Glee Show Director Matthew Mein reflected on another hugely successful event, saying: “It has been an amazing event. The visitor numbers have held very steady against last year, which considering all the changes in the industry in the last 12 months is a real credit to the garden centres. They came out in droves to find new ideas and innovation.

“I’ve heard of some really good sales results from around the show, with some very upbeat exhibitors. Even exhibitors who are normally quite reserved in giving us feedback are feeling good about Glee. There’s an air of positivity this year and garden centres and garden retailers have come here with a strong and positive outlook to place orders.”

People new to the UK gardening industry have been commenting to GTN about just how professional the industry looks at Glee this year.

Matthew explained: “It goes all the way through; starting with the exhibitors. This year the effort being put into the stands has been raised to another level. When you look at some of our biggest exhibitors, many of the stand builds have been very impressive and the merchandising concepts within them offer great inspiration for creating enticing store environments for a garden centre or garden retail buyers.”

Matthew's full comments can be read in the October edition of GTN.

Kelkay reported exceptional growth of over 65% across the water features category in 2018. This has driven their product development programme, which saw more than 50 new products launched at Glee 2018.

Responding to a noticeable trend in demand for trade-up opportunities, Kelkay have developed two new ranges of high-quality water features for 2019.

A completely new range of eight, iconic features that are designed to provide a stunning focal point in the garden have been developed under the new ‘Impressions’ brand. The new range offers both consumers and customers all the benefits of a traditional natural stone feature at a fraction of the cost and less than half the weight.

Constructed to look and feel exactly like natural stone, they’ll cope with all weather conditions and there are both traditional and contemporary designs to suit all tastes. Of course, in common with all Kelkay product, Impressions features its own merchandising solution and supporting POS which is designed to drive year round great volume sales.

Sarah Winn, Group Marketing Director for AMES UK, said: “We continue to look for further opportunities to invigorate and stimulate growth in product categories and the new and innovative Impressions range is a great example. The high quality, affordability and lighter weight product opens up a great opportunity for retailers to expand their water features offer.”

Remaining in the Easy Fountain family, but with its own identity, is the new range of metal ‘Nature Inspired’ water features, all of which feature a fashionable copper effect finish. With bespoke POS that slots seamlessly into the Easy Fountain merchandising system, this collection of four new products is designed around natural plants and flowers.

Ranged in line with key retail price points, the Nature Inspired collection appeals to consumers looking for something unusual and interesting.

To find out more about Kelkay  and their successful garden landscaping products, go to www.kelkay.com or e-mail the general enquiries office on salesenquiries@kelkay.co.uk or call to speak to us on 01405 869333.

For more information on The AMES Companies go to http://global.ames.com

Kelkay

The Old Airfield

Heck & Pollington Lane

Pollington

East Yorkshire

DN14 0BA

Meadow View Stone unveiled a collection of Porcelain Paving, Decorative Chippings and Gravels and new POS at Glee.

Porcelain Paving is becoming increasingly popular due to the products great versatility which offers a virtually maintenance free paving solution.  Porcelain is also frost and stain resistant, is extremely consistent in its colour and finish quality whilst being naturally slip resistant with its finely textured surface.  Available in four on trend colours in a 600 x 600mm slab size, this new product category delivers great opportunity for high value sales. 

The larger slab sizes deliver a more contemporary feel to the product, which is not without complications due to the difficulty in handling heavy and awkward products of this size in store, with the increased potential for breakage or damage. 

However, Meadow View Stone have alleviated any potential issues of damage or breakage that could occur by providing a direct drop ship service to customers.  This ultimately relieves the need for stock holding or handling with customers only requiring limited space to display their new fully merchandised display stand to promote this new product collection.

A further selection of decorative aggregates, chippings and gravels will also be available which will further enhance the range and provide a good strong mix of core commodity products that can be sold on price, alongside more new and exclusive products.

The focus of the stand at Glee was on the New POS which was unveiled after its initial testing at a selection of stockists where it has proved a great tool for sales growth. 

Treadstone Products, the well-respected supplier of branded garden accessories, launched its new innovative Clip Glove product at Glee with visitor reaction suggesting the Wrexham-based business is on to a winner.

Clip Glove offers a new take on garden gloves with built in professional DNA and a touch of genius. The gloves don’t just look good but offer great performance and protection. The addition of an aluminium carabiner clip to keep them together when being displayed on the shop floor or stored away by the gardener means no more lost gloves too!

Dean Winters, Treadstone’s Head of Brands, said: “We had a fantastic response to our new range launch at Glee. 

"The enthusiasm from retailers for the Clip Glove concept was universal. Retailers appreciated the Carabiner clip and how it prevents torn header cards and allows consumers to try on both gloves easily in store - plus of course how it enables the end user to clip the gloves to their belt ensuring their gloves are always to hand.

“The space efficient glove spinner also received great comments.  Holding 240 pairs of gloves in less than 0.4m2 of floor space, the clever unit incorporates a sizing guide and product information for each sku to help consumers find the right glove.   

"Retailers we met on our stand, and at the GIMA ‘meets the buyers’ sessions, were pleasantly surprised that the premium range has retails starting at just £3.99."

Available in two colour palettes, and light, medium and heavy-duty options, the new Clip Glove range has a pair to suit everyone from the occasional to the keen gardener.  

The range is made using carefully selected textiles from skin friendly bamboo fibres, to technologically advanced cut proof yarns and synthetic leathers.

Clip Gloves are available in small, medium and large sizes with merchandising units featuring an easy sizing guide to help customers select the perfect size for them.

With exclusive distribution of a number of internationally recognised brands in the garden sector, Treadstone Products is one of the leading suppliers of garden products to garden centre chains and independents.

Retailers interested in working with Treadstone can find out more by visiting www.treadstoneproducts.com or contacting the team on telephone: 01978 664 667 or email:  sales@treadstoneproducts.com

GTN has been speaking to both visitors and exhibitors to gauge their reaction to the show...

Here are a selection of responses. For the full reaction to another memorable Glee make sure you get the October issue of GTN.

