The garden retail industry’s most anticipated event, Glee, is poised to mark a monumental milestone as it celebrates its 50th anniversary at NEC Birmingham, starting on Tuesday (10 September). 

However, this year, Glee not only celebrates half a century at the pinnacle of garden retail but also ushers in a new era with its return to a September dateline, based on comprehensive industry feedback.

Glee’s Evolution: A response to industry needs

Glee has long been a beacon for the garden retail sector, fostering growth and innovation. This year’s shift to a September date is a direct response to extensive consultations with industry stakeholders, ranging from independent retailers to large-scale suppliers. The feedback highlighted the need for a timing that aligns more closely with the industry’s evolving buying cycles and seasonal preparations. In a year where the season started later than ever the move has been celebrated across the board, as it means the key trade show is ideally positioned as the season draws to a close, and thoughts turn to the year ahead.

Matthew Mein, Glee’s Event Director, emphasised the importance of staying in tune with the industry’s pulse. “Our industry is constantly evolving, and Glee plays a crucial role in shaping the future of garden retail. By engaging with our community and understanding their needs, we can ensure that Glee continues to support our stakeholders effectively by providing a platform for growth, celebrating innovation and bringing the market together when it is needed most.

“This year, in particular, the new September dateline is more valuable than ever, as the season has taken longer than usual to start. With Glee running in autumn, buyers will be armed with a more in-depth knowledge of their needs for the 2025 season, primed to place orders and seek the innovation that will differentiate and enhance their offering in the year ahead.”

Innovative features and unmissable experiences

Glee 2024 promises to be an exceptional event, featuring eight carefully curated product sectors that showcase the best in garden care, outdoor entertaining, landscaping, and more. As always, the exhibition will also highlight the latest trends and innovations, providing a platform for an expected 400 brands, from well-known names to rising stars. The exhibitor list will be heaving with new brands, with almost 180 earmarked to make their debut at Glee 2024, with many of them exhibiting exclusively at the show. With so much newness under one roof, garden buyers have the perfect excuse to make a beeline for the Glee once the doors open on 10th September!

Key features of Glee 2024 include:

• New Product Showcase: Discover groundbreaking products that set the stage for future trends. Find it in it in a new home within the central hub, located between Halls 8 and 9.
• Talent Store: Launched in 2023, this design and inspiration hub discovers emerging talents and creative solutions in garden retail. Make sure you visit this dedicated area to vote for the fresh new talent within product merchandising.
• The Stage: Look out for a complete programme of content, all of which is designed to tackle burning issues and open the floor to the wider industry to discuss how the garden retail sector is set for future growth.
• Fire, Grill & Chill: This dynamic area is dedicated to outdoor entertaining, complete with live demonstrations and interactive experiences. A central hub for networking, this is the place to grab tasty, freshly cooked food whilst experiencing some of the outdoor cooking products on offer from exhibitors across the show.
• Green Heart: Celebrating plants and the central role they play in garden retail, this area will be thriving with a variety of plant displays and talks. Newly located within the main body for the show in Hall 10, Green Heart will also benefit from a new café area and will be home to Future Plants, an exciting display of the latest and most innovative plant breeding from UK and international growers.
• Join the celebrations

As the industry buzz for Glee’s latest development takes hold, Matthew Mein added: “We are now better placed than ever to invest in the show’s future. Whether it’s tackling those topics that are effecting change, building a platform for growth or providing a voice for the industry, we have a renewed long-term vision for Glee and look forward to bringing to market new content to support the continued advancement of garden retail.”

Be part of Glee 2024

Whether you’re a seasoned attendee or a first-time visitor, Glee 2024 offers endless opportunities to connect, learn, and grow. Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of the garden retail community’s most significant event of the year. Register today and join the industry in celebrating 50 years of excellence in garden retail at the NEC Birmingham.

To find out more please visit www.gleebirmingham.com or call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.

Online registration for Glee is live, enabling buyers and retailers to get online and book their free ticket for the UK’s leading garden retail exhibition.

To register for Glee 2024, simply visit https://www.gleebirmingham.com/visitor-registration and confirm your attendance at the show.

Glee's 50-Year Heroes in celebration of the exhibition's half-century celebrations will be revealed on the first day of the show (Tuesday). The results will be announced at 5pm on The Stage just before the Glee New Product Awards.

The following awards will be presented:

• Most Influential Person of the past 50 years
• The Character of Glee's 50 years
• Hero Product of the past 50 years
• Hero Pant of the past 50 years

Matthew Mein, Event Director at Glee, said: "The gardening world has changed so much from the early 70s, with each decade ringing in exciting new trends and innovation. Throughout all of this, Glee has maintained a constant presence, year-after-year providing a place where the garden retail sector can come together to inspire, network and educate. Now, we want to celebrate those who have left a mark in a fun and reflective look back on Glee's half-century. We're excited to see the nominations, find out the eventual winners, and are prepared for a tidal wave of nostalgia and questionable haircuts!"

"It makes people smile, people like my shirts.  It's because they are floral shirts that makes them smile, and that's the wonderful thing about gardening, it makes people happy..."

Listen here: https://theunderground.fm/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Glee-Trevor-Pfeiffer-web.mp3

Westland Horticulture, home to brands such as Boost, Resolva, Jack’s Magic, Peckish, Kent & Stowe, and Unwins, is ready to welcome its retail partners at this year’s 50th anniversary of GLEE to showcase its latest innovations. 

Visit stand C80-E81 in Hall 7 to experience Westland’s latest products, including the launch of its first carbon neutral compost incorporating biochar into the trusted John Innes collection. Visitors will also see the debut of the Boost Growing System, designed to drive the container and basket category forward with a simple 3-step format that helps gardeners achieve their best ever displays. Westland will also be showcasing its soils range, developed to root all plants in goodness, including a brand-new Raised Bed & Vegetable Soil that features a bespoke organic nutrient mix for healthy edibles and crops. 

Resolva, the UK’s No.1 brand in the UK for outdoor controls*, will be launching a brand-new range of outdoor cleaning solutions that help restore patios, garden furniture, decking, outdoor toys and much more to their best with a hassle-free, no scrub formula. 

On the stand, Kent & Stowe will be launching its Extraordinary World retail experience that communicates the extraordinary essence of the brand and will also be proudly unveiling The Capability Digging Spade. Offering gardeners unmatched strength and durability, and featuring a breaking strain of 130kg, the spade can handle even the toughest of gardening jobs. 

Inspiring shoppers to discover the joy of feeding wild birds, Peckish has developed a variety of new products and will also be launching a new suite of captivating visual merchandising solutions. The latest display is set to drive impulse purchases with a visually striking design of a giant birdhouse, which can be shopped on all four sides to maximise sales. Its latest product introductions include a collection of bird feeders that are made from 100% recycled materials and sustainably sourced wood, as well as a no-mess funnel feeder that combats consumer frustration surrounding spillages when topping up feeders. 

Maximise your visit at GLEE this year and don’t miss Westland Horticulture at Stand C80-E81 in Hall 7. 

Addagrip is excited to be attending this year's Glee event, where the company will be showcasing its latest innovations: ClickTile and EasyBound. 

As a leading provider of resin-bound surfacing solutions, Addagrip is eager to connect with industry professionals and demonstrate how its products can elevate outdoor spaces.

ClickTile, a revolutionary interlocking, porous paving system, is designed for both ease of installation and long-term durability. It’s an ideal solution for creating stunning, sustainable, low-maintenance outdoor areas, whether for gardens, patios, or other external environments.

Addagrip is also proud to present EasyBound, the eco-friendly Gravel & Pebble Adhesive Binder. EasyBound offers an excellent choice for creating decorative garden features, lining pathways & also as a solution for plant pot topper. Its ability to withstand varying weather conditions while maintaining a pristine appearance makes it a standout option for any outdoor project.

At Glee, the Addagrip team looks forward to engaging with attendees, sharing expert advice, and discussing how ClickTile and EasyBound can meet the unique needs of their projects. 

“We are committed to providing innovative, sustainable solutions that enhance outdoor living spaces, and we’re excited to showcase these offerings at such a key industry event,” said the company.

Be sure to visit the Addagrip stand (9E06) to explore how our cutting-edge products can transform your outdoor projects. The team can’t wait to see you there!

