Glee 2018 opens its doors tomorrow (Monday) and after several hectic days of build up hundreds of exhibitors are ready and waiting to show you the thousands of new products and services on offer...

To get in the mood for three days of Glee, we gave our photographer an hour to whizz round the show as build up nears completion. There is a lot to see...see you in the morning.

Online registration for Glee is live, enabling buyers and retailers to get online and book their free ticket to the leading showcase for the garden and outdoor living industry. Register online today to save yourself £20 and receive free parking and a dedicated show catalogue.

Simply visit www.gleebirmingham.com and click the ‘Get Your Free Ticket’ button to confirm your attendance at the 2018 show.

Bringing together over 550 of the freshest and most exciting brands from across eight core product sectors, Glee is also a hotspot for cross industry networking, and sourcing the latest innovation and never before seen products set to drive profits in 2019 and beyond. A rich educational and inspirational programme of content completes Glee’s offering, helping to make it the most vital event in the annual garden retail calendar.

Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director, said: “Whilst on the website why not also view the wealth of wider information that is available, helping you to plan your trip around the show. With so much content packed into a three-day schedule it’s worth familiarising yourself with everything before coming on-site to ensure you maximise every moment at the show. It’s also worth considering joining one of our new Discovery Tours, which will help highlight the ‘must-see’ parts of the show.”

To register for Glee 2018 simply visit www.gleebirmingham.com or click here to secure your free ticket.

It’s only eight weeks since Kelkay formally acquired Anchorfast but it’s clear that the teams have been working together for many months. This week they unveiled the exciting new WOODSHAW brand of high quality, durable timber garden furniture and decorative structures.

The products, the merchandising and the commercial approach for this significant new opportunity have all been given the unique Kelkay treatment. From 1^st January, garden centres will be able to combine their aggregate, paving, water feature and wooden outdoor product orders into one – simplifying the supply chain and deliveries.

New bespoke merchandising and display solutions are promised to help drive category growth and the new WOODSHAW brand has been developed to reflect the hand crafted quality of this British-made product. The range extends to swing seats and arbours, table sets and seating, gazebos, arches and planters.

WOODSHAW can be found in Hall 6 on stand N20 – P21 just a few paces from Kelkay’s main stand Q30 – S31 and Q40 – S41.

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

As ever, Burgon & Ball has been keeping its finger firmly on the pulse of garden trends – and this year at GLEE it is launching an extensive selection of innovative new ranges which tap into this year’s leading garden trends, including the ever-increasing houseplant obsession, the small spaces of Generation Rent, and the dahlia’s return to the fashion spotlight.

With an exciting variety of new products at GLEE this year, there’ll be both standalone new concepts, and whole new collections to inspire - all carefully created, with altogether more thought. There are no fewer than 33 new products on show, and retailers will find Burgon & Ball doing what it does best; introducing top quality, innovative new products. If previous years’ track record is anything to go by, some of next year’s top-selling items will be unveiled at GLEE, giving retailers an exclusive first look.

As an example, one unmissable trend is indoor gardening. The houseplant obsession continues to grow, with some garden centres doubling sales year-on-year - and the market has not yet reached ‘peak houseplant’. Fuelled by the aspirational imagery of Instagram and the leafy interiors featured in glossy home interest magazines, greenery has become a must-have element of interior design, whether or not homeowners describe themselves as ‘gardeners’.

What’s more, for many people, today’s compact urban homes mean a smaller or even no garden, and for ‘Generation Rent’ a garden of their own seems an unattainable goal. So with indoor greenery often the only way to flex green fingers, houseplants are the most popular they’ve been in a generation.

Perfectly meeting the resulting demand for beautiful indoor plant pots, Burgon & Ball’s collection of indoor pots has been a huge success, with the stylish designs flying off the shelves – especially when merchandised using the specially-designed indoor pots stand. And with the leafy trend continuing to make style headlines, Burgon & Ball is now launching a further selection of elegant indoor pot designs, to extend choices for homeowners looking for a style statement.

There’s even a tiny hanging pot created just for those who love the trend for perfectly petite and daintily displayed succulents and cacti – and with a subtle crackle glaze in an aqua shade, it’s also a perfect match for the trend for plants in bathrooms.

Looking at another trend, gorgeous big blooms are making style headlines, and dahlias and peonies take centre stage in ‘British Bloom’, a new design collection in the award-winning RHS Gifts for Gardeners series. The new design has been created to appeal to all ages, as these two favourite classic garden blooms are once again firmly back in fashion. The new collection includes best-selling RHS lines, as well as introducing some inspired new gift ideas.

So to get market insight at your fingertips, and to see the products specially developed to tap into these trends, make sure you visit Burgon & Ball on stand 8E50-F51 at GLEE.

Meadow View Stone will be delivering invaluable insight to their customers on current market trends within their new Innovation Hub on their stand at Glee 19C30-D31.  A selection of products that have proved particularly successful in tapping into these new trends, will be showcased together with analytical data that the company has utilised to define these product collections. 

Being at the forefront of product development via their exclusive European supply arrangements have led the company to develop a collection of unique and exclusive decorative aggregates that reflect current trends in hard landscaping.

Sarah Hill Marketing Director for Meadow View Stone stated “The colour grey has become such a staple requirement for landscape design, outselling the traditional buffs and golden colour products during the course of the last two years.  Driving our product development and extended our product collections to respond to this new trend has returned some great results for our customers”.

“With an extensive collection of grey gravels and paving launched at Glee last year customers have seen immense success, with many products already outselling the staple favorites”.  Sarah adds.

The Innovation Hub will not only provide customers with an insight into market trends, but also confirmation on the products that reflect this, along with case studies of success stories from customers.

It is a space for customers to discover the ideas and tools that Meadow View Stone use to help customers build sales.  From analytics and market research to product development and proven customer success, the hub gives a critical insight into hard landscaping.

Customers are invited to come along and explore the opportunity these product collections present together with enjoying a drink within their hospitality area on stand number

19C30-D31.

Westland will use 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 of this will be the unveiling of new products in the New Horizon range with our revolutionary BIO3 additive which is 100% sustainable. BIO3 is the culmination of a £35million investment and unprecedented breakthrough in peat replacement technology.

Simon McArdle from Westland, commented: “BIO3 is the compost for the next generation. It combines wood, premium quality coir and bio fibre to deliver one of the highest quality composts on the market, that just so happens to be peat-free. We’ve been developing this for some time now so we can’t wait to unveil it at Glee”.

Westland will also be celebrating 80 years since the launch of the iconic John Innes. Our newly repositioned range are all based on the original blend, but now are enriched with nutrients and additives reflecting the latest grower technology to ensure improved performance.

Glee also provides Westland opportunity to showcase its position as the most forward thinking and leading lawn brand. Aftercut is launching a new lawn programme that helps overcome the retail challenges of the stable and mature lawncare market. It will be simplifying lawncare regimes and extending the lawn season with new products that can be used in early spring and late autumn. As part of this Westland is launching two new products.

The first is AfterCut Ultra Green+, which give a greener and stronger lawn, which prevents moss from growing. The second is Gro Sure Fast Start -  Smart Lawn Seed which utilises aqua gel technology combined with specially bred varieties which to allow the seed to germinate at lower temperatures than previously achieved, allowing gardeners to boost their lawn earlier, and later, in the season than previously possible.

Peckish, which has recently become the fastest growing brand within the bird care market, will be unveiling new products as well as a new look at the show. Packaging has been refined, with 80% of all Peckish food products now being available with a resealable top, and new Squirrel Proof Suet Pellets will be launched as well as additions to the Secret Garden range of decorative planters.

Other highlights include the new Resolva Xtra Clean Path and Patio where consumer insight has guided our brand offering within the category; and the continued development of the Deadfast rodenticide range as a result of a new partnership with the world’s leader in rodent control, Victor; and a celebration of the 32% industry growth of indoor. This growth has led to a 38% increase in sales for Westland’s indoor plant care range which will be boosted by the Glee launch of the new Hydroleca clay granules which absorb water and release as required.     

A new look Unwins range will also be on display which sees the launch of four seed new collections and a new Gro-Sure Seed Start, a pre-treatment that can be sprinkled into compost to provide better germination and establishment.

The market-leading Westland straights range is relaunched this year with modern, premium packaging, designed to make it easier to understand what each product does. The aim is to attract new consumers and drive value in this mature market.               

Keith Nicholson, Marketing Director at Westland, said: “We’ve got a lot planned for this year’s Glee. It’s always a vital platform for us to launch new products and unveil developments within our existing ranges but we are particularly excited about this year’s show. Westland has experienced strong growth across many brands recently and we anticipate the New Horizon BIO3 products, as well as classics like John Innes, to help this continue.”

Westland will be at the show on stand 7G50-K51.

Award-winning gardening brand Briers has never been one to stand still in the market. It’s commitment to providing high quality, affordable products remain at the heart of Briers, whilst always looking to innovate with its designs, product categories and shopping solutions.

At this year’s GLEE, Briers are excited to launch, not only a range of new products and designs, but a new look for their branding as well.

“We’re putting user experience at the forefront of our packaging, allowing for easier shopping, merchandising and retail solutions,” says Head of Brand, Olivia Moores. “We’ve given our brand a fresh-faced makeover with a contemporary, simple design, allowing our fantastic products to take centre stage.”

Briers contemporary new look will initially be rolled out on its core range of gloves. The market leaders have introduced informative ‘Features & Benefits’ symbols and colour coded sizing, making it easier for both customers to shop by task, and retailers to organise their stock by style, task and price point. Even the design of the header cards has been given an innovative new shape, making it easier for shoppers to try on the gloves, and retailers to scan the barcode.

Briers continues to support retailers with its innovative and award-winning display concepts. New designs showcasing the new branding will maximise retail impact across all of Briers categories. Briers offers proven merchandising solutions and has a wealth of knowledge to be able to offer retailers a tailored merchandising solution for their shoppers.

Come and see the new collections on the Briers stand at Glee 8D50-E51. To find out more information about the UK market leading range of gardening gloves, footwear and accessories, please visit www.briersltd.co.uk

What do you get if you combine the market leader in lawn care with one of the most easily recognisable gardening brands in the industry?

The answer is EverGreen® Miracle-Gro® - the new super brand that will transform the lawn care sector in 2019.

Making its debut appearance at this year’s Glee, EverGreen® Miracle-Gro® combines the power of two phenomenal brands, creating a highly effective new product portfolio for lawn care.

“Consumer insight revealed that the Miracle-Gro® brand makes products even more credible and convincing,” explains Pery Mitsiou, category manager growing media and lawn care, Evergreen Garden Care. “It also highlighted that consumers already perceived a link between the two brands, so even though they may be using EverGreen® products, they actually believed they were already using a lawn care product containing Miracle-Gro®. Therefore, it made perfect sense to combine the forces of both brands, creating a new lawn care product portfolio that will result in even stronger consumer confidence and increased sales - a win-win scenario for everyone.”

Supported by the huge success already achieved with Miracle-Gro® Patch Magic®, a product that has consistently delivered very strong sales, Evergreen Garden Care is also confident that this powerful combination of brands will reap huge rewards for the lawn seed sector as well.

“In terms of the way we present our lawn care portfolio of products, it is quite a radical change but initial customer and retailer feedback has been very positive. During consumer research end users told us that the new packaging offers clear messaging and has increased their propensity to purchase,” continued Pery Mitsiou. “We are therefore confident that this is absolutely the right way forward. By playing to the strengths of both brands, we have created a new super brand within lawn care for 2019 and beyond.”

The new packaging also reflects the merger of the brands and provides increased consumer appeal, while still retaining the recognisable look and feel of Miracle-Gro® products. Pack claims are also much stronger, focusing on the key product benefits such as super fast germination, impressive quality, outstanding performance and highlight the fact that all products are child and pet friendly too.

For more information, please visit www.lovethegarden.com

The Block Blitz team is busy setting up their stand in preparation to showcase its hassle-free paving treatments at this year’s GLEE show. The company will be profiling its growing business and expanding product range on Stand 20U70.

Originally launched at GLEE in 2016, Yorkshire-based Block Blitz unveiled the UK’s first block paving specific treatment and won the Glee New Product Award for Garden Care and secured business with a host of stockists following the event.

At GLEE 2017, the company enjoyed another successful show, with Poplars Garden Centre’s Alastair Jackson naming them “The best new brand and product at GLEE 2017” praising their “good price and great merchandising”.

Glee will see the launch of Block Blitz Paving Sand, a new ‘top up’ paving sand, which will keep paving joints clean and deter weeds and moss. The treated kiln dry paving sand uses and eco-friendly mineral and plant based formula and comes in an easy to use, consumer friendly spout pouch.

In addition to the Block Blitz Paving Sand, two further products will be unveiled at this year’s show adding to the Block Blitz portfolio. Block Blitz Multi-pave and Block Blitz for Artificial Grass are being added to the Block Blitz range making it even easier to keep outdoor areas clean and tidy.

As with the original Block Blitz products, both the multi-purpose paving cleaner and artificial grass treatment use the same powder-based cleaner which is made from a powerful mineral and plant-based formula and is non-abrasive, contains no bleach, acids or biocides and is biodegradable.

Block Blitz Multi-pave

Block Blitz Multi-pave can be used on paving slabs, tarmac drives and decking and is easily applied by using a watering can to deter algae moss and weeds and protect from the sun whilst cleaning the area.

Block Blitz for Artificial Grass

Block Blitz for artificial grass self-cleans and sanitises the area keeping it clean and germ-free. The treatment is not harmful to pets or people and is applied by dissolving the product in water and spreading over the area.

Both new products come in 380g pouches costing £3.49 each which treat an area of 15sqm. Block Blitz recommends two treatments per year.

Block Blitz founder, Dave Moore explains, “This will be our third attendance at GLEE and our stand will be our biggest to date. Our product range is expanding, and our business is gathering pace, with exciting plans imminent in terms of manufacturing and business development. We’ve had a great response to Block Blitz and I’m looking forward to spreading the word again at GLEE and of course hope to come away with even more interested stockists.”

