Karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk to see if you qualify to be included.

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 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 2026. 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.

August/Seeptember 2026 7

GTN at Glee 2026

Sales Lounge

19A 19B 72 73 19A 19B 70 71

19B 19C 72 73 19B 19C 70 71

19C 19D 72 73 19C 19D 70 71

19D 19E 72 73 19D 19E 70 71

20J 77

20J 20J 69 63 20J 65 20H 20H 54 50

20H78 20H76

20H 20 74 H70

20J 20J 50 48

20J 20J 59 55

19A 19B 64 65 19A 19B 62 63 19A 19B 60 61

19B 19C 64 65 19B 19C 62 61 19B 60

19C 19D 64 65 19C 62 19C 19D 60 61

19D 19E 64 67 19D62

20H34-J41

20K 20K 37 35

20K

20K 39

20J30

20K 43 47

20H30-J31

20H20H 56 61 20H 20H 57 53

20G 52

GH9 GH28 GH29 GH48 GH49

20G46-H47

20H31

20G44-H45

20G30

20G20-H21

19A50-B51

19B50 -C51

19C50-D51

GH72 GH71 GH70 GH69 GH68 GH59 GH57 GH55 GH53 GH51 GH58 GH56 GH54 GH52 GH50

20F44 -G45

20G41

20G21

20F30-G31

GH47 GH45 GH43 GH41 GH46 GH44 GH42 GH40

GH39 GH37 GH35 GH33 GH31 GH38 GH36 GH34 GH32 GH30

GH27 GH25 GH23 GH21 GH26 GH24 GH22 GH20

GH19 GH17 GH15 GH13 GH11 GH18 GH16 GH14 GH12 GH10

GH8 GH7 GH6 GH5

GH4 GH3 GH2

(See side key)

20H02 -19A41

19A40-B41

19B40 -C41

18A70 -B71

19C40 -D41

18B 83 18B 81

19H63

19H64 -18A65

18B 84 18B 82 18B 80

18B 86

18C 85

18C83

18C 81

18D82

Seating Area

18B70 18C71

19G60 19G52

19G62

19F50-G51

19E50-F51

19D50-E51

19D40 -E41

19H53

19G40-H41

19E40-G41

18A 60

18B 61

18B64-C65

18D80

18E83

18E80 17A 81

18D86

18D84

18C72

18C73

18D72

18C66

18C68

18D70-E71

18C62

19H60 -18A61

19G50-H51

20H10 -J11

18A 80

-18A73 19H 18A 70 71

20J10-K11

20H14-J15

19H80 -18A81

19H72

19H75

17A80

18E70-17A71

18D60

18E61

18E63

18E66-17A67

17B62

17A62

19H61

19F60-G61

20J 20

20G10-H11

20E30-F31

20D40 -E41A

20D34-E37 20D30 -E31

20G02 -19A11

19A10-C11

19C10-E11

19G10-H11

19E10-G11

GH89

GH86

GH90 GH87

20E20-F21

GH94 GH91

GH88 GH85

GH84 GH82 GH83 GH81

GH80 GH78 GH79 GH77

GH72 GH71 GH70 GH69 GH68

GH67 GH65 GH63 GH61 GH66 GH64 GH62 GH60

GH59 GH57 GH55 GH53 GH51 GH58 GH56 GH54 GH52 GH50

GH47 GH45 GH43 GH41 GH46 GH44 GH42 GH40

GH39 GH37 GH35 GH33 GH31 GH38 GH36 GH34 GH32 GH30

GH27 GH25 GH23 GH21 GH26 GH24 GH22 GH20

GH19 GH17 GH15 GH13 GH11 GH18 GH16 GH14 GH12 GH10

GH4 GH3 GH2

GH1

20C30-D31

19A01

20F10 -G11

20E10-F11

20E22-F23

20D40 -E41

GH76 GH75 GH74 GH73

GH8 GH7 GH6 GH5

20F14-G15

20F20

20E40-F41

GH96 GH93 GH95 GH92

The Clubhouse

Green Heart

19H77

19H 18A 54 55

18A50 -B51

18B50-C51

18C50-D51

19H50 -18A51

19H40 -18A41

18E59

18C60

18C40-D41

18A40-B41

18D54-E55 18D50-E51

18D40-E41

18E64-17A63

17A60

New Product Showcase

18E56-17A59

17A52-B53

18E54-17A55

17A50-B51

18E44-17A45

17A40-B41

18E40-17A41

17A30 -B31

17C64

17C60

17B60

17E60

17D61

17B52 -C53 17B50 -C51

17C54 -D55 17C50 -D51

17B 17C 42 43 17C41 17B30

19H10 -18A11

18A10-C11

18C10-D11

18E10-17A11

18D10-E11

17A10-B11

17D60

17F62 17J53

17D 17E 54 55

17J54

17D 17E 50 51

17E 17F 56 57 17F 53

17F 17J 56 41

17C 17D 42 43 17C 17D 40 41

17D42

17E42

17F40

17C32

17D 17E 32 33 17D 17E 30 31

17E 17F33 30 17E32

17F 17G 30 31

17E20

17F 17G 20 23 17F 17G 18 21

17D33

19E02

19E04

19G01

19G02

18B02

18C01

18D02

18E01

17B20

17C20

17D 17E 20 23 17E 21

17B12

17C12 -D13

17D10

17H 30

17G34 17G32

17G20 17H 19 17G19

17H 18

17G 17

17F16

17F14 17G 15

17D01

17A01

Centre Stage

17E40

Seating Area

17D03 17E03 17E02

17F 17F 17F 17G01 02 04 05

17H 28 17H 20

il Expe Servi

17H 10

17F12 17F13 17F10 17G11

20D34-E35

GH9 GH28 GH29 GH48 GH49

GH89

GH76 GH75 GH74 GH73 GH67 GH65 GH63 GH61 GH66 GH64 GH62 GH60

20J02 -19A51

19H83

17C30

GH86

GH80 GH78 GH79 GH77

20J12-K13

19F64-G65

19F 19F 63 65

19E60-F61

19D 19E 60 61

20J 61

20E52 20E50

20C50-D51

GH84 GH82 GH83 GH81

20K 21

19G66

17G02 17H01

20G01

20G51

GH90 GH87 GH88 GH85

20H20-J21

20K 25 20J 22

19G72

19G71

20 20H40 H48

20F40

GH94 GH91

20J 20J 26 24

19G73

19F74

20H63

20G 20G 56 54

20G 64

20F51 20F53

GH96 GH93 GH95 GH92

20K 31

19F76

19F71

17C68

19E64-F65

19A 65 19A 63 19A 61

19F73 19F75

19G58

20K 20K 45 41

20K12 20K10

19E68

19E70

20 H46

20G 20G 66 62

20G60

DIY & Home Improvement

20K 20K 53 49

20K 20K 20K 20K 20K 20K 32 20K 22 30 28 26 24 20

20D 20E22

20 D20E21

20D10-E11

20D 25 20C 24

20C 20D21

20C14D15

20C10D11

20C15

20B10C11

20B34-C35

20B30-C31

20B20-C21

20A36-B35

20A30-B31

20A20-B21

20B14

HALL 19

20F01

Seating Area

20K 20K 61 57 20K 20K 63 59

20K 20K 38 36

20J40

20K 20K 69 65 20J 20J 66 62

Glee First 20K 42

19G80

19H81 19E76

HALL 18 Landscape & Gar

Landscape & Garden Decoration Garden Care

HALL 20 20D01

HALL 17 Food At Glee

den Decoration n Care

Feed Your Business Stage

Outdoor Entertaining

20B02

20B01

20B03

20A 20A37 20A35 20A 31 359

20A 23

20A21

20A14B15

20A10B11

20A02

20A19 20A17 20A15 20A13 20A11

GTN at the Showcase all show. Pitching to Judges on Tuesday

GH1 18D82

18D80

18E83

18E80 17A 81

18D86

18D84

18D72

17A80

18E70-17A71

18D70-E71

New Product Showcase

17C68

18D60

18E61

18E63

18E59

GTN stand 17E72

18E66-17A67

18E64-17A63

17A60

18D54-E55 18D50-E51

18E56-17A59

17A52-B53

18E54-17A55

17A50-B51

18D40-E41

18E44-17A45

18E40-17A41

GTN on Centre stage Tuesday 5:00pm New Product Awards Wednesday 11:00am Interview with David Robinson, Dobbies CEO Thursday 12:30pm Floral Thursday prize draw and new world record Floral gathering attempt

17A62

17A40-B41

17A30 -B31

17B62

17C64

17C60

17B60

17E60

17D61

18D10-E11

17A10-B11

17F62 17J53

17B52 -C53 17B50 -C51

17C54 -D55 17C50 -D51

17B 17C 42 43 17C41

17C 17D 42 43 17C 17D 40 41

17D42

17C32

17D 17E 32 33 17D 17E 30 31

17E 17F33 30 17E32

17F 17G 30 31

17D 17E 20 23 17E 21

17E20

17F 20 17F 18

17B30

17D33

17C30

18E10-17A11

17D60

17D 17E 54 55

17B20

17B12

17C20

17D 17E 50 51

17J54 17E 17F 56 57 17F 53

17F 17J 56 41

17E42

17F40

17E40

17D10

17C12 -D13

17H 30

17G34 17G32

17G20 17H 19 17G19

17G 23 17G 21

17H 18

17G 17 17F14 17G 15

17F16

Seating Area

17F12 17F13 17F10 17G11

18D02

8

18E01

17D01

17A01

17D03 17E03 17E02

17F 17F 17F 17G01 02 04 05

17G02 17H01

17H 28 17H 20

17H 10

Centre Stage

Retail Experiences & Services

20J 20 73 J71

20K 20K44 56

20K60A

20K64 20K60

20J58 20J56

20J70 20K73

20J72 20K75

20K81 20J79

GIMA Lounge

20J 75

20K66

20K27

GIMA 20K70

20J44

PAW Press Lounge

19E80 19E82

Retail Experiences & Services

19B 19C 80 81

19C 19D 82 83 19C 19D 80 81

19E81

19A 19B 80 81 19A 75

il Expe Servi

HALL 17 Food At Glee Feed Your Business Stage

Looking forward to seeing you all at Glee

GTN on The Feed Your Business Stage Wednesday 1:00pm GTN’s Greatest Restaurant & Food Hall Team Awards

The GTN team are looking forward to seeing as many readers as possible during the three days of Glee at the NEC. It’s a busy few days for the GTN team, as Media Partners for Glee, there’s plenty of opportunities to catch up with us.

8 August/September 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GTN at Glee 2026

Products great, small and exceptionally tasty were considered by the judging team at Glee 2025.

Glee New Products The highest profile part of the GTN teams’ involvement at Glee is the New Product Showcase and Awards. Exhibitors will have delivered their products to the showcase in Hall 17 on Monday afternoon, there will be over 300 entered, and our panel of esteemed judges will choose a shortlist of 3 or 4 in each of the 16 categories on Monday evening.

For Glee 2026 our judging panel is: Derek Bunker, Tam Woodhouse, Vicky Nuttall, Mel Livingstone, Russell Winteridge, Ian Hodgson, John Birch, Peter Walker, Alan Burdon & Anisa Gress.

Throughout Tuesday the exhibitors with shortlisted products will come along to The

New Product Showcase area to pitch their product to the judges before final decisions are made as to the category winners.

Finally, at 5:00pm on the Centre Stage we announce the winners of the Glee New Product Awards 2026 along with The Andy Bunker Award for Best of British, the Glee Sustainability Award and the overall Glee New Product of the Year. Do come and join us for the presentations, refreshments will be available!

If you’re not at Glee for Tuesday, the New Product Showcase display is there for the duration of the show so you can make a beeline to get a head start in finding what’s new at Glee.

Glee New Product Categories 2026 1. Plants, Seeds and Bulbs 2. Growing Materials 3. Growing Accessories 4. Garden Growing Containers 5. Garden Decoration 6. Garden Tools & Machinery 7. Landscaping 8. Garden Leisure & Entertaining 9. Wild Bird Care and Wildlife Products 10. Home, Clothing & Fashion

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Accessories 11. Gifts, Body & Bath, Christmas, Greeting Cards, Toys & Games 12. Pet Products 13. Retail and Food & Beverage Services and Solutions 14. Food & Drink Products 15. Home & Garden Improvements – DIY 16. NGS Centenary Products

Food Glorious Food!

As you’ll no doubt realise, thousands of garden centre customers have been voting this summer for their Greatest Garden Centre Restaurant & Food Hall teams.

The pinnacle of garden centre food and beverage retailing Greatness will be revealed on Wednesday at Glee.

At 1:00pm on The Feed Your Business Stage we will be announcing the winners of: • The Greatest Garden Centre Restaurant team • The Greatest Garden Centre Food Hall team • The Greatest Tantalising garden centre Menu • The Greatest Restaurant Supplier • The Greatest Food Hall supplier Come along and meet the great winning teams that make garden centre hospitality and food retailing so special.

August/September 2026 9

GTN at Glee 2026

Floral Thursday Since the first Floral Thursday at Glee in 2019 when a group of just over 50 Greenfingers supporters donned Floral anything to raise funds for the charity, Floral Thursday has now become an established part of Glee.

Team GTN will join the Greenfingers Team at the doors of Glee on Thursday to sell you raffle tickets – one for £5, five for £25 – to win one of many prizes kindly donated by Glee exhibitors.

