Kelkay says Glee 2015 was its most successful show ever.

The aggregates market-leader generated huge interest as it presented 91 new products to garden centre buyers and gift retailers at the show. It also picked up the first runner up prize in the Best Landscaping & Construction category of the Glee New Products Awards 2015. 

The award was for Kelkay’s RHS Gardeners Collection, the only range of grits and sands endorsed by the Royal Horticulture Society. The judges were impressed with the versatility and breadth of options the range offers gardeners. The RHS Gardeners Collection can improve drainage and aeration, support aquatic planting and enhance rockery and Alpine gardens. It can also be mixed with composts for seed planting.

Reflecting on the show, Kelkay sales director Richard Pyrah said: “Glee 2015 was the best ever for Kelkay. We saw more visitors, generated more leads and wrote more business at the stand than we’ve done at any previous event. We put this down to continued new product development, great presentation and ongoing development of our talented and dedicated team.”

Kelkay’s Country Cottages collection of self-contained water features were another big hit. Oozing exquisite detail and exceptional quality, the collection comprises three models - Bramble, Old Mill and Tudor.

Other new launches included additions and innovations in the Borderstone® paving range. New Abbey 1.5m and Twist Circle 2.4m circular paving slabs are available in the bestselling Antique and York Gold colours and look great when laid as they come. Kelkay also offers a squaring off kit for the Abbey slabs to enable customers to personalise their design. Kelkay has also extended its popular Granite Cobble Mat Sets collection with a new granite mat quarter circle, complementing a range that has enjoyed great success since its launch last year. Exclusive Easy Edgings have also joined the Borderstone^® range. These allow consumers to create curved or straight borders.

Kelkay’s essential water feature brands, easyfountain^® and Henri^®, have also been expanded. With recommended retail prices ranging from £29.99 to £2,499.99, the easyfountain^® range provides a water feature for every budget. The brand new, exclusive products launched at Glee 2015 were designed and developed by Kelkay.

Glee 2015 visitors were the first to see six brand new designs in the Kelkay Henri^® premium handcrafted water features range. Improvements across the range also saw lights included in three bestsellers in the range.

New pumps and lights further enhance the easyfountain^® and Henri^® products. Four new pumps, with capabilities of 450, 750, 1100 and 1500 litres per hour, are now available to power small and large water features. New light products include three easy to install low voltage kits, all providing 20,000 hours of usage. Each kit includes two, three or four LED light strings each with a 4-LED ring per string.

Also new to the Henri^® brand is garden furniture in traditional hand crafted stone. The range includes two furniture sets. One comprises a table, bench and stool set, the other includes a high bar style table and stools.

Kelkay also launched its new path and patio cleaner at Glee 2015. A concentrate formula, it’s a powerful and fast-acting product that removes almost all stubborn stains.

For more information, visit www.kelkay.co.uk.

Like Kelkay on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Briers went to Glee excited about another great launch with over 220 fresh NEW products, as well as really proud to be exhibiting a range of much loved and trusted retailer favourites. Receiving so much praise, avid interest, bumper orders and firm commitments from current retail partners and so many new ones alike, was the cherry on the cake of a great show. This year Briers seems to have excelled itself as the hit amongst visitors!  

Why does Briers continue to enthral visitors at Glee?

• Delivering innovation and quality are at the heart of the business
• Always launching new products in on-trend colours and patterns
• Ability to deliver bespoke ranges completely in-house
• Has its own team of in-house designers
• Invests in regulatory compliance and product testing
• High availability with majority of deliveries within 48hrs
• Utterly passionate about their products and their brand
• Matched with the same passion for customer care

Maybe these are a few of the reasons why Briers remains much loved and trusted….

Another cornerstone of the Briers brand is undoubtedly the drive and ambition of founder and Managing Director, Jackie Eades. She’s created her very own A-team of talented ex-retailers and young designers who, together, have been invaluable in turning around what, traditionally, has been seen as an unimaginative category. At Briers the range is exciting, on-trend and always moving forwards!

With over 220 NEW products, there was something for everyone to fall in love this Glee! Highlights included yet another successful design-led partnership with NEW collections in collaboration with the William Morris Gallery: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”. As well as NEW clocks, weather stations and thermometers for a refreshingly up-to-date range and a comprehensive one-supplier solution for this category.

NEW products are now available across ALL these categories!

