The expectations of visitors and retailers are running high for Glee 2018 which opens at 9:00am on Monday 10th September.

The first preview issue of Glee Daily News has been opened 78% more frequently than last year – and by 42% more readers.

Similarly, entries for the Glee New Product Showcase, in association with GTN, are at record levels.

With a new layout across Halls 6, 7, 8, 19 and 20, the refreshed event has the potential to re-energise the industry as this year of extremes continues.

GTN’s Trevor Pfeiffer asked several garden centre retailers and exhibitors about their Glee Expectations for 2018.  Let’s start with the retailers first:

Adam Wigglesworth, Aylett Nurseries: "I always look forward to seeing the innovations that suppliers have brought forward which give optimism for the season ahead.  In the current retail climate, the right product selection is probably more important than ever."

Paul Emslie at Wyevale Garden Centres: “Glee is definitely one of the highlights in our calendar and comes at a perfect time when we are planning ahead for the following years trade. It's an event that our Buyers, Marketing colleagues and Visual Merchandisers all find exceptionally beneficial. Being able to network across the supply base whilst seeing existing and new product displayed in inspiring ways and all in one place really helps our teams to 'visualise' how they want to bring our next year ranging to life for our customers and provide valuable solutions to their garden needs. Every year we expect the event to improve and it doesn't disappoint. We will be particularly interested to see how suppliers are visually representing their ranges as well as understanding new and emerging themes/trends which are likely to motivate customers to do more in their gardens.”

Boyd Douglas-Davies at Hillview Garden Centres: "I expect Glee will continue where it left off last year. Strong inspiration through the Retail Lab, new product introductions from the major players and an interesting mix of new opportunities presented by first time exhibitors. There is no doubt in my mind that Glee will yet again prove to be the most important trade show in the industry calendar."

Julian Winfield at Haskins: “Simple, we need our suppliers to innovate which will help suppliers and our garden centres grow and be stronger for the future!”

Gerald Ingram at Planters and Garden King Garden Centres: “Were looking for new products that will sell well.  Also revisiting old or existing suppliers to see what they have developed.  We will be looking at all areas of our business.”

Heidi Bisset at Munros, Inverness: “After leaving this season on such a high at Munro’s we hope Glee will bring us a new range of innovative products and positive buzz for 2019.”

Martin Stewart at Stewarts Garden Centres:  “After a tough year we have to say thank goodness for the innovation suppliers are bringing in, that’s what we will be looking for as well as enjoying the conviviality of a fantastic trade.”

Matthew Bent at Bents Garden & Home: “It will be an interesting Glee.  Our customers are looking for more and more gardening related gift and decoration lines, plus we need to provide them with more environmentally friendly solutions for the garden.  A lot of gardening companies have had a difficult year with all the extremes, so it will be good to see how they innovate to drive business forward. One thing is for sure, next year will be different, so we have to find lines to create more interest in the garden.”

Justin Williams at Fron Goch: “We will be desperately looking for innovation.  Our customers have a thirst for the new and a thirst for problem solving and we have a thirst for environmental factors that are of interest as to how people are living now, being time poor and much more thoughtful about their environment.”

James Ducker at Langlands: “I am very excited and really looking forward to visiting Glee with my team this year. We are hoping to find some new and exciting products for the 2019 season. Glee is a great place to see what is available and what trends are in store for us next year”

Andy Bunker at Altons: “As always the expectations of Altons are high and looking forward to seeing the new branding from the likes of Scotts to `Evergreen Garden Care’ and Cadix to CAPI,  which I’m hoping have some great news for the 2019 season.  I always really look forward to seeing both Apta and Woodlodge stands with some great new ranges to get your teeth into.  It will also be interesting to see developments in outdoor garden décor which while it's a big and growing category one does need to be careful of overkill with so much on offer and the risk of duplication.”

And the last retailer word goes to Alan Roper at Blue Diamond who will be at Glee buying for 9 more centres than last year: “New suppliers, plus old suppliers with new product, would be my hope and expectation.”

As for the exhibitors, they will all be looking forward to seeing as many potential stockists of their products as possible and get feedback plus orders for their new products. Here’s what a number of them told GTN as the show draws nearer.