Floral Thursday culminates in a world record attempt for the biggest gathering of industry people in floral attire on Centre Stage at 12:30pm, followed by the raffle draw.

Remember to pack your floral shirts, dresses, hats etc and join us in making Floral Thursday another record breaking FUNdraising day for Greenfingers.

Looking florally fantastic last year, the GTN team (including photographer Paul who is rarely seen on this side of the lens) will be again pulling out all the stops to make it a recordbreaking Floral Thursday.

GTN Interviews On Wednesday, GTN editor Trevor Pfeiffer returns to Centre stage at 11:00am to interview Dobbies CEO David Robinson. If you want to hear their plans for the coming year, please come and join us.

Show Guide Glee Daily News And if all that is not enough the GTN team will be bringing you the Glee Daily News e-mail newsletter throughout the show. Glee Daily News has all the latest Glee news, plus updates from exhibitors to help you plan your time at Glee.

If you’re not getting Glee Daily News you can sign up for it for free at: https://gleedailynews.newsweaver.com/ Gleeedailynews Have a great Glee, we look forward to seeing you there!

10 August/September 2026

Lets get growing together in 2027 Come and talk to us at Hall 18 Stand A10-C11 Miracle-Gro® is a trademark of OMS Investments, Inc. and is used under license from OMS Investments, Inc.

Glee Show Guide Of course, our work on Glee started months ago and you’ll be able to collect your FREE Glee Show Guide as you enter the halls.

Packed with show information and a comprehensive A-Z listing oif all the Glee exhibitors it’s you guide while at the show and your quick reference pouint when you get back to the office. office.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

NOW OPEN!

SPRING/SUMMER

UK SHOWROOMS

Contact your Sales Manager and book a visit to Peterborough or Abingdon today.

2027

catalogue out now!

www.sgpuk.com

+44 (0)1235 424100

Promotion

The orangery style Sirius glasshouse has ample space for growing or relaxing.

Discover the Vitavia difference

Established by the Hutchinson family in 2008, Vitavia has become synonymous with quality greenhouses offering first class service to retailers with ranges appealing to every gardener.

I

n today’s competitive retail environment, stocking the right brands can make all the difference. Vitavia Greenhouses combine everything today’s UK gardeners are looking for: reliability, style, choice and affordability all bolstered by strong family values.

Vitavia UK was established in 2008 by Tony Hutchinson. Soon after, he was joined by his sons Robbie and John who are now Directors, followed by daughter Andrea in 2017 who

12 August/September 2026

oversees the company’s marketing. With a strong team of experienced staff in the offices based in Suffolk, as well as dedicated drivers delivering greenhouses all over the UK, the Vitavia team is better than ever!

Appreciate the outdoors all year round “More and more gardeners are realising and appreciating the benefits of owning a greenhouse,” says Andrea. “Whatever the

weather, a greenhouse can create its own microclimate. The growing season can start earlier, vegetables can be harvested for longer and, if you grow them organically, they will be free from harmful chemical residues.”

In addition to being dedicated growing spaces and extending the season, Vitavia is also the UK distributer for the Belgian company Janssens, which offers an exceptional range of contemporary and traditional greenhouses and garden rooms which can be enjoyed all year

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Promotion

For those with limited space, patios or balconies, the Ida is the perfect choice.

round. The Janssens range of middle and highend products complement perfectly the already well established Vitavia range for small, urban gardens right through to large multi-purpose greenhouses for those serious about growing their own.

So, if a greenhouse extends the growing season to all year round, surely selling greenhouses would extend your garden centre’s seasonal purchasing too? It really does sound win/win!

We don’t have the time or space…

Many garden retailers believe they don’t have the space to sell greenhouses, but you have to sell an awful lot of seeds or pots to get the value of a greenhouse sale from the same footprint!

Vitavia offers dropship on all models, so storing greenhouses is not an issue.

We advise having three display models on site

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

to suit all customers , a 6 x 4, 6 x 8 and 8 x 10, but again this can be discussed and modified according to the space available on site.

Vitavia provides installation of the display models

Vitavia’s range covers it all Apollo: A great low-threshold, entry-level model for new gardeners Orion: Unique curved eaves for a stylish look Venus & Neptune: Classic, versatile models that are practical and perfectly formed Saturn & Jupiter: Larger, heavy-duty greenhouses for committed hobbyists Ida: Lean-to greenhouse ideal for patios, wall gardens and smaller spaces

as well as point of sale materials and Get in touch with Vitavia today. Email: training for staff sales@vitavia.co.uk if required. Once that greenhouse sale is made at your garden centre, Vitavia does all the customer service aftercare.

It’s completely hassle free and couldn’t be simpler

Why stock Vitavia?

When so many companies are focused solely on profits, Vitavia stands out for its commitment to quality, innovation and family values. By choosing Vitavia, you’re investing in a product that’s built to last and a company that genuinely cares about retailers and customers.

August/September 2026 13

Catering

War on waste Caroline Benjamin from Food Allergy Aware, asks are we serving customers or filling the bin?

A

s someone who spends a great deal of time dining out, auditing hospitality businesses and working with catering teams, I often find myself looking beyond the quality of the food. I look at what is left on the plate.

One thing I notice time and time again is the amount of perfectly edible food being returned to the kitchen untouched. In many cases, this waste could easily have been prevented.

Does every plate need a garnish?

If I’m ordering a sandwich or light lunch, I enjoy a fresh garnish of lettuce, tomato, onion or a small portion of coleslaw. It adds colour, freshness and complements the meal.

However, I have to admit that a handful of rocket leaves scattered on a plate doesn’t really constitute a garnish in my opinion. It can feel like a default addition rather than something that genuinely enhances the dish.

When dining with friends, the opposite is often true. They don’t like salad or garnish at all. They’ll specifically ask for it to be left off their meal, yet more often than not it still arrives on the plate. Unsurprisingly, it goes straight back to the kitchen untouched.

Recently, while visiting a busy garden centre café, I couldn’t help but observe the finished plates around me. Looking at the returned plates, I estimated that around half still contained untouched garnish.

While this wasn’t a scientific study, it certainly raised an interesting question. How much money are businesses throwing away simply because nobody asked the customer whether they wanted the garnish in the first place?

14 August/September 2026

The free-from perspective

The cost of food waste

Food waste isn’t limited to standard meals. As someone who often orders gluten-free options, I frequently experience another form of unnecessary waste.

A recent breakfast order illustrates the point perfectly. I was offered glutenfree toast and requested just one slice.

Despite this, two slices arrived. This isn’t unusual.

Many businesses understandably want to provide excellent service to customers with dietary requirements, but in doing so they can unintentionally overcompensate. Gluten-free bread is considerably more expensive than standard bread, so every unnecessary slice that ends up in the bin increases both costs and waste. Sometimes simply asking if one slice would be enough could make all the difference.

These observations aren’t just anecdotal, and WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) has found the following: • One in every six meals served in UK hospitality is wasted.

• The hospitality and food service sector generates approximately 1 million tonnes of food waste every year, with around 75% being avoidable.

• Food waste costs the industry over £3 billion annually, with the average outlet losing around £10,000 each year.

• Food waste occurs at three main stages: P 45% during food preparation P 34% from customers’ plates P 21% through spoilage before preparation

Heading for the bin garnish and chutney left untouched at a garden centre restaurant.

Perhaps even more telling is that 48% of diners say portions are simply too large,

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Catering

with customers, on average, leaving around 15% of a main meal uneaten.

Portion size remains the biggest reason food is left behind.

Small changes can make a big difference One local fish and chip shop has adopted an approach that I think deserves recognition.

Rather than automatically piling chips onto every plate, they serve a sensible portion initially. Halfway through the meal, staff ask customers whether they would like additional chips. If they do, they receive them. If not, those chips haven’t been cooked or wasted.

It’s a simple idea, but an effective one!

This approach may not suit every operation, particularly busy self-service restaurants or cafés, but there are opportunities where it could work.

Restaurants, for example, often have quieter periods such as over-60s lunch clubs where table service allows staff to interact with customers. Asking whether they’d like more rather than automatically serving excess food could reduce waste while maintaining excellent customer service and good interaction stimulating communication to the customers preferences.

Ask the customer Sometimes the simplest solution is the most effective. Rather than automatically adding salad garnish, coleslaw, sauces or accompaniments to every plate, why not ask?

• Would you like salad with that?

• Would you like coleslaw?

• Would you like one or two slices of gluten-free toast?

• Would you like tartare sauce?

It takes only a few seconds but could significantly reduce waste across hundreds of meals each week.

Turning waste into useful data Returned plates shouldn’t simply be scraped into the food waste bin.

They provide valuable feedback. If the server asks the customer if everything is okay with the meal they can better understand why food was left Kitchen teams should routinely ask: • What was left on the plate?

• Which dishes are regularly returned with the same untouched items?

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

• Were portions too large?

• Was the food quality acceptable?

• Could the dish have been presented differently?

• Was there an allergen or dietary concern?

Consider if a near miss situation needs recording with reference to an allergen issue Businesses should also record: • Which dishes generate the most waste.

• The weight of returned food.

• Preparation waste.

• Spoiled or out-of-date ingredients.

By analysing this information, operators can identify trends, improve menus and reduce unnecessary purchasing.

Better menus lead to better decisions Customers are far less likely to leave food if they know exactly what they’re ordering.

Menus should clearly describe: • What the dish contains.

• Portion sizes.

• Optional accompaniments.

• Garnishes.

• Sauces that can be removed.

• Spice levels.

• Dietary options.

Giving customers more choice before the meal is prepared often results in less food being wasted afterwards.

UK Hospitality encourages businesses to adopt a simple approach: Target. Measure. Act. Using this alongside initiatives such as WRAP’s Guardians of Grub helps operators understand where waste occurs, benchmark performance and identify practical ways to improve profitability while reducing environmental impact.

A challenge for garden centre restaurants Garden centre cafés are well known for generous portions and excellent value. That’s part of their appeal.

However, generous doesn’t always have to mean excessive.

As food prices continue to rise, reducing avoidable waste is one of the easiest ways for hospitality businesses to improve profitability. Perhaps the question every operator should ask isn’t simply, ‘What are we serving?’ instead, it should be ‘what are our customers actually eating?”

Because every untouched garnish, every unnecessary slice of glutenfree toast and every oversized portion represents not just food in the bin, but an opportunity to serve customers better while reducing costs and protecting the environment.

Food Allergy Aware is a specialist training and consultancy business supporting hospitality and catering operators to improve allergen management, food safety systems and customer experience. Can we help?

Email: Caroline@foodallergyaware.co.uk or telephone: 07732637292.

August/September 2026 15

Discover...

NEW Products NEW Point Of Sale And a NEW Category

FIVE Reasons why Meadow View will be the Smartest Choice You Make at Glee When you’re walking the halls at Glee, you’ll see plenty of suppliers promising great products. But few can match Meadow View’s proven combination of innovation, quality, and partnership that consistently delivers results for retailers nationwide.

Here’s why we should be top of your list when you visit Glee.

1

Superior Product Quality

First in the UK to introduce the washing of premium decorative aggregates, we supply cleaner, more accurately sized products that outperform the competition.

Our ISO 9001:2015 accreditation guarantees industry-leading product and service standards.

Most Innovative 2 The Range From AR technology that lets customers visualise products in their own gardens, to six trademarked European blends that now sit among the UK’s top 20 best-sellers, our range is designed to lead trends, not follow them.

Largest Infrastructure 4 in the Sector

Proven Sales 3 Increases

With four washing plants, 17 robotic packing lines, four production sites, and four dockside storage locations, we have the capacity to meet demand reliably - even during peak trading periods.

Retailers switching to Meadow View typically see sales rise by around 30% - a result of our high-quality products, market-leading range, and inspiring merchandising displays that convert browsers into buyers.

Knowledge and 5 Expertise Our team boasts over 200 years of combined category expertise, ensuring we deliver the extensive insight, experience, and support needed to help you significantly grow your sales and stay ahead in the market.

Visit us at Glee STAND 18C10-D11 01948 841 607 info@meadowviewstone.co.uk www.meadowviewstone.co.uk

Welcome to Glee 2026

It’s time for Glee 2026

Glee welcomes you, whether it’s your first or 50th visit to the most important garden trade show of the year.

T

he garden centre sector is as vibrant as ever, boosted again this year by strong sales and consumer demand. Buyers and garden centre owners will find feeding that demand with new products and services a little easier this year as Glee has three new sectors and crosses over with Autumn Fair.

For the very first time, Autumn Fair will be running alongside Glee on 8 and 9 September, combining the very best new ideas and innovation in gift and home with the latest trends in gardening. A ticket to Glee is the free key to two of the biggest trade events in the year. “Glee will give

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

you suppliers worth building relationships with, and conversations that will stay with you long after you get home,” says Matthew Mein, Event Director.

As well as more than 400 exhibitors, the show will also host a full programme of talks and presentations from some of the most influential names in garden retailing, plus the Green Heart – the place to meet plant suppliers.

As cafes and restaurantes become ever more important, The Feed Your Business Stage is the place to find a dedicated agenda with speakers offering their free advice to help turn food and beverages into profits.