Visitor: Andy Bunker  – Altons, also a Glee New Products Judge

I think Glee2018 goes down for me as one of the best.  I feel almost all exhibitor's large and small upped their game, companies like Greenkey particularly caught my eye. However three of note which you can't help to get behind almost inevitably were Smart Garden Products building on good sales of wind spinners in 2018 and expanding with some real winners adding in colour models to the mix for 2019.  Closely followed by Apta with stunning new designs and really good value for money  containers. Lastly Fountasia with their fairy range, another winner I’m sure, and some really super quality garden art ranges.  All in all as I mentioned in September the garden art category will feature strongly in my plans for 2019.

Exhibitor: Sarah McLafferty – Primeur

Glee 2018 was a great success for Primeur, winning both the New Landscaping Product category and the overall New Product of the Year awards was a fantastic achievement for our business and we felt extremely proud to be showcasing our products. The recycled garden borders and stepping stones products gaining the most interest. We were visited by current and new customers and had a great response to the new products in our garden range as well as our new merchandising options and the exclusive new doormat range.  We have secured our stand for Glee 2019 and look forward to presenting more new developments next year.

Visitor: Terry Head – Stewarts Garden Centres

I felt that Glee this year had a really positive Buzz and overall vibes of good Autumn opportunities. Woodlodge have certainly stepped up with an incredible range of products and not just pots.  It has certainly made us think about space and how we accommodate a growing market for small gardens.  Westlands re-branding with clearer how to use information on their packaging was a breath of fresh air and will certainly make life easier for our customers (and staff).

Exhibitor: Will Hemmings – Gardman

Whilst 2018 has undoubtedly been our most difficult year yet, our Glee stand was widely considered to be our best ever. Post the catastrophic fire back in March, it's perhaps understandable that expectations from customers were lower than normal. However, reaction to the stand was nothing other than very positive.

Recovering from the fire could have been a major distraction for the entire organisation; in 6 months we've moved warehouse, re-ordered millions of pounds of stock and changed logistics partners... whilst continuing to rebuild demand with our customers. Given all of this, we were incredibly excited and proud to reveal over 400 new products at Glee, all with totally new and improved merchandising solutions. There were a few standout highlights from the show; customers were very impressed with our new look Cole & Bright. We've premiumised the entire range with new packaging and expanded our Dual Power technology to guarantee light 365 days a year. Customers understood that solar has to move away from low price, poor performing technology to better quality products built to last. Another highlight was our new range of tools; we have introduced carbon steel to our popular Moulton Mill brand, to provide a one stop shop of Good Better Best, and launched a totally new range of cutting tools. Customers were also drawn to our ever-expanding Eden Bloom brand, as we've doubled the artificial plant range - a sector still showing strong growth in the market. Finally, customers were very pleased to see continued strong innovation in bird care; the launch of a new sub-brand 'Easy Feed' was well received alongside new charity products for Royal British Legion and Marie Curie.

The main concern during the show was understandable; customers want reassurance that Gardman can fulfil 100% of orders ongoing. As we communicated to all customers at our Glee stand, by the end of September we will have 3 months stock cover and by the end of October we will have four months stock cover. At this point we will have reached our stock cover target and can service all requirements ongoing. This combined with our move back to Robson's logistics partners gave customers confidence that the issues caused by the fire will be behind us as we move towards 2019.

Glee 2018 turned out to be the biggest and best ever for Apta. Following a successful brand refresh during the summer, the leading supplier of planters took their fresh new look and applied it to an all-new stand right in the heart of the show which left visitors impressed both with the scope of the new range and the presentation.

Central to the success were the company's ever-popular branded ranges including RHS and Laura Ashley, which featured many new additions. Also particularly well-received were the ranges of lightweight and contemporary planters, with particular praise for the best-selling Granito and Slate items.

 

"We received a huge number of kind compliments on the look of the stand, but more importantly on the breadth and quality of our product ranges," commented Managing Director Paul Sykes.

"This has translated into a fantastic pre-season order book which, even at this early stage, looks likely to be our best ever."

Extra-large amaryllis bulbs proved a big draw to the Taylors Bulbs stand at Glee 2018. The supersize bulbs were the biggest Taylors had ever brought to the show, and were hot topic as amaryllis were soon to hit garden retailers nationwide. 

"Amaryllis sales have grown consistently year-on-year, driven largely by the increase in popularity of the Taylors Premium amaryllis gift boxes," said Adam Taylor, director of Taylors Bulbs. 

"We always have seasonal promotions on our stand at Glee and the extra-large amaryllis certainly caught the eye of discerning garden retailers. We had an excellent Monday and Tuesday in particular with lots of visitors.  Autumn bulb sales made a strong start for many garden retailers so we appeared to be high on the list of stands to drop by, and sales have since gone from strength to strength now the autumn planting season is well underway," added Taylor.

Taylors presented their gift range at Glee in a new style to reflect the style and finesse seen in many garden retailers. 

"The last place we want to see the bulb gifts is at ankle height under the packs that are for garden planting.  Many of the gift kits are for growing indoors and are more suited to a houseplant style of display, but even the outdoor growing kits are not necessarily the same customer who might be browsing the packs", said Ian Clark of Taylors Bulbs. 

"We would always encourage our garden retail customers to separate out all of the added value gifts and kits and to group them together."  The natural setting and use of Bushell boxes serving as the perfect backdrop to highlight the colour in the range.

Seed Potatoes were the major talking point for those looking ahead to the next season.  "Glee is a fantastic opportunity for us to check if customers have got their seed potatoes booked in good time, particularly for those that want to get them on display in December", said Taylor. 

"We are finding more and more customers want to take a December delivery as the seed potatoes fill the space that comes available as the Christmas display is shopped and they have their offer all set-up for the early Grow-Your-Own sales."

Some say that demand from the end-user for Grow-Your-Own in spring 2019 will be stronger than ever due to food shortages caused by the hot weather in July.

Taylors Bulbs, are the UK's leading supplier of flower bulbs; a 4th generation family business since 1919, designing, packing and distributing all their products from their site in Lincolnshire and with a sales team with a combined experience of over 250 years. 

Taylors are best placed to advise you with all of your flower bulb needs.

www.taylors-bulbs.com  Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

It has been an amazing few months for GIMA Award winners Primeur with the coming now picking up two Glee honours, including Best New Product at the show.

Managing director James Keighley said: "We're absolutely delighted. It has been a roller-coaster ride over the past few months but in a great way.

"Picking up the GIMA Award was unbelievable, and now to be crowned Best New Product at Glee is fantastic."