• Gloves – plenty of on-trend patterns, plus Advanced Gloves and Golden Leather designs
• Wellington Boots & Clogs – back to rubber in fab styles for a complete range solution
• Children’s The Gruffalo^® -  better brollies let the kids enjoy this character in the rain
• Briers Kids – wheelbarrow, watering can, kneelers, socks – this range just gets better!
• Kids Penguin – compact impulse seasonal range with playful penguin motifs
• Signature Collections – three completely different on-trend designs in Briers’ best-sellers
• William Morris Collections – the largest ever gardening range to date!
• Umbrellas – now over 20 in the range for sales, come rain or shine
• Faux Fur Collection – a fashionable option for when out and about
• Hand Tools, Kneelers & Kneepads – the perfect complement for gloves!
• Clocks, Weather Stations & Thermometers – designs and packaging perfected by Briers

What’s not to love?

To find out more and receive a warm welcome at Briers just call or email…

01963 269077 sales@briersltd.co.uk

The brand new pack design for the flagship Choice range from Taylors Bulbs was an instant eye-catcher for Glee visitors.

The designs were just one example of a host of new packaging introduced this  autumn.

The complementary design for Taylors’ Select collection of new, rare and unusual varieties is going down well, too, and also in the new family style are the Classic Combinations. 

Improved bespoke images across the board also contribute to the bold new look, all of which you can see on the stand. The colour picture dominates the design with all the necessary information required for gardeners to make their buying decision. Full cultural instructions are printed on the reverse of each pack to create the best opportunity for success but if any issues arise, Taylors also include details of their Quality Assured commitment.

Rod Slater, General Manager for Deco-Pak said the award echoed the positive sentiments from visitors for all their new products this year:  “The Buddha head is just one part of our new Eastern Stone collection of natural water features and statuary, which was extremely well received by customers, many of whom went on to place substantial pre-season orders with us.”

Deco-Pak also received applause from visitors for its newly repackaged horticultural sand and gravel, Chelsea Garden Range, for having “vibrant, clearly designed packaging”, and also for its brand new displays and social media links.  Retail Theatre, the latest trend for merchandising,was well represented with each stand dressed to impress using seasonal planting and examples of the products on sale either side.  Retailers were pleased by the ability to show so much in a small space and yet also cross merchandise by showing examples of linked products.

Looking ahead of the pack

Deco-Pak’s new packaging for its Decorative Birdhouses and Birdfeeders also wowed Glee visitors who got a first look at new heritage style packaging and an all new stand,both further emphasising the gift potential and collectable nature of the products.  The new designs are a sign of things to come from Deco-Pak, which will announce a brand new decorative aggregates range for retailers, to help them continue to benefit from consumers looking for vintage themed products.

Find out more

Visit www.deco-pak.co.uk, connect via twitter @deco_pak, or call the sales support team on 01422 204394.

Find out more

Buyers at Glee responded with enthusiasm to Gardman’s new-look 2016 offer, with special acclaim for its commitment to continuous product innovation across many categories.

Many potential best-sellers were identified amongst more than 400 introductions across the full range of 2,800-plus SKUs.  The established categories for core gardening were further boosted with an increase of over 300 extra new products.

Gardman’s radical five-brand strategy, introduced last season, also continues to offer retailers an effective means of encouraging increased basket spend by trading customers up to better-quality products; key unveilings for 2016 included:

Moulton Mill ‘Budding Gardeners’: a new range of top quality lightweight garden tools for children and aspiring gardeners. The range endorsed by the Rich Brothers, RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s youngest Gold Medal winners, encourages family-time spent gardening via its ethos ‘for families that grow together’.

Blacksmith: To further strengthen this brand’s offering, Gardman have worked closely with UK craftsmen to design a beautiful collection of arches, obelisks and ‘romantic’ heart-shaped plant supports. Made from heavy duty wrought iron, this new hand forged range boasts the same impressive 5 year guarantee as its existing hanging garden range.

Garden & Home Co: a new range of four stylish themed homestyle collections, character doorstops, artificial pot plants and topiary, offer retailers seasonal and year-round gifting opportunities at affordable price points.

Cole & Bright (pictured): new ‘dual-power’ string lights, that guarantee year-round lighting, whatever the weather were unveiled at the show, together with a range of wooden flameless candle lanterns, that are suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

Ernest Charles: two charming new nest boxes have been introduced to complement its existing range of finest quality wild bird care seed blends and bird tables. This tactical product development not only strengthens the brand further but, also offers retailers and consumers a wider choice across the range.