Altico are to unveil a new collection of Sculptural Garden Ornaments at Glee, offering retailers extended seasonal sales opportunities and shoppers new reasons to buy in to the Landscape category.

The Altico Premium Ornamental range consists of abstract sculptural pieces, suitable for both garden and home, with designs that bring art into nature. Each item in the collection is made of a unique stone-blend, providing a high quality lasting finish, whilst making them easy to merchandise and boxed take home.

With various sizes and designs to choose from, there’s a style suit a multitude of tastes and budgets. And, being attractively priced between £36.99 and £139.99, Altico’s bid is to support customers in driving additional volume sales year-round. 

Speaking of the new collection, Marketing Director Sarah Winn said: ‘We wanted to create a niche selection of ornamental garden products that emulated the high-end feature pieces you might find at the Chelsea Flower Show, or in large professionally landscaped gardens. With the growing trend for personalisation in the garden, as well as creating more artistic home environments, we felt it was time to do something different. 

Our thought process was to make our Ornamental collection affordable without compromising on quality or style - enticing shoppers without breaking the bank.

Each year we are very focused at Altico on giving Garden Centres something new to drive the Landscape category harder. Last year our Natural Feature pieces became a real talking point at Glee, so we’re excited to see their reaction to our new Ornamental collection, which seeks to differentiate their current range offer’.

To find out more, please visit the Altico stand at Glee: 7C60-E61

In its biggest-ever Glee, Burgon & Ball is launching over 90 new products this autumn at a new location in Hall 9.

The company will unveil a revolutionary new collection of RHS-endorsed tools, offering a truly unique and compelling proposition. There’s also an exciting and extensive new cross-category gifting concept that’s bursting with colour and choice. Plus, a refreshed watering range brings new colours and new designs for indoor and outdoor watering.

The major new collection of RHS-endorsed tools offers a unique proposition, unlike any other tools currently available in the UK. The range gives gardeners a new generation of stronger and more durable gardening tools, thanks to its cutting-edge product design and materials. Importantly, the range combines this technology with strong appeal to the environmentally-aware consumer, in what’s believed to be a first in UK garden tools.

In gifting, an exciting new concept Is bursting with colour and choice! It draws together a number of different categories in a cohesive and integrated collection designed for gifting and self-treating. Retailers can buy by category, by colour, or mix and match – this flexible collection offers a sure-fire way to create appealing and shoppable displays, packed with ready-made upselling opportunities.

The refresh of Burgon & Ball’s watering offering brings on-trend new colour options to indoor and outdoor watering. A very contemporary new indoor can in a choice of colourways adds appeal for the style-conscious shopper.  

To make sure you don’t miss out on all this and more, visit Burgon & Ball in its new location on Stand 9H10-G11, right by the Buyers’ Lounge. 

Doff’s Power Up™ range of garden care products have been designed with superior technology to provide powerful results. 

The Ultimate Tomato Feed utilises smart Nitrogen, a combination of slow and fast releasing, extra potassium and magnesium; all to produce green and healthy plants for longer, while giving maximum tomato production. 

Doff’s Power Up™ Tomato feed is a great sustainable choice, being ultra concentrated, one bottle can make up to 200l of feed. The smart nitrogen technology also helps with nutrient losses to both the atmosphere and leaching - meaning less wastage, and the formulation has been optimised for success when using peat-free growing media. 

When it comes to sustainability and lawn seed, Doff makes every seed count. The range of Power Up lawn seed is 100% coated, making each seed perfectly weighted for better seed-to-soil contact when broadcasting, meaning higher rates of germination. The unique nitro-coat formulation improves absorbency, holding up to 2x more water, and maintains moisture levels for longer. 

It’s not just in the coating that that gives each seed the best possible start, but in the variety of seeds that Doff have selected for their products. The combination of varieties used can cope with less than ideal conditions, giving each seed the best chance of success. 

To talk about the full range of products on offer visit the stand at Glee: 

Stand no. 8E92-F93. 

www.doff.co.uk

0115 983 4300

sales@doff.co.uk

Woodmansterne are busy preparing for what’s set to be another fantastic Glee, where they’ll be exhibiting collections from their newly launched Gift Packaging category, as well as showcasing their usual range of beautiful greeting cards.

To commemorate the launch of this very exciting new category, their stand will be decorated with Emma Bridgewater’s iconic ‘Roses’ design, where they welcome you to join them for a glass of pink prosecco and floral-inspired treats.

Alongside their new Gift Packaging collections, you can also explore a carefully curated range of the best new products, which features Greenfingers Charity, The National Trust, Emma Bridgewater and Quentin Blake, as well as over 20 of the UK’s best publishers as part of their W-Select Category Management Programme.

As a prospering third-generation, family-run business, Woodmansterne value the environment and are passionate about protecting it to allow future generations to prosper too. They are committed to using sustainable materials and practices where possible, and continually inspire new ways to improve their environmental impact.

• Their Gift Packaging Collection is made from the highest-quality, sustainably-sourced materials and every item in the collection is made entirely from paper, making them 100% fully recyclable – a first in the UK.
• They have eliminated all plastic packaging from their product across both retail and shipment of goods to store
• They pride themselves on maintaining the majority of their products through UK manufacturing and supply - working only with European and Far East suppliers who adhere to both environmental and ethical standards

Join them for a coffee and a chat in Hall 7, stand B50-C51, and explore their award-winning offer!

Call: 01923 200600

Email: hello@woodmansterne.co.uk

Visit: www.woodmansterne.co.uk

Meadow View Stone continues to endorse itself as industry leading, with a fierce commitment towards modernisation and improvements to drive sales and increase profitability for customers.

Continuing to innovate the decorative aggregate sector, we return for our 25^th year at Glee on stand 8F50-7A51, with a multitude of new products, ranges, merchandising and POS technology, with…

Rejuvenated Ranges, that keep stockists ahead of trends

• A range of Flexi-Fix steel edging, including three colours and two sizes
  • Corten (100mm and 150mm)
  • Anthracite (100mm)
  • Black (100mm) 
• A contemporary collection of nine porcelain stepping stones
  • In three colours: graphite, shadow and oatmeal 
  • And three styles: round, random and hexagonal
• An endorsed horticultural pouch range 
  • Five horticultural sands, grits and gravels, all available in handy resealable pouch bags 

Pioneered Products, reflecting modern styles

• Persian Pink – A 20mm warm pastel pink chipping that adds a soft, contemporary touch to any outdoor space. Perfect for creating tranquil, on-trend designs, as witnessed at RHS Show Gardens this year.
• Eco Sparkle – A 20mm blend that combines crisp white chippings with a silver recycled bi-product. This eco-friendly option enhances your garden's aesthetic and supports sustainable practices by repurposing waste materials.

Enhanced Merchandising, revolutionising the customer journey to drive sales

• POS – Our modern and sleek design allows interchangeable pricing, large product images promote cross selling 
• AR – Augmented reality transforms how customers visualise products in their immediate surroundings or in their home environment, formulated to drive sales 
• Steel sample trays – Combine a life-long span with tilted angles to promote durability and product visibility from afar 

We invite you to join us for a drink and experience our exclusive show offers. Witness first-hand how Meadow View Stone can become your pivotal partner to success. 

Melcourt is a market leader in the supply of peat-free garden and landscape products.

The company's rigorous, science-based approach to peat-free horticulture has been painstakingly perfected over the last four decades. Ensuring your customers’ fruit, veg, trees and flowers get the very best start in life, grow strong, and stay healthy, whilst continuing to care for the natural world in a way your customer’s demand.

In fact, because we’ve been bringing you peat-free garden and landscape products longer than any other supplier, our range is widely recognised as the best you can stock – and your customers can buy.

The future of gardening is peat-free. Discover why our products, pricing, service, and sustainable sourcing leads the way

Presenting SylvaGrow Seed Compost…

Formulated from our unique blend of 100% peat-free compost, dedicated to raising seeds and pricking out.

• A fine, friable blend based on expertise gained after more than two decades of serving the professional grower market
• Supports root growth and development, giving seedlings a strong start with a balanced feed
• A great start for plants to grow and advance into our award-winning SylvaGrow range of composts
• Available in 15L & 40L

Listening to our customers….