Glee 2026 NEC Birmingham

Tuesday 8 September 09:00-18:00 Wednesday 9 September 09:00-18:00 Thursday 10 September 09:00-16:00 To find out more and pre-register visit: www.gleebirmingham.com Stay up to date on socials: Instagram: Glee_Birmingham Facebook: Glee.Birmingham1 Twitter: @Glee_Birminghgam

August/September 2026 17

What’s on Glee 2026

Glee at a glance

With so much going on at Glee, it can be hard to know where to start.

GTN has distilled event highlights over the three days to help you make the most of your visit.

Autumn Fair Together with Glee, Autumn Fair brings visitors to the NEC more than 1250 exhibitors across garden and home through to fashion and gifts.

Autumn Fair runs from 6-9 September and crosses over with Glee on 8-9 September.

Green Heart The centre for nurseries and plant suppliers to the trade with some new varieties to look out for. Here you will also find Future Plants, a display curated by Michael Perry, featuring some of his favourite plants likely to be ontrend in the coming seasons.

• Food & Beverage: Bringing together kitchen equipment, catering beverage suppliers and catering experts.

• Home & Garden: As customers increasingly view their gardens as an extension to their homes, this new sector has a focus on the tools, paint and storage to match enabling retailers to tap into DIY all year round.

Feed Your Business Stage With a focus on garden centre cafes and restaurants, experts will discuss wide ranging topics from food allergy awareness, menu engineering, training and staff retention.

Centre Stage

New Product Showcase

Where the industry’s most important conversations will happen. Hear from leading garden retail figures from companies including Blue Diamon, Hillier Garden Centres and Polhill Garden Centre.

Come to 17A80 to see the 300 plus new launches across 14 categories entered into the New Product Showcase. Representatives from companies of the top three products in each category have a chance to pitch to the judges at Centre Stage on Tuesday 8th, with the winners and Best Overall New Product at Glee 2026 announced later on 5pm.

New sectors • Food Hall: The destination for artisan food and drink brands. Meet the makers, taste the ranges and find the product your customers will ask and keep coming back for.

18 August/September 2026

Glee First If you want to work with businesses making

waves in the future, then head on to Hall 20 to find those trading for 12 months or less. With their fresh ideas, they bring welcomed injection of energy to the sector.

GTN’s Greatest Restaurant & Food Hall Garden Centre Team Awards As voted for by customers, winners of these new awards which recognise tasty menus and showstopping concepts, will be announced on Wednesday 9th September, 3pm, on The Feed Your Business Stage.

New Accio ap Another first for Glee is the adoption of Accio, its official agentic AI partner. It enables visitors to find theright suppliers, plan a route, build and agenda and more. For more see www. gleebirmingham.com/accioapp

Floral Thursday It’s time to give your best floral frocks and shirts an airing for Floral Thursday. The FUNdraising day, on the last day of the show, brings the whole sector together with blooming smiles to raise money for The Greenfingers Charity.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

What’s on Glee 2026

Across nine sectors Glee has retailing covered Plants Pet Products Sourcing Outdoor Entertaining Home, Gift & Clothing Landscapint & Garden Decoration Retail Experiences & Services Garden Care Home & Garden Improvement Food & Beverage Food Hall

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

August/September 2026 19

Glee Exhibitor News

Glee hall highlights As Glee co-hosts with Autumn Fair this year, there is even more to see. To focus your visit, GTN has gathered some exhibitor highlights to be found in the halls.

Make your gifting inspirational Stand: 19H61 Garden and gift retailers need more than products that earn their space in-store. They need a supplier that offers dependable stock holding, consistent finish and quality control and commercially strong value. That is exactly what Inspirational Gifting was set up to deliver.

Retailers choose Inspirational Gifting for free delivery to mainland UK on orders over just £300; products designed in the UK and produced in its dedicated workshop for control over finish, quality and supply; ethically hand-crafted by a highly skilled team with long standing, and statement pieces, grouped collections and giftable sizes for retail display.

Easy Jose has a story to tell Stand: 17E23 Easy Jose Coffee Roasters helps garden centres turn coffee into a strong customer experience. It supplies specialty coffee for cafés, restaurants and hospitality spaces, backed by barista training, equipment support and practical wholesale guidance. Coffees are sourced through direct relationships with indigenous communities, including those in the Mayni in Peru, where coffee is shade-grown beneath the rainforest canopy using farming practices that protect biodiversity. That gives your team more than a great cup to serve, it brings a story worth sharing. Easy Jose is a full-service wholesale partner helping garden centres improve quality, consistency and provenance across their coffee offer.

Concept Research brings quality British made animal deterrents Dogs will love Garden Bites Stand: 20H78 Garden Bites by Donald Cooke, are dog treats with a difference. They are 55% sweet potato with real fruit and vegetables, and they smell great!

Not only are they a great seller in the pet trade, Garden Bites are also uniquely positioned for success in the garden centre trade. Free Standing Display units are available and will launch at Glee.

Donald Cooke also supplies hundreds of other products including its own label K9 Chew Co range alongside many other pet and fishing brands.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Stand: 20K36 Concept Research is a British manufacturer which believes in offering quality and effective products that deliver on their promises, backed up by great customer service and continuity of supply. For more than 30 years in its Hertfordshire factory, Concept Research has been manufacturing a quality range of animal deterrents that deter ‘nuisance animals’ without harm to any species. With a range that includes Catwatch, the only cat deterrent tested and approved by the RSPB, Concept Research is proud of what it does and is happy to tell you more at Glee.

August/September 2026 21

Promotion

What a difference a year makes In just over 12 months, Durston Garden Products Ltd has transformed the face of growing media manufacturing, challenged previously held perceptions of the heritage brand, and set this family-run business on course for significant growth.

I

t’s certainly been a whirlwind for Durstons! This time last year Chris and Dan Durston and the team were ready to unveil a showstopping new re-brand at Glee; garnering industry attention as groundbreaking formulations outperformed competitor products in independent growing trials and looking to expand customer networks across the UK. Now, with Glee 2026 on the horizon, the Somerset producer is heading back to the show, ready to talk about its move to a new, larger premises and a journey to futureproof the business with exciting new opportunities and expansion into other market sectors.

New relationships The intervening months have been busy for Durstons, with the team keen to maintain momentum following a hugely successful Glee. Response to the new-look Durstons was overwhelmingly positive,

22 August/September 2026

Chris Durston.

Dan Durston.

with buyers loving the new livery, product hierarchy, and reassurance of professionalgrade performance across the entire range, time and time again.

These changes have seen Durstons secure new retail listings across the country and ramp up business with doorstep delivery service Milk & More, with whom Durstons is

now doing a roaring trade. To facilitate these conversations and help scale up the business, Durstons has also recruited new sales colleagues to further grow the team.

New location No doubt, the biggest news in 2026 was the announcement of Durstons’ intention to

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Promotion

Meet the team and see the range at Glee on Stand 19G02. move to a brand-new 25-acre site in Meare, Somerset. Unbeknownst to many, the plan to relocate has been in the pipeline for some time, with development of the site beginning two years ago, overseen by Managing Director, Chris Durston, who has put in a lot of work behind the scenes.

The new facility, known as Eclipse Works, is situated less than five miles from Durstons’ current base and has undergone a major transformation ahead of production switching over in September. The site, now boasts a new, larger building and includes 6 acres of tarmac and 15 acres of operational space, giving Durstons the scale and flexibility needed to support the next chapter.

Existing bagging lines are being moved across from the current site, with additional space intentionally reserved for future expansion, as demand continues to rise.

Production at the current site has already wound down and engineers are hard at work installing machinery in the new premises, with all operations still on schedule to be fully transferred to Eclipse Works by 1st September.

Durstons has used this opportunity to review its existing suite of machinery and make updates where necessary, including bringing in a state-of-the-art mixing system from the Netherlands that will greatly improve efficiency.

“We’ve taken advantage of the move to rebuild and improve some of the existing machinery, including the existing bagging lines we’re bringing over from the original site,” says Chris Durston. “The most exciting new addition is a Premier Tech Mix Pro system, which will completely revolutionise our mixing process. The computerised system will enable us to mix three different growing media recipes simultaneously to feed to the bagging lines. It’s a much more sophisticated system than we had before and is going to make the whole process a lot more efficient.”

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

New chapter The major investment marks a step change in production capabilities and is set to unlock new potential for the family business. As well as supporting higher volumes of traditional bagged compost, the new site will enable Durstons to introduce bulk bags to its offer, creating opportunities in new sectors, such as builders’ merchants and landscaping suppliers.

“We’ve seen a lot of change over the past year,” says Sales Director, Dan Durston. “We’ve launched the new ‘face’ of Durstons, taken on new customers and colleagues and are getting ready to call a new site home. We recognise this huge shift and ‘newness’ is necessary to grow the business and take it forward, but we’ve also made a conscious effort not to lose the essence of Durstons and what we value

most at our core.

“Naturally, our relocation to a bigger site will enable us to diversify and serve a broader customer base but a big part of this journey is about better servicing the customers we already have. Our focus has always been on helping garden centres to sell more growing media, maximise opportunities in the category, and foster loyalty amongst gardeners who have growing success with our products to keep them coming back for more. We know retailers are under enough pressure in the current climate, which is why we are taking the steps to increase our own efficiency and capability, so we can continue to provide smooth, reliable supply, added flexibility and a high level of service that make their lives easier.”

Retailers interested in strengthening their compost off offer er and supporting gardeners through the peat-free transition can fifind nd out more about Durstons’ award-winning range and pointof-sale support at www.durstongardenproducts.co.uk or by calling 01458 442688.

August/September 2026 23

Glee Exhibitor News

New bulb compost from Melcourt Stand: 18B02 Following its award-winning appearance in 2025, Melcourt returns to Glee with SylvaGrow® Bulb Compost, the latest addition to its premium peat-free range. Designed for bulbs grown in indoor and outdoor containers, it supports autumn, spring and summer displays. Available from September 2026, the compost will launch with an exclusive show offer for retailers preparing for the autumn planting season. Visitors can also discover Melcourt’s award-winning composts, bark mulches and soil improvers, access practical specialist peatfree advice, discuss merchandising opportunities and win exclusive show prizes.

SOCKSHOP puts feet first Stand: 20J20 SOCKSHOP is looking forward to returning to Glee, showcasing its best-selling brands including Heat Holders, Gentle Grip, IOMI FootNurse, Wild Feet, Country Pursuit and more. Visitors can discover the latest seasonal collections, exciting new product launches and proven best sellers, all designed to help garden centres and gift retailers maximise sales throughout the year. With low minimum order quantities, excellent stock availability, fast delivery and an easy-to-use 24/7 B2B ordering website, SOCKSHOP makes it simple for retailers to stock products their customers love.

Glee debut for Skyline WorkForce Manager Stand: 17H30 Skyline WorkForce Manager is the only AI-powered workforce management system built specifically for UK garden centres and nurseries. Designed to reduce administration, improve productivity and optimise labour costs, it brings rota planning, attendance, compliance, tasks and workforce management together in one intuitive platform. At Glee, discover how its innovative AI tools helps businesses make smarter decisions, save valuable management time and improve operational performance every day.

UK Greetings celebrates with new designs Stand: 19E50-F51 UK Greetings is back at the Glee offering a sneak peek at the new products launching soon. And this year marks a special milestone as UKG celebrates the 10th anniversary of its partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society. Incredibly the 2.1 million cards and gift wrap items UKG sold in 2025 accounted for just over half of all the RHS licensed products sold that year! This partnership continues to innovate even further with new Mother’s Day designs and an expansion into partyware – all on show at this year’s Glee.

24 August/September 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Glee Exhibitor News

Cake Club shuns the mediocre Stand: 17F16 Cake Club was born from a simple belief: life’s too short for mediocre cake. Tired of uninspiring bakes and one-size-fits-all suppliers, Cake Club set out to do things differently. With recipes by Michelin-trained chef Lize, its cakes stand out on café counters and keep customers coming back for more. But it is more than a cake supplier. Cake Club is a partner to independent coffee shops, offering expert advice, dedicated support and brilliant bakes that help businesses thrive. Today, it is proud to champion the independents, the rulebreakers and the coffee obsessives. Because great coffee deserves great cake.

Firmans unveils outdoor furniture for 2027 Stand: 20G51 Firmans is delighted to be exhibiting at Glee, showcasing its latest outdoor furniture collections for the 2027 season. Visitors will discover a selection of new designs, alongside established best-selling ranges, all created to offer style, comfort and excellent value for the garden. The team is looking forward to meeting both existing and new customers and will be on hand to talk through the ranges, discuss upcoming plans and help retailers find the right products for the season ahead.

Alpen tools offer precision cutting Stand: 18E56-17A59 Burton McCall is exhibiting two Alpen tools additions which complement the popular FELCO range. The ALPEN Bernina 6195 Folding Saw (pictured) is compact, highperforming and designed for precise and efficient pruning.

Its 195mm chrome-plated, hollow-ground blade delivers clean cuts while resisting corrosion and sap build-up, supported by impulse-hardened teeth for long-lasting sharpness. The ALPEN Weisshorn 260 pruner has a Japanese SK5 carbon steel blade which features a nonstick coating and variable-radius design for smooth, clean cuts. Aluminium handles with ergonomic grips and rubber shock absorbers help reduce fatigue during prolonged use.

Hamac helps create eyecatching experiences Stand: 20H30-J31 Hamac is unveiling its latest collections for the season ahead.

