Glee Gathering got off to a storming start today with lots of ‘exhibitor’ and ‘visitor’ activity at the beginning of the two-day ‘virtual’ event.

Event director Matthew Mein (above) was pleased with the first day, saying: “For an industry that’s had a challenging year for new product development, there have been loads of really good ideas at the Glee Gathering today for retailers with a host of New Products already showcased and presented.

“Register this evening and you’ll be able to catch up with everything from today, see all of the action tomorrow and join in the 1-2-1 video meetings with exhibitors.

“See you tomorrow for loads more new ideas and products, plus the winners of the Glee New Product Awards 2020.”

The final six categories of this year’s Glee New Product Awards, in association with GTN, will be put before the expert panel of judges tomorrow (Wednesday), from an impressive shortlist revealed here.

After a long weekend of virtual judging and the first LIVE! Pitching session today the following products have been shortlisted in the remaining categories that will be pitched LIVE to the judges at 12.30pm.

Garden Growing Containers (All pots, planters, hanging baskets etc)

3 Tier Stackable Raised Bed - Zest 4 Leisure

Bio-Based Growing Tray (6 x 12cm Pots) – Garland Products

'Flow' eco pots – Fargro

Garden Landscaping (Paving, statuary, garden buildings etc)

Cherry Blossom Arch - Zest 4 Leisure

ONDULINE EASYLINE - Onduline Building Products

Oslo Panel - Jagram S.A.

Railroad Stepping Stone - Primeur

Pet Products

Banana Facial & Natural Tear Stain Treatment - HOWND

Skouts Honor Litter Box Deodorizer 1035ml – Vital Pet Group

Skouts Honor Stain & Odour Remover 1035ml – Vital Pet Group

Yarrah Organic Cat Adult Dry Grain Free Chicken & Fish 800g – Vital Pet Group

Garden Plants, Seeds and Bulbs 

Coniogramme emeiensis ‘Golden Zebra' - JAVADO

Johnsons Microgreens Range - Mr Fothergills Seeds

Rhododendron Encore® - JAVADO

Vegetable & Seed Growing Kit – Taylors Bulbs

Garden Growing Materials (Feeds, pest & weed control, growing media, cloches, seed trays etc)

BloominAmazing Rich Planting Stuff - West Country Soil Improvement

Ecofective Plant Disease Defence - Sipcam Home and Garden

Happy Compost range expansion - The Greener Gardening Company

Miracle-Gro & Levington Peat Free Range – Evergreen Garden Care

No-Gnats - Lava-Lite

Zaper Slug Fence - The Environmental Factor Inc

The Garden Wild Bird and Wildlife Products, due to be pitched today, has now been added to tomorrow’s programme.

Garden Wild Bird and Wildlife Products (Wild bird feeds, feeders, wild life products etc)

Solar Insect Houses - Kaemingk

Acorn Bird Feeders – Fallen Fruits

The Hedgehog Barn - Wildlife World

Artisan Wild Bird Nesters - Wildlife World

Perched Bird Feeder Stake - Woodlodge Products

This year's judging panel is:  Andy Bunker - Alton Garden Centre, Roger Crookes - Garden Centre Consultant, Nicola Pugh - Pughs Garden Centres, Tom Grinell - Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Mel Livingstone - Fron Goch Garden Centre, and Ian Hodgson - Garden News. 

Trevor Pfeiffer from GTN will again chair the pitching sessions, keeping to a strict time limit of 2 minutes per pitch.

To tune in and watch register for the Glee Gathering here.

Shortlisted products in five of the eleven Glee New Product Awards, in association with GTN, were pitched LIVE! to the judges on the first day of Glee Gathering.

Pitches came in from around the world, including USA and Finland, making it a truly global event.

Garden Decoration (Garden ornaments, garden lighting, plant supports, wall art etc)

Gardena ClickUp! System - Husqvarna UK

Laguna Wall Fountain by Henri Studio - Henri Studio / Stonecasters

Peppa Pig & Friends Metal Garden Ornaments - Primus

Prehistoric Garden Metal Dinosaur Ornaments - Primus

Solar Micro Led Lantern - Kaemingk

Garden Home, Giftware and ClothingWild Bird and Wildlife Care

Family of Indoor Pot Covers - Woodlodge

Feeder Friends Plant Drip Feeders - Jardinopia

Make Your Own Wax Wraps Kit - Goodtobee

Garden Leisure & Entertaining (BBQ's, garden furniture and accessories etc)

Burghley Arbour - Zest 4 Leisure

Solo Stove Bonfire - Specflue Ltd

Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 - Kamado Joe

Garden Retail & Industry Services

Flexible Walkway - Fordingbridge

FUSE Mobile Loyalty App - Swan Retail

Garden Tools & Machinery (Hand and powered garden tools, garden gloves, garden kneelers etc)

Gardena Leaf and Grass Collector - Husqvarna UK

GARDENA Garden Rollup Hosebox 20m - Husqvarna UK

Fruit Collector Harvesting Net - Fruit Collector

All of these products were pitched LIVE! to the judges in the first Glee Gathering Glee New Product Awards session today( Tuesday 15th September 2020). The Garden Wild Bird and Wildlife Products, due to be pitched today, will now get their chance before the judges tomorrow (Wednesday).

Garden Wild Bird and Wildlife Products (Wild bird feeds, feeders, wild life products etc)

Solar Insect Houses - Kaemingk

Acorn Bird Feeders – Fallen Fruits

The Hedgehog Barn - Wildlife World

Artisan Wild Bird Nesters - Wildlife World

Perched Bird Feeder Stake - Woodlodge Products

The shortlists have been selected from an entry of over 160 products submitted by Glee Gathering exhibitors for this first virtual version of the annual Glee New Product Awards. 

