Garden Connect has launched the new webshop of Frosts Garden Centres, prior to the start of the 2019 Spring Season. The webshop is fully integrated with the OpSuite EPoS provided by DavRich.

The new webshop, which can be found via www.frostsgardencentres.co.uk, reflects the new Frosts-brand. “It was important to us to renew our website to reflect our new brand” explains Claudia Roberts, Commercial Director of Frosts. “The new webshop has the same look and feel as the renewed look we are giving stores to ensure brand consistency and customer experience both online and offline”.

One of the world’s leading pet product suppliers, the German based Trixie, has confirmed it will be exhibiting at Pets at Glee in 2019, further cementing the show’s value for pet and garden retailers.

Bringing with it over 40 years’ experience, world-wide knowledge of the pet market thanks to its penetration in over 80 countries, and access to over 6,500 product lines for dogs, cats, birds, small animals, fish and reptiles, Trixie represents one of the biggest pet product suppliers active today. Making its debut at Glee in 2019, Trixie’s presence at Glee marks an exciting development for the dedicated pet sector.

Ines Fanslau, Trixie Sales UK/Ireland, said: “At Trixie we pride ourselves on bringing to market the widest selection of product innovation; products that tap into the latest consumer trends and ensure pet owners are confident that they are making the best possible purchasing decisions for their much-loved pets.

ScanCom (Vietnam), the parent company of the market-leading LifestyleGarden® outdoor furniture brand, is celebrating this week as it has been confirmed as one of the shortlisted companies at this year’s Sedex Awards.

Each year, the Sedex Awards celebrate the incredible efforts its members undertake globally to ensure the work they carry out is done so in a sustainable fashion and impacts upon the environment in the least possible way.

Marie Kondo has taken the world by storm. From best-selling book to Netflix Queen of Clean, the tidying expert’s unique method to decluttering has transformed people’s living spaces from a messy place that doesn’t “spark joy” into areas of serenity and calmness. 

As summer creeps up and BBQs and garden parties are impending, we want our outdoor areas to be a true extension of our homes and our family life, to truly make the most of the weather the next time the sun decides to shine. 

Yet we have all been there in May: a sudden heat wave, but a garden that has been disregarded for a few months. Our shed crammed with all sorts of items and last years inflatable paddling pool hiding behind the outhouse - sound familiar? 

Marie Kondo is a cultural phenomenon - her work has helped people across the globe transform their homes.

Introducing the Grip smartphone application to optimise retailer and manufacturer presence at Glee 2019

In 2019, Glee joins the digital revolution with the launch of its new exhibition smartphone app, designed to provide an unrivalled matchmaking solution to help suppliers and retailers to get the most out of their time at the show.

Developed in response to the industry’s desire for such a tool, the new AI-powered event ‘matchmaking’ solution - from market-leading experts, Grip - will offer benefits for both exhibitors and retailers, utilising a platform that has already proved its worth at many leading events across the globe.

Eggshells, matches, and human hair are amongst some of the most surprising household items green-fingered Brits can use to help their plants grow. 

The outdoor experts at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk have researched into the unlikely products and items that British gardeners could use as natural fertilisers this summer. 

With spring just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to dust off the gardening gloves and get back in our green spaces. But with over half (52%) of Brits completely neglecting their garden over the winter, getting your garden ready for spring may require a bit more TLC.

As a third (35%) of Brits spend the most time in their garden in spring, experts from outdoor building manufacturer, Tiger Sheds, offer six tips to help your garden bounce back in the warmer months.

The UK’s largest garden and hardware wholesaler has restated its commitment to customer support with the publication of its 2019 Big Green Book gardening catalogue. This year’s annual publication contains a wider range of products than ever before, thanks to a number of major distribution deals which Stax Trade Centres has secured in recent months. These cover lines from major names such as Honeyfield’s, Kaemingk and Harris, and they are all featured in the new catalogue.

The 328 pages of the Big Green Book bring together products from over 100 of the UK’s leading garden brands, and provide Stax garden centre and retail customers with a quick and convenient reference to the huge selection of lines which the company supplies from its six UK branches. The catalogue allows them to browse through over 5,000 products from consumer brands such as Flymo, Evergreen Garden Care, Harris, Town & Country, Wilkinson Sword, Fiskars and Hozelock, as well as the popular Stax own-brand products including the Groundsman range of premium household brushes.

Green fingered Brits are being encouraged to make the most of their time spent outside this spring, as experts have revealed which gardening tasks can burn the most calories.

The team behind online garden retailer  BillyOh.com have compiled a guide to the best jobs to complete in order to benefit both homeowners’ health and their gardens.

Gardeners could burn up to 93 calories for just 15 minutes of activity by undertaking simple lawn maintenance tasks.

Raking leaves is also a great way to tone your arms, and will burn around 60 calories per 15 minutes.

A spokesperson from  BillyOh.com  commented: “Gardening is a brilliant form of exercise for those wanting a low intensity workout.

William Morris collection is right on trend as Victorian fashion extends from homes and takes root in the nation’s gardens

The launch of the William Morris collection by Woodlodge, the UK’s leading supplier of garden pots, has introduced Victorian chic and timeless style to a new range of planters, on sale at garden centres across the UK.

Introducing the William Morris collection – timeless style

Inspired by British textile designer William Morris (1834-1896), containers in the collection feature his iconic artwork – from Kelmscott swans, often found on tiles adorning Victorian fireplaces, to Willow Bough floral designs. They are as sought-after on wallpapers and curtains in modern times as they were on textiles in their Victorian heyday.

ONE OF the UK’s leading commercial nurseries has officially unveiled several new plants for 2019.

Wyevale Nurseries, which is a family owned wholesale grower in Hereford, has officially launched Ficinia ‘Ice Crystal’, Euonymus ‘White Spire’, Anisodontea ‘Elegans Princess’ and Raspberry ‘Yummy’.

Colin Stanley, Retail Sales Manager at Wyevale Nurseries, said: “We had a great reception about our new plants for 2019 from attendees at the Garden Press Event in February in London. It was great to listen to people talking about them and wanting to find out more.

“Ficinia ‘Ice Crystal’ is an unusual grass variety and has distinctive ‘frosted’ foliage giving the illusion of a crisp winters morning all year round. Plant in full sun and watch it flourish. The ultimate patio pot grass, sure to stand out in any garden or plant in clusters for maximum impact. It comes in a 2 litre pot and is available from August.

The summer heat and lack of rain has left many lawns in poor condition with exposed and loose roots that are susceptible to damage by inappropriate mowing.   Honda’s robotic lawn mower, Miimo, will help them recover naturally and give gardeners the added bonus of free time to relax or get on with other gardening jobs.

The three Miimo machines in the range are designed to maintain lawns, ranging in size up to an acre, in optimum condition and offer a choice of cuttings heights from 20 to 60 mm.  Changing the height of cut is essential to help damaged lawns recover quickly - in dry weather they should be at the higher end of the spectrum and lower as growth increases with rain.

The finely micro-shredded cuttings remain on the grass, acting as a mulch and providing the grass with essential nutrients and retaining moisture – two key factors in securing recovery of the grass. Meaning it’s good for the grass and there are no cuttings to be disposed of either.