Everflow® is one of Copely’s latest innovations and is a premium quality, high-performance garden hose that continues to flow even when tangled, crushed or kinked, and is ideal for professional and domestic use.  As a result of its user-friendly design, durability and watering performance, Everflow® has received an endorsement from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Copely’s display at Glee 2015 effectively demonstrated the comparisons between Everflow® and similar products in the marketplace, which generated a considerable amount of interest from visitors to the stand. 

“We were delighted with the very positive response to our products at GLEE and the quality of leads we received as a result of exhibiting there. We spoke to some influential buyers, who were very impressed with our product range. While launching new products, such as the unique RHS Everflow, Glee also provided the perfect opportunity for us to promote the Copely brand and reinforce the benefits of buying British manufactured hoses,” says Copely’s Sales & Marketing Manager, Simon Dixey.

Glee also proved the ideal platform to showcase other watering products in Copely’s ‘2016 Garden Collection’ with an option available for most budgets.  Copely is collaborating with ChoiceShops to provide a whole range of RHS irrigation and watering products including a selection of metal and brass hosepipe fittings.

For information on these and Copely Developments’ 2016 Garden Hose range, please telephone +44 (0)116 276 5881 or email sales@copely.com  or visit www.copely.com

Over 200 companies visited the stand, all of whom were impressed with the new product ranges, with the Contemporary range proving to be the most popular. The Urban Arch and Pergola received much attention on stand with very positive feedback from visitors describing it as 'totally different'.

The Adjustable Slat Screen also proved very popular, especially as the screen concept has not been seen on the market by many people before. Additionally, the improved finish of the Closeboard and Trellis was very well received whilst Elite Panels and Trellis are still very much in demand. The updated colour range was successful too with the introduction of the Heritage Blue and Dove Grey colours proving to be popular and on trend.

Grange also unveiled its brand new identity, including a fresh new website, which really helped to set them apart from their competitors on the stand and helps to reinforce the quality and customer care that Grange is so well known for.

Rob Giles, Head of Marketing at Grange said, 'We had invested a lot of time and energy into the launch of our new products and we were very pleased with the response we received from both existing and potential customers at Glee. It was a very successful show for us.'

Retailers interested in working with Grange should contact the company on 01952 588 088 or email sales@grangefen.co.uk.

Nine ground-breaking new garden products were confirmed as the winners of the coveted Glee New Product Awards 2015, with Baksaver Barrows (above) winning the Glee Innovation Award.

Selected from hundreds of entries before Glee opened its doors, the winning products were chosen by an expert panel of judges representing independent and multiple retailers, the media and international suppliers.

Entries were submitted into nine key garden retail categories, comprising:

• Best Garden Care (Accessories) Product
• Best Machinery and Tool Product
• Best Plants, Seeds, and Bulbs Product
• Best Garden Care (Chemicals, Fertilisers and Compost) Products
• Best Pet and Wildlife Product
• Best Leisure Product
• Best Catering and Speciality Product
• Best Landscaping and Construction Product
• Innovation Award

Judges considered each entry on a challenging range of criteria, including innovation, design, quality, environmental credentials, pricing and retail potential – resulting in some hot debates and close runners-up in a number of categories.

On the judging panel were: Brian Archibald (Coolings), Tony Kersey (Homebase), Marcus Cousins (Aylett Nurseries), Kevin Waters (The Garden Works), Conna Powles (Haskins), Michelle de Lavis-Trafford (Choice), Gábor Knorr (British Garden), Yvonne Ritchie (Brechin Castle), Trevor Pfeiffer (Garden Trade News), Susan Fairley, Matthew Mein and Saul Leese (i2i Events).