Keith Nicholson at Westland: “Gardening is exciting, attractive, a great and rewarding pastime. At Glee, our products really underpin this. We will be revealing new products, new packaging and new media campaigns to build on that excitement. Lawns will be strong for 2019 and we have a totally revamped offer. Indoor gardening is not stopping and it’s one of the trends in 2019. You’ll see the results of our Green developments including the revolutionary peat replacement technology called BIO3, which will feature in an exciting New Horizon range… it really is a window into the future of growing media. Plant foods and grass seeds will be stronger than ever.”

Jonathan Stobart at Smart Garden Products: "Smart Garden Products will have its biggest ever stand with 365 new products on display, one for each day of the year! We really look forward to seeing all of our customers at Glee."

Adam Taylor at Taylors Bulbs: “Glee is always a fantastic opportunity for us to catch-up with customers in the peak of autumn bulb retailing; offer in-season promotions and to show products that were previously just a picture in the catalogue.  With ordering of summer bulbs and seed potatoes rapidly rising to the top of the to-do list, we also get a chance to show our offer and talk through ideas for next year.  Although I don't know the finer detail, I like the principle of the revised layout to encourage browsing and I hope our customers will take home plenty of inspiration.”

Anthony Harker at AMES: “At AMES we have enormous opportunities ahead of us and we are looking forward to sharing those opportunities with as many customers as we can during the show. Glee has always been hugely important for Kelkay and we expect that to continue in the future for all the AMES group companies.  We will continue to put the UK garden centres at the heart of our strategy. It's been a turbulent year for both retailers and suppliers, and we intend to make sure that the AMES group companies deliver dependable service partnered with exciting innovation and category developments that will support our customers. We're looking forward to sharing some of those plans with our visitors to Kelkay, La Hacienda and Anchorfast at GLEE next month.”

Sarah McLafferty at Primeur: “We are looking forward to Glee 2018; on the back of winning the GIMA award in the Landscaping category we have designed a brand new, larger stand to present both our recycled gardening products as well as launching our new range of doormats.  We have lots of new products to discuss with our existing and potential customers.  Glee is vital for us in building upon existing relationships and establishing contact with new centres, we also will make good use of all the seminars, retail lab and the new product showcase to ensure we are fully updated on the garden trends and future of the market.”

James Hoad at Apta: “We're particularly excited about Glee this year. We have high expectations for the show as the new hall layout should give it a real lift.  We have a new stand location with twice the space compared to before, and will be showcasing our biggest ever range, so we hope the pre-show interest translates into increased footfall so that we have plenty of customers to show it to!”

The last exhibitor word goes to the gardening company who not only had the extremes of the weather to cope with but also a fire that wiped out their whole warehouse and £20m of stock, Will Hemmings at Gardman: “Our expectation is to surprise and delight a lot of people at Glee. Immediately after the fire, many assumed that we would stop trading for a sustained period of time. As it happened, we were shipping to customers within just a few weeks. Some also assumed that this would put a hold on new product development, marketing activity and brand investment. This couldn’t be further from the truth. If anything, the fire accelerated our plans and we are now set to launch over 400 new products across our core Wild Bird Care, Gardening and Lighting categories. Most importantly, we want to ensure customers understand the process we have gone through to generate our new product ideas. Every product we’re launching at Glee starts with understanding our consumer’s needs. By way of example, we’ve conducted a lot of research into solar lighting. We know that the key barrier to buying solar is that consumers don’t trust solar to work all year round. We also know that c.70% of households don’t have a solar light. Thus, rather than simply buying different solar designs ‘off the shelf’ from China we’re rapidly expanding our range of Dual Power solar lights to “guarantee light all year round”. This offers customers a chance to premiumise the sector whilst driving new consumers into the category. We will use Glee to showcase not just our new products, but our depth of consumer understanding and our category leadership credentials.

The fire also presented us with further opportunities; for instance, we have completely redesigned and improved all of our stands and point of sale across all product categories. We will reveal over 30 new modular displays at the show following an investment of c.£750K. We also had the opportunity to invest in above the line TV media for our Gardman Wild Bird Care brand, which we will also showcase at Glee.

In summary, Glee remains hugely important to our business and we feel confident we have the right insight, expertise and new products to both surprise and delight a lot of people this year.

Thank you for all of the comments.  Please feel free to add your own Glee Expectations by using the comments button below or by e-mail to trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

This article was first published in GTN's September Glee Preview Issue, which you can read in full on-line here.

Online registration for Glee is now 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.

To secure a space on the Discovery Tours please visit https://www.gleebirmingham.com/visit/whats-on/glee-discovery-tour

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.

