A company that has been in existence for only five months has picked up the first ever New Product Showcase Award at Glee at Spring Fair.

The Award, run in association with Garden Trade News, was won by Jardinopia Ltd, who scooped this year’s top prize with Potty Feet.

A new approach to pot feet, these resin feet come shaped in a variety of shapes such as squirrels, dogs and gnomes.

Judge Mike Cook, of Choice Marketing,  said of the winner: “Potty Feet is a fab idea. It’s a new take on a traditional product, but done so in a way that is fun, and will have mass appeal. It’s an exciting product, and even more so when you consider that Jardinopia launched just five months ago.”

Andrea Barnett, managing director of Jardinopia, said: “I’m really shocked. It’s so unexpected but we are obviously delighted with this accolade.”

Matthew Mein, Event Director for Glee, said of the winners: “Congratulations to all the winners of this, the inaugural Glee at Spring Fair New Product Showcase. The quality of product on display are of the highest possible standard and demonstrate the breadth of products on offer from Glee at Spring Fair exhibitors. Congratulations to all those that were recognised as part of this awards programme, and thanks to all those that entered. Finally, thanks to the judges. Their time and input is greatly appreciated.”

With 24 amazing and innovative new products to choose from the judges of the inaugural New Product Showcase at Glee at Spring Fair had their work cut out deciding on a winner.

Judged by Mike Cook of Choice Marketing, Steve Myatt, MD of Garden Retail Success, Simon Bourne of Perrywood Garden Centre, and Neil Gow, owner of Fresh @ Burcot, this year five products were selected, recognised for their unique designs, saleability and innovative approach to bringing to market products that will drive profits in the coming seasons.

The first product selected and taking home ‘fifth place’ is the Fast Fix Hook & Loop Tape from Creative Products.  This tape offers a quick and easy way to secure plants, branches and young trees. Durable, waterproof, flexible and soft, it’s quick to fit and delicate on tender plant material.

Fourth place was rewarded to the Redwood Gazebo from River Co. Handmade in the UK using the finest FSC certified redwood, the gazebo features louvre walls, a tongue and groove upgrade, and is perfect for use as an outside bar or gazebo cover.

Woodlodge’s Bespoke Pot Service scooped the third-place runner up prize. A simple, yet effective concept, this new service sees the UK market leaders provide customers with bespoke printed terracotta pots. Available on terracotta pots of all sizes, customers can print logos, images or slogans onto the pots, creating a visual feast and a personalised pot offering.

Just missing out on the title of ‘winner’ was Pouff Daddy’s Extended Curve. At 1.8m in length, fully waterproof and UV stable, this perfect pool side lounging cushion is available in three colours – included the hottest colour around ’rose gold’ – and comes with a lifetime stitch guarantee.

Ben Sowton, of Pouff Daddy, said: “We think our product is brilliant but it’s always great to hear that a panel of retail experts are impressed by it.”

But it was Jardinopia Limited who scooped this year’s top prize with Potty Feet.

The Glee @ Spring Fair New Product Award, in association with Garden Trade News, was judged on first day of show by a panel of retail experts pictured above.

The judges were Mike Cook of Choice Marketing, Steve Myatt of Garden Retail Success, Simon Bourne of Perrywood Garden Centre and Neil Gow of Fresh @ Burcot. Also pictured (second from left) is GTN's Trevor Pfeiffer, organiser of the judging.

The list of companies, their stand numbers and New Product Showcase entry are listed below:

African Creations    3B30    White Barn Owl
Bergs Potter    3C11    Copenhagen Pot
Briers    3G37    Julie Dodsworth Leather Comfy Gardener Gloves
Cadix     3G37    Houseplant Pot
Charles Taylor    3F10-G11    Three Piece Window Planter/Herb Box
Creative Products     3D20-E21     Fast Fix Hook and loop tape
Darlac    3E10    Sabre Tooth Saw
Green Digit Ltd    3F09    SeedCell® My Garden in a Box
Harrod Horticultural    B10    Cone Wire Obelisk  – corten/rust effect
Hygeia Chemicals Ltd    E15    GreenForce Feed Weed & Mosskiller
Innovators International Ltd    3B17    Winawood 2 Seater Bench
Jardinopia    3C21    Potty Feet
Joseph Noblett    3D30B    Aqua Stand
Loving Pets    3A20    Le Bol
Neat Ideas    C30    Mole Garden Gloves
On Guard Hygiene Connection    3B22    E-HANDY portable steam system
Pouf Daddy    3E14    The Extended Curve
Riverco    3C22    Redwood Gazebo
The Garden Furniture Centre    3D20-E21    Fiji Magic Apple Lounger
Unique Tables    3B16-C17    Monte Carlo 10 seater party table
VegTrug    3E8-F7     Greenhouse Nursery
Veito    3C23    Blade Carbon Infrared Heater
Woodlodge    3C18    Bespoke Pots

A gallery of pictures of the new products is featured below...