Winners’ round-up

Best Garden Care (Accessories) Product

Winner: Cloud Controller, Hozelock

First runner up: Solar Powered Eureka! Lightbulb lantern, Smart Garden Products Ltd

Second runner up: 3 Pattern Spray Ball

Best Machinery and Tools Product

Winner: Baksaver Barrow, Baksaver Barrows

First runner up: Batavia Multishifter

Second runner up: Duraball, The Walsall Wheelbarrow Company Ltd

Best Plants, Seeds and Bulbs

Winner: Raspberry Ruby Beauty, Wyevale Nurseries

First runner up: Nemesia Sunpeddle Painted Rose, Channel Island Plants (UK) Ltd

Second runner up: Gro-Sure Sow Smart, Westland Horticulture

Best Garden Care Chemicals, Fertilisers and Composts Product

Winner: Sylvagrow Compost 100%, Melcourt Industries

First runner up: Rootgrow Ericoid Mycorrhizal Fungi, Plantgrow

Second runner up: Sea Maid Calcified Seaweed Meal, Mydas

Best Pet & Wildlife Product

Winner:  Loktop 2 Port Mealworm Feeder, Petface

First runner up: Tweetie Feeder, VegTrug

Second runner up: Hobnail glass bird range, Fallen Fruits

Best Home, Gift & Clothing

Winner: Occasions Gift Range, Spear & Jackson

First runner up: Lovers Umbrella, Fallen Fruits

Second runner up: Buttacup Flow

Best Leisure Product

Winner: Outdoor pouffe, Fallen Fruits

First runner up: ONJA, Rosker Ltd

Second runner up: Solar Bulb Stake and String Lights, Gardman

Third runner up: Brighton Corner Arbour, Zest 4 Leisure

Best Catering & Speciality Food Product

Winner: Findlater's Gluten Free Bread

Runner up: Smoke It All

Best Landscaping & Construction

Winner: Miniature World Range, Vivid Arts

First runner up: RHS Gardeners Collection, Kelkay

Second runner up: Noocity Growbed

i2i’s Matthew Mein, Glee event manager confirmed: “We were delighted that so many superb, new products were entered for this year’s Glee New Products, and offer many congratulations to the worthy winners.  Our thanks also go to the judges who so kindly lent their valuable time and expertise.”

See more details about the Glee New Product Showcase winners in tomorrows Glee Daily News.

Glee 2015 - Don't miss out! The show is still on for two more days.

Opening times:

Tuesday - 9:00 - 6:00pm

Wednesday - 9:00am - 4:00pm

This uniquely designed planter comes with an innovative plastic base which prevents the wood of the planter from rotting, whilst also encouraging growth and allowing maximum aeration to the roots. Available in three sizes, the planter is perfect for either growing flowers or vegetables, and will sit comfortably on a patio or balcony.

Available in Charcoal, Burnt Oak and Natural, the Barrel Planter will blend beautifully in to any style of garden or terrace.

As CEO, Joe Denham explained, “Home owners are always on the lookout for more unique and innovative products for their gardens and our new Barrel Planter is just that being a stylish alternative to terracotta or plastic planters.

“It is also ideal for those homeowners with limited outside space, enabling them to grow either plants or vegetables regardless of whether they have a garden, a patio or a balcony,” adds Joe.

The Barrel Planter is available in three sizes, small, which measure 37cm diameter by 30cm high and can retail at £14.99; medium, which is 46cm in diameter by 34cm high and can retail at £19.99; and large which is 55cm in diameter by 41cm high and can retail at £27.99. Pricing will be dependent on trade volume.

For further information about the new Barrel Planter, as well as other products from VegTrug, visit www.vegtrug.com or call 01206 230025.

• Buttacup with the Waterbutt Plant Pot: the Buttacup Flow is curved to fit perfectly to the side of any standard water butt using a simple nut and bolt. Once attached the self-watering system will do all the hard work. The Buttacup Flow is available in a range of colours including dark green to match your water butt.  It is easy to install and comes with a full set of instructions and components.
• Baksaver Barrows with its namesake product, the Baksaver Barrow: Baksaver Barrows are designed from the ground up using feedback from a mixed range of wheelbarrow users. These high quality, durable wheelbarrows can be used with very little effort, where you don't need to lift to push or to tip. Each barrow comes complete with a three year warranty.

This revolutionary new glove uses a wrist-to-knuckle patented strapping system, which locks your grip into place with a simple Velcro strap, thus providing you with the ultimate grip, but because it relieves tension from the hands, fingers, forearm and wrist too it guarantees you none of the usual strains & pains.

