GTN February 2026 - Christmas Awards Winners Issue - Garden Trade News UK

FEBRUARY 2026

gardentradenews.co.uk 16 pages of festive inspiration

Advice & information for garden centre professionals

Ruxley Manor

GCA Destination Garden Centre of the Year – GTN Interview

Christmas retailing at it’s best All the winners in GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards

New National TV and Digital Campaign in 2026 Featuring All Purpose Plant Food & Compost +8 week campaign, across all major channels Campaign launches in March

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Comment

Plus ça change W

ith more garden centre acquisition activity already this year and more in the pipeline, one of the questions we get asked most often is “Is it a good thing for the industry or something to worry about?”

Our answer is that provided the group operator knows what they are doing and will run the centres well then that is a good thing, and the other answer is that groups buying up centres has been happening for a long time and that has provided many an opportunity for a smaller business to grow into a new space or niche.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

In fact, over the past 10 years the number of garden centres that are operated by groups of more than 10 centres has actually dropped from 305 in 2016 to 290 as this issue goes to press.

Where there has been significant change is in the number of groups with less than 10 centres and we can expect this to continue as single site operation gets harder due to increased costs and the attraction of sharing back-office costs across a number of locations becomes more appealing.

Things do continue to change on the supplier front, significantly this spring with the closure of AMES UK at the end of March. We wish all of the affected staff well for the future and hope that the liquidators are able to find buyers for stock that will be much needed as the season gets growing.

Have a great spring season!

2026 - Group’s with 10 or more centres - Outlets British Garden Centres 75 Dobbies 53 Blue Diamond 52 Klondyke 23 Hilliers 22 Notcutts 19 Cherry Lane 19 Squires 17 Caulders 10 Total 290

2016 - Group’s with 10 or more centres - Outlets Wyevale Garden Centres 153 Dobbies 35 Klondyke 24 Blue Diamond 18 Notcutts 18 Squires 15 Hilliers 12 Cherry Lane 10 Hillview 10 British Garden Centres 10 Total 305

In this issue...

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10 13 16 18 20 20 22 24 25 26

We did it! – GTN Interview with GCA Destination Garden Centre of the Year, Ruxley Manor Customers vote for The Greatest at Christmas – The Regional and National winners Festive Awards presented at Glee@Spring Fair Air Drain solution to the wet and cold from EcoTiffin Christmas retail inspiration as spotted by GTN’s Greatest Awards judges Thank you to our sponsors GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards winners in pictures with judges’ comments The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Teams The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Teams The Greatest Gardening as a Christmas Gift Teams The Greatest Gifts at Christmas Teams The Greatest Winter BBQ & Outdoor Leisure Teams – The Solex Sizzle

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Trevor Pfeiffer

27 28 30 32 34 35 36 38

The Greatest Food & Drink Pop-up Teams The Greatest Festive Retail Food Teams The Greatest Wild Bird Care & Pets Teams The Greatest Grotto Teams The Greatest Christmas Promotion Teams Art in the garden centre with Kate Leach GTN Planteria – Conifer comeback Adapt or Die – Will 2027 be THE year of amazing opportunity?

39 HTA Viewpoint – Gardening is comfort food for the outdoors

Advertisers in this issue 2 Evergreen Garden Care 7 Melcourt 31 Durstons 31 Handy 37 Four Oaks 40 Solex 2026

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

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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.

February 2026 3

Interview

We did it!

After many years of hard work Ruxley Manor Garden Centre in Kent has become the GCA’s Destination Garden Centre of the Year. Directors James and Andrew Evans talk to GTN about the pride in their teams and secrets to success.

F

or the last 18 years, the accolade of Destination Garden Centre of the Year, awarded at the GCA annual conference, has ricocheted between Bents Garden & Home and Barton Grange.

Testament to their outstanding quality of retailing and customer service, they have between them, set a very high bar.

At conference in January, there was a bit of a shake up, with neither of the two north of England giants on the podium.

Their standards have not slipped. What we are seeing is other centres namely Ruxley Manor which won the title, with Perrywood Tiptree and Haskins Snowhill taking second and third place, aiming higher and working with their teams to improve every aspect of retailing.

In fact, Ruxley won the title in spectacular fashion gaining the highest scores on both of its 2025 GCA audits in recorded history.

Aspirations Andrew and James Evans, fififth fth generation and cousins heading up Ruxley Manor

Garden Centre in Kent, have had their eye on the prize for some time. “We remember coming to conference around 20 years ago, and we would be scraping into the top 100.

Perhaps 85th or 86th place,” says Andrew.

“I remember sitting and watching Guy Topping get his trophy and think ‘he must be so proud’ and what an amazing feeling it must be to be the number one garden centre in the UK”.

"We would come back with our shoulders slightly slumped because we were so far off everyone else. But at the same time, we were excited about the opportunity ahead of us." recalls James.

Andrew’s father, Richard is Chairman of the business, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. Richard was Chair twice of the GCA, in 1978 and 1985, and the centre has been a member almost since its foundation. But it is only in recent years that accolades have started to come rolling in.

So, what changed and how have Andrew and James made Ruxley the UK’s number one garden centre.

Andrew (left) and James Evans

4 February 2026

“It was always one of our aims and ambitions to be a Centre of Excellence,” says James.

“At conference one year,” recalls Andrew, “a speaker was talking about visualising your goal. He talked about a thousand-day countdown which we put up as a digital display in the manager’s office. It was our target to become a garden centre of excellence in 1000 days.”

Ruxley didn’t make it, but undeterred, Andrew and James reset the counter and aimed to achieve their goal within the next 1000 days. After 2000 days, and following the 2022 inspections, they had done it and have kept the accolade every year since.

After the first award, Andrew and James began to really focus on the GCA and its standards. “It wasn’t just about being number one,” says Andrew. “It’s about driving standards and the team to make the business as good as it can get.”

“And it is so true that better standards mean better business,” says James. “The more we drive our standards the better customer experience we are giving. And we're seeing this through the tills and increases in terms of performance of the business.”

This has been illustrated with a 17% increase in turnover last year, a recordbreaking year, which for an established business is impressive. But it couldn’t be done without the team which buy into the same ethos of raising standards. “We're full of cliches at the moment, but we absolutely couldn't be where we are without them,” says James. “We've got a brilliant team that really get behind us and everything we're trying to create. They and us are really proud.”

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Interview

“It's so true that we could build the most amazing garden centre with the most modern buildings but if we haven't got the right team, then it means nothing,” says Andrew.

Special anniversary Starting as a nursery business, H Evans and Sons back in 1876 by Henry Evans, the company’s history, especially all the people that work within it, will be part of its 150 anniversary celebrations. Originally in nearby Sidcup, the nursery relocated to the present site in the early 1960’s and in 1964, part of it became a retail garden centre.

Family connections are a big part of the business and at the end of March, Ruxley will hold a special anniversary weekend. Via email and social media, it is asking customers and former staff for photographs and recollections of family visits, so they can be captured and shared through displays and a mural or mosaic.