The first day of Glee at Spring Fair has been huge success with Glee event director Matthew Mein admitting he was very pleased with the outcome...

"I am very pleased with the result of day one at Glee at Spring Fair," said Matthew.

"It has been brilliant to see so many buyers around the Glee area. What a great start and I'm sure tomorrow will be another big success."

There was a good buzz around the Glee sector in Hall 3 at Spring Fair, and all the exhibitors we spoke to admitted they were pleased with the outcome.

The doors open again at 9am tomorrow (Monday) and shut at 6pm. Make sure you visit...

You can still register at https://lp.events.ascential.com/spring-fair-registration.html?actioncode=PTRGLEEDAILYNEWS

See you here.

Bergs Potter's pots are created with love in Tuscany. We take pride in the beauty and strength of our pots, made from premium clay.

High quality materials and craftsmanship means the pots' patinas will improve with age and live on from one generation to the next.

If your plants could speak, they would tell you that there's nothing better than a quality clay pot. Proper drainage gives their roots room to breathe, and superior clay holds in the moisture they need.

The natural strength of Bergs versatile pots means they can work both inside and out. Their durability comes from high-temperature firings and a subtle silicone treatment - which means they are also completely waterproof.

Visit Glee at Spring Fair 2018, stand no. 3C:11 in Birmingham the 4th-8th of February to see more.

www.bergspotter.com

info@bergspotter.com

Creative Products is showcasing its newest products on stand 3D20-E21 in Hall 3-3A at the brand new concession at Spring Fair, the UK’s number one home and gift show for the retail industry.

Having recently undergone an impressive brand update, the company will be showcasing a selection of its new products for 2018.

From the uniquely designed Speedy Weeder which makes easy work of weed removal, without the need to get down on your hands and knees, to the popular, apple shaped Fruity Feeders which are ideal for bird seed and add a dash of colourful fun to any garden, Creative Products will be exhibiting a range of must-have garden products.

As the UK’s number one in-store TV promotions company, Creative Products will also be demonstrating how its unique merchandising and no risk retail solutions provide garden retailers with a fantastic opportunity to boost sales.

Mark Hall, Managing Director at Creative Products, commented, “Set up for the show is well underway and there is already a huge buzz among fellow exhibitors.

"Glee is the UK’s top garden trade show and as regular exhibitors, we are excited to be showcasing some of our new products at the first ever Glee at Spring Fair concession.

"Not only that, we are also busy with preparations for our second stand, within Spring Fair itself, and we’re hoping this will enable us to engage with as many visitors as possible throughout the five day event.”

Interested retailers should visit Creative Products on stand 9B44-C45 in Hall 9 and at stand 3D20-E21 in Hall 3-3A at Spring Fair in February.

For more information on Creative Products, contact the company on 01476 564 230 or email sales@creativeproducts.ltd.uk. You can also visit their website at www.creativeproducts.ltd.uk.

Whether preparing a garden of foliage and flora, or executing a well organised allotment to feed a growing family this season; consumers look to you the retailer to offer them an extensive range of products which will meet their every need.

With that in mind, UK based, Durston Garden Products Ltd is pleased to welcome all new and existing clients to its Stand G41 in Hall 3 where it will be showcasing its entire range of growing media products

For further information, or to book a visit in advance: call Durston Garden Products: 01458 442688

For the first time in its 30 year history, Innovators International is pleased to be exhibiting at the Spring Fair, promoting the two of its market leading brands.

Products showcased will include the Winawood brand which is the market leader and fastest growing product within the zero maintenance area of garden furniture.

A 'Powder Blue' colour has been introduced for the 2018 season to extend the colour pallet of this range.  This attractive shade is a subtle alternative to traditional bench colours and is perfect for the summer months ahead.

Planters have also been added to the range which complement the furniture perfectly.

The luxury 'Majestique' rattan garden furniture brand will also be on display and included will be our award winning Bar Set's.

A selection of items from the hugely successful in Garden Giftware and Christmas collection will also feature on the stand.

Orders for our new design garden solar lights and garden figurines have exceeded expectations and these will feature strongly.

Show offers will be available so please visit our stand and discuss further with sales representatives Neil Russell and Peter Stroud.

Visit Innovators International Ltd in Hall 3 - 3A, Stand 3B17

To find out more about our ranges please visit www.innovators-international.co.uk or Tel : 0208 736 2700.

Marian Maenhoudt, Laurica Plants

Why have you chosen to exhibit at Glee’s Spring Fair concession event?

We feel that the timing of the Spring Fair exhibition is the ideal time of year to present our plants to the market, with immediate turn around to optimise consumer spending habits. The core sales season is just around the corner, so we want to be able to showcase our bay trees looking their best ahead of this key sales spike. 

Do you exhibit at the main September exhibition?

We do indeed. We have been proudly exhibiting at Glee for the last six years. The exhibition is a key part of our annual event calendar and planning.