Since becoming part of AMES UK earlier this year, the team at Kelkay have been working on exciting plans to extend their ranges with new products as well as introducing totally new categories. Partnering with the other group companies in Australia and USA as well as La Hacienda in the UK and True Temper in Ireland has presented a wealth of opportunity for the business to expand and grow the portfolio for season 2019.

So at GLEE next month you can expect to see the introduction of several brands that are new to the UK as well as over 100 new products in the Kelkay and Easy Fountain ranges. The business will be launching into the wooden furniture and garden structures market following their acquisition of Anchor Fast. There will also be a range of exciting new promotional opportunities that showcase the scope of the global AMES organisation and their unique supply chain strengths and expertise.

Under the AMES UK banner, Kelkay and La Hacienda will be joining forces with a stand that is designed to help customers navigate their rapidly growing ranges. Sarah Winn, Head of Marketing for Kelkay said “We recognise that there’s been a lot going on this year within AMES UK businesses, so our objective is to make it as easy as possible for our customers to take advantage of all the exciting opportunities each brand has to offer. Visitors to our stand will be able to take in Kelkay’s new product developments, whilst reviewing La Hacienda’s outdoor heating and garden décor offering. Anchor Fast products will still be within close proximity to our stand, so we’re really looking forward to showcasing furniture and outdoor structures as part of our Glee story for 2018.”

Sneak preview of Kelkay’s new brand launch Stone & Co.

Over 100 new products in water features and landscaping.

Full range of wooden garden features and furniture.

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

To find out more about Kelkay  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.

Kelkay The Old Airfield, Heck & Pollington Lane, Pollington, East Yorkshire, DN14 0BA

There are exciting new opportunities for retailers this autumn, as Corona Tools, America’s leading tool innovator, launches its premium gardening tools in the UK at Glee in September.

Already a by-word for quality in North America, professionals and gardeners alike rely on Corona cutting tools, hand tools and long-handled tools for their long lasting durability and performance - and now retailers can offer them to British gardeners.

These superb tools combine outstanding performance with the highest quality materials and advanced technical design, to ensure that Corona tools are more than up to the job, however tough it gets.

From its beginnings in the Southern California orange groves back in 1928, when the invention of a small shear for harvesting oranges revolutionised the citrus industry, Corona Tools this year celebrates 90 years of growth, innovation, and engineering expertise.

Since its inception, the manufacturer has excelled at combining the best of American engineering, with a can-do approach to solving real problems, and today Corona’s reputation for innovation is recognised throughout North America. These premium tools offer not just superior strength, but also exceptional durability, and have been created to give lasting performance, season after season.

Corona Tools is launching selected ranges in the UK in 2018 as a result of its relationship to British garden tool manufacturer Burgon & Ball. At the start of the year, the Sheffield-based company joined the Venanpri global family of the finest hand tool brands, already home to Corona Tools.

This natural fit between the UK’s oldest manufacturer of garden tools and accessories, founded in 1730, and an American innovator with a solid heritage of excellence, bring great opportunities to retailers this autumn.

Corona Tools will be debuting its ranges of cutting tools, saws, axes, digging tools and long-handled tools at GleeE. Visitors to stand 8E50-F51 at the show will be able to meet the Corona tool experts, and take an exclusive first look at these superb high quality tools from the States.

Burgon & Ball Ltd., T: 01202 684141, E: sales@burgonandball.com, www.burgonandball.com

Meadow View Stone continue to lead the way in developing new products in the hard landscaping sector which reflect industry demands and consumer trends.

Following the immense success of last years’ collections which were tailored towards the more urban and contemporary colour palettes of greys and charcoals this year’s new products will similarly mirror this continuing trend with a quality collection of Porcelain Paving and two additional decorative aggregates.

Stormy Skies                             Tuscan Sands                             Urban Mist                           Grey Slate

The New Porcelain collection will reflect the huge surge in demand for this popular new wonder product which creates a stylish and low-maintenance garden, due to its hard-wearing, easy to clean, stain and frost resistant attributes.  An impactive merchandised stand will drive sales of this range and provide stockists with the opportunity of promoting this high in demand product collection without the need for stock holding.

The Go Garden collection of compost, topsoil and bark will also feature on the stand, which showcases truly unique branding featuring our iconic union flag to further endorse the products raw materials which are sourced, manufactured and produced in the UK.  

