Glee was a hot bed of activity right up until the last minute, with many exhibitors still taking orders and talking to customers as the show closed its doors for another year.    

One company who enjoyed a last-minute dash to finalise orders and confirm new account details was Vivid Arts, the well-established supplier of decorative garden products such a statuary and garden ornaments.  Talking about his experience Vivid Arts’ Paul McGuire, said: “Glee 2013 was another success for Vivid.  We took many orders taken throughout the show, and customers demonstrated clear intent to commit to the ranges at the show. As Glee closed we still had customers on-stand, in fact we could have continued for another hour or two! 

 “This year we launched over 200 new products at Glee, of which we have clear indication that virtually all of them will "make the grade" in terms of distribution and sales. This is an exciting prospect for us, and one that would be difficult to achieve without the platform that Glee offers.”

Another company that maximised every second of Glee 2013 was DLF Trifolium, the UK’s largest lawn seed company.  This year DLF used the show to launch a number of new products to the market, including the Glee New Product Award winning Grass Graffiti from Johnsons Garden Care, plus a range of conservation-driven mixed seed blends called ‘At Home with Nature’ developed by Adam Henson, the well-known farmer, conservationist and television presenter.

Talking about their time at the show DLF’s Guy Jenkins said: “Glee really was a fantastic event for our business; in fact we believe it was our busiest show yet.  We not only met with our existing customers but we also opened lines of communication with many new retailers, helping us to potentially significantly grow our business.  In fact our stand was buzzing with activity right up until the close of the show and beyond.  As Glee closed its doors the team and I were still in meetings with customers both new and old.  We were so busy in fact that we ran out of time, and have since been hitting the road to meet with all those customers we didn’t have time to chat with properly. It’s been a hectic time but certainly worth it.”

Simon Goodwin, MD of La Hacienda also commented.  He said: “We took more orders at this years’ Glee than the previous three years. Tuesday was busier than normal for a last day and exceeded our expectations in terms of visitors to our stand.  Overall, Glee was the best for several years for us and our new products were very well received, with orders being taken throughout all three days of the show.”

Vitax’s sales manager, Colin Wetherley-Mein added: “We have always exhibited at Glee as it is enables Vitax to showcase its complete range of new products for the forthcoming season to existing and prospective clients.  This year’s show has been a huge success.  The new stand and products were received well and we have built a raft of new contacts both at a national and international level.” 

Finally, Town and Country’s Chief Executive Barry Page added; “Glee 2013 proved to be a very successful venture for Town & Country, with orders taken on stand over the three days, up slightly on last year.”

i2i’s Matthew Mein, Glee event manager, summarised: “In order to truly maximise your time at an exhibition such as Glee it is vital that every moment is taken full advantage of – whether by placing orders, networking with the industry, locating new products or sourcing inspiration.  It was clear as the doors closed on the 2013 event that many people were following this philosophy; feedback post-show has also highlighted the benefits of this approach.  We have heard from a wealth of exhibitors who have reported phenomenal success at this year’s Glee, from big orders taken to national retail accounts opened.  I hope that this level of success is representative of the mood as we head into the 2014 season. I personally look forward to seeing how this year’s ‘Glee stories’ develop in the year ahead.”

A successful Glee 2013, added to the fresh show location and opportunities in store from 2014, have seen a number of leading name exhibitors already snap up places at next year’s event (September14-16, 2014).

Companies to have booked their stands before this year’s doors had even closed include pots and planters specialists Woodlodge, award-winning garden product supplier, Burgon & Ball, pet product experts Petface, garden giftware specialists, Fallen Fruits, leading solar lighting company, Smart Solar, machinery experts, Handy Distribution, garden plastics company Garland, garden tools brand Wilkinson Sword (E.P.Barrus), garden leisure suppliers Bosmere, garden and horticultural product supplier, Vitax, and workwear distributors Gardiner Bros.& Co.

Glee - organised by i2i Events Group - is the UK’s leading garden trade buying event, and the only one to bring the whole industry together under one roof.  Built on the themes of ‘Discover, Network, Grow’, Glee 2014 will be the 40^th successful year for the show.  In 2014 Glee enters a new era as it moves to a new location within the NEC’s Halls 17 – 20; creating a host of fresh indoor and outdoor exhibiting, feature and visitor opportunities that meet the buying and selling needs of the modern garden retail industry. 

i2i’s Matthew Mein, Glee event manager, confirmed: “We have been delighted by the enormous amount of positive feedback we’ve received from buyers and suppliers at this year’s Glee, and overwhelmed by the demand for re-bookings from current exhibitors. We’ll be continuing to process these bookings over the coming weeks, as we put the detailed plans in place for next year’s exciting, new era.”

With a view to sharing the vision and opportunities presented by the future show, Matthew Mein took the heads of key garden industry trade associations the HTA, GIMA, GCA and Gardenex, to visit the new Halls.  Caroline Owen, President of the HTA and Managing Director of Scotsdales Garden Centre, said: “That everyone in the garden industry needs a focused, effective annual hub for buying, selling and meeting is beyond doubt.  Glee offers the perfect forum for doing business, and its plans for a fresh location, layout and features look set to help drive us all forward into the next 40 years.  Like the other trade associations here today, the HTA strongly urges every garden retailer and supplier to harness the opportunities that Glee provides.”

Further details about Glee 2014 will be announced soon.  For exhibiting information, call 0207 728 4623, and to find out the latest show news log onto www.gleebirmingham.com

Taylors Bulbs showcased their new Naturalising Scatter Boxes at Glee.

As the product's name implies, gardeners can simply scatter the bulbs straight from the box and plant where they fall to create an informal, random and natural effect to brighten lawns, verges and wildflower areas.

The varieties have been specifically chosen in themes which will flower year upon year with no effort.

There are four blends of spring flowering bulbs to choose from: Early, Mid & Late flowering mixes (RRP £5.99), and a Heritage Mix of Snowdrops and Bluebells (RRP £9.99). All are bee-friendly.

Also in the range are three blends of summer flowering bulbs for spring 2014: a Summer Blaze Mix of hot colours, a Scented Mix for garden fragrance and a Butterfly Mix (RRP £5.99) that is also bee-friendly.

All blends are presented in Taylors’ attractive and contemporary packaging with full planting instructions.

For more information visit  www.taylors-bulbs.com

Ten ground-breaking new garden products were confirmed as the winners of the coveted Glee New Product Awards 2013.

Winners off the Glee New Product Awards 2013 were selected from more than 200 entries, before Glee opened on Sunday morning, by an expert panel of judges representing independent and multiple retailers, the media, trade associations and international suppliers. With nine key garden retail categories, relevant entries were also considered for the Best of British and Green Awards. Each entry was judged on a challenging range of criteria including innovation, design, quality, environmental credentials, pricing and retail potential.

Buyers visiting Glee can see all of the winning and highly commended products in the 'Visitor Hub' areas of the show, where you'll also find the hundreds of other entries. Entries from exhibitors in Hall 5 can be found in the Hub central to Hall 5; exhibitors from Hall 4, and large-scale entries from Hall 5, can be found in Hall 4's Hub.

Winners’ round-up (in alphabetical order of categories)

Catering & Speciality Food

Winner: Chocolate Slabs, by Bon Bon’s (Wholesale) Ltd

Judges’ comments: Caroline Owen said: "These handcrafted chocolate slabs offer something quite different and should have a lot of appeal at garden centre level.  They are well packaged and priced, come in a transparent pack that shows off the colourful product, and offer good sales potential." 