Also at Glee, we will be introducing a new bag size for our SylvaGrow John Innes range (John Innes Seed, 1, 2 and 3) following requests from our customer base for a bigger bag size. Fresh colour packaging and a 22litre bag will be available from January 2025.

It’s been a busy and exciting year for Melcourt, we welcomed Nikki Burton to the team back in October 2023 as Operations Director, Nikki will become Managing Director in January 2025, supported by Andy Chalmers who retires from his role as MD but will stay within the Melcourt family as company Chairman.

We look forward to seeing you at Glee 2024, and to tell you more about us and our products! We will be on stand 7E30.

The future of gardening is peat-free. Discover why our products, service and sustainable sourcing leads the way… 

Evergreen Garden Care is making industry-leading changes whilst focussing on the needs of its customers and consumers, exhibited in its move to 100% peat-free, and calls to make the RSS legislation.

This Glee, Evergreen Garden Care will present the latest developments in its peat free journey, and will also be offering insight into its refreshed, market leading lawncare offering.

Evergreen Garden Care will be exhibiting at Glee and looking forward to welcoming all its customers and visitors. 

For more inspiration, please visit www.lovethegarden.com. 

For more product information, please visit https://evergreentrade.co.uk/  

Primus, the award-winning Garden Décor brand from The Perry Group, is set to launch its highly anticipated 2025 product catalogue at the upcoming Glee exhibition, marking the brand's most extensive collection to date, featuring over 100 new products designed to inspire creativity and elevate garden spaces across the UK.

A New Era of Garden Décor: Primus 2025 Collection

The 2025 Primus range is the brand’s largest and most diverse yet, offering a wide array of new products that blend timeless elegance with contemporary design. From whimsical garden ornaments to functional outdoor décor, the new catalogue is designed to cater to a broad spectrum of tastes and garden styles.

Visitors will have the exclusive opportunity to view the entire range and place pre-season orders with special terms. Primus will operate on a strict first-come, first-served basis for the delivery of pre-season orders.

“We are incredibly excited to present our 2025 collection at Glee this year,” said Steve Perry, Marketing Director at The Perry Group. “This new range is a testament to our ongoing commitment to creativity and innovation, and we believe it will resonate with both new and returning customers. Building on the success of the 2024 season, our team has worked tirelessly to expand our product offering. Our goal is to firmly establish Primus as the first choice for Garden Décor in the UK and beyond.”

“As we celebrate 100 years of A. Perry Ltd, this launch is a significant milestone for our company and the Primus brand,” added Steve. “We look forward to sharing this exciting new chapter with our valued partners and customers at Glee.”

With huge excitement and demand coming from the trade and builders merchants, A. Perry are delighted to launch this amazing product to garden centres and DIY merchants at Glee.

A. Perry’s unique access to different markets, as well as controlling its own supply chain for the product as it manufactures them directly, means that demand can be maintained all year round.

In early Spring this year, trade only manufacturer and distributor of Hardware and Ironmongery, A. Perry, launched the groundbreaking product line into the fencing and landscaping market. Engineered to redefine timber sleeper installations, these innovative SleeperSecure Sleeper Brackets have quickly become a sensation among landscaping professionals, driving unprecedented demand for the range.

Traditionally, the market has been lacking an accessible solution that seamlessly combines durability, versatility, and ease of installation for timber sleeper projects such planters and driveway edging. Built for purpose, A. Perry's SleeperSecure Sleeper Brackets have filled this void, offering unmatched strength, stability and convenience like never before.

Commenting on the overwhelming response to the range, Steve Perry, Marketing Director at A. Perry, said, "We are thrilled to witness the tremendous excitement surrounding SleeperSecure, the unprecedented demand underscores the industry's recognition of the need for a superior solution that before SleeperSecure was not available in the UK merchant sector, and we believe Garden Centres will have the same success.”

A. Perry have also created a highly efficient retail solution for the range, designing a purpose-built display stand which perfectly holds all SKUs within the range with taking up very little floor space and a large area for POS. This can be supplied free of charge when an MOQ of the range is placed on the first order.

The team at Tildenet Gardenware have been incredibly busy over the past few months putting together a whole host of versatile merchandising solutions aimed at making it easier for garden centres to choose the right selection of products for their business - a one-stop shop for gardening essentials.

We are excited to be launching the BRAND NEW Tildenet Flexible Retail System – an innovative system designed to adapt to a wide variety of store layouts, which creatively displays each of our powerful brands to maximise retail sell through enabling retailers to maximise space and increase product visibilitycomplemented by attractive displays. 

Featuring vibrant headers, back wall graphics and integrated aisle flags that signpost range USPs, the system is and provides retailers a with fresh and effective way to merchandise products which will support sales growth in any setting.

Look out for all new packaging which has had a bright and colourful facelift with a commitment to sustainability at the core of Tildenet's approach – leading the market for 2025 with unique 100% recycled and resealable packaging we are proud to offer the most sustainable option in the market available as own branded lines for all sizes of garden centres.

There’s lots to see on TWO impressive Tildenet Gardenware Stands at Glee 2024 

Don’t miss out on seeing the whole range, lifestyle displays and special Glee show promotions for 2025 as well as the chance to hear more about the many developments including shelf ready packaging, bulk buys and deals we have planned for next season.

Visit the Tildenet team at Glee to learn more about our dedication to sustainability, quality, and service excellence, and discover how the Flexible Retail System can support your gardening needs, whatever the size of your business. 

Visit us on Stands 6G80 and 6E65

www.tildenetgardenware .co.uk

info@tildenetgardenware.co.uk

As one of the best-loved and most sustainable suppliers in the industry gets ready to rumble at Glee 2024, we look at five of the key reasons why you should make Primeur’s stand (8D40-E41) one of your first stops at the show.

1. The BEST Yorkshire welcome!

Primeur’s friendly and passionate team are looking forward to welcoming new and existing customers to their stand, where they will guide you through how Primeur can help curate the ideal ranges for garden centres and retail stores.  Focusing on individualisation, bestsellers and differing consumer demands, Primeur recognises that one size doesn’t fit all and will be using their time at Glee to help retailers better understand how to optimise new growth opportunities with bestselling lines and innovation through new product development. 

2. No price increases for 2025

Despite rising costs in raw materials, production, transport, and packaging, Primeur is committed to keeping its pricing unchanged for the 2025 season. In a challenging market, Primeur recognises the critical importance of supporting retailers and is dedicated to delivering the best possible value to consumers. Now, more than ever, Primeur stands by its partners to ensure that quality remains affordable.

3. Mighty good doormats!

Many may not realise that Primeur’s core business has long been crafting exceptional doormats. This year, the trend-led Mighty Mats brand will make its debut at Glee, following its successful launch into garden retail earlier this year. With over 6.5 million mats sold annually, Primeur is the true authority on doormats and continues to innovate to breathe new life into this profitable product category. The team are excited to bring decades of expertise to your product range, helping you excel in this core, high volume market sector.

4. A world without waste

Sustainability is not just a box ticking exercise for Primeur, but a way of life that remains firmly at the heart of everything they do, with a wholehearted commitment for its entire lawn and garden range to be made exclusively from recycled materials. Many of the doormat designs are also made using sustainable materials. 

5. Have your say

Glee offers the perfect opportunity for retailers to meet with the experienced and dedicated team at Primeur and to have the conversations that will help drive sales growth. Primeur believe that working in close partnership with their customers of all shapes and sizes can ensure collaborative working to develop the ranges in a way that best suits their requirements. Whatever your needs, Primeur will have a solution! 

Known as one of the most innovative garden glove brands, ClipGlove is now using recycled materials in the production of the glove range.

As well as boasting a range of quality protective gloves, each pair of ClipGlove gloves are held together with a carabiner clip. This clip enables gardeners to fasten the gloves onto a convenient place during and after use. This solved that age old problem, of losing gloves around the garden with the clever clip system. The brand won 2019 GIMA awards for not only the range itself, but also its innovative and space efficient spinner stand.

Since its launch in 2019, Treadstone Products have grown the ClipGlove range to be listed in hundreds of Garden Centres in the UK. During 2024 these stockists may have noticed a new message appearing on their glove hangtags – “NOW WITH RECYCLED CONTENT”. Treadstone have been adding recycled content to its glove range where possible, due to their continued focus on responsible product development.