Interested retailers should visit Block Blitz on Stand 20U70 at Glee. For further information, contact the company on 01302 246 451 or email enquiries@blockblitz.co.uk. You can also visit their website at www.blockblitz.co.uk.

Leading outdoor heating and garden leisure specialists, La Hacienda, are set to return to Glee with a wealth of profit-boosting additions including exciting new outdoor heating and garden decorative products, and first sight of exclusive new Merchandising/POS deals!

“We’re celebrating 30 years of trading with even more innovation and new product as well as exciting new merchandising and POS for our wide range of garden leisure products,” Simon Goodwin, Category Product Manager said.

“It’s our mission to bring our garden centre customers an effective and profitable category approach to help deliver maximum revenues. Our head office team continues to deliver excellent customer services from our base in Gloucestershire, and for the new season they’ll be supported by the new sales agent team in the field. Both teams are dedicated to bringing our customers an exceptional level of service and building strong partnerships.”

SUPERIOR MERCHANDISING SOLUTIONS

To demonstrate La Hacienda’s continued commitment to the garden centre channel, this year the category champions have invested heavily in a new, professional retail merchandising system offering garden retailers fantastic merchandising solutions, providing every opportunity to maximise sales.

“As our partners in AMES UK, Kelkay have shared their market leading merchandising practices to help us provide customers with an exciting modular display solution. The result – a completely flexible and visually impressive system for displaying outdoor heating, with the key aim of maximising in-store presence and sales for all,” Mr. Goodwin said.

“We’re excited to reveal these at Glee this week.”

OUTDOOR HEATING

Now in their 30th year, La Hacienda are global experts in outdoor heating. From innovative perforated firebaskets and fireplaces, to new retro-style electric heaters and gas firepits, look out for a complete range of interesting and enjoyable products to enrich and enhance outdoor living at GLEE this week.

GARDEN DÉCOR

Following huge success in 2018, La Hacienda have expanded their range of decorative accessories even further and are pleased to offer the latest and most fashionable décor products. From decorative planters and partyware to new outdoor lanterns and metal animals, their mission is to help your customers accessorise and enhance their homes and gardens.

With sales of outdoor entertaining and garden leisure products continuing an upward trend, a visit to the La Hacienda Glee Stand (6N30-P31) is an absolute must for anyone wanting to discover the latest trends and to help maximise further growth in this sector.

To find out more about La Hacienda and their market leading range of outdoor heating and garden accessory products, go to www.lahacienda.co.uk or email sales@lahacienda.co.uk

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

Ultra Power DIY rodent control solutions from The Big Cheese are the best-in-class products designed and built to deliver ultra-fast control of target rodent pests in homes and commercial premises alike.

New formats and new formulations are combined with eye-catching pack designs and in-store merchandising to make Ultra Power a must-stock range for 2019.

The Big Cheese Ultra Power range divides into four, high-performance categories to deliver effective results in any situation – just Like The Professionals Use.

• Catch & Kill: High powered traps with proven snap and hold, child safe electronic traps that administer a clean kill in seconds, plus rodent Trap Kits for extra protection.
• Bait & Kill: Single-feed bait technology that combines proven palatability with the necessary amount of active ingredient to deliver a lethal dose to rodents in one feed.
• Catch Alive: An effective alternative to kill traps and poisons. Rodent control that’s safe for use around children and pets.
• Repel: Effective round-the-clock protection that’s scientifically tested and proven.

Visit STV International at Glee – Hall 8, Stand A40-C41.

www.stvpestcontrol.com

info@stvpestcontrol.com

01953 881 580

Tomorrow you can visit Capi Europe at Glee. This season, we have welcomed new models and designs in to our collection and we are excited to show you our new range. The Glee fair is the perfect opportunity to show you our new collection.

Find a sneak peak of our some of our new products underneath:

New product: Rain Barrel

The climate is changing and the weather is becoming more extreme: there are more days with heavy and prolonged rainfall. The risk of flooding and water damage is increasing because the sewer system cannot handle the high amounts of rainwater. At the same time, there are more periods of sustained heat and drought. With all of the associated negative consequences. To help maintain a water-friendly garden, Capi has developed this rainwater tank. Rainwater is soft and that's good for your plants. You also save on tap water. And that's good for everyone!

New collection: Nature Clay NL

Our Clay collection is a new texture in our Made in Holland collection. Clay is an outstanding appearance. The ‘Clay’ texture is inspired by cracked clay soil. It shows the process of nature where solid clay dries out and cracks. One of nature’s many forms, just like the other textures in our Nature collection. A raw texture, but easy to adjust in every interior because of its basic colours.

The Nature Clay is part of our Made in Holland collection. The pots were designed and developed in our own factory in Tilburg. These Dutch flowerpots are recognisable by their orange interiors. The striking orange insides of our Made in Holland flowerpots are not only a nod to the Dutch production, they are also functional insulating layers. The insulating layer makes the flowerpot more sturdy and protects plant roots against heat and frost, extending the plant's life.

New collection: Nature Stone outdoor

Besides the successful indoor collection of the Stone series, we also added an outdoor to the Stone series this year. The slate Stone design is a composition of small elongated stones. The contrast of this texture gives the planters an extra dimension.

This special texture is inspired by nature, which makes the plant and planter a perfect fit for each other. Different models in the colour Ivory. The Stone texture provides the plants of a nice and outstanding design. This way you get an special look for your plants in your home or garden.

New collection: Nature Loop indoor

Capi Europe’s Nature collection expanded a lot this year. Besides the new Made in Holland Clay collection and the outdoor Stone series above, we also added two new indoor series: Nature Loop & Nature Wave.

The Nature Loop collection is inspired by natures purest. The Loop texture shows the endless process of nature looping around the flowerpots.  This series is inspired by all forms of nature and shows the endless processes nature has.

The Nature Wave collection is inspired by woven rattan. This handmade indoor planter has a natural look. The Nature Wave collection is inspired by woven rattan, which shows the perfect contrast between the look of natural material and being hand made.

For more information and inspiration you can download our 2019 brochure here: http://bit.ly/Capi-2019-complete

Plans for Johnsons Lawn Seed’s show stopping stand at Glee have been gathering momentum, with the UK’s most trusted grass seed brand promising new and improved products this year, including an exciting industry first.

A brand new, never seen before lawn care product, with a unique ingredient will be launched at the show with insiders claiming it to be Johnsons’ most innovative breakthrough yet.  This new, market development will further increase demand and sales in the category, as well as revolutionising the way gardeners look after their lawns.

Improvements have also been made to two long running best sellers with the addition of Johnsons’ Seedbooster™ technology which promises higher germination, fast and slow releasing nitrogen fertiliser, improved sowing rates and better value for the customer.

Accompanied by a revitalised stand, located on the main aisle in Hall 8, Glee 2018 is set to be the best yet for DLF’s UK subsidiary.

Guy Jenkins, Consumer Manager at Johnsons Lawn Seed said: “This year’s Glee will see Johnsons showcase research and development breakthroughs and cement our position as leaders in the lawn seed market.  The new and improved products that we are announcing at the show will prove enticing for any retailers wanting to offer the latest in lawn care, whilst continuing to deliver the highest quality products possible.  It certainly is an exciting year for us as a company.”

Find out more

To book a meeting on stand before your visit to Glee, please call 01386 791113, or alternatively find the DLF/Johnsons Lawn Seed team on their stand B50-C51 in Hall 8.  For current product ranges from Johnsons Lawn Seed please visit http://www.johnsonslawnseed.com/product-range.aspx

Apta, the leading supplier of pots and accessories to garden centres, will launch over 40 new ranges at Glee as part of its continued commitment to innovation in product.

As well as superb additions to its hugely popular branded ranges - the RHS and Laura Ashley - there is a wide selection of new modern, lightweight planters to build on the recent success of ranges including Granito, Slate and Stream.

In fact, the 2019 collection is Apta’s biggest ever range and marks the latest stage in the company’s sustained growth, which is set to continue over the coming years with further investments being made in designs, technology and a bespoke new warehouse.

To find out more visit stand 7J40-L41, 6L40-M41.

Taylors Bulbs will be presenting their extensive range of bulb gifts at Glee with many new products on display for Autumn/Christmas 2018, as well as updates to the existing range.  Taylors have seen more garden retailers adding style and finesse to their bulb gift displays, action that leads to sales increases.

“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.”

Novelty ceramics continue to be bestsellers with the Owl and Bird planters now being joined by a new Hedgehog ceramic complete with compost and the spiky flowers of Narcissus Rip Van Winkle.

As well as new stylish ceramic pots containing amaryllis, hyacinth and paperwhites for indoor growing, other changes for 2018 include a new metal trough with rope handles for outdoor growing.  Kits contain either a stunning purple tulip combination, or the classic combination of Tete a Tete and Muscari armeniacum.

“At £8.99, I think the Outdoor Metal Troughs are terrific value and will soon be a bestselling product”, added Ian.

High volume amaryllis sales continue to dominate the Autumn/Christmas bulb gift offer and the market-leading Taylors Premium Amaryllis range of gift boxes includes four new varieties for 2018.

Seed potatoes will be one of the talking points on the Taylors Bulbs stand according to Adam Taylor.

"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," says Adam.

"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 sales."  

Taylors will be showing display ideas and giving hints and tips for marketing and merchandising opportunities for their range of over 50 varieties available in 2kg carripacks, bulk sacks for loose sale or as their market-leading "Taster" pre-packs.

The Spring 2019 Summer flowering bulb catalogue (containing the seed potato offer) is already on customers doormats and includes over 60 new products.  

New for the UK garden retail market will be three varieties of UK grown Oca ("New Zealand Yam") and the re-launch of the Extra Value bulb range in new packaging.

"Our Glee stand is also the perfect opportunity for garden retailers to inspect the added-value gift products and we find a lot of customers build-up their Christmas display with additional bulb kits", says Adam.

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

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B For Original available in white, warm grey, ochre, peach and mulberry purple.

In line with the company’s new proposition ‘Give Room To Nature’, Elho is increasing its investment to create a brand that consumers recognise and love. Elho’s plans include investing in retail partners and displays, designing new point of sale as well as increasing its PR & marketing with core gardening and interiors consumer press.

This increased focus replaces Elho’s plans to exhibit at GLEE 2018. Instead, Elho will be presenting its new products in the VIP area of the show. Elho is also taking part in the Retail Lab that launched last year. The Retail Lab provides inspiration to retailers around the core theme of Happy Gardening with areas on Grow Your Own, Feel Good, Play, Pets and Easy Gardening.

Elho is also investing in its headquarters in Tilburg in the Netherlands. Launched in May for Elho’s 55th birthday it will act as the major trade showroom where retailers can visit and be inspired by the many new product launches that take place each season.

David Nicholson, Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland, comments, “Last year we launched our new proposition including our commitment to increasing brand awareness with consumers. We have got an excellent network of great garden centres and stockists and now it is time to focus on building our brand and reputation with consumers.”

Loft Urban Rounds Pots in Loft Urban frame.

Elho’s 2017/2018 year has been great including being proud winners of both a New Products Award and Consumers Choice Award at GLEE last year for the Green Basics Flower Bridge Grow House. For the 2018/2019 season Elho has lots of new and exciting innovations to be announced soon including Smart LED technology, new contemporary designs, colours and self watering inserts.

Elho also works really closely with their audience and inspiration comes from customer stories, feedback or requests, for example, the award-winning Corsica Door Stopper was introduced at the request of a customer wanting an easily moveable plant pot to keep her patio doors open.

Elho is a family-owned company and the leading innovator in the synthetic pottery market. For more than 55 years, Elho has dedicated itself to the product development and production of grow your own, outdoor, indoor and designer pots and planters. Every year Elho launches dozens of innovations that continuously inspire people with fun, functional and creative products.

Loft Urban Rounds Pots in Loft Urban frame.

Give room to nature

Nature makes you feel healthier, boosts your energy and makes you happier. That is what the purpose of Elho is about; inspiring people to bring more nature into their daily lives. With the Elho collection you can give room to nature in and around your home. Elho is green in everything they do. Most of Elho’s pottery collection is made of recycled material, all pots last for a long time and are produced with 100% wind energy. Elho’s aim is to be circular by 2020, allowing you to enjoy nature in a sustainable way.

Allure Doppio available in a monochromatic palette offering of mineral clay, gentle earth, bark brown and red sand and looks good inside or outside.

This year the Glee Retail Lab will be showcasing Love Tillys Air Plants for the first time.  In keeping with the popularity of House Plants, Love Tillys inventive and fun products will be used by Romeo Sommers in several of the different areas.

Glee Retail Lab this year is themed around ‘Happy Gardening’.  Air Plants are an excellent route for new and budding gardeners to own plants in a playful and cost effective way.  Accessible to all they can be kept easily in most houses and apartments.  Beautiful, different and mad!  These robust plants are suitable for all ages, and are especially popular with people that like making things, whether they are into gardening or not.  As they grow without the need for soil, they can be fixed to almost anything to create funky, modern displays.

Love Tillys new trendy range, ‘URBAN’,  will be on show, demonstrating how the plants can be used in different ways.  Top of the list are the ‘Concrete Geo Jungle’ and fun ‘Tilly Pot Men’.

The Retail Lab will have a Magnetic Wall dedicated to KalaMitica magnetic pot system.  Traditionally for plants the new range includes ‘Home Line’, with bigger stronger pots that can be used in every room in the house.  Stunning, smart and cool the pots come in a contemporary new colour palette which is sure to prove popular.

Make sure to visit the Retail Lab and the Love Tillys stand 19G31 to find out more.

Independent garden centre Henry Street has been family owned and run for five generations. Since moving to its current 40-acre site in 1985, brothers Mark, Peter, Alan and Tim Goold have grown the business considerably, repeatedly welcoming back Newspan to refurbish, extend and build new structures in a series of successful expansions.