Special offers will be available and branding in the form of black and white displays will link throughout all departments.

“We like to shout about the fact that Ruxley is still a family business,” says Andrew. “We are here all the time - we live and breathe it.” James’s sister Samantha is Ruxley’s Lifestyle Manager and Buyer, while Andrew’s sister Jo is Catering Manager.

Ruxley is also a big local employer, currently with 180 permanently on the team, rising to 320 at Christmas with the grotto and ice skating. And instances of seasonal team members returning during the festive season and of generations working at Ruxley are not isolated.

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Developments Ruxley Manor Garden Centres is set on 25 acres inside the M25 south of London - prime real estate, so Andrew and James are working to maximise every square meter. The site comprises the garden centre, warehousing and Grace's Nursery and Preschool (named after James and Andrew’s grandmother).

Back in 2009, a fire nearly destroyed the whole garden centre. With 80 fire fighters on site the Evan’s family were just minutes away from losing everything. “But it ended up being a catalyst for a rebuild,” says James. “With continued investment, we’ve developed the business and every department has been rebuilt. It’s been slow but we’ve always said ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’. If we're going to do something, we want to do it properly and we only want to do it once.”

The till hall is next in line for improvement as James and Andrew feel it isn’t representative of the business today.

Sadly, the last of the growing houses have now been demolished after becoming unsafe and unusable, but warehousing is replacing it on the same footprint. This adds to warehousing built a few years ago which, with the trend for bulky outdoor furniture and Christmas stock, has quickly been filled.

Developments are essential to a growing business, but both James and Andrew believe it can take up to a year for teams and the new areas to settle in. “You have to grow into a new area and find your feet a bit. Last year was the first time we didn’t have any developments so we were able to focus on getting our standards as good as they could be,” says James.

Grace's Nursery and Pre School have 300 children on their books and around 90 staff, and says James, it’s good to also run businesses that are not dependent on the vagaries of the weather. Set within former family homes, the nursery and preschool gave James and Andrew the opportunity to set up a new business from scratch.

Much of the learning gained through the experience has been fed into and benefitted the garden centre.

The Ruxley Rose…and where is it?

Even though there is a GCA award called The Ruxley Rose to recognise excellence in plantarias, it is only this year that Ruxley has, for the first time, been a finalist taking third place.

“Traditionally, plants haven’t been a strength of Ruxley but we have relayed the area and are passionate about growing it,

Attention to detail extends into the recently updated toilets which displays names of colours and decoration suppliers.

February 2026 5

Interview Ruxley was also recognised for its clothing department.

Above: Leaning on its history and adhering to standards of customer service set by previous generations.

Below: Black and white frames have been chosen for the 150th anniversary and appear in all departments.

getting the quality up and getting it better.

We have a great team in place now and obviously, would love to win it one day,” says Andrew.

Winning would bring The Ruxley Rose full circle as it was an award started by Richard Evans during one of his tenures as Chair. The original trophy was a gold rose, modelled on one created by Richard’s father for his wife as a gift for their golden wedding anniversary. “I remember it on a little stand and Grandma kept it beside her bed,” says Andrew. “When I first started to work at Webbs, I walked into the plantaria office one day and saw Grandmas rose on the desk! It appeared Webbs had just won the award, at a GCA conference.”

If Ruxley did win, it wouldn’t get the original golden rose award as it has gone missing ......does anyone know where it is?

Today recipients are given a trophy and wooden plaque.

Talking to the teams At a company meeting (held twice a year) following the conference, the centre was

6 February 2026

more,” says Andrew.

“We always say you spend the majority of your waking time at work. So we want to create an environment where people enjoy coming into work,” says James.

Raising standards

Ruxley’s Food Hall has been newly expanded.

opened late so awards could be given out to the relevant team members. Company results were presented, plans and visions for the coming months unveiled, the management team served breakfast, and a Q&A was held.

Team members are free to ask anything they want, and if questions can’t be answered then and there, they are turned into an action plan. “We need to make sure all our teams have the tools they need to do their job to the best of their ability. If the Wi-Fi isn’t good enough, we'll fix it, if there aren’t enough scanners or radios, we'll get

Innovation in the garden retail industry is at an all-time high and this doesn’t seem to be changing. “We’ve taken our teams up to Bents and Barton Grange and been inspired. These phenomenal businesses have really set the bar for a long time, but its lovely to see other centres chomping at their heels,” says Andrew.

This desire to keep on improving and giving customers first class shopping experiences is perhaps stronger now than it ever has been and bodes well for the future of the industry and centres like Ruxley.

“Winning is one thing, but keeping hold of a title is another. We don't want to be a one hit wonder,” says James. “When you look back, you can see each generation has put its mark on the business. Our grandparents would see it’s very different now and I would like to think that, it will develop again. We look at ourselves as custodians of the business and hope we will be passing it on,” says James.

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GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards

Your customer votes are in

Are we The Greatest at Christmas?

If you think we are, please

VOTE FOR US

Garden centre customers supported their favourite teams this Christmas by taking part in GTN’s Customer Vote. We counted more than 9000 online and on-paper votes for 140 garden centres across the country. Many congratulations to all the winners and finalists in the regions, and of course to British Garden Centres, Albrighton Garden Centre for recording the greatest number of votes overall.

Teams from Albrighton, Birkacre and Fakenham collect their awards for being the top three voted for garden centres in the UK.

8 February 2026

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards The Greatest Centre Christmas Teams, as voted fo or by customers OVERALL UK GOLD: Albrighton BGC OVERALL UK SILVER: Birkacre Garden Centtre OVERALL UK BRONZE: Fakenham Garden Centre

North

Scotland & Northern Ireland

The Greatest Centre Christmas Teams in their regions, as voted for by customers HOME COUNTIES & SOUTH EAST GOLD: Fakenham Garden Centre SILVER: Summerhill Garden Centre JOINT BRONZE: Blofield Garden Centre@ Norwich Camping & Leisure and Perrywood Tiptree

GOLD: Longacres Bagshot SILVER: Keydell Nurseries BRONZE: Ransoms Garden Centre

MIDLANDS GOLD: Albrighton BGC SILVER: Planters, Garden King BRONZE: Wolseley Bridge BGC

South West

NORTH GOLD: Birkacre Garden Centre SILVER: Bents Garden & Home BRONZE: Woodbank Garden Centre

SCOTLAND & NORTHERN IRELAND GOLD: Munro’s Nurseries SILVER: Hillmount Garden Centre, Belfast JOINT BRONZE: Gouldings Garden Centre, an nd Kirktown Garden Centre

Wales & West

SOUTH WEST

WALES & WEST

GOLD: Newquay Garden Centre SILVER: Monkton Elm Garden Centre BRONZE: Trevena Cross

GOLD: Snowdonia Nurseries and Garden Centre SILVER: Trioscape Garden Centre BRONZE: Fron Goch Garden Centre

Midlands

East

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

February 2026 9

WARD

20

Christmas at its festive best

Garden centres across the country continue to raise the bar when it comes to Christmas Greatness. At Spring Fair, awards to the very best of the 134 centres we visited across the country, were presented and taken home to be shared with creative and talented teams.