Garden Care

Winner: Rainwater Terrace, by Design 4 Plastics Ltd

Judges’ comments: Simon Moore said:  "This is an innovative rainwater collection product that’s both practical and decorative.  The idea combines a two- or three-tier container to collect and re-use rainwater, with a decorative, multi-level planter that can be used for plants or grow-your-own.  Enabling the plants to feed from the water butt is a great feature; the plants made it attractive enough to place outside your house, and it’s at a good price point."

Garden Leisure

Winner: Grass Graffiti, by Johnsons Lawn Seed (DLF Trifolium)

Highly commended: Metal Silhouette Peacock, by Smart Solar

Judges’ comments: Carol Paris said: "The judges unanimously agreed that Grass Graffiti chalk-based, aerosol spray ‘paint’ is a brilliant, innovative product.  We can see a huge range of potential, from having fun with the family during garden games, sports and parties, to making garden design easier by marking out borders and ponds.  It washes off without damaging the lawn and is realistically priced too."

Garden Machinery

Winner: The Handy Folding Garden Trolley, by Handy Distirbution

Highly Commended: Flymo Ultraglide, by Husqvarna UK

Judges’ comments: John Barrett said:  "This convenient, folding garden trolley really is a well-engineered piece of equipment that’s easy to use, store and transport.  It could be equally useful for gardeners, campers and festival-goers!  We also felt it is well priced."

Home, Gift & Clothing

Winner: RHS Endorsed Garden Gifts, by Burgon & Ball

Highly Commended: Profession’elle Ladies Gloves, by Briers Ltd

Judges’ comments: Tamsin Westhorpe said: "The RHS Endorsed Garden Gift collection was an obvious winner.  Featuring images from the RHS Lindley Library, the packaging was just beautiful, and the quality of the gardening tools inside matched the loveliness of the gift - you'd know that someone loved you if you received it! It's a godd example of an existing branded item being combined with others to make a highly desirable new gift set. We also thought the Briars Prefession'elle Ladies Gloves were funky and fun, with a lovely design and comfortable for hands of any size"

Landscaping & Garden Design

Winner: Nash Storage Chest and Nash Garden Workstation, by M&M Timber Ltd

Highly Commended: Bloom Glasshouses, by Rhino Greenhouses

Judges’ comments: Katie Cleary said: "This was a very closely fought category, covering an enormous span of product types.  But we liked the fact that M&M’s Nash Storage Chest and Garden Workstation are both strong retail products with practical, robust construction, an easy-clean recycled plastic top, attractive design, and a competitive price point. Coming a close second place, we also thought that the Bloom Glasshouses by Rhino - designed by the former chief designer at Lotus cars - offeer great quality and stylish design

Pet

Winner: Ultra Plush Snuggle Bed, by Westwoods Global Ltd

Highly Commended: Cheeky Chicks pixie piggy house

Judges’ comments: Jane Lancaster said:  "The Ultra Plush Snuggle bed really caught our eye.  It’s an easy-clean, top quality product offering luxury and comfort for the family pet; and as it’s elevated it offers draught-free sleeping."

Retail Support

Winner: Beehive 3D Point of Sale, by Floramedia UK Ltd

Judges’ comments: Caroline Owen said: "This is a really impressive POS idea.  It successfully brings beekeeping to life at the point of sale, without the need for retailers to install a real beehive - an excellent display product

Nursery & Planteria

Winner: Culinary Herb Collection, by Gardeners Kitchen

Highly Commended: Miltonia candida x binottii hybrid orchid, by Javado UK

Comments: Joanna Wood said: "We liked Gardeners Kitchen’s well-presented pack of six culinary herbs. They make an ideal starter option for the garden, or to grow indoors on a windowsill. They also come with a handy trug and are attractively priced."

Best of British

Winner: RHS Endorsed Garden Gifts, by Burgon & Ball

Highly commended: Rainwater Terrace, by Design 4 Plastics Ltd

Judges’ comments: Carol Paris said: "This was the category that divided the judges the most, with both the winner and the highly commended products highly praised by the judges.  However, overall we felt that Burgon & Ball’s RHS Endorsed Garden Gift collection was the Best of British product, benefiting from great, British-made quality, good looks and the RHS branding.  It also appeals to female customers in particular, who make 70% of the purchases in garden centres.  We also liked the Rainwater Terrace, which cleverly combines both a water butt and planter; offering good looks with solving a practical gardening need."

Green Award

Winner: Biostretch, by Biostretch.com

Highly commended: All-in-one Propagator and Pot, by Ashortwalk

Judges’ comments: Caroline Owen said: "Biostretch is an innovative, biodegradable twine that the judges felt is a truly eco-friendly product.  It offers a soft, stretchy yet strong garden tie that rots into the ground after two years outside.  It’s the ideal way of supporting a plant as it grows, and should have mass market appeal.  We also liked the integrated Propagator and Pot by Ashortwalk.  Made from recycled yoghurt pots, it’s a clean, long-lasting, clutte- free way of propagating with zero waste, and zero landfill."

One further award - the Retailers Choice Award - will be announced tomorrow at Glee. Retailers visiting Glee New Product displays in Glee's Halls 4 and 5 are invited to vote for their favourite product after viewing the entries on display at the two Hubs. Voting is open from Sunday 15th September until Monday 16th September at midday, with the winner announced at Glee's exhibitor drinks evening from 6pm on Monday

Visitors to Gardman’s stand were able to take advantage of the garden sundries and wild bird care providers’ Spring Event.

Known for consistently giving garden centre retailers compelling offers, the company introduced a sales initiative centring on the products shoppers will be seeking in Spring 2014.

The Spring Event is underpinned by two of Gardman’s new sales initiatives – Stonger Off£rs and New Product !deas – and comprises compelling offers:

•65 unmissable offers: definitely the company’s strongest offer ever

•Savings of up to 70%

•20 new seasonal lines

•Up to one third off selected new category lines

•14 added value and half price promotional offers

“Getting a great start to the gardening season is always crucial and our Spring Deals have a very valuable role to play,” explained Duncan Ross, director of garden centre sales at Gardman.

“Retailers who take us up on the deals will have access to a greater depth of range with a higher throughput of products. This means they’ll be able to put new products in front of shoppers every time they come in store and so build a habit of return visits from the very beginning of the growing season. To be able to do this, we have worked hard to develop and introduce enticing new products to our ranges.

“Ultimately those who capitalise on the potential of our spring deals will drive up their footfall and so sales and profit.”

Stronger Off£rs and New Product !deas are sales initiatives within Gardman’s new retail partnership strategy, ‘Trust us to Deliver’.

Whitefurze Ltd, the UK manufacturer of plastic consumer products, used its stand at Glee to showcase an enhanced garden range with a new, eco-friendly element.

Following an ongoing programme of new product development, Whitefurze will be launching a brand new range of Water Butt Kits available in 100 & 230 litre capacities.

Manufactured in the UK, the new Water Butt Kits are simple and easy to install and come with everything you need to get started including stand and diverter.  The butts can be installed with no drilling required and make using stored water to look after your plants easy. Made from recycled materials, the new water butts are an essential part of any eco-friendly garden.