What products/ ranges will you showcasing?

We will be using Glee at Spring Fair to showcase our bay trees, and Laurus nobilis topiary plants.  Both are the perfect for placing on terraces, throughout the garden or to frame the front door. Our trees are still relatively unknown in the UK so we’re excited to showcase the ‘Laurica difference’. 

Why should retailers visit your stand?

Any retailer wanting to access the most exciting selection of bay trees should make a beeline to our stand at Glee at Spring Fair (stand 3D30).  Our collection includes an assortment of bay trees - including crown on stem, pyramid shape, spiral stems, balls, and column on stem – all of which are grown at our nursery in Belgium. It is here where we stock the widest and most valuable collection of pre-shaped laurel trees in all Europe, all available at a highly competitive price.

What are your plans for the rest of 2018?

We are just about to embark on the main sales season so we’re excited for this. We have developed a lot of new and exciting stock, in a range of shapes and sizes, so we’re looking forward to bringing these to market.

We also have Glee’s main September exhibition to prep for! It’s set to be a busy year! 

What trends are you most excited about in the coming seasons?

There are two trends that we, at Laurica Plants, are particularly excited about. Firstly, the increased popularity of evergreen plants is an exciting prospect. The rise of houseplant sales is also helping to drive the market, particularly amongst the younger generation who recognise the health benefits of plants in the home.  

Darlac, well-known for precision cutting tools and useful garden equipment, are upbeat about exhibiting at GLEE at Spring Fair especially after picking up two prestigious Best Buy awards in recent Gardeners’ World Magazine trials reported in the February 2018 edition.

Darlac picked up Best Buys for their Expert DP1030A bypass secateurs and their Compound Pruner DP332.

Commenting on the trials, Darlac Business Development Manager Chris Owen said; “We were delighted to pick up two of the five Best Buy awards and see it as a ringing endorsement of the quality of our secateurs and look forward to showing these winners to garden retailers at the show. Given the other winners in the bypass section were Felco and Niwaki the award underlines our ‘quality at affordable prices’ position. The Darlac Expert bypass secateurs currently retail at around £24, approximately half the price of the other bypass winners.”

The company will be showcasing its tailor-made tool collections which are becoming a hit with UK retailers. The Collections were compiled using sales data from the Darlac brand identifying its fastest moving lines and included a ‘Best Sellers’ range and specific specialist ranges such as the ‘Expert Range’, the ever popular ‘Swop Top System’ and more.

“We offer a fantastic range of quality cutting tools and other garden equipment and we believe that by creating these collections it will be easier for the garden trade to make their choice” explains Chris Owen. “These collections simplify our offer and hopefully will save time for the busy buyer while also making it easier for the gardener to choose what they want.

“The Best Sellers range is exactly what it suggests and is already proving a great hit with garden centres as they add our brand into the mix,” continues Chris. “The Expert Range collection of precision engineered tools of the highest quality is also causing a stir along with the versatile Swop-Top Range.”

Darlac has long been recognised as a company which supplies quality garden tools and equipment, at affordable, value-for-money prices. It boasts an array of award-winning products, which more-and-more garden centres are now stocking, and which garden writers are also recommending.

Details are obtained from Darlac sales agents or direct from the company – info@darlac.com or 01753 547790.

Interview with Phil Aston, The Garden Furniture Centre Ltd

Why have you chosen to exhibit at Glee’s Spring Fair concession event?

We have chosen to exhibit at Glee at Spring Fair as we are keen to grow our trade base, and believe that exhibiting at the concession show will help us to forge new relationships with relevant buyers from across the garden and gifting sectors.

What products/ ranges will you showcasing?

We will be bringing with us to Glee at Spring Fair two product groups, both of which are entirely unique to The Garden Furniture Centre.

The first is the Fiji Big Core Rattan collection.  Featuring a hand-woven weave using 12, 14 and 16mm rattan strands, the overall effect is incredibly realistic. The collection also features sumptuous Olefin cushions, sturdy frames and resin finished teak feet throughout, together creating a quality collection that will be the envy of your friends and family.

The second collection is Midnight Montana. Using the same synthetic water hyacinth weave as our popular Montana range, this new collection features midnight black rattan, paired with cream, red and blue Olefin cushions. Look out for curved lines, plentiful proportions and deep seating, making for the most comfortable lounging experience.

Why should retailers visit your stand?

We pride ourselves on offering a unique range of furniture and accessories, all within a relaxed atmosphere and with no pushy sales people! We’ll also be showcasing ranges unavailable anywhere else, so the perfect place to source unique and beautiful garden furniture.

What are your plans for the rest of 2018?

We have a busy year ahead of us, with an aggressive expansion plan underpinning much of our activity. Look out for our trade arm, as they exhibit all over the world including Singapore and Dubai.  

What trends are you most excited about in the coming seasons?