THE GREATEST SMALL GARDEN CENTRE CHRISTMAS TEAMS Sponsored by Woodmansterne GOLD: Munro’s Nurseries SILVER: Cook’s Garden Centre BRONZE: Pengelly Garden Centre, The Garden Society HIGHLY COMMENDED: Snowdonia Nurseries and Garden Centre

THE GREATEST MID-SIZED GARDEN CENTRE CHRISTMAS TEAMS – Sponsored by Kaemingk GOLD: Sunshine Garden Centre SILVER: Jacksons Boutique BRONZE: Brimsmore Gardens

10 February 2026

GOLD A www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GOLD

A

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards

THE GREATEST GROUP SMALL GARDEN CENTRE CHRISTMAS TEAM

THE GREATEST WINTER & CHRISTMAS HOUSEPLANT TEAM – Sponsored by Melcourt

GOLD: Caulders Linlithgow SILVER: Harrogate BGC BRONZE: Burford House BGC

GOLD: Webbs, Wychbold SILVER: Hayes BGC BRONZE: Gates Oakham, Knights Betchworth

THE GREATEST GROUP LARGE GARDEN CENTRE CHRISTMAS TEAM - Sponsored by Festive GOLD: Longacres Bagshot SILVER: Van Hage Blue Diamond BRONZE: Planters Garden King

THE GREATEST OUTDOOR PLANT AN ND CHRISTMAS TREE TEAM Sp ponsored by Doff/Pelsis GOLD: Barton Grange Blue Diamond SILVER: Bosworths Garden Centre BRONZE: Castle Gardens, Old Well Garden Centre HIGHLY COMMENDED: Sunshine Garden Centre

THE GREATEST GARDENING AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT SALES TEAM GOLD: Planters Tamworth SILVER: Gates Oakham BRONZE: Castle Gardens

THE GREATEST LARGE GARDEN CENTRE CHRISTMAS TEAMS – Sponsored by Smart Garden Products – Three Kings GOLD: Birkacre Garden Centre SILVER: Castle Gardens, Henry Street Garden Centre, The Old Railway Line Garden Centre BRONZE: Summerhill Garden Centre, Wentworth Garden Centre

THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFTS TEAM – Sponsored by Museums and Galleries GOLD: Birkacre Garden Centre SILVER: Gordale BRONZE: Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, Gates Oakham HIGHLY COMMENDED: Haddenham Garden Centre

THE GREATEST GIANT GARDEN CENTRE CHRISTMAS TEAMS Sponsored by Kaemingk GOLD: Gates Oakham SILVER: Bents Garden & Home BRONZE: Perrywood Tiptree

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

February 2026 11

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards

WARD THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS BBQ & OUTDOOR LEISURE TEAM – THE SOLEX SIZZLE - Sponsored by SOLEX GOLD: Polhill Garden Centre SILVER: Knights Betchworth BRONZE: Trioscape Garden Centre HIGHLY COMMENDED: Gordale

TH HE GREATEST GARDEN CENTRE CHRISTMAS PR ROMOTION

GOLD: Henry Street Garden Centre SILVER: Trioscape Garden Centre BRONZE: Botany Bay Garden Centre HIGHLY COMMENDED: Glendoick Garrden Centre

THE GREATEST FESTIVE FOOD & DRINK POP UP - Sponsored by Food @ Glee 2026 GOLD: Bents Garden & Home SILVER: Gates Oakham BRONZE: Ruxley Manor Garden Centre

THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS SUPPLIER GOLD: Kaemingk SILVER: Gisela Graham, Smart Garden – Three Kings BRONZE: Festive

THE GREATEST FESTIVE RETAIL FOOD TEAM – Sponsored by Pleydell Smithyman GOLD: Poplar Nurseries SILVER: Gates Oakham BRONZE: Morris of Usk HIGHLY COMMENDED: Barton Grange Blue Diamond, Ruxley Manor Garden Centre

THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS WILD BIRD CARE & PET TEAM GOLD: Haddenham Garden Centre SILVER: Fairways Ashbourne BRONZE: Fakenham Garden Centre

THE GREATEST GARDEN CENTRE GROTTO TEAM GOLD: Gouldings Garden Centre SILVER: Chessington Garden Centre BRONZE: Hayes BGC, Ruxley Manor Garden Centre HIGHLY COMMENDED: Coolings Lifestyle, Keydell Nurseries

12 February 2026

GOLD www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Promotion

Robert Tiffin’s Air Drain has the potential to be sold in garden centres.

Air Drain solution

Constantly evolving, Eco Tiffin, a building and surveying business, has its sights on the garden centre market to bring its Air Drain to a new audience.

W

ith origins dating back to 1695, Eco Tiffin Ltd has developed on generations of practical building knowledge, craftsmanship and invention. Across more than five centuries, the Tiffin name has evolved alongside the built environment itself- adapting skills, services and thinking as buildings, materials and environmental pressures have changed, especially with the onset of climate change.

Under the leadership of Director Robert Tiffin, the business has made a decisive shift toward sustainable, evidence-led building performance, conservation and retrofit.

With increasing challenges from heavy rain and flash floods, Robert’s invention of the Air Drain, and understanding of how it will benefit the gardening and landscape sector, is an example of the company’s commitment to facing

climate change head on and desire to seize the opportunity to promote its product to a wider audience.

“We launched the Air Drain last year.

Surveyors, architects and engineers love it and can’t understand why it has not been invented before;’ says Robert.

Climate change is Seeing the invisible exposing weaknesses Robert invented the in buildings that were Air Drain in direct response to the never designed for today’s recurring ground-level moisture problems conditions.

Robert Tiffin continues the evolving the family business so the needs of todays homes can continue to be met in the face of climate challenges.

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on housing stock identified through thermographic surveys. Across hundreds of thermographic surveys, ground-level moisture and cold bridging, often linked to raised external ground levels and restricted evaporation at the base of walls, was a recurring cause and commonly misdiagnosed

February 2026 13

Promotion

Since its inception, Eco Tiffin has worked to find solutions to problems from controlling bed bugs through to timber treatment and damp control.

The Air Drain system has been successfully installed across local authority housing stock, often in collaboration with landscape gardeners. This enables councils and homeowners to achieve their desired external finishes without the risk of bridging damp proof courses — a common and costly issue where ground levels are altered.

Using thermography (thermal imagery), heat loss from buildings with paving butted to the wall of the house can be clearly seen. This was a catalyst behind the creation of the Air Drain, which reduces heat loss caused by damp earth and paving make walls saturated “Wet walls are cold walls”.

as rising damp.

Conventional damp solutions frequently failed because they treated internal symptoms, not the external source of wetting.

Crucially as the effects of climate change bring about heavier and more frequent rains and flash flooding, higher ground moisture levels and splash back from paving and garden borders onto property walls, will only increase. This along with no drying potential and greater temperature differences are placing growing pressure on older and traditionally built homes.

14 February 2026

Problems that were once intermittent are now persistent, leading to damp, mould and reduced thermal performance.