The Gripeeze Home & Garden glove is manufactured from neoprene providing water resistance and helping to keep hands warm whilst working outdoors. As well as the unique strapping method, users of the glove also get more wrist support due to a double wrist strapping system and a Poly Dot palm ensures a good grip even when wet. Perfect for bedding, potting, planting and pruning and when using tools and equipment in the garden and around the home, the strapping device can also be strapped away so as not to restrict the user when not in use

Gripeeze gloves are also available for many other activities such as golf, fishing and DIY and come in a variety of materials & sizes to further aid user comfort. They’ve even won praise from healthcare professionals who have approved the Gripeeze range for use in the rehabilitation of patients, it’s use proven to be particularly beneficial to those suffering from arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other similar conditions. What’s more, they look much the same as any other glove, so no one need know the extra help you’re gaining from wearing it.

The product, which recently featured on QVC and won recognition this month as part of Theo Paphitis’s #smallbusinesssunday forum on Twitter, is distributed worldwide by Agriguard and talks with major high street retailers are also underway & progressing well. Commenting on the future, Stuart Walsh, inventor of Gripeeze, said, ‘I get such a buzz from knowing my product is helping people do things they may not ordinarily have been able to do. We’ve had great success already but I'm not stopping until I know anyone who could benefit from Gripeeze knows about it!’

Suitable for both the able bodied person seeking to remove the repetitive strain of a particular task, or for those suffering from conditions that make use of the hands difficult, the Gripeeze glove comes in 5 different sizes (including children’s) with prices ranging from £14.99 up to £19.99.

Pictured above: Stuart Walsh signs a worldwide distribution agreement with Jonathan Prest of Agriguard. Jonathan can be contacted on 0161 214 8750.

Social media users can follow Gripeeze on Twitter & Facebook.

www.twitter.com/mrgripeeze

www.facebook.com/gripeezegloves

Westland’s bird care brand Peckish will once again be aiming to give garden centres a major footfall boost this October half-term.

Garden centres are being invited to host the Go Wild With Peckish campaign, which encourages families to unplug from their digital devices for a day and take part in fun bird related activities. Research shows the average young adult packs a staggering 14 hours of media consumption into nine hours of the day by ‘media multi-tasking*’.

Each garden centres that signs up to the Go Wild With Peckish campaign will be added to the Peckish website postcode tracker www.peckishbirdfood.com/gowild which signposts families to their closest location to take part in the event.

Garden centres hosting the ‘Go Wild With Peckish’ events will be given an activity pack, which includes guidance on holding activities to increase footfall, such as fun bird feeder and energy ball making sessions, and a bird spotting activity where giant cut out bird characters guide customers around the store. Goodie bags, including money-off coupons will also be provided for garden centres to issue to participants. The trade website will also include copies of downloadable items, guidance and other resources.

Wendy French, Senior Marketing Manager for Peckish, said: “Garden centres taking part get a real boost from increased footfall and customer participation in activities and giveaways. Plus, we encourage a future generation to take time out of their technology filled lives to develop a passion for feeding the birds.

 “Last year we had an overwhelming response, over 100 garden centres up and down the UK and Ireland took part in this event. To ensure you have extra customers flying through the door this half-term, sign up for the event at www.trade.gardenhealth.com or email joingowild@gardenhealth.com”

Above: Emma Rogers shows off a display of Peckish products on the Westland stand.

New to the show this year are the ‘Classic Lantern’ range of well crafted, floor standing lanterns.  Interest at the Glee show so far from buyers has been strong; providing a high quality product which will sit well in garden centre displays as individual pieces and ultimately the home.

Dave also highlights the interest in their bespoke, hand crafted range of fireside accessories marketed under the title ‘Black Isle Forge’. “Our own designs, well made but still competitively priced”. All items are available now and have great sales potential as the darker nights draw on.

The Low’s range is also enhanced by ranges of robust well-designed basketware, meaning that there are plenty of items to select from when placing an order; allowing centres of all sizes to be able to access some potential good sellers.

The Lovers Umbrella has been created to allow two people to shelter comfortably underneath.  The unique shape provides plenty of room for two adults meaning there is no need to fight for cover!

The beautiful umbrella features two white love birds on a black background making it as stylish and eye-catching, as it is practical.  With a RRP of £19.99 this novel umbrella will make the perfect wedding present or a gift for a loved one. 

Fallen Fruits managing director Michael Hall explains, “This beautiful addition to our ‘Nature Print’ collection is completely unique and of the highest quality.  Yet it is still reasonably priced making it a well thought through gift proposition for any garden centre.”