Also new for 2013 are Watering Cans and Athens Planters. The easy-to-carry cans are available in two designs and three sizes and come complete with detachable sprinkler rose. Practical and attractive, The Athens Range of planters includes five competitively priced lines including square, round and rectangular profiles. 

Visitors to the Whitefurze stand will also see their existing ranges of pots & saucers, planters, propagation lines and clever gardening accessories. Whatever you are looking for, Whitefurze has quality plastic garden products to suit your needs. 

La Hacienda launched  a new range of decorative garden giftware at Glee 2013, designed to offer retailers an on-trend giftware selection for customers.

Best known for its selection of chimeneas, La Hacienda has expanded its product portfolio significantly in recent years, with retailers now benefitting from one of the widest selection of firebasket, firebowls, firepits, lanterns, garden oil torches and gel burners.  The addition of the new giftware collection will further cement the company’s dedication to delivering the most comprehensive outdoor heating and accessory range on the market.

The new giftware offering comprises four different categories: The first range of colourful and quirky animals includes Daphne the Duck and Penelope the Pig.  Made from metal with an intended ‘lived in’ look these animals benefit from a primary colour palette, making them an eye-catching and playful addition to the garden or home.

A range of realistic looking wild birds has also been created.  From the Regal Pheasant to the Flapping White Duck and Tall Heron, these unique statues combines contemporary materials with traditional design, perfect for use anywhere in the home or in the garden.

Birds also feature within La Hacienda’s new beaded metal animals range.  Featuring free-standing and wall mounted designs including a snail, butterfly, frog and fish, each animal includes an exotic metalwork body in either a washed or lacquer finish.  Finally each animal is adorned with brightly coloured or glow in the dark beads – the latter being a unique design feature in decorative products of this type.

The final addition is a stunning assortment of rustic ironwork accessories.  From a lucky horseshoe and hose holder to key hooks, decorative brackets and shoe brush, this new range has been designed to tap into the trend of rustic and traditional home and garden decorations that has proven popular in recent years.

La Hacienda MD Simon Goodwin said: “We are extremely excited to be launching this new range of giftware at Glee 2013.  We offered the industry a ‘sneak peek’ recently and found the response to be incredibly positive.  This strong response was not only because the products combine style and quality, but also because this diversification further strengthens our position as a one-stop-shop for the best in garden accessories – something that our customers tell us is incredibly important to them.”

In addition to launching its new giftware offering, La Hacienda will also be showcasing new additions to its existing product portfolio.  New designs of chimeneas, firepits, gel burners and garden mirrors will also be on display. 

Electric garden heating solutions, including the newly integrated Heatmaster® brand, will also be available to view.  A growing profit opportunity for both La Hacienda and its customers, this advanced range will be showcased alongside proven POS and merchandising solutions.

Simon added: “I strongly believe that we have one of the most comprehensive offerings on the market, and feel that Glee is the right place for us to showcase this to the market.  We look forward to meeting with the garden retail industry once the doors open in September – it’s set to be a great show!”

Find out more: For further information about La Hacienda’s outdoor heating ranges visit www.lahacienda.co.uk or call 01285 762060.

• Dents Garden Centre (Gothic arch canopy)
• Dunbar Garden Centre
• Dobbies (both King's Lynn and Inverness)
• Northwood Garden Centre

National Structures are also currently undertaking a retail canopy area project at Smiths Nurseries (Bagington) Ltd and also working on a project of replacing roof areas and  refurbishing existing buildings at Garson’s Farm Esher.

And the company have been awarded the contract to supply the canopies for the Galgorm Castle Garden Centre project in Northern Ireland.

National Structures are on stand 5H36. For more information visit www.nationalstructures.co.uk



Pictured above: Dents Garden Centre. Below: selection of pictures from Dunbar Garden Centre.

Seed specialist, Suttons Seeds, launched their new Wildlife Sanctuary Seed Collection at this year’s Glee.

This new collection has been designed in conjunction with the BBKA (British Beekeepers Association) to provide nectar and pollen for the honey bee and other pollinators all-year-round.

The collection is made up of 38 flower, veg and herb varieties with each packet clearly detailing whether the variety is good for nectar or pollen.

Did you know?... One in three mouthfuls of the food we eat is dependent on pollination!

Keeping our pollinators strong and healthy enables them to pollinate our crops so we can enjoy delicious fruit, veg, salads and even chocolate! However, it’s not just the food we eat that is important, pollination helps to feed many other animals and birds in the food chain plus, it is a vital part of creating the diversity in the environment that we all enjoy.

In a recent survey, Suttons found that 44% of gardeners were growing plants to encourage wildlife in their gardens.

Suttons new Wildlife Sanctuary meets the consumer desire for growing varieties that will not only attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators to their gardens, but will also put food on the table and brighten their homes.

The collection has been designed to meet a real consumer concern, create interest and maximise profits plus, the 68cm display will only take up a small amount of room in store! The display for Suttons new Wildlife Sanctuary is eye-catching and playful with attractive point of sale material that even includes your very own ‘Betty Bee’ wobbler.

While Suttons is donating to the Charity directly, inside each packet the consumer also has the opportunity to ‘Adopt a beehive’ or become a ‘Friend of the honeybee’. All money raised through these channels is ploughed back into the BBKA to support essential scientific research to prevent the decline of the honey bee.

Other new products to look out for include:

Rapid Green II, Self-Repairing Lawn Seed
Suttons new Self-Repairing Lawn Seed gives up to 30% more cover than conventional lawn seed! It gives you a lush, thick, even lawn that has a high tolerance to drought and even the most enthusiastic children and pets –with no more patch repairs!

James Wong Plants
New 5 litre Homegrown Revolution plant range coming soon!

Microgreens
Grow your own ‘Indoor Allotment’ all-year-round with the latest culinary ‘must-have’ that’s packed full of nutrients and vitamins.

Floral Fusions Flower Mixes
Sensational selection of flower mixes that are easy to sow and will quickly add colour to any garden.

For more information on Suttons new Wildlife Sanctuary Seed Collection, or if you would like to stock the collection, visit the Suttons Seeds team at GLEE, Hall 5 Stand 5E 22.  www.suttons.com

Jeyes received a great reaction to their new look during their return to Glee after a 6-year absence and the Jeyes team of Mark Speed, Senior National Account Manager and Damien MacMahon, Sales Manager for Ireland told Glee Daily News they'd had plenty of welcoming comments from Glee visitiors who were very glad to see them at the show.

They revealed their all-new range at Glee, including a redesign of the original Jeyes Fluid tins, the introduction of new Jeyes Patio Power and Jeyes Fluid Ready to Use plus the re-formulation for Jeyes Freshbin.

Visitors to the company's stand were ableto get a FREE sample of Jeyes Fluid Ready to Use 500ml while stocks lasted. Bulk order discounts for wholesale and garden centres will apply for the duration of the show.

Trusted by generations, Jeyes Fluid is a remarkably versatile outdoor cleaner. Originally patented by John Jeyes in 1877 in Thetford, Norfolk, Jeyes Fluid was granted a Royal Warrant in 1896 and continues to supply the Royal household to this day. Today, the range is bigger than ever, with the latest products and packaging refresh expected to raise awareness and attract new users to the brand, as well as increasing usage and repeat purchase amongst the existing customer base.