An unveiling of their new POS is set to be the main focus of their stand with the modern and contemporary styling proving a great success with their selected customers who have trialed it.   The continued appeal of the POS in adopting a flexible RRP and Multi Buy pricing strategy has been welcomed by customers who appreciate the opportunity to offer select unique prices and multi buy offers to suit their bespoke requirements and margin expectations.  

New this year, the stand will comprise of a second-storey hospitality area that will provide a private area to discuss each customer’s individual requirements together with offering a chill out area for customers to sit and enjoy some first-class hospitality from their partners Halewood International.  Halewood will be serving a selection of their specialist Gins, various other spirits within their giftpack ranges, along with hot and cold soft drinks. Customers are invited to enjoy this complementary experience along with taking a closer look at the extensive range of quality products Meadow View has to offer.

Sarah Hill Marketing Director stated, “last year saw a total refresh of our bag designs, website and the introduction of a wide collection of new products which have had some great results.  This years’ focus has switched to bringing our POS merchandising offering more in line with our new modern and contemporary brand style, which has helped to endorse the quality of the products we offer”.

A selection of all of these products will be showcased on their stand, along with the opportunity to better understand how Meadow View are transforming their business to become a serious contender in shaping and transforming Garden Centres for the future.

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

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.

Much more than just a name change, the transformation of Scotts into Evergreen Garden Care is the biggest news story for the garden industry this year.

With ambitious plans for growth in all areas of the business, including some exciting new products, Evergreen Garden Care is a company very much on a mission. Boasting an enviable portfolio of some of the garden industry’s best loved and most powerful brands such as Miracle-Gro®, Evergreen Garden Care is also now in creative control of the UK’s number one weedkiller, Roundup®.

The brains behind the vibrant new business are a mix of gardening and marketing experts, headed up by a new managing director, Mark Portman, who has big plans for the brands. The primary focus for Mark and the team is to reinvigorate and refresh the way the business markets its products and there will be significant investment in its power brands Miracle-Gro® and Roundup®, including a fresh programme of TV advertising and new product launches to look forward to.

“This is not only an exciting moment but a pivotal one in the history of Evergreen Garden Care,” commented managing director, Mark Portman. “We have great people, fantastic consumer brands and untapped potential to change the face of the garden care category. I am looking forward to working with customers to develop joint strategies and drive category growth within their business.”

One of the most interesting results of the creation of Evergreen Garden Care is the merger of EverGreen®, the market leader in lawn fertiliser, with the much loved Miracle-Gro® brand. The move combines the forces of two of the most trusted and instantly recognisable brands on the market and promises to set the new industry standard for lawn treatment and lawn seeds.

There are developments being made to the Roundup® portfolio of products too, with a new non-glyphosate product range set to launch later this year. Roundup® Speed Ultra still has the benefits of being tough on weeds, and delivers visible results within one hour of application, allowing replanting next day.

Whilst continuing to support its extensive range of highly effective glyphosate products, Evergreen Garden Care believes that Roundup® Speed Ultra is a direct result of the need to diversify its weedkiller offering, providing a wider choice for both retailers and consumers alike.

“We have developed a number of exciting initiatives, which we will unveil at Glee and we have much more planned,” continued Mark. “We look forward to welcoming visitors to our stand to tell them more about the exciting journey ahead.”

For more information visit www.lovethegarden.com.

From the first day stonework is laid, the next time it rains, millions of lichen microspores are deposited. These originate from the trees, initially as tiny spores, similar in size to pollen. Propelled by the wind, they travel for miles, until it rains, when they are watered into the pores of the stone.

For the first twelve months they lay dormant, until they begin to establish themselves by feeding off the minerals in the stone, finally germinating after two years, and appearing on the surface as "patio black spots'.

At this point they are almost impossible to remove, as they react to the minerals, growing both across the stone and putting down fibrous roots. Jet washing has little or no impression, and by focusing the pressure washing continually on one spot, damage can be caused by the vibration of the jet delaminating or eroding the surface.

Most proprietary patio cleaners will remove green algae but can take weeks to work and have no obvious effect on the black lichen.

The Patio Black Spot Remover and Preventer system doesn't just remove those hideous black spots but completely cleans and restores the original colour to all garden stonework, plus prevents their return! The system works on any type or age of stone, ultimately restoring it to the same condition when first laid.

www.patioblackspotremoval.com

Exhibiting at Glee Stand 6L80-M81

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ao097--mXY

Bord na Móna has announced the launch of its ‘Growing Media Academy’, a brand new, educational initiative designed to strengthen retailers’ understanding of the Bord na Móna Growise range of products.