“Climate change is exposing weaknesses in buildings that were never designed for today’s conditions.

Understanding this and the identification of the causes of damp related defects is ‘key’ to Air Drain has been Highly Commended at the Property your home surviving another 100 years, and Care Awards for innovation and sustainability, recognising its technical effectiveness and remaining warm and comfy,” says Robert. environmentally responsible design.

Air Drain is a patented, passive moisture management system designed to encourage BS 6576 - the British Standard for the control of natural evaporation at the base of external rising damp and works by removing the source walls, helping masonry remain dry, warmer of wetting from the structure and increasing and more resilient. The system complies with

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Promotion

Damp caused by rain and water splash back.

ventilation. This approach addresses the cause of moisture ingress rather than masking its effects internally.

“The key;’ says Robert, “is that Air Drain stops bridging between the property, its damp proof course and its garden. “It removes the source of wetting- not just the symptoms.”

Eco Tiffin’s data records an average 20% reduction in damp readings in the first six weeks of installation, and a steady drop thereafter. Crucially, Air Drain differs from a traditional French drain as it does not allow naturally evaporation via diffusion from the masonry. Instead, it works with the existing structure, preserving stability while allowing moisture evaporation and thermal performance. See image left.

Builders, architects and surveyors already agree on the benefits of the Air Drain and recommended as general good practice.

Eco Tiffin’s route to these areas of expertise is already established but its benefits to gardeners, either those taking on their own

Increased drainage and ventilation with Air Drain.

Air Drain can be installed as a stand-alone solution or integrated into wider retrofit, conservation and remediation projects. Made of resin by Eco Tiffin in the UK, its comes in standard lengths of 1.2m and can be cut to size.

Air Drain removes the source of wetting - not just the symptoms. projects or employing professional landscapers, has great potential.

Additionally, Air Drain is easy to install and gives designers greater freedom to create gardens with borders and patios to the same level as that of the house while still protecting the fabric of the building.

Robert has spoken to several garden centres, all of which can see the benefit to the retail sector and customers. A working model could be having a demonstration area within a garden centre and passing orders directly through to Eco Tiffin for delivery. He also sees potential

Experience from history

Records of the Tiffin family business go back to the 1695 (that’s no typo!) when it was employed by the then royal family, to eradicate bed bugs. Throughout the 20th century the business expanded into timber treatment (1930s), dry and wet rot remediation (1940s), and damp-proofi ng and damp-proofing building protection (1950s). In 1965 and again in 1974 the acquisition of two established building companies further strengthened its capability to deliver comprehensive property and construction services.

With more than 45 years’ experience in construction, building diagnostics and conservation, Robert Tiffin has always taken an investigative approach to understanding buildings. From decades of training and experience – His moto is “everyday is a school, it is all so interesting!”

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Henry Tiffin (Grandfather) & Frank Tiffin (Father) in their office in George St (1948).

Deeply involved in the earliest establishment of the retrofit sector. Ecotiffin is contributing to and working alongside the same principles of the core retrofit academic learning centres such as the Green register, LPOC, Retrofit Academy, SPAB, English Heritage & ASBP.

in stocking Air Drain alongside paving and hard landscaping for customers considering paving up to the walls of their homes.

“In today’s world we see the link and the necessity of the Air Drain. Not just to benefit the building but to also benefit the gardens around us;’ says Robert.

The Air Drain has 3 standard colours, but can be finished in any RAL colour.

The impact of increased rainfall

In the last 6 years from 2019 to 2026, rainfall has been extraordinary, with the last six to nine months being record-breaking. Rainfall, especially during storms has been particularly challenging and during these storms, exposed masonry can be exposed up to 100 litres of water per square metre.*.

Water and moisture are among the greatest threats to buildings and preventing moisture from penetrating the building fabric, both externally and internally, is key to avoiding damp-related issues. In recent times, dampness in buildings has increased due to changing weather patterns and regardless of its construction method, damp can cause homes to feel cold because wet walls lose heat more quickly and are harder to heat.” WET WALLS are cold walls” understanding how and why this occurs/happens is the key to preventing expensive future repairs and providing warm comfy buildings/homes. (*BRE)

To discuss stocking Air Drain or for more information visit:

www.ecotiffin.co.uk. email: enquires@ecotiffin.co.uk phone: 01442 819332 https://youtu.be/921lsmpwM3s?si =ktDIWl5ikexbTcHW

February 2026 15

Flashes of Christmas sparkle

Inspiration station Not surprisingly, while visiting 130 garden centres, judges for the GTN Christmas Awards came across inspiring displays and brilliant marketing ideas. Here are some of our favourites, many of which are simple and easy to adopt.

Adding to the excitement of choosing a Christmas tree, children visiting Sunshine Garden Centre in London get to wear special high-viz jacket while in the planteria and give their chosen tree a name. When they reach the till they can ask for their tree and hear its name called for on in-store radios, enhancing the personal touch even more.

Laser cut into wood, QR codes at Castle Garden Centre, Dorset, led customers straight to information about Christmas trees. Long lasting, the natural wood signs were very much in keeping with planteria displays.

High-level displays of jumpers and socks were cleverly created at Longacres Garden Centre, Surrey to leave customers with no doubt they were in the gift and clothing department.

In Gloucestershire, Trioscape Garden Centre optimises on display space by attaching bowls to Christmas trees and filling them with baubles and decorations.

16 February 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Flashes of Christmas sparkle Brightening up the houseplant area at BGC Burford House, Worcestershire, was an eyecatching Christmas tree shape display created with indoor plants and lit up with festive lights.

Trees, complete with colour-coordinated decorations and lights proved to be popular at Klondyke Byrkley Park, Staffordshire. They were displayed on one side of an aisle with corresponding boxes of stock easy to pick up on the opposite side.

Simple yet effective, at Squires Twickenham, Middlesex, wrapping paper was displayed in boxes decorated with paper of the same designs. Tape, scissors, gift tags and storage bags were close by for easy add on sales.

In Aberdeenshire, Raemoir Garden Centre created its own hampers, with each curated range given its own name.

Among those for customers to choose from were Red Robin, Santa’s Day Off and Festive Delights.

Using a simple system, Botany Bay Garden Centres in Worcestershire, hung its Christmas trees from tunnel supports.

By spinning the trees, customers could see them from all angles, and there was the added bonus of trees not being damaged while on display.

A selfie station just for pets, was an attraction at Webbs Wychbold Garden Centre in Worcesterhire. Another great way to draw in customers and promote the centre by asking for photographs to be shared on social media.

The café team at Haddenham Garden Centre, Berkshire, went the extra mile and presented it’s menus as Christmas scrolls.

Within its Christmas pet display, Parkers Garden Company in Essex decorated a tree with photographs of the team’s pets. It created a lovely personal touch and made a big impact from a small display.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

February 2026 17

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

WARD

20

202

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025 are only possible thanks to the sponsorship from Festive, Glee, Kaemingk, k,, Melcourt rt,t Museums & Galleries, Pelsis Doffff,f Pleydell Smithyman, Smart rtt Garden Products, Solex and Woodmansterne.