Recycled content levels can be as high as 49%, depending on the materials used and style of glove, but Treadstone is focussed on increasing the levels wherever possible without affecting the integrity and comfort of their award-winning ClipGlove range.

For retailers and consumers who look for an even higher content, ClipGlove continues to sell its Bottle Glove range that uses 95% recycled bottles to construct the lining of each pair that retails at £5.99.

The award-winning spinner stand has been updated and will be on show at Glee 2024. The updated spinner will take design cues from the well-received Wall Concept stand unveiled at last year’s Glee show. The spinner will continue to be rich in consumer information to aid consumer purchase and satisfaction, but will now feature interchangeable POS cards, allowing a greater choice of glove combinations to be merchandised.  

This allows the layout to be changed seasonally or for retailers to merchandise promotional items such as the fast-selling triple pack alongside the main range. Glove specific information cards enables old POS to slide out as new slides in!

ClipGlove range – key takeaways

• ClipGlove now include recycled content in their main glove range.
• ClipGlove Bottle Gloves are still available – made using recycled plastic bottles.
• Recycled content depends on the materials used and style of glove.
• Corner flash on glove POS reinforces recycled content message.
• Award-winning spinner stand with improved glove specific POS designs.
• NEW interchangeable POS functionality.
• Small footprint size, the stand holds the full ClipGlove range
• Stockists can now highlight differing POS as seasons and subsequent demand changes.

Contact the Treadstone team today to discuss the increasingly sustainable ClipGlove range and the updated spinner stand with fresh interchangeable point of sale - sales@treadstoneproducts.com.

The SonnenPartner lifestyle invites you to experience the finest moments of life outdoors. It is about enjoying nature, whether alone or with loved ones, accompanied by music, good food, and pure pleasure. These intense, vibrant experiences that make your heart race and give you a pleasant stomach, for SonnenPartner, the essence of happiness.

We are a family-owned business in North-Rhine-Westfalia, Germany with over 30 years in the market. This includes our family-oriented management style. Everyone knows each other; our closeness and warmth towards one another and our customers set us apart. 

We have remained loyal to our headquarters in Bielefeld. Hidden Champion – okay. But "local heroes" is a better fit. Our factory, administration, warehouse, high-rack storage, logistics, development, training centre, and exceptionally large showroom are all located in one place. Conveniently situated on the A2, our delivery readiness is as great as our heart. In this respect, our customer is traditionally king.

GTN September 2024 - In this Bumper Glee Preview issue: Westland Glee Preview Special, Successful integration at AMES, GTN interviews CEO Paul North UK, GCA Regional Results, winners from the 2024 inspections, Derian House, a new Greenfingers Children’s Hospice Sensory garden, GTN’s Glee 2024 Show preview starts here, Glee floor plan and exhibitor list, What’s on in the Glee sectors, Glee Exhibitor News – Latest products and services, Fandango Fire Tools at Glee, Under one roof at The AMES Companies UK, Floral Thursday FUNdraising at Glee, Eyes on the gift-wrapping market with Woodmansterne, Tildenet – a partner of choice, Landmark year for Hozelock, For that perfect lawn – Johnsons Lawn Seed, GTN Planteria - Floral Fantasia and Mr Fothergill’s trials, GTN Planteria – Ball helps retailers sell more plants, Join the Vitavia family, PATS 2024, LOFA Viewpoint – SOLEX 2024 a resounding success, New lines from Museums & Galleries, HTA Viewpoint – For a stronger future, GIMA Viewpoint – See you in person soon.

The team from GTN are proud once again to be the official media partners for Glee producing the Glee Planner, the Glee Show Catalogue and the Glee Daily News.

After this launch issue we will be publishing further Glee Daily News issues as follows:

• Glee August Update - 28th August
• Glee Preview - 3rd September
• Glee Build-up - 9th September
• Glee Day 1 - 10th September
• Glee Day 2 - 11th September
• Glee Day 3 - 12th September
• Glee 2024 Omnibus - 30th September

Exhibitors should contact Alan Burdon, alan@pottingshedpress.co.uk, or 07939 048899, for advertising details. 

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation which supports students studying Horticulture at UK and Ireland colleges and universities is returning to the Green Heart area of Glee 2024.

The charity, funded by the industry with the likes of Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Smart Garden Products and Westland Horticulture being amongst the many industry supporters, will use Glee as an opportunity to introduce the garden retail trade to two stunning new plants. Breeders and growers who recognise the value of the work done by the Foundation, often will give a percentage of the Royalties from new plants as their contribution to the scholarships awarded annually by the Trustees. 

The new plants being introduced this year are:

Malus domestica ~ Apple Peter's Gold 

A superb desert apple, late keeping variety. Consistent cropper of round golden fruit, sometimes with a pink flush. Large attractive pink to white flowers. Grafted onto MM106 semi-dwarfing rootstock so suitable for smaller gardens. The sale of each tree helps to support students studying Horticulture.

A brand new eating apple variety, with a good 'crunch', aromatic and full of flavour and juicy. A good keeper to, well into the new year without any special care. Easy to grow, easy to prune and a donation from the sale of every tree helps support students studying Horticulture. Peter Seabrook, the renowned gardening journalist and horticultural expert, was a Trustee of the Foundation and ‘found’ the original tree growing near his home. Frank P Matthews, the premier tree grower in the UK have developed the tree and bringing it to market in time for autumn sales in 2024 and also taking reserve orders for spring 2025 from retailers. 

Tagetes erecta ~ Marigold Glow Up 

Three stunning flower colours in the range of this new African type Marigold, bred by Indus Burpee and being distributed by Pro-Veg Seeds  - gold, yellow and orange. Flowering from June until the first frosts of autumn. Grows to 40cm tall, best in full sun in containers or borders. Very weather resistant, doing well rain or shine. Early flowers are tennis ball sized and loved by pollinating insects.

A new development in large flowered Marigolds, showing much great weather tolerance than traditional varieties. Strong flower colours, healthy glossy green leaves easy to grow and a long flowering period. Extensive trials show consistent results right across Europe. Totally programable for growers, allowing precise cropping times, maximising sales potential and minimising waste.

Guests at the Foundations Summer Garden Party to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the formation of the Foundation, held at Ball Horticultures trial grounds in Oxfordshire in July this year, were each treated to a pack of the young Marigold plants as a ‘thank you’ for coming. One guest recently posted on social media: 

The Marigold Glow Up plants you gave me have been fantastic - I squashed them all in one pot and they have proved great companions for my tomatoes this year.  The flowers seem to last for weeks - I have only had to deadhead one to date! - and they’re certainly bright and cheerful even on the dullest of days. Very many thanks.  And all this from someone who would not normally plant marigolds!

Both of the Apple and the Marigold come on the back of the Foundation winning the 2023 Glee New Product Award [Plants] with Kerley & Co. bred Petunia Tumbelina ‘Nicola’. Described at the time as:

“the latest member to join the Tumbelina family, the flower type is best described as an open double, with a unique colour combination of magenta and white outer petals with deep coloured centres and shows good weather tolerance. Perfect for planting in hanging baskets and patio pots where they can tumble over the edges. Thrive in either full sun or part shade, flowering for over six months, until the first frost in November. Its compact habit yet prolific outdoor flowering makes this ‘must have’ in every summer garden. Water as required and feed regularly, weekly in the key growing season, particularly when grown in a container.”

Petunia Nicola has gone on to become a favourite with gardeners and growers this year.

Do visit Green Heart while you are at Glee, and do have a look at the work of the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation. There may be an opportunity for you and your company to get involved. It might be selling some of the plant varieties that earn the charity some money, or supporting their work in other ways. It may be that you have a member of your team who would benefit from the support of a scholarship to help them advance their own career.

As the Glee exhibition rapidly approaches, the show’s exhibitors have been sharing their latest news.

ARTIFEX NATURA (NEW AT GLEE)

Formed in late 2022 from a labour of love, Artifex Natura Ltd offers market leading terrariums, moss art and niche house plants to retailers at attractive trade prices.  We are best known for our strikingly colourful tropical terrariums that feature unusual glass, colourful plants, captivating crystals, rocks and gemstones and beautiful coloured sands.  