Extensive new ranges of water features, garden creations, Hansa's world-renowned lifelike plush animals, and a selection of innovative display products will help retailers create eye-catching instore experiences. Whether you're a garden centre, retailer or container (FOB) buyer, the Hamac team will be on hand to show the newest additions, discuss the latest trends, and help you find products to inspire customers and drive sales.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

August/September 2026 25

Visit us on Stand 19A10-C11 Two Striking new Additions to our Premium Range.

Discover the latest Altico additions, from decorative stone to crafted garden features. Our 2027 collection brings timeless quality and natural beauty to every outdoor space.

PURE

& NATURAL

An Expanded Range of Natural Products.

Expand your Pure & Natural offering with three new colours, slate sticks and premium paving. Carefully selected for their natural beauty and versatility, these additions offer even more choice for landscaping and décor.

5 NEW Fresh designs with strong inproducts for store performance.

2027

Four new collections featuring British animals and rural themes. With etched details and mixed pallet deals.

Keep Outdoor Power Safe, Dry and Tidy.

New to the range, PlugSafe offers a simple, practical solution for keeping outdoor electrical connections safe, dry and tidy – ideal for water features, lighting and other garden electricals.

PlugSafe

TM

More Hand-crafted Individuality from our Best-Selling Water Feature Range

Premium Granite Features for Today’s Landscaping Market.

Discover a wide range of new Virtue water features from the smaller indoor/outdoor Piccolo range to the new Mediterranean-inspired Relic.

Expand your landscaping range with premium granite edging and stepping stones, offering refined style and exceptional durability.

23 NEW

products for

2027

Giftable Style with Instant Appeal Introducing Orchard Grove, our dedicated range of decorative garden plaques.

Complete with bespoke POS, this collection of 16 designs offers an eyecatching display, making it the perfect addition to any garden centre.

NEW

category for

2027

HOME

Contemporary Water Features for Modern Interiors Introducing Drift & Flow Home, a stylish collection of indoor water features combining soothing flowing water with contemporary designs.

Glee Exhibitor News

ECOFUEGO launches the El Niño Tabletop Fire Pit Stand: 17C50-D51 Designed to bring warmth, atmosphere and striking style to gardens, patios and outdoor entertaining spaces, El Niño offers an accessible way for customers to enjoy the appeal of a real flame. Compact, contemporary and easy to display, it is ideal for garden centres looking to add an eye-catching, affordable product to their outdoor living range. With an RRP of under £99.99, El Niño combines strong consumer appeal with an attractive price point.

Growing online with Accelopack Stand: GH16-GH19 Discover Accelopack in Glee’s Green Heart offering retailers access to more than 4,000 plant SKUs that can be added to their websites, with orders picked, packed and fulfilled on their behalf. This helps businesses increase product choice and website sales without investing in stock or managing complex fulfilment. Through its new partnership with Durstons, Accelopack can also supply a wide range of highquality compost alongside its extensive plant selection. See the plants, meet the team and discuss how Accelopack can help grow your online garden sales.

Visit Melcourt at GLEE 2026 Something new is coming – see it first at GLEE 2026 Whether you’re looking for award-winning premium composts, bark mulches, soil improvers or the newest addition to the SylvaGrow® peat-free range, visit the Melcourt team on stand 18B02 at the NEC Birmingham from 8th to 10th September.

Discover how our products can help drive sales and inspire customers throughout the seasons to come. We’d love to see you there.

See what’s new for 2027 at stand 18B02

%$#+*"-$$ ,/.!$ )&'(

Why visit stand 18B02?

Exclusive GLEE offers and prizes Talk to our peat-free experts on our dedicated technical advice stand Discover the award-winning SylvaGrow™ range Get a first look at SylvaGrow® Bulb Compost, new for 2027

STAND 18B02

Can’t make it? Call 01666 502 711 or email mail@melcourt.co.uk to find out more ©

26 August/September 2026

Melcourt Industries Ltd, Boldridge Brake, Long Newnton, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8RT

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Glee Exhibitor News

Restoring natural colour

USE NOW

USE IN 12 MONTHS

REMOVES GREEN SLIPPERY SURFACES

Stand: 20H50 Overtime, pressure washing becomes less effective, stone becomes discoloured and stubborn staining starts to appear.

Traditional patio cleaners will remove algae but not years of discolouration or deep ingrained stains, so give your customers what they want - Patio Black Spot Remover. It removes lichen, algae and restores the natural colour to garden stonework.

Used annually Patio Black Spot Preventer, a spray and leave treatment that requires no pressure washing, maintains the condition. Stock the best performing restoration and maintenance product on the market.

Datekin brings healthy snacking Stand: 17C32 Datekin is the UK's first date snacking brand, championing better snacking: natural, minimally processed, and deliciously sweet. Handpicked dates, grown and pitted on Datekin’s Saudi Arabian farms, are dry to touch for mess-free, on-thego eating, and rich in insoluble fibre to support gut health.

Available in convenient 30g and 60g formats, Datekin delivers a quick energy boost or fibre top-up. The range also includes clean-label Date Balls and award-winning, indulgent Date Cakes, both in packs of five. Prices start from £1.49, with stockists including Selfridges and WHSmith travel stores.

MADE FOR

BRITISH GARDENS

Plan Early. Stock Smart.

Sell More This Autumn.

Autumn Trade Machinery Promotion NOW LIVE! Autumn demand starts before the leaves fall. Be ready with seasonal machinery deals across the products your customers will be asking for, including: √ Blowers & Vacuums √ Chainsaws & Pruning Saws √ Log Splitters & Saw horses √ Hedge Trimmers & Shredders √ Scarifiers, Sweepers & Pressure Washers √ Parts, Oils and Accessories & lots more!

With promotional supply prices across key autumn ranges, Handy is helping trade customers prepare early, build stronger seasonal displays and support customer demand before the season peaks.

BECOME A STOCKIST – APPLY FOR AN TRADE ACCOUNT Trade: www.handytrade.co.uk

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

www.handys.co.uk

VIEW THE AUTUMN PROMOTION ONLINE Visit www.handytrade.co.uk to sign up for a trade account, view the promotion and place your order.

Or speak to your Handy Area Sales Manager...

Email: sales@handys.co.uk Telephone: 01793 333220

August/September 2026 27

Promotion

Ambitious plans for outdoor pot experts Apex Garden Products brings garden retailers a greater choice in ornamental garden pot retailing.

A

pex Garden Products might be a new name in the world of outdoor pots, but between them, founders James Hoad and Michael Yang have six decades of knowledge and experience in the pottery industry as former directors of well known Apta.

With expertise also spanning sales in the UK garden centre market and Far East manufacturing, Apex is perfectly placed to provide garden retailers with a new choice of supplier when it comes to inspirational products. Both James and Michael are dedicated to making Apex the best outdoor pot supplier in the UK.

New beginnings Prior to the closure of The Ames Companies UK business in 2026, Apta was a well-established and trusted supplier of high-quality pots and planters to the UK garden centre trade. For decades it carried a reputation for innovation (being first-tomarket with many new ideas) backed up by exceptional customer service.

28 August/September 2026

James Hoad, Director of Apex, brings decades of experience in pot retailing.

Apex is founded on the same principles: top quality, innovative products, constant new product introductions, and excellent value – all backed with quick deliveries and reliable service.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Promotion

Come and see the range and meet the team at Glee.

Stand 20D10-E11.

Product innovation Working with trusted partner factories across the world, some of whom James has known and worked with for decades, Apex designs many of the products in its catalogue. Rather than only buying ‘off the shelf’, this Apex to take advantage of trends in the market and bring UK retailers and their customers something different.

Product innovation is key in the outdoor pots market. While Apex ensures retailers can choose from timeless, core ranges which sell year after year, it also recognises that a large part of the market comes from impulse purchases. This is where the Apex guarantee of constant newness, from different shapes, colours, designs, patterns, materials and

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

brands, prevents displays from growing stale. A core tenet of the Apex strategy is constant new product development.

Great product is nothing if not backed up with great service. Apex has a fantastic team of sales representatives experienced in supplying pots, with nationwide coverage. In addition, it also offers full display solutions, POS and merchandising, along with fast national deliveries, ensuring stock is on the benches before the weekend in peak season.

To find out more, contact James on: 07932 003190. info@apexgardenproducts.co.uk

August/September 2026 29

Glee Exhibitor News

Falcon has the catering solutions Stand: 17D32 Whether opening a new café, expanding the menu or looking for ways to serve more customers with limited space and staff, Falcon Foodservice Equipment can help. Visit the stand to discuss catering challenges and discover practical solutions designed around your operation. From compact, easy-to-use equipment for smaller cafés and food-to-go counters, to complete cooking solutions for busy garden centre restaurants, Falcon Foodservice Equipment can help you find the right approach. See the latest Oracle high-speed ovens and energy-efficient induction equipment in action, meet the experienced team and discover how Falcon can make catering simpler, faster and more profitable.

Meet the GCA Stand: 20C50-D51 The GCA is welcoming members to its lounge area at The Clubhouse, Hall 20, C50-D51. Here, Peter, Laura and Antony will be on hand to chat to members, and for those interested in learning more about the GROW e-learning platform. Free tea, coffee and snacks are available to members and those who aren’t members yet are also very welcome.

Fallen Fruits brings the new RSPB Hungry Birds range Stand: 18D10- E11 Fallen Fruits is thrilled to introduce the exciting new RSPB Hungry Birds range, a landmark partnership bringing ‘Essentials for Everybirdy’ to the wild bird care category! Proudly UK-manufactured, this premium range features high-energy fat balls, suet blocks, and no-mess seed blends. Crafted with human-grade beef tallow—and zero cheap fillers or colourants—it delivers naturally nutritious goodness. Crucially, every sale directly supports nature.

Elevate your retail category this season with this sustainably sourced bird care collection.

Traditional and modern Christmas from Elsam International Stand: 20K10 Elsam International is delighted to launch new ranges of Sanderson and Scion Christmas Crackers, both featuring their iconic designs. Every Sanderson cracker draws on this extraordinary archive — bringing the warmth and beauty of a genuinely historic design house to the Christmas table. Each design is as much a conversation piece as it is a seasonal gift. Scion's crackers carry that same infectious personality — graphic, joyful, and entirely unafraid of standing out. The perfect choice for a modern festive table that celebrates design as much as tradition.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

August/September 2026 31

Glee Preview

Floral FUNdraising on Thursday at Glee

T

hursday 10th September 2026 will be the seventh time the garden industry at Glee has got together to raise funds for Greenfingers Charity by donning their best (or worse) floral attire for the day. By the end of this Thursday at Glee, your Floral Thursday fun will have raised over £20,000 to help build more gardens in children’s Hospices.

To join in, all you have to do is come to Glee on Thursday in a floral floral shirt, dress or…, buy a raffle raffle ticket to win one of the many prizes donated by kind exhibitors and then join us on The Centre Stage area in Hall 17 to see if we can once again break the world record for the number of people in flowery flowery attire in one place at Glee!

32 August/September 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Glee Preview

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

August/September 2026 33

Glee Exhibitor News

Atlantic Organic launches at Glee Stand: 20K26 Entering the market this autumn is Atlantic Organic with its cold-pressed Ascophyllum nodosum liquid seaweed biofertiliser, hand-harvested from the Atlantic coast. Unlike conventional alkaline-extracted seaweed products, cold-pressing preserves the plant's natural compounds without heat or harsh chemicals, delivering a raw extract for stronger roots, healthier growth and improved plant resilience. Presented in a distinctive 1L bottle with striking linocut branding, Atlantic Organic offers garden centres a premium, authentic story that stands out on shelf. Already for sale with leading retailers, the brand is now seeking garden centre stockists nationwide.

Doff new look at 80 Stand: 19D50-E51 Celebrating 80 years of helping Britain grow, Doff is proud to mark this milestone with a fresh new look and exciting innovation. Since 1946, it has been committed to delivering trusted, effective garden care solutions, and this anniversary marks the beginning of its next chapter. At Glee 2026, Doff is unveiling refreshed packaging across many of its best-loved products, alongside an exciting pipeline of new product launches spanning plant feeds, wildflowers and household controls. Combining heritage with modern design and proven performance, Doff is continuing to invest in products that help retailers grow sales and give consumers the confidence to keep on growing.

Tretorn’s legacy Stand: 9C30 Rubber has run through Tretorn's DNA since 1891, when the Swedish brand introduced its first rubber galoshes, followed by its rubber boot in 1903.

More than a century of craftsmanship later, that expertise shapes modern heroes for everyday outdoor life, like the best-selling Terrain family and the newly renewed Strong family.

Terrain, one of Tretorn's most iconic products, delivers allweather, all-terrain comfort through an ultimate grip outsole and a Bloom™ insole made from algae biomass foam. Strong is a timeless, handmade boot in FSCcertified natural rubber, built with a metal shank and quickdrying lining for dependable protection on wet days. Proof that heritage and innovation can share the same boot.

34 August/September 2026

Home innovation with DK Household Brands Stand: 17B60 DK Household Brands, a global leader in premium housewares, will showcase its portfolio of innovative brands. Highlights include Cole & Mason's new Portobello Olive Wood and Shadwell Spice Storage collections.