This comprehensive training platform aims to create more informed, knowledgeable and confident sales champions for Bord na Móna Growise within retailers across the UK and Ireland, with multi-channel content and in-centre training to be rolled out in 2018/19.

Glee will provide a valuable launch pad for the Growing Media Academy to garden industry experts, buyers, retailers and media. Visitors will be taken on a journey of discovery with Bord na Móna to uncover the key ingredients that make up its award-winning products, along with their technical significance.

The Growing Media Academy will spotlight five core ingredients that go into the Bord na Móna Growise growing media range: coir, green compost, peat, composted bark and wood fibre. As part of the sensory experience at Glee, visitors will be invited to handle the organic materials to better understand their natural properties and benefits.  

To further cement their understanding, retailers will be introduced to the ‘Little Book of Ingredients’: the ultimate handbook and training tool for understanding Bord na Móna’s approach to high-quality, responsibly-sourced products. Copies of the handbook will be available on the stand, providing a valuable asset for retail staff and consumers alike once the initiative is rolled out in centres. 

Steve Harper, Head of Commercial for Bord na Móna, says: “The Growing Media Academy is an exciting venture for us and we’re delighted to be launching it at Glee, along with our Little Book of Ingredients. Our brand is trusted for producing high quality growing media products, and we want to ensure that all our customers, their staff and those that buy our products are fully understanding of what goes into them, as well as our environmental responsibilities and brand heritage.”

In response to consumer demand, Bord na Móna will spotlight four trending products at Glee:

• Bord na Móna Growise Pro5 All Purpose Compost (50L), Bord na Móna Growise Orchid Potting Mix (10L), Bord na Móna Growise Cactus & Bonsai Compost (10L), and Bord na Móna Growise Houseplant Compost (10L)

The specialist range has been developed with the right mix of nutrients and benefits for each product, ensuring gardeners achieve long-lasting performance for plants. The wider range of Bord na Móna Growise products come in a variety of expert blends and sizes, including the convenient 10L handle bag.  

Bord na Móna trades peat–reduced and peat-free growing media, soil improvers, bark and fertilisers mainly through garden centres nationally, and is the largest own-brand supplier of compost and bark in the UK and Ireland. With a focus on quality and responsible-sourcing, the Bord na Móna Growise range, which launched in 2010, includes multipurpose composts, specialist composts and grow-your-own planters, in addition to a range of barks, soil improvers and fertilisers.

To find out more about Bord na Móna, visit: www.thegreenergardener.com and Stand 20U30-V31 at Glee.

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.

Time to celebrate!

 Yes, that’s correct! 2018 marks the 10^th Anniversary for Vitavia and we are really looking forward to attending Glee where we hope you’ll come via the stand, Hall 20, Stand z10, for a glass of bubbly to help us celebrate.

What’s new?

We will be displaying a fantastic range of greenhouses, including one of our new products, a large Freya, 8x8 in anodised 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!

Are you feeling lucky?

It will be competition time in 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. Make sure you have your phone to hand… not forgetting your pretty face! 

Time to check – in!

We will be on social media leading up to and throughout Glee, so make sure you’re following us in advance so you don’t miss out on any news and offers.

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.

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.  Find us at Glee 2018, Birmingham NEC, Hall 6, Stand N03, 10th-12th September.

www.taylors-bulbs.com

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To mark the centenary of the cessation of First World War hostilities Apta has designed a range of beautiful garden products which allows customers to proudly support The Royal British Legion.

Each sale will raise funds to allow The Royal British Legion to continue its wonderful work with the thousands of ex-servicemen and women who need our support, many of whom have made great sacrifice for our country.

The hugely successful range includes poppy wall plaques and wall pots, as well as ceramic planters and a new lead effect pot, which will be launched at Glee next month.

A donation is made by Apta for each item sold and the range has so far this year generated sales that will raise over £50,000. Any additional contributions which retail customers are also able to make will be gratefully received by The Royal British Legion.

To see the full range visit Apta at Glee on stands 7J40-L41 and 6L40-M41.

Top selling grass seed brand Johnsons Lawn Seed is aiming to showcase research and development breakthroughs, never before seen solutions and new improved products at Glee this year. 