Primeur showcased  their Eco-friendly Garden Products alongside a new and exciting range of Doormats at Glee.

As well as a new stand and new products, they also promoted a selection of new display concepts.  The new merchandising solutions for the garden range will allow customers to house products in multiple store locations and bring displays inside. 

New wooden display stands are available for both stepping stones and borders.  The stands will allow stores to display these products inside without taking up too much space and allowing for year round sales.  They can also be displayed outside or there is still the option to take mixed pallets for outdoor displays.

Westland utilised Glee 2018 to strengthen its position and launch its strongest home and garden range with new products and developments across a diverse portfolio.

At the forefront was the unveiling of new products in the New Horizon range with its revolutionary BIO3 additive which is 100% sustainable. BIO3 is the culmination of a £35million investment and unprecedented breakthrough in peat replacement technology. This next generation compost combines wood, premium quality coir and bio fibre to deliver one of the highest quality composts on the market.

Westland had a very successful show at Glee 2018 receiving two awards, the first for the Deadfast Rodenticides Range winning the category of Best Garden Care. With effectiveness and quality at its heart, this range solves any rodent problems fast. The chemical range have the most modern active ingredients: Difethialone and Alphachloralose delivering baits that kill after a single dose. For traps Westland partnered with Victor the world leader, to deliver reliable solutions, from fast, to humane and repeller alternatives.

Westland showcased its position as the most forward thinking and leading lawn brand, launching a new lawn programme. With simplified lawncare regimes and new products like Gro Sure Fast Start -  Smart Lawn Seed that works at lower temperatures so gardeners can boost lawns in early spring and late Autumn, because of its aqua gel coated seed and specially bred varieties.  AfterCut Ultra Green+, another new launch, delivers a greener and stronger lawn, which prevents moss from growing.

Peckish Squirrel Proof Suet Pellets, were the second award winner in the category of Best Wildlife & Pets. Containing chilli, unpalatable to squirrels, but undetectable to birds this innovative product helps combat the second most common frustration for wild bird feeders.

Other highlights included; a relaunched John Innes range enriched with nutrients and additives reflecting the latest grower technology; a strengthened straights range with  modern packaging, designed to make it easier to understand what each product does and continued £1.2 media support for Resolva Pro which has delivered 18% volume uplift for the brand in 2018.

Glee saw Kent & Stowe launch a unique collection of quality gifts in partnership with the Imperial War Museum’s ‘Dig for Victory’ Second World War campaign.

Flo Pro launched a high end range of metal watering products robust and highly styled to meet consumer demand.

Plantpak and Westland together continued to turn trends into turnover in the area of indoor gardening. Both brands had tremendous success in 2018 and have extended their ranges with new products for  next season.

Deadfast Rat Killer Plus Blocks Bait Station contains 0.025G/KG Difethialone. Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

Resolva Zero contains Pelagonic Acid. Use Plant Protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

Leading lawn seed specialists Johnsons Lawn Seed surprised its customers with an expansion into lawncare with the launch of a never-before seen new product, a change in its sales team, major product improvements and news of an acquisition from parent company DLF.

New products

Johnsons Lawn Seed’s new product launches at Glee this year included Super Smart Lawn Feed, combining beneficial nitrogen fixing bacteria Azospirillum with Mycorrhizal fungi and seaweed extract, to create a 100% Organic lawn feed without using animal by-products or synthetic fertilisers.

Improved Luxury Lawn and Shady Place were also launched, with the seeds now featuring the revolutionary pre-applied dual action fertiliser coating SeedBooster™.  But changes being made behind the scenes could see many more exciting innovations to follow from the UK’s number one lawn seed brand.

DLF acquisition to boost Johnsons Lawn Seed R&D

On the 5th August it was announced that Johnsons Lawn Seed’s parent company DLF Seeds Ltd, the leading grass seed supplier in the Northern Hemisphere, had reached an agreement to acquire its Southern Hemisphere counterpart, PPG Wrightson Seeds, further extending its reach into New Zealand, Australia, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.

Guy Jenkins, Consumer Manager at Johnsons Lawn Seed said: “Although there is no impact on the day to day running of our own UK business, our research and development resource has now effectively doubled.  With increased access to more information and more varieties we can continue to stimulate the category with more innovations and help reap greater profits for our customers during the sales season.”

New Sales Appointment

South West sales agent Tony Vicks has announced his retirement after 14 years representing Johnsons Lawn Seed, leaving his territory with the Totally Sales team, managed by long time DLF/Johnsons Lawn Seed associate Spencer Goodall.

Vivagreen distribution agreement continues

Announced at Glee 2017, DLF’s exclusive UK distribution deal with Vivagreen will continue into 2019 afer a successful first 12 months.  Vivagreen’s MossOff Chemical Free Lawn Care and MossOff Chemical Free Multi-Purpose, available in 2 and 5 litre bottles, also now comes in a new 750ml RTU pack for smaller gardens.  All three sizes are available through DLF and Johnsons Lawn Seed distributors Stax and Decco. 

To find out more visit the Johnsons Lawn Seed stand, hall 8, B50-C51.  For sales contact 01386 791113, or for general range information and advice, visit: www.johnsonslawnseed.com

Gardman’s vibrant and eye catching stand has been attracting plenty of attention from of buyers.

With the launch of Moulton Mill carbon steel tools and a complete range of premium cutting tools, Gardman has a fantastic range of core products. The beautiful Butterfield Collection and EdenBloom artificial ranges are a great way to add colour in an instant.

Cole and Bright showcased a new Dual Power range in outstanding premium packaging and Gardman Wild Bird Care, the UK’s No.1 bird care brand, had lots to offer, including great FSDU solutions.

RockinColour launched four new ranges at Glee 2018, accompanied with new point of sale and mixed colour pallet offers. The new ranges and offers were well received and RockinColour has gained key leads and confirmed numerous orders from the show.

Wayne Stevenson, RockinColour’s Managing Director noted: ‘The show has been a huge success for us. Indeed the first 5 customers on our stand on Monday morning placed orders and this positive theme continued throughout the show. We have come away from the show with a really nice mix of leads to follow up on, from large retails chains, to distributors to independents. And the interest for our products also extended beyond GB to France, Germany, Sweden, and even as far away as the UAE’.

Apart from the exciting new colour ranges on offer and launched at Glee 2018, RockinColour’s innovative mixed colour pallet offer went down with visitors particularly well.