New Jeyes Patio Power is a unique and long-lasting pressure-washer compatible cleaner which kills 99.9% of germs and removes dirt, algae and mildew on all hard outdoor surfaces. Available now in a 2L format at an RRP of £9.99, and a 4L format at an RRP of £15.99.

New Jeyes Fluid Ready to Use is a convenient, pre-diluted version of traditional Jeyes Fluid. Available now with an RRP of £1.49 for the 500ml pack, and £9.99 for the 4L pack.

Retailers should contact 01842 757 575 or contact@jeyes.com to order products or for more information.

Premier Decorations have reached an exclusive agreement to distribute the market-leading Barbecook range of gas and charcoal barbecues in the UK and Ireland.

The range has been established in mainland Europe for over 25 years and has set standards in assembly, ease of use, quality and maintenance.

The charcoal barbecues use the patented Quickstart lighting system, which means you can light the barbecue using just three sheets of newspaper with no assistance from lighter fluids, gels or cubes. They are also available in a number of colours and varying styles. 

All Barbecook gas barbecues pride themselves on fast heat distribution from powerful 5kw burners, reliable electronic ignition and the unique Aromaz flavour trays that slide underneath the grill to help give food any number of unmistakeable flavours.

Premier Decorations are on stand: 5J04-L03. Visit www.premierdec.com

Vitax is building on its success of 2013 by taking a prime position at Glee to showcase its new range of products.

The new 135 sq m state-of-the-art stand is positioned at the front of Hall 5.  Increasing its floor space from 60 sq m, the stand will display its core brands alongside its new products for 2014.

Visitors to Glee will have access to Vitax’s knowledgeable staff as well as viewing the new designs and products before they hit the shelves.

Around 20 new products will be launched across a number of product lines including the growing media range and Nippon. The growing media range has gone from strength-to-strength since it was unveiled at last year’s show with over five new products added to this line alone.  Q4 will see a new premium range added to its existing fertiliser range.

Over the past 12 months, Vitax has been working with packaging experts and designers to ensure its products remain contemporary and fresh.  New packaging has been approved for many existing lines.

The market-leader in pest deterrent for slugs and snails has received unprecedented success in 2013.  Taking centre stage on Vitax’s stand at this year’s Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace, it has also received Soil Accreditation, secured the coveted British Wool logo, is part of the Campaign for Wool and has won a GIMA award.  A new exhibition area has been created on the stand to educate visitors about Slug Gone and its capabilities.

You can Vitax on stand 5D02. For more information visit www.vitax.co.uk

Maryanne Stokes, former sales and marketing manager of Vital Earth and Growise, is using Glee to launch her range of PR, marketing, sales and training services to retailers and growers in the garden sector as well as to manufacturers and distributors. 

“Having been talking to a number of retail and commercial grower businesses recently, I’ve realised that their challenges and opportunities are very similar albeit sometimes on a different or more regional scale,” Maz explains. 

“Because our packages are easily adaptable from taster level to something much more strategic, we’re perfectly placed to support any business in the garden industry.  And what better and more exciting place to bring that service to the market than Glee!”

The company offers monthly fixed price sales support, marketing and training packages suitable for any size of operation from start up to blue chip. 

Thanks to maximum flexibility and a network of skilled service providers who know the garden trade intimately, the company can offer a selection of both planned and emergency resources ranging from marketing and PR campaigns and design and production to recruitment, staff training, product sourcing and sickness, holiday and parental leave cover – all on a straightforward hourly rate.

Claims Maz: “Our greatest strength is an ability to work with speed and precision, delivering solutions, adding value and stretching budgets.”  "I look forward to seeing you at stand 5G45."

Maryanne Stokes Limited is based in Somerset just off the A303 in between Wincanton and Yeovil, with associate offices north and south of Birmingham.  Maz can be contacted on by phone or text on 07747 676 833 / 01963 441 433 or email maz@maryannestokes.co.uk.

Lawnmower and garden products supplier SANLI (UK) Ltd is showcasing its new ‘shop-in-shop’ concept for garden centres at Glee.

The company has devised special self-contained units which slot neatly into a display area – allowing garden centres to easily and effortlessly promote the Sanli range.

Customers can browse information on a touch screen and check out the equipment demo models surrounding the screen on an attractive ‘striped lawn area’.

After ordering, delivery is made free next day, direct to the customer.

“Few garden centres have traditionally offered petrol products such as lawnmowers, partly because these are technical products requiring specialised sales people and also the after-sales service that is required in the form of maintenance, servicing and repair,” said Sanli (UK) Ltd managing director Simon Del-Nevo. 

“The Sanli shop-in-shop, together with the after-sales care Sanli Helpline, overcomes these challenges – giving garden centres a convenient way in which to extend their range to encompass petrol lawnmowers and other garden equipment and create new sales.”

Sanli, which supplies a range of quality, good value, petrol lawnmowers and products, including brush cutters, chainsaws, hedge cutters, blowers and generators, has devised eye-catching 2m by 3m display units for garden centres which require just power and WiFi.

“The shop-in-shops require no garden centre staff involvement, as information is available from the touch screen and from the demo models surrounding the screen on the 'striped lawn area’,” said Simon Del-Nevo. “Delivery is made by Sanli, next day, free to customer, and all after-care is via the Sanli helpline and includes everything from telephone advice to 'back to base' for warranty work.”

Visit the Sanli (UK) Ltd stand (5D38) for more information about the new shop-in-shops. Its website www.sanli.co.uk has been designed to act as a resource for Sanli lawnmower owners.

With sales bolstered by the introduction of the ‘Specialist Choice’ range of John Innes composts alongside the new Farmyard Manure and Large Chip Bark, Durstons has seen sales increase by record levels this year, bucking-the-trend for the sector, and giving the company an excellent starting point for the coming season.

“We’re looking forward to meeting up with new and existing customers at GLEE 2013,” says director, Chris Durston. 

Formore information visit www.durstongardenproducts.co.uk or call 01458 442688

Garden tools and accessories company Darlac continue celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2013 by returning to Glee with even more ‘Best Buys’ under its belt, as well as a series of new and innovative products on offer.

The new products include a Perennial Shear, Geared Pruner and a Hose End Tap, along with a Soap Dispenser for use in conjunction with the popular Swop Top window/conservatory cleaning system. The company has also added a Fruit Picking Basket to its Expert range.

For more information visit www.darlac.com, email sales@darlac.com or call 01753 547790.

Campingaz unveiled their new collection of state of the art barbecues at Glee.

The range follows a multi-million dollar investment combining advanced technology and features with eye-catching designs.

While the flagship products are the premium RBS® models, the 3 and 4 Series Cast Iron and Classic barbecues boast an efficient stainless steel tube burner system paired with a new, stylish design. Budget-conscious consumers are catered for with the compact yet powerful 2 Series Classic range and, when space is at a premium, the 2 Series Compact offers a portable, space-saving design with folding trolley.

Innovative features include the Culinary Modular System on seeveral models, allowing barbecuers to replace the inner ring of the cast iron grid with a convenient modular insert enbabling use of the optional wok, pizza stone or paella pan.

With the patent-pending Campingaz InstaClean™ System, dirty or greasy barbecue parts can be put straight into a dishwasher.

4 Campingaz recently appointed Paul Lilwall as National Account Manager. A barbecue enthusiast, Paul’s previopus experience includes roles with major brands including Guinness and Beefeater Barbecues. Focusing solely on the new Campingaz barbecue collection, Paul will be on hand at the show to meet buyers.