It was confirmed recently that Stax Trade Centres will stock over 20 Empathy bio fertiliser lines to complement the existing Stax product portfolio which extends to over 40,000 SKU’s. Until recently only rootgrow, the popular RHS endorsed mycorrhizal fungi has been available from Stax.  Aaron Sanders, Stax Range Negotiator says;

'Since listing the rootgrow products in March this year the Stax field sales team and Stax outlets have been impressed with the level of service provided by Plantworks and the popularity of the product. The decision to list the full Empathy range brings us closer to providing the most comprehensive range of garden care products available to garden centres and other retailers.'

Plantworks, producers and suppliers of rootgrow and empathy products, have always maintained a close relationship with stockists providing direct supply and ongoing support and training. This will continue with the added value of partnering with a respected wholesaler that covers all of mainland UK.

‘As our product lines increase our customers are keen to extend the empathy ranges, the most efficient way to satisfy this demand has been to engage with wholesalers. Stax have proved to be highly efficient with a strong sales force and great reputation in the sector’ says Simon Taylor, Head of Sales at Plantworks. ‘With UK mainland distribution coverage, Stax is the ideal partner to take our products to a wider market’

The full retail range will go live on Stax ordering system soon with a full page dedicated to the range in the new products catalogue.

GIMA award winners Zest 4 Leisure are impressing Glee visitors (stand  20L30-M31) with their 2016 range of dining sets, benches and an outdoor bar and table set...

The Zest 4 Leisure Lily Two-Seater Bench

The new Lily Relax 2 Seater Bench is an addition to the ergonomically designed Lily range. Designed with both comfort and style in mind, it features wide arm rests, lower seat height and angled back rest, allowing for total relaxation, whilst providing a unique, lower-angle perspective on your garden. Put your feet up with the matching foot-stool and don’t forget the matching side table, perfect for your refreshments. This premium product, is not only ergonomic, but adds charm to any garden.

The Zest 4 Leisure Harriet Table and 2 Bench Set

Launching a new series in our outdoor living range, the Harriet Table and 2 Bench set, combines a solid design, aesthetically enhanced with smooth curves, in a Bavarian style. The table and benches complete with crossover style legs, are simple, yet understated, providing any outdoor setting with a classic feel.

The Zest 4 Leisure Bahama Bar,

The Bahama Bar makes a fun addition to the garden, especially for those who enjoy entertaining. It is a classic design with three large shelves for storing glasses, drinks or food.

The Bahama Table and Stools & Bahama Bar

The Bahama table and 2 stools is a sturdy and attractive outdoor furniture set giving a sophisticated flavour to eating outside. The raised seat height is supported with bracing which also acts as a great footrest. Combined with the Bahama Bar the complete set is perfect for entertaining.

Brighton Corner Arbour

The Brighton Corner Arbour is an ideal product when thinking of entertaining family and friends. Complete with a fixed corner table big enough for drinks and a bite to eat. The slated roof gives shade or shelter and the open panels on both sides make it feel airy and bright.

Rebecca Table & Bench

The Rebecca Table and 2 bench set is simple and straight forward in design and fits beautifully in a garden or patio area. It is manufactured from solid timber which over time is likely to naturally weather. Sold separately  

Pergola

The pergola is substantial and comes in two sizes, 2.40m and 3.00m, complete with 7 roof rafters and 4 strong legs. It is ideal simply as a feature or can be used to grow a range of climbing plant which over time enhance the beauty of the structure.

Emily Side Table 

The Emily table is an addition to the elegant Emily seating range and is ideal next to the Emily bench or chair when you want somewhere for drinks.

Westland unveiled their new Sow Smart concept - pre-sown modules that enable any consumer to successfully grow tomatoes from seed, whatever their experience level.

Sow Smart is unique in the market and pretty much foolproof. Each pack contains six gro-plugs sown with tomato seeds (a choice of  Alicante or Gardener’s Delight). The packaging doubles as a mini-propagator.

Users just add water and within four weeks have a plant that is ready to plant out in a container or planter such as the Gro-Sure Tomato Planter. There are no worries about overwatering as the plugs soak up only as much moisture as they need. The structure of the patented plugs ensures seeds and seedlings have the ideal balance of air, water, nutrients and support.

Senior marketing manager Jen Richardson says the product will change how consumers grow from seed. “It is so special and absolutely foolproof. It has been developed to help those who want the reward of growing tomatoes from seed but need a helping hand along the way.”