Denis Bradley, RockinColour Sale’s Manager confirmed this by reporting: ‘We felt that for many seeing the RockinColour product for the first time that they needed a quantity and mix of colours that would mitigate any perceived risk from ordering and stocking a very different and colourful range of decorative aggregates, compared to what is the industry norm. We felt that a mixed colour pallet of 4 colours from our large pack range would address this concern, offering flexibility to our independent customers and demonstrating our confidence in the product that if given the chance it will sell well in any retail space. This offer along with a POS sign was a key selling point in gaining the numerous orders we had at the show. And also showed that RockinColour are interested in all business opportunities, not just with larger chains’.

The mixed pallet offer is also available for RockinColour’s pot topper range, with a mixed 8 colour option that includes a POS display stand.

Finally, one other major positive RockinColour can take away from Glee 2018, is the fact that with every valuable lead acquired, and every visitor which visited the stand, it became evident that the RockinColour brand is fast becoming known in the industry.

Jamie Stevenson, RockinColour’s Financial Director, touched on this point by saying: ‘It was very pleasing that from all the quality decision makers we had on our stand, they had all heard of RockinColour, and in many cases had made a point of seeking us out and coming over to find out more about the product’.

RockinColour now believe that the company and the brand are no longer up and coming in the industry, but have arrived and are here to stay. And is now better placed than ever to continue its mission to add more colour to the decorative aggregates category.

For more information about this Rockin’ product: visit www.rockincolour.com or email sales@rockincolour.com

Glee 2018 was a big show for Evergreen Garden Care. Not only did the leading garden brand unveil its new name, there was also the launch of new products across its entire product portfolio and a new approach to merchandising on display. 

Perhaps one of the most interesting topics for retailers was the merger of EverGreen®, the market leader in lawn fertiliser, with the much loved Miracle-Gro® brand. The move was positively received, with retailers commenting that it brought cohesion to the brand and would help simplify the buying process. Market research carried out by Garden Care also revealed that consumers already perceived a link between the two brands and trusted Miracle-Gro as a reputable brand. 

The new products, Miracle-Gro® Humifirst and Roundup® Speed Ultra, were also praised; both will further bolster Evergreen Garden Care’s existing range of market leading products. The new products, Roundup® Speed Ultra and the new formulation Humifirst ^(TM) in Miracle-Gro liquids range, were also praised; both will further bolster Evergreen Garden Care’s existing range of market leading products.  They were created from comprehensive research and development at the brands scientific facility in Levington. The investment in this research centre showcases Evergreen Garden Care’s on-going commitment to launching formulations that will help gardeners throughout all seasons.

Visitors to the stand saw first hand the new marketing approach that Evergreen Garden Care will be introducing throughout 2019. With floral wallpaper, soft furnishing and picture frames making up the stand; the brand is striving to develop a softer approach to POS. This tactic will tap into the interests of a younger audience and make the product more relevant for their lifestyles.

With so many changes underway the brand used the show to inform and reassure their garden retailers about the exciting developments. The new management team, including managing director Mark Portman, were on hand to meet key retailers and explain how time is changing for the power brand.

“Glee 2018 was an exciting show for us and was a real milestone in the future of the brand,” commented managing director, Mark Portman. ”Whilst we have undergone some big changes in the recent months, everything we are doing is born from a commitment to offer our customers and retailers the best quality products.

“All brands within the Evergreen Garden Care portfolio will continue to grow in 2019 and with a new marketing strategy, including TV campaigns and new POS, we are looking forward to appealing to a new range of customers.”

Power washing is an accepted short-term solution to a dirty patio, but can also lead to further problems down the line. Whilst this cleaning method will remove surface dirt, when the stonework is older than 3 years, instead of revealing a sparkling new patio it will start to reveal ugly ‘black spots’.

Patio Black Spots are caused by microscopic lichen spores, that feed off the minerals in the stone and put down fibrous roots, anchoring themselves like limpets and then blooming on the surface as black spots. Pressure washing then becomes futile and intensive washing can dislodge the pointing and cause damage to the surface of the stone.

In addition, most proprietary patio cleaners will remove green algae, but can take weeks to work and rely on dry weather. Equally they have no obvious effect on black lichen.

However, help is at hand! The Patio Black Spot Remover and Preventer System doesn’t just remove those hideous patio black spots but also prevents their return!

The Patio Black Spot Removal Company launched a new product this year with ‘monumental’ performance, capable of being applied to vertical surfaces such as statues and garden ornaments.

www.patioblackspotremoval.com

Plast IQ has thanked Glee and all its visitors who made the premiere of U-greeny vertical gardening in the UK such a great success!

"The Glee Show has exceeded all our expectations by far,"said Michael Landl, CEO.

"The easy and clever solution has proven to exactly meet the spirit of modern hobby gardners all over the UK.

"U-greeny just enables everybody to grow one's own plants on small spaces easily.

"We are especially happy that "U-greeny" has been rated as No.1 of the TOP 5 products at the Glee show by British writer and gardening journalist Ellen Mary.

"Starting already with the coming gardening season 2019, "U-greeny" will make growing vegetables and all other kinds of plants on small spaces just new and easy."

The company received this comment from one visitor: "How come no one has thought of this before?"

Follow us on Instagram: u_greeny
Web: www.ugreeny.at
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjC2iWTgGyY

OE Lights is the UK’s leader in high quality and advanced Solar Garden Lights, which are offered with a 2-year warranty.

Glee 2018 was a great success for OE Lights, from unveiling a strong line up of super-bright Solar Powered Security Lights to establishing relationships with some of the biggest names in retail.

The most popular products released by OE Lights at Glee 2018 were the 120 SMD LED Solar Security in White and the Super LED Solar Security Light, which is the brightest Solar Powered Security Light on the market today.

To apply for a trade account with OE Lights or for concession in garden centre opportunities call 0208 065 0355 or email sales@oelights.com.

Prongcroft Ltd, of Nottingham, a company which brings a fresh approach to garden care and maintenance introduced The Garden Prong at Glee.

The Garden Prong features an innovative two-prong system that will revolutionise an approach to gardening.

It is a tool with a unique design which lends itself to aerate soil and actually remove weeds around the base of plants and shrubs without damaging the plant or shrub.