Tim Goold stated: ‘“Over 20 years, we’ve worked with Newspan at least five or six times; we get on well and I know I’m going to get a good job for a good price”.

In Autumn 2017 Newspan once again returned to Henry Street to undertake a 1,600m² redevelopment that would allow the relocation of the restaurant to a bigger building with a terrace, and install a new canopy to improve customer flow between buildings. A vital aspect of this new project was to ensure any additional structures integrated perfectly with the existing buildings on site. From the outset Newspan’s approach was to maximise existing materials whilst designing efficient and practical methods of extension.

The planners were looking for designs that would be sympathetic to what was already here on site. While on paper the designs may have looked straightforward, the integration of the new and old structures were arguably the most important detail of this project. Tim Goold said; “The art was all in Newspan’s execution of how well the new canopy linked with other buildings on site.  What was previously an open sales area on sloping levels has been turned into a covered, level retail space that customers now move around in without getting wet in bad weather. Our café now seats 350 people; 100 covers more than before.”

The project delivery ran smoothly and to plan.  The site team worked well with the main contractor and handover was on time while maintaining typically high levels of customer service throughout. Tim Goold stated: “The team in the office is well informed and involved with activity on site, and always helpful if you need any support.  Long term, the customer care is fantastic – they know our buildings and on the rare occasions we do need help, they’re straightforward to deal with and get things sorted”.

Come and speak to Newspan at Glee on stand 19T38 to see how they can maximise your sites potential.

Meet the technical manager behind Bord na Móna UK’s award-winning products

Anna Kavanagh joined Bord na Móna Horticulture Ltd in 2005, bringing with her more than 20 years of industry experience. Her role began as Professional Sales Manager for Ireland, later expanding into the UK, dealing with growers, distributors, manufacturers and other organisations worldwide. Today, Anna heads up the Technical, Quality, and Research and Development divisions of the business, covering both professional and retail portfolios. We caught up with her ahead of Glee to find out more about developments for Bord na Móna UK:

How important is sustainability to you? We understand that Bord na Móna champions responsibly-sourced growing media use within UK horticulture. Can you tell us more about this?

To me, sustainability is hugely important. It’s crucial that we protect the environment and ensure the health of the land, air and sea to support future generations. Bord na Móna has been actively working on peat alternatives for decades and is currently involved in a Responsible Sourced Growing Media project in the UK, looking at a predictive model for peat alternatives to ensure a more sustainable future. 

Part of your job is to meet growers from around the world. Does this interaction help with the innovation of new products? And if so, how?

Meeting with growers and exploring different growing conditions and materials around the world is always a learning curve; as the population increases, so does the requirement for growing media. The focus of these meetings is often on propagation for food production and ornamentals, and examining product performance under different growing conditions in different countries obviously lends itself to innovation.

Tell us more about Bord na Móna’s approach to quality and new product development (NPD)

In recent years, Bord na Móna has seen increases in automation and scale of production, particularly on the professional side of the business. This rapid change means that quality and consistency are of paramount importance. In the NPD process, Bord na Móna has invested heavily in quality control, research and development (R&D) and independent growth trials to ensure its products achieve a high performance in the market place.

As Technical Manager, how important is the peat-free agenda to you?

The peat-free agenda is incredibly important to me, and I am proud that Bord na Móna has taken a leading role on this path. We already use peat alternatives in our growing media, and focus on more sustainable core ingredients such as green compost, bark, wood fibre and coir.

Bord na Móna has an extensive bog restoration programme. Are you involved in this and why is it important?

The rehabilitation of cutaway bogs falls under the remit of the Ecology Team, which has been in place since 2009. Over the last 10 years, more than 1,000 hectares of raised bog in the midlands have been restored and this work will continue in the future. As bogs come out of peat production, rehabilitation plans will be put in place to fulfil aspects of our sustainable responsibilities.

The Pot Company is contributing to the move away from plastics with a colourful and inspiring collection of eco-friendly homeware – made from ground down bamboo.

With single use plastics hitting the headlines for posing one of the most significant risks to our planet, the wholesaler to the Garden Centre industry has taken over the wholesale distribution of the Green Tones range, a recycled alternative to plastics, ceramics and glassware.

In bright, bold tones, the sleek products, which have been used in Channel 5’s Big Brother house, offer a natural choice for those wanting to ditch the many commonly-found plastic items inside and outside the home including garden pots, picnic sets, children's tableware, pet bowls and takeaway coffee cups.

As well as being non-toxic and dishwasher safe, eco-conscious shoppers can also be reassured that while plastic takes 450 years to break down - putting enormous toll on our wildlife and ecosystem - the Green Tones collection biodegrades in under five years with minimal landfill impact.

Sometimes sold with the tagline “I used to be a chopstick”, the eye-catching range was spotted by one of The Pot Company’s directors on a business trip to China.

After being drawn to their bright colours and sharp lines, his interest deepened on hearing the products had been created with offcuts from decking, bamboo placemats and chopsticks.

​Director Jason Frost said: “It looks and handles remarkably like its plastic equivalents but has none of the nasty components or drawbacks. We started off with plant pots and coffee cups but we’ve been expanding into new areas and now have tableware and many more domestic items – the potential range is endless."

The Pot Company already has several retailers for Green Tones products, including the Eden Project and Round Wood of Mayfield.

If you would like to add the eco-friendly collection to you range, contact the team at the Pot Company on 01892 890 353 or sales@thepotco.com or visit them on stand 20W10-X11.

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! Exhibiting at Glee 2018 on stand 6L80-M81,

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

www.patioblackspotremoval.com

A number of Neudorff’s bestselling products will be renamed with the introduction of a new and more recognisable product family for the 2019 season.

The company’s glyphosate-free, systemic weedkiller range, which includes Fast Acting Weedkiller and Fast Acting & Long Lasting Weedkiller products, will be renamed along with the Pyrol Bug & Larvae Killer range.

The new, eye-catching designs will offer an improved visual presence in-store whilst helping customers to easily identify each product and its key use at a glance.

“Our products are very well established out in the marketplace, consumers recognise the Neudorff brand and are aware of its environmental values, which have been at the centre of our product range since launching in the UK in 2012,” said Neudorff sales director, Jude Beharall.

“The increase in listings for our products and improved awareness means we are now in a great position to introduce new names for our key products. s.

The updated packaging clearly highlights the key attributes that customers actively look out for when buying weed and control products such as whether a weedkiller is glyphosate-free and the environmental credentials of bug controls.”

In addition, visitors to the show will also have the opportunity to find out more about the GIMA Sword of Excellence-winning VineWeevilFree Nematodes. Launched at the show in 2017, the range includes two additional varieties, LawnGrubFree Nematodes and LeatherjacketFree Nematodesand is the first of its kind to require no refrigeration, allowing garden centres to sell nematodes straight from the shelf for the first time.

Neudorff will showcase its entire range at Glee 2018 at stand 6P40-Q41.

For more information visit www.neudorff-trade.co.uk or call 0121 767 1821.

Developed from totally natural ingredients and safe to children, pets, ponds and wildlife, MossOff Chemical-Free is now available in a convenient ready to use formulation.

MossOff unique technology is chemical free and completely safe to children and pets as well as plant life and even fish and ponds. The award winning product is now available in a ready to use trigger spray for spot treatment and removal of green algae in smaller areas.

MossOff Chemical-Free, from Vivagreen won the coveted GIMA Innovators award in 2016 and has gone on to be a great success with consumers seeking safe and effective control of moss and algae on patios, walls, roofs, greenhouses and even on lawns. Now the team at Vivagreen have developed a ready-to-use formulation to extend the product to consumers who only have a small area to treat or who just need the convenience of a trigger pack.

MossOff Chemical-Free will be available in a 750ml trigger pack and of course it’s still completely safe to kids and pets, something that makes the brand’s strongest advocate, Diarmuid Gavin, very happy, “It’s easy to use and effective but most importantly it’s safe” said Diarmiud. “not only for me and my kids and pets, but also to my plants and especialy the lawn.”

New Moss Off Chemical Free ready to use will be formally launched at GLEE (10 – 12 September, NEC, Birmingham) and the team from Vivagreen will be on hand to explain the details on stand 8C70–D71. The 750ml trigger spray is expected to retail at approximatley £4.99.

To find out more about Vivagreen’s range of environmentally friendly products go to www.vivagreengroup.com or e-mail the general enquiries office on office@vivagreengroup.com  or call to speak to us on 020 7197 2317.

Vivagreen

DMG House

Deansgrange Business Park

Deansgrange

Co Dubliln

A94 H6P5

Ireland

For 237 years Bulldog Tools have embraced the heritage and quality of it's gardening and landscaping tools, combined with unparalleled industrial experience to introduce a fresh look for both their Premier and Pedigree Ranges on their 2018 stand at Glee - 6Q74-R75.

The Premier range famed for it's immense strength, quality and craftsmanship is used by professionals across the industry from landscapers to keen gardeners wanting a lifetime of use and performance .

Made from a single piece of steel, with handle sizes to suit every kind of garden task, and powder coated for protection the range is targeted at the discerning customer where performance and looks matter in equal measure. The timber shafts are made from sustainable sources and each tool carries a " Lifetime Guarantee " because we know what our tools can deliver. We have stylish merchandisers available for any size of retail space and we can bespoke a unique range to suit if required.

Pedigree Garden is our newest super-lightweight stainless steel range of tools, designed to make gardening  an easier task, with easy to clean tool heads, and shafts made from FSC accredited Ash.  We support the Royal Horticultural Society with the range via their " Campaign For School Gardening " initiative both schools, colleges, community groups have all welcomed the range as have the UK's hobby gardeners. Fronted by " Hugo" our newest little Bulldog who appears on all tool heads and shafts, the range is available in 3 sizes of merchandiser complete with stand up " Hugo's " and has our " Lifetime Guarantee " across the range as standard.

To find out more please come to stand 6Q74-R75 or email Brand Manager - Sarah Cottle on sarah.cottle@rollins.co.uk or call on 0773 606 1255.

It has never been more important to show how our products and businesses are changing and developing new products with an Environmentally Friendly message. 

Working hard to innovate new garden products made using recycled rubber tyres that would otherwise be sent to landfill, Primeur will once again return to Glee to showcase their Eco-Friendly range.

With a wide range of products including Stepping Stones, Garden Borders, Planters, Decking and Pavers, the collection offers the customer a solution to help the environment through recycling and reducing the use of plastics.  They are also incredibly hard wearing, easy to install, maintenance free and will last for many, many years.

Designed to replicate the look of traditional stone or plastic products without the same disadvantages of the heavy weight of stone, or the tendency for cracking and breaking in the cold weather.  The garden borders also have the added benefit of flexibility allowing the consumer to bend these around the natural lines of their garden.

The judges who selected Primeur’s Garden Borders as the ‘Garden Landscaping’ winners at this year’s GIMA awards said “Nothing like anything on the market. Eco-friendly, affordable and does the job.”

PRIMEUR ANNOUNCES BRAND NEW DOORMAT RANGE

Primeur will also be showcasing a new range of doormats at Glee 2018.  These will be launched under the brand ‘Mighty Mats’, and alongside both practical and stylish matting solutions, each collection within the brand has its own story, packaging and display to sell the unique features of the products.   

Find out more

The Primeur team invites you along to visit the team at Glee on their stand D10-E11.  For more details about the company and to view their full ranges please visit www.primeur.co.uk

A-Mir & Co Ltd is a leading supplier of outdoor furniture and return to Glee after a 7 year absence with their long established Royalcraft brand.

For Summer 2019, the company is proud to launch its amazing new Weather-Shield Fabric cushions, which are set to revolutionise the world of outdoor furniture and will feature at Glee with demonstrations.

“The Glee show attracts buyers from a wide cross section of retail customers and from different channels so we hope to try to reach as many new and old clients as possible with the launch of our Weather Shield Fabrics. With demonstrations, we hope to create awareness and interest in our quality furniture products that will feature this great innovation on cushions for 2019.”

The Weather-Shield Fabric cushions to be used on our new ranges in 2019 are weatherproof – in other words they water-proof and UV resistant. Plus they have the added benefit of being stain resistant. For retailers these new additions will definitely be something to get their customers excited. For consumers the main draw for them will be a genuine revolution in the world of outdoor furniture.

Torrential rain? No problem, just shake them dry.

Red wine or ketchup spills? No problem, just wipe them clean.

All ROYALCRAFT products have the LOFA-ASSURED badge for Quality Awareness and Assures its products meet all Fire and Safety standards.

The demand for better and better quality synthetic hand woven furniture continues. Royalcraft is doubling it SEYCHELLES Range. Is introducing several new exclusive hand woven collections to bring elegance and a contemporary modern look to your garden. Further New Product development will be shown via Brooklyn by Royalcraft which is an “ALL WEATHER FURNITURE” range constructed from 100% Recyclable Polypropylene with easy CLICK & LOCK assembly.

We offer the complete package, Containers Direct, Palletised Wholesale and Dropship Home Delivery.

We look forward to welcoming visitors to the stand to find out more about the products. STAND V30-W31

For more information please visit www.a-mir.co.uk

Must sees’ for this year’s exhibition.

The Brilliant Flex-Fill Tubs and Trugs range. In 4 sizes - 15, 28, 42 and 60 litre sizes in an amazing 9 great attractive colours. With a display stand designed to capitalize on retail space while taking the minimum of floor space and maximising profitability.

Another is the Stainless-Steel fence and gate hardware. This range is a winner! Manufactured from A4/316 Stainless Steel this strong, reliable, weatherproof and corrosion resistant range combines the unmistakeable look and feel which only stainless steel can give, with superior protection against salt and rust corrosion. Speak to the team about our great POS wall boards.

Don’t forget to look for the Decking accessories. Chain, Decking Rope, Rope Hooks, Handrail Brackets, Fixings and Fasteners – the complete range for decking. Plus, great POS – two styles to meet the demands and make the most of your retail space!