This year's judging panel is:  Andy Bunker - Alton Garden Centre, Roger Crookes - Garden Centre Consultant, Nicola Pugh - Pughs Garden Centres, Tom Grinell - Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Mel Livingstone - Fron Goch Garden Centre, and Ian Hodgson - Garden News. 

Trevor Pfeiffer from GTN chaired the pitching sessions and kept the strict time limit of 2 minutes per pitch.

To tune in and watch register for the Glee Gathering here.

To meet the demand for peat-free growing media options, the UK’s leading garden care company, Evergreen Garden Care (www.lovethegarden.com) is delighted to announce the launch of the best performing and widest range of Peat-Free growing media.

As consumers move to peat free alternatives, Evergreen Garden Care has made this transition as simple as possible, offering alternatives in brands they recognise across all their growing needs. With this thinking in mind, Miracle-Gro and Levington are offering a premium range spanning All-Purpose, All-Purpose with John Innes, Moisture Control, special plants including Azalea, Camellia and Rhododendron, Fruit and Veg planter, in-door houseplants and more peat free alternatives. 

Data has shown that while consumers have the intention of purchasing sustainable and environmentally friendly choices, at the point of sale the choice is often made to purchase products that they perceive to be more effective. The new peat free range delivers quality results, without the compromise, with SKUs to satisfy the special needs of every plant type. Expertly formulated at Levington research centre, the range is created with patented technology, Fibre Smart, which is wood fibre infused with organic nitrogen. By doing so, the nitrogen is fully absorbed by the plants, rather than being absorbed into the wood fibre, allowing the plant to grow to its best potential.    

Miracle-Gro and Levington Peat Free is packaged in 100% recyclable materials. Evergreen Garden Care is actively working on improving the responsible sourcing profile of its compost mixes year on year and has increased the recycled plastic content in the peat free compost bags to 60%. These efforts have the ultimate aim of reducing waste and allowing gardens to flourish in the most sustainable way possible. 

The launch of this range is a continuation of Evergreen Garden Care’s ongoing focus on sustainability. Over the past 30 years, the company has restored and donated more than 3,000 hectares of peatland in Somerset, Yorkshire and Lancashire. In partnership with nature experts and conservation bodies, Evergreen Garden Care has been responsibly restoring peatlands ensuring best practice in terms of land management and restoration. The overall aim is to guarantee that wildlife can continue to thrive in these environments. 

Mark Portman, Managing Director at Evergreen Garden Care commented: “At Evergreen Garden Care, we have been on a journey of reducing our use of peat year on year and have always taken our responsibility to care for the peatlands seriously. The launch of a full range of peat free compost is the next step in that journey. It is important that the we, as a business, and the industry as a whole helps move gardeners to peat free solutions that meet all of their gardening needs. This is what we are doing with our launch; the same two leading brands, the same portfolio, the same high quality, but now available in Peat Free.”

“There is an increased demand for peat free both from our consumer and customer base. It has been an exceptional year for growing media and due to limited availability sometimes shoppers had to compromise on what they really wanted to buy. Prior to the pandemic we saw more people move towards peat free through GfK industry data and from our customers, who reported the interest in their mix of sales. This rangewill satisfy this demand, providing the solution for the needs of every plant.”

The range includes the following:

• Miracle-Gro Peat Free Premium All-Purpose Compost: available in 20L (RRP: £4.99) and 40L (RRP: £5.99)
• Miracle-Gro Premium Peat Free All-Purpose Compost with Organic Plant Food: available in 40L (RRP: £6.49)
• Miracle-Gro Peat Free Premium Azalea, Camelia, Rhododendron Ericaceous Plants Compost: available in 40L (RRP: £6.99)
• Miracle-Gro Peat Free Premium Bulb Fibre Special Plants Compost: available in 10L (RRP £3.99) and 20L (RRP: £5.99)
• Miracle-Gro Peat Free Premium Moisture Control Special Compost for Pots and Baskets: available in 40L (RRP: £6.99)
• Miracle-Gro Peat Free Premium Orchid Special Plants Compost: available in 6L (RRP: £3.99)
• Miracle-Gro Peat Free Premium Houseplant Potting Mix: available in 10L (RRP: £4.49)
• Miracle-Gro Peat Free Premium Border Booster Soil Improver: available in 40L (RRP: 5.99)
• Miracle-Gro Peat Free Premium Fruit & Vegetable Compost (RRP: 5.99)
• Levington Peat Free Multi-Purpose Compost with added John Innes: available in 50L (RRP: £6.99)
• Levington Peat Free Organic Blend Topsoil: available in 20L (RRP: 4.99)
• Levington Peat Free Organic Blend Soil Conditioner: available in 50L (RRP: 6.49)
• Levington Peat Free Organic Blend Farmyard Manure: available in 50L (RRP: £5.99)

To find out more, visit www.evergreentrade.co.uk

Vitax is bringing the ‘feel-good’ factor to gardening into 2021 by launching a new organic range in response to gardeners’ demand for products which are environmentally-friendly and chemical-free.

Vitax Organic All Purpose Plant Food and Vitax Organic Tomato Food are set to super-charge gardens next spring, with both new products containing 100% natural ingredients, child, pet and bee-friendly and suitable for vegan gardening.

With the demand for more sustainable and eco-friendly gardening products increasing, Vitax Organic All Purpose Plant Food has all the growing power needed to bring gardens to life and is completely versatile. 

An easy option for anyone looking for a good all-round feed, it is rich in organic nutrients and this concentrated plant food can be used all around the garden and greenhouse.

For use with flowers, shrubs, fruits and vegetables, it can be used to feed plants from spring onwards.

Packaged in a recyclable bottle, it has been designed to disrupt traditional product designs and reflect the joy and reward of gardening, whilst distinguishing it as an organic product. It also carries the Organic Farmers & Growers approved mark.