GOLD A

18 February 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

GOLD

AWARD www.gardentradenews.co.uk

25 Festive: www.festive.co.uk Glee: www.gleebirmingham.com Kaemingk: www.kaemingk.com Melcourt: www.melcourt.co.uk Museums & galleries: www.museumsgalleries.co.uk Pelsis Doff: www.pelsis.com Pleydell Smithyman: www.pleydellsmithyman.co.uk Smart Garden Products & Three Kings: www.sgpuk.com Solex: www.solexexhibition.com

February 2026 19

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025 KINDLY SPONSORED

BY MELCOURT

THE GREATEST

Winter & Christmas Houseplant Teams GOLD Webbs, Wychbold, Worcestershire

Houseplants are seen as you enter and leave the centre, and the team ensures the displays are high impact and make use of vertical space. This means customers can see and are tempted by the houseplants from a distance. An extensive range of plants, the team is focused on plant care and housekeeping both evident from the impressive selection and visual appeal.

SILVE ER BGC Hay yes Garde en Centrre, Cumbrria

Houseplants at Hayes are all in great condition and displayed in imaginative and eye-catching ways throughout the department.

Christmas decorations, including a fully decorated Christmas tree in the department, were weaved in by the team to enhance the festive feel. The use of POS was excellent with lots of helpful advice and information.

Gift wrapped plants were readily available and pot covers conveniently displayed to simplify buying decisions and create add on sales.

20 February 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

BRON NZE Kniights Betchw worth, Surrrey

Congratulations to the Knights Betchworth team which had created a houseplant area with atmosphere. Signage and benches festively decorated added to the Christmas feel which was enhance with ceiling decorations and its close proximity to the coffee shop.

BRON NZE Gates Oakham,, Leiccestershirre

A large houseplant area with great signage telling the magic story of poinsettias. The team was commended for the care of its extensive range, the great linked sales of pots and sundries and promotion of plants as gifts. Tempting!

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

February 2026 21

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025 KINDLY SPONSORED

BY DOFF/PELSIS

THE GREATEST

Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Teams

GOLD Blue Diamond, Barton Grange Garden Centre, Lancashire

The planteria at Barton Grange generates a warm welcome, with quality plants, great lighting and Christmas all the way through. Displays created lots of theatre and plenty of photo opportunities and the judges were particularly impressed by the signage for Christmas trees and recyclable sack.

SILVER R

Boswortth’s Garden Centre, Burton n Latimerr, North hamptonsshire

The knowledgeable team at Bosworths created a seasonally beautiful planteria filled with tempting plants.

Little vignettes added to the display, wreath making was on offer and planted arrangements available from just £5.

As space in the shop is limited, the planteria was the place for customers to find artificial and real Christmas trees.

22 February 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

BRON NZE Castle Gardens,, Dorset

BRONZ ZE The Olld Well Garde en Centre,, Devon

A large planteria, it was filled with lights, colour and Christmas trees.

The fun team added to the choice with impressive benches of inspirational plants.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Sunshine Garden Centre, London

Christmas plants were bought inside and out, with key displays wrapped in a warm, white light. Plants were promoted as presents and arranged with interesting and different plants including fresh herbs for cooking.

QR codes printed on wooden blocks led customers to care information and a gift-wrapping service was on offer and clearly communicated.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

A planteria filled with fur-lined benches along a lamp-lit winding path. Red painted backs to some of the display benches added a festive and easy to recreate touch.

The knowledgeable and experienced Sunshine team looking after Christmas trees run an efficient and fun way of choosing trees which especially appeals to children.

February 2026 23

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

THE GREATEST

Gardening as a Christmas Gift Sales Teams SILVE ER

Gates Oakham, Leice estershire e

A strong range, well promoted with added Christmas décor and theatrical displays. As fast as they could make them, the enthusiastic team were selling their own bespoke garden care hampers as gifts for gardeners at great value prices.

BRON NZE Castle Gardens,, Dorset

24 February 2026

GOLD

Planters Tamworth, Staffordshire

Gardening gifts could be found in multiple locations throughout the store and promoted as such in every department. The team have a clear understanding of this category and cooperate across departments to make it a success.

Despite limited space, the team at Castle Gardens still manage to find opportunities for displays to inspire the purchasing of gardening gifts. From pop up displays to those in the covered outdoor area, the team brought Christmas to this category with the clever use of garlands, lights, bows and signage.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025 KINDLY SPONSORED

BY MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

THE GREATEST

Christmas Gifts Teams

GOLD Birkacre, Lancashire

The level of gifting for Christmas at Birkacre was a one off. The team incorporated gifting into every department to create impressive cross merchandising opportunities. Indoor furniture set within rooms, blended gifts with Christmas ranges and toys to act as a seamless journey into the main Christmas department.

BRON NZE SILVE ER Gordalle, Cheshiire

Beautifully curated displays with Christmas stylishly incorporated, included a number of unusual or locally sourced products. Teams worked hard to emphasis on 'natural' and 'sustainable' and successfully made every stock line look attractive.

BRON NZE Gates Oakham,, Leice estershire e

An interesting mix of local and famous ranges was invitingly and commercially merchandised with Christmas décor. The ‘perfect gift’ messages was repeated throughout. The team was friendly and the housekeeping of an excellent standard.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Ducchy of Cornwa all Nurse ery, Cornwalll

With its advantage of having a vast area for gifting, the team took every opportunity to promote gifts and Christmas, including in the toy area.

The space allows a range to meet every need and demographic. In main Gift area, Christmas enhanced displays in a subtle way, and increasing in its presence as the shopping journey travelled towards the Christmas department.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Haddenham Garden Centre, Buckinghamshire The team at Haddenham successfully created aspirational displays woven with baubles, lights and festive floristry.

February 2026 25

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025 KINDLY SPONSORED

BY SOLEX

THE GREATEST

BBQ & Outdoor Leisure Teams

GOLD

Polhill Garden Centre, Kent

Putting a huge effort into Christmas, Polhill has doubled the footprint of Yeti products and increased its cast iron cook ware range to promote as gifts. Its BBQ School has taken off with two sold out Christmas sessions and the small team was overwhelmed with customers for its Christmas dinner demos from Traegar and Kamado Joe. Social media is playing a big role in promoting bbq’s and outdoor cooking.

SILVE ER Knig ghts Betcchworth, Surrey

The outstanding team has seized the opportunity for bring Christmas into the bbq area – also using it as a dual space for light sales. Displays were festive, stock was clean and inviting and sales of cookers, fuels and accessories are on the up.

26 February 2026

BRON NZE Triosscape Garde en Centre e, Glou ucestersh hire

A good selection of products and strong promotion of associated gift lines lead to the sale of large bbq’s on the run up to Christmas for which the team was rightly proud.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

THE GREATEST

KINDLY SPONSORED

BY FOOD @ GLEE

Food & Drink Pop-up Teams

With a wide range of catering options, the now huge event at Bents runs from October until just after Christmas. A team of 60 temporary staff are recruited in September and trained to ensure everything goes smoothly. Nighttime events including lighting trails and an Alice in Wonderland theme, keep the customers pouring in.