Celebrating 75 years of kitchen innovation, Zyliss continues to inspire home cooks with Swiss-designed kitchen tools that make food preparation easier and more enjoyable. AdHoc brings over 30 years of design excellence, combining striking aesthetics with exceptional quality and functionality for the modern home. Across the portfolio, the brands offer stylish, giftable products perfect for Christmas gifting, seasonal promotions and retailer festive campaigns.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GLEE 2026

·

STAND 20J40

·

GIMA BUSINESS VILLAGE

Tell us what your customers want. We will make it.

A family workshop in Norfolk that rather enjoys a challenge.

We are a family workshop in Norfolk. Every piece is cut, etched

LASER CUT IN OUR OWN WORKSHOP

A FEW THINGS WORTH KNOWING

and finished by hand in durable mild steel, and weathers to a

NGS 2027 Centenary Collection supplier

natural patina rather than needing replacing, so it keeps earning

Commissioned by the Sandringham Estate

its shelf space.

Bespoke and exclusive lines to order

If there is something your customers keep asking for, we would

Dropship, reordering and POS support

love to hear about it. Come and find us on 20J40.

COME AND SAY HELLO

Stand 20J40

01603 267 416 info@lvbespoke.co.uk lvbespoke.co.uk

8 – 10 September 2026 · NEC Birmingham

HANDCRAFTED IN BRITAIN

·

MADE TO LAST

·

SCAN TO VISIT

INSPIRED BY NATURE

Promotion

Garden centres are missing one important category With Holiday Shop from Klass, retailers can make the most of holiday fashion.

A

s garden centres continue to evolve into lifestyle destinations, retailers are constantly looking for new ways to increase customer spending, encourage repeat visits and create experiences that differentiate them from the competition.

Across the sector, there has been a noticeable shift towards inspirational visual merchandising, with retailers using natural materials, greenery and lifestyle displays to create an engaging customer journey that encourages shoppers to explore every department. Fashion has become an increasingly important part of that journey, transforming from a simple product offer into a carefully curated retail experience.

Compelling commercial opportunity An opportunity that has remained largely untapped is holiday fashion.

Every year, thousands of garden centre customers book cruises, city breaks, beach holidays and UK getaways, yet very few centres provide a dedicated destination where customers can purchase clothing specifically for those trips. Holiday Shop from Klass is helping to change that.

Rather than being simply another seasonal collection, Holiday Shop creates a clearly identifiable retail destination that inspires customers as they prepare for their next holiday. Featuring lightweight separates, easy-to-pack dresses, versatile jackets and travel essentials, it offers a focused shopping experience that is unique within the garden centre sector. Through strong visual merchandising, aspirational styling and destination displays, Holiday Shop encourages customers to stop, browse and imagine their next escape, creating an experience that sits naturally alongside the lifestyle environments today’s garden centres are striving to achieve.

Holiday Shop is only the beginning Acting as the gateway to the wider Klass proposition, Holiday Shop also introduces customers to a brand that delivers stylish, wearable women’s wear throughout the year. Once customers discover Klass through Holiday Shop, they continue to shop the spring, summer, summer, autumn and winter collections, giving garden centres the confidence of investing in a long-term retail partnership rather than a seasonal promotion.

Holiday Shop creates a clearly identifiable retail destination that inspires customers as they prepare for their next holiday.

36 August/September 2026

The Klass department at Gates Woodlands Hinckley.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Promotion

Inspiring customers to dress to impress while on holiday.

The commercial opportunity is compelling.

Holiday Shop generates incremental sales, encourages impulse purchases, increases average basket values and provides another reason for customers to return to store. It complements existing retail categories rather than competing with them, enhancing the overall shopping experience while delivering additional revenue.

As buyers continue to seek fresh ideas that deliver genuine commercial value, Holiday Shop represents an opportunity that many garden centres have yet to explore.

Proven success The owners of Your Local Garden Centre, which operates four successful garden centres with Klass departments, have experienced the positive impact Holiday Shop has had on both customer engagement and commercial performance.

"At our garden centres, we're always looking for partners who enhance the overall customer experience, and Klass has done exactly that. The response from our customers has been exceptional, with many returning specifically to browse the latest collections. The quality of the product, the breadth of the range and the constant newness have given customers real confidence in the brand.

“The Holiday Shop has been particularly

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

• Visit Klass at Glee to discover Holiday Shop, explore the wider year-round daywear collection, and discuss concession opportunities designed for both existing and new fashion departments. Stand 17A01

To find out more, contact: David Cohen, Retail Director.

Email: david.cohen@eleganze.com

successful, creating excitement each season with stylish, wearable collections that inspire customers and encourage repeat visits. It has not only increased footfall into the fashion department but has also generated valuable additional sales across the business as customers extend their visit.

“The success of the partnership has led to Klass trading across all our existing sites.

Their understanding of our customers, combined with strong merchandising, exceptional product and ongoing support, has made Klass an important part of our retail offer and a destination our customers genuinely enjoy visiting."

Tim Mason, Director, Your Local Garden Centre Group

August/September 2026 37

Glee Exhibitor News

Experience bolstered at Malcolm Scott Consultants Stand:17G32 Seb Marley has joined Malcolm Scott Consultants as a Senior Surveyor specialising in retail and garden centre assets and will be at Glee. A commercial property specialist with a proven track record across the sector, Seb joins from London-based property consultants Harvey Spack Field, where he advised on a diverse range of institutional-grade retail and garden centre assets including the British Garden Centres portfolio. He brings extensive experience across acquisitions, disposals and sale and leaseback opportunities, as well as concession leasing, redevelopment opportunities and asset enhancement.

Water-smart gardeners choose Marvellous Mulch

Family values from Sox Hut

Stand: 20K64 Marvellous Mulch was created with one simple goal – to help gardeners get more from every drop of water.

Made from sustainably sourced British wheat straw and enriched with natural seaweed, it helps lock moisture into the soil, reducing evaporation while naturally suppressing weeds and improving soil as it breaks down. As droughts and hotter summers become more common, water-smart gardening will move from being a seasonal trend to an essential part of every garden.

Stand: 18D80 The Sox Hut is a family owned and operated business with a passion for socks. Its co-founders have a wealth of experience supported by fantastic design, technical and merchandising teams. Happy and proud to be an independent, small company, The Sox Hut approaches its work with passion and a sense of humour. All socks are produced from responsibly sourced and certified organic cotton and manufactured in The Sox Hut’s eco factory using hydroelectric power.

As an environmentally conscious brand, it strives to use recycled materials wherever possible including packaging.

Johnsons Lawn Seed looks to the future Stand: 19F50-G51 As weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable, Johnsons Lawn Seed is putting the spotlight on creating lawns that are built to last. At Glee 2026, the team will be exploring the science behind drought resilience, from deeper rooting seed mixes and improved recovery after dry spells to the role healthy lawns can play in carbon sequestration. Visitors will also discover how bestselling ranges such as Ace Lawn and Nature's Lawn are helping retailers meet growing consumer demand for sustainable, high-performing lawn solutions. It's a conversation focused not just on greener lawns, but on futureproofing gardens for years to come.

38 August/September 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

READY TO USE PREMIUM WATER FEATURES

Promotion

Welcome to Angro: house of brands Join Europe’s number one partner in legware and fashion accessories.

E

very day, millions of people use our products, regardless of their activity. They can always rely on our comfortable legwear and fashion accessories: striking products with contemporary designs, an excellent fit, and superior quality.

Since our inception as a family business in 1995, we are proud to have grown into a leading supplier in our segment. We independently develop, produce, and market our collections, both as private labels and through our own brand, and our extensive ranges reach consumers in multiple European countries.

We produce with a focus on people

40 August/September 2026

and society, making extensive use of sustainable materials such as organic cotton and bamboo. We are ISO certified, a member of Amfori |BSCI, and produce Oeko-tex® certified items wherever possible. Our extensive collection is divided into strong and recognisable brands.

For each market segment and product category, we offer strong, contemporary, and distinctive brands with their own identity that suits the intended target group.

A complete range Every consumer is unique. While some prefer an active outdoor life or sporty lifestyle, others enjoy strolling through the city or

along the sea front. Our brands are developed in such a way that consumers will quickly identify with them.

From the urban accessory brand Sarlini to the rugged outdoor brand Heat Keeper, our brands serve every consumer looking for good quality, fashionable products representing value for money.

Apollo Enjoy the extensive collection of basic and functional legwear, comfortable loungewear and playful outfits and accessories for Christmas and the festive season. Be inspired by the high quality, contemporary designs and affordable prices for the whole family.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Promotion

Heat Keeper Functional and high-quality accessories for an active outdoor life. Designed by our permanent team of stylists based on a fixed philosophy: comfortable, warm and functional. So, do you enjoy being outdoors, working or exercising?

Then put your trust in Heat Keeper.

Sarlini Regardless of the weather, Sarlini always provides the perfect match and allows you to walk through the city with style and in comfort. Fashionable, stylish and contemporary, you can style your outfit all year round with our fashionable accessories, mix and match with your favourite clothes and be inspired by the choice of colours and patterns.

Xtreme sockswear Whether running, cycling, jumping, hiking or skiing, you can always rely on the supportive fit of Xtreme Sockswear sports socks and accessories. We have a fashionable and colourful collection for every sport that gives your body the attention it deserves.

XQ Footwear Do you like to add colour to your life?

At XQ Footwear, we believe functional garden clogs, rain boots and summer slippers could use a bit of colour. That’s why we update our collection every year with trendy prints and stylish designs to combine comfort with a dose of cheerfulness.

Apollo brings seasonal and all year round designs.

Helping hand

Greater stopping power thanks to secondplacement solutions.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Increasing marketing and promotional support is available from our own websites with inspiring lookbooks to an extensive collection of pointof-sale materials. This enables our brands to reach countless consumers in Europe and for our Apollo, Heat Keeper, Sarlini, Xtreme Sockswear and XQ Footwear brands togrow stronger every day.

Colourful shelving layouts for your shop.

Visit Angro bv at Glee, stand 20G46-H47.

View collections at: www.angro.nl/en Phone: +31 73 5478865

August/September 2026 41

Glee Exhibitor News

Formbar is with you from first steps to check out Stand: 17E42 Formbar is a trolley and basket specialists for garden centres supplying quality, durable products from trusted European suppliers that not only look great, handle beautifully and enhance customer experience, but also help support higher average transaction values. Its wide product range suits centres of all shapes and sizes, with no minimum order level. Formbar will help you make the right choice for your store and budget through honest advice, try before you buy, trolley audits and maintenance. Its loss prevention solutions include customer flow management and Intelligent Lockable Cabinets for high-value items.

Advanced houseplant compost joins Durstons range Stand: 19G02 A year on from its major brand relaunch, Durstons returns to Glee with even more reasons for retailers to visit.

Building on the success of its Performance Compost range, the company brings its proven peat-free and peatreduced growing media alongside the launch of all-new Advanced Houseplant Compost. Developed to meet growing demand for indoor gardening, the new addition is built on the same performance-first philosophy that has made the range such a success. Discover how Durstons continues to support the industry's peat-free transition with products that deliver reliable growing results and inspire confidence at the point of sale.

Long-lasting decoration from LV Bespoke Stand: 20J40 Norfolk-based L V Bespoke designs and handcrafts garden metalwork, ranging from obelisks and plant supports to decorative screens and one-off commissions. Every piece is made in the UK by a small team of skilled fabricators, using finishes chosen to weather beautifully and last for years outdoors rather than a single season. It has been a busy year: the brand has joined GIMA, partnered with the National Garden Scheme on an exclusive collection, and reached the finals of the Norfolk Rural Business Awards. Come and see the new laser-cut range, alongside classic products.

42 August/September 2026

Make way for Mims Icons Stand: 18C62-10D60 Returning to Glee after a few years, Mims Pottery is back with renewed energy and a clear message. Taking centre stage will be the launch of Mims Icons - eight collections bringing the very best of the Mims offering, combining market-leading value, distinctive design, craftsmanship and proven retail performance. Alongside the Icons, will be the latest from Errington Reay, celebrating the heritage and craftsmanship of Britain's oldest working pottery. With exclusive collections, flexible ordering, nationwide merchandising support and the expertise retailers have come to expect, Mims is excited to reconnect and demonstrate why it remains a trusted partner for successful garden retail displays.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Glee Exhibitor News Contact us for samples & 1st order pricing

Grow better with Sipcam Stand: 17A50-B51 Sipcam Home & Garden continues to strengthen its position as a forward-thinking supplier of environmentally considerate garden care products. With a growing network of retail partners and the expanding ecofective® range, the company is earning recognition for delivering effective solutions that meet the evolving expectations of modern gardeners. At Glee the award-winning ecofective® Slug Stoppa takes to the floor, with new innovations designed to help gardeners protect plants whilst being kind to slugs and snails. Visit for an exclusive preview and discover exciting plans for 2027 as ecofective® goes on tour - Together Let's Grow Better.

grow your organic fertiliser sales with the UK & Ireland’s fastest growing organic fertiliser producer.

Professional results. Naturally organic.

SoilWorx organic fertiliser ranges are now available to home gardeners, bringing better blooms, healthier lawns and consumers who come back for more.

• Made in the UK • 100% organic • Multiple pack sizes • Own label options • Organic trust certified

Worx for the planet.

Worx for your bottom line.