Have you seen the Primus range of products? Make sure you don’t miss out. One of the great Perry brands. Primus specialise in unique, quirky and eye-catching gifts for the home and garden

GET READY FOR THE NEW CRAZE – MEET THE BOBBLE BUDDIES CREW from Primus

Cute, adorable, charming and delightful, with lifelike colours and “Bobbling” head, people are guaranteed to fall in love and want to adopt them all!

THE BOBBLE BUDDIES - MEET THE FAMILY

Sammy the Schnauzer, Billy the Bulldog, Darcey the Dachshund, Pablo the Pug and Bonnie the Basset Hound…

…5 of the cutest guys and gals you could wish to meet

Totally unique to Primus, The Bobble Buddies are guaranteed to be the New Craze for 2019

Perry brands are built on Quality and Performance, providing you with the best products, competitive prices and un-matched service.

From eye catching packaging and superb merchandising options all designed to help you sell more and maximise your profits.

With unrivalled support, Perry also offer you a dedicated account manager to help you select the best products to maximise your sales.

Head to Hall 6 and find us on Stand L20-M21 and see how your business can grow with Perry and Primus products and merchandising.

CES Quarry Products is a family owned third generation business, that has been quarrying stone for 70 years. We work closely with university and academic partners and operate our own R&D facility. From this we have created RockinColour, a vibrant, fun, contemporary range of colour coated decorative stone.

RockinColour™ has already had a busy 2018, growing in new markets including France and the Benelux, as well as recently completing a successful project with Hermès Fashion House. Some of the world’s top models walked on 350 metres of RockinColour’s Chilli Red line of quarry stone at Paris Fashion Week in February. The company made their debut with a total of 30 tonnes of the stone covering the catwalk.

Wayne Stevenson, Managing Director, said “We’re really looking forward to attending GLEE 2018, and have a number of exciting new innovative ranges in both decorative stone and sand to introduce.”

“This year we are also eager to introduce our new point of sale and other special offers to support retailers in selling the RockinColour™ range. Together we can add some extra colour to the garden retail industry!”

Explore the new RockinColour™ range on stand 19C40 in Hall 19 at GLEE 2018 and visit: www.rockincolour.com

ExaClair Limited, the UK supplier of iconic handicraft and gifting brands such as Décopatch, Avenue Mandarine, Maildor and Clairefontaine, will be showcasing its ranges of high-quality, creative products at this year’s Glee.

Featured products will include the popular new ranges of Décopatch mini kits and Avenue Mandarine creative box sets.  Clairefontaine’s collection of 100% recycled Raw kraft wrapping and accessories will also be available in a variety of stylish designs.

As well as having a selection of our exciting new retail merchandising units on display, there will also be a LIVE demonstration area, where visitors will have the opportunity to decorate the fun range of papier mâché Décopatch products themselves.

Décopatch is an easy craft to learn and enjoy…inspiring creativity for kids and adults alike.  To Décopatch simply tear the paper, glue to the shape and hey presto…your very own masterpiece!

Clement Rouillard, Marketing Manager at ExaClair, explains: “ExaClair is well known in the UK for our Exacompta, Clairefontaine and Rhodia brands of stationery and fine art products, but with the popularity of Décopatch and our other craft and gifting brands growing more than ever, we are excited to be exhibiting at Glee for the first time as we start to expand into the garden centre sector.” 

“With a comprehensive range of retail display options available on exclusive promotions at the show, combined with the vibrant LIVE Décopatch demonstrations, we’re looking forward to welcoming visitors to our stand.”

ExaClair offer a variety of support functions to aid both online and in-store sales growth across our UK dealers.  These include access to social media tools such as imagery and videos, plus an extensive range of merchandising units and POS collateral to maximise the brand impact inside a retail store.

There is a selection of merchandisers available across our range of brands, including wall units, tall spinners and smaller counter top displays, which are designed to suit your individual in-store requirements.  These can be supplied with a set collection of products that are based around a theme such as nature or kids.  Alternatively, we can advise on themed and seasonal planograms that can be tailored to your specific shop floor layout.

Amongst those displays featured at the show will be the recently launched Décopatch Kids merchandiser.  This self-contained unit provides an ideal solution for those looking to introduce the Décopatch range into their product offering with a selection of the top selling mini kits, papier mâché models, colourful papers, glues and brushes included.  The display also comes with a FREE large mâché animal that’s half decorated, enabling you to effectively illustrate the decorating process. Coupled with an attractive header and optional product guides, your customers can discover the story and joy of Décopatch.

Upon request, our trained Décopatch demonstrators are available to attend crafting event days and new store openings throughout the year.  In addition, our marketing team are able to assist in pre and post event publicity utilising a variety of promotional channels.

To find out more, visit us on stand 19P15, Hall 19.

For further information, please contact:

marketing@exaclair.co.uk

+44 (0) 1553 696600

ExaClair Limited, Oldmedow Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk.  PE30 4LW.

In its first few weeks of sales, Bloomin Amazing hit the top ten best-selling growing media products in the GTN Bestsellers lists and it has rapidly become established as one of 2018’s most successful new garden products. This unique new triple action soil enricher is made entirely from a by- product of the UK’s first commercial biomethane generating plant on the Duchy of Cornwall estate near Poundbury in Dorset.

The 100% peat free formula is high in organic matter making it an ideal soil conditioner and a perfect mulch with excellent weed suppression properties. It also has a significant fertiliser content so it really performs the roles of soil improvement, mulching and feeding in one product. There is no need to dig Bloomin Amazing in to the soil, and it is much lighter than other mulches, clean to handle and almost odourless.

Stewarts Garden Centres listed Bloomin Amazing right from the start taking their first deliveries in mid-March 2018. Bloomin Amazing fits with their strong sustainability objectives around recycling, local sourcing and community. Duncan Wills of Stewarts said “Our customers agree Bloomin Amazing is blooming amazing!”

West Country Soil Improvement Ltd can be found in Hall 19 in the Innovator Zone on stand U14.

Bloomin Amazing is produced near Poundbury - an urban extension to Dorchester built according to the principles of urban planning advocated by HRH The Prince of Wales, with the concept of sustainability at the heart of the masterplan. Rainbarrow Farm AD plant was the UK’s first commercial biomethane to grid plant and injected green gas into the National Gas Network in October 2012. There are now over 90 gas to grid plants in the UK. The project was a winner of the British Renewable Energy Association Leadership Awards in June 2013, and was a finalist in the REA 2018 Sustainability Awards. Carbon footprint is kept as low as possible in the production of Bloomin Amazing by sourcing all the raw materials within an average 7 mileradius of the plant. Raw material is in the form of energy crops grown as sustainable break crops on local farms, which when fed into the plant take 30+ days to fully complete the digestion process whilst at 52° C. The plant generates enough gas to flow to 4,500 homes in the winter and 50,000 homes in mid-summer. One of the by-products of the process is approximately 8,000 tonnes of organic separated ‘digestate’ and it is this that becomes the finished product Bloomin Amazing.

Bloomin Amazing is available in 70L bags with a suggested retail price of £6.99.

To find out more about Bloomin Amazing go to www.bloominamazing.com or e-mail Nick at nfinding@bloominamazing.com or call head office to speak to us on 01305 889525

Vitavia Garden Products Ltd is the British partner of the Vitavia Group, which is the leading name throughout Europe for quality hobby greenhouses and greenhouse accessories.

From our warehouses in Suffolk, we provide home and trade deliveries throughout the UK together with a comprehensive greenhouse installation service.  We are proud to supply quality hobby greenhouses, widely regarded as being the best value for money, backed up by exceptional customer service.

Nearly there…

The stand is coming together nicely and we cannot wait to welcome you all to Hall 20, Stand z10 tomorrow.  It’s so rewarding seeing all the planning coming together and the visuals come to life.

We have a fantastic range of greenhouses on the stand, including one of our new products, a large Freya, 8x8 in aluminium. The Freya really is a modern twist on the traditional, combining great growing space with a smart pent roof design, certainly one not to be missed!

If you’re feeling lucky then head over to Hall 20, Stand z10!

We are extremely excited to be a running a daily competition, where one lucky winner will be picked at the end of each day.  All you need to do is come via the stand to find out more – Hall 20, Stand z10. Make sure you have your phone to hand… not forgetting your pretty face! 

We will be announcing the daily winners on social media along with other news and offers throughout #Glee18, so make sure you’re following us in advance so you don’t miss out on any news and offers.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced that two of its licensees will collaborate to distribute the new range of RHS Wild Bird Food in the UK

RHS recently awarded a licence to Agros Trading GmbH, a leader for many years in the manufacturing and marketing of wild bird feed, for a comprehensive range of high-quality wild bird food. Agros has asked PlantWorks Ltd, the supplier of the Empathy biological range of bio fertilisers, to distribute the range.

Following the success of its launch at over 200 The Original Factory Shop stores in May, the RHS Wild Bird Food range will be available for garden centres and other UK retailers to order from autumn 2018. The range will also be available at RHS shops both physical and online. The wild bird feed market in the UK is worth in excess of £200m a year.

The RHS Wild Bird Food range – the first-ever range of bird feed fully licensed by the RHS – includes:

• High Energy Suet Balls
• High Energy Suet Cakes
• High Energy Suet Nibbles
• Premium Brown Peanut
• Oil Rich Black Sunflower Seeds
• No Mess Sunflower Hearts
• High Energy No Mess Seed Mix
• Everyday Seed Mix
• Finches Favourite Nyjer Seeds
• Protein Rich Mealworms

Not only does the range stand out for quality but also for design. The packaging for the range makes use of imagery from the RHS Lindley Library, the world’s finest collection of botanical art, containing more than 25,000 superb images.

The RHS Wild Bird Food range will be on show on the Empathy by PlantWorks stand (6R70-HS71) at Glee, the UK’s most valuable garden and outdoor living trade show, taking place from 10-12 September at the NEC in Birmingham.

Plantworks is the supplier and distributor of rootgrow, the leading retail brand of mycorrhizal fungi in the UK, which is at the heart of its Empathy range of biological gardening products and is endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Agros Trading GmbH has been a leader for many years in the manufacturing and marketing of wild bird food. It sources raw materials exclusively from selected and certified suppliers with which it has long-term partnerships or from local farmers. For wild bird seed only GMO-free raw materials are used where available.

Simon Taylor, Sales Director at PlantWorks, says “Agros is a substantial seed house, which has developed a very strong sourcing, production and packaging activity in bird seed, working with many outlets across Europe. We are confident in both the quality of the products and the security of supply for our garden centre partners.”

Cathy Snow, licensing manager at RHS says, “We’re delighted that two important RHS licensees are working together to supply the impressive range of RHS Wild Bird Food launched by Agros earlier this year. Plantworks with the Empathy range has been a great ambassador for RHS-endorsed gardening products and we are thrilled that it will be the UK distribution partner for our quality wild bird food range."

Vital Earth are delighted to announce that the company will be exhibiting at this year’s Glee where they will be showcasing the highly successful Supa Grow compost range, as well as introducing their new decorative gravel range ‘Suburban Stone’.

Our Commitment

“We are extremely excited to release our Suburban Stone range made up of premium-quality packed decorative aggregates, including: gravels, slates, cobbles and rockery. We have an extensive delivery network and assortment of distribution hubs; therefore, we are committed to offer nationwide delivery within 24 hours. We will provide products of the uppermost quality alongside excellent customer service.” – Sam Robinson, Managing Director.

Point of Sale

Our new and improved POS is designed to ensure that our customers can view our products in the simplest and most efficient way. The height of the POS boards has increased for greater visibility. In addition, our POS boards are colour coordinated to provide a distinguished layout. We also have multiple POS configurations, each supplied double-sided to maximise space, ensuring that customers are satisfied with the product that they are choosing.

Choosing the perfect product includes making difficult decisions in regards to colour, shape, size and quantity. At Vital Earth, we aim to provide excellent customer satisfaction which is why we have introduced an easy-access touch and feel product tray. If you are undecided between the contemporary creams and golden browns in Golden Gravel compared to the darker grey and browns in Moonstone, this is the perfect opportunity for you get a reel feel for the product to encourage your decision.

Touch & Feel Tray:

• Easy access from all sides. No need to lean over any pallets!
• Feel the texture
• See the product size
• Choose your favourite colour
• Choose the product which best suits you!

The Zest team has been hard at work devising innovative new products for summer 2019, including a dining arbour, folding chair set, and more, which are being displayed alongside best-selling timber products from the company’s current range.

Zest 4 Leisure, a leading trade supplier of quality timber garden products including decorative furniture, arches, arbours, fencing, sheds and summerhouses, has been showcasing a stunning range of products for the 2019 garden trade season at this year’s GLEE tradeshow.

Award winning, Zest 4 Leisure is particularly proud to display its brand new decorative furniture product, the Christina Set. The beautifully crafted timber set consists of two large benches, two single seats, a large coffee table and a side table, with seating ergonomically designed with rest and relaxation in mind. The Christina set comes with deep green cushions for added comfort, and is perfect for unwinding in the garden.

Designed with a focus on outdoor living and entertainment, the Christina Set is manufactured from high quality, FSC certified ®, pressure treated timber to withstand the test of time and comes with a 10-year guarantee against rot.

New for the 2019 garden trade season, the Christina Set has angled backs to both benches and seats, providing optimum comfort. Created in response to customer feedback, the Christina Set is both easy to assemble and low maintenance.

The Christina set is one of the Zest 4 Leisure products to have a new animated assembly video guide. The new, user-friendly, animated assembly video guides have recently been launched by Zest 4 Leisure and works alongside existing written product assembly instructions, offering the choice to view both animated video guides as well as written assembly instructions.

The addition of animated product assembly video guides comes as part of the company’s development and its customer-focused approach. Zest 4 Leisure hope that the launch of the new animated assembly video guides will ensure that its customers have more efficient, accessible and interactive product assembly information available.

The Zest team are busy showcasing new and best-selling products across the company’s different timber ranges, including decorative garden products, arches and arbours, fencing and trellis, and a popular ‘Grow Your Own’ range.