Gilbert Evans (5J34), the largest and most experienced team in the UK, have been involved in the majority of larger garden centre transactions in recent years.
In the past 12 months they have sold or acquired garden centres with a combined value of more than £20m.

Their expertise spans buying and selling/leasing garden centres, concessions, valuations, rating, rent reviews and lease renewals and development consultancy.

The Air Lamp from LUXA (5B47) is a totally new concept for homes, with a trendy retro look and a lampshade that floats in mid-air.

The Air Lamp contains a patented system of top-end electronics that produces an electro-magnetically repulsive column above the centre of the lamp base, supporting the shade against the force of gravity. The electronics have been programmed to make the shade gently rotate, so that light, colour and movement are all achieved from thet same lamp.

The lamp has energy-saving LED lighting and can be used as an up and a down-lighter. The upper and lower lights can be operated independently or both together. Power consumption is around 11w with the lights on and 3w without.

The shades are mounted on a small magnetic disc that can carry weights of up to 100g, so when the shade isn't being used,  other objects can be rotated in mid-air - messages, little presents, reminder, for instance.

The Air Lamp is currently available with white, red or silver lampshades and with silver metal or red lacquered stand.

Information: www.luxa.co.uk

The acquisition by The Garden Centre Group of the Garden & Leisure group of seven centres today triggered the resignation of Carol Paris as a G&L director.

Mrs Paris will now focus full-time on her duties at the HTA, who today announced they had appointed her as full-time permanent chief executive. The role was formerly one of director general but was reviewed last year in the light of the HTA’s changing requirements.

At Glee today, Mrs Paris said she had thoroughly enjoyed her 16 years at Garden & Leisure. “The change of ownership represents a great opportunity for all the staff there,” she said.

Welcoming the appointment, HTA president Caroline Owen said she was delighted that the association would now have Carol Paris as a full-time leader.

BBC ‘Countryfile’ presenter Adam Henson spent the day on the DLF Trifolium stand today (5C15) promoting his new range of conservation and wildflower seed mixtures.

The range was created in association with DLF using the habitat creation skills developed by Henson on his Cotswolds farm.

There are three themed mixtures, all in colourful bottles – Wildlife Wel;come (perennials), Butterflies and Bees Welcome (annual wild flower pollinator mix) and Birds Welcome (annual wild bird attraction mix).

“There is a growing consumer interest in conservation,” Henson told Glee Daily News, “and we believe the timing is right for the message we’re promoting.”  He said he and his colleague Duncan Andrews had worked closely with DLF to make sure the mixtures performed well.

Westland Introduce Natures Haven Easy WIld Flowers.

The momentum towards wildflowers and encouraging pollinating insects continues to build in this new mix of 15 easy to grow wildflower seeds and compost in an easy to pour dispenser is aimed once again at novice gardeners.

Glee Daily News roving reporter Roger Crookes told us "This product is right on trend. So many local authorities are now using wildflower seeds on roadsides and in hedgerows, couple that with superb coverage on tv programmes, you can expect the demand for insect friendly wildflowers to build again for 2014. This product should be easy to sell and easy to use."

Photo: Louise Billingham - Product Manager

Todays lucky winners of a bottle of bubbly from Catering Design Group was Neil Grant of Ferndale Garden Centre at Sheffield.

Each day of the show, Glee Daily News will be walking around the show in search of visitors wearing an “I’ve thought about it!” pink badge. We’ll be picking one lucky visitor at random tomorrow to win a bottle of champagne courtesy of Catering Design Group. For your chance to win, simply pick up your badge from the Catering Design Group stand within the Catering Zone (Stand 5K20-L25).

Will you be a winner tomorrow? 

The badges form part of an innovative idea from the team at CDG who have been providing garden centres with a range of solutions, hints and tips in the run up to the show around the theme: “Have you thought about…” They have covered solutions to problems with queuing, acoustics, sustainability and creating synergy between front and back of house.

Gardman’s new CEO revealed at Glee that the company will get closer to the market and aim to develop a deeper understanding of what consumers want.

Stewart Hainsworth, who took up the reins just two weeks ago, said the industry appeared to need more information about its consumers. “The one big difference I’ve noticed since I joined is the lack of data compared to the supermarkets, who can tell you amazing things about their customers” he told Glee Daily News. “They know more than the KGB!” he quipped.

“If you’re looking at refreshing your brand range, you need to know what the consumer wants, what they’re buying, how they’re buying, the whole picture. A lot of those things are missing. We’re relying on word of mouth or talking to customers to get their feedback. When you try to formulate a strategy, it’s difficult without those things.

“We have to have a point of differentiation and we need to find our USP and the story behind every product. That’s what we’re looking for – finding the reason for the product and what it is doing for the consumer.”

He said information was particularly important for so-called ‘upsell’ products. “Selling on price is one thing, but when you’re trying to sell something that’s a brand and above, you have got to give the reason for the consumer to buy that product and invest in that price.”

Hainsworth, whose background includes roles in the alcohol and tobacco industries, said Gardman’s investors were fully committed to growth. “Gardman last year and Gardman this are different,” he said. “The investors have come in with great commitment and are really backing us.”

But, he revealed, an acquisitions strategy had not yet been formulated, despite rumours circulating at Glee that Gardman had already made a significant purchase. “It’s very early days,” he said. “It has to be in-house first, we have got to evaluate what we’ve got. That’s going to take time. Then, we shall look at what, within our core competence, we should be in as well in order to enhance our proposition. And that’s when we can look at inorganic growth opportunities. As for these rumours, they’re really jumping the gun by a long way.”

Hainsworth stressed the importance of the wild bird care market to Gardman’s future. “Wild bird care is core to our business,” he added. “We shall defend that all the way. We are out there to do what we do best and a big part of that is wild bird care.”

Pictured: Gardman CEO Stewart Hainsworth (right) with new commercial director Justin Young on the stand at Glee today.

GreanBase have been delighted with response to their Grumpy Gardener range at Glee, and by the end of day two the levels of interest had exceeded expectations.

With still a full day to go orders for the new eco friendly/non caustic BBQ cleaner named BBQ Gleam had broken 30,000 units from international buyers alone while UK sales of the new 'Litter Gripper' products had received over 8,000 confirmed buys with numerous leads and interest to follow after the show.

Director of GreanBase Michael Smith commented: "We've been knocked over by the level of interest in the Grumpy Gardner Range. We've spoken to buyers from Italy, Spain, Greece, Holland, Sweden, Canada, France and Germany as well as domestic buyers and have already a huge amount of confirmed orders. In fact we have already rebooked our stand for Glee 2014 and have increased the stand size by 50%."

The BBQ Gleam is a revolutionary UK manufactured cleaning product that unlike it's competition is non caustic/eco friendly and safe around children and pets whilst the Litter Gripper is another UK manufactured product that holds any bin or garden bag open with one hand.


On their stand (5E30), GreanBase ran a competition to celebrate the launch of the Grumpy Gardener brand and 14 new products, with an iPad 2, the full Grumpy Gardener range, and a bottle of champagne as prizes. The winner of the iPad was Eoin Flaherty, of SWO Easy in Ireland, and was drawn by Garden Trade News publisher Pat Flynn (pictured below). Martin Rowe, of You Garden Ltd won the Grumpy Gardener range, and Patrick Limming, of JW Limming Ltd, won the bottle of champagne.