Accompanied by a fresh new look stand, located on the main aisle in Hall 8, Glee 2018 will be a particularly exciting one for DLF’s UK subsidiary.

Improvements have been made to two long running favourites that are both best-sellers and category leaders.  Particular efforts with the application of seed coating technology will see the new improved products achieve higher germination rates.

But the biggest surprise for retailers could come with a product that has passed its final testing phase – which Guy Jenkins, Johsnons Lawn Seed Consumer Manager says could revolutionise how we care for our lawns. 

“These are incredibly exciting times in the world of lawn seed, our research and development teams have come up with a number of breakthroughs that will provide a positive knock on effect for lawn care sales. 

"Lawn owners will not only enjoy a wider range of products, they’ll also achieve greater results more easily, further increasing demand for the category.”

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

Trading since 1925, Perry have thousands of products ideal for Garden Centres and retailers. With unrivalled packaging and merchandising options helping you sell more, Perry also offer you a dedicated account manager to help you select the best products to maximise your sales.

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

Exhibiting in Hall 6, Perry will have on display hundreds of items ranging from Stainless Steel fence and gate hardware, Flexi-Fill Tubs & Trugs and Decking Accessories to name just a few. In addition to this,

The Primus brand from Perry will be on display. Specialising in the most unique, quirky and eye-catching gifts for the home and garden, all Primus products are either handcrafted or hand finished by talented artisans to create a unique product every time.

Find us on Stand L20-M21 and see how your business can grow with Perry and Primus products and merchandising.

Briers is delighted to present the debut collection of trend-focused garden and giftware from talented young designer April Raven.

This collaboration, showcasing the talents of a Briers in-house designer, illustrates Briers’ long-held commitment to nurture young British talent for the garden industry.

April’s nature inspired designs, Sicilian Lemon and Tropical Forest, are informed by Briers partnership with EFSA, giving insightful market knowledge of future trends.

Working in scenic Somerset, April interpreted these trends with her individual artistic flair for watercolours to create unique botanical patterns. Sicilian Lemon’s botanical print captures the very essence of the famous citrus groves of Sicily.

Tropical Forest is a bold leaf print inspired by the tropical forests of Southern Mexico in two rich colourways.

Each design is featured on our proven seller gloves, tools, clogs and kneelers, guaranteeing shop floor appeal at affordable price points.

The collections will be available to retailers in time for the Christmas key selling period in a selection of innovative merchandising solutions, for which Briers has become synonymous.

Stand choices vary from premium four-sided display stands to glove-focused FSDU’s to promote impulse purchases and drive incremental volume sales.

Zest 4 Leisure is a proud supplier of high quality, FSC certified, timber garden products including decorative garden furniture, sheds and summerhouses, landscaping and decking, fencing and trellis, as well as an extensive ‘Grow Your Own’ range.

The company, which is part of the award-winning P&A Group, is gearing up for its sixth consecutive year exhibiting at the Glee tradeshow.

Zest 4 Leisure is set to showcase decorative and garden products for the 2019 garden trade market including new concepts such as the Noah’s Arbour, and the perfect solution to alfresco dining, the Christina Set.

The company has an extensive ‘Grow Your Own’ range including the Stepped Herb Planter, a 2018 GIMA Award Finalist, which is a versatile, space-saving, three-tiered ladder planter and will be displayed at Glee. Other bestselling ‘Grow Your Own’ products include the Deep Root Planter, and the Economy Potting Table.

Another string to Zest 4 Leisure’s bow is its high quality fencing, trellis and planters, which is manufactured with either pressure treated or dipped timber for durability and longevity. The premium pressure treated San Remo Omega fence panel with decorative trellis has proven to be a popular Zest product.

Zest 4 Leisure offers everything needed for both outdoor living and entertainment, and practical garden landscaping solutions, such as posts and edging to create the perfect finish to any garden.

Zest 4 Leisure Sales Manager, Alwyn Williams says:

“Glee is the biggest tradeshow that we exhibit at and we love to showcase our full range of timber products. We are delighted to be taking along our new concept Noah’s Arbour as part of our decorative product range as this has already gained interest in its early stages. We are also proud to be showcasing our Stepped Herb Planter as part of our ‘Grow Your Own’ range as the product was recently a finalist in the 2018 GIMA awards.

“The Zest team work tremendously hard and we are proud to be exhibiting our new products. We always enjoy Glee and we will be giving a warm welcome to all who visit the stand over the three days.”