The tool head is made from polished stainless steel to reduce soil adhesion, making it easier to work.

The tool is very lightweight, sturdy and easy to use for people of all ages and abilities.

Ideal for all ages and levels of expertise, Prongcroft comes in three sizes – short, medium and long handled – making it perfect for everything from vegetable plots to patio pots.

The company also introduced the Garden Apron, which is easy to wear and can even be worn over everyday clothes.  

Features include:

• durable materials
• padded for comfort
• adjustable straps
• detachable tool/accessory pocket,
• one size to fit all.

The adjustable straps are comfortable to wear and do not cut into the knee, as with traditional knee pads. There is also an integral pocket facility to insert standard kneepad inserts.

Contact

sales@prongcroft.co.uk 

0115 983 0344

www.prongcroft.co.uk

Inspired by what you have seen and heard at Glee? Then what better way to follow up than by attending Cultivating Retail – the new one day Conference and Dinner – for growers, retailers and suppliers. Organised by HTA and GIMA this ‘must attend’ event takes place on the 13 November at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham.

The action-packed programme, will be hosted by Channel 4 news presenter by Cathy Newman. Keynote speaker consumer and shopping behaviourist Ken Hughes (pictured) will be asking ‘Is your supply chain millennial ready?’

Managing Director of the newly expanded Blue Diamond Group, Alan Roper, will be sharing his thoughts on innovative and experiential retail.

The programme also features two panel sessions focussing on the issue of plastics in horticulture and also supply chain with industry representatives all having their say.

There will also be plenty of opportunity for delegates to join in both in the sessions and the wider networking opportunities around the conference and the dinner.

A great forum for inspiration, discussion and debate on the industry, in an accessible location with good transport networks, this event represents amazing value. So what are you waiting for!

For further information and to book your place now at www.hta.org.uk/cultivatingretail

With thanks to our Partners that include:

Gold Sponsor – Evergreen Garden Care UK

Partners – Corby & Fellas, Dura-ID Solutions, GLEE, Hozelock, Lechuza, MorePeople, Smart Garden Products, Swan Retail

Drinks Partner - Stihl Ltd

Active Products UK Ltd picked up the Visitors Choice Award, sponsored by the HTA, for their innovative Dansand No Grow product.

Dansand No Grow is a weed inhibiting dry kiln.

Martin Simmonds, from the HTA, presented the award to the winner.

Six buyers from across six garden retail channels were named as winners in the 2018 Glee Buyers Power List.

The Blue Diamond buying team won the Multiple Garden Centres category for the fourth year running.

Voted for by Glee exhibitors, the winners were:

• Best Supermarket Buyer – Waitrose
• Best High Street Buyer – The Range
• Multiple Garden Centre Buyer – Blue Diamond (pictured on cover page)

• Best Independent Garden Centre Buyer – Perrywood (above)

• Best Builders Merchant Buyer – Stax (above)
• Best Online Buyer – Primrose

Ten ground-breaking new garden products were confirmed as the winners of the coveted Glee New Product Awards 2018, run in association with GTN.

The winning products were chosen by an expert panel of judges representing independent and multiple retailers, consumer gardening media and trade media.

After initial judging of the 330 new products entered first thing the judges selected finalists in each category. Then those finalists had the opportunity to meet the judges, answer questions and make a pitch to be chosen as the winner.

The results:

Garden Decoration

Winner: Smart Garden Products Ltd  (Wannabees)

Wildlife and Pets

Joint Winners: RSPCA (Slow Feeder Bowl); Westland Horticulture (Peckish Squirrel Proof Suet Pellets)

Outdoor Entertaining

Winner: Smart Garden Products Ltd (Lit Firefly Balloons)

Landscaping

Winner: Primeur Ltd (Recycled Rubber Stepping Stone Medallion)

Home, Gift and Clothing

Winner: Tilnar Ltd T/A Tilnar Art, Besmo & Mo-Home (Meg Hawkins Collection)

Tools & Machinery

Winner: Block Blitz Ltd (Block Blitz Big Blitz)

Garden Care – Chemicals, Fertilisers and Growing Media

Winner: Westland Horticulture (Deadfast New Rodenticides Range)

Garden Care - Growing Accessories

Winner Tildenet Gardenware (Haxnicks Bamboo Pots & Seed Trays)

Plants, seeds and bulbs

Winner: Wyevale Nurseries Ltd (Agapanthus Fireworks)

Best of British Award

Winner: West Country Soil Improvement Ltd (Bloomin Amazing)

Overall Glee Best New Product

Winner: Primeur Ltd (Recycled Rubber Stepping Stone Medallion)

The 30 exhibitors shortlisted in the Glee 2018 New Products Awards had to face the judges  to 'pitch' their products before the final decisions were made...

Before the show opened, the panel of eight judges whittled the 330 plus new products entries across 9 categories down to the following 30 final contenders.

Garden Decoration

• Smart Garden Products Ltd | 60L50-R51 | Llama Rama
• Smart Garden Products Ltd | 60L50-R51 | Wannabees
• The Solar Centre | 20U44-V45 | Trueflame USB Solar Crook Lantern
• Greenkey Home & Garden | 7H80-J81  | Flamelights

Wildlife and Pets

• RSPCA | 19R12 | RSPCA Slow Feeder Bowl
• Westland Horticulture | 7G50-K51 | Peckish Squirrel Proof Suet Pellets.
• RSW International Ltd | 6S70-T71 | Fetch & Treat Ball Game

Outdoor Entertaining

• Burton McCall Ltd | 7K74-L75 | Thermacell Halo Mini 
• Smart Garden Products Ltd | 6L50-R51 | Lit Firefly Balloons
• Zest 4 Leisure | 20Z30 | Maisy Set

Landscaping

• Deco-pak | 20Y36-Z37 20Y40-Z41 | Lumi Pave
• Primeur Ltd | 19D10-E11 | Landscape edge
• Primeur Ltd | 19D10-E11 | Recycled Rubber Stepping Stone Medallion
• Smart Garden Products | 6L50-R51 | Solar Picket Fence

3:00pm Home, Gift and Clothing

• Burgon & Ball | 8E50-F51 | RHS Gifts for Gardeners 'British Bloom' collection – pocket pruner & holster set
• FallenFruits Ltd | 7F50-G51 | Plant Terrarium with tools
• Tilnar Ltd T/A Tilnar Art, Besmo & Mo-Home | 6S80 | Meg Hawkins Collection