Part of the Naylor Group of Companies, Yorkshire Flowerpots has been the UK’s leading manufacturer of high quality natural clay products for over 123 years.

Skillfully combining traditional craftsman techniques with the latest manufacturing technology, Yorkshire Flowerpots offer a range of products that are durable, elegant and 100% environmentally friendly.

Whether choosing contemporary or timeless classic designs all the Yorkshire Flowerpots range are handmade from natural red clay from local quarries. All flowerpots come with a unique Lifetime Guarantee ensuring that they will offer pleasure and style for years to come.

The range includes: Classic, Landscape, Ribbed, Contemporary, Specials & Commissions Pot feet What they all have in common is robust durability having been fired in excess of 1050° centigrade. In addition, they are frost proof to –15°.

The successful Resolva family continues to grow with Resolva Bug Killer available in 'ready to use' and concentrate formulations.

The active ingredient lambda-cyhalotharin is a 10-14 day contact insecticide which can be used on 30 plants including fruits and vegetables.

It benefits from the usual exccellent Resolva brand packaging and £1.2 million marketing support.

The retailers have spoken at Glee, and together they have awarded two, ground-breaking new garden products with the title of Glee New Products ‘Retailers Choice Award’ winner 2013.

2013 marked the first time that visitors to Glee could select the products that they feel offers the most exciting opportunity for retailers – whether as a profit booster, crowd pleaser or simply because it offers something unique.  Voting took place throughout the Sunday and Monday of the show, with the final count culminating in a special awards ceremony at the Glee exhibitor drinks party (16^th September).

And the winners are…..

Two winners were selected, one from the Glee New Products entrants in Halls 4 and 5.

The Hall 4 winner was the Melbourne P1200 Pavilion from Nordic Garden Buildings.  A quintessentially British-built garden building, the Melbourne P1200 Pavilion is the practical and stylish solution for UK gardeners wanting additional storage solutions.

In Hall 5, it was the Rainwater Terrace from Design4Plastics Ltd that took the title of ‘Retailers Choice’.  Already the winner of the Glee New Products ‘Garden Care’ category, the Rainwater Terrace has been praised for its innovative design, practical usage and great price point.

i2i’s Matthew Mein, Glee event manager said: “The Rainwater Terrace and Melbourne P1200 Pavilion are two products most deserving of their place on this year’s Glee New Products winners list. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to cast their vote, and also thank all of those companies that entered a product into the awards.  Together you have made for another exciting, and closely fought, showcase of the best the industry has to offer.”

Nordic Garden Buildings Justin Williams and Heidi Sachs outside their winning Melbourne P1200 Pavillion

The last winner of a bottle of bubbly from Catering Design Group was Dennis Espley, Managing Director of Squires Garden Centres.

Each day of the show, Glee Daily News picked out visitors wearing an “I’ve thought about it!” pink badge to win a bottle of champagne courtesy of Catering Design Group (Stand 5K20-L25).

The badges were part of an innovative idea from the team at CDG who have been providing garden centres with a range of solutions, hints and tips in the run up to the show around the theme: “Have you thought about…” They have covered solutions to problems with queuing, acoustics, sustainability and creating synergy between front and back of house.

The Fair Trade supplier, Tilnar Art, who exhibited at Glee for the first time this year, was very pleased with the show. 

Tilnar Art’s MD, Tom Hawes, commented: “Glee exceeded our expectations with our Metal Sculptures, in particularly our new Metal Giraffes, and our colourful Kenyan Soapstone range proving very popular with Garden Centre buyers.

"I felt the buyers had time to look and place orders which they don’t always have at other shows.”

Visit Tilnar Art’s website www.tilnarart.co.uk to see their full range, including their Bamboo Collection, Wooden Giraffe and Raku Pottery range. 

Miga Garden Systems is a manufacturer of wooden articles for garden architecture.

Wide range of our products will let you not only to fence your properties but also to decorate them.

You can find fences, gates, pots, gratings, pergolas and more in our offer. Modern design and functionality of our products combine with their high quality will let You create unique atmosphere in your garden for years.

Every year there are products launched at Glee that become bestsellers, but how do you know just how big a bestseller they become and how much in-store promotion you should give them?

GTN Bestsellers is the answer. Every week Top 50 Bestsellers charts are published, compiled from garden centre Epos data, giving the best and most up to date garden centre trading information on the market.

If you’d have been a subscriber this year you’ll have known that Roundup Weedkiller Gel, launched at Glee 2011, was the No.1 best selling weed killer product for 25 weeks this year and topped the garden products chart for one week in May. And that Vitax Slug Gone, launched at Glee 2012, was the GTN Bestsellers New Product of the Year, featuring in the Top 50 for 12 weeks, reaching a highest position of No12.

Plus, you’ll have benefitted from the GTN Bestsellers Tip of the week – a gem of a sales idea every week derived from 5 years of GTN Bestsellers charts.

So what are you waiting for? You need to buy a subscription to GTN Bestsellers right now. For just £145.00, you get a printed GTN Bestsellers chart posted to you each week, full access to the GTN Bestsellers charts and the GTN Archive on-line and your own copy of Garden Trade News in the post each issue.

And there’s more!! 

If you take out a GTN Bestsellers subscription before Glee, we’ll send you, as a bonus, the GTN Bestsellers Charts for the critical sales periods through June July and August this year when, according to our gathered Epos data, sales of garden products were up year on year by 10.3%.

And there’s even more!!!

Buying a subscription now means you’ll get every issue with the GTN Bestsellers Christmas charts too. It’s an invaluable chart to follow as your Christmas sales build, allowing you to spot new trends, make changes to your promotions and POS.  And, be one more step ahead of the competition when it comes to your Christmas buying for 2014.

So, what are you waiting for?  To get your subscription to GTN Bestsellers up and running, simply subscribe online here

or contact us by phone on 01733 775700 or by e-mail: karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

GTN Bestsellers – Garden Centre Bestsellers, Guaranteed!

Scotts Miracle-Gro have high hopes that Miracle-Gro Flower Magic Pots & Containers, unveiled at Glee, will build on the success of the original Flower Magic product launched at Glee 2012.

The unique 3-in-1 formula contains premium flower seed mixes, long-term plant fertiliser that feeds for up to four months and a unique compressed and dried coir compost.

Flower Magic Pots & Containers contains a mix of up to 22 different flower varieties especially chosen for their compact habit, growing 15-30cm (6-12in) high, from June to October or the first severe frosts. It will also suit the fronts of beds and borders.

Each pouch  (SRP 4.99) contains enough for up to 10x30cm (12in) containers or an area of 1sq.m. (1sq.yd.).

Many of the varieties included are endorsed with the RHS Perfect For Pollinators mark.

The product comes with a ‘Satisfaction Guaranteed’ promise.

Also launched today were a new Miracle-Gro Potting Mix compost designed specifically for young seedlings and plug plants and a new lawn food, Evergreen Extreme Green, which promises a greener lawn with three days.

VegTrug have revealed that Glee was a record breaking year for the company with more people visiting their stand than ever before.

"Over the three days of the show we had more visitors on-stand than ever before," said Joe Denham, international director at VegTrug. "Sunday in particular delivered a great overseas audience, helping us to develop our distribution networks outside of the UK. We also broke our own orders records!