Steve Morgan, Managing Director of Zest 4 Leisure said:

“Our in-house design team has done an amazing job designing our new products for the 2019 summer season and we are particularly pleased to be introducing the Christina set.

“The team and I are enjoying welcoming people to stand 20Z30 so that we can tell everyone about the latest company developments in person and show off our new garden products.”

Steve Morgan is attending the Glee tradeshow with the Zest 4 Leisure team directly after completing the Ironman Wales challenge to raise funds for the company’s 2018 chosen charity, Action for Children.

Visit Zest 4 Leisure’s impressive two-tiered stand at #20Z30 to see the Christina set and the rest of the wide range of Zest 4 Leisure timber products on display.

The team behind Grow Sow Simple™ truly believe that everyone, everywhere, should have the opportunity to experience the thrill of growing and eating their own fresh herbs and vegetables.

Our aim is to offer this experience to our customers through our range of affordable, accessible and straight forward products. No matter what age, what level of experience, or how much space is available we aim to give our users the confidence to garden through the innovative design of our unique products. Nothing is more exciting than enjoying a healthy homemade meal using ingredients grown in your own garden.

Grow Sow Simple™ have been inspiring new and novice non-gardeners for over 4 years and we are constantly working towards making gardening and growing more accessible. Originally trading as the brand SeedCell® with our range of innovative biodegradable plantable seed pods, we have now expanded to incorporate two more brands. With the addition of Micro Grow™, the healthy grow your own option, and Build & Grow.co™, which helps to involve children in growing from seed, Green Digit Ltd® is now trading as Grow Sow Simple™. This growth has seen us diversify our range and target audience, whilst also still being able to consistently deliver on product quality and service.

SeedCell

SeedCell® offers consumers a fun, easy to use and exciting gardening experience with great results. Each bio-degradable, plantable seed pod is pre-sown with quality seed and comes ready to plant; just water the soil and plant the seed pod. Once planted, the seed pod will absorb and retain the moisture it needs whilst feeding water directly to the seeds using our patented water absorbing technology. The pod protects the seeds as they begin to germinate in a safe micro environment, before breaking down naturally leaving zero waste and high-quality healthy plants.

Micro Grow

New from Grow Sow Simple™, Micro Grow™ uses the science of microgreens to make healthy eating easier. Microgreens are a tasty, nutrient-dense quick-growing food crop which contain up to 40x more nutrients than their fully-grown counterparts whilst packing an extra flavourful punch. Micro Grow™ enables those with little space or time to grow fresh, healthy produce in their own home. The market for microgreens is growing at an incredible rate currently, increasing by 37% last year. Couple this with the growing percentage of health-conscious individuals and there is a large and increasing customer base for Micro Grow™.

Build & Grow.co

The latest addition to the Grow Sow Simple™ family, Build & Grow.co™ is perfect for getting children engaged and interested in growing their own. Each pack features exciting and detailed designs that are easy to build; just follow the numbers and slot in the tabs. The fun does not stop there, as each product has a specific ‘garden’ area. This enables kids to grow their own herbs and veg in the play set and literally bring it to life. Not only is it fun and engaging for children, it also encourages learning about plants and gardening, and the process of plant to plate.

Your customers are always looking for more ways to listen to music in their gardens. They want to take advantage of Bluetooth technology, and the new world of outdoor listening it opens.

The KitSound Diggit Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker is the perfect solution.

Not only does it combine the convenience of a portable Bluetooth speaker with KitSound’s quality, crystal clear audio, it also has a trick or two up its sleeve when it comes to listening to music in the garden.

With its removable stake, it keeps itself elevated above the ground to improve sound quality, no matter how far down the bottom of the garden your customers find themselves!

Its wood-effect finish and glowing LED light ring make the Diggit a wonderful garden feature, whether enjoying music alone, or playing host in the evening.

With the option to stereo-pair two Diggits together for a truly immersive music experience, your customers will love having more than one handy in their garden, no matter who comes to visit.

The Diggit is everything your customers need to listen to music in their garden, and KitSound invite you to meet our smart solution to outdoor listening.

Don’t let your customers miss out on the next step in garden audio and come and visit the KitSound stand to see what all the fuss is about!

This year Glee will see another 'beyond' from Northants based commercial catering and bakery equipment supplier Whitco.

Designing food service operations for commercial kitchens and restaurant layouts that attract customers to come in is the given, our experts can look at any facility and size and specify correctly to meet the customers needs.  

However, at Whitco we invest our time into reviewing the entire hospitality operation and advising where we see new business opportunities or where minor changes can increase turnover and profitability, we do that always with the success of the overall business being at the core and using as much of what is already there to maximise the profitability and more importantly to make more profit sooner.  

This year our focus is on food and drink retail, so if you are thinking of adding a farm shop, a delicatessen, a bakery, patisserie, ice-cream and pancake parlour to upping your wine and beer sales, we can help.  

Independent mini supermarkets offering a personal service and excelling in customer experience unlike the large supermarket chains is the way forward for entrepreneurial retailers.  

Our team will look at the space, advise on the equipment that you need and even help with the visual merchandising, interior design, and even the branding whilst appraising the entire operation.

Experience Whitco Customer Service experience and how we invest our time in your success.  

Visit our stand 19K51 at Glee and talk to our professional team  "From 1995, Our Priority - Your Satisfaction".  www.whitcoltd.com 01832 735007.

As a UK premiere, the brand-new, stackable vertical gardening solution U-greeny is presented at the Glee show 2018. U-greeny makes growing your own vegetables, salads, herbs and berries at home absolutely easy and comfortable.

U-greeny is EASY to use and needs no mounting at all. U-greeny has many CLEVER functions such as a smart water drain system and full flexibility for multiple different stacking options. U-greeny is VERSATILE and offers various uses as growing, storage, transport or as privacy blind.

The concept has been developed together with professional Austrian gardeners and urban gardening enthusiast. While the basic idea derived from a historic gardeners practice, U-greeny has been designed further to meet the needs of modern urban gardening with many clever funtions.

All concept boxes nest for space-saving storage during the winter period.

U-greeny convinces not only by its function but also impresses with its accessories such as the topbox for salads, herbs and especially light-needy plants. The specially developed trivet with reception points for the plantbox serves as a big water collecting bassin.  To be able to leave the plantbox on cold days outdoors, the insulation cap was developed.

Find us at booth No. 19U38

www.ugreeny.at

Glee has always been a home for education and inspiration. The 2018 show will be no different, with not one but two different seminar stages. The main stage (located in its new location in Hall 8) will benefit from a packed three-day schedule, including a number of garden VIPs sharing their thoughts, ideas and expectations for the future of gardening.  

Bringing the A-list to the stage will be Charlie Dimmock, one of the UK’s most beloved gardening personalities. Kicking off the seminar programme on Monday 10th, Charlie’s keynote session will focus on her varied experiences as a gardener and TV personality, as well as looking at the gardening trends that are exciting her most.

Don’t miss it – Ground Force: Behind the scene and under the soil with Charlie Dimmock – Monday 10th September – 12:00pm – 12:30pm

Another well known face gracing the Glee seminar stage will be Lee Bestall, MD and founder of Bestall Design. As brand ambassador for Spear & Jackson, stand in presenter of BBC radio Sheffield’s Gardeners Question Hour, and regular contributor to a range of garden and outdoor lifestyle magazines, Lee brings to the stage over a decade of experience. Lee’s session will focus on one of the five Retail Lab themes – Easy Gardening – and how it translates into in store engagement with millennial gardeners.

Don’t miss it – Garden Retail Trend: Easy Gardening – Tuesday 11th September – 14:15pm – 14:45pm 

Lee Connelly, of Skinny Jeans Gardener fame, will be bringing his big personality and unique style, along with his brother Dale Connelly, to the stage during his session which will look at which social channels are the best for garden retailers and brands to use to really engage with consumers. A rampant social media user, including YouTube, Twitter, and a dedicated blog and website Lee has a wealth of experience and anecdotal evidence to support his session.

Don’t miss it – Why Care About Social Media? – Tuesday 11th September – 12:45pm – 1:15pm

Another popular blogger, Annabelle Padwick, will be finding her home on the Glee seminar stage on both Tuesday and Wednesday. As founder of Life at No.27, Anabelle is a passionate advocate for gardening and its benefits for both mental and physical health, and will be sharing her thoughts on the topic throughout both her sessions.

Don’t miss it – Garden Retail Trend: It’s not what you grow, it’s how YOU grow – Tuesday 11th September – 11:45am – 12:30pm & Community an CSR Engagement: The benefits a National Initiative can bring you, as retailers and brands – Wednesday 12th September – 1:30pm – 2:00pm

Romeo Sommers, Trend Forecaster and Concept Developer of the Retail Lab at Glee and founder of ByRomeo, will lead four sessions, each focussing on the trends that have shaped the Retail Lab – in association with the HTA – throughout 2018. From pets to happy gardening, and tangible advice on how garden retailers can bring to life the Retail Lab concepts in store, Romeo’s sessions are set to be a thriving and interactive addition to Glee’s seminar programme.

The HTA’s Marketing and Insights Manager, David Denny, will take to the stage two times throughout Glee 2018. His sessions will focus the many growth opportunities for garden retailers, including a dedicated approach to both the younger and aging consumer demographic. A focus on market data and how it can improve business strategy, and a look at the future of garden retailing completes David’s roster.

Vegepod’s Director, Paul Harris, Kirsty Kean, Retail Consultant at Visual Thinking, and Jane Tarver, Research Director of AMA Research, will each be covering topics such as urban gardening, open season promotion, and garden and pet product business opportunities. The main seminar stage will also be home to The Great British Growing Awards and the Glee Buyers Power List, together making this year’s schedule the strongest yet.

To see the full schedule please visit https://www.gleebirmingham.com/seminar-programme. Please note all times/ details subject to change.

The UK’s leading animal welfare charity, the RSPCA, is the latest addition to this year’s Pets at Glee seminar programme.

Dr. Jane Tyson, Scientific Officer, will take to the stage on Monday 10th September at 12:45pm, within the newly enhanced Pets at Glee sector of the show,which will offer garden retailers the latest pet products, trends and advice to stay ahead and capitalise in this ever-increasing market.

With almost 50% of the UK now owning a pet and this number set to increase, the public want reassurance from the retailers from which they buy from thatthe animals have been well cared for. Jane’s talk will focus on how stores have a legal responsibility under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to care for animals properly, as well as covering five key welfare needs and how these can be provided for and met within the pet store environment.

The RSPCA rescue, rehabilitate and rehome thousands of animals each year and will also be exhibiting at the show on in Hall 19, stand R12.  As well as explaining the vital work the charity does, staff will be on hand to talk garden retailers through their pet healthcare range, designed by the RSPCA’s very own experts, including products such as RSPCA FLEAaway Spot On, RSPCA Complete Food Range and RSPCA’s pet shampoos. 

In addition to the RSPCA, visitors will be treated to a rich content driven seminar programme in the new Pets at Glee area, focussing on the latest trends in the industry.  Sessions will include how retailers can tap into the pet market and drive footfall, promoting a pet offering through digital marketing, as well as practical tips on how to deliver the pet category with true credibility in store.

The perfect place to source 2019 ranges, Pets at Glee will be home to some of the biggest brands shaping the pet category today. Look out for companies such as Scruffs, Petface, Royal Canin, Unipet, GA Pet Foods, RSPCA, The Barking Bakery, Pawtato Dog Chews, Tweedmill Textiles, The First Class Pet Company, Mud Daddy, Jacobi Jayne & Company and Lintbells. Little Big Paw, iKaboodle / Brand EasyPets, and Sureair.  

Matthew Mein, Event Director at Glee said: “We are delighted to welcome the RSPCA to the seminar stage. With 70% of garden centres currently benefitting from a dedicated pet care section, Jane’s talk is one not to be missed to ensure animal welfare is always made a top priority in-store.”

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 2018 call 020 3033 2160.

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.

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.

We're already well advanced in preparations for the Glee Planner which is posted to all pre-registered Glee visitors and the Glee Show Catalogue which is available for FREE as visitors enter the halls at the NEC and now we've published the first issue of this years Glee Daily News.

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

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

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

This year the Retail Lab, in association with the HTA, will focus on bringing Happy Gardening to the fore. This trend builds on much of the content showcased within the 2017 Retail Lab but will dig a little deeper into the many ways that gardening can enhance our lives.

From getting outdoors more, to bringing together communities and families over the simple act of nurturing plants, fruit and vegetables, Happy Gardening is quite simply a theme which encourages us to get dirt under our nails, make mistakes, try something new, and celebrate the act of interacting with gardens, plants and the great outdoors.

Complementing the Happy Gardening theme will be the way in which the Retail Lab, in association with the HTA, is presented at Glee 2018. This year the area will benefit from a strong cubism design, chosen for its ability to be recreated within garden retail environments, as well as being reflective of the pop-up shop culture that has helped to make retailing more agile and able to respond to key trends almost immediately.

Additionally, these cubes are representative of urban living – an area where bringing more greenery into the home will greatly improve the quality of life on offer.  

During the show, these ‘cubes’ will be created to help visitors to the Retail Lab go on a journey through both the Happy Gardening theme, as well as within the retail environment, providing inspiration at every step and showcasing how to maximise multiple sales through clever merchandising displays.

Once again, the Retail Lab @ Glee, in association with the HTA, will be created in partnership with a panel of industry experts, led by Creative Director, Romeo Sommers of ByRomeo, with Paula Parker of PP8 Marketing heading up the day-to-day management of this pivotal show feature. Lisa White, Head and Creative Director of WGSN Lifestyle & Interiors, will return to the Retail Lab in 2018, bringing with her a wealth of industry and trend insight, whilst   GES has also been confirmed as the 2018 stand contractors, helping to bring the Retail Lab concepts to life.

In additional to the amazing team behind the Retail Lab, in association with the HTA, the area will also be supported by a number of sponsors. Woodlodge, Hozelock, Cadix, Scheurich, Elho, Ivyline and Air So Pure are confirmed as 2018 Preferred Supplier Partners, providing them a wealth of opportunity to promote their brand and latest product innovations.

Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director said: “Last year marked a superb launch of the Retail Lab @ Glee. From the industry support backing the concept from day one, to the amazing trend information, and supplier sponsorship, it all came together to create one of the most exciting and innovative features Glee has ever seen – not to mention the BBC Breakfast coverage that placed the Retail Lab in 1.8million homes on the first day of the show!

"This year, we will be working even harder to deliver even more added value. We believe that every single visitor to Glee – be they retailer or supplier -  can visit the Retail Lab and walk away having learnt something new, be inspired or consider a new way of thinking. It’s an exciting prospect being able to develop this in 2018, and we look forward to sharing more details as we move closer to the September exhibition.”

Launched at Glee 2017, the Retail Lab was a key focal point for the annual garden retail exhibition. Unlike anything before seen at Glee, it was a place to experience the beating heart of the industry, with a view to what the future holds. Combining interactive content, with inspirational product displays and tangible business advice, The Retail Lab cemented itself as a thriving hub of inspiration and knowledge at Glee.

Here we catch up with Carol Wright, UK Marketing Manager at Hozelock, one of the 2017 Retail Lab sponsors, to find out more about Hozelock’s experience and why the company has confirmed its place within the 2018 Retail Lab, in association with the HTA, feature.

What made you decide to become a sponsor of the Retail Lab at Glee in 2017?
We felt the Retail Lab was an unmissable opportunity in that it was important to participate in such a central activity at Glee to be able to connect with the retailers who attend.  The principle of the lab was to demonstrate and signpost activities that could help to drive relevance and excitement to consumers in-store, and to demonstrate how consumers needs are changing, in what is proving to be a very challenging retail environment.  As brand leaders in garden watering, we have a key role to play in helping retailers to participate and engage with the nation’s gardeners.

What products/ranges were included?
We showcased our automatic watering range – Easy Drip, as well as our Cloud and Sensor Controllers.  We also promoted our Plant a Pot for Bees campaign to encourage consumers to plant more bee-friendly pots which have been a huge success and has since been implemented in many garden centres.  Visitors to the Retail Lab also saw our Pure range of natural gardening products, which are an alternative to using chemicals.

How did being part of the Retail Lab benefit your business?
We felt taking part and sponsoring the inaugural Retail Lab at Glee helped us to engage with customers and explain our Plant a Pot campaign, and how well it fitted with forward trends in retailing.  The Retail Lab also provided the perfect launch pad to drive traffic to our stand, so we could have direct conversations with customers.

What advice would you give any other brands thinking of getting involved in 2018?
Make sure you have products or campaigns that work with and complement the trends identified by the Retail Lab.  If you’re not connected in this way, you’ll soon be found lacking!  Go with it and be enthusiastic, it’s a great team effort that helps all the participants.

Have you implemented any of the Retail Lab ideas within your own business? Has it inspired you to think differently about your ranges or how you work with retail customers?
We already had the connections made and the Retail Lab was the perfect way of demonstrating this.  Our Plant a Pot campaign was a perfect fit for the 2017 Re-wilding theme and that grew naturally from our appearance in the Retail Lab.  The concepts also opened up a lot of conversations about the correct format of POS to help retailers and Hozelock communicate these messages in store and allowed us to become more directly involved in our customers’ own marketing activities so we were able to support each other more throughout the season.

What can people expect to see from you at Glee 2018?
We are looking forward to the show in September and will be promoting and supporting messages such as environment, water saving, recycling, connecting with consumers and natural gardening – all a great fit with the Happy Gardening trend identified in this year’s Retail Lab, which will explore the ways that gardening can enhance our lives.

Here we catch up with Scott Thomas, Managing Director of Ivyline, creators of inspired collections of lifestyle products for the home and garden and one of the 2017 Retail Lab sponsors, to find out more about their experience and why the company has confirmed its place within the 2018 Retail Lab, in association with the HTA, feature.

What made you decide to become a sponsor of the Retail Lab at Glee in 2017?

We are passionate about driving innovation in product and retail standards, so the trend lab was a great concept to be involved in. It was also an opportunity to showcase product in another area of Glee and work with the creative team. Houseplants and wellbeing was a major theme of the lab which is a key retail growth area.

What products of yours were displayed?

In 2017, we included some of our hugely successful Happiness Teacups which donate £0.25 for every set sold to Greenfingers Charity, our bold printed Monza planters, hanging indoor planters and selected outdoor planters.

How did being part of the Retail Lab benefit your business?

It gave us extra exposure, new merchandising ideas, extra industry contacts and it was just great to support this initiative.

What advice would you give any other brands thinking of getting involved in 2018?

Get plenty of samples in early, try to tie the creative team down to what they are looking for and just get involved.

Have you implemented any of the Retail Lab ideas within your own business? Has it inspired the way you work with retail customers?

We have used it to inspire customers to build innovative displays in store, show them how visual merchandising really delivers added sales and how to work on hotspots of products.

What can people expect to see from you at Glee 2018?

We are hugely excited about Glee. In 2018, we are experiencing our best ever year in 41 years of trading. For Glee we have doubled the size of our stand and will be launching over 250 new products. Houseplant pots are our biggest focus where we will launch a number of inspirational trend driven collections, there will be new outdoor planter concepts and an amazing range of design led outdoor fire bowls. Prepare to be inspired!

Here we catch up with Michael Wooldridge, Director of Woodlodge, the UK’s leading garden pot supplier and one of the 2017 Retail Lab sponsors, to find out more about their experience and why the company has confirmed its place within the 2018 Retail Lab, in association with the HTA, feature.

What made you decide to become a sponsor of the Retail Lab at Glee in 2017?

We wanted to demonstrate how garden centres can harness their current status as a destination for consumers, one that offers a real experience with nature, whilst promoting linked sales between garden pots and plants.

What products/ranges were included?

We included an attractive selection of planters from our exclusive Heritage Garden Pottery flagship range, our premium Duxton range made from traditional terracotta and our Potting Shed Essentials range.   Container gardening is on the rise due to its ease and ability to complement any outside space, whether it be growing on a balcony, patio, yard or indoors.  What’s more, our product ranges reflected last year’s themes of the Retail Lab perfectly; Well-being, Family, Community, and ‘Re-wilding’ as consumers look to container gardening as a way to brighten up their garden and connect with nature. 

How did being part of the Retail Lab benefit your business?

The Retail Lab focussed on key trends and the ever-changing needs of the garden centre consumer.   Woodlodge is keen to tap into these so we took away some great insights from both the Retail Lab and garden centre buyers that will help us define and shape future products.   Merchandising was also a key feature of the Retail Lab so speaking to garden retailers who were looking to achieving volume sales was important to us as it gave us tips on how we can improve our merchandising and POS services to ensure we remain one of the UK’s leading and most trusted supplier.

What advice would you give any other brands thinking of getting involved in 2018?

I would definitely recommend the Retail Lab to other brands in the industry.   Working alongside Romeo Sommers and WGSN gives you an invaluable insight into upcoming retail trends and fresh, innovative ideas in the garden industry.  The key to it is creating inspiring concepts to entice customers which will benefit both garden centres and your own business. 

Have you implemented any of the Retail Lab ideas within your own business? Has it inspired you to think differently about your ranges/ how you work with retail customers?

We are always on the look-out for visually attractive display solutions to display our product ranges in garden centres. We have tailored some of the cart units used in the Retail Lab for displaying our decorative stick flowers.

Standing out from the crowd, know your products and customer engagement were the key themes at the Glee Exhibitor Workshop, which took place at Poplars Garden Centre in Toddington.

Over 80 delegates from across the garden industry attended the event aimed at making the most out of the annual show. In a format new to the workshop, Trevor Pfeiffer of Garden Trade News interviewed leading garden retailers to learn their top tips on how to engage influential buyers and industry experts, as well as how to secure those vital sales, ahead of Glee 2018 in September.

“Exhibitors at Glee often don’t see the buying signs,” said Alastair Jackson, General Manager at Poplars Garden Centre, an experienced Glee visitor having attended the show for 24 years throughout his career.  “If I’m asking questions, I’m interested and want information.  It’s important for sales staff on the stands to understand their products, be prepared with pricing and communicate with retailers in order to secure sales.”

Alastair has seen a lot of change in Glee over the years, as it goes from strength to strength, and now regards the revitalised show as the key date in the buying calendar. Attending with his department managers and shop staff, Alastair walks every aisle of the show with his team so they can meet with existing suppliers and new ones.  As Poplars plan their ranges six months in advance, he emphasised how important it was for Glee suppliers to keep the communication channels open and follow up on any interest shown to ensure their products are stocked in store.

Simon Bourne, Managing Director at Perrywood Garden Centre, echoed this sentiment on communication and how important it is for exhibitors to ask questions, and most importantly, understand the customer they are talking to.   The large family-run, award winning independent centre sees Glee as the most important show of the year and make a significant investment in seeking out the latest products for the upcoming season.  Simon takes a dedicated team of eight from all departments, as well as members of his marketing team to spot the innovative, new gardening trends before they hit the shelves.

“The latest trends play an important part in Perrywood’s offering,” explains Simon.  “Our houseplants area already has a really large floor space and has seen a sales growth of 25% over the last 18 months.  We look for stands that have made an effort with bold, inspirational, visual displays and eye-catching merchandising that we can replicate in store.  Our stoneware, indoor living, gifting and clothing offerings are also expanding so I want to see what’s new and exciting immediately on the stand I’m visiting. That’s what makes me stop and start a conversation.”

Get in the shoes of the customer was the message from Caroline Linger, Head of Buying at Crocus. With a diverse customer offering through Waitrose, the RHS and Next, as well as its own website and garden centre which attracts designers and horticulturists, Crocus has a very intense, product specific focus and requirements.

“As we operate mainly online, we can represent ‘new’ very quickly,” explained Caroline.  “My team of seven use every minute of the show and last year saw 60 suppliers, new and existing over the three days.   We want to know price, the benefits, how it works and how it will fit on the Crocus website.  We need suppliers to sell their products with confidence and have good displays on stand to give us an idea of how we would present it ourselves. It is important to know your pricing structure depending on the time of season and know our competitors.  Being competitive online is hard, Crocus can’t compete with Amazon or the volume supermarkets so it’s important when you pitch to us, this is understood as a good trading relationship is so important.”

Caroline also emphasised the importance of the marketing of the products displayed at Glee.  She encouraged retailers to work hard before the show and utilise all marketing opportunities available from the copy in the show catalogue, videos to online representation and social media to make sure suppliers stand out from the crowd and shout about their products to guarantee a stand visit.

As well as hearing from each of the garden retailers on how they approach Glee, delegates learnt about the exciting features and opportunities from the show’s team.   Marketing Manager, Luke Murphy gave an overview of this year’s Retail Lab which will focus on the theme of ‘Happy Gardening.’  This trend will build on much of the content showcased within the Retail Lab last year but will dig deeper into the many ways that gardening can enhance our lives.  Focussing on consumer purchasing patterns, this year’s offering will be split into five key areas: Grow Your Own, Feel Good, Play, Pets and Easy Gardening, giving retailers and suppliers inspiration and take-home ideas for their own business.

Marketing and PR experts also told delegates how to increase their brand exposure at Glee with Trevor Pfeiffer outlining the opportunities in Glee Daily News, the Glee Show Catalogue and the New Product Showcase.  Kimberley Hornby, Managing Director at Hornby Whitefoot PR encouraged exhibitors to send preview news and take advantage of the PR opportunities available with UK and international media, bloggers and vloggers, as well as how to get your products into editors’ hands through the VIP goody Bag.    Rachel Cryan, Social Marketing Manager at Glee rounded off the session with an in-depth look at how to use social media to promote presence and products before, after and during the show, the best channels to use, the hashtags to use to engage in conversation as well has how to widen the reach of each post.

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 2018 call 020 3033 2160, or email daniel.mcalpin@gleebirmingham.com to find out more about sponsorship opportunities within the 2018 Retail Lab at Glee.

A journey of discovery is coming to Glee this September as the key industry event introduces new guided tours to ensure retailers make the most out of the revitalised show.

As the leading garden retail event in the industry calendar with unrivalled new product sourcing opportunities, it is vital that businesses get the most out of visiting Glee. Plus, with Glee’s ever-expanding portfolio of show features it is more important than ever that visitors are armed with the right information to maximise their time at the show – introducing the new Discovery Tour.

Visitors will now be able to take full advantage of all Glee has to offer with brand new tours led by experienced industry experts from the event’s organisational team, Hornby Whitefoot (Glee’s PR team), and show partner, the HTA.  Offering a unique and bespoke visitor experience, the walking tours will take in the unmissable feature areas of the show including the New Product Showcase, Green Heart and the newly enhanced and dedicated pet sector - Pets at Glee. Each ‘stop’ on the tour will outline what is on offer, how retailers can benefit from spending time in each area and how they can maximise the inspiration and educational takeaway available.

There will be three study tours in total, starting daily at 10:30am, and will operate on all days of the show. Open to both new and regular visitors, including buyers, merchandisers and garden centre owners, anyone participating in the Discovery Tour will benefit by discovering the latest products and trends in the market, access advice on how to display and merchandise within their own stores, as well as view exciting sales concepts and tips for cross selling, whilst also meeting inspirational and innovative suppliers. Each tour will last just 45-minute and will help to plan the rest of their time at the show efficiently and take in the hottest new products from over 550 companies across eight sectors.

The complimentary tours can accommodate up to 30 participants per session, available on a first come, first served basis. You will need to be pre-registered to attend Glee before requesting a spot on the Discovery Tour.  There will also be a chance to sign up to the exclusive Retail Lab tour at the end – back by popular demand and one of the highlights of the show last year.