GOLD

Bents Garden & Home, Cheshire

SILVE ER Gates, Oakham, Leice estershire e

Carefully thought out in terms of the area designated for catering, merry-go-round rides, and a good range of innovative menu offerings – including for children, the Gates Oakham pop up is a local attraction. Two days a week a guest appearance from Hoggy’s Grill helps promote BBQ sales.

A new venture for Ruxley Manor Garden Centre, the Winter Food Hall is a completely in-house project, to keep quality control tight. Live music during the week appeals to a broad demographic, the strawberries and hot chocolate sauce was a hit and an elf photo booth adds to the fun.

Teams have stepped up to the mark to make the new venture a success.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

BRONZ ZE Ruxley Manor Garde en Centre,, Kent

February 2026 27

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025 KINDLY SPONSORED

BY PLEYDELL SMITHYMAN

THE GREATEST

Festive Retail Food Teams

GOLD Poplar Nurseries, Essex

In the garden centre Festive Food seamlessly morphs from houseplants and the team have put great effort into amplifying its Christmas appeal.

Excellent visual merchandising lifted the extended range which includes local produce and more food-based gifting lines while wider aisles this year improve accessibility. In the separate festively decorated Food Hall local food is a highlight, especially cheeses and meat, in In the onsite kitchen, the team make seasonally themed ready meals, cakes and bespoke platters keeping food waste to a minimum.

SILVE ER Gates Oakham, Leice estershire e

Excellent food hall with local meat, fresh veg and festive lights throughout.

Hampers are made to order and this year the team had success displaying food in other parts of the garden centre. Judges also commended sign posting to the food hall to promote awareness in other departments.

28 February 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

BRON NZE Morriss’ of Usk, Monm mouthshiire

The enthusiastic team at Morris’ of Usk, produce an excellent range in its onsite commercial kitchen. The Farm Shop is a highlight of the garden centre, and it is well known locally for its cheeses including team member Lily Morris was named Young Cheesemonger of the Year in 2023.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Blue Diamond Barton Grange Garden Centre, Lancashire The attentive and efficient team at Barton Grange made the healthy food offering look very festive. The in-store bakery was well promoted and housekeeping immaculate.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Ruxley Manor Garden Centre, Kent A new ‘marketplace’ area, adjacent to the restaurant, expanded the retail food offering this year with great success. Visual merchandising was excellent and the team stepped up to the mark to keep displays looking fresh.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

February 2026 29

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

THE GREATEST

Wild Bird & Pets Teams

SILVE ER Fairw ways Ash hborne, Derbyshire e

GOLD Haddenham Garden Centre, Buckinghamshire

The most festive pet area seen by the judges with great displays at entrance to the department and lots of cameo displays using trees, lights and baubles.

Haddenham’s extensive range of pet items include extra special treats such as 'dog éclairs'!

A strong pet care section doing a good line in aquariums for Christmas gifting. A competition to find the most favourite doggie customer and the own made bird care hampers made Fakenham stand out from the crowd.

30 February 2026

The team at Fairways are proud of the great pet gift lines, large range of pet treats and everything needed for winter bird care. Bespoke Fairways pet hampers are made up by the teams to compliment ranges which are festively displayed.

BRON NZE Fakenha am Garde en Centrre, Norfollk

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

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T U O

NO

W

Handy y’s 2026 Trade Catalogue is O U T NOW, marking the start of the new gardening season and bringing together exciting new product launches alongside trusted best-sellers Highlights include the new Webb Eco X-Series 40V cordless range for medium to large gardens, new additions to the 20V cordless platform, an entry-level petrol mower, and new pressure washers. There are also strong trade promotions across Handy’s owned brands, Webb and The Handy. View the latest Trade catalogue by scaning the QR code below...

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www.Handys.co.uk

Email sales@handys.co.uk Telephone 01793 333220

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

THE GREATEST

Garden Centre Grotto Teams

GOLD

Goulding’s Garden Centre, Lanarkshire

If there was a prize for passion, it would certainly go to the team at Goulding’s. Each year the team builds on its grotto to offer an unforgettable experience and a new addition this year was the animated train ride. A full time cleaner keeps the experience spic and span, teams cleverly keep people moving without feeling rushed and at the end there’s the treat of real reindeers and free hot chocolate with marshmallows.

SILVE ER Chesssington Garde en Centre e, Surrey

At the end of autumn, the team at Chessington transform the productive greenhouse into a magical grotto where a golden ticket gives entry to a walkthrough and railway carriage experience.

Each year pieces are reused but in different scenes and something new added. Although a large grotto, every visitor is guaranteed a personal experience.

32 February 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

BRON NZE BGC C Hayes Gard den Centrre, Cumbria a

Each year the welcoming and engaged team at Hayes come up with a different grotto experience. Beautifully lit and richly decorated, there is something different to see around every corner. The team is to be congratulated for the little touches and attention to detail which makes the grotto an amazing experience for children, and adults too.

HIGHLY COMMENDED Coolings Lifestyle, Kent

BRON NZE Ruxley Manor Garde en Centre e, Kent

Under the northern lights, the Ruxley grotto takes families on a journey to see Mother Christmas, find lost reindeer food ingredients and make a Postie Penguin toy.

Created just for Ruxley by the marketing team, Postie has his own story book which each child receives from Father Christmas.

An imaginative and creative experience, which runs smoothly thanks to the efficient teams including the elves.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Beginning in the lit woodland, the Coolings grotto had a post office theme of finding a lost letter to Santa. Teams across the whole centre contributed to the grotto’s creation and attention to detail was second to none.

Keydell Nurseries, Hampshire

Beautifully created walk through grotto by an engaged team and 92 year-old Father Christmas who has no intention of retiring. Lots of photo opportunities, animation and real reindeer.

February 2026 33

GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2025

THE GREATEST

Garden Centre Christmas Promotion Teams

GOLD

Henry Street Garden Centre, Berkshire By writing and illustrating Where’s My Husky, the centre’s Richard Gould has taken the concept of a Christmas book and branded bear onto the next level. The book’s characters could be found on story boards throughout the themed displays (and purchased), helping to promote sales and fundraise for the designated charity. The story was perfect for social media and clever merchandising hid the promotion’s fantastic commercial edge.

BRONZ ZE Botany y Bay Nursseries & Gard den Centre e, Wo orcestersh hire

The marketing tea at this small, plant based centre, sent 18 local schools a Father Christmas cut out to decorate. Each was displayed near the grotto with children and parents invited to vote on their favourite. A great way to appeal to new shoppers and develop customer loyalty.

Punching above its weight for the size of the centre, the Trioscape Garden Centre team organised highly successful charity quiz nights featuring celebrities from television’s The Chase. It’s social media activity was impressive with a 12 days of Christmas competition offering great prizes and lots of ‘likes and shares’ from customers.