BACKDOOR SHOES (NEW AT GLEE)

Backdoorshoes Ltd, a leading innovator in the garden footwear industry, is excited to announce the launch of its latest collection of garden and leisure shoes, designed to combine exceptional comfort with unique, vibrant designs. Renowned for their lightweight, waterproof, and durable footwear, Backdoorshoes continues to set the standard for practical and stylish shoes that cater to a wide range of gardening, outdoor and leisure activities.

BRITISH FLOWERPOTS

FLOWERPOT MERGER ANNOUNCED - Naylor Gardenware has merged with Smith & Jennings with effect from Friday 1 March 2024. Naylor is a 4th generation family business which has been manufacturing clay pipes & other ceramic products since its foundation in 1890; its Yorkshire Flowerpot range dates back to the early 1990’s. Smith & Jennings is a Welsh based manufacturer of high quality glazed & terracotta ware, founded by ceramicist Simon Smith in 2013. Liz Hudston on 01226 794059.

BURTON MCCALL

Showcasing information from ALPEN, FELCO and Thermacell.

CREATIVE EDGE (NEW AT GLEE)

Creative Edge was formed in 2015 and is a designer, manufacturer and installer of commercial interior spaces and foodservice facilities for the hospitality, education, health care, retail, leisure and business sectors across the UK.

DERCO HORTICULTURE

Derco’s mission is to provide superior seasonal product distribution solutions to our customers, offering fast and reliable delivery services, while maintaining high standards of customer satisfaction. At Derco, we aim to be the Canadian leader in customer solutions for the distribution of seasonal products. We strive on our core values everyday, which are commitment, respect, rigour, and innovation.

DOODLEBONE (NEW AT GLEE)

2014 was the start of our epic Doodlebone journey, we set out to bring something new and fun to the doggie world.  To this day, we design colourful, comfortable, and durable products, always putting the dog at the heart of every product. Come and visit us at GLEE to find out why Doodlebone’s exciting range of dog accessories is so loved by dogs, dog owners and retailers alike.

DRAKKAR INTERNATIONAL

Since 1998, Drakkar International designs, manufactures and markets a complete and innovative range of products intended for retailers in different markets. We have become specialists in increasing efficiency in the handling of goods. We offer an innovative solution for the storage of unit products and a system for optimizing shelf filling. We are committed to providing high quality, safe, functional and value-added products.

FANDANGO FIRETOOLS

Since its UK launch in 2021, Fandango Fire Tools has swiftly established itself as a premier provider of innovative and high-quality firewood splitting tools and outdoor and indoor fire accessories. Central to its success is the patented Kindling Cracker^TM firewood splitter, which has rapidly become a favourite among both retailers and consumers.

FEATHERSNAPS (NEW AT GLEE)

FeatherSnap, a brand created to revolutionise birdwatching, proudly introduces the new Scout smart bird feeder, a Wi-Fi enabled feeder that brings the wonder of nature to your fingertips. Effortlessly experience the joy of birdwatching by receiving captivating photos and videos directly to your phone.

FELT PRODUCTS

Felt Products Ltd was founded in 2011 and ever since we have been supplying our premier range of felt and shingle products to timber merchants, roofing merchants and builders' merchants across the UK. Notably, we have built strong relationships with some of the largest shed manufacturers in the country. Over the last 13 years we have continuously worked on improving our products and expanding our range, bringing in items such as breathable membrane, damp proof course and damp-proof membrane, amongst many others.

FEVERFEW (NEW AT GLEE)

Innovative women's gardening wear brand Feverfew Garden Company is showcasing its award-winning products at Glee 2024, the UK's leading garden trade show. This marks a significant debut for the young company, celebrating its first birthday this year.

GOODLIFE GETAWAY (NEW AT GLEE)

Goodlifegateway is known for simplicity, effectiveness, excellent customer service and good value for money. I source the raw materials, produce and sell four varieties of Organic Plant food: Leaf & Stem Boost (Nitrogen Rich), Multi-Purpose (Balanced NPK), Fruit & Flowers (Potassium Rich) and finally, Roses & Tomato (Also Potassium Rich). They are all made FROM plants, FOR plants, no other additives at all. I also donate £1 for every bottle sold, to the Woodland Trust, as I truly believe we need to care for all of our Planet, not just the soil!  

GREEN OLIVE FIREWOOD

We are Green Olive, a company dedicated to providing a wide range of high-quality BBQ fuels, firewood, and compost products. At the core of our business is a commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. We take great pride in the elegance and sophistication of our branding, a feature that consistently garners compliments from both our stockists and customers. 

HARVEST PET PRODUCTS (NEW AT GLEE)

Harvest Pet Products is a family led business of 3 generations and over 25 years wild bird food manufacturing experience. We are based in North Lincolnshire and on our own site, we are a one stop shop within the wild bird category with full onsite manufacturing capabilities for Seed, straights and suet products. We are SEDEX certified and the only BRCGS certified manufacturer of Wild Bird feeds holding A+ grading.

HOTHANDS 

One of 4 key brands for Kobayashi Healthcare Europe Ltd, HotHands continues to go from strength to strength and during the 2023/24 autumn winter season HotHands could be found in nearly 7,000 retail stores across the UK.

INTERNATIONAL CARDS & GIFTS CARDS (NEW AT GLEE)

From birthday cards for dog lovers to finalist status in the Henries awards in the Best Traditional Words & Sentiments category, the team at International Cards & Gifts have a lot to get excited about.

INVISIBLE CREATIONS (NEW AT GLEE)

At Invisible Creations, we prioritize your needs and your home’s aesthetics. Our products are ergonomically designed, sturdy, discreet, and stylish. With a variety of finishes, our assistive products complement both your indoor and outdoor spaces. This year at GLEE, we are excited to unveil our latest innovation: a range of dual-purpose grab rails that double as path lights, planters, and plant pots. Known for the multifunctionality of our products, we continue to lead the way in versatile, purpose-driven design.

JANOD

Kicking off the summertime fun, timeless French toy brand Janod, is thrilled to launch a playful new collection of roleplay toys including a wonderful barbecue designed to inspire children to learn whilst having fun too!  

JARDINOPIA

Jardinopia, the multi award-winning Somerset based garden and home gift company, launched a new dinosaur planter range at the recent Home & Gift Show in Harrogate, aimed at dino enthusiasts young and old.

JEMSOX

Jemsox is a family ran business founded in the 1970 by Frank Pain (Grandfather), who was one of the pioneers in producing socks and tights from the heart of Leicestershire, the British sock manufacturing capital of the UK. With over 50 years in the socks and hosiery industry, we have decided to launch our own Jemsox collection. Jemsox socks are your one stop shop for sustainable socks!

JURATOYS

Founded in the picturesque landscapes of France in 1970, Juratoys has been delighting children and families for over half a century. Originating from a passion of crafting high quality toys, Juratoys has blossomed and now offers three wonderful brands Janod, Kaloo and Lilliputiens.

LICKIMAT (NEW AT GLEE)

LickiMat^® is part of the family of brands by Australian based Innovative Pet Products Pty Ltd. Lickimat UK Ltd was formed in August 2023 to distribute the fantastic LickiMat^® product range throughout the UK to pet professionals, retailers and wholesalers, as well as reaching out directly to the consumers to build awareness and appreciation of how the LickiMat^® products can improve the wellbeing and health of dogs and cats.   Produced with veterinary knowledge, LickiMat^® was originally designed to help your pet feel less anxious when you left home.  

MOUNTAIN PAWS (NEW AT GLEE)

Mountain Paws was first started in 2006 by the team behind both Lifesystems and Lifeventure. When they couldn’t find the robust kit they needed in order to enjoy the great outdoors with their dogs, the team set about designing their own. Fast forward to 2024, Mountain Paws has a range of reliable and safe products, ready for adventure no matter where it takes you, and at a good price point. From leads to collars to quick-drying towels, we aim to provide everything you and your dog need to enjoy the outdoors.

LITTLEMORE CANDLE COMPANY (NEW AT GLEE)

Littlemore Candle Company is a family run business based in Rural Oxfordshire. We started our small business in 2017 and specialise in home fragrances with unique decor including foraged botanicals, eco-glitter and healing crystals. Our signature products include crystal jar candles, tealights and wax melts all made using natural, plant based soy wax. Sustainability and individuality are at the forefront of our values!

