Blogs

Influential buyers from a German garden and pet product mail order company and online shop, a Polish importer and distributor of garden items as well as buyers from a leading wholesaler/distributor of garden and horticultural products across the Baltic States are to meet with British suppliers in the latest ‘Meet the International Buyers’ event organised by the Gardenex and PetQuip associations.  The Federation is also in contact with other overseas buyers who are considering attending.

Celebrating the 50 year heritage of the Original GARDENA System, which seeks to inspire gardeners this spring with the launch of a nostalgic, nationwide TV campaign with the strapline: ‘Bringing life for 50 years’ hailing the brands’ promise of leak-free watering for more than fifty years.

Phoenix Natural Gas has today announced its support of the Kids Gardening Club at Hillmount. The free to attend club is hosted at Hillmount garden lifestyle centres in Ards, Bangor and Belfast on the first Saturday of each month.

Alan Mercer, Managing Director, Hillmount, said:

“As a fourth generation garden lifestyle centre, at Hillmount we are committed to teaching our next generation about the beauty of nature and the thrill of planting seeds which bloom into flowers or giving the children who attend plants to take away which grow into edible strawberries for them to…

Europe’s largest garden centre, Bridgford Garden Centre has installed a 250 kWp solar PV array on the rooftop of its new building, which is now open to the general public.

Bridgford Garden Centre, in Nottingham, now features the latest technology including underfloor heating and rainwater harvesting and is now also being powered by 925 solar panels, installed by energy solutions developer, EvoEnergy.

The 270W Trina solar…

A Bradford Garden Centre has announced the second masterclass with TV and radio gardening expert and award winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show designer, Matthew Wilson.

Tong Garden Centre is the first centre in the North of England to host BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time regular panellist Matthew Wilson's Gardening School and will host a pruning masterclass between 9.30am and 12.30pm on Tuesday, 15th May.

Wilson, the former curator of RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate and respected writer, broadcaster and lecturer, will mix practical with theory in the half day course that…

Sue Benson, Managing Director at The Market Creative, offers five tips on improving the customer experience by improving garden centre marketing.  

1. Share expertise

Educating customers through garden centre marketing will show off your expert knowledge and increase their trust. From what bulbs to plant and how to look after your garden to what to buy next, make your expertise known with posters and banners scattered throughout. Consider displaying a chalkboard with bespoke information about the week’s weather and what plants are best to buy, putting visitors in the right…

The GIMA Day Conference took place on 12th April at Ettington Chase Hotel, Stratford-Upon-Avon, with over 65 members in attendance. With a packed agenda, the day tackled everything from the Bank of England’s current economic forecast, foreign exchange rates, GDPR and two industry stalwarts sharing an insight into their careers and hopes for the future. An overview of GIMA’s current activities completed the day-long conference.

There has been a rise in the popularity of farmers markets as people turn to their local suppliers in support of the local community because of Gazebos. In fact, research by Zoopla* highlighted how properties near a farmers market are likely to cost £87,180 more than the wider county area, showing the knock-on effects of this popularity. Stephen Evans, Managing Director at Market Gazebo World examines the rise of farmers markets in the UK and how gazebos play an important role in increasing footfall.

Leading UK lawn seed supplier Johnsons Lawn Seed is continuing to campaign for quality within the consumer market and looking to address the persistent problem of ‘shrinkflation’, i.e. packets being filled with less seed, or bulked out with cheaper, substandard seed. It’s a problem that continues to negatively impact the supply chain, says Consumer Manager Guy Jenkins.

Many manufacturers and suppliers have been reducing the overall content of their products on retailers’ shelves. Weights are being reduced but the prices do not fall in line, whilst packaging continues to increase in…

OSMOUK Post Fix is a strong, easy-to-use, and fast-setting solution that allows users to fix a post in a matter of minutes.

Whether you are installing garden posts or sports poles, OSMOUK Post Fix is the ideal product for those who are looking for a cost effective, lightweight alternative to concrete.

OSMOUK Post Fix is a DIY product for use on small projects that require a quick and easy solution. With no complicated installation process and no need for any tools or fixings, everyone can use OSMOUK Post Fix. Applications include fences, garden lights, post boxes, signs,…

Produced by FIRA to give a greater understanding of fire safety issues that may concern those buying or selling outdoor furniture, the LOFA Outdoor Furniture Flammability Guide provides a basic introduction to the LOFAssured Scheme with essential information for retailers and consumers.

One of the conditions of LOFA membership is that members must adhere to a code of conduct, part of which is compliance with all current legislation. The new guide explains that, in order to achieve LOFAssured status, LOFA members must pass an audit process supported by Hertfordshire County Council…

Alec White, nurseryman and peony expert of Primrose Hall Peonies shares his predictions for the peonies that will be seen at the Royal Wedding in May and gives his reasons for singling out these specific peony varieties. Primrose Hall is one of the UK’s largest growers and only UK specialist peony grower.

“If I were a betting man I would put my money on at least one of these stunning varieties of peonies featuring in the Royal Wedding. Meghan Markle is a self-confessed peony lover, sharing many…

ONE OF the UK’s leading nurseries, Wyevale Nurseries, has seen a growth in sales of its range of specimen shrubs and has increased its own production by 300% in the past three years.

Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford has created additional bed space on its nursery for specimen shrubs and has extended the range recently to include several native hedging varieties to keep up with demand.

Adam Dunnett, Sales and Marketing Director at Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford, said:

“Our new specimen beds are quarter of a hectare each and the total additional area space is half a…

Woodlodge, the UK’s leading supplier of garden pots, horticulture products and garden ware, is leading the way this summer by setting the standard in customer support, product merchandising and introducing a new POS printing service.

Eye-catching POS Printing

To entice customers in-store, Woodlodge offer its own in-house printing service to create an eye-catching point of sale across all its ranges, which include Heritage Garden, Feather, Chelsea Terrace, Vintage and Rustic Garden.  Retailers can use this service to print targeted and personalised content that will convey…

Now spring has officially sprung so can the Quit That Itch campaign, as we can finally say hello to warmer weather, lighter evenings and beautiful flowers in bloom. However this season also brings with it a rise in tree and grass pollen which can be an irritation to both you and your furry four-legged friend.

Skin and coat complaints in dogs are most commonly seen during the spring and summer months. To help dog and cat owners across the country support the health and wellbeing of their pets Lintbells, manufacturer of the UK’s No.1 Veterinary Skin and Coat Supplement* YuMEGA has…

A lot of garden centres are using their webshop as a showroom for their physical store. The customer journey starts online but ends offline in a brick and mortar store. But how do you make sure that you are easily found via Google? Here are 5 practical tips to improve your local findability.

1. DON’T FORGET THE META-DESCRIPTION

The meta-description is a short text that will be visible in the Google search results and, as such, rather important.

If you want to make sure to be found in your own region, you will have to make sure to communicate your place…