“We believe the secret to a successful Glee is to keep the products fresh and innovative. We managed to launch the VegTrug Poppy range and also the new Wall Hugger products and this kept customer interest high in our products and stand.”

Celebrity gardener Pippa Greenwood was at Glee to announce the winners of the Stewart Garden Schools campaign 2013 and launch the 2014 competition. A cheque for £2000 was presented to Lough View Integrated Primary school, Belfast, Ireland, whose headmaster Robin Mercer attended with some of his pupils.

Second place went to Milbourne Lodge Primary, Esher, Surrey, with Bradley Barton Primary, Newton Abbot, Devon, in third place.

Stewart Garden, the gardening division of UK manufacturer Stewart, developed the Stewart Garden Schools campaign in 2012, with the aim of getting children to grow fruit and vegetables.

Louigh View will be spending their £2,000 prize money at Hillmount Garden Centre, Belfast. Milbourne will spend their £1,500 prize money at Garsons Esher Garden Centre, Esher and Bradley Barton will spend their £750 prize money at Fermoys Garden Centre, Newton Abbot.

For the 2014 campaign, Brother, will supply the schools with GL100 Garden Label printers for the second year running. New supporters Sinclair will supply compost.

Pippa Greenwood will provide the participating schools with a variety of seeds.

Next year, the top ten schools receive prize money, with the winning school receiving £1,000 to be spent at their local garden centre and the nine runners up will each receive £400.

Stewart Garden will again provide the growing kits.

This year the Tidal brand returned to Glee exclusively through Deco-Pak.

The exquisite range of stainless steel and natural stone water features will wash you away in amazement.

The range is complimented with a unique merchandise display unit that can be manoeuvred easily into situ and presents the features in a way to inspire sales. 

Visit the website www.deco-pak.co.uk for further information. 

Business consultant John Stanley urged retailers at Glee to get out of their comfort zone to embrace change.

In his seminar, titled ‘Business as Usual? There’s nothing usual about it’ in The Knowledge Hub (Hall 4), he said the next five years would see some “exciting stuff”. The accelerating pace of new technology and innovation would mean businesses would have to make new choices. “Don’t let what happened in the past stop your business developing in next few years,” he said. “We have to challenge existing practices in our changing world even if often we don’t know the rules of the game.”

He said every business in the world was at a crossroads – “but please don’t stand there too long. You have to make some decisions.”

He cited Amazon Fresh  – which delivers  fresh plants and flowers to consumers within 24 hours in the US – as an example of change that was unthinkable a few years ago. “And we have online businesses opening High Street stores to promote their online trade.”

Garden Tourism was another “sexy” development. Stanley said  he knew of a garden centre plant manager who took customers on a tour of gardens of Italy. “Are you engaging in things like this,” he asked his audience, “or are you still just trying to sell stuff?.  You have to think more about the end product and and how you are engaging your consumers with it.”

He predicted that ‘Weekday convenience versus weekend experience’ would be a key theme. The need for convenience would mean that within a few years, 30% of garden products would be purchased online. but consumers would still want to visit garden centres for a week-end experience.

Stanley warned against the insanity of “doing the same thing and expecting a different result”. 

Gardman’s founder Paris Natar was clearly enjoying his first Glee yesterday as the joint owner of Smart Solar , three years after selling his old company.

Natar bought a majority stake in Jonathan Stobart’s Smart Solar company last April, declaring that retirement after selling Gardman was not for him.

He said it was good to be back and he was looking forward to making a few things happen. Smart Solar was making steady progress in both the UK and export markets (the latter accounting for around 40% of the company’s turnover). Natar believes his experience in sourcing products in China is already making a difference at his new company, enabling an expanded range to be assembled at market-friendly price points.

The company also distributes Haxnicks and Greentrees ranges, which, Natar says, takes Smart Solar into a number of valuable product categories. “We’ll be turning our attention to how we brand these for the future,” he told Glee Daily News.

Paris Natar and Jonathan Stobart cut a cake to mark Smart Solar's 10th birthday.

Neudorff say their appearance at Glee 2013 (5C19) emphasises the German company’s commitment to the UK market.

“We’re here to stay and distribution is going well,” said Neudorff’s UK and Ireland sales manager Jude Beharall. “A lot of retailers are telling us they want organic ranges. The UK is now catching up with other parts of Europe.”

Among the new products on the Neudorff stand are Organic Moss Control for Lawns (active ingredient: pelargonic acid) and a new re-sealable 5kg bag of Organic Lawn Feed & Improver.

Visitors can also see a demonstration of the effectiveness of Neudorff’s organic fast-acting weedkillers.

Burgon & Ball  lifted Glee’s home and gift New Product Award for their range of gardener’s gift in RHS licensed or endorsed packaging – and already look to have a surefire sales winner on their hands.

The first run sold out before Glee opened. “We showed buyers pictures of what they would look like – and everyone wanted to buy them!” said Heather Culpan, Burgon & Ball’s managing director.

After a non-stop stream of orders at Glee, it looks like the second run, due for delivery in November, will follow the same pattern.

The range includes a special version of the popular Kneelo kneeler, hand tools, secateurs and gloves, all in packaging carrying beautiful botanical plant images from the RHS Lindley Library artwork archives covering three themes – chrysanthemum, rosa and passiflora.

Tamsin Westhorpe, a member of the judging panel, said: “The RHS Endorsed Garden Gift collection was an obvious winner. The packaging was just beautiful, and the quality of the gardening tools inside matched the loveliness of the gift - you'd know that someone loved you if you received it! It's a good example of an existing branded item being combined with others to make a highly desirable new gift set.”

Glee proved to be a very successful venture for Town & Country according to chief executive, Barry Page, with orders taken on the company's stand over the three days up slightly on last year.

"As well as a number of exciting new products to help drive sales throughout spring and summer 2014, we continue to find new ways to support the retailer and had three significant announcements to make at Glee," said Barry.

"The first was the introduction of our innovative new Secateurs range which will be available as a special promotion for retailers and will see £25 for every deal sold donated to the Greenfingers Charity, with ongoing donations as stock is sold and replaced. 

"The second - our unique retailer/supplier online sales initiative, which sees garden centres enjoy a percentage of our internet sales - has been very well received.

"And thirdly - we also confirmed the introduction of a 24/48 hour delivery service.  Our research has shown that this will increase sales by as much as 100%."

It has been another very challenging year for the industry, but the last 12 months of trading have been exceptional for Town & Country. The implementation of the Growth Development Programme has produced some extraordinary results. Yarnton Garden Centre is showing an increase in sales of 251% compared to last year, while Van Hague sales have increased by 327% for the same period.

For more information visit www.townandco.com

Pictured: Barry Page launches the Greenfingers promotion with HTA chief executive Carol Paris.

Red or Dead founders Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway MBE were on the Briers stand helping to showcase the new HemingwayDesign for Briers product offerings.

The range, which currently includes wellington boots and gloves and will be joined by raincoats, gives retailers a distinctive collection of premium garden-wear that will appeal to a design-aware audience.

Wayne and Gerardine are pictured with Briers MD Jackie Eades.

Stax Trade Centres exhibited their own brand range of quality Ambassador tools, Glenwear workwear and a selection of their SupaGarden products at Glee...

The company have been supplying garden centres and other related outlets with a comprehensive range of gardening products from all the top brands for over 32 years.