MAGMA LONDON (NEW AT GLEE)

Magma London creates innovative scented products that celebrate cultural histories and timeless designs.

NEVE’S BEES (NEW AT GLEE)

The business was founded by Mother and Daughter Beekeeping Team, Julie and Neve in 2017 – the bees were Neve’s idea when, just 9 years old, she decided the family should keep bees – so she asked her Grandad Jim to buy her a beehive for her 10th Birthday. Suffering from dry skin, and trained as a chemist, Julie had long tried, and failed, to find a range of skincare products that didn’t compromise the skin’s natural protective barrier (therefore didn’t contain the emulsifiers bactericides and other chemicals prevalent in all water based skincare (i.e. all creams and lotions))…so set out to create her own range inspired by traditional recipes, and just using JUST pure plant oils and butters blended with natural Oxfordshire Beeswax. These were so popular with friends and family that the business kind of took off organically! Winning several products awards as well as Blenheim Palace Start up business award in 2018 and Oxfordshire’s most sustainable business award in 2023, the business really took off!

PELSIUS

Leading global pest control manufacturer and supplier Pelsis Group has acquired Nottingham based garden care product manufacturer, Doff Portland, strengthening the group’s portfolio of leading retail, agricultural and professional brands.

PETERALS

Peterals was formed in 2018 by two friends frustrated with their green lawns turning to mud. The cause? Dog pee.

PODIUM PET PRODUCTS (NEW AT GLEE)

We exist to fulfil the joy that pets give us as their parents by bringing to market trusted, innovative & natural solution-based products. Our ‘Hero’ brands are Dog Rocks and Be:Loved.

POLLY & ANDY (NEW AT GLEE)

Polly & Andy are an Irish sustainable footwear brand. The brand is inspired by Polly’s son Andy. Andy’s dislike of seams on socks and the lack of options in the market drove Polly to create her own range of bamboo socks with seamless toes in 2019.

SANDART (NEW AT GLEE)

Sandart, a leading producer of high-quality craft kits, is thrilled to announce its participation at Glee 2024. With roots dating back to 2002, we've dedicated over two decades to crafting safe and innovative products that inspire creativity across generations. As we make our debut at Glee, the ultimate hub for industry networking and brand exposure, our primary goal is to elevate the Sandart brand and introduce more enthusiasts to the magic of our craft kits.

SIMPSON STRONG TIES

Since 1956, Simpson Strong-Tie has been driven by a commitment to design and manufacture structural connectors, fasteners and anchors that improve and simplify traditional building methods while developing performance tested and approved solutions for new ones. Everyone who comes into contact with our products experiences technical support, advice and aftercare that is second to none. Already a familiar name among building professionals in the residential and public building sectors, we recently turned our expertise in timber construction to ‘outdoor living’. 

SÒLAS HOME (NEW AT GLEE)

SÒLAS Home, derived from the Scottish Gaelic word for "light & brightness," specializes in eco-friendly, vegan and cruelty-free home fragrances, proudly made in Warwickshire since 2020. Our range includes candles, reed diffusers, wax melts, and room sprays, crafted with materials responsibly sourced from within the UK. Our packaging is FSC approved and either recyclable or recycled.

STANDS OUT (NEW AT GLEE)

In a small Welsh Village where the foothills of Snowdonia meet the Irish Sea, Stands Out was created by James and Nikki. Over the next 15 years, Stands Out grew from strength to strength, thanks to our talented team and our wonderful customers. It all started in 2008 with our original Friendship Bracelets (still one of our best-selling lines), since then we’ve worked hard to produce fabulous gift concepts and continue to develop exciting new ideas to extend our range. We now offer a completely bespoke service to some of UK’s favourite gift shops, tourist destinations and retailers.

STOREYS & TAILS (NEW AT GLEE)

Storeys and Tails have spent the last 13 years honing their craft and perfecting the art of handcrafting leather and BioThane pet accessories. Specialising in high-quality and distinctive dog collars, they have set the standard for premium leather pet products, which exude character and style.

SUPER NINJA WASPINATOR

Super Ninja, a leading provider of non-toxic pest control solutions, has acquired Waspinator Ltd, the UK-based company renowned for its innovative wasp prevention product, the Waspinator. The Waspinator deters wasps by mimicking a wasp nest.

WITT UK (NEW AT GLEE)

Witt is a Danish brand with a 30-year history of developing and marketing some of the finest household products available throughout the Nordic region, UK, Ireland, and The Benelux countries. Specialising in unique, innovative products, Witt offers a portfolio of premium brands such as Liebherr, Segway, Hygge! and V-Breathe, as well as designing and developing its exceptional products for the home. Witt now sells its portfolio across Europe, into premium market sectors where functionality, quality and design are the main priorities.

We take a look at some of amazing brands that are returning to the show after a considerable absence. They range from some of Europe’s biggest suppliers of bulbs, seeds, tools and garden equipment, to festive giants, children’s clothing and specialty food providers.

They join more than 400 exhibitors who are lined up to exhibit at this year’s show, around half of which (180+) are making their debut in 2024. Visitors can look forward to discovering a breathtaking array of brand new brands and products, as well as the latest collections and innovations from those who are returning after a few years away from the show.

The welcome return of almost 30 lapsed brands was facilitated by Glee reverting back to its original September date, which is ideally placed for pre-Christmas and early spring buying. The news follows an announcement made in July that Deroma, the world’s largest manufacturer of terracotta pots, will be returning to Glee this season following a three-year absence. 

Brands returning to Glee in 2024 include H.S.Hommers, Seeds of Italy Ltd, The Barking Bakery Ltd, Sorbus International Ltd, Leisure Grow, Tildenet Gardenware, Premier Decorations, Doreen Preston and Son Ltd, Bonfeu UK, outTrade BV, Jiangsu WMGrass Co.,Ltd, ACD, Eastern Connections, Nutscene Twines Ltd, Nostrand Limited, Taylors Bulbs, Evergreen Horticulture, Marissa's Gifts, Scheurich Ltd, Spear & Jackson, Bugalugs Pet Care, Hozelock Ltd, Deroma, Rowlinson Garden Products Ltd, Blade and Rose, Nuova Deroma UK Ltd and Dizmezs Ltd.

Matthew Mein, Event Director at Glee, said: “The return of so many great brands in our 50^th anniversary year is great news for Glee and demonstrates the importance of our September timeframe. 2024 is shaping up to be an exceptional year for Glee and we’re all looking forward to reconnecting with our customers - whether they are industry giants or artisan producers – and welcoming hundreds of newcomers to the fold. This is one event that garden retailers won’t want to miss”. 

Back once again this year!

Hozelock

Industry giant, Hozelock, has a combined knowledge and passion for gardening which extends over 60 years, with a pride in craftsmanship and special knack for finding and meeting the needs of gardens and gardening. Its comprehensive range of watering, spraying, plant protection and pond solutions helps gardens to flourish. Spare parts are also available. See them in Hall 7 Stand A80-B81

Taylors Bulbs

Taylors Bulbs is a fourth-generation family business, which has been growing and supplying bulbs and associated products for more than 100 years. Daffodils are grown from the family farm in Lincolnshire, where they design and pack a large range of products, primarily for the UK and Irish markets. The company is renowned for its award-winning service. See them in Hall 9 Stand E51.

Rowlinson Garden Products

Family business, Rowlinson Garden Products, traded in timber for almost a century and is now a leading UK manufacturer and importer of garden structures, buildings and storage solutions, with a wide range of garden furniture, grow your own and landscaping materials. Their ever-expanding range reflects a broad and diverse array of consumer styles and tastes. See them in Hall 8 Stand F90-7A91

Premier Decorations

Established for over 30 years, Premier Decorations is the number one designer and importer of Christmas decorations, trees and lighting, with a huge product range that also covers gardening and outdoor living, gift and homeware, plus Halloween and party decorations. Their customers include garden centres, DIY stores, multiples, department stores, wholesalers and high street retailers, alongside mail order, e-Commerce and specialist outlets. See them in Hall 7 Stand 7A90-B91

Evergreen Horticulture

Exclusive to Glee this season, Evergreen Horticulture produces a wide range of expertly blended growing media and professional mix substrates, all from premium quality ingredients to suit a wide cross section of growing conditions. Based in Country Tyrone in Northern Ireland, Evergreen started out as a small family business in the 1950s, which is now in its third generation. Their extensive portfolio includes entirely peat-free and peat reduced options, alongside hugely popular originals. See them in Hall 8 Stand D60.