Tools & Machinery

• Block Blitz Ltd | 20U70 | Block Blitz Big Blitz
• Burgon & Ball | 8E50-F51 | RHS-endorsed single-handed grass shear
• Gardman Ltd | 8D40-F41 7F40-G41 | Carbon Steel Large Shovel

Garden Care – Chemicals, Fertilisers and Growing Media

• Block Blitz Ltd | 20U70 | Block Blitz Mulit Pave Treatment
• Block Blitz Ltd | 20U70 | Block Blitz Block Shield
• West Country Soil Improvement Ltd | 19U14 | Bloomin Amazing
• Westland Horticulture |7G50-K51 | Deadfast New Rodenticides Range

Garden Care - Growing Accessories

• Tildenet Gardenware | 20U50 | Haxnicks Bamboo Pots & Seed Trays
• Vegepod | 8F75 | Vegepod Raised Garden Bed- medium
• Vegtrug Limited | 20Z50 | Grow Care

Plants, seeds and bulbs

• Javado |19G40-H41 | Ficus Mangrove Melany Petit
• Wyevale Nurseries Ltd | NB114 NB115 | Salvia
• Wyevale Nurseries Ltd | NB114 NB115 | Agapanthus Fireworks

Their sales pitches were made on the New Product Showcase area from 2-4pm.

Glee has a proven track record of evolving and changing to meet the needs of the industry it represents. The latest update is a continuation of this theme, as it is confirmed that the 2019 event will take place on Tuesday 10th – Thursday 12th September.

The simple act of moving Glee one day later in the week has been decided upon due to increasing demand from the show’s retail visitors. Visitor trends in recent years have hinted at the popularity of the show days later in the week and following a period of consultation with both suppliers/ manufacturers and retail partners the move to a Tuesday – Thursday format has been confirmed.

Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director, said: “Glee needs to adapt in order to be more responsive to the needs of our visitors. With Sunday trading continuing to dominate the weekly schedule within retailing, we are seeing more and more visitors attending Glee on Tuesday and Wednesday as many dedicate Monday as the day to reflect after weekend trading, to catch up with their teams and order additional stock for the weeks ahead. Recognising this, we have decided to amend our opening days to provide retailers with the opportunity to focus their attention post-weekend, before visiting Glee unhindered later in the week. During our period of consultation, the response to this was extremely positive so we hope the wider industry will be equally supportive.”

Find out more

Glee is the UK’s leading garden retail show, focussing on building year-round profits for buyers and suppliers within the core gardening and outdoor leisure product categories.  To keep up-to-date on the latest Glee news visit www.gleebirmingham.com.  To enquire about exhibiting at Glee 2019 call 020 3033 2160.

Aylett Nurseries were announced as the winners of the RSPB’s Conservation Garden Centre of the Year Award.

The St. Albans based retailer, owned by Julie Aylett and Adam Wigglesworth, was presented with the accolade by John Capper, National Account Manager at the RSPB and Sam Marriage, Director at Marriage’s, leading supplier of quality pet foods and animal feeds.

Aylett’s were awarded for their work on the Butterflies and Celebration Garden, located adjacent to the store.  The beautiful garden was created in 2015 to celebrate 60 years of the family business and is now part of the renowned National Garden Scheme (NGS).

The garden is alive with impressive blooms including roses, dahlias, shrubs and perennials, celebrating the work and patience of the Aylett family.  The areais a peaceful and tranquil haven containing a spiral maze, bug hotels and wildflower meadows at the heart of the garden, providing a riot of colour for the best part of the year and creating a wonderful habitat for bees, butterflies and insects. 

Julie and Adam were presented with a framed certificate on the Pets at Glee Seminar stage to proudly display in-store, as well as winning a fun, interactive family event at the garden centre, where customers can learn about birds and wildlife and how to be more conservation friendly in their own garden.

Matthew Mein, Event Director at Glee said: “Aylett Nurseries are worthy winners of the RSPB award, following all the hard work and commitment they have put into their Butterflies and Celebration Garden. So much time, effort and enthusiasm has been invested in the garden to create such wonderful havens of colour, as well as an appealing natural space for visitors and wildlife to enjoy.”

Boyd Douglas-Davies (below left), CEO of the Hillview garden centre group, was formally elected as vice-president of the HTA .

HTA members ratified Boyd’s nomination at their breakfast-time AGM, held at the NEC. Three new members of the HTA board were also elected – Matthew Bents (Bents Garden and Home, above right)), Brian Fraser (Oakover Nurseries) and Richard Pyrah (AMES UK, above centre).

The HTA’s finance director, Alex Vick, reported an accounts surplus of £458,000 for 2017, a positive recovery from the £1m deficits of recent years. Reserves now stand at £922,000, with strategies in place to increase them further.

In response to a question from Neil Gow of Fresh@Burcot garden centre, HTA president Adam Taylor said the HTA board was monitoring the “turmoil in retail”  and in the event that the HTA’s finances were hit by further losses of income from National Garden Gift Vouchers, the association’s main source of income, would be considering how to handle it.

Wyevale Nurseries retail sales manager Colin Stanley says winning a Glee New Product award will hugely enhance the sales potential of its newest agapanthus introduction.

Agapanthus ‘Fireworks’, with its showers of bi-colour blue-throated white flowers, was voted best entry in this year’s plants, seeds and bulbs category.

“Retail buyers in the trade take a lot of notice of awards like this so we would expect to see it making a difference,” he told Glee Daily News. “Whether retailers then highlight it to consumers is another matter, but it should ensure the plant is widely stocked and displayed.”

Wyevale Nurseries is among the growers supporting the HTA-backed campaign urging a switch from black plant pots (which can’t be re-cycled kerbside) to taupe pots (which can) and is asking visitors to the stand in the Glee Green Heart area to take part in a survey to assess retail views about the switch. Wyevale Nurseries will be moving all its production into taupe pots next year.

The Green Heart – Glee’s horticultural hub - awarded Golden Grove Nursery with the inaugural Best Green Heart Display award. 

Selected by judges Emma Coupe of Waitrose, and Batsford Arboretum’s Sue Burn, the new award was a hotly contested one, with many stands catching the judge’s eye. However, it was Golden Grove that took home the title in 2018.

