Your customers all want to provide the optimum environment for their plants to grow. However, with so many tips and tricks out there, it’s difficult to know what advice they should follow. If they’re just starting out in a garden, they may be wondering what the difference between compost and fertiliser is — what are the benefits of each? Should they use them both?

In this article, compost and topsoil specialist Compost Direct explains more about the two essential items.

As garden retailing continues to thrive, with double digit year-on-year growth, the future for our industry continues to look bright. One place where this optimism will shine through will be the forthcoming Glee exhibition (10th – 12th September, NEC Birmingham), where 550 plus suppliers will join with 7,000 UK and international key decision makers, buyers and trend setters, to showcase the future of gardening.  

Matthew Mein, Glee’s Event Director, said: “The market is reporting a strong start to the 2019 season, with sales up 37% year-on-year. A combination of good weather, and consumers retreating to their homes in a time of economic uncertainty, has paid dividends for our industry. As such we move into the 2019 event with a sense of excitement regarding the future development and growth of our sector. From an engaged audience, the potential of the ‘millennial pound’, new tech hitting the market, and a wealth of existing ranges continuing to hit the mark, Glee 2019 will be a thriving hub for the garden retail market, offering unrivalled value for both suppliers and visitors.”

High demand expected for natural slug controls as metaldehyde disappears from store shelves in June

Sipcam, the company behind the ecofective® brand of natural plant protection products, is rushing to meet demand from retailers who are stocking-up on environmentally-friendly slug controls ahead of the metaldehyde slug pellet ban on 30thJune.

Many garden centres and DIY retailers have now exhausted stocks of metaldehyde, with buyers placing orders for greener alternatives. Consumers have until spring 2020 to use-up their supplies, when outdoor use of metaldehyde must end.

Ecofective®’s Head of Sales, Nigel Thompson, said: “It’s vital that retailers stock-up on alternatives to metaldehyde ahead of the ban, to ensure the continued availability of slug controls and help consumers to make the switch to chemical-free alternatives.

When you are looking to update your fleet of commercial mowers – the key things you’ll be considering are performance, durability and operator comfort. Proven by landscape professionals the Cub Cadet’s PRO Z Series of zero-turns will fulfill all your commercial requirements whilst providing a fast, premium quality cut.

The patented SyncroSteer technology with steering wheel means that inexperienced operators can easily use the  steering wheel and dual hydrostatic transmission to control all four wheels, minimising the turf being churned by the wheels as it would on a lap bar zero-turn and ensuring the ultimate manoeuvrability – an exclusive offering in the commercial sector which also reduces mowing time by up to 10% compared to lap bar mowers.

The ability to control all four wheels with a steering wheel and steerable front wheels which sets the PRO Z Series apart from all other zero-turns provides greater hillside stability up to 20° and enhanced traction on uneven terrain as well as mowing in straighter lines.

A successful day and night of fundraising was had by all who recently attended the 10th annual GIMA Charity Day, held at Telford Hotel and Golf Resort on 6th June.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2019, the event brought together garden industry suppliers and retailers, with 18 four ball teamscompeting for the GIMA Golf trophy, and two teams battling it out on the new-for-2019 Crystal Maze course.

This year saw the team from Hartman retain the golf crown having also won in 2018, with a superb score of 86. Sunshine Garden Centre and Mr Fothergills Seeds following closely behind with 85 and 84 points respectively.

Hole 7 was once again home to the ‘beat the pro’ competition where teams donated a minimum of £5 per player to place their ball closer to the pin than the hotel’s resident professional.  This year 13 individuals proved they had what it takes to take on the pro, with the winners being Derek Bunker, Simon Mulholland, Paul Crossland, Patrick Thick, Chris Daws, Steve Ainscough, Keith Laird, John Ducker, Phil Harrison, Pete Bunker, Aide Lewis, Simon Davidson, and Antony Barrett. 

The popular garden centre in Dorset is celebrating its 25th anniversary, having officially opened its doors in March 1994. Chairman Warren Haskins is also celebrating 50 years in the business, after taking over the family retail nursery in 1969.

The family-run garden centre group has grown from the humble beginnings of a small market garden in Coy Pond in Branksome, to operating four popular centres located across Dorset, Hampshire and West Sussex. The business has grown from a turnover of £17,000 in 1969 to a multi-million pound turnover and from employing seven people in 1969 to employing over 600 people. 