Glee Event Director, Matthew Mein said: “Glee is investing in features and content that truly helps retailers to maximise their time at the show, as well as arming them with tangible business advice that they can implement within their own stores to build profitability and longevity. These new Discovery Tours will ensure visitors take in the ‘must visit’ areas of Glee.  As the show’s offering grows and expands, we want to make it even easier for visitors to make the most of what is available throughout the exhibition. By dedicating just 45 minutes of their time, they can learn everything Glee – and its exhibitors – have on offer to benefit individual businesses.  New visitors will gain first-hand experience of the inner workings of the garden industry, whilst those regular to Glee will get the chance to see their favourite brands, as well as discover new ones.  Those who sign up to the tours will be treated to an exciting and educational experience, gaining lots of take home tips, ideas and concepts to try in their own stores.”

To sign up for your free visitor pass, please register at www.gleebirmingham.com.  To register for the Discovery Tours, please visit https://www.gleebirmingham.com/visit/whats-on/glee-discovery-tour

The horticultural hub of Glee, the Green Heart, is making its return later this year and is set to feature the widest selection of growers and plant specialists to this thriving section of the show. 

Working in partnership with Woodlodge – the Green Heart’s official merchandising bench supplier – this year Green Heart will be made up of 114 benches, making 2018 the biggest ever Green Heart at Glee.  

Featuring more international companies than ever before, the Green Heart will be home to brands such as The Bransford Webb Plant Company, Javado, Armlee Nurseries, Darby Nurseries, Morley Nurseries, Farplants, Craigmarloch Nurseries Ltd, John Richards Nurseries Ltd, Lovania Nurseries Ltd, Porters Fuchsias, Lowaters Nursery, The Plant Yard, Wyevale Nurseries Limited, Florna Plants,  Viking Nurseries, Chamberlain Nurseries, Hawkesmill Nurseries co Ltd, Philip Sonneville, Anglo Aquatic Plant Company, Dataflor, Deforche Export, Helleborous (Wilgenbroek), Herbachef, VDW Plants, Wharton Nurseries, and Worfield Plants - all coming together to create the strongest display of new plant varieties and inspiration for plant buyers and retailers looking to develop both their indoor and outdoor plant offering in the coming season.

First showcased in 2017, the first Flemish pavilion to make its home at Glee - returning as VLAM, the Flanders’ Agricultural Marketing Board - has confirmed its return to the show.  The Flemish Pavilion (Hall 19, stand G30) will be home to a host of seven top growers under the VLAM banner, all ready to showcase their industry leading horticultural products. Many of the Flemish brands will also join Glee’s Green Heart, to demonstrate merchandising best practice, and showcase exciting new plant varieties within indoor plants, cut flowers and different types of young plants.

Plants will also be celebrated through a new award introduced in 2018. The ‘Best Green Heart Display’ award, in partnership with Woodlodge, whilst Garden Trade News’ annual Great Awards will be celebrating the ‘Greatest Awards Best Plant Retailing Team’, which will be announced on Tuesday 11th September, designed to award those plant retailing teams that have gone above and beyond in 2018. 

Matthew Mein, Glee Event Director said: “The Green Heart is a really important part of Glee and is designed to put plants right at the centre of the show, but more than this we want to arm retailers and growers with a platform to communicate – whether in regard to what’s new or how to

better drive sales in-store. It’s set to be a great showcase of UK and international growers, so I urge plant buyers and garden retailers to make this their first port of call at Glee 2018.”

This year Glee has partnered with leading consumer magazine, Grow Your Own, to introduce the prestigious Great British Growing Awards to the show come September.

These awards recognise all that is great within the gardening industry – from tool companies and seed suppliers, to garden writers, fruit nurseries and everything in between. The awards also recognise volunteers and community growing spaces.

The winners of the award will be voted for by the general public and readers of Grow Your Own magazine. The award ceremony and trophy presentation will take place on Tuesday 11^th September at Glee.

In addition to the awards, Glee is working closely with Grow Your Own to develop a consumer competition which will see 10 lucky consumers win the chance to attend Glee. Each winner will enjoy VIP access to Glee, including guided tours, access to the VIP lounge, complimentary refreshments and a limited-edition VIP goody bag.

10 reasons why plant buyers should visit the Glee Green Heart

1. Optimise profit potential of seasonal plants - with seasonal plants being more topical than ever, the Green Heart represents an opportunity to buy high impact lines for immediate delivery and sale.
2. Get inspired – the Green Heart has a wealth of content to inspire plant buyers and retailers alike. From new varieties to exciting merchandising ideas, this thriving part of Glee is a must for garden retailers who want to step up their game when it comes to plant retailing.
3. Network & learn - learn about the latest trends in plant sales and access the newest varieties and new-for-2019 additions whilst networking with industry colleagues in one convenient location.
4. View complementary products – whilst at Glee don’t forget to visit the wider show, using the time to catch up with compost, fertiliser and chemical suppliers to ensure you are up-to-date with the ever-changing ranges and supporting legislation surrounding these core product categories.
5. Linked sales and cross merchandising inspiration – Exhibitors within the Green Heart will demonstrate how to link sales and create successful cross merchandising opportunities that can be quickly and easily implemented instore.
6. Show-only deals - benefit from buying ‘show only’ deals, gaining extra margin and impulse sales potential for your store.
7. Brainstorm – use your time to share your ideas with growers, helping both parties to sell more plants to boost overall sales and profits.
8. Look ahead to 2019 - meet with both UK and international growers to find out more about their plans for the 2018 season.
9. 50+ plant suppliers – this year over 50 plant suppliers, growers and breeders will be showcasing their 2019 ranges and recent introductions within the Green Heart.
10. Follow-up on NPS conversations - finalise details with new contacts initiated at the National Plant Show.

Seasoned Glee exhibitor Deco-Pak is aiming to launch the next big thing in decorative landscaping at this year’s Glee exhibition, by introducing two entirely unique paving options for 2019. 

The latest in a long line of innovations launched exclusively at Glee, each new range is aimed at providing a point of difference for its garden centre retail partners.

Deco-Pak’s Marketing Director Craig Hall says: “Visitors to our stand will see new paving options that utilise cutting edge materials and technology in a way that we believe is an industry first.  

'For retailers these new additions will definitely be something to get their customers excited, whilst also increasing demand for patio landscaping products.  For consumers the main draw for them will be a highly versatile product able to suit any kind of budget and size of garden. 

"Providing decoration whilst also enhancing the functionality of paths and patios in a way you would not expect from a humble paving slab.”

Deco-Pak’s new products will remain under wraps until they are launched to the market exclusively at Glee 2018, with the Glee New Product Showcase a ‘must-do’ for the brand. 

Glee is the company’s main trade show in 2018, and will showcase its award winning ranges on a stand that is 25% larger than the previous year. 

Find out more

Deco-Pak’s Glee profile can be viewed here: https://www.gleebirmingham.com/exhibitors/deco-pak-1?&azletter=D&searchgroup=libraryentry-exhibitors

Garland / Worth Gardening will be launching over 40 new products on its Stand Hall 8 D30-E31 at Glee in 2018. 

New product development has been the key to the company’s success over the past three years, with many new product ideas being driven by feedback and input from customers.  Since the beginning of the year the company’s sales have grown by over 40 per cent and the Glee launches will help to consolidate future growth for the company and its customers.

New products to be launched at Glee 2018 show include:

• A brand new range of rattan furniture covers in the same material as the increasingly popular Super Tough covers range.  The range has been designed with strength and durability as well as to keep up with the current trends in outdoor furniture sales, but at a very pocket -friendly price for the consumer and with a market leading 5 year guarantee.
• Further additions have been made to the Garden Basics range with the launch of wooden and slate plant labels, as well as a new fast flow water butt tap, plastic wall plugs, safety glasses and a new widger and dibber set.  All items that have been requested by customers over the past 12 to 18 months.
• A new 60cm x 120cm rectangular tray has been added to further strengthen Garland/Worth Gardening’s position in the market as the go to company for garden trays, with 38 different trays now available on the extensive range.
• A new seed tray sieve has been added to complement the company’s popular fine mesh and 2 in 1 sieves.  .
• A new boot station has been added to the boot tidy range.  It is the perfect boot cleaning and storing unit, and  includes two stiff boot brushes, a boot scraper bar, a unique boot pick to remove stones and stubborn dirt from the bottom of the boots/shoes as well as a boot pull and storage rack, all wrapped up in a perfectly neat compact unit.
• An addition to the twines and wires range is a new green version of the ever popular bean and pea net.  The 6ft square jute nets are perfect for growing runner beans and peas, and unlike plastic nets the biodegradable jute netting is ecologically beneficial as it can be simply composted at the end of the season.
• Two new large cushion storage bags have been added to the cover ranges, the bags are available in either the Super Tough or Premium fabric and form part of the rattan cover ranges.  The new bags are designed for the ever popular corner sofas and corner dining sets and can fit all of the cushions into one handy storage bag.  The cushion bags are 180cm L x 65cm W x 65cm H

Commenting on the launch, Garland/Worth Gardening’s sales director Mark Dedman said;

 “The launch of these new products is once again the beginning of a very exciting time for the company.  Although the UK garden market has had a tough season, with the weather in the early part holding back sales, the growth we have achieved is no mean feat while at the same time we have maintained over

95 per cent product availability for our customers.

“An important part of our ongoing investment has been in the responsible use of plastic materials.  All of the plastic products in our ranges have always utilised 100 per cent recycled or recyclable plastics, including the product’s packaging.  This ensures that our products are part of the solution to plastic waste, not part of the problem. In addition, our plastic products will be displaying a new label designed to reassure the consumer about the eco benefits of the plastics used in our products.

We still continue to invest heavily in the future and have further warehouse expansion plans over the coming year to ensure that we continue to hold the stock required to provide a first class service to the trade.  We have also invested in new packing machinery this year so we know we will be well placed as a company to cope with all eventualities in the coming season.”

In order to provide further information and support on the company’s complete range of products, the Garland/Worth Gardening’s full sales and marketing team will be on the stand at Glee together with the company’s sales agents representing the whole of the UK and Ireland.

The Garland Products Group specialises in the manufacture of plastic injection moulded products and is one of the fastest growing suppliers to the garden industry.  The products available to both keen and hobby gardeners have been designed through the company’s own experience as keen gardeners.

Renowned chimney manufacturer, Schiedel, will be showcasing its Garden Fireplace at Glee.

Glee brings together the freshest and most exciting brands and products available for landscape architects, garden designers and retailers in the outdoor sector; the perfect platform for Schiedel’s first foray into garden cooking and heating.

The Garden Fireplace, which incorporates Schiedel’s incredibly efficient Isokern system, is perfect for outside spaces. Made of natural pumice, which is cool to the touch, the fireplace offers customers a safe and attractive focal point for the garden, extending the use of outside spaces well into the chilly evenings of autumn.

Al Fresco living and dining continues to be a growing trend and with the option of an additional barbecue grill, the Garden Fireplace transforms any garden into an outdoor kitchen, complete with a chimney to keep the smoke at bay.

Available in four sizes, the Garden Fireplace comes as a complete, easy-to-install package. Once assembled, its freestanding and thanks to the highly insulated pumice sourced from the Hekla Volcano in Iceland, is even safe to use against walls.

With a relatively small footprint, the Garden Fireplace is not only the preserve of those with large plots - an ideal solution for the tiniest garden or courtyard.

David Wright, Residential Sales and Marketing Manager at Schiedel Chimney Systems, said: “With its highly insulated firebox, cooking facilities and sleek rendered finish, the Isokern Garden Fireplace really is a must-have feature for gardens large or small, bringing the comfort of the inside, out; an ideal product to showcase at Glee. Come and see us at stand number 6U21 to find out more!”

For more information on Schiedel’s Garden Fireplace visit: www.schiedel.com/uk

Staff from the Garden Centre Association will have a stand at Glee next month (September, 2018) and are encouraging attendees to visit it and find out more about becoming a member.

The GCA will be on stand 19M69 from Monday, September 10 until Wednesday, September 12.

Mike Lind, Chairman of the GCA, explained: “Once again the horticultural industry’s largest exhibition is upon us and we will have a stand that attendees can visit in order to find out all about us and what benefits we can offer to garden centres who join us.

“We will have information packs available for garden centres and suppliers interested in membership and we’ll be able to answer any questions people might have too.

“It’s a great opportunity to speak to someone face to face and to also meet other member garden centres, who will be in attendance on the day.”

The GCA will be at Glee at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham on stand 19M69 from Monday, September 10 until Wednesday, September 12.

At Glee Daily News we would like to assure you that our Data Processing policies mean we actively mange the security of data we hold and that we never share data with any third party unless prior permission has been granted.

Potting Shed Press, the publishers of GTN and GTN Xtra sends useful information about Glee to a database of recipients who have read Glee Daily News in the past five years and those registered for visiting in 2018.  The last thing we want to be doing is adding to the volume of e-mails landing with people at the moment and also we do not want to get confused with SPAM, which is of course what the GDPR regulations are all about, plus data security too.

If of course you wish to stop receiving Glee Daily News you can do so by clicking the unsubscribe link which appears at the bottom of each issue of the e-mail newsletter and here.

In the meantime, we hope you keep enjoying and benefitting from the e-mail newsletter service we deliver.  See you at Glee!

Potting Shed Press Ltd, the publishers of Glee Daily News on behalf of Glee and ITE Exhibitions, are registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner's Office under registration reference: ZA248717

The all new Flopro Classic Hose Reel will hit the market at Glee with 30,000 units being given away absolutely free of charge at garden centres across the country.

Flopro have arranged the deal with a national newspaper whose readers simply collect the vouchers and visit their nearest participating centre where they will receive their brand new hose reel at no charge.

The promotion which is thought to be the largest ever giveaway in the garden industry will be launched at Glee 2018 in readiness for the press launch on Easter Saturday 2019. Participating garden centres will receive around 100 Classic hose reels free of charge. The deal which represents £2m investment by Flopro is designed to move the brand to a ‘must stock’ range for all garden centres.

Flopro will receive substantial editorial in the national newspaper right across the U.K. and southern Ireland creating the biggest trade and consumer promotion in the industry. While at the garden centre, visitors may view and purchase accessories such as Flopro spray guns, sprinklers, connectors, timers and lots more creating incremental sales and profit for the retailer.