Stockists will be encouraged to set up Sow Smart displays alongside Gro-Sure Tomato Planters and Gro-Sure Tomato Food to maximise basket spend.

Now, for the first time ever, Crown Pavilions is launching a collection of garden buildings that will be available exclusively through its retail network: the Lifestyle Collection.

None of the products in this unique new collection will be available direct from Crown. Instead, handpicked retail partners will be able to market products under their own brand names. And, by limiting the number of partners within any given geographical radius, Crown plans to add an even greater layer of exclusivity to the collection.

“We are delighted to be launching the new Lifestyle Collection at GLEE 2015,” said Crown’s Marketing Manager, XXXXXXXX. “This is a fantastic opportunity for any retailer wishing to offer its customers a top-of-the-range product with the added advantage of being able to brand this product under their own name.”

Initially the Lifestyle Collection will comprise two garden buildings: the Valentine and the Eden, with more planned for the future. Both can be viewed at GLEE where Crown Pavilions colleagues will be on hand to answer questions.

Winner of the Garden Leisure category in Glee’s New Product Awards was a delightful outdoor pouffe from Fallen Fruits, testimony to the adage that ‘simple is best’.

The pouffe comprises a strong inflatable inner with a waterproof textile cover, in three ‘fruity’ designs – kiwi fruit, water melon and orange.

They are destined to become bright and cheerful additions to many UK patios next season, judging by the interest show by buyers at Glee today. 

An ingenious wheelbarrow that you don’t have to tip to push or push to tip won the Best Machinery and Tools category in Glee’s New Product Awards.

Baksaver Barrows (20A26), making their Glee debut in the Innovation Zone, also won the Innovation Award.

The company was set up by Devon-based machinery dealer James Hayes (picrtured right) to market the Baksaver, developed over two years after a friend came to him with his bright idea.

Using a simple cantilever arrangement, the galvanized steel butt tips forward with one easy movement, while smooth wheel bearings and pneumatic tyres make the unit highly manoeuvrable. A rolled-over rim underpins the strength and rigidity of the butt. The framework is powder-coated steel so durability is asssured. Suggested retail price is £129.

“The response here at Glee has been fantastic,” James told Glee Daily News. “We have got loads of leads – people love its uniqueness and points of difference.” 

Andy Chalmers, Melcourt’s Managing Director, identifies the recent endorsement of their peat-free garden products by the RHS, “the only one” as being especially important in helping the gardening public select a product that can be trusted to perform well. 

He has also overseen the development of smaller, 20 litre carry home packs of their compost range will also benefit the discerning consumer who has difficulty in transporting larger sizes.

Four messages are available; “Thank you”, “World’s greatest gardener”, “Gardening queen” and “ Happy birthday”, the recommended price point of £13.99 answers the perennial question of what to buy for the relative or friend that seems to have everything.

Available for immediate delivery, there is great scope for adding these trowels in the gift area of a garden centre or even a product extension for those with a very horticultural focused product range.

Hozelock’s win in the garden care (accessories) category of the Glee New Product Awards was widely predicted, bringing as it does the high-tech world of internet technology to garden watering.

Via an app installed on a smartphone, watering can be controlled remotely by the Hozelock Cloud Controller and Hub connected to the user’s broadband router and activated by a wi-fi signal. It’s programmable, so will operate an automatic watering system.

Adrian Davey, the company’s commercial director, says the product has been enthusiastically received by retailers at Glee. “Advanced technology is widely used in many other areas of life but had not yet reached gardening, until now. People see how it will appeal to the next generation of users but also understand that the majority of gardeners are in older age groups and are used to using technology like this too.”

Although the Cloud Controller and Hub (SRP £114.99) and its sister products, the Sensor Controller (from £35.99) and the Easy Drip system (from £32.99), are premium purchases, Adrian believes they represent good value for money, comparing favourably with other technology purchases.



Above: Hozelock's Adrian Davey on the Cloud Controller display at Glee.

The models, all to scale, are designed by Vivid Arts’ own team, who are ensuring a level of detail within the product that is sometimes missing. The in house development also allows for new themes to be developed which are pertinent for the UK market.

The display on stand 20C02 shows ways of presenting the products, and has given a number of visitors inspiration of how to build similar back in their own businesses. Director Paul McGuire, cites the immense collectability of the range and foresees customers making return visits to add to their existing collection. 