Each year, we are seeing the boundaries of design pushed further and further as a response to retailers and manufacturers wanting to try and get ahead of their competitors. It’s exciting to be part of such a bustling market.  

Lots of interest was shown in the Loving Pets's range of products on the first day of Glee at Spring Fair.

Of particular interest was the Totally Grainless range of training treats.

These treats are all natural chicken with four mouth-watering flavours, for oral hygiene and dental care.

The team at Hygeia Garden is delighted to present their range of garden care products at Spring Fair 2018.

As experts in the industry with almost 80 years’ experience of R&D and innovation, they look forward to launching our lawn care products in the UK.

These products include current market leaders in Ireland as well as exciting new developments for 2018.

"GreenForce Feed Weed & Mosskiller is our bestseller – it covers up to twice the area of the competitor product, offering fantastic value to the consumer and a new and exciting option to the retailer.

"Multi award winning GreenForce Lawn Gold is an organic based lawn fertiliser that is pet safe, child safe, and won’t turn moss black – that means no raking out!

"Come and see us at stand 3E15 to find out more. We look forward to doing business with you in 2018 and beyond."

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Glee at Spring Fair 2018 opened its doors today (Sunday) and after several hectic days of build up the exhibitors are ready and waiting to show you their new products and services on offer...

To get in the mood, we gave our photographer an hour to whizz round the show as build up nears completion.  

See you in the morning...

The team from GTN are proud to be the official media partners for Glee at Spring Fair producing seven issue of Glee Daily News.

From now until the end of February the Glee Daily News, in its unique e-mail format, will keep visitors up to date with what they can see at the show and gives exhibitors the most up to date e-mail vehicle for ensuring buyers know about their new products and other Glee at Spring Fair activities.

Here's the schedule for the Glee Daily News at Spring Fair 2018:

• • • Launch issue - 17th January
    • Show Preview  - 29th January
    • Build up preview - Live from the Show - 3rd February 
    • Live from the Show Day 1 - 4th February
    • Live from the Show Day 2  - 5th February
    • Live from the Show Day3   - 6th February
    • Omnibus Issue                 - 22nd February

To make sure you get your own copy of Glee Daily News sign up here

For advertorial and advertisng opportunties please contact Ben Greenwood, Alan Burdon or Mandy Davies at Potting Shed Press Ltd, 01733 775700, owners and publishers of Garden Trade News, Garden Radio and The Greatest Awards.

The Glee Daily News team are based in office 2.1 next to the Hall 2 Managers office and in the Glee at Spring Fair Cafe in Hall 3.  See you there!

Each year we endeavour to be better, eat better and exercise better. Make this the year you succeed by signing up to one of the Garden Re-Leaf challenges to raise money for Greenfingers Charity.

Shed those festive pounds by signing up for the Garden Re-Leaf Day Walk which will take place on Friday 16th March starting from Wyevale’s World’s End Garden Centre, Buckinghamshire. You can either take a gentle 10-mile stroll, or complete a more challenging 20-mile route through the Chilterns which is the ideal way to get in shape following the Christmas break.

The popular Plantathon will return with Greenfingers calling for garden retailers across the country to pot up as many plants as possible.  This year the time frame to plant as many pots as possible will be 12 hours and promises to be a popular event.

Where does the Garden Re-Leaf money go?

In July 2011, Hillview Garden Store CEO, Boyd Douglas-Davies announced the inaugural Garden Re-Leaf Day at the Garden Retail Awards in London.  Now in its seventh year, Garden Re-Leaf Day is the biggest charity fundraiser in the garden industry’s calendar and has raised over £500,000.

Positioned as the garden industry’s answer to Comic Relief and Sports Relief, the aim of Garden Re-Leaf Day was to celebrate the start of the garden year with fundraising events to raise money for Greenfingers, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of children in hospices through the creation of magical gardens.

For the garden industry, the day creates valuable team building opportunities and brings more shoppers into garden centres earlier to extend the peak Spring season. Garden centre managers, staff and other industry professionals tirelessly set up fun and exciting ways to not only raise money for Greenfingers, but also to promote gardening as an enjoyable pastime.

But where do these vital funds go?  Most will already be aware that the money raised is used to build Greenfingers hospice gardens which enable children and their families to enjoy special time together outside enjoying the therapeutic benefits of nature, and away from the bedside. 

Greenfingers work exclusively with each hospice to come up with a unique design that suits the needs of the children and families they care for.  Each garden is created with top industry designers and landscapers, as well as help from the local community, volunteers and gardening clubs.

In total, 53 Greenfingers gardens have been built since the charity’s creation in 1998 with many being funded by monies from Garden Re-Leaf Day.  The inaugural Garden Re-Leaf Day in 2012 raised more than £55,000 for Greenfingers, helping a specially designed, family garden to be built at both Robin House Children’s Hospice in West Dunbartonshire, and Donna Louise Children’s Hospice in Stoke-on-Trent.  In 2017, two new gardens were opened – the new Kaleidoscope Garden at Helen & Douglas House in Oxford, which features a colourful and protected garden pavilion that is being enjoyed by patients, their families and hard-working hospice staff.

