Blogs

Guests at Settle's Falcon Manor Hotel this spring should check out some of the finest bluebell displays in the area.

According to Jane Gara, general manager of Falcon Manor, the breathtaking carpets of blue at nearby Oxenber and Cleatop woods are a "Must See" in May.

Said Jane: "Cleatop Wood, near Settle, offers a lovely circular walk of around four miles from the door of Falcon Manor. A stroll along a green lane and across farmland brings guests to the woodland, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest."

It is 10 minutes in the car to the village of …

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. 

From common food products such as bananas and eggshells to the more unusual fireplace ashes and potato water, these are items that can be found in the average UK household. 

A spokesperson for GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk said: “You might not think…

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.

1. Look after your tools

After spending a few months tucked away in the shed, it’s likely your…

Phil Tremayne, general manager of the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL),  tells Garden Trade Specialist about the skills shortage in the industry…

The skills shortage in landscaping has been an ongoing problem for many years. There has been a great difficulty in getting young people engaged in this sector, with many wishing to follow the pathway of computer and media-based careers. This issue has now started to reach a critical point.

Many existing landscapers full of passion and experience no longer have the knees and backs to continue and some of the great…

Picking a New Year’s resolution can sometimes be tricky and sticking to that resolution for the year can be even more of a challenge.  Have you ever thought about enlisting the help of your dog to inspire you to keep that New Year’s resolution? 

YuMOVE the UKs no.1 veterinary joint supplement*, has put together a few ways your canine companion can help you avoid slipping up on that otherwise hard to accomplish New Year’s resolution this 2019. 

Walk off that Christmas weight

Trying to lose weight is one of, if not the most common New Year’s resolution, and the good…

GIMA ’s autumn/ winter programme of Knowledge Exchange Workshops has recently kicked off with its Sales Development & Territory Planning Workshop, which was incredibly well received by attendees. Four more sessions remain, with interested parties urged to book their place now to avoid missing out.   

Led by Cedar Associates, the Sales Development & Territory Planning Workshop received positive feedback from delegates, with praise being received for the approachable and informative content, and relevance of topics covered. 

The next workshop (30th October), led by…

Life can be complicated but taking care of your garden needn’t be. Leading lawn tractor manufacturer, Murray, acknowledges this and therefore prides itself on its “Get it done. Go have fun” ethos to tackling lawns.

There are six models in the Murray line up, all packed with features to give a high-quality cut in no time at all. The range is split into three lawn tractors, and three zero-turn models.

Within the lawn tractors there are two side discharge models with a side deflector that disperses the cut grass evenly around the lawn. These offer differing widths depending…

Woodlodge has announced it will once again be raising money for Greenfingers Charity at Glee 2018 by hosting a raffle in aid of this worthy cause.

Proudly celebrating its seventh year of support for Greenfingers, Woodlodge will sell raffle tickets throughout Glee, donating the cash raised to the charity dedicated to creating magical gardens for children who spend time in hospices. This year’s prize comprises of an exceptional selection of Prosecco piled high in a prestigious extra-large pot, from the company’s Heritage Garden collection. 

Exhibitors and attendees alike are…

Wyevale Nurseries has announced today (Thursday, August 2, 2018) that Adam Dunnett has decided to move on from his post as Sales and Marketing Director and will be relocating and taking up a new challenge.

Andy Johnson, Managing Director at Wyevale Nurseries, said:

“We would very much like to thank Adam for his contribution to the company during the past four and a half years. He joined us at a time of significant change as we restructured the company and he contributed in helping us with rebranding and repositioning the…

Summer 2018 is certainly one to remember! There has been hot sunshine for week after week. Lots of people have been out enjoying the beautiful weather. But what about the gardens? Lawns all brown and dried up, leaves already falling and summer bedding is dying early. Very soon temperatures will fall and gardeners will be keen to get back out into their gardens to repair the damage caused by this unusual weather.

Autumn will come early this year for retailers and Crest Garden has an autumn promotion to cover all consumer needs to prepare their gardens for the season ahead. The range…

Anyone who has raspberries in their garden will come into contact with raspberry yellow rust sooner or later. We are talking about the plant pathogen Phragmidium rubi-idaei, which often appears more at this time of the year, i.e. at the beginning of midsummer. But just how do you identify the symptoms of this disease and how do you get rid of it? Read on for some interesting info from Lubera gardening products…

Raspberry yellow rust is a fungal disease. More specifically, the fungus belongs to the rusts, which is where it gets its name. An…

After producing the world’s first brewing shed where you can make and sell your own beer, outdoor building manufacturer, Tiger Sheds, has gone on to take an in depth look into why Brits are choosing to start businesses from the comfort of their own homes or even back gardens.

All big companies start from humble beginnings, but, as government data highlights, over 620,000[1] new enterprises registered in the UK last year alone, and around 70% of companies start in the home. With this in mind, it seems that business really is booming for home-based startups.

But which city…

DIY and gardening retailers are being given an opportunity to benefit from the launch of a new kind of expanding hosepipe, the Hercul-Easy Hose, which is seen as a true game-changer for all hosepipe users—whether they’re watering the garden or washing their car.

Since expandable hoses first appeared five years ago, they have faced plenty of criticism—chiefly because of problems with bursting and their inability to expand fully in areas with low water pressure. Now, the drawbacks of those early products have been overcome by a radical new patented design and manufacturing process…

It’s the time of year when everybody wants to be outside. Products which bring living outdoors – and are not only hardy and functional, but easy on the eye too – are the biggest hit with customers. Editor Victoria Galligan chooses her Top 10 buys…

1. Dusk Till Dawn Lighting 20 Bulbs string lights, £32.94 at Amazon.co.uk

This range of lighting is truly the icing on the cake for customers who want to party into the night. These bulbs contain tiny pink flowers. See Bonningtons.com for the full range and trade prices.

2. The Q9, Muztag Outdoor Fires, £759.99…

Andrew Singleton, Sales Director at Bradstone, answers Garden Trade Specialist’s questions on the aggregate products company…

Tell us a little about the history of Bradstone.

“Bradstone is an Aggregate Industries business, with over 60 years’ experience in helping homeowners transform their outdoor spaces. We have been offering an all-encompassing range of garden and driveway products since 1956 and, calling upon these years of experience, we are able to design and develop products that set the standard for quality, performance and visual appeal. The philosophy behind the…

Tong garden centre has strengthened its senior management team with a board level appointment.

Sharon McNair has been promoted to the newly created position of Commercial Director as the business seeks to enter an ambitious growth phase. Respected in the industry, Sharon has worked in the sector for her entire career and brings almost 30 years' experience to the board with a breadth of retail knowledge in leisure, gardening, catering and seasonal ranges.

Of the promotion, Managing Director, Mark Farnsworth said: 

"Sharon was one of the first appointments that we…