Features

UK homeowners have become increasingly concerned about the appearance of their garden — with the garden products industry expected to be worth £5 billion. Here, Nick Cowley, managing director at exterior cladding and outdoor living product Endurawood, runs through the key considerations when revitalising your outdoor space.
Renovation over relocation has become a favoured option for many UK homeowners in recent years, with many opting to invest in their current properties and improve instead of move.
Property upgrades don’t always involve the interior of the home, with research from…

Kintech Ltd is a UK based metal manufacturing and fabrication engineering company, and has recently launched a brand new on-trend product for outdoor dining and leisure. The 3 Piece Outdoor Gabion Dining Set will completely transform any outdoor living space, offering an outdoor seating area for homeowners to enjoy leisure time in style. The Gabion is an eye-catching, sturdy alternative to outdated wooden picnic tables, and offers a much more pleasing and modern aesthetic. The Gabion is made up of galvanised steel baskets and Tanatone European Whitewood bench and table tops for a quality,…

Following many successful years building and expanding Char-Broil’s UK business, Ian Moore has announced his retirement, effective end of July 2020. Char-Broil is delighted to announce that Luke Hopkins, formerly of Landmann BBQ, joins Char-Broil UK as National Sales Manager.
In a further boost to the UK team, Carsten Nederup-Nielsen, current General Sales Manager of Char-Broil Nordics will be taking on additional responsibility for the UK business. Luke will report directly to Carsten, GSM Nordics and UK.
Luke Hopkins comes with strong knowledge and experience from within the industry,…

DJ Turfcare – UK supplier of the organic-based Viano ranges – has confirmed that it is bringing to market a new Autumn Lawn Treatment to help drive sales during this pivotal time for lawns pre-winter.
The new Autumn Lawn Feed from DJ Turfcare, available in 10kg bags (treats an area up to 200m2), is a unique organic-based fertiliser which has been created for use during August to November to destroy moss whilst also stimulating strong roots and providing grass with 100 days of food to encourage a greener, thicker, stronger and disease-resistant sward throughout winter and long into spring.…

The Covid-19 pandemic has shaken the world of retail to its core, transforming consumer attitudes. While social distancing, hand sanitisation and face coverings have rapidly become the norm, one factor that was shaping consumer demand long before the pandemic continues to gain momentum: environmentally responsible shopping.
Lockdown revealed how quickly the planet can begin to recover from human activity, and that’s set to have a significant impact on consumers’ buying decisions as society attempts to emerge into the much talked about ‘new normal’. Shoppers were increasingly eco-savvy pre-…

Hartman launch its new virtual 3D showroom experience, enabling all clients to view its 2021 collection during these uncertain times.
The unpredictability of this season has resulted in all companies adapting to new strategies in order to reach out to customers. With the unfortunate news of Solex being cancelled this year, Hartman wanted to give centres the opportunity to view the range, even if the nation was still in restrictive lockdown measures.
The virtual technology enables customers to navigate around the showroom, using similar functionality to that of Google Maps. Clients can…

The nation has turned to indoor gardening in recent months, with houseplant sales rising by a third and searches for ‘houseplants for sale UK’ increasing by a huge 240% since lockdown was announced in March.
In light of the nation’s new love affair with indoor greenery, Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at FurnitureChoice.co.uk, shares her top tips for introducing and caring for houseplants in your home.
Houseplants are a modern-day interior staple, and as Rebecca continues: “They can easily transform your space and bring a tropical style and summertime feel into your home. Not only…

The restrictions may be lifting, but the reality is that many of us will still be working from home throughout the summer. This week, with temperatures set to hit 30 degrees, Mojo Mortgages, has provided some tips on how to create garden offices to ensure you are getting outdoors and making the most of the glorious weather.
There’s no doubt that even though working from home has its benefits, some people are feeling stifled by the four walls of their home offices. Getting outside can massively boost your health and incorporating elements of nature into your workday can also give your brain…