Warren Haskins, chairman of Haskins Garden Centres, commented: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in making the Ferndown centre the success story that it is today. When we opened the doors to our Ferndown centre, more than ten times the amount of people we expected to, turned up. 

“Over the years, Haskins has ridden the humps of recession and I put our continued success down to the fact we have never and will not rest on our laurels.”

Manchester-based pet bed manufacturers Scruffs® have revealed a new range of luxury pet

bedding, designed with a Mediterranean theme and vibrant colourways.

A company spokesperson said: “The Scruffs® Casablanca collection is ideal for use duringsummer months. Designed with a Mediterranean theme, the beds are upholstered in a soft breathable poly-cotton fabric and finished with a self-coloured piping & Scruffs® TPR logo. The base of the bed is covered with a non-slip fabric. Available in four vibrant colours; Grey, Mustard, Purple & Blue.”

Confirmed exhibitors, both new and existing, are invited to join the forthcoming Glee Exhibitor Workshop (June 25th, Poplars Garden Centre in Toddington), where the team will be joined by leading retailers and partner agencies to help exhibitors maximise their time at the show.

Recognising the significant investment of exhibiting, the one-day event is designed to help suppliers optimise their return on investment. Key sessions will focus on Glee’s dedicated marketing, logistics, PR and social media support, as well as advice on how to drive more pre-show buyer engagement. Details of Glee’s many wider opportunities, including the Retail Lab, will also be outlined. Together this wealth of information will arm exhibitors with an unrivalled portfolio of tools and advice to ensure their time before, during and after Glee is as hardworking as it can be.  

Staff at Haskins Garden Centre in Ferndown complete Virtual Marathon in aid of Faithworks Wessex

Employees working at Haskins in Ferndown have completed a Virtual Marathon by foot, bike or water throughout May, in aid of Faithworks Wessex. In a bid to complete 26 miles each over the course of the month, staff attempted a range of challenges, to include:

• Kevin Holmes, Outdoor Manager completed a 26 mile static bike ride each week

• Pauline Oxford, Customer Services Team Leader completed a 10km run each week for 4 weeks

• Liz Smith, Retail Assistant swam 60 lengths twice a week

• Simon Hallam, General Manager ran 7 miles to work 4 times throughout the month

• Stacey Bedingfield, Cash Office Assistant ran 5km twice a week for 4 weeks

• Marc Etheridge, Assistant General Manager ran 1 mile a day with his daughters for 26 days

• Jenny Gardner, Customer Service Assistant Team Leader, David Odd, Customer Service Assistant, Hazel Price, Assistant Team Leader Retail, Ashley Ayres, Goods In, Ivan Gill, Goods In and Wendy Atkinson, Retail Assistant all completed 26 miles of walking

The makers of beautifully designed hand-made sheds, The Posh Shed Company will be displaying two of its sheds in Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) new 5,000m² plant centre at Wisley, near Woking.

The space, due to open to the public on June 10, has been expanded to meet the needs of gardeners who have just started growing, as well as those who have been growing for years. Top quality plants will be available, for indoors or outside, for home or business.

The final thrust for the 2019 shows is in full swing as the days’ countdown to Exclusively 2019. With over 150 exhibitors, not only do we have more housewares exhibitors than at any other UK show, we can now delve deeper into the star-studded line-up and highlight what visitors can expect to see.

A big trend that is emerging is that of exhibitor’s products with eco credentials.  25% of our exhibitors are showcasing products with eco credentials, including Eddingtons, Huski, Smidge, Neat Ideas and Dexam with qualities stated as biodegrageable, earth-friendly, minimal impact on the environment and made with recycled materials.

Following in the footsteps of Stephen Mangan, Rufus Hound, Tim Vine, Russell Kane and Hal Cruttenden, it has been confirmed that Vernon Kay, star of TV and radio, will host the 39th annual GIMA Awards.

Vernon has had a varied career, starting in the world of modelling before moving into TV with the hugely popular Channel 4 show, T4.  From here, Vernon’s star continued to rise. He presented his own Radio 1 weekend show for six years, before moving to Radio X. ‘Mr Entertainment’, Vernon’s TV CV includes All Star Family Fortunes, Splash!,  ITV’s Beat The Star, Just the Two of Us (which he hosted alongside his wife, Tess Daly), as well a leading the NFL Highlights coverage for Channel 4and Sky Sports, and hosting Formula E for Discovery.