Zest 4 Leisure is known for the reassuring quality of its timber garden products. Manufactured from pressure treated timber all of Zest 4 Leisure’s decorative garden furniture will stand the test of time with a 10-year guarantee against rot. The timber used is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and has been harvested from responsibly managed forests.

You can visit Zest 4 Leisure at Glee on stand #20Z30 to see the company’s timber product ranges for the 2019 garden trade market and to pick up a trade brochure.

Key Essentials - stand 19G31 -  showcase the new Urban range from their brand Love Tillys Air Plants. Cool and fun they are perfect for adding a contemporary Urban twist to your Houseplant area. 

On trend for 2018/19 Love Tillys Urban range combines Air Plants with concrete geometric shapes, metal and glass. 

Alongside the new products you will also get the chance to see the best selling lines from across all ranges including Natural, Beach and Kids!

Showing for the first time in GLEE’s main halls, Love Tillys Air Plants offer retailers a fantastic opportunity to take advantage of the fast growing house plant market.  Particularly in favour with Millennials and those new to plants.  Love Tillys provide beautiful air plant arrangements ready for sale as well as its best selling range of individual air plants, care products and craft sundries.

Launching at GLEE 2018 Kalamitica -the worlds’ first magnetic pots complement our air plants as well as having ranges for homeware and vertical gardening.  Not just for plants you will see for the first time our range of Home Ware pots. Perfect for the kitchen and every room in the house!

KalaMitica are unique because the magnets are built into the pots giving them exceptional strength. The magnetic pots look stunning with the contemporary metal plates that they adhere to.  Kalamitica are fun, useful, practical and offer the customer the ability to utilise more space in their home.

To learn more about Love Tillys Air Plants and Kalamitica, visit Key Essentials at stand 19G31 or see our products on show in the new Retail Lab.

www.kalamitica.com

www.keyessentials.co.uk

Primeur return to Glee this year to showcase their innovative range of garden products made from recycled rubber tyres as well as launching their exciting new doormat collections.

The new look stand is their largest yet and will see both product categories displayed alongside new merchandising solutions and refreshed POS.

As 2018 winners of the GIMA ‘Garden Landscaping’ award they will be presenting their complete range of garden edging, planters, stepping stones and decking.  All made from recycled rubber to create long lasting, indestructible products guaranteed to last in any weather.

Jenny Douthwaite, Sales Director comments, “The Glee show offers us a unique opportunity to not only show our fantastic Garden range to a broad range of customers, but also allows us an excellent platform to launch our new and versatile doormat collection”.

The new mats will be launched under the brand ‘Mighty Mats’, and the range will bring customers both practical and stylish options. 

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

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.

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.

With its 20th anniversary on the horizon in 2019, there are lots of exciting plans afoot for Greenfingers Charity, some of which are set to be revealed at this year’s Glee.

Greenfingers, founded in 1999 by gardening journalist and broadcaster, Richard Jackson, will be joining one of the charity’s key supporters, the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) who have generously donated the charity stand space. 

The Greenfingers team will be on hand to speak to both visitors and exhibitors about upcoming activities to celebrate this important and prestigious milestone in the charity’s history.  

Amongst these will be the launch of an exciting new product partnership with garden décor supplier, Vivid Arts, and a festive fundraising initiative with leading Christmas tree supplier, Needlefresh.  

The charity’s annual fundraiser Garden Re-Leaf Day, now in its eighth year, has become a key event in the gardening calendar andsees many supporters, old and new, come together to raise funds for Greenfingers Charity.  2019’s event will be officially launched at Glee, there are loads of ways to participate in Garden Re-Leaf next year and the team will be happy to advise on ways to get involved.

Greenfingers will also be gratefully receiving donations from their industry supporters with cheque presentations taking place over the three days of the show.   Leading indoor pot supplier, Ivyline, has been planting smiles throughout 2018 with their “Happiness Teacups” with thousands being sold across the country.  UK and Ireland Sales Manager, James Brindle at Ivyline will present Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Greenfingers Charity with a cheque for the total raised so far on Tuesday.

The charity has also been supported by leading garden and home PR agency, Hornby Whitefoot, who has been managing itsmarketing and communications since November 2017.  Managing Director, Kimberley Hornby will present Greenfingers with a cheque for 50% of the services fee on Monday which will greatly aid the charity’s mission to build magical outdoor spaces in children’s hospices.