Johnsons Lawn Seed, the UK’s oldest lawn seed brand, is reporting healthy sales of two of its most iconic consumer brands, despite the nationwide lockdown that gripped the garden trade during peak season.
Sales of the company’s leading Tuffgrass and Quick Lawn brands have witnessed a year-to-date increase of 35% and 30% respectively, with performance driven by innovation which saw both lines refreshed for 2020 to incorporate the latest seed technology.
Johnsons Lawn Seed’s Guy Jenkins said: “Performance of the Tuffgrass and Quick Lawn brands has been outstanding, despite the unprecedented…

At a time of huge uncertainly for many businesses, one entrepreneur , Ex Scruffs Marketing Head, is launching a new enterprise aimed squarely at supporting small businesses.
True Blue Marketing™ is the brainchild of Chris Mellor-Dolman and aims to help businesses as they emerge in the new landscape post Covid-19.
Marketer Chris has a track record spanning 20 years with award-winning construction trade brands including Scruffs, Van Vault and Defender. He was made redundant prior to the pandemic and has spent the past few months planning the launch of his marketing service.
According to…

The best and worst garden trends of all time have been revealed by leading tool firm Draper Tools - with bird feeders and vegetable patches among the good, and gnomes and fake grass among the bad. The study of 2,000 UK adults with gardens also found that over a third of people say improving their garden is a priority right now, with almost 2 in 5 people planning to spend more on their garden this year than ever before.
Best & worst trends
Water features, summer houses and decking are viewed favourably among green-fingered Brits – as are herb gardens, living walls and outdoors kitchens.…

National Resource Consortium (NRC) completed a waste management service project for Frosts Garden Centres. The bespoke project has increased recycling by over 300% and generated a reduction in costs of circa 20% - enabling the four centre group to achieve Zero Waste to Landfill Status.
Frosts Garden Centres is an award winning, family owned group of garden centres, which over the past 74 years has grown to be a highly respected brand with a loyal customer base, with sites at Woburn Sands, Brampton, Willington and Millets Farm in the South of England.
The four garden centres create a large…

Kindwood – the UK’s first true sustainable firewood company – is reporting that since the beginning of lockdown, firewood sales have increased by more than 320% as UK consumers look to make the most of their time in their homes and gardens during this period of uncertainty – a significant opportunity for retailers who want to optimise this increasingly popular product category.
Kindwood’s founder, Taylor Gathercole, has attributed this increase in sales to the public’s need to create a sense of calm and comfort within their homes, especially during a time of significant turmoil. Taylor said…

Earlier last week, the UK government confirmed that it will step in to prop up the trade credit insurance market, bringing welcome relief to GIMA members and other suppliers within the garden retail sector.
Trade credit insurance is a contract bought by suppliers to make sure they get paid even if their customers default and cannot pay the bills. British garden retail suppliers will now be able to access vital insurance more easily following this latest Government intervention during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
The latest announcement confirmed that by the end of May, the government…

It’s hard to think of a way that will truly demonstrate our gratitude for all the keyworkers that are holding this country together during the Covid-19 lockdown. LifestyleGarden® - one of the UK’s leading outdoor furniture suppliers – knew they couldn’t sit back and do nothing which is why the company recently launched a special #FeetUpWithLifestyleGardengiveaway as a way of showing their thanks for these incredible human beings.
Running across the company’s social media platforms, the LifestyleGarden® team asked its followers to nominate the keyworkers in their life for the chance to win…

With the nations digging their fingers into their gardens, making sustainable choices that will benefit the planet has never been more important. With the strong relationship between nature and its positive effect on the human psyche, enjoying time in green space can really benefit us as people during this pandemic.
The current restricted access to our wider environment has turned many towards cultivating their own garden, a fact highlighted by the 30% increase in demand for Veolia’s peat free gardening products. This demand has been further heightened by the recognition of the impact of…