Joining the new all-purpose feed is Vitax Organic Tomato Food. A super concentrated feed which includes nutrients (such as magnesium) which are not present in many traditional tomato feeds, it will satisfy even the greediest of tomato plants to deliver an abundance of the juiciest and tastiest tomatoes. 

A high potash fertiliser, Vitax Organic Tomato Food has all the quality nutrients needed including the added benefit of magnesium, iron and trace elements naturally present, which helps provide a super-charged boost to tomatoes and other fruits.

Vitax Organic Tomato Food also bears the Organic Farmers & Growers approved mark and stand-out, recyclable packaging.

Both Vitax Organic All Purpose Plant Food and Vitax Organic Tomato Food are available to order now ready for the new season.

To find out more visit: www.vitax.co.uk or email: info@vitax.co.uk

With family gardening in the spotlight as never before, garden tool manufacturer Burgon & Ball is launching a new licensed children’s gardening range in collaboration with Europe’s largest conservation charity, the National Trust.  

Nurturing children’s interest in gardening has been a growing theme for several years¹, and it has gained huge momentum in 2020. Gardening is a fun activity that families can enjoy together, with all the wellbeing benefits of time spent outdoors in the natural world, plus it supports a wide range of learning about the environment, healthy eating and sustainability. The new ‘National Trust ‘Get Me Gardening’ Made by Burgon & Ball’ range of children’s garden tools and accessories offers retailers a high-quality licensed range to bring to their customers.  

Founded in 1895 and now with 5.6 million members, the National Trust cares for 180 registered parks and gardens; the largest collection of historic parks and gardens in Europe. Many were created by the most notable designers, among them Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.  

The National Trust is held in the highest regard by gardeners and with those who love visiting beautiful gardens or productive kitchen gardens, making it a natural fit for a collaboration with Burgon & Ball, which itself has a toolmaking heritage dating back to 1730. 

The new ‘Get Me Gardening’ collection aims to bring the garden to life for children. It has been created to appeal to six- to ten-year-olds, although of course younger or older children (or even young-at-heart adults!) can enjoy them too. In bold shades of red, yellow, green and blue, the tools and accessories feature adorable frog, hedgehog, mole and snail characters. The collection includes everything needed for a fun day in the garden, whether that’s planting flowers and seeds, making a fairy garden, or exploring with bucket and trowel on a mini-beast safari!  

The range has the feel-good factor too, since a minimum of £15,000 from sales will help to support the conservation activities of the charity.  

Sized to be comfortable for smaller hands, the set consists of: digging spade and digging fork; rake; a trowel and fork set; two garden kneeler designs; two glove designs; gardening apron; bucket; and watering can.  

The trowel and fork come as a set on a colourful backing card, making them ideal for gifting as well as for use at home. The spade, digging fork and rake feature painted FSC^®-certified ash handles and galvanized steel tool heads, with a tough powder coating to protect the steel from corrosion. The spade and fork have a T-shaped handle, useful if little hands want to use a double-handed grip for serious digging. For additional peace of mind, the three large tools are covered by a five-year guarantee.  

The two Kneelo^® garden kneeler designs are made to the same high standard as Burgon & Ball’s full-size Kneelo^® kneelers, with generous twin layers of memory foam around a lightweight foam core. Perfect for keeping little knees comfy and clean, they also make an ideal seat pad for picnics, camping, pond dipping, and all kinds of outdoor activities.  

The kneelers, the two glove designs and the gardening apron feature friendly frog, snail and hedgehog characters to highlight the garden creatures which live alongside us. The gloves and apron are washable at 30°C to keep the designs looking bright and cheery. The apron is also perfect for painting, crafting and baking, and fastens behind the neck and at the waist with a hook-and-loop fastening for safety and ease of use. 

In robust galvanized steel painted in appealing primary colours, the garden bucket and watering can feature friendly mole and frog characters, with fun facts to highlight some of the science which can be learned in the garden. 

Every item in the range carries CE certification, demonstrating that it meets EU standards for health, safety, and environmental protection. The packaging of this range has also been created with sustainability in mind, with cardboard from FSC^®-certified sources and minimal plastic.  

With RRPs ranging from £7.99 to £17.99, the new National Trust ‘Get Me Gardening’ Made by Burgon & Ball range carries the combined customer appeal of these two trusted names in gardening. This colourful and fun collection offers a high-quality, durable new option in children’s gardening tools and brings exciting opportunities to retailers this autumn, ready for Christmas gifting and into the 2021 season. 

EKJU is one of Europe’s biggest manufacturers of timber garden furniture and has been supplying products into the UK for several years, using northern European FSC pine and spruce that is ideal for use on garden furniture due to its high density and durability.

Egons, Klauss, Juris & Uldis, the founders of EKJU, had a vision to create garden furniture that is crafted with the care and attention needed to ensure the product lasts as long as it takes to re-grow a new tree. Since 1992 the company has sourced only from FSC certified forests, upholding its founders’ ethos.

The new sales team covers England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and consists of specialist sales agents who have been selling into UK garden centres for many years, strengthening the EKJU team with a dedicated UK resource and logistical network.

Stockists can look forward to a high-quality reliable range of timber products. They will also find a supplier that takes the upmost care and attention at every stage of production, using extensive knowledge, techniques and state-of-the-art machinery to ensure consistently robust and smooth product finishing.

To book an appointment with your local EKJU sales representative, please see an accompanying image which shows by region contact details. If you want to know any general information about EKJU then you can contact EKJU Sales & Marketing Director Laura Galzone by email here  or click here to view the EKJU catalogue to browse the product range.

As we start to look ahead to the 2021 gardening season, Primeur – the leading supplier of the multi-award-winning Eco Garden collection of Tierra Verde self-watering planters, as well as Recycled Rubber Stepping-Stones, Deck Tiles and flexible Recycled Rubber Borders – has confirmed a number of new additions will bolster its product offering in the year ahead.