Consumers can enjoy quality no-leak products from Flopro, while ensuring 100% compatibility with all other watering brands, with an easy snap fit. Flopro products are robust, and UV protected using only the finest quality materials

Come and visit the Flopro stand at Glee (Crest Garden 7G50-K51) to receive full details and to register as a participant or contact their Crest Garden representative.

www.flopro-uk.com

A champion of exciting and groundbreaking garden products, the Glee New Product Showcase has earnt an unrivalled industry wide reputation for unearthing the latest in innovation and the future businesses of tomorrow.

Selected from hundreds of entries showcased at the annual show, the winning products are chosen by an expert panel of judges, representing independent and multiple retailers and international suppliers. 

Here we catch up with i-Glo who won an impressive three awards in the highly competitive categories, to see how things have developed for them as a business since Glee 2017.

The North-East company has developed a revolutionary and maintenance-free glow in the dark technology, allowing them to create a range of garden and landscaping products that shine all night after naturally charging in daylight. The i-Glo Decking Disc won the Best of British Award at last year’s Glee, as well as Best Landscaping Product, and the most coveted award of all, Best New Product.

Winning the Best New Product category in the 2017 Awards provided an immediate boost to i-Glo’s business as Director, Mike Storey explains: “We were very proud and honoured to win the awards following three years of extensive research and development. This has given us awareness and respect within the industry almost straight away. Since winning the New Product Awards, we have invested in manufacturing equipment in our North Shields base with an upturn in local jobs.”

With 2018 looking extremely positive for i-Glo, it has not been without its challenges either.   The garden retail sector sat up and took notice of their innovative way to bring areas of decking and paths to life at night, with many retailers wanting to stock them. “The main challenge was to arrive at a business model which is able to work within the garden retail pricing structure," Mike commented. 

Their current production facility also had to be changed and i-Glo found themselves investing in the latest technology within their plant to keep up with the increasing demand for their products following their Glee win.  Mike quickly identified automation as an opportunity for his business and these new processes have resulted in new job creations within the company, as well as minimising rejects and reducing overheads.

The future is certainly looking bright for i-Glo as Mike explains: “We have just completed an exclusive arrangement with leading composite decking manufacturer, Ecodek, enabling us to bring to market and distribute our decking disc within the retail sector. We have added more products to the decking range to satisfy customer requirements including i-Glo paving, edging and stepping stones.”

And what would Mike’s advice be to other start-up businesses looking to emulate i-Glo’s success?  “The route to market is the most important consideration. Identifying a suitable partner company that has the appropriate contacts and connections should be the main priority in order to sell your product and plan your sales.”

Entry into the Glee New Products Showcase is now open and is completely free of charge to all Glee 2018 exhibitors.   

The showcase will feature entries from twelve different product categories:

• Best Retail Services and Experiences Products
• Best Outdoor Entertaining Products
• Best Garden Decoration Products
• Best Home, Gift and Clothing Products
• Best Wildlife and Pets Products
• Best Garden Care - Growing Accessories Products
• Best Garden Care – Chemicals, Fertilisers and Growing Media Products
• Best Plants, Seeds and Bulbs Products
• Best Tools and Machinery Products
• Best Landscaping Products
• Best of British and the Glee Consumer Choice Award, sponsored by Grow Your Own Magazine.  

All entries can be found in a in the New Product Showcase area in Hall 20, with the winners being announced at a special award presentation organised and run by leading trade publication, Garden Trade News.

The Glee Buyers Power List has been set-up to recognise the individual buyers and buying teams who have gone above and beyond to make a difference within the garden retail industry this year. Voting has been open since early summer, with nominations flooding in from all corners of the market. Now, details of those shortlisted have been confirmed.

Formed of the top nominations in each of the six categories, the shortlist is representative of the leading buyers and buying teams from retailers across the country. The shortlist is now open to the industry to cast their vote for their top buyers or teams in each category. These votes will then be counted, with the buyer or team with the most votes being crowned as individual category winners during a special Buyers Power List ceremony taking place on Tuesday 11th September at Glee 2018. A ‘winner of winners’ will also be announced at the same ceremony.

Voting for the top buyer or teams featured in the Glee Buyers Power List shortlist closes on August 24th. Casting your vote couldn’t be easier. Simply log onto www.gleebirmingham.com/visit/glee-buyers-power-list to make your vote matter. Voting is open to everyone in the industry.

Best Independent Garden Centre

Almondsbury Garden Centre

Alton Garden Centre

Aylett Nurseries

Barton Grange Garden Centre

Bents Garden & Home

Burford Garden Centre

Chessington Garden Centre

Fron Gogh Garden Centre

Highfield Garden Centre

Holly Bush Garden Centre

Mains of Drum

Monkton Elm Garden Centre

Old Railway Line Garden Centre

Perrywood Garden Centre

Best Multiple Garden Centre

Blue Diamond Garden Centres

British Garden Centres

Caulders Garden Centre

Choice Marketing

Creative Gardens

Haskins Garden Centres

Hillview Garden Centres

Klondyke

Longacres

Millbrook

Notcutts

Scotsdales

Squires Garden Centres

Stewarts Garden Centres

Best DIY / Builder Merchant Buyer/Buying Team

B&Q

Homebase

Jewson

Stax

Toolstation

Travis Perkins

Wickes

Best Online Buyer/ Buying Team

Amazon

Crocus

Gardensite

Greenfingers

Primrose

RHS

Richard Jacksons Garden

Tesco Direct

Waitrose

Wayfair

NEW FOR 2018 - Best Supermarket / Department Store Buyer/Buying Team

Argos

John Lewis

M&S

Morrisons

Sainsbury's

Tesco

Waitrose

Talking about the Buyers Power List, Glee’s Event Director, Matthew Mein said: “The Buyers Power List has fast become an integral part of Glee, and the results of this year’s awards are already highly anticipated. The shortlist showcases the hard work and commitment that each retail buyer or team has undertaken in the last 12 months, and we’re so pleased to be able to provide a platform on which this dedication can be celebrated and rewarded. I look forward to revealing the winners at Glee 2018.”

As activity ramps up for Glee 2018, GIMA is encouraging new business and innovators to consider entering the 2018 GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund, with this year’s winner being unveiled at the annual exhibition.

Introduced in 2014, the fund offers the winner an unrivalled prize package, including a £6,000 grant andhelp with development and marketingtheir product to the UK garden retail sector.

Included within this prize fund is a year’s full GIMA membership, plus a wide range of business support tools designed to help ease the journey into a new and unfamiliar market place,such as free exhibition space at Glee (up to the value of £2,000), access to a leading business consultancy, one-year ACID (Anti Copying In Design) membership and a half page advert in the next GIMA Product Digest.

Since its inauguration,fourhighly deserving winners have been crowned,allof which have gone on to witness significant core growth.

Last year’s winners were the clean technology company,bio-bean,who have industrialised the process of recycling spent coffee grounds into advanced biofuels and biochemicals. It was the company’s Coffee Logs that captured the attention of the judges in 2017 thanks to its simplicity and environmentally friendly nature.

Talking about their win, a representative from bio-bean said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won – as a growing start-up with a new product this support will help us take our business to the next level.”

Businesses interested in entering the GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund in 2018 are invited to do so by visiting http://gima.org.uk/innovators-seed-corn-fund/ and completing the online application form ahead of the August 17^th deadline.

Woodlodge has announced it will once again be raising money for Greenfingers Charity at Glee 2018 by hosting a raffle in aid of this worthy cause.

Proudly celebrating its seventh year of support for Greenfingers, Woodlodge will sell raffle tickets throughout Glee, donating the cash raised to the charity dedicated to creating magical gardens for children who spend time in hospices. This year’s prize comprises of an exceptional selection of Prosecco piled high in a prestigious extra-large pot, from the company’s Heritage Garden collection. 

Exhibitors and attendees alike are encouraged to look out for the prize at Woodlodge’s stand (6T30-U31 and 6T40-U41) and around the Glee halls to enter the competition and learn more about the charity. Raffle tickets will be available to purchase from Greenfingers Charity (on HTA’s stand 19P69) and Woodlodge representatives at the event.

Michael Wooldridge, Managing Director at Woodlodge, comments: “Greenfingers is a very valuable organisation and we’re pleased to be supporting its inspiring work again at Glee this year. We’re hoping that our pot of prosecco will tempt visitors and increase awareness and support for Greenfingers.”

Linda Petrons, Head of Fundraising & Communications at Greenfingers Charity, comments: “We’ve had a wonderful year working with our friends at Woodlodge who provide support in so many ways. The raffle is a much-loved feature at Glee and we look forward to congratulating the winner and sharing with the market the amount of money it raises.”

Find out more

Woodlodge will be exhibiting in Hall 6, (stands 6T30-U31 and 6T40-U41).  To find out more about how Woodlodge’s market leading product offering, please visit www.woodlodge.co.uk

With a growing concern about the safety of children and pets when using garden care products such as pesticides, plant food or cleaners, Sipcam UK has teased some new additions to its ecofective® Child and Pet safe range, set to be launched at Glee this September. 

The current range will expand to include a new Liquid Lawn Feed, containing a unique natural formula ideal for family lawns.  Available in a 1.5 litre bottle, the feed is simply diluted in a watering can or sprayer, making it easy to apply, creating less mess and waste.The ingredients result in a quicker uptake of nutrients, creating a lush, green lawn in no time for families to enjoy.

Due to demand, a larger 1.5 litre bottle of Artificial Grass Cleaner concentrate will also be launched.  Containing a unique dual-action formula which is naturally derived from surfactants and advanced probiotics (friendly bacteria), the ready to use solution washes away grease, grime and dirt, even mess residue left by pets, and leaves millions of microorganisms to feed on any remaining dirt, providing a long-lasting effect.

Nigel Thompson of Sipcam UK said: “There has been a positive reaction to our Child and Pet Safe ranges since we first launched them at Glee in 2017, with the product portfolio continuing to expand to meet demand.  This is due to a common misconception amongst consumers that all pesticides and fertilisers in garden care products are harmful which is not the case. ecofective® use naturally derived ingredients which leave no residual effect on the environment, making the treated area instantly safe for all the family, wildlife and beneficial insects like bees.”

The liquid Lawn Feed and Artificial Grass Cleaner concentrate will sit beside ecofective’s® current range of Child and Pet Safe products which include a non-pesticide Bug & Mildew Control spray for use on flowers, fruit and vegetables, non-toxic Slug Defence granules, a natural ingredients granular Lawn Feed + Root Enhancer, ROOTplus 3 in 1 organic root enhancer, water retainer and fertiliser, organic Wonder Feed concentrate, organic Pour and Feed that can be used both indoors and outdoors, as well a RTU Artificial Grass Cleaner.

ecofective’s® other natural solutions for complete garden care are WeedBlast & Weed + Moss Killer which are formulated from acetic acid, Path, Patio and Decking Cleaner also from the acetic acid range, Bug Killer contains pyrethrin/fatty acid with NO neonicotinoids, pet re-trainer Cat and Dog Repellent, Mouse Killer a none anticoagulant, natural and organicHouseplant BOOST ‘Pour and Feed’, non-pesticide Houseplant Defender and Rose Defender.

ecofective® will be exhibiting at Glee on stand 8D81.  

Further details about Sipcam UK and its award-winning ecofective® product portfolio can be found at www.ecofective.uk.com.

New Glastonbury based paint company Thorndown, has developed and created two new unique paint ranges for the home and garden. 

Their revolutionary new Peelable Glass Paint is made using a 100% recycled plastics resin and is perfect for greenhouse shading, but also great inside the home for conservatory shading or privacy screening on over-looked windows. 

Scope for the arts & crafts market is vast as this water-based, virtually VOC free, non-toxic paint can also be used for festive decorating on windows, stencilling, and creating stained glass windows cheaply and easily. 

Ben Thornborough from Thorndown says “Our unique Peelable Glass Paint makes very effective shading and it is pretty addictive too. Like us, customers will be thinking about what they can paint next and as it comes from recycled plastic waste that previously went into land fill, the satisfaction and enjoyment from using it is all the greater”.

Thorndown’s new high-performing water-based Wood Paint uses the latest in technology, with an advanced water-repellent resin plus exterior grade colour pigments that are VOC free and long-lasting. Developed for all types of exterior timber it can be used anywhere and on anything out in the garden or inside the home. 

Thorndown’s Managing Director Ben Thornborough says, “I had become increasingly frustrated by the unnecessary complexity of the woodcare category. The trend to create sub categories of sub categories only serves to confuse the customer further, and take up valuable shelf space instore. So we carefully crafted our paints to be so versatile and easy to use the only decision a customer has to make is which colour to choose.

"Professionals and home consumers rave about the Wood Paint as the best in the market for ease of use and performance. Using the latest VOC free technologies we have created a paint that can be used on any wood, anywhere; decking, sheds & summerhouses, garden furniture, kitchen cabinets, interior floors, and furniture. It’s a new type of wood care product that needs little preparation, is simple and easy to use and crosses all categories making it the only wood finish a store would need to stock.”

Director of Design, Caroline says “I’ve been an avid painter for many years and love getting stuck into painting projects inside and out in the garden. We have created a range of tins that not only look gorgeous but have practical improvements too.

"Our unique tins are wider making them easier to and more stable when in use. We have left plenty of room from the paint line to the top of the tin so that when you stir your brand-new paint tin, half of the paint doesn’t end up being slopped all down the sides of the tin. 

"Core colour charts for both ranges ensure that popular and heritage tones are represented, along with primary colours that enable people to create their own shades by mixing colours together. At each stage of development we have ensured that simplicity and detailed thought combine to create a range of products that are fun and easy to use.”

Thorndown will be exhibiting their range of eco water-based Wood Paint and Peelable Glass Paint along with POS solutions at Glee Birmingham NEC, Hall 6 stand number 6S88 from 10th to 12th September 2018.