The Courtyard Garden at Keech Hospice Care in Luton was officially opened by garden designer and Greenfingers Ambassador Adam Frost and featured a multi-coloured soft, but durable, flooring in swirling shapes and will be well used by families who are now able to enjoy mealtimes and activities outside in this new bright and sheltered courtyard.

The most recent Greenfingers garden was started in October by landscaper and designer Jody Lidgard of Bespoke Outdoor Spaces. The pirate themed garden is being built at St Andrew’s Hospice in Grimsby, which provides palliative care for children and young adults suffering from progressive life-limiting illnesses. 

More gardens are in the pipeline to be built in 2018 but this is where Garden Re-Leaf Day comes into its own, raising much needed funds.  The garden industry will be exploding with colour with plenty of FUNdraising activities throughout the day. 

Boyd Douglas Davies said: “Garden Re-Leaf Day has resulted in life-limited children and families who spend time in hospices every single year being able to enjoy precious time together in a Greenfingers garden.  It’s really easy to take part, you can sign up and participate in one of this year's organised initiatives such as the Garden Re-Leaf Walk or Plantathon.  Why not organise your own event, and register it so that it can be included in all the media briefings that raise awareness of the cause?”

You can sign up to take part in Garden Re-Leaf Day events or register your own by visiting the Greenfingers Charity website www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk/gardenreleaf

If you want to find out more about how to get involved in Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day 2018, whether by putting on events in your garden centre, through sponsored solo activities or simply by donating - contact the Greenfingers office on 01494 674749 or email Linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk.

The votes are being counted and the judges meeting to decide who will be the winners in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards, sponsored by Gardman, ready for the announcement and presentation of awards at a special Greatest Awards Winners Breakfast Reception on Tuesday 6th February in Hall 3 as part of Glee at Spring Fair.

All of the nominated Christmas Teams and all of the winning teams from The Greatest Awards during 2017 are invited to join us at the Glee at Spring Fair Cafe in Hall 3 at 9:00am for a breakfast reception and the presentation of GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards, sponsored by Gardman, for 2017.

In a special issue of GTN Xtra we've included as many of the photo tours from the judges visits during the Christmas period as we can.  There will be more published later this month.  We hope they give you plenty of ideas and inspiration as you start to plan and buy your Christmas for 2018.

Ho, ho, ho!  See you on Tuesday 6th February in Glee at Spring Fair.  Register using this link.

Click here to read a special Greatest Christmas Awards Special edition of GTN Xtra, sponsored by Gardman

2018 could be a great year for gardening as early indications are that growing activity is at and all-time high, according to GTN Bestsellers.

Growing Media and Plant sales, both up by over 30%, lead the way as January gets the year off to a flying start.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year...

• Garden Products - up 29%
• Growing Media - up 26%
• Veg-2-Gro - up 2%
• Wild Bird Care - down 35%
• All Plants Index - up 56%
• All Items Index - up 8%

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

What a start for plant sales in 2018! January total plant sales volumes in the GTN Bestsellers EPOS data are up 32% on January 2017.

• Helleborus total sales jumped 144% compared to the same week last year.
• Primula sales grew by 71% over last year’s sales for the same week.
• Planted Narcissus stayed at No 2 with sales increasing by 60% year on year.
• All Plants volume sales change: Week on week UP 37.6%. Year to date UP 32.0%  on 2017.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Another good week for garden product sales sees January GTN Top 50 volumes reach the highest level since 2015, up 22% on January 2017.

And it is garden lighting that is the spark that is driving sales.  This week there are seven garden lighting lines in the Top 10.

• Premier Decorations Coloured Led Pull Light & Bulb holds onto the No 1 spot for the third consecutive week.
• Smart Solar Eureka! LED Frosted Lightbulb is the highest climber, up 26 places to No 6.
• Fito Drip Feeder For Orchids 32ml is the sole plant related product in the Top 5 at No 2. It is joined this week by the Fito Cacti Drip Feeder, a new entry at No 50.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Veg-2-Gro sales picked up last week to end the month 10% down on January last year, making it a below average start to the veg growing year.

A notable new entry this week is T&M’s Black Russian Tomato seeds, the highest placed of the seven tomato seed varieties in the GTN Top 50.

• Black Russian Tomato Seeds from T&M are a new entry at No 11.
• Taylors Onion Sets Stuttgarter stay at No 1 on the back of a 16% week on week sales increase.
• Mr Fothergills Beetroot Perfect 3 had the biggest week on week percentage sales increase to re-enter at No 27.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

January sales volumes of the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 growing media lines have reached a record high, driven by early bird offers that have really been taken advantage of by keen gardeners.