Golden Grove’s stand was selected for its ease of translation into a retail environment, the quality of product, and the eye-catching POS and display ideas incorporated.

The award was presented to Golden Grove’s Roger Ward, by Glee’s Event Director, Matthew Mein, Richard Newton of Woodlodge - the Green Heart’s official merchandising bench supplier, and Neil Gow, Glee’s Green Heart Special Project Manager.

Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director, said: “Our congratulations to Golden Grove. Plants remain the heart of garden retailing, and displays such as this one continue to set the standard. Thank you also to our judges for giving up their valuable time and insight, and also to Woodlodge for its continued support of the Green Heart.”

Durston Garden Products NEW identity and NEW packaging was well received at Glee.

The subtle change to the logo was noted and commented on by retailers and buyers alike as not being too radical, and reinforces Durstons position in the market place as a well recognised supplier of top quality growing media products here in the UK.

The company also used the show to promote its 100% recyclable compost sacks in support of Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II programme, and is encouraging other business’s to do the same and check out how their plastic packaging is being produced. 

“Many of you will have noticed our ‘Pretty in Pink Lady’ at GLEE in a beautifully crafted outfit made from compost bags and wondered what on earth it was all about,” says national sales manager Dan Durston. 

“Well it was simply a PR exercise to highlight the subject in support of Blue Planet II, and the problem we are all faced with regarding plastic packaging. Until a realistic alternative solution is found we are urging all suppliers and retailers in the trade to do as we did and investigate how your packaging is being produced.

"We discovered that by simply using non-laminated films in the production, as opposed to laminated it means that the plastic is then rendered 100% recyclable.  It may only seem a small thing to do but it’s all the small things added together that can often make a BIG difference."

All-in-all Glee was another great show for Durston Garden Products, where new orders were placed, new contacts were made and where the company’s new packaging and stylised logo was endorsed by the trade. 

For information about stocking Durston Garden Products call: 01458 442688 or for further details visit the website: www.durstongardenproducts.co.uk.

Imagine you’re bored on a rainy Sunday morning, wondering what to do with the kids today. How big are the chances you’ll Google for something like “Things to do Bristol”?

Well, you may not search literally for this, but many people are using Google to find something to do “today”. And that opens opportunities to drive traffic to your events via SEO.

Events are local

First of all, events are always local. So, an important rule of thumb is to use geographical keywords in your texts. You can use your city but also surrounding places and areas as long as it’s reasonable to think people are willing to make the journey. Don’t over-do this but use keywords naturally and organically, so it’s not annoying to read.

Target audience

The target audience is important to keep in mind as well since young families will add something like “with kids” to their search query. If you’re running events for kids, make sure it’s mentioned a few times in your descriptions.

Better together

With most events partners are involved: musicians, artists, organisers, and so on. It’s fair to ask them to promote your event via their website and social media channels as well. Your success reflects them so don’t hesitate to ask them to point a link to your website from theirs. It adds value to your website, drives the right people to it and improves your Google rankings too.

If you want people Googling for fun things to end up in your garden centre, make sure you spent some time on search engine optimisation. It may sound odd until you realise how many people are searching for things to do in their area.

In case you need any support promoting your events online or search engine optimisation, contact Garden Connect. Garden Connect is an official Google Partner and has an extensive online ticketing service as well.

Go to www.gardenconnect.com/ticketing for more information.

Creative Products is celebrating its most successful Glee show yet having impressed customers old and new with its latest product offerings and new look packaging.

Glee 2018 saw Creative Products introduce 14 new products to their popular range, including the new Pancake Maker which was in such high demand among Glee buyers that all Q4 stock sold out. Old customer favourites also went down a storm, with the quality and design of the popular Sequin Cushion wowing customers old and new. Christmas 2018 stock of the cushions were snapped up at the show and plenty of orders have already been placed for Christmas 2019.

The company were also showcasing their new natural-look card packaging which was well received by Glee visitors. This packaging sees Creative Products move away from plastic which impressed buyers from a number of sectors.

Managing director of Creative Products, Mark Hall commented, “Glee 2018 has been our most successful show to date, with Day 1 bringing an overwhelming number of visitors to our stand and Day 2 surpassing any previous Glee show for visitor numbers and orders taken.

"Many customers commented that the look and feel of the Creative Products range keeps going from strength to strength, and our unique ‘no risk’ approach to retail proved to be as appealing as ever to buyers at this year’s show.”

Interested retailers can contact the company on 01476 564 230 or email sales@creativeproducts.ltd.uk or visit www.creativeproducts.ltd.uk 

Yorkshire-based start up company, Block Blitz, is celebrating a successful Glee 2018, having impressed buyers with its expanding product range and new point of sale displays, and even winning a New Product award.

Block Blitz’s Big Blitz Pan and Brush was selected as the Best New Product in the Tools & Machinery category, catching the judges’ eyes to come top of over 300 entries. Not only that, its new Multi Pave and Block Shield treatments were also shortlisted for awards.

It wasn’t only the judges that were impressed with Block Blitz’s product range. The new Block Shield, Block Blitz for Artificial Grass and Big Blitz received lots of interest from buyers, and plenty of orders were taken for the original Block Blitz treatment.

Commenting on the show, Block Blitz founder, Dave Moore said: “As always, Glee was a fantastic, busy show. This was our third year at GLEE and we were busier than ever catching up with our regular suppliers and meeting new stockists.”

Block Blitz is stocked in retailers across the UK and also available through Decco, Stax and Kelkay.

For further information, visit www.blockblitz.co.uk. Retailers interested in working with Block Blitz, can contact the company on 01302 246 451 or by emailing enquiries@blockblitz.co.uk

Woodlodge’s phenomenal growth continued at Glee 2018 with the company smashing all targets from previous shows and resulting in an influx of orders with its product lines proving to be an instant hit with garden retailers.

With a bigger and more spectacular stand in the heart of Hall 6, new planter designs and an extension of existing popular ranges, Woodlodge cemented its position as the market leader of garden pots by more than doubling its sales from last year’s leading industry event.  

Successes included the launch of a new red-hot collection, the brand-new statement Magma range.  Aimed at urban gardeners and contemporary in look, Magma will capture the imagination of both retailers and consumers with its angular shapes and sharp, geometric designs, and will create a sleek look in any outdoor space.