As well as this, the Greenfingers stand will be packed with information on how to get involved with the work they do.  Whether it’s designing and building gardens, holding or participating in events, FUNdraising or donating gifts in kind or at cost, every penny raised, and every penny saved helps to make a difference to thousands of children and their families.

John Ashley, Chairman at Greenfingers Charity said: “2019 is an exciting year for us and we have a lot of great ideas up our sleeves for our 20th year celebrations. Our work is only possible thanks to all those in the garden industry who get involved and we couldn’t do our precious work, supporting life-limited children and families without you.  Please do visit our stand to find out how you can get take part, we are grateful for any participation or donation, no matter how big or small. Special thanks to HTA also for allowing us to share their stand space. We look forward to seeing you at Glee.”

To find out more about Greenfingers Charity work, the team can be found on the HTA stand in Hall 19, stand no 19P69. 

Introduced ahead of the 2018 show, Glee’s new guided Discovery Tours will provide a fresh insight into the show’s extensive catalogue of content, features, educational seminars and inspirational retail displays. With spaces filling up fast for the daily tours, interested parties are urged to sign up now to avoid missing out.  

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 45-minute study tours in total, starting daily at 10:30am. 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. 

To register for the Discovery Tours, simply visit https://www.gleebirmingham.com/visit/whats-on/glee-discovery-tour

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

Neudorff’s bestselling products will be renamed with the introduction of a new, more recognisable product family for the 2019 season at Glee 2018.

Products including Pyrol Bug & Larvae Killer, Fast Acting & Long Lasting Weedkiller and Ant Killer products will all follow the same unified naming, offering an improved visual presence in-store whilst helping customers to easily identify each product and its key use at a glance.

Speaking about the updates Neudorff sales director, Jude Beharall said; “Since entering the UK market in 2012 our packaging and product naming has stayed consistent to establish our brand within the retail environment. The increase in listings for our products and improved consumer awareness means we are now in a great position to introduce new names for our key products.”

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 new range, which includes two additional varieties for treating lawn grubs and leatherjackets, is the first of its kind to require no refrigeration, allowing garden centres to sell nematodes straight from the shelf for the first time.

“The nematode products have been really well received by the industry, picking up a Glee New Product Award at the show last year and more recently, VineWeevilFree Nematodes have received the GIMA Sword of Excellence. We are extremely proud of the range and it is a great addition to our weed, feed and control offering,” added Jude.

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.

Following the success of last year’s show, STIHL will be returning to Glee to showcase its range of cordless garden tools.

As the popularity of battery powered products continues to rise amongst keen gardeners, STIHL’s Lithium-Ion powered cordless range is designed to meet the needs of domestic users. Delivering high performance, the affordable tools are supplied with either built in or interchangeable Lithium-Ion batteries, making garden tasks even easier to complete.

The full range now includes more than 35 light-weight, well balanced and quiet machines such as; chainsaws, hedge and grass trimmers, pole pruners, long reach hedge trimmers, lawn mowers and much more. These join STIHL’s range of electrical tools including pressure washers, grass and hedge trimmers as well as blowers and vacuum shredders.

Traditionally only available through its network of over 700 garden machinery and forestry specialists, STIHL’s cordless range is now also stocked in select gardening centres throughout the UK, including Dobbies and Hilliers.

Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing at STIHL GB, said: “We’re delighted to be returning to Glee as the show presents the perfect platform to exhibit our range of accessible cordless tools and how they can benefit everyday gardeners. 

“The STIHL Lithium-Ion range and award-winning STIHL Compact Cordless System have proven to be incredibly popular with domestic users, and we look forward to welcoming visitors to the stand to find out more about the products.”

For more information please visit www.stihl.co.uk.

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

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.

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.”

Pet suppliers looking to maximise the boom in pet product sales within garden centres will find their home within Glee’s dedicated Pets at Glee sector.

Supported by the PetQuip Business Village and featuring exhibitors within the wider parts of the show, Pets at Glee will showcase the newest product innovation from a range of suppliers including

• 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
• Lintbells

A ‘Pets at Glee’ entrance (Hall 19) will drive retailers right into the heart of the pet area, whilst a special pet seminar stage will also be making its debut at the show.

Marking a significant investment for this new era of Pets at Glee, the seminar stage will offer insight into the latest trends shaping the pet care sector such as the humanisation and premiumisation of pet products, as well as interactive content that can be implemented instore to boost pet care within the garden retail environment.

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.