January 2018 sees sales up 28% on January 2017 and 147% on the like for like sales seen in January 2014.

• Westland Jack’s Magic All Purpose Compost, 40 litres, is the highest re-entry to the Top 50 at No 17.
• Growth Technology Houseplant Compost, 8 litres, is the highest chart climber moving up 36 places to No 9.
• Sales of Scotts Levington Tomorite Giant Planter with Seaweed increased by 600% to re-enter at No 26.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Gardman has acknowledged the company has experienced teething problems at its new £30 million custom-built distribution centre in Daventry but says it's confident it will cope with the busy Spring period.

The new centre was fully tested in Q4 2017 with a full “go live” date of 2^nd January.

"Unfortunately, due to a lower than expected picking rate we have failed to meet our normally high service standards," said Pete Utting, Gardman's Chief Executive.

"This has now been solved by increasing our picker numbers and putting on a night shift to meet demand.

"This change has resulted in achieving our desired output. We will continue to build this capacity further over the coming weeks to counter any spikes in demand.

"We are confident we can catch up through February and then successfully meet the spring demand.

"I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to our customers and reassure them that the challenges have now been managed.

"The foundations for great service are now in place. The building is complete in the centre of the country, the system works, we have the right people, our stock build is bigger and earlier than last year and now we have achieved the output rates we need.

"My sincere thanks to all our customers for their patience and understanding.

"I would also like to thank all the Gardman staff and contractors who have worked tirelessly to get this problem fixed."

Premier Decorations were presented with a special cake to mark their 30th year of exhibiting at Spring Fair.

The cake was given to John Athwal of Premier Decorations by the Spring Fair team.

John, who was awarded the OBE in the New Years' Honours List, will be also be celebrating his 65th birthday on Tuesday.

Despite it only being February, every retailer knows that now is the prime time to plan ahead for Christmas 2018.  This was demonstrated by the fantastic success of the Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair earlier this year where emerging trends were clear to see.

Reflecting their passion for design and quality, Floralsilk launched their impressive Christmas Collection for 2018 with an exclusive collection of Christmas tree ornaments, wreaths, garlands, trees and wintery foliage and it was a great opportunity to see what the fashion will be for the year ahead.

Very in vogue and receiving huge interest was nature inspired tree trim.  2018 is clearly the year for ornithologists as bird themed decorations topped the table with the Christmas robin once again proving to be a best seller.  Floralsilk’s new more ornate, jewelled and feathered birds were also highly desirable along with sparkle dragonfly clips, with the fashion for decorations on versatile clips and picks going strong accounting for three out of the five best selling items.

Another theme emerging for 2018 is the desire to bring a little bit of sparkle into our lives with shimmering baubles, glitter clips and sparkling foliage sprays and garlands proving incredibly popular. Floralsilk’s extended LED collection also confirmed this trend with their LED bauble garland, LED Starburst and outdoor Cone Trees all being very well received.

In terms of colour ways, despite the pantone colour for the forthcoming year being ultra violet, rose gold decorations were all the rage at the show selling across the board along with the more traditional gold and silver.

In keeping with going back to nature, one individual item in particular had a brilliant debut – the glass Land Rover tree decoration exclusive to Floralsilk. New for this year and available in three colours, this popular ornament depicting a car returning home with the family Christmas tree, caught the attention of many a retailer.

Moving on from Christmas and stepping into Spring, Floralsilk’s stunning 2018 floral collection will be on display at the Spring Fair at the NEC. As the buzz around replica flowers and plants continues, with many retailers growing their collections to keep up with consumer demand, Floralsilk is helping to drive this growth, with hundreds of new items launching at the Fair including pretty hand-tied bouquets, well-priced single stemmed roses & peonies and trendy hanging orchids.

Predicted trends for this year are attractive natural blossom arrangements in simple bottles giving that ‘freshly picked’ look and for that centrepiece feel, hydrangeas are bang on trend and make a great focal feature for any room.

As well as beautiful floral items, Floralsilk are also bringing new varieties of eucalyptus, lambs ear, ferns, smilax and ivy along with contemporary potted succulents, cacti and lifelike moss to the Spring Fair.  ‘It seems consumers can’t get enough of our greenery’ says Managing Director, Liam O’Flaherty, ‘they are mixing our foliage and floral stems with fresh flowers to create their own authentic mixes’.

It’s worth placing your orders pronto if you want delivery in time for this year’s early Mother’s Day though as it’s only four weeks after the end of the Spring Fair!

Floralsilk Ltd

www.floralsilk.co.uk

01778 425205

sales@floralsilk.co.uk

Spring Fair, NEC, Hall 2, Stand 2F04

Summit International, the official distributor of MyBento sustainable and environmentally friendly drink bottles, has announced it will be supporting the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) in connection with its new pure MyBento Glass bottle.

For each MyBento Pure glass bottle sold in the UK, Summit International will donate £1 to MCS as part of the #StopthePlasticTide appeal. The appeal aims to reduce plastic litter choking, starving and poisoning marine life.