The beautiful and elegant work from 19^th century designer William Morris was also unveiled as another of Woodlodge’s newest collections at the show. Inspired by nature, the renowned Willow Bough floral design is a new range created in collaboration with the William Morris Gallery, with every purchase helping to support events, exhibitions and educational projects.

Continuing to inspire consumers was also a key focus at Glee, with large retailer orders of Woodlodge’s new POS engagement boards, designed to educate the next generation of gardeners.   The colourful and striking POS boards were snapped up by garden centres and will encourage both first time and expert gardeners to get into container gardening, thanks to the boards informative and non-jargon approach.

Capitalising on its existing popular ranges, Woodlodge also showcased new additions to the Feather and Rustic Garden ranges.  Following the success of both the natural looking Driftwood and Slate collections, Woodlodge premiered extensions to Rustic Garden, showcasing eye catching designs made from a mix of weathered woods, contrasting earthy tones. The eco-friendly, 100% recycled plastic collection of Feather pots were also given a new lease of life with new shapes and colours, a natural stone effect and a traditional terracotta effect, complete with matching saucers.

Woodlodge representatives also worked tirelessly throughout the three-day show, raffling bottles of prosecco, piled high in a prestigious extra-large pot from the company’s Heritage Garden collection.   The raffle was a triumph with both exhibitors and retailers buying tickets to raise money for Greenfingers Charity, resulting in an impressive £406.91.  The lucky winner was George Bullivant.

Michael Wooldridge, Managing Director at Woodlodge, commented: “Glee was once again a very strong trade show for us, with a great visitor response.  Our success here is not only demonstrated by our popularity amongst the industry, but in the growth of our sales each year. We had a positive reaction to the new products and additions from retailers and would like to thank everyone who visited and ordered from us.”

Woodlodge has seen year on year growth, resulting in the expansion of its existing warehouse as they continue to meet consumer demand for trend setting, high-quality containers and planters.

Find out more

To find out more about how Woodlodge’s market leading product offering, please visit www.woodlodge.co.uk

Following increasing attention on glyphosate and the environment in the media, garden retailers are now needing, more than ever, to review their product offer to ensure they themselves are being responsible and the consumers are being given a clear greener/safer option on the shelf - this was never more evident than on the Sipcam stand at Glee this year.

Promoting their environmentally sensitive feed, weed, and controls range, retailer interest was strong in Sipcam’s latest product launches, under its ecofective® brand that uses innovative biotechnologies to bring effective alternatives to conventional chemical products

One of the main talking points of the show was Sipcam’s announcement of a partnership with Assured Products, resulting in a range of core garden care lines licenced under the prestigious RHS brand. This included a glyphosate free Weedkiller containing acetic acid, Moss Killer, Path, Patio & Decking Cleaner as well as a non-pesticide Bug & Mildew Control and Ferric Phosphate Slug Killer.  The RHS range will be available exclusively to garden centres through Sipcam UK and was positively received by both the trade customers and media visiting the stand.

Sipcam’s ecofective® Child and Pet Safe range was expanded to include a new Liquid Lawn Feed for luscious greener lawns, XL Slug Defence barrier granules that deter slugs and snails, a larger 1.5 litre bottle of Artificial Grass Cleaner concentrate that uses friendly bacteria to feed off the dirt providing long lasting effect, and Water Storing Granules based on a blend of natural plant materials and minerals. These were added to the ten-strong product line, safe to use around children, wildlife and pets all year round. 

New POS for retailers to accompany the RHS and ecofective® ranges was also unveiled at the show.  The new POS will offer garden centres a complete package for both brands and will effectively merchandise products in store, with new FSDUs to draw the customers eye by creating an attractive and modern arrangement of products, as well as feather flags to maximise the product’s impact.

Matt Jones of Sipcam UK said: “Glee is now a key staple in our marketing calendar and our range evoked a positive response amongst all visitors at this year’s show.  With the increasing pressure and debate surrounding the use of glyphosate, it was the perfect platform to launch our RHS licenced line with Assured Products, as well as the ecofective® natural solutions range. We were able to engage directly with many key buyers and appreciate the work GIMA put into this area. We found that many garden centres are reviewing their chemicals range, acknowledging the need for greener, safer alternatives.”

Further details about Sipcam UK, and its RHS and ecofective® product portfolio can be found at www.ecofective.uk.com.

Following the launch and resulting success of its dual merchandising product displays, Vitax will continue to fulfil the demand for specialist products for 2019 with the launch of its new feed and compost ranges.

With over 10 new products on show at Glee for the first time, it was Olive Tree Feed, Tree & Shrub Planting Feed and Japanese Maple Organic Acer Feed along with Tree Fern and Palm Feed which generated the most interest.

Each has been developed in response to gardeners and customer demand, and drives forward Vitax’s strategy to create products which help customers make the right product choice.

Carl Welsh, Vitax’s managing director, says: “In an industry where there are many multi-purpose products, it is a refreshing change for gardeners to be able to choose the right product for the right plant.

“Over the past three years we have continued to add to the specialist feed range which has been a huge success, and the feedback this year has been exceptional, confirming we are delivering what customers want.”

However, it is not just Vitax’s feeds that have undergone the specialist treatment as Vitax will market five new composts for 2019.

“Next year gardeners will be able to choose from a range of specialist composts, all with added Q4, which is trusted by both professional and amateur gardeners,” says Mark Butler, Vitax’s national sales manager.

The new compost ranges comprises: Pots & Baskets Compost with added Q4, Ericaceous Compost with John Innes and added Q4, Rose, Tree & Shrub Compost with added Q4, John Innes Seed Compost with added Q4 and Tomato Planter with added Q4.

“In addition to the feeds and compost, we have also expanded two of our popular ranges – Stay Off and SBK – to include Stay Off Mole Repellent and SBK Tree Stump Killer,” says Mark.

“Both products caused quite a stir as many gardeners now have a mole problem and the demand for non- glyphosate products is on the rise.

“The desire for more organic products remains, with Plant Guard proving a hit with organic gardeners at the show. We’re really looking forward to 2019 as pre-season orders are already flowing in,” added Mark.

Deco-Pak has produced a short video to let viewers hear how the company fared at Glee this year.

David Hall, one of the directors at family-run decorative aggregate product supplier, was interviewed on the last day of the show.

Click on the image of above to view the video.