Going grey in 2021

The popularity of the colour grey shows no sign of abating in 2021. A colour that can be complemented with a wide range of accent colours, grey provides consumers with the perfect base on which to build their new look, whether it is steeped in traditional design or pushing the boundary with a fresh, contemporary look.  Recognising this and wanting to ensure that its garden retail customers have access to product that meets this consumer need, Primer has updated its bestselling product ranges to ensure that grey options are made available.

The bestselling Railroad Tile (25x60cm), which provides a rustic touch to paths, will now be available in a grey colourway, whilst the popular Ultra Curve EZ Border will also benefit from updates in this on trend hue.  Previously only available in Earth, the 122cm-long Brick borders will be available in heights of 9cm or 15cm, helping gardeners to add a cutting-edge look to flower borders and vegetable beds.

The new Carolina Border collection will also see the introduction of a further grey colour option.  This new border style is the perfect example of understated elegance, with a curved top and sleek geometric lines, making it the top choice for when the planting needs to take centre stage.  The Carolina Border (2x15x120cm) will be supported by a retail price of just £16.99.

New planter sizes to meet the needs of modern living

Primeur has confirmed that it has added a selection of new planters to its Eco Garden range ahead of the 2021 season. These new planters have been added to specifically meet the needs of modern living, providing solutions for a host of gardening jobs.

First up is the new 15cm Octavia Planter (RRP £24.99). Ideal for houseplants and smaller blooms, these new 15cm planters present a much smaller size option within this popular planter collection than was previously available.

The bestselling Sonata range will see the introduction of two new trough planters in response to both retailer and consumer demand, where sleek design and increased functionality combine perfectly. At 71cm wide and standing at 50cm high, the larger trough will be a commanding planter in any garden setting and is perfect for kickstarting grow-your-own projects and even small-scale vegetable gardens. The smaller trough, standing at 61cm wide x 15cm high, will provide the ideal solution for window boxes and herb gardens alike.

Jenny Douthwaite, Sales Director at Primeur said: “We’ve curated a range of new product additions, all of which have been carefully considered following retailer and consumer feedback. This isn’t product development for the sake of product development, instead we have complemented existing ranges, offered designs and new sizes that help consumers to engage with gardening in a number of ways, and provided updates that perfectly fit with future trends. We’re excited for the industry to see what we have to offer and are confident our new additions will help to drive sales in 2021.”

Find out more

To find more about Primeur’s full product range as well as how to join one of its new virtual showroom tours, please contact the team on 01274 518800 or email sales@primeur.ltd.uk

Despite the exceptionally busy peak-weeks with spring flowering bulb retailing, it is the pre-season order for Spring 2021 of Summer flowering bulbs, seed potatoes and other Grow-Your-Own products that the Taylors sales team are now working on. The traditional delivery window for this range has crept forward from the end of January to now seeing deliveries starting in December.

John Taylor, Commercial Director, says: “It doesn’t seem that long ago that we would not deliver any dahlia, gladioli, etc. until the end of January and even early February, but as the retail landscape as well as the seasons have changed, we have seen those delivery times move forward.  Now, we are delivering more than ever in December, and although this is a little early for a full display of summer flowering bulbs, the grow-your-own offer of seed potatoes, onion sets, shallots, etc. is able to be pretty much complete by this time and starts selling straightaway.”

Richard Carrick, Sales Manager, added; “The pre-season orders for Spring 2021 are looking strong with significant increases in seed potatoes, onion sets and vegetables, and there is a bullish attitude toward the summer flowering bulbs as well with dahlia being the star-performers.  Dahlias always fulfil most people’s needs with longevity of flowering time, colours for every taste and the different flowering heights for garden borders to pots.

“We are all hoping that widespread lockdowns are unlikely but we now have an understanding about the knock-on effects for the potential gardening market and so there is confidence, even if it often comes with caveats attached!”

Taylors offer an extensive range of 70 seed potatoes in 2kg Carripacks as well as their market-leading “Taster Packs” and 25kg sacks for loose sale. 

The Taylors Bulbs summer flowering Bulb of the Year is Dahlia Kelvin Floodlight (above left) and the Spring 2021 catalogue has over 40 new products including Dwarf Pot Cannas.

For more information, contact Taylors Bulbs on 01406 422266, Email sales@taylors-bulbs.com, or visit their website www.taylors-bulbs.com

Thanks to its partnership with Hasbro, Primus is delighted to be unveiling its brand new Peppa Pig and friends range at this year’s Glee event.

These fully licenced characters have amazing detail and each ornament is made of metal with springy arms and base allowing them to dance in the wind or when your kids (and even big kids!)  can't help but touch them!

Set to be one of the sell-out ranges from Primus, the collectables are so appealing that we know both parents and children alike will fall in love with the lovable characters from the hit TV show as they take centre stage in the garden, surrounded by muddy puddles of course!

Five characters in the launch collection from Primus include Peppa, her brother George, Suzy Sheep, Rebecca Rabbit and Gerald Giraffe.

You will be able to order each character separately, and Primus has a fully branded merchandiser deal with a free floor standing unit on your first order, drawing even more attention to these brilliant sculptures which RRP for £24.99 and to retailers from £12.50 each.  

The smaller George pig ornament is £9.00 each with an RRP of £17.99.  To give you an idea on size of these adorable garden must haves, Peppa’s size is 25cm x 22cm x 18cm.

Launched to the garden retail market in 2019, Hygeia’s Nature Safe range has proven popular thanks to its commitment to delivering products that provide eco and vegan-friendly, organic, and chemical-free solutions for common gardening jobs. Now, ahead of the 2021 gardening season, Hygeia has further expanded this benchmark setting range with the introduction of Nature Safe Probiotic. 

