Blogs

Building and timber merchant, Beesley & Fildes, has experienced a successful year of sales since taking on Composite Prime decking product, HD Deck Dual, and has forecast to the possibility of double sales within the next 12 months.

Currently stocking both colour options of the reversible decking board in its Widnes and Chester branches, the product has been well received by customers looking for a low maintenance, durable decking solution that retains a natural likeness to timber. HD Deck Dual is the second Composite Prime product to be stocked by Beesley & Fildes,…

Whether you have acres of land, a modest balcony, or something in between, Forest Garden has the perfect product within its newly launched 2018 range to help you to create a beautiful outside space, that is on trend, practical and beautiful.

For those with plenty of space to play with, Forest has developed a range of gazebos that will help you to make the most of your land. With the appeal of alfresco living continuing to grow, Forest Garden’s newly launched collection of premium, round timber gazebos will create the perfect setting for open air entertaining and alfresco dining, no…

Town & Country will be donating 10 per cent of sales from the three new charity range of products: gloves, secateurs, and a gardening pouch to the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, Breast Cancer Now

It is recommended that being active for 20-25 minutes every day, including gardening, can help reduce your risk of breast cancer

Over 50,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, this means that one in eight women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

Town & Country, one of the UK’s leading gardening brands that…

After the recent cold spell, as the weather starts to improve, you might be thinking about your plans for the garden so now is the best them to start buying or gathering seeds. 

Below is a handy guide for using seeds to grow anything from plants to fruit and vegetables.

As the weather starts to improve, you might be thinking about your plans for the garden this Spring so get out your seeds and spring bulbs, because below is a handy guide for growing spring bulbs which highlights tips for planting, the aftercare and potential problems you might have.

Planting

There’s no doubt about it, first impressions count and when it comes the front of the house, kerb appeal matters.

With spring the most popular season for home improvements, it’s the ideal time to start those long-awaited projects. A property's outer appearance - its kerb appeal, - is also often a deal breaker (or maker) when it comes to buying a home. It is the first and last impression a potential buyer sees, reflecting the buyers’ overall opinion of the inside of the house. Sometimes you only get one first impression, so make it one to remember. If doors and windows are looking a…

Providing tips for a healthy lawn

www.davidhedges-gower.com

We know it feels like it is a long way off, but the days do seem to be getting a little longer now and spring will be here before you know it!  At this time of year lawns and soils are cold and sometimes wet, and the weather does not encourage gardening!  

However, some pests are still active, busily chomping away at your roots.  The changeable weather climate can create unexpected problems, so some diligence and a few hours hard work now, can make all the difference for your lawn in the year ahead.....…

The British winter is synonymous with temperamental weather and therefore it is important that the exterior of your home is safeguarded from the elements. Wood and masonry left untreated, will over time, flake, chip and crack in cold and wet conditions. However, protecting your home is not as hard as it may seem. 

Exterior paint expert Sandtex®, has developed a brand-new range of quick drying paints to make exterior DIY as easy as possible. The Rapid Dry Plus Satin and Gloss ranges, are every DIYers dream as the range of colours is not only extensive, but the range …

WORLD renowned economist Roger Martin-Fagg will be speaking at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) 52nd annual conference in Warwickshire this January (January 21 until 24, 2018). 

Roger, who also presented to attendees in 2014, will be focusing on making economics accessible for non-economists and helping management teams think through their strategy during his session with delegates on January 23.

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, explained: “We’re delighted that Roger has been able to spare the time to come and speak to our delegates again…

Christmas is coming and there is much to look forward to for the whole family – including your pet pooch. 

But while your dog may enjoy their own special Christmas meal, or their own gift under the tree, it’s important to remember the busy festive season can be stressful for your pet. Travelling to new places and a busy home can cause anxiety, and that extra cheeky sausage at dinner is not balanced out with an extra-long walk on Boxing Day. 

So to lend a helping hand Siobhan Griffin, Learning and Development…

There can hardly be a glasshouse in the country that does not have a few tomato plants growing in it. Nothing tastes quite like a tomato freshly picked from your own garden. The range of colours, shapes and sizes is wide as is obvious from our list of over 30 varieties. Even if you only have a window box you can produce your own tomatoes but they are not without their problems. Tomato plants are very delicate, they can succumb to disease, they need a fair amount of attention and just a smell of a hormone spray from a neighbouring garden or field can result in deformed fruits and plants -…

A GROUP of green fingered tenants have been rewarded for their skills by winning a leading housing and care provider’s ‘Best Community Garden’ award.

The 72-year old and his fellow gardening club members began working on their garden over a year ago. 

Lawrence said: “We haven’t won any awards before, so it’s great to have won ‘Best Community Garden’ it means everyone’s hard work has paid off. 

FORMER UK Ambassador Charles Crawford has been announced this month (November) as the first speaker booked for the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) 52nd annual conference in Warwickshire in January (January 21 until 24, 2018). 

Garden centre owners, managers and their teams who attend the event in Stratford-upon-Avon will be offered expert advice by Charles on the art of negotiation on Tuesday, January 23.

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, explained: “Charles is a highly skilled negotiator and mediation specialist. He draws on 28 years’ experience…

THE 20 finalists in the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Ruxley Rose competition have recently (November, 2017) been judged and there is strong evidence of continued enthusiasm for selling plants at member centres.

The two winners, judged to have the best plant areas, will be announced during the GCA’s annual conference at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon between January 21 and 24, 2018.

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “During the spring our member garden centres received inspections of their plant areas. The scores from these…

By their nature, dogs are a highly social species - they have a natural instinct to live in harmonious groups. However some dogs may find this more difficult than others, potentially experiencing signs of anxiety when they are around other dogs. 

Whether it’s seeing other dogs in the park or living with another four legged friend at home, it’s important that your pooch is calm and comfortable when encountering other dogs. 

As part of their “Happy Dogs, Happy Days” campaign, Lintbells, manufacturers of premium pet supplement YuCALM Dog, is working with dog behavioural…

Smart Garden Products can help you achieve some excellent sales in the run up to Christmas – and it’s not too late to top up your orders! From stocking fillers to stunning solar, we can offer something for every price range.

Our stylish Outside In Lantern range offers a wide range ofclassic and contemporary options for the home or garden, either to create a festive atmosphere or as a quality Christmas gift and these would be complemented by our Faux Flame and Flickering LED battery powered flameless candles – available in a popular merchandising unit.

With several new…