Qwickhose takes a fresh approach to hose connections Stand: 20J66 Qwickhose is taking a fresh approach to a familiar gardening frustration: hose connections that work loose or pop off. Its JawGrip connector uses strong clamping jaws to grip the hose securely, rather than relying on the plastic teeth found in traditional fittings. Designed to provide a more dependable connection while remaining quick and straightforward to install, the system is compatible with most standard garden hosepipes and watering accessories. By rethinking a simple but often frustrating component, Qwickhose offers gardeners a practical solution that combines secure grip, ease of use and everyday reliability.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

+44 28 9620 5588 info@soilworx.co.uk soilworx.co.uk

August/September 2026 43

Glee Exhibitor News

Glee debut for ElectRoad Stand: 17J53 ElectRoad makes its Glee debut, bringing its smart EV charging solutions to the garden retail market. Designed to help garden centres turn dwell time into additional value, ElectRoad combines reliable charging infrastructure with a clear commercial model, intuitive management dashboard and 24-hour support. The system can also integrate with solar power, helping businesses reduce operating costs and support wider sustainability goals. With installations already in place across the garden retail sector, ElectRoad will use Glee to demonstrate how destination charging can enhance the customer experience, create new revenue opportunities and help futureproof retail sites for a growing EV audience.

Keep tabs with IF’s Flower Bookmarks

Empathy offers fresh looks and more choice Stand: 20J10-K11 Empathy by PlantWorks will unveil a fresh new look for its Supreme Green lawn care range, led by redesigned Lawn Seed packaging in striking new colour ways.

The recyclable, weather-resistant pouches have been created to deliver strong shelf presence. Also on show will be new additions to the popular After Plant Biofertiliser range, expanding the collection for the 2027 season.

Alongside the new launches, Empathy will be showcasing innovative product concepts and fresh ideas designed to bring new opportunities in link selling to garden centres.

Stand: 20K35 IF is delighted to be exhibiting at Glee and even more excited to arrive with an award-winning product! Its Flower Bookmarks were recently named a Gift of the Year winner in the Garden & Outdoor category. Designed to bring together a love of books and flowers, these colourful bookmarks make a fun, practical and affordable gift, with an eye-catching display that works brilliantly at retail. IF has been creating original, useful and giftable products for over 30 years. At Glee, discover the Flower Bookmarks alongside many latest new products and bestselling ranges.

Discover Trifibre’s rotationally moulded planters Stand: 20E22-F23 Bring style, durability and versatility to outdoor spaces with the Trifibre rotationally moulded planter range. Designed for modern gardens, commercial landscapes and everything in between, these lightweight, weather-resistant planters combine contemporary design with exceptional strength and long-lasting performance.

Discover the full Trifibre range at Glee, where the team will be showcasing the latest planter designs and discussing how Trifibre can enhance your product offering.

44 August/September 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Glee Exhibitor News

SUStee – the simple watering solution Stand: 20H54 Overwatering is one of the biggest challenges in plant care, and SUStee makes knowing when to water brilliantly simple. This awardwinning Japanese watering indicator changes colour when a plant needs water, giving customers an easy, visual way to care for their plants with confidence. No batteries, apps or guesswork required. Already trusted by plant lovers and retailers around the world, SUStee offers garden centres an innovative, easyto-demonstrate product with broad appeal for both experienced and first-time plant owners.

Choose Fordingbridge for creative revenue driving solutions Stand: 17F30 and 17F33 If this is the year you’re wanting to up your game and transform your centre from outlet to destination then the Fordingbridge stand is a must.

Fordingbridge is expert in devising imaginative, cost-effective and ultra flexible all-weather solutions to elevate the shopping, dining, browsing and dwelling experiences. And its showstopping entrances have a proven impact in increasing footfall and revenue. Meet the expert team, enjoy a complimentary coffee and be inspired by what your centre could become in 2027.

The Bike Shed Company debuts design-led storage Stand: 20F40 A first timer at Glee is The Bike Shed Company, showcasing its full range of garden storage on. It fills a unique niche: high-quality storage for houseproud, design-conscious customers who don't want a simple shiplap shed, but something that complements their home and garden. Having built its success on direct-to-consumer sales, it is now looking for retail partners to bring this range to a wider audience. If you're a garden centre or retailer interested in stocking distinctive, well-designed storage, come and talk to The Bike Shed Company.

Be part of Scheurich’s new chapter Stand: 20H31 A new chapter is unfolding at Scheurich: With the next generation shaping the company’s future, the brand is embracing a renewed identity that combines contemporary appeal with the values that have defined it for decades.

At Glee, this evolution comes to life through a modern brand experience and a collection inspired by today’s leading interior trends.

Distinctive prints, expressive colours, and premium finishes create a diverse portfolio that continues to inspire consumers and bring personality to living spaces.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

August/September 2026 45

Glee Exhibitor News

Autopot’s watering accuracy

Jagram combines traditional and contemporary Stand: 18C71 Jagram is delighted to be exhibiting at Glee again, with its traditional and contemporary collection of wooden garden structures designed for retailers looking for distinctive, European-made products. Explore the range of gazebos, pergolas, arbours, trellises, screens and modular larch planters, all created to bring natural character, structure and inspiration to outdoor spaces. With over 35 years of manufacturing experience, Jagram combines craftsmanship, quality materials and practical garden design and looks forward to meeting garden centres, buyers and industry partners.

Stand: 18E40-17A41 At Glee, AutoPot will bring its full selection of RHSendorsed products to life, with active demonstrations and displays presented by its own experienced growers.

Encompassing pretty much every plant watering application imaginable, its range of innovations is truly unique.

Unlike any other watering system, AutoPot is 100% responsive to plant needs - it irrigates according to uptake, exactly matching supply to demand. By watering accurately AutoPot eliminates guesswork and produces exceptionally healthy and productive plants. Systems require no electricity or running water, are sustainable, low-cost, safe to leave unattended, and exempt from hosepipe bans.

LAVA-LITE® at Glee 2026 — Discover the Power of Natural Innovation This year at Glee, LAVA-LITE® is bringing the future of growing, plant care, and Pest control straight to you.

Our unique range of natural, sustainable horticultural products is designed to help gardeners, retailers, and professionals achieve better results with less effort — all powered by the remarkable properties of LAVA-LITE®.

Why Visit LAVA-LITE® at Glee?

See the full product collection each engineered to improve plant health, water efficiency, and soil performance.

Meet the brand creators and learn how our products transform soil structure, boost aeration, and support stronger, healthier plants.

Discover new retail opportunities with eye-catching packaging, strong margins, and proven consumer demand.

Learn how LAVA-LITE® supports sustainability through natural materials, reduced water usage, and long-lasting performance.

Perfect for: Garden centres • DIY retailers • Landscapers • Growers • Ecofocused brands • Anyone looking to elevate their product offering Where to find us at Glee Visit the LAVA-LITE ® stand 20 K57 to explore, ask questions, and get hands-on with the products that are reshaping the horticultural market.

46 August/September 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Glee Exhibitor News

Copper Slug Rings offer sustainable protection Stand: 20K63 New to Glee this year are Slug Rings - solid copper rings that fit around plants to protect them from slugs and snails. Garden and pet-friendly, Slug Rings can be re-used year after year. Manufacturing in Somerset since 2002, Slug Rings is a family-owned business selling across the UK and Europe through long-standing wholesale partnerships. Effective all season, lasts a lifetime: Slug Rings are both practical and beautiful making them the perfect sustainable addition to your range.

TerraMara benefits soil and sea Stand: 20G56 TerraMara is a pioneer in ocean farming and the development of nextgeneration biostimulants/plant feeds. It grows seaweed on ropes out at sea, then uses gentle, low-energy processes to extract the goodness from the kelp, without harming its bioactives. Farmers have been using TerraMara biostimulant to improve yield, quality, rooting, and drought-stress response.

Proven in field trials, it is excited to launch a home and garden version of Kelp Shot. Available as a concentrated or ready-to-pour plant feed, this is the only organic product that regenerates both soils and seas.

Night Lark’s duvet innovation Stand: 18E80 Night Lark is the home of effortless, coverless duvets designed for real life.

Combining everyday practicality with contemporary design, its innovative all-in-one duvets make changing, washing and caring for bedding refreshingly simple. Easy to wash at home, quick to dry and ready to place straight back on the bed, Night Lark takes the hassle out of traditional bedding without compromising on softness, comfort or style. From busy households and pet owners to children’s rooms, guest spaces, holidays and everyday living, collections are created to deliver more comfort with less effort.

Grow Better with VegTrug Stand: 19H53 VegTrug creates beautifully designed, practical growing solutions that make it easier for everyone to grow their own food.

From iconic raised planters to innovative growing accessories, VegTrug combines thoughtful design, quality materials and real gardening know-how to help people grow more successfully, in more spaces.

For retailers, VegTrug offers a trusted, recognisable brand with products that inspire customers, solve genuine gardening challenges and encourage repeat purchases.

It is passionate about making growing accessible, enjoyable and rewarding, and committed to supporting retail partners with products that stand out, sell well and build lasting customer loyalty.

48 August/September 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Glee Exhibitor News

Why Meadow View is exhibiting at Glee Stand: 18C10-D11 Glee provides Meadow View with an important opportunity to meet garden centre stockists, strengthen relationships and showcase its latest innovations.

For 2026, is will unveil a coordinated collection of decorative aggregates, paving and stepping stones, developed in response to growing consumer demand for complete garden design solutions. It will also reveal an exciting new range, which is staying firmly under wraps until the show. Visitors can discover how merchandising and display support helps retailers create inspirational lifestyle settings, encourage linked sales and make products easier for customers to visualise.

Altico’s widest range yet Stand: 19A10-C11 Following record growth for Altico across all sectors, it returns to Glee with its widest range yet. See exciting additions across all ranges, plus the introduction of new brands to the Altico portfolio, alongside a range of marketing collateral designed to help retailers sell with confidence, including instructional videos and POS materials.

With continued investment in product development and retailer support, Altico remains the driving force behind independent garden centre and landscaping market growth.

Growing demand, growing sales: elho to unveil retail-ready innovations at Glee At Glee 2026, elho will unveil its latest collections alongside innovative merchandising concepts, giving garden retailers fresh opportunities to meet growing demand while creating inspiring shopfloors that maximise sales. Visitors will also discover how coordinated displays, thoughtful product placement and category expertise can help retailers optimise space, improve the customer journey and create more engaging shopping experiences.

Leading the launches will be niva, an outdoor collection designed as a complete merchandising system. With coordinated displays, complementary accessories and flexible layouts, the range will help retailers optimise space, encourage add-on purchases and create easy-to-shop displays.

Also launching at the show will be dune, an indoor planter collection designed to tap into the growing houseplant and interiors market.

Supported by cohesive merchandising concepts, the range will help retailers create stylish displays that blend home décor and plant care.

Building on the success of its award-winning wildlife gardening collection, elho will also introduce a new bird feeder range, combining contemporary design with impactful packaging, point-of-sale and merchandising solutions to create engaging wildlife displays.

Retailers can discover more at: www.elho.com/en/for-business.

50 August/September 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

, HOUSE OF BRANDS High-Margin Collections. Proven Fast-Sellers.

Looking to boost your retail margins with high-demand fashion essentials?

With 30 years of expertise, Angro is Europe’s trusted B2B partner for legwear, underwear, footwear, and seasonal accessories. We power your assortment through strong private-label programs and high-performing in-house brands. Elevate your assortment today.

Visit www.angro.nl/en or contact us at +31 73 547 88 65

PALADONE.COM INFO@PALADONE.COM 02:00 Battery life on full charge 18:00

Solar powered rechargeable battery

JOIN US AT BOOTH 20K44

Solar Printed Lanterns Solar Projection Lanterns

FURTHER PRODUCTS & LICENSES COMING SOON!

MEET THE FULL LUNAGLO RANGE: WITH FSDU SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE!

Solar Stake Lights

Solar Neon Stakes

Glee Exhibitor News

Find out about Vitax Water Less Stand: 18D40-E41 Vitax returns to Glee with the launch of the revolutionary Vitax Water Less. Designed to reduce the time and water needed, it helps people enjoy their gardens, rather than watering them. Vitax Water Less significantly speeds up the absorption rate of soil and compost, particularly peat-free, helping plants stay hydrated in even the driest of weather conditions. Meet the team and find out more about Vitax Water Less, alongside other new products and market-leading brands, including Vitax Q4, Slug Gone, SBK, Nippon and 6X.

52 August/September 2026

Fresh opportunties with Woodmansterne Stand: 20G02-19A11 As the UK's leading supplier of premium greeting cards and gift packaging to independent retailers, Woodmansterne combines market-leading design with products that delight consumers and drive sales.

Proudly certified as a B Corp™, it is committed to people, planet and purpose through responsible sourcing, UK manufacturing and ethical partnerships. Find inspiration that helps maximise retail growth and be among the first to discover its exciting new product launch, created to bring fresh opportunities to your greeting card and gifting offer. On Wednesday, join acclaimed artist Kate Leach (Essoldo Design) for live painting, a drink and conversation.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Glee Exhibitor News

Love Logs sustainable alternatives Stand: 20A15 Love Logs was set up six years ago by husband-and-wife team Paul and Heather. Paul got hooked on woodfired cooking but found he was fed up with the fuel on the market - poor quality, smoky and always in cheap plastic packaging. Love Logs now sells a huge range of charcoal, cooking wood and firewood to suit all fire cooking enthusiasts – with its core focus being high quality and real sustainability. If you’re interested in stocking charcoal, wood pellets, cooking wood or firewood from the UK’s hottest wood fuel brand, visit Love Logs.