Tildenet Gardenware

With more than half a century of experience in the field, Tildenet Gardenware is the UK's leading horticultural manufacturer, with expertise in outdoor leisure, garden and home markets. See them in Hall 6 Stand G80.

Nutscene Twines

Nutscene Twines Ltd, a UK based producer of the finest raffia and twines – including coloured craft twines and heritage jute spools – plus an array of lovely gifts and homeware, is exhibiting exclusively at Glee this year. this great British company offers many lines that are made entirely in the United Kingdom. See them in Hall 9 Stand F63.

Scheurich

With the mantra, 'my pot, my style', Scheurich creates a broad spectrum of contemporary planters in coordinated shapes and colours, in standard sizes to facilitate retail merchandising and multiple customer purchases in store. Designed to enhance the home and garden, Scheurich pots are sustainably produced and great for gifting. See them in Hall 8 Stand C70-D71.

Spear & Jackson

Exclusive to Glee this year, Spear & Jackson is a historic business that has been making hand tools since 1760. Their premium quality collection includes trusted tools for every gardening task, from cutting and pruning to cultivating and digging, as well as watering, maintenance and accessories. See them in Hall 9 Stand L02.

Seeds of Italy

Seeds of Italy is the sole importer and distributor of Franchi branded seeds in the UK. Established in 1783, Franchi is the world's oldest family-run see brand and remains in the same family after seven generations, specialising in endangered, heritage seeds, ethical and regional vegetable varieties and lost flavours. Flower seeds, including organic and hard-to-find varieties, plus seed for pets and the flagship Eden Project seed range are also available. Packets are generously proportioned. See them in Hall 9 Stand 71.

Dizmezs Ltd.

Exclusive to Glee in 2024, Dizmezs Ltd is a family run business which started as a sawmill for production of birch lumber. Nowadays there are three business divisions, including forest management of own forest land, harvesting and logging activities, sawmilling and production of birch furniture components and production of biofuels. See them in Hall 10 Stand B40-A41.

Sorbus International

Another brand exclusive to Glee in 2024 is Sorbus International Limited, a wholly owned British Company based in Frome Somerset. Sorbus is the exclusive UK importer of the award-winning Japanese pruning range, ARS (Always, Razor, Sharp). The comprehensive range includes handsaws, high reach polesaws, secateurs, shears, loppers, telescopic pruners, fruit pruners, scissors, and floristry products. See more in Hall 6, stand A71.

Register now for Glee 2024!

Registration for Glee 2024 is now open.  To find out more, and to secure your free ticket to the 50^th edition of Glee please visit www.gleebirmingham.com/visitor-registration

Find out more 

Glee connects the garden industry to inspire change, drive growth, and promote innovation. To find out more or to register your interest in exhibiting, which will take place 10^th – 12^th September at the NEC, please visit www.gleebirmingham.com or call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.

Glee has announced the rebranding of the Glee Innovators Zone to Glee Firsts. Since its inception in 2009, the Innovators Zone has been an essential part of Glee, dedicated to showcasing fresh talent, groundbreaking ideas, and the latest innovations in garden retail.

The newly named Glee Firsts will continue to uphold its original mission of celebrating and providing opportunities for entrepreneurs, inventors, and grassroots product developers. This vibrant area of Glee will once again host dozens of suppliers making their debut at the show, many of whom bring innovative ideas, prototypes, and a strong desire to break into the garden retail sector.

Glee Firsts will also be the home of the annual winners of the GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund. Previous winners of this prestigious award include Germie, Natural Grower, VivaGreen (MossOff), Pot-Mate™, and Green Digit (Grow So Simple), all of whom have significantly impacted the industry with their pioneering products.

Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director, commented on the rebranding: “For the last 15 years, the Innovators Zone has been a must-attend part of Glee. Recognising that the exhibitor roster has developed to include more established companies making their debut at Glee and, by extension, to the garden retail sector, we wanted to rebrand the area to better reflect this evolution. Under its new name, ‘Glee Firsts,’ visitors to the show will have a much clearer understanding of what to expect from this area and how time spent here can help forge exciting new supply partnerships. It also provides access to products not yet seen within garden centres – a proposition that will certainly appeal to retailers looking to curate unique and fully personalised stock profiles.”

As Glee celebrates its golden anniversary, Glee Firsts is set to be a highlight of the event, promising to deliver innovation, inspiration, and new business opportunities for all attendees. Don’t miss the chance to discover the future of garden retail at Glee Firsts.

Register now for Glee 2024!

Registration for Glee 2024 is now open, with a number of exciting registration incentives sett to launch soon. To find out more, and to secure your free ticket to the 50th edition of Glee please visit www.gleebirmingham.com/visitor-registration

The best of home, gift and clothing suppliers are gearing up to join the Glee community at the NEC, Birmingham. Many companies exhibiting under the Home, Gift & Clothing banner are exclusive to Glee this season, ranging in size from artisan British producers to some of the biggest suppliers in the business and nationwide buying groups.

With the garden industry performing better than most retail sectors and consumers still striving to merge their indoor and outdoor spaces, there has never been a better time for home and gift retailers to gain market insight at Glee, where they’ll discover a lot more than fertiliser and seeds! State of the art garden solutions will share exhibition space with fantastic gift ideas that will delight the millions of amateur gardeners who live in our green and pleasant land. Outdoor clothing and greetings cards, toys, home fragrances and lighting will all be there on the show floor, alongside decorative accessories for Christmas and spring seasons.

Commenting on the importance of gifting in garden centres, especially at Christmas, GCA CEO, Peter Burks, says: “Giftware is fairly steady throughout the year, with a 20% rise above the average in March/April due to Mother’s Day and Easter but then 40% of the total years sales are done in Oct-Dec, with December being well over double the monthly average. These non-gardening categories are seen as very important to our members as a way of getting both the weather impact and the seasonality of gardening reduced”.

Home, Gift & Clothing at Glee

Returning to Glee in 2024 is Cardgains (Stand 9C85), the national buying group for independent retailers selling cards, gifts and associated products, and a very familiar name to the home and gift retail community, for whom it’s been central to the independent trade for 35 years. This underscores the ever-growing importance of garden centres to the UK’s world-leading greetings card trade.

Cardgains MD, Penny Shaw, commented: “At Cardgains, amongst many other card and gift selling retailers, we support quite a few independent garden centre members and will be looking forward to seeing them at Glee.  We also hope to get to know many more garden centre people at the show. We know that Glee is a great show for both retailers to visit and suppliers to exhibit at, so we’re hoping to engage with those already associated with Cardgains and those who want to find out how we can work together. I will be on the stand at the show with our Financial Director Helen McManus and our Sales Manager, Charles Dyson.  We’re excited to welcome everyone to the Cardgains stand in Hall 9, stand C85

As well as being represented by Cardgains, Woodmansterne, Noel Tatt and UK Greetings will have their own stands at Glee, offering a golden opportunity for retailers to view their extensive new collections in a major exhibition setting. They are joined by the master of humorous greetings cards, Emotional Rescue, whilst major stationery brand, Robert Frederick, will bring an exceptional collection of licensed paper products and gifts to the powerful Glee audience.

Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director, commented: “As the GCA trade barometer consistently demonstrates, home, gift, clothing and related product categories are of great importance to an increasing number of garden centres, which especially rely on the Christmas gift trade and typically inspire buying with fantastic in-store displays. The presence at Glee of major industry suppliers from non-horticultural sectors is further indication that gift shops in garden centres are very much here to stay. With so many exceptional brands and products to source from, the 50th anniversary of Glee is a must-attend show for both garden centres and high street gift shops who want to find something new and exciting ahead for the Golden Quarter of the year when the bulk of profits are made. We are looking forward to welcoming many of them to the show in September!”