The new MyBento Pure glass bottle is being launched to the UK & European retail trade in April 2018. This durable, transparent bottle is made from high quality borosilicate glass which resists heat, harsh chemicals and corrosion, ensuring that they stay looking stylish, even after continuous use.

MyBento Pure refillable glass bottles are BPA free and ensure a fresh taste whether used for a hot or cold drink. Users can save money and the earth’s resources by investing in an economical, reusable and recyclable glass bottle.

“The work MCS are doing is so important to the UK and beyond,” commented Richard Taylor, Sales Director at Summit International. “In our support of MCS, we are committed to educating consumers on how they can help reduce pollution in our seas by using refillable drinks bottles and we are proud to be making a small impact on this highly important matter and worthwhile cause.”

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the leading UK charity for the marine environment, which has surveyed and cleaned UK beaches for twenty-five years to show the massive problem of marine litter. They have found plastic bottles - many of them likely to have been used just once - as one of the top twenty items found on beaches. MCS is now calling for urgent action to put a stop to the tide of plastic in our seas and on our shores - see more about their campaign at www.mcsuk.org/stop-the-plastic-tide.  

"MCS is delighted to see the launch of the MyBento Pure glass water bottle, from Summit International, and to receive donations through its sales. With our Stop The Plastic Tide campaign in full swing it's great to see brands like MyBento offering a viable alternative to using single-use plastics, which are causing so much harm to our marine environment. We wish them well in their launch and will look forward to seeing MyBento in the shops!" said Sanjay Mitra, Corporate Partnerships Manager at the Marine Conservation Society.

To learn more about this initiative and the MyBento range, visit Summit International in Hall 12, Stand D30 or contact Jasmin Atwal for an appointment at Jasmin.Atwal@miprglobal.co.uk.

Cadix is a leading distributor of contemporary outdoor and indoor planters, and artificial topiary.

A spokesperson for Cadix said: "We have recently released our 2018 range including the innovative and modern ‘Made in Holland’ range which, is becoming well-known for it’s lightweight, durability and unique design. An exciting part of our 2018 range is the introduction of our indoor mini-pot range. These planters are not only a stylish addition to the indoor space but also a fantastic way to bring your garden indoors.

"Within our new indoor mini pot range, we have included a mixture of sizes, an assortment of natural colours, including our newly added dark brown colour. Also, a variety of textures, introducing our wood and stone series, which look fantastic.

"Our expanding range has something to suit every design space and style.

"Our customers are leading UK retail brands in the garden and home sector.

"We also supply to commercial customers including architects and designers, landscapers and to the hospitality sector.

"We will be displaying our new collection at Spring Fair this year, please join us for a cup of coffee at Hall 4 Stand G88. We look forward to seeing you.

www.cadix.co.uk

hello@cadix.co.uk

Woodstock Chimes UK’s best-selling Chimes of Pluto – Bronze is tuned to a lovely pentatonic scale

and acts in concert with the wind to create random patterns of wonderful music.

• Authentic and original musically tuned windchime
• Premier quality, affordable and value priced
• Created by GRAMMY® Award-winning musician Garry Kvistad
• The choice of discerning UK customers for nearly 40 years
• Shipping within 48 hours from our UK warehouse

As a music student in the 1970s, Garry’s curiosity about ancient worlds led him to learn about ancient music and musicians. The musical scales he was studying could not be played on modern instruments, so he decided to build a metallophone (a xylophone-like instrument with metal bars) that could play the ancient scale of Olympos, a Greek flute player from the 7th century B.C. Being an ecologically minded recent college graduate on a tight budget, Garry found the materials for his metallophone at a landfill—it was made from the aluminum tubes of a discarded lawn chair. Garry’s metallophone experiment was so successful, he had the idea to cut and tune aluminum tubes to create windchimes, and Woodstock Chimes was born!

Right: Garry with his adapted lawn chair.

In addition to his work at Woodstock Chimes, Garry is a professional musician. He has been performing and recording with the ensemble Steve Reich and Musicians since 1980 and is one of the 18 musicians to win a GRAMMY® Award for the 1998 recording of Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians. In 2002 Garry joined NEXUS, the internationally-renowned chamber music ensemble based in Canada. Called “the high priests of the percussion world” by the New York Times, NEXUS is considered to be one of the premier percussion ensembles in the world today.

Garry (far right), performing with NEXUS.

See all the Woodstock Chimes UK products here

The popular Chimes of Pluto - Evergreen!

See us at Spring Fair

Booth 4D82

Spring Fair is set to once again host a new range of products launched by UK leading wildlife product designer and manufacturer, Wildlife World.

The company is expanding its current range significantly with many exciting new products, as well as several new items especially designed and created in partnership with wildlife author and TV presenter, Simon King OBE. These products carry Wildlife World’s ‘Simon King’ brand.