Glee debut for CJS Display Stand: 20K39 Alongside its timber display range, CJS Display is launching a recycled plastic flood tray designed by garden centres, for garden centres. The tray cuts watering time by twothirds, saving centres thousands of pounds in staff hours while reducing water use and stock wastage. After speaking to garden centres about existing models, one question kept coming up: why are the channels so deep? Working with plant area managers, CJS Display designed a shallower, more robust alternative. Manufactured in the UK, it has significantly lower transport miles than imported alternatives.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

August/September 2026 53

Glee Exhibitor News

Vivid Arts celebrates is passion for product Stand: 20H02-19A41 Vivid Arts Ltd is proud to celebrate 20 years in business at Glee—a fitting milestone, with the company's first day of trading having coincided with the show’s opening day in 2006. Over the past two decades, Vivid Arts has been fortunate to work with many fantastic customers, employees and suppliers, whose support has made the journey both successful and rewarding. The company looks forward to welcoming everyone to Glee, where it will unveil many exciting new product developments, all driven by the same ‘passion for product’ that has been at the heart of Vivid Arts' ethos since day one.

Chirp Protect for security solutions Stand: 17H19 Garden centres across the UK are turning to Chirp Protect to tackle the growing problem of shop theft without compromising the customer experience. Its tamper-proof security tags are helping retailers significantly reduce theft while keeping premium products such as Jellycat, Yeti and Barbour on open display instead of behind locked cabinets. A discreet hub can be positioned wherever protection is needed, from main exits and fire exits to cafés and gift shops, while instant alerts can also be sent to staff headsets and synced with CCTV.

Cleaning the Lithofin way Stand: 19G58 Lithofin UK is delighted to be making its Glee debut, bringing over 70 years of expertise in professional-quality surface care to the garden retail sector. Trusted by professional tradespeople and homeowners alike, Lithofin specialises in cleaning, protecting and maintaining natural stone, porcelain, concrete and tiled surfaces. Visitors can discover its best-selling outdoor solutions, including MN Outdoor Cleaner and Algex, designed to tackle stubborn outdoor staining like black spore, algae, bird-droppings and green deposits. Alongside excellent retailer margins, Lithofin offers professional merchandising, staff training and technical support, making it easy for garden centres to introduce a trusted, high-performing surface care category.

Pest problems are Lodi’s speciality Stand: 18D02 Discover smarter Lodi UK solutions for gardens, homes and outdoor living.

Products are rooted in trust and reputation, helping protect what matters most. Whether you’re sustainable growing, protecting prize fruit, veg and flower beds, controlling pests and maintaining indoor and outdoor spaces, Lodi’s family of brands can be trusted. ORGAN-X naturally effective home and garden care, INSECTO pro-formula insect control, RACAN responsible rodent management and STORM powerful outdoor cleaning solutions. Plant the seed for success with products that truly perform. From first signs to full infestations, Lodi’s solutions help you flourish in the fight against pests.

54 August/September 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Glee Exhibitor News

Storymaker Mead for the modern day Stand: 17F02 Crafted from 100% pure honey, Storymaker Mead brings one of the world's oldest drinks into the modern day. Storymaker Mead was created for moments when good company, great conversation and shared experiences become memories you'll look back on for years to come. Based in Yorkshire, its team of eight brew, package and tour the country at events of all shapes and sizes, giving people across the UK their first taste of a premium mead.

That passion led the brewing team to develop a range of multi-award-winning meads bringing years of craftsmanship and experience to every bottle.

Angro boosts margins and inspires customers Stand: 20G46-H47 Since 1995, Angro has grown into one of Europe's leading suppliers of legwear, underwear, footwear and fashion, party and Christmas accessories.

It develops and delivers successful collections through private-label programs and own brands. By managing the entire supply chain, Angro ensures consistent quality, reliable delivery, and competitive pricing. With over 30 years of market expertise, its helps retailers build assortments with highdemand and fast-selling products.

56 August/September 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

uzzing bout rowing Sow Nurtured Scented Candles • Nurture & Glow

Reusable ceramic pot | Scented candle | Harmonising flowers

Four beautiful scents & flower varieties to choose from, each includes peat-free coir & sachet of seeds.

Enjoy relaxing scents of the candle whilst in flame, when the candle has faded away sow your own floral plant pot.

Sow Nurtured Jigsaw • Puzzle & Grow

Premium wooden jigsaw | Flower seed mixture Enjoy creating a stunning jigsaw on rainy days, then create a wonderful wildflower display to admire all summer long.

Reusable jute giftbag containing specialist wooden butterfly jigsaw & butterfly attracting flower seed sachet.

Bees Seeds® have a wide collection of year-round gifts launching at glee

ive the gift of growing • Download our latest brochure online

01254 790 350 Sales@bees-seeds.com

Bees Seeds Limited

www.bees-seeds.com

Glee NEC: 20J48 Four Oaks: E71

Glee Exhibitor News

Clover Grow is rooted in quailty

Healthy gardening from The Body Doctor Stand: 20K43 British healthcare company, The Body Doctor, makes its garden centre debut at Glee with a carefully curated portfolio of practical health, wellbeing and lifestyle products from brands The Eye Doctor®, M-Club® and ThinOptics®.

Founded in 2012, The Body Doctor develops innovative products that help people manage everyday health and wellbeing needs and has identified a natural opportunity within garden centres. The Eye Doctor® range offers practical products to care for eyes exposed to pollen, dust, wind and dry air while its seasonal allergy products are a convenient way to cleanse, cool, hydrate and refresh eyes affected by environmental triggers.

58 August/September 2026

Stand: 20F10-G11 Following a landmark year of strategic portfolio growth, Clover Grow comes to Glee with an evolved showcase, centered on substrate performance and expanded trade solutions for professional growers. Moving beyond brand integration, this year’s presence highlights the real-world success of Clover’s unified growing media line.

Garden centres, commercial growers, and landscapers can experience the complete range firsthand - led by established customer favorites like Blooming Magic Compost, an expertly formulated Irish peat blend enriched with seaweed extract, perlite, and built-in wetting agents for optimal moisture management and plant health.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Brand new coordinating collections for the home

museumsgalleries.co.uk E: sales@mgml.co.uk 01373 462165

Glee Exhibitor News JDM Group Stand: 19H40-18A41 With a diverse portfolio of leading outdoor, home and technology brands, visitors to JDM Group can explore the latest innovations from Jackery, Bluetti, Mill Heating, Traeger, MEATER and Blackstone, showcasing everything from portable power and smart home heating to connected cooking and premium outdoor living. As the UK distributor for a wide range of trusted brands, JDM Group provides retailers with access to innovative products across the technology, home, garden and outdoor living sectors through one experienced partner.

Key Essentials Limited

Outtrade strengthens UK ambitions Stand: 20C20-D21 Outtrade continues to expand its presence in the UK market and this year marks an important milestone. Its new partnership with UK distributor Trimetals, allowing Outtrade to offer even better service and availability to retailers across the country while continuing to deliver the quality and reliability its customers expect. Discover a selection of Outtrade's bestselling garden products, designed to combine functionality, durability and attractive design. By working closely with Trimetals, Outtrade is strengthening its commitment to the UK market and making it easier than ever for garden centres to stock proven products.

60 August/September 2026

Stand: 20E41 The home of Love Tillys, a family-owned wholesale business specialising in air plants. What started as a family passion has grown into the UK’s leading air plant specialist importing around 300,000 air plants each year, across up to 140 species and supplying over 300 garden centres, gift shops and businesses nationwide. Love Tillys combines specialist knowledge with a personal touch and is passionate about bringing the fascinating world of air plants to more people.

Charles Taylor - for new furniture and show offers Stand: 20G01, 19A01, 20F01 Showcasing its award-winning range of garden furniture and planting products, Charles Taylor will unveil new product launches and tempting show offer prices for customers old and new. It’s best-selling Original Winchester Range two-seater bench, handcrafted in the UK and protected with oil-based treatment, is available from £49.95.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Save the Date!

Friday 12th March 2027

Together we can help every children’s hospice garden grow...

Garden Re-Leaf Day is Greenfingers Charity’s national fundraising campaign – a fantastic opportunity for garden centres, businesses, schools and individuals across the UK to come together and support our work creating magical, therapeutic gardens for children’s hospices.

How you can get involved...

Organise a plant sale, raffle, tombola, bake sale, sponsored challenge or other fundraiser in-store, at work or with friends...

Join us for our sponsored walk which starts and finishes at Tring Garden Centre.

w: www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk e: Fundraising@greenfingerscharity.org.uk Registered Charity Number: 1076640

Planteria

Helping everyone grow Fothergills has plans to democratise gardening, strengthen partnerships and grow its brand here and abroad.

distribution, and retail partnerships. If we don’t broaden our remit, we will forever only serve those core gardeners.”

Partnerships To reach new audiences, Fothergills has announced a new partnership with Scouts which includes the creation of two badges.

A big campaign is being planned and more details with follow.

It is also in discussion with film maker Dreamworks around children’s assets being used on Netflix. “We see this as being transformative for us as a brand and as a business,” says Michael.

It has resigned its partnership with the RHS and co-branded seed and products will continue to be on retailer shelves. It also carries on to work with the Cats Protection League and The Children’s Society.

Ranges and products

Despite challenging weather, the team at Fothergills have done a sterling job trialing new and existing varieties. The Trials Ground, of 2000 plus lines, provides scientific data and is rich material for social media content creation.

R

egardless of age or experience, Michael Yates, Fothergills CEO, says the company remit is to help everyone

grow.

Those who have been growing for many years and thrive off the wide Fothergills portfolio, remain core to the business, but there are new efforts to attract more customers. They may, believes Michael, have stumbled into gardening through different hobbies and interests. “We are working really hard to find different ways to bring them into gardening,” he says.

62 August/September 2026

Speaking at an open day of its trials ground at the company’s HQ in Kenton, Suffolk, he says only 20% of people in the UK (and the same is true in Australia and America) regularly grow from seed but that 65% would do so with the right help. The three barriers holding people back, are not enough space, knowledge or time. “If we can conquer those, we can extend this wonderful hobby to many, many more people,” says Michael.

“Our mission is to democratise gardening…. that’s how we’ll achieve our purpose through our products, propositions, communication,

The Oh So Simple seed range, offering a limited but reliable choice has proved to be a resounding success especially in garden centres where stands are sited away from the main seed displays. “Put it near cafes and places where those who wouldn’t normally interact with seeds find an easy way in,” suggests Michael.

The windowsill growing kit in Mason jars launched earlier this year, is hitting the spot for those with limited space to grow. “You don’t need eight acres of Cambridgeshire to make a start. You just need a windowsill with a bit of light. This coming season a lot of our garden centre partners will be rolling out small space displays,” says Michael.

Future intentions With this summer’s high temperatures still fresh in our minds, Fothergills is promoting how individuals can make a difference.

Michael admints: “While we we can’t stop or reduce American or Chinese emissions, we can look after our own little piece of plot of land and make a difference to that.”

To this end it is currently working with scientist on seed technology to make a range of its products more resilient to drought and climate change.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Planteria

Michael Yates, Fothergills CEO says the new Garden Room at the company’s site in Kenton, will be used to ehance community engagement and boost experiential gardening and related activities.

Communicating to existing and potential new gardeners is crucial and last year its social media following grew by 30%. It will continue to invest and innovate its content, whether produced in-house or with partners and influencers. But is also enabling gardeners to post their own reviews and videos on the Fothergills website.

“In time thousands and thousands of product reviews, here in Australia and America, will build

Shorter stemmed Verbena benariensis, gomphrena and Achillea ‘Summer Berries’ performed well in the dry, summer heat.

up, all posted by regular gardeners,” Michael says.

Distribution If Fothergills is to democratise gardening, it will need to broaden who it works with. “We can’t do it in the same traditional way with the same stores and the same advertising,” says Michael who adds that it is expanding distrubition across

the UK, America and Australia. “It’s not about planting flags around the world for the sake of it, but recognising that many trends in the UK are equally true in America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. We have to meet people where they are at in their growing journey……so our focus is making sure our products and brand has the broadest range of availability across any shopping channel, physical or digital.”

Novel aubergines and high-yielding tomatoes allow fresh produce to be grown by everyone, even if space is limited.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

August/September 2026 63

Adapt or Die

Nurture retailing

John Stanley, Sid Raisch and Dries Jansen consider the value of customer care.

J

ust like plants, we are nurtured in some environments and neglected in others.

The core of our business is to nurture plants and help customers do the same.

When we help customers succeed, they feel nurtured.

Seeing a customer return, signals that our nurturing is working; meeting the friends they bring represents true loyalty. Think about your favourite restaurant. You return not because of a punch card, but because being there feels right. That’s loyalty. It was never a programme; it was a feeling.

A first-time customer is a seed — full of potential but easily lost if conditions aren’t right. We must nurture them based on their needs, not ours. The purpose of a first visit isn’t simply to earn a second one, but it depends entirely on doing so. A warm greeting and knowledgeable staff are the water and sunlight. Push too hard for a sale and you’re overwatering the relationship; but show any apathy, and the relationship is in a drought before it could begin.

You can’t nurture what you don’t remember. When a customer returns, they are signalling their intent to make you ‘their store’.