Nature Safe Probiotic 

We’re all familiar with probiotics for humans. The famous Japanese brand has made the notion of ‘good bacteria’ for our gut a household concept, which got Hygeia thinking – could this same concept apply to grow your own? The truth in fact is, yes! With Nature Safe Probiotic, Hygeia has isolated the ‘good’ bacteria or microorganisms, found within the soil of its homeland, Ireland. Once isolated, one billion of these good bacteria are concentrated and bottled, providing UK and Irish gardeners with a product that aids faster germination, and reduces the need for fertiliser as the bacteria do all the hard work. 

Tom Stolworthy, Hygeia’s UK Country Manager, explains: “Nature Safe Probiotic is the perfect way to supercharge organic plant growth. The billions of ‘good’ bacteria work their magic by boosting seed germination, creating stronger roots and excelling plant growth. This one simple product has the ability to appeal to a broad spectrum of consumers, including those that are new to gardening and may be unsure of the term ‘fertiliser’ or worry about the use of chemicals. The benefits of the full Nature Safe range are clearly illustrated on all our packaging, and we believe that our new Probiotic will be a real stand-out product in the coming season.” 

About Nature Safe 

With vegans cutting all animal-based products out of purchasing decisions, and growing demand for natural, organic solutions, a new generation of eco-friendly products that are free from animal derivatives and chemicals are driving change.  

Tapping into a more sustainable style of gardening, the Nature Safe range – exclusive to Hygeia – currently includes Lawn Feed with Seed, Patch Fix Seed with Feed, Granular Plant Food, and Liquid Plant Food with Seaweed, as well as the new-for-2021 Probiotic. 

Safe for use around children and pets, the Nature Safe range is completely plant-based, and uses no animal by-products or poultry additions. Each of the products has been designed to promote a healthy eco-system and is bee-friendly, ensuring that our essential pollinators are kept safe and sound. 

Tom Stolworthy added: “Nature Safe is the perfect range for retailers wanting to offer their customers vegan and organic gardening solutions. The unique formulation is specifically designed to reinvigorate nature with natural ingredients and optimal micro-organisms, which means users can rest assured that each time they use a Nature Safe product, they will be putting goodness back into the earth. What’s more, these products are backed by 80 years of innovation, experience and passion, and unrivalled R&D to ensure that every product delivers quality results every time.” 

To find out more about Hygeia please visit www.hygeia.ie / www.mygardenexpert.com 

Zest 4 Leisure is a British family-run company, which has been designing and manufacturing timber products from sustainably sourced timber for five generations.

Its award-winning FSC® certified garden furniture, decorative garden products, structures and fencing ranges are the result of innovative design, a true understanding of today’s customer needs and unrivalled expertise in designing and manufacturing garden products. 

Zest 4 Leisure sells to garden centres, major retailing groups and online retailers, and offers a complete home delivery service across the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.   

Charlotte Dining and Seating Range 

The latest addition to Zest 4 Leisure’s established collection of garden dining and seating sets, the Charlotte range combines comfort and style with easy build convenience. 

There is a delightful choice of furniture combinations to suit any size of outdoor space from two or three-seater benches, rectangular or round tables with chairs and benches, as well as a companion seat for two. 

Made from sustainable, FSC, pressure treated timber, the Charlotte range is a rich dark brown colour and sturdy enough to give many years of enjoyment. 

Ergonomically designed for comfort, the Charlotte is a perfect choice for relaxing and alfresco dining.  Part of Zest 4 Leisure’s commitment to convenience and ease of build, all the pieces are simple to put together with just a few elements to assemble. 

The Cherry Blossom Arch 

Inspired by Japanese architecture and beautifully crafted to bring an oriental feel to the garden, the new Cherry Blossom Arch from Zest 4 Leisure is functional, elegant and absolutely on trend. 

Made from FSC certified timber, the arch incorporates a square trellis for climbing plants, making it both a feature and a delightful divider between different areas of the garden.  Designed using Zest’s DFMA (Designed for Manufacture and Assembly) principles, the Cherry Blossom Arch will prove very popular. 

The Charlotte range and the Cherry Blossom Arch are among over twenty products which Zest 4 Leisure is launching at the Glee Gathering.  Other highlights include the St Ives painted arbour and the beautiful Chepstow trellis arbour. 

Empathy products are top of their class for performance and function, the combination of clear messaging, natural ingredients and the coveted RHS branding means they stand out from the competition to provide solutions for sowing, growing and lawn care for the conscious gardener.  

The team behind the successful product range provide solutions for retailers, ensuring all selling opportunities are maximised within key areas of the garden centre, from developing link-selling opportunities to providing dedicated POS, product placement and training. 

Rootgrow™ Mycorrhizal Fungi is the company’s key product and is included as a key ingredient across the majority of the range, its well established amongst consumers and heavily recommended by the RHS therefore all products containing rootgrow™ carry clear branding to highlight its inclusion. 

Rootgrow™ is also an effective link selling product for seasonal promotions and certain plant groups, the company has developed a series of messaging that can be strategically displayed on around and even on plants - the ‘I love rootgrow™’ hangtags help to drive awareness and increase the possibility of partnering the product with a plant purchase. 

Empathy has even developed smaller pack sizes of certain products to increase link-selling opportunities including the brand new 250g Bulb Starter. 

The company also provides dedicated pos, branded FSDUs which can be stocked depending on the season and a range of product placement possibilities for its wide range of products and a series of wooden display crates which can be seamlessly integrated into displays and bolster the company’s natural credentials. 

Empathy’s Simon Taylor said: “Our key focus for 2021 is ensure our retail customers are fully supported, we have a huge opportunity to capitalise on the influx of new gardeners entering the market, many of which need information and guidance, we believe that the combination of our clear messaging appeals to both new and experienced gardeners and our bold packaging means the products stand out.” 