Recently their investment in this sector has resulted in a significant increase in market share.

Offering nationwide delivery of chemicals, fertilisers, growing media, pest & weed control, tools, watering, bird care, garden furniture and clothing - as well as seasonal ranges of heating, cooling and Christmas products, Stax provides a complete solution for retailers.

Stax currently have a number of offers available to garden centres with anything up to 73% margins on some products.

SunTime, part of the Trans-Continental Group, is a leading supplier of garden & indoor furniture products, having developed a deserved reputation for the highest standards of quality and service.

The company's production developments using environmentally responsible techniques and materials from sustainable sources and competitive pricing coupled with a continued investment in product design have resulted SunTime growing to its current UK leading position.

The SunTime, SnowTime & HomeTime brands offer a distinctive all-season product and service. Having the perfect blend of must-have essentials, unique and exclusive licensed products and competitive prices, we can also offer a range of purchase options to suit your requirements.

Visit www.transcon.co.uk for further information.

Marketing used to be simple for garden retailers: put an advert in the local, newspaper and the customers would rush to your door.

Those days are long gone and now we have to use traditional marketing to attract the more traditional consumer online marketing to attract the new consumer.

Many garden centres are struggling to adapt these new marketing channels resulting in less customers and decreasing margins and marketshare. It’s time to act!

New gardeners communicate in different ways to previous generations. They rarely read a newspaper, but do get engaged with businesses and their friends via online techniques. The result is that over the last few years we have seen a plethora of new marketing tools at our disposal and the challenge is where and how do you start.

Should you be “liking” ,”tweeting” or sending a text over a smartphone? All techniques that did not exist as marketing tools five years ago. Many garden centre owners a have found it difficult to keep up with the new marketing techniques.

To help garden centre retails get up to speed, John Stanley, John Stanley Associates and Edwin Meijer of Garden Connect have joined forces to provide a E-Book on the basic steps you need to take to develop an online marketing strategy.

They have not written the infinitive guide to online marketing, but a booklet they highlights the ten most effective communicating tools that can be used with the consumer when developing an online consumer engagement strategy. The booklet provides valuable hints and tips on how to develop and improve your marketing strategy.

Storm Black by Bosmere is a range of contemporary urban chic covers for outdoor furniture and barbeques. The range has already received an enthusiastic response from trade buyers.

To ensure that consumers select the correct cover for their particular needs, product usage is clearly identified on the front of the full-colour packaging. High quality ‘Range Centre’ merchandising units with slat wall backs, hooks and header panels are available to suit all types of outlet, from a single stand through to linked multiple units.

Bosmere’s sales and marketing director, Steve Millington, said: “Bosmere have an enviable reputation for the quality and durability of their furniture covers. For the 2014 season not only will our covers perform well, their urban chic design will also look stylish and complement the current trends in outdoor leisure.”

For more information visit www.bosmere.com

Agralan have agreed with Tecman to market the ‘No More Slugs n Snails’ copper adhesive tape.

This unique, patented tape will be available alongside the existing range of slug control products, including traps, barriers and nematodes.

Export enquiries are welcome.

Information: www.agralan.co.uk

NedFox has created the first national product database for garden centres to support UK businesses with stock control and label printing without commitment to an EPOS system.

‘Garden-Pool’ contains information about of hundreds of thousands of products from national and large regional suppliers and wholesalers including names like Alexander Rose, E.P. Barrus (Wolf Tools & Wilkinson Sword), Bosmere, Burgon & Ball, Decco (Wholesale), Forest Garden, Gardman, Hozelock, Outback, RSPB, Smart Solar, Suttons, Taylors Bulbs, Thompson & Morgan, Tom Chambers, Town & Country, Weber, Westland (incl. Unwins), William Sinclair Horticulture, Woodlodge and many others.

NedFox’s managing director Ernst van der Linde said: “We have 1.4 million lines on our Dutch garden centre database, covering more than 95% of all garden centre product lines stocked. We work with garden centre chains and buying groups, adding great value for both retailers and suppliers alike.”

The service is cloud-based and the retailer does not need servers to maintain the database – just a current WIFI system and hand-held scanner. The service will be formally launched at Glee by NedFox on stand 5F28.

Information www.nedfox.co.nl

Or email: ernst@nedfox.nl

With more than 100 years of cuting experience under its belt, Wilkinson Sword is expanding its range to include woodcutting tools.

The new Axe range includes four models covering a variety of woodcutting tasks. Each Axe has a high quality fibre glass handle with a soft grip for extra comfort. The axe heads are drop forged Carbon Steel which is hardwearing and durable. For extra protection each axe comes with a safety cover for the cutting blade.

Wilkinson Sword customers can enjoy the same quality and functionality from the new Axe range that they have come to expect from the brand’s garden tool range, backed by a reassuring 10 year guarantee.

Hatchet Axe

This small but handy 40cm Hatchet Axe is a great all-rounder; keep it close by for cutting up logs, making kindling and keeping unruly branches under control. RRP: £14.99.

Felling Axe

The large Felling Axe can be used for felling trees and cutting large branches with ease. Its long 90cm handle means more force can be applied ensuring the axe works hard in tough situations.

RRP: £29.99.

Splitting Axe

With the costs of heating bills soaring year on year more people are installing wood burning stoves and fires. A Splitting Axe is ideal for cutting up logs into manageable pieces. This Axe has a long 90cm handle meaning more force can be applied. RRP: 29.99.

Grenade

A Grenade can also be used to split logs, simply put it into the centre of a large log and apply force with a mallet or the back of an axe.

RRP: £9.99.

The Garden Re-Leaf team asked visitors passing their stand in Hall 5 to post messages on the campaign wall.

Garden Re-Leaf is the event designed to kickstart the gardening season each spring and at the same time raise funds for the Greenfingers charity. It has already raised £116,000 in its first two years.

Garden Re-Leaf Day 2014 has been set for 14 March – so find out how you can get involved by calling at the stand. You can follow Sun gardening columnist Peter Seabrook’s example (pictured above) and post your own message of support.

These very popular merchandising units from Creative Productsare are perfect for garden centre hotspots...

Point of Sale video display stands and key price pointed promotions produce volume sales - some garden centres are using these stands within their restaurants.

Their kitchen range is particularly well suited for restaurant placement. 

International Food Service Equipment are the one-stop shop for developing your catering offer.

IFSE can help with designing, building and fitting kitchens, front of house serveries and seating areas.

Pictured: Mike Carter, Specialist Product Sales Manager, and Mark Howard, Project Design Sales Manager.

David Relf, a retired surveyor, has lived in France’s Dordogne valley for the past 28 years, in an ancient farmhouse on a 100-acre estate with a lot of lawn…and a lot of moles.

So he has had plenty of trial ground space for his new EasySet Mole Trap – a modern twist on an old concept.

David’s invention is a user-friendly device that solves some of the problems that beset some other designs – like leaving injured moles to suffer, pinching your fingers when setting, and filling up with soil and stones. As its name implies, the EasySet is set with a single push of the trigger. It’s neat, safe, unobtrusive – and, says David, deadly effective.

David has been successfully selling direct to consumers, but at his first Glee, has been picking up promising enquiries from garden centres, a number of whom have taken away samples to try out.

He trades under the name of Beagle Garden Products (5J54) and can also supply a mole run probe and spade to make trap accurate placement easier.