To catch this signal, you must capture the first visit—who they are, what they bought, and how to reach them.

Care instructions Imagine if customers had tags attached like plants do, listing their preferences, maintenance levels, and garden challenges.

Most independent retailers fall short here, not for lack of caring, but by failing to use the CRM tools already built into their point-of-sale systems. The real opportunity is connecting your inventory, POS, and marketing into a single system, much like tech-savvy market leading merchants do. This isn’t spying; it’s remembering. It’s the digital version of a

64 August/September 2026

Signs to show you care at Pentland Plants in Edinburgh, and Ruxley Manor Garden Centre, Kent.

restaurant server saying, ‘welcome back, Joe. The usual?’

It is time to bury the loyalty programme crutch. Loyalty is earned through created experience, not tracked through transactions seen in the rear-view mirror. One creates customers who show up because they have to; the other creates customers who return because they want to return to the loving environment with the ‘happier place’ vibes your business provides over another choice.

Honest interactions Nurturing well earns a bigger share of visits because the customer stops shopping

around. They stop waiting for the next big sale because you are paying attention to them instead of offering bribes. Every welltimed message and every offer that inspires them rather than just discounting a product closes the door on other options. This isn’t manipulation; it is learning preferences and creating new ones through honest interactions.

Nurture Retailing isn’t a temporary campaign; it’s a culture you grow with patience and attention. Your business is only as good as the system you actually use to track whether you are building relationships - not whether you have one but how you are using the one you have. While the personal touch is the best tool, it requires support to scale. Use your tools correctly, like a sharpened pair of Felcos, carefully guiding the growth of your customer relationships toward their full potential.

The question isn’t whether your customers are loyal to you. It’s whether you’ve given them a reason to be.

For more information contact John on email: john@johnstanley.com.au

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

TRADE SHOW

Discover the brand new features coming to PATS 2026 Animal Encounters, in partnership with Animal Teach

New Grooming Zone retailer sessions, with BIGA

Four live, expert-led sessions daily with zoologist Naomi Ennis, giving retailers practical knowledge on animal care and welfare to bring straight back to customer conversations on the shop floor.

New retailer-focused sessions for 2026. Alongside the Grooming Zone’s popular live demonstrations, BIGA joins PATS with practical, trade-focused talks on selling grooming products with confidence.

Countertop Planted Tanks That Sell, with George Farmer Join renowned aquascaper George Farmer for live demonstrations on designing small, low-maintenance planted aquarium displays for retail.

Discover how nano-scapes near the till can spark customer curiosity and drive high-margin add-on sales.

Coffee & Connect

International Pavilion

Join us for informal networking over coffee and pastries, with insight from representatives from Pets at Home, Omni and Leopard Co. on what’s shaping the pet trade right now. Monday 28 September, 10:30-11:30am, PATS Café.

A dedicated space where overseas brands showcase products from their home countries, giving retailers access to a broader range of products and formats not widely available in the UK.

SCAN TO REGISTER

Free to attend for qualifying trade professionals patshow.co.uk #PATS2026

View wpoint

Diversification – doess it strengthen profits or erode your brand?

Paul Pleydell – Founder and Director of Pleydell Smithyman.

R

unning a business has never been easy, and at the moment it certainly isn’t for the faint hearted. Small businesses are the bedrock of our economy and yet the business owners I regularly speak to don’t feel they are being looked after, don’t feel they are being cared for and don’t feel that changes in legislation of the last couple of years have supported them. It is tough, but there is light ahead.

To run a small business takes passion, it takes commitment, and it needs to be profitable if it is to work. A business needs to be profitable if it is to invest in its future, to face the changing and challenging markets that it operates in and that are moving ever faster, and to support and nurture its people.

This might sound like a rant from the hustings, but it certainly isn’t that. It isn’t a political commentary; it is a heartfelt reflection of the challenges that are facing our clients every single day.

Whilst we continue to support garden centres, farm shops and rural business on their journey, creating clear strategies, getting meaningful planning approvals and designing and delivering change, more often the brief we are given is about restoring net profit. What I hear is: “I need to put £200k back onto my bottom line”.

So, let’s ask a big question, ‘Is your net trading profit over 10%?’. Sadly, for many the answer to this is no, but it could be… there are businesses out there doing this and more.

Parallel opportunities A lot of our work at present is encouraging people to look around their core business, not abandon it, not let go, just turn away for a moment and look at the opportunities that lie alongside their garden centre or farm shop.

These opportunities fall into three categories, firstly additional income

66 August/Seeptember 20 026

diversification – improvements to the ‘bottom line’.

Make a start

Paid visits to Fields of Flowers create primary and secondary spend.

generating activities that support and widen the existing business, secondly, introducing other operators to the site who are complimentary and drive new footfall, and thirdly, simply generating an income from unused land and buildings.

These are all ways of diversifying, adding depth to a business and with a focus on strengthening profits.

But there is a risk that too much diversification can turn a site into a shanty town of disparate activities, cluttered signage, and confusion for customers, so this needs to be handled with care and the starting point is having clarity of vision.

Clear vision Every business needs a clear vision, a wellconsidered and defined idea of where it is going. Ideas for diversification can then be held against this, and if the opportunities for diversification and additional income don’t fit the vision, then don’t proceed.

Once a clear vision exists it is much easier to identify opportunities for diversification that are curated for a particular business and its site, setting, and competition. If they fit with the vision they won’t erode the brand, they will strengthen it, as well as driving footfall through new customers and a wider catchment area.

And the result of a well curated

I can hear people say, ‘that all sounds expensive’, so why not start with the low capital options, such as events. There are numerous sites out there who, admittedly through a lot of hard work, can turnover £1m in just five weeks from pumpkin events, or strong results from paid entry fields of flowers, or with a slightly higher capital input, converting existing barns into indoor soft play, which can deliver a 35% net trading profit – yes net!

So, it starts with a vision, followed by a systematic assessment of options, leading to an action plan for change to drive improvements to profits.

I am passionate about our clients’ success.

People know Pleydell Smithyman for designing great places, but they should also know that we build commercial strategies for business and are never prouder than when our clients profits increase. We work with business within and outside the garden centre sector and know what works.

We also know, as we do it every day too, that running a business takes strength, it takes courage and you can’t do it alone.

Our networks - people we trust and whose opinions we value are more important now that they have ever been. It is also good to have some who can show you the ‘art of the possible’ and where your business could be.

You can lean on us if you need a bit of help getting going.

Find out more

Pleydell Smithyman is a specialist design and business consultant helping garden centres and farm shops grow, develop and improve performance. paul@pleydellsmithyman.co.uk 01952 433211 www.pleydellsmithyman.co.uk

www.garde entra adenews..co.u uk

Viewpoint

Growing your staff Peter Burks – CEO of the Garden Centre Association

W

e have been quietly celebrating here at the Garden Centre Association (GCA) as the 100th e-learning training course for garden centre staff has rolled into action.

The idea to create a training platform to help increase the knowledge of all garden centre employees, originally came about from a meeting in 2011. From there the Garden Retail Online Workshop, or GROW for short, began its life. Ten garden centre members were willing to put up the money needed to get it started and the first task was to employ Antony Snow as Instructional Designer.

And what an amazing job he has performed! A leading member of the garden centre industry has described him as the person who has done the most for training garden centre staff over the last 10 years.

Thousands of garden centre employees have learnt, and are still learning, how their garden centre operates and about the plants and products they come across during their working day.

The numbers certainly support this as currently 113 individual garden centres access the GROW courses, most of whom are members of the GCA. Their staff, which have access to all courses, number over 13,000.

In the last three months alone more than 12,000 courses have been completed, and this is at a time of year when training activity is not at its highest.

A growing success GROW was created to deliver high-quality education and training to all individuals employed in the garden centre sector.

Course content is not only relevant and focussed, but it also simplifies even the most complex of subjects. It is also important for the courses to be stimulating and engaging so learners not only respond but also remember. We do this by bringing them to

ww ww.gardentradenews.co.uk

GROW Training Award presented to Squire’s Garden Centre, Hare Hatch.

life with relevant photography and exercises which are easy to participate.

Most of the courses are designed to be completed within 20-25 minutes and are available 24/7 from multiple devices including PC, laptop, tablet and smartphone.

The course catalogue now contains over 100 titles with the intention that every possible topic that you might require training on is available from this one platform. General categories include; Plant Care; Garden Care; Outdoor Living; Indoor Lifestyle; Growing Media; Customer Service; Health and Safety; Food Safety; Regulated Sales; Business Operations; Human Resources. This makes GROW one of the most comprehensive training packages in retail horticulture.

Quick to respond There is always a road map of courses being worked on and occasionally when a hot topic arrives, an additional course can be written and added, jumping the queue, as happened recently with the Cyber Security course.

Five courses were written in the early days of selling peat-free retail compost with help from the RHS, Defra, The Sustainable Sourcing Scheme and the HTA. These gave the shop floor staff confidence to explain to customers why there were moves away from

peat and how best to use the new mixes.

As gardener’s knowledge and peat-free developments have rapidly moved on, we are now writing two more courses with expert help from the industry, as we feel updated advice is now needed.

Many of the courses are written by experts within the GCA’s membership but the majority of those which involve legal compliance are written by external bodies.

They are duty bound to keep them up to date should the laws be amended which removes the burden on GROW within the world of ever-changing legislation.

The charging structure to join GROW is very simple, and much reduced from those donated by the pioneers to get the project going. The joining fee is just £500 for GCA members, £600 for non-members and a further £100 for any additional centres in a group. To cover ongoing support and maintenance there is an annual service charge of £250 per million pounds of turnover for GCA members or £295 for non-members. Once a member, there is no limit to the number of staff that can sign on to GROW and the only course requiring an additional charge is Food Safety level 3 which costs just £49.

We encourage all garden centres to see how GROW can improve not only the knowledge of your teams but also the service levels to your valued customers.

Find out more

Further information can be found at: www.grow@gca.org.uk To discover the benefits of GCA membership visit www.gca.org.uk

August/September 20 026 67

Viewpoint

Reflections and remembering our roots Will Armitage, HTA President

Will took on the role of President from Alan Down and will pass the baton to Jane Lawler at HTA - The Conference at the end of September.

W

hen this article goes to press, I will be about to step down from my two-year tenure as President of the HTA. There is a saying amongst past HTA presidents that we always want to step down from our presidency, leaving the association in a better place than when we took up the post.

Not to detract from all the achievements and successes the HTA has enjoyed under all the past Presidents, I do believe the association is once again in a better place than it was two years ago. But I am also firmly of the belief that no one person can claim any glory; it is always the result of a whole team of people working together, and never has that been more evident here. So, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the HTA board and the executive teams for doing such an amazing job. The evidence is clear for all to see in the increased activity and engagement; the HTA is really working for its members now more than I have seen in my 30 years in the industry.

At the time of writing, we have seen some very positive figures coming from the retail sector of our industry, but I do worry that

68 August/September 2026

Autumn colour displays are continuing to generate strong plant sales late into the year.

this is hiding increasing costs and may come as a surprise to many garden centres when things quieten off or we get a poor start to next year. I urge you all to revisit your cash flow forecasts and start creating some ‘worst case scenarios’ to see the real effect of the cost of doing business: increased costs of employing people, increased rates, fuel and the other costs that are being thrown at us.

…we are a plant-based industry, it’s what our customers want and expect from us..

Promoting seasonal colour On the positive side, many of my Business Improvement Scheme (BIS) group members have again been commenting on how long the seasonal colour sales have lasted. This is three years in a row now that we have been surprised at how long the season has reached past its traditional end of Wimbledon fortnight; maybe it’s time to start talking to your growers about keeping the supply

going for a few weeks longer. Larger pots of summer colour will sell right through July if you have them in stock!

I’d also like to mention the increasing retail trend to take our focus away from the plant area as Christmas approaches. I know you only have a six-week Christmas window, but we see time and time again how attractive autumn colour displays continue to sell good numbers of plants right through until the weather breaks (which in recent years is not until January!)

So, in my final column, I’d like to ask you all not to forget your roots; we are a plant-based industry, it’s what our customers want and expect from us. Keep the quality high, the displays inspirational and prices realistic, and we will thrive.

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, please visit www.hta.org.uk or to enquire about membership please email: membership@hta.org.uk

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Retail is changing.

Is your garden centre ready?

Today’s garden centre visitors expect more than transactions. They’re looking for experiences. With our expert team by your side those enhanced experiences are not only in reach – they’ll transform your offering!

Discover the Fordingbridge difference Heritage: 50+ years’ sector experience Ease: End-to-end design to installation service Sustainability: Carefully sourced materials and a focus on longevity Peace of mind: Industry leading guarantees

We always had in mind that we would love everyone to enter our centre via a beautiful canopy filled with plants. The area it has created means the world to us - thank you.

Ruth Goudy, Owner, Kiln Farm Nursery, Ipswich

Ready to think more imaginatively about your centre? Let’s create something extraordinary together. d our Downloa today brochure

info@fordingbridge.co.uk fordingbridge.co.uk 01243 55 44 55

TRADE EVENT

Save the date SOLEX 2027

6 - 8 July 2027 NEC, Birmingham solexexhibition.com

Garden Furniture | Barbecues | Shading | Outdoor Living Accessories | Garden Decoration Garden Leisure Buildings | Outdoor Heating | Outdoor Health | Outdoor Entertainment