For buyers interested in setting up meetings with members of the Empathy team to discuss new and existing products please get in touch either directly via email or via the Glee Gathering. To view the current range of products visit rootgrow.co.uk 

An exciting transformation has been completed at the Marlow site of Hillier Garden Centres. Acquired in June 2019 following the Wyevale closures, the family group has completed extensive internal and external improvements that provide a comfortable and rewarding shopping experience for visitors.

Customers are now greeted by an impressive and welcoming glulam timber canopy provided by industry construction specialists Fordingbridge. The canopy provides a 12m clear span, enabling a more open layout that makes it it even easier for shoppers to find the right plants for their garden – all protected from inclement weather as autumn sets in.

“We are delighted to be working again with the Hillier family following their purchase of the site,” said Stephen Toone, Fordingbridge’s Managing Director. “We have enjoyed a fabulous working relationship for a number of years and are very pleased to have been involved in this project from the outset. Our ethos is to help from a concept stage and assist at every step of the project.

“With a refurbishment scheme such as this, it is incredibly satisfying to see the completed transformation. What was previously a tired site is now completely refreshed and we are delighted to be a part of that.”

The significant retail area with an overall length of almost 65m under the canopy is covered by Fordingbridge’s exclusive Opal 60 fabric, a durable roofing fabric specifically designed to allow optimal light transmission, ensuring a bright welcome for visitors as they journey through the new plant area and beyond into the freshly refurbished store.

With no live Glee this year, Fordingbridge is inviting interested parties to view its nationwide portfolio of canopies and covered walkways in person. If you would like to know more, click here to contact the company or here to email. You can also phone them on 01243 55 44 55.

For over 240 years Bulldog Tools have been manufacturing and supplying quality, reliable gardening tools from our base in Wigan, England.

The famously strong handles and shafts are made with the finest quality ‘A’ Grade Ash timber which is then buried deep within each socket and are quality controlled by our own craftsmen.

All wood sources are Forestry Stewardship Council accredited, and we also offer a “Lifetime Guarantee “ across the range as standard. 

www.bulldogtools.co.uk 

Squire's GC – Woking 

We all need to be ready for the changing retail arena, keeping it fresh, experiential and safe.

As we are all learning to live with the ‘New Normal’ it is perhaps not surprising that the Garden Centre sector continues to lead the way in in overcoming challenges and promoting a positive attitude to their businesses.

Whilst the High Street sadly continues to suffer, garden centres are uniquely placed to maintain their position as the ‘go to’ retail experts offering superb settings, great breadth of stock, inspirational displays and providing a truly and experiential environment to their customers supported by their teams offering expert and friendly advice. A winning formula indeed! 

Now is a great time to be thinking about the future, learning from recent situations certainly, but more importantly seeking out ways to ensure we are all ‘on top of our game’ ready to embrace change and find new and exciting ways of developing businesses further.  

Squire's GC - Milford 

At Pleydell Smithyman we are leading the way to help innovate and strengthen your business and our dedicated and experienced team are continuing to help clients to re-imagine their retail spaces, bench marking performance, and create innovative and commercial concepts and designs. And we can take our concept designs through to coordinating delivery and installation on site. 

If you need any assistance, or have ideas and thoughts you would like to discuss do give us a call, we are always happy to chat.  

Do please contact us psl@pleydellsmithyman.co.uk www.pleydellsmithyman.co.uk 01952 433211 or call Paul Pleydell directly on  07976 734626 or paul@pleydellsmithyman.co.uk 

New firewood brand READYBLAZE, who have launched their new range this month, are committing to safer firewood by joining a new scheme that is due to radically change standards in the winterfuels market.  

Burning wet wood or wood with higher moisture levels than 20% is inefficient as it uses a lot of energy to burn off the moisture before the appliance can get to the required level to efficiently heat a room. In turn, this creates unwanted smoke which damages the chimney and blackens the appliance and this contributes to air pollution. Dry wood that has been properly sourced and dried requires less energy to break down the moisture, resulting in more heat efficiency and less maintenance – chimneys are less likely to block and will become easier to clean. 

Feb 2021 UK regulations change 

As part of the UK government’s environment bill, emissions from burning wood are to be controlled more stringently from February 2021, by setting a maximum moisture level of 20% for all firewood. The Woodsure ‘Ready to burn’ initiative is a government backed scheme that is compliant with EU regulations, that will set the benchmark for logs and other fuels in the UK to help reduce emissions and ensure safer standards in the UK market.  

READYBLAZE is a member of the Woodsure ‘Ready to Burn’ initiative to reduce harmful air pollution. All timber is kiln dried to less than 20% moisture levels ensuring cleaner emissions and a hotter and longer burn than timber above 20% moisture levels. 

The consistency of the READYBLAZE moisture levels will be maintained at Dizmezs’ 110,000 square metre manufacturing hub in Latvia. The site has modern processing facilities, including a sawmill, a dimension mill and splitting and drying equipment. By using state-of-the-art processes and historic knowledge, the consistency and quality of their products are maintained. All this means the range will meet regulation standards, so customers can sell safer firewood with piece of mind. 

If you would like further details on the Readyblaze brand, please contact Neil Sims on 07368 617124 or email neil.sims@dizmezs.lv.  

The READYBLAZE website is now live, where you can browse the range – www.readyblaze.co.uk. 

Traeger’s do-it-all versatility allows you to cook hot and fast or low and slow. From baby back ribs to wood-fired pizza, smoky mac & cheese and even homemade apple pie - any recipe you can think of, can be cooked on a Traeger grill. 

Traeger’s wood pellet-fueled fire brings the true flavour of your food to the forefront. Cooking with all-natural hardwood makes your best recipes taste even better and Traeger’s dependable fire and smoke produces consistent results and perfectly cooked, deliciously tasty food, every single time. 