SILVE ER

Triosccape Garden n Centre,, Glou ucestershiire

HIGHLY COMMENDED Glendoick Garden Centre, Perthshire

Congratulations to the team at Glendoick for creating a simple, yet effective 12 Days of Christmas promotion throughout the store.

34 February 2026

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Artist in focus

Kate, celebrating the new Essoldo Design Gift Packaging range at Spring Fair, with Woodmansterne’s Mark Timlett, Head of Independent Sales, and Mark Curtis, Regional Sales Manager.

Art in the garden centre Author, artist and former Head of Marketing at Woodmansterne, Kate Leach brings her distinctive Essoldo Design style to a new gift packaging collection.

T

eams at many centres around the UK will recognise Kate Leach from her days as Head of Marketing at Woodmansterne. While in the post (2018-2024), Kate celebrated with the company when it was named GCA Associate of the Year voted for by GCA members, and successfully marketed the W-Select programme which makes the planning and management of greeting cards in retail easy.

“Through my engagement with garden centre industry I also made some lifelong friends,” she says.

Often the two skills of being creative and having a head for marketing don’t go hand in hand, but Kate has bucked the trend.

A talented artist, she founded her brand, Essoldo Design in 2020, focusing on it full time when she left Woodmansterne in the autumn of 2024. Since then, she has retained her friendship with Woodmansterne with some of her designs appearing on its greetings cards, and at Spring Fair announced the signing of a licence with Woodmansterne for her designs to appear on a new gift packaging range.

“It’s a lovely ‘full circle’ moment to sign as a license at Woodmansterne. There was always a part of me that yearned to be in the design studio, so it’s been a fab experience to work with their wonderful creative team to launch this new gift packaging collection. I

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Below: Like all Woodmansterne’s gift packaging collections, the new Essoldo Design range is entirely paper-based and fully recyclable. Every item has been designed to remove plastic without compromising on strength or finish.

will forever appreciate Woodmansterne support of this new creative part of my life,” she says.

The benefits are there for Woodmansterne too. Its Creative Director Lee Keeper says: “One of the many aspects I admire of Kate’s work is her passion and enthusiasm and how she shares and inspires others (around the world now!). She embodies the power of art to unite and inspire.”

Garden centre link As well as strengthening her link with garden centres through Woodmansterne, Kate can also see other opportunities. Already hosting painting workshops around the country, Kate believes the garden centre demographic would be interested too as the subjects of her images are nature based.

“I love working with the garden industry.

I’m always open to chatting about live painting demos and floral/botnaical workshops too if you want to create some in-store theatre and get creative with your customers!”

Trowell Garden Centre in Nottingham, has taken things a step further, and commissioned Kate to create a painting of figs for its Fig and Fern Coffee Lounge. It has also chosen some of Kate’s prints to decorate the walls so is able to link these back to card, gift packaging and book sales.

Kate is based in Hertfordshire. Her debut book, Creative Abstract Watercolor, has been published in seven languages and was followed last year by Creative Abstract Mixed Media. www.essoldodesign.com

The Essolodo Design Gift Packaging range is available to order, with a new greeting card range due in March.

Phone: 01923 200 600 Email sales@woodmansterne.co.uk www.woodmansterne.com

February 2026 35

Planteria

Conifer comeback

Europe-wide collective promotes conifers as plants for the future.

UK push

The benefits conifers bring to wildlife is a new focus for Golden Grove Nursery in Lincolnshire and adds to its messaging about benefits to the environment.

“We have been promoting conifers for carbon capture for a few years with some success, but the general public are more attuned to wildlife so we are now also showing they are good as animal hotels.

Birds in particular love conifers because they provide shelter, and hedgehogs like ground cover varieties because they are good for hiding under,” says Zoe Large.

It’s not only birds and hedgehogs, but also insects such as ladybirds and spiders that are particularly fond of calling conifers their home.

With every £1000 order, the nursery will include circular and eye-catching Wildlife Hotel labels to display in the pots. It has also created an educational pack for garden centre teams with sales tips and valuable information to pass on to customers.

A selection of aspirational AI generated images will help promote conifers.

A

cross Europe a group of 12 growers have got together to give conifers a marketing push and present them as the plant of the future.

We Love Conifers will promote conifers as essential elements of modern, climateresilient gardens and public spaces and show how they are an answer to the growing demands for sustainable, year-round greenery.

The campaign has been driven by the disheartening amount of space lost to hard landscaping including fencing.

As well as the versatility, biodiversity benefits and ornamental value of specimen and hedging conifers, We Love Conifers will show they offer a solution to rising city

36 February 2026

temperatures, water management, and poor air quality. Strong, hardy, requiring minimal maintenance and being extremely tidy, they bring much needed tranquility to gardens and public areas while being resilient to different soil types and extreme weather conditions.

Launched in January, the new campaign aims to improve the image of conifers and stimulate demand in Europe. A primary focus is to generate high-quality content from inspirational gardens, plant combinations, garden designs, and beautiful lifestyle imagery for distribution across the supply chain including for use as promotional material in garden centres. www.weloveconifers.com

Roger Ward and Zoe Large, promoting conifers for wildlife.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Planteria

Selling simple solutions

E

arthbound Plants is expanding its range of Italian stock and enabling retailers to help ease buying decisions for customers by promoting plants for their benefits and solutions.

Already a busy market, Richard Burt says Earthbound Plants has adopted a different approach to help customers find the right plant for the right place. “The biggest problem for the gardening public is the lack of plant knowledge. The concept of Earthbound is to simplify plant choice for the average customer.

Rather than bamboozling them with science and plant names we are trying to give them solutions and a choice, such as plants for a dry, sunny border.”

As well a point of ordering for retailers, Earthbound’s website assists as a learning resource with QR codes on every label leading

to further aftercare and cultural information so retailers and customers can be fully informed.

However, home customers are not able to order directly, but they can find their local garden centre stockist.

“It’s important the plants are not just going to live, but they are going to thrive and give customers the confidence to come back for something else,” says Richard.

For garden centres, Earthbound Plants has small minimum orders to keep stock fresh. It also pre-treats plants with a fertiliser to provide a boost while in the planteria.

Launched two years ago, Earthbound Plants is a collaboration between Provender Nurseries in Kent, and Innocenti Mangoni Piante in Tuscany. There are 12 collections such as Pots & Patios, Shade Lovers and Super Scents and garden centres have the choice of which plants

Richard Burt with Dianella tasmanica ‘Silver Fox’ at February’s Garden Press Event.

they want to buy for each collection.

The range of several hundred is being added to with climate resistant plants including three Lagerstroemia (red, shell pink and pink) bred to flower more reliably in the UK, plus Dianella tasmanica ‘Silver Fox’ which join the Water Smart collection.

The place to create new business ... and meet old friends

Winning aubergine At the recent IPM Essen in Germany, one of the industry’s largest trade fairs, the Show Your Colours Award for the best new plant went to an aubergine.