Preview the Exhibitors: New & exclusive to Glee

Visitors to Glee’s dedicated Home, Gift & Clothing sector this September will be treated to a wealth of established brands and new names, including the likes of Creative Products, UK Greetings, Rouchette, Woodmansterne, Blade & Rose, Tilnar Art, Seedball, Freckleface, Biohort and Turtle Mat. Here we shine a light on those brands that are not only new but exclusive to Glee, meaning you won’t find them at any other UK trade show this year.

Annie Bennett Jewellery: Stand 9A70

Annie is a Bristol-based jeweller whose jewellery is made entirely from recycled silver giftware, silver jewellery and silver electronics. Packaging is also recycled and recyclable, meaning that every part of the making and packaging process is eco-friendly and sustainable. Annie’s designs are inspired by geometric shapes found in nature as well as by abstract art.

By Jo Crafts: Stand 9E62-D63

By Jo Crafts is a small business run by two ladies who enjoy bringing colour and beauty into people’s homes, whether that’s with coasters, hessian bags, scarves or Christmas decorations, we have amazing products with vibrant designs to suit every home, every room, and every season. Jo comes from a family of artists with her background in teaching Art & Textiles, whilst Gem’s experience of working in the corporate world brings organisational skills and business acumen to drive the business forward. The result is that By Jo Crafts is a multi-award winning company with products sold across the globe. Jo & Gem are both mothers and wives who love spending time with their families.

Candle Academy (Wacky Wax): Stand 9C83

Wacky Wax is all about spreading joy, one hand-dipped candle at a time. Their vibrant and whimsical taper candles are designed to add a touch of personality and colour to any space, whether it’s a cosy living room or a special occasion dinner.

Emotional Rescue: Stand 6A67

Emotional Rescue has the largest, award-winning humour portfolio in the greetings card industry, across Birthday/Blank, Relations, Occasions, Age, Spring Seasons and Christmas. The award-winning publisher is constantly updating existing ranges, so they are packed-full of contemporary and topical material, as well as working hard to introduce new ranges to the market.

Häago: Stand 9D70

At Häago, the journey began with a simple mission to create eco-friendly solutions for outdoor enthusiasts, whatever activity they’re doing. Today the company is proud to be a leader in the eco-friendly product industry, providing an extensive range of retailers, television production studios, garden centres and individuals with high-quality warmers and tableware that are both effective and environmentally conscious.  Dedication to sustainability remains at the core of everything they do, and they are constantly working to find new ways to reduce our environmental impact and promote positive change while making the great-outdoors just that little bit more comfortable.

Invisible Creations: Stand 9E80

Invisible Creations specialises in the design of stylish and accessible products for the home and garden. The attractive designs offer the safety and support of traditional grab rails while seamlessly blending into the surroundings, avoiding the institutional look: for beautiful homes without barriers.

Jexsox: Stand 9D80

Jemsox is a small family ran sock brand who highly focus on being as sustainable, eco-friendly whilst ensuring they give their customers pure comfort. Jemsox thrive on ensuring it produces high quality, on trend socks whilst working closely with its factories to ensure the fabrics and process of creating Jemsox socks are made sustainably.

Littlemore Candle Co: Stand 9C63

Littlemore Candle Company is a family run business based in rural Oxfordshire, specialising in home fragrances with unique decor including foraged botanicals, eco-glitter and healing crystals. Signature products include crystal jar candles, tealights and wax melts all made using natural, plant based soy wax, with sustainability and individuality held at the forefront of the company values.

Monique Me Retail & Concessions: Stand 9F75

Monique Me Retail & Concessions is a UK ladies and men’s wear clothing concession. Its offering includes MONIQUE a stylish Italian clothing range, ME a modern classic made in UK range, and MNQ MAN a contemporary men’s wear range.

Pawprint Family: Stand 9C70

Pawprint Family’s quality pins and patches feature a selection of favourite literary and heritage brands. At pocket money prices, it’s just the item to help boost the gifting area in stores or shopfront.  Featured brands include Wallace & Gromit, Julia Donaldson books, The Smurfs, Moomins, Care Bears and many more.

Sandart: Stand 9F82

The Sandart story began in 2002 in a beautiful coastal town known as Wilderness, found along the Garden Route in South Africa. Now, twenty years later, they employ eight full-time staff members and supply over 150 local and international distributors. Sandart was acquired by Turrim in 2021, joining the TOWER and Kidico brands. SandArt has been developed for 20 years with proven success in providing high-quality creative craft products.

Slipfree: Stand 9B75

Slipfree is on a global mission to keep children (& adults) safe with its unique, sustainable non-slip swim shoes for beach, pool & home.

Soctopus Ltd: Stand 9D62

The family-run, Leicestershire-based company makes socks identified by their bold design steeped in British, European and contemporary humour and history. Socks are either a cotton or bamboo blend retailing from £8 making them the most perfect gift.

SÒLAS Home: Stand 9B70

SÒLAS Home create luxury home fragrances which look and smell great as well as being planet friendly. They are handmade in its Warwickshire studio from eco-friendly, sustainable, vegan and cruelty free ingredients. The range includes candles, reed diffusers, wax melts, room sprays and gift sets, all CLP compliant, with a new pick ‘n’ mix wax melt range launching exclusively at Glee 2024.  

Sow Easy: Stand 9L74

Sow Easy are a sustainable promotional products supplier specialising in creating fun, seed-based plantable promotional products that grow into flowers and vegetables.

Stands Out Ltd: Stand 9B77

Stands Out offers fresh, colourful and fun gift ideas that suit any retail outlet, from family attractions to garden centres, giftshops and grottos. The team prides itself on displaying products at their very best with wooden display units that are created at the Stands Out HQ.

Register now for Glee 2024!

Registration for Glee 2024 is now open, with a number of exciting registration incentives sett to launch soon. To find out more, and to secure your free ticket to the 50th edition of Glee please visit www.gleebirmingham.com/visitor-registration

A celebration of grassroot development and the innovators creating new and unique solutions, the GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund (GISCF), created in partnership with Glee, is set to mark its 10th birthday this September, with GIMA issuing a rallying call to those new brands and product designers to submit their entries now!

Awarded at the annual Glee trade exhibition (10th – 12th September, NEC Birmingham), which has partnered with GIMA and the GISCF for the last decade, the 2024 GISCF champ will join an illustrious list of previous winners, which includes now established brands such as GERMIE, Natural Grower, Qwickhose, PotMate™, Bloomin’ Amazing and Vivagreen.   

Each year the fund offers one lucky winner an unrivalled prize package, comprising a grant of up to £6,000. This includes a year’s full GIMA membership, plus a wide range of business support tools including free exhibition space at Glee and free PR support during the event. In addition, the winners fund also includes design, development and manufacturing or marketing cost support up to the value of £3,000; access to an industry business consultant; one-year ACID (Anti Copying In Design) membership; and an advert in the next GIMA Product Digest.

Vicky Nuttall, GIMA Director, said: “The GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund celebrates those individuals or brands that have turned their ideas into reality through hard work and dedication. Each year, we see a variety of new products brought to market, tackling common problems, addressing key trends, or opening up new opportunities within gardening. I am excited to see what this year’s entrants have to offer. These emerging brands are the lifeblood of our industry and offer retailers the chance to stock something unique. Our Seed Corn Fund allows us to shine a light on these brands and help them kickstart their journey into garden retail.”

The GISCF winners will be announced on the opening day of Glee 2024, with a special ceremony on-stand with GIMA President, Kate Ebbens and Glee Event Director, Matt Mein, in attendance.

Enter the 2024 GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund

Businesses interested in entering the GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund in 2024 are invited to do so by visiting www.gima.org.uk/innovators-seed-corn-fund/ and completing the online application form ahead of the Friday 23rd August 2024 deadline.

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The team from GTN are proud once again to be the official media partners for Glee producing the Glee Planner, the Glee Show Catalogue and the Glee Daily News.

After this launch issue we will be publishing further Glee Daily News issues as follows:

• Preview - 21st June
• Build-up - 26th June
• Day 1 - 27th June
• Day 2 - 28th June
• Day 3 - 29th June
• Omnibus - 28th July

Exhibitors should contact Alan Burdon, alan@pottingshedpress.co.uk, or 07939 048899, for advertising details.