Traeger experts have great tips to share to deliver BBQ perfection every time. When it comes to grilling the tastiest meat, a perfectly seared steak is medium-rare when it’s cooked for approximately 3.5 minutes per side. And you don’t have to worry about oiling a well-marbled steak because the heat of the Traeger grill takes care of any non-stick concerns. And don’t forget that the thicker the steak, the more flavourful the meat. 

While meat dishes might be the first thought of many when it comes to planning the perfect grilling menus, with vegetarian and vegan trends rising, it’s important to remember that cooking with a Traeger grill can bring out the best in vegetables too. Traeger’s experts suggest always using a little olive oil, avocado oil, or butter, etc. to encourage caramelization - about 1 tbsp per half kilo is a great rule of thumb. 

Grilling couldn’t be easier and food couldn’t taste any better when you cook with a Traeger. 

The pioneering ecofective^® range of garden care and plant protection products is to have a fresh new look for 2021 – with supplier Sipcam Home & Garden unveiling a raft of innovative developments that set a new benchmark for sustainable retail. 

New ecofective^® Slug Defence RTU will lead the way in helping retailers to plug gaps left on pest control shelves as a result of the withdrawal of metaldehyde last summer. It features a unique calcium-based formula that, when applied to foliage and stems, creates a ‘plant-medicated’ effect that discourages slugs so they disperse and feed elsewhere. Not only do leaves absorb the formula for a longer-lasting slug-deterring effect, but it also strengthens and stimulates plant growth, ramping-up the product’s appeal to both existing gardeners and novices. 

Sipcam Home & Garden is also introducing new ecofective^® Plant Disease Defence, a tried and tested product in commercial agriculture that has now been adapted for launch to consumers via retail channels. It works by tricking plants into an immune response by stimulating a disease attack – building up the plants’ immunity to common garden diseases such as powdery mildew, blackspot and rust. Supplied in the most sustainable packaging used to date, both ecofective® Slug Defence RTU and Plant Disease Defence come in bottles that are made from recycled materials and are also recyclable. 

In July, Sipcam Home and Garden, signed a deal with Blumen International Ltd that secured its appointment as the exclusive distributor of Blumen’s portfolio – which includes the award winning Fito range and extremely popular GET OFF® series. The Fito range of Drip Feeders covers the 7 most popular houseplants in the UK. Slow release, the feeds are simply snipped at the tip and turned upside down for up to 15 days of feeding. The series also includes a range of Natural Drip Feeders that are perfect for GYO. 

For further information visit sipcamhg.co.uk  

According to research it takes 66 days to build a new habit. During lockdown, many consumers formed new habits, with many being forced to discover local food retailers on their doorstep when supermarkets and deliveries where difficult to access.  This has led to a consumer movement around shopping locally and supporting local businesses.

Importantly, customers can see who their money is going too and are really embracing the notion of supporting their community and voting with their wallets with which businesses they are now supporting.

Developing a hospitality or food offering within your Garden Centre is a well-established way to help make your location a destination experience and diversify your income, but for many local farm shops have also helped tap into the conscious consumer market. What are the best ways to set up a farm shop/café?

How can you build lasting relationships with local farmers and suppliers? How can you continue to make yourself a centre of the community whilst ensuring a level of business resilience?

Glee New Product Awards: Pitch the judges Part 2.

The Glee New Product awards are back, albeit virtually, and hosted by Trevor Pfeiffer, Director of Garden Trade news.  

This time you get to see the pitches, the product, and the panel of expert buyers as they judge the entries and question brands about their products as they try to uncover what the best new products are coming onto the market this year and next.

Sustainability: Time to #BuildBackBetter?

The retail industry as whole is undergoing transformational change as it explores new operating models and supply chains.

However, it’s vitally important that in a post-Covid world, the sustainability agenda is not forgotten as to consumers it’s still toward the top of theirs.

Join this cross industry panel as they discuss their journey, key starting points, and the importance of building goof practices into the core of your brand values.

The question is, with many competing priorities, how can you continue to bring sustainable processes into your business, and importantly, how do you communicate this to your customer?

Glee New Product Awards: The winners.

Brought to Glee Gathering by popular demand, the Product Showcase is set to feature exciting walk-arounds, brand presentations and introductions to the latest products in exciting video profiles.

With 4 hours of product showcases streaming each day, you’ll have the opportunity to discover the newest products for next season and 2021 from hundreds of our exhibitors.

View the timetable below, and stay tuned for more details.

Tuesday 15th September

10am – Garden Care

11am – Outdoor Entertainment and Decoration

12pm – Landscaping

1pm – Home and Gift

2pm – Pet Care

Wednesday 16th September

10am – Garden Care

11am – Outdoor Entertainment and Decoration

12pm – Landscaping

1pm – Home and Gift

Glee Gathering is a unique two-day digital experience designed to inspire whilst engaging buyers and connecting our community together.

The Glee Gathering will host a virtual showroom of our exhibitors, engaging product showcases, exclusive content sessions and panel discussions, a platform to connect buyers and suppliers in a one-to-one environment, and the 2020 New Product Awards. All from the comfort of your home or office.

How to get involved 

Glee Gathering brings the gardening community together this September. Register for your space to benefit from the latest insights, best new products, exclusive networking opportunities and more. https://www.gleebirmingham.com/register-Glee-Gathering-2020

Showcase your brand at Glee Gathering and reconnect with the industry.  https://www.gleebirmingham.com/glee/apply-for-a-stand

Reconnect with the gardening community at Glee Gathering, a unique two-day digital experience taking place 15th – 16th September.

Register now on the Glee website to receive your login details where you can update your profile with your interests.