Displayed by Vreugdenhil Young Plants, it is part of the Pick-&-Joy range of 22 easy to grow fruit and vegetables, most of which can be eaten straight off the plant. Joining tomatoes, chilies, cucumbers and basil, the dwarf aubergine reaches a height of just 50cm so is perfect for pot growing in small, urban spaces. Additional to care instructions, the range encourages plant lovers to cook with their harvests as each has its own recipe idea, including mini pizzas for the aubergine.

Judges for the competition commented on the appeal of the Pick-&-Joy aubergine to a broad target group and that it makes a fresh and alternative gift.

Second and third place went to Rhododendron Hybrid Grazeasy® and Salix candida ‘Jefberg’ respectively.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

The UK’s Premier Show for the Horticulture Trade ... since 1971

Media partner

www. fouroaks -tradeshow .com

2 - 3 Sept 2026 nd

rd

February 2026 37

Adapt or Die

Which future do you choose In the second of their monthly series, John Stanley, Sid Raisch and Dries Jansen ask if 2027 is going be THE year of amazing opportunity.

D

oubts about AI’s impact on society are fading as breakthrough after breakthrough becomes reality. What was once speculation is now a demonstrated fact. Technology experts agree on the transformation ahead, differing only on timing and which company will announce the next major advancement. Even sceptics are becoming active daily power users.

Meanwhile, a parallel revolution is unfolding.

Generations of children from gen Z have been educated about sustainability their entire lives. They understand what previous generations didn’t: plants are essential to our future. Consumers are transforming lawns into pollinator gardens, creating butterfly sanctuaries, building rain gardens, and seeking native plants that support local ecosystems— while enjoying the psychological and physical health benefits.

The shift is profound. Yesterday’s customer wanted a specific perennial for its colour and form while today’s customer want a thriving ecosystem that attracts pollinators, supports wildlife, and contributes to environmental health.

Will we be prepared this time?

During COVID’s peak in 2020 and 2021, horticulture experienced explosive growth, but here’s what most miss: we couldn’t capture the full opportunity. Garden centres ran out of inventory. Nurseries couldn’t ship plants quickly enough. Landscape companies couldn’t hire enough crews. Marketing budgets sat unused because businesses were already overwhelmed.

38 Feburary 2026

Industry veterans estimate actual demand could have been 100% higher if we’d had the capacity. We may have served only half the customers who wanted to buy from us.

Now consider what’s ahead. Artificial intelligence will transform society even more profoundly than the internet did. Jobs will change. Work schedules will shift. People will have more time at home. When that happens, will they seek food security through gardens like they did during COVID? Will awareness of plants as medicine accelerate? Will the desire for functional outdoor spaces shift even more sharply toward creating sustainable habitats?

During COVID, we were caught off guard, but we can’t use that excuse again. We know demand surges are possible. We understand consumer values are shifting toward sustainability. We have evidence that plants provide measurable health benefits. We see AI transformation approaching.

Yet many in our industry still think small.

They’re playing defensively, focused on scarcity and fear. Others recognised COVID wasn’t an anomaly but a preview and they’re capturing growth. The companies that prepare first will be positioned for the next surge.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: the opportunity ahead may be larger than COVID’s surge, but it won’t wait for the unprepared.

Markets reward those who anticipate and act.

could you scale? What are your constraints?

Use AI tools to model different futures.

Analyse your capacity, staffing needs, inventory turns, and cash flow under various demand scenarios. The technology exists today to run these projections in hours, not months. It can empower planning, optimise resources, lower costs, and capture profit.

Consider permanent infrastructure investments. If demand reaches a new plateau, temporary solutions won’t sustain growth. Think about expanded growing space, improved logistics, training programs that create skilled teams quickly, and systems that can scale. Most importantly, shift your mindset from ‘will this happen’ to ‘when this happens, will I be ready?’

The garden industry serves an essential human need, our connection to living things, to growing our own food, creating beauty, improving our health and environment. These needs aren’t diminishing, they’re intensifying as society becomes more digital, more automated, more artificial.

The next surge is coming. The only question is whether you’ll capture it or watch others grow while you struggle to keep up. The time to prepare is now. AI advancement is happening sooner than predicted and in 12-18 months, it may be too late. A future opportunity like this is a terrible thing to waste.

What preparation looks like Start conversations now with your supply chain of growers, growing media and hard goods. Discuss scenarios: What if demand increases 30%? 50%? 100%? How quickly

To find out more email: john@johnstanley.com.au

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

Viewpoint

Gardening is comfort food for the outdoors Will Armitage, HTA President

Congratulations to Fothergill’s Seeds on winning the New Product Award at the Garden Press Event.

A

t the time of writing, I have spent the day at the Garden Press Event in London. A brilliant one-day event, it attracted more than 380 members of the media under one roof, alongside businesses and brands from our sector, providing the perfect opportunity to showcase some of the products and plans for the upcoming season.

I was impressed by the new products that are coming to market and noticed a bit of a theme - something my Business Improvement Scheme clients are also reporting - strong sales in core gardening, especially the traditional grow your own products.

This year’s winner of Best New Product was a worthy example illustrating the continued innovation in this area. Fothergill’s Seeds Oh Sow Simple Self-Watering Grow Kits, is a product where you can easily grow your own herbs on a windowsill; a modern twist, which I’m sure will go down well with consumers.

Reflection, resilience, requests But let’s just take a step back and think about what we’ve all had to navigate over recent months. Political uncertainty has weighed heavily on consumer confidence. Last year was chaotic, and this year looks set to bring more of the same.

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

It typically takes a growing season for consumers to find their new normal after political or economic upheaval. After a year of our industry adapting to an accumulation of rising costs and confidence taking a knock, I remain confident that horticulture will, in time, reclaim its priority in people’s time and budgets. However, as we enter another year of uncertainty, it may take two seasons before we see that new normal fully return.

Alongside this resilience in consumer demand, the HTA has written to the Government ahead of the Spring Forecast to make clear that our sector now needs the right conditions to invest and grow.

Environmental horticulture contributes £38 billion to the UK economy and supports more than 722,000 jobs, yet rising employment costs, increased National Insurance Contributions and energy pressures are adding significant strain.

We have urged Ministers to pull every available lever to incentivise investment, improve productivity and ease unnecessary burdens, including aligning timelines for Extended Producer Responsibility and Simpler Recycling so our members are not unfairly penalised for disposing of fully recyclable plant pots, revising SIC codes so energy-intensive glasshouse production can access appropriate support, and creating a

more responsive and transparent business rates system. With the right framework in place, our sector could unlock growth to £51.2 billion by 2030 and continue delivering the environmental, economic and wellbeing benefits the UK increasingly relies on.

It’s worth remembering that in times of uncertainty, people turn to gardening and home produce, not just as an economical way to help feed the family, but because it feeds the soul. It’s comfort food for the outdoors. We know how good it makes us feel, and more consumers are discovering that for themselves.

Coupled with the awful weather we’ve been having, there is clear evidence of pentup demand, so make sure you are ready. As our Your Garden Year campaign says, the season starts with a pot. Perhaps this year we’ll see more of those pots turning into patio vegetable plots as grow your own truly comes into its own.

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

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TRADE EVENT

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