At the show, the company will be showing many new products including the award-winning Dewdrop Wildbird Window Feeder and a new premium National Trust range.

Norman Sellers, Managing Director at Wildlife World commented, “We are really excited to be working with both Simon King and with the National Trust to create some great new designs. This has allowed us to create products that are different to our usual collection and that are innovative and some of the best in the market.”

A number of Wildlife World’s best-selling and recently released products for birds, bees, bugs, amphibians and hedgehogs are also on display at the show. Since last year’s Spring Fair, Wildlife World has introduced many new products to the market including a premium range of high quality multi-purpose bird food for garden birds and a line of nesters under the Simon King brand.

Wildlife World is proud to have won two accolades for its products in 2017. Its Simon King Brushwood Robin Nester was awarded the Best New Retail Product (Wildlife) at the 2017 Garden Retail Awards held by Horticulture Week and the Dewdrop Wildbird Window Feeder won Best New Product at the 2017 GLEE Awards.

Addressing the ongoing decline in hedgehog numbers, Wildlife World will be showing its popular hedgehog houses and accessories. Designed to encourage the much needed breeding of hedgehogs, the products provide a safe haven for hedgehogs to shelter with a small entrance to ensure that they are protected from both cold weather conditions and predators.

Wildlife World has a strong commitment to wildlife species and the environment and designs and tests all of its products in-house to ensure that they are sustainable and safe for wildlife to use. The company creates each product using environmentally-friendly materials, including FSC certified timber, recycled plastics and water-based paints so that wildlife cannot be harmed from using its new feeder or habitat.

Visit Wildlife World in Hall 5, Stand 5E43 to find out more about their upcoming products and work with Simon King.

Further information is available from Wildlife World on 01666 505333, by emailing david@wildlifeworld.co.uk or by visiting the company’s website at www.wildlifeworld.co.uk

Launching at Spring Fair 2018 are the new cutting range of Shears and Loppers from Pedigree Garden by Bulldog Tools.

Pedigree Garden is the new generation of British Bulldog tools bred from 235 years of heritage, craftsmanship and manufacturing bloodlines.

This year we launch our brand new "Geared Bypass Lopper" and our "Geared Hedge Shears"   giving 20% more power for cutting through thicker wood and for easy hedge trimming,

Each product is made with Teflon (TM) coated blades, has lightweight but strong reinforced handles, a comfortable soft touch grip, and bumper protection for the knuckles, making pruning, clipping and cutting an altogether much more pleasurable experience.

The Bypass Lopper retails at £32.99 and the Geared Hedge Shears retail at £34.99.

For more information about the Pedigree Range please go to www.pedigreegarden.co.uk or call Sarah Cottle on 0773 606 1255 or email on sarah.cottle@rollins.co.uk  or see the range at The Spring Fair on stand 6J06.

After the hugely successful launch of Block Blitz, the UK's first block paving specific cleaning product, the Block Blitz brand has launched Block Blitz Gravel Treatment – another UK first.

Manufactured and developed in the UK, Block Blitz treatments are unique biodegradable mineral and plant based barrier detergents, which have been designed to clean and protect paving without any physical or mechanical means.

Block Blitz paving treatments are 100% nonabrasive, contain no bleach, acids or biocides, are biodegradable and have a minimal environmental impact.

Visit Block Blitz at Spring Fair on Stand 10B21, the DIY hall.

www.blockblitz.co.uk

Exhibiting at Spring Fair 2018, established brand Traditional Garden Games is excited to launch 10 NEW games and over 20 NEW SEMBRA ‘sow & grow kits’ for ‘little seedlings’ and ‘hobby gardeners’ to enjoy creating their own mini vegetable garden.

Enjoy family time outdoors more with Traditional Garden Games

While our eclectic mix of classic games continue to be family fun favourites, for 2018 we’re excited to launch 10 NEW games.  Hook a winner with ‘Big Fish, Little Fish’ or together, pull your opponents over the winning line with ‘Tug of War’, we know our new trend inspired and perfectly price pointed collection will charm and appeal to all ages – all year round! 

Grow smiles with SEMBRA ‘sow & grow’ kits

We’re also buzzing about a new brand to hit the UK and Ireland markets.  ‘EcoToy’ award winner SEMBRA (part of global seed manufacturer Fitó Seeds) has developed an inspirational range of ‘sow and grow’ kits for both children and adults.  With SEMBRA, all generations can share in an activity, experience the joys of completing projects together and have fun getting their hands dirty!  And with ‘sowing projects’ for all seasons, SEMBRA is an alternative gift idea for anytime of the year. 

If you’re visiting Spring Fair 2018, we’d love you to meet the TGG team and see first-hand, all our new products.  We’re in Hall 5, Stand 5G77.  Alternatively call us on 44(0)28 777 68742, email sales@traditionalgardengames.co.uk or click onto our website here to view our new catalogue.