The Glee Gathering platform is fully interactive and enables private messaging and virtual 1-2-1 meetings via video link. Start networking with those who matter most to your business.

Search for the brands you love or browse product categories to find the latest product inspirations. Plus, don’t miss out on exclusive content sessions and industry insights, which are all hosted on the Glee Gathering platform. Add the sessions you’re interested in to your Outlook calendar to receive updates so you don’t miss a thing!

1. Register today for Glee Gathering using this link
2. Open the registration email and activate your profile
3. Update your profile with your information and product interests
4. Start networking!
5. Make an agenda of appointments and seminar sessions you want to attend

See What's happening at Glee Gathering? video here

Register for the Glee Gathering here

Virtual Showroom

The Virtual Showroom is all about brand discovery. With 150-200 brands taking part in the Glee Gathering, you’ll be able to browse the latest and most innovative products from exhibitors, including look books, videos, news and more. The Glee Gathering will connect buyers and suppliers directly, all with a few clicks of a button. 

Product Showcase

Brought to Glee Gathering by popular demand, the Product Showcase’s video first format is a must see. Each day we will feature 5 hour-long sessions dedicated to Garden Care, Outdoor Entertainment and Decoration, Landscaping, Home and Gift and Pets. Each hour will feature 10 companies who will show you what’s new, and importantly when you can have it in store. They will walk you around their showrooms, show you what they are excited about whilst introducing you to the latest products. What’s more you will be able to directly download brochures and show offers, and talk to the company as you watch these sessions.

This unique platform presents the newest products to the Glee community, companies who will be showcasing in these hours include Evergreen, Woodlodge, Schuerich, Deco-Pak, Kaemingk, Meadowview stone, Hygeia, Kelkay Primus, Beefeater, Steiff, Chive … and over 100+ other brands. The Glee product showcase is not to be missed.

How to get involved 

Glee Gathering brings the gardening community together this September. Register for your space to benefit from the latest insights, best new products, exclusive networking opportunities and more. https://www.gleebirmingham.com/register-Glee-Gathering-2020

Showcase your brand at Glee Gathering and reconnect with the industry.  https://www.gleebirmingham.com/glee/apply-for-a-stand

Greenfingers Charity sends its thanks to all those who supported their #FloralFriday initiative that helped to keep beautiful flowers and plants appearing on social media throughout this difficult year for the gardening industry. 

Splashing a large number of pictures on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter ensured Greenfingers Charity remained in the hearts and minds of garden lovers and raised a very valuable £1000 for the charity.

As more of us have spent time at home this year, the recognition by the public of the benefits of gardens and gardening has never been higher. People appreciate their space and the benefits that nurturing nature brings to mental and physical health. Just like the benefits obtained by all those who spend time in the 58 gardens Greenfingers Charity has created in hospices throughout the UK.

If you feel the same – and who doesn’t? – Greenfingers Charity is inviting you to once again could post a picture on social media to mark the first anniversary of the launch of this fun floral day, initiated by Trevor Pfeiffer and Linda Petrons at Glee last year. 

The date to post pics of your best smile with a beautiful flower from your garden or garden centre, or wearing your favourite floral attire, is Friday 18^th September 2020. To link up with hundreds of others from the garden industry please remember to include #FloralFriday and @greenfingerscha, and the name of your plant variety if you know it.   There’s a fabulous prize to win for the best photo! 

Linda Petrons Director of Fundraising and Communications at Greenfingers Charity reminds us that donating funds on #FloralFriday could not be easier, if you can, simply text FloralFriday to 70085 to donate £5. 

Linda hopes that all those joining virtual Glee and many others will get involved on #FloralFriday’s birthday and on many Friday’s to follow! 

To find out more about Greenfingers Charity’s plans for the coming months, join Linda at Virtual Glee, at 3pm on Wednesday. 

At the heart of the Glee Gathering is our secure meeting platform that will enable one-to-one meetings and virtual networking with the individuals who matter most to your business. Each meeting room will enable you to talk face to face and share materials in a secure environment, with the software ensuring that you stay on track with all the people you want to see that day.

The Glee Gathering is also proud to be working with GIMA again to take GIMA Connect into a virtual environment. This exciting speed-networking opportunity is designed to put the best brands in front of pre-qualified and purchase-ready buyers for an hour each day. Dynamic and fast paced, as always this is an hour well spent for all participants.

If you are a GIMA member or a buyer who would like to participate please get in touch with GIMA to secure your space. 

How to get involved 

Glee Gathering brings the gardening community together this September. Register for your space to benefit from the latest insights, best new products, exclusive networking opportunities and more. https://www.gleebirmingham.com/register-Glee-Gathering-2020

Showcase your brand at Glee Gathering and reconnect with the industry.  https://www.gleebirmingham.com/glee/apply-for-a-stand

While we can't all meet up at the NEC in September, the team and GTN will still be bringing you the Glee Daily News to keep you in the Glee mood.

We'll be providing updates about the wonderful Glee Gathering that's taking place, on-line, on Tuesday 15th September and Wednesday 16th September and bringing all the news from the exhibitors taking part in the Glee Gathering throughout the week that we would have been at the NEC.

After this Main Preview Issue we'll be publishing an issue every day of the Glee week beginning on Monday 14th September.

Glee Daily News will bring you the results of the Glee New Product Awards, in association with Garden Trade News and we'll end the week with a #FloralFriday celebration for Greenfingers Charity.

If you'd like other members of your team to receive Glee Daily News 2020 they can sign up via this link.

We hope Glee Daily News helps fill the gap this year and provides plenty of inspiration when it comes to buying decisions for 2021.

Any Glee Gathering participating exhibitors that would like to place adverts or advertorials in Glee Daily News 2020 should contact alan@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call 01733 775700.

Click here to view Issue 1 of Glee Daily News.

See you soon!