The addition of this collection to the already extensive range offered by Vivid Arts will allow centres to gain entry into this product area easily and allow for easy replenishment when items sell through.

Anyone suspicious of the quality of gluten free products should visit their stand 17V58 for a taste test. Already established in many garden centres for their award winning range of pate, they can also supply their breads on a countrywide level. They deal direct with businesses meaning that products are attractively priced.

A garden centre visitor to the stand identified the synergy between offering the bread in their coffee shop and also the food hall. “One sells the other, we have found a new niche."

Increasingly Findlaters are finding it is not only those who are gluten intolerant selecting the product but others who are choosing to be gluten free as a lifestyle choice.

A year ago one of the new exhibitors at Glee was Crest, set up by Nick Davies with backing from Westland Horticulture.  A year on, Glee Daily News asked Nick about the reaction to Crest, one year on from their initial showing at Glee 2014.

“The reaction has been extremely good, we’ve had great reaction on our range of tools, we’ve had a lot of interest and a number of big orders placed on the new range of Garden Life and Flopro has been a resounding success.

“We have created a good alternative for the market on watering.  We’ve got a good, better, best option we have re-designed a lot of the guns, a lot of the fittings, very much tuned into the customer requirement of no leaks.”

“Flopro is the good, Flopro plus is the better and then Flopro elite which is the metal option.

Flopro and Flopro plus are both made from virgin polymer, with the Flopro plus range being made from ABS plastic which is stronger, highly polished and it has super a supergrip connection which means it has a permanent connection that allows the hose to fit in deeper, therefore reducing the possibility of leaks, explained Crest's Lisa Blackmore, pictured with Nick Davies.

With such a wide offering of products, Wildlife World has the ideal gift for every person’s taste, including its new, award-winning Urban range, the festive Robin Teapot Nester, the Swing Seat Feeder and the Bee and Bug Biome with something suitable for gardens of all sizes and environments.

At Glee there was great interest in the whole range of Wildlife World products.

The Wild Gardener range comprises of five seed mixtures – four edible and one ornamental wildflower mix. Each exciting combination contains up to six annual and biennial seed varieties completely free of hybrid and genetically modified elements, emphasising the organic nature of Neudorff’s products

Fragrant spicy herbs, mixed salad and edible flowers are the ideal ingredients for delicious summer salad or a spicy addition to dips, sauces and even pizzas.

Jude Beharall, Sales Director for Neudorff UK and ROI, commented on the introduction of the Wild Gardener pack: “We are delighted to be able to bring another exciting garden category to market that compliments the existing product offering. These products tap into the Urban Gardening trend and allow gardeners to grow fresh produce in even the smallest of spaces.”

The Wild Gardener range is suited for all types of gardens, no matter what size. From balconies and terraces to fully-fledged gardens, just one pack is enough for at least two large sized window boxes to invite a little colour and flavour into your garden.

A handy sowing aid is included with each pack for easy application, and the seeds can be sown in pots, tubs or directly in to soil.

RRP: £3.49 per pack.

The Mackenzie and Cruikshank contract will see the development of a large open sided canopy and a curved glasshouse, in total an area of over 1000m2

Bridport based Groves have worked with the Malcolm Scott Partnership to gain planning for a brand new restaurant building on their site. The construction, consisting of approximately 200 covers inside and seating for a further 100 outside is part of a phased development of the site. Charlie Groves, Managing Director stated the reason for the choice, “ We are a traditional site adjacent to a busy main road, we needed something that would link to our horticultural heritage but still have the ‘wow’ factor. The proposed building fits these criteria well”.

Project management of the Groves Nurseries build will be managed by Lance Locke of ICDM.

Visitors to the Smiemans Projecten stand saw details of many of the company’s latest projects.

Visitors to the Scotts Miracle-Gro stand saw a brand new growing kit designed to expand the grow-your-own market...

Miracle-Gro Gro-able Seed Pods comprise a biodegradable cow manure-based ‘pod’ containing slow-release plant food granules and a plug made from coir, pre-sown with vegetable seeds like tomatoes and courgettes.

The kits produce young plants that will be ready to plant out in a few weeks, during which time the growing medium will provide all the nutrients they need.

Throughout Glee 2015 the team from Garden Trade News covered all the latest developments for Glee Daily News.

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