Features

THE GARDEN Centre Association (GCA) is hosting its third annual GCA Plant Area Forum for plant area managers and plant buyers at Ball Colegrave in July (July 25, 2018).  The event on Wednesday, July 25 will once again be facilitated by GCA inspector, Roger Crookes, who believes that plants are still the core business for garden centres. He said: “Our past Plant Area Forum events have been a huge success and this year’s promises to be just as inspiring and motivational for all who come along. This year we are responding to feedback from delegates who attended previous years and are looking…

Garden paving manufacturer, Bradstone, has supported an up and coming designer at this year’s Ascot Spring Garden Show, which showcased Britain’s finest and emerging horticultural talent. Designed by Tom Hill of Tom Hill Garden Design based in Dorset, the show garden titled ‘On Point’ is a bold and stylish space, focusing on geometric shapes and forms. With vivid flowers and textured foliage blending in perfect harmony with statement garden features, including inverted pyramid planters and a central water feature finished in 3D geode black tiles, Bradstone donated its popular  Manzano®…

We are very proud of our ranges, designed for both contemporary and traditional palates. Our design team have created new additions that sit perfectly with our current ranges. We are excited to introduce our new products and reinvigorated designs.   Aura – is a modern, lightweight, elegant collection with timeless appeal. Available in 3 powder-coated aluminium frame colours, combine perfectly with traditional teak and Textilene slings, to create statement pieces with clean lines. In addition to our existing Aura tables, we are adding the 300cm rectangular dining table, plus two ‘narrow-…

The forthcoming GIMA Day Conference is set to offer a varied selection of speakers, including two popular retail stalwarts who will be providing an insight into the state of retailing in the year ahead. The latest foreign exchange fluctuations and how businesses can safeguard themselves, as well as an overview of the Bank of England’s economic outlook for the UK will complete the schedule for the day, providing attendees with much food for thought. Providing a full day’s schedule of thought leadership, the Day Conference will be a must-attend for anyone wanting to stay ahead in this…

As experts in consumer and seasonal trends, Creative Products has the Spring season covered with its new range of innovative products for 2018, all available for the peak gardening retail season. Tidy borders and beds Badger Paw Gardening Gloves have been cleverly designed to offer an innovative way to tidy up your borders and flower beds. The comfortable and durable gardening gloves feature built in ‘claws’ which make easy work of preparing and digging soil and are perfect for a range of garden tasks including planting, raking and clearing roots. The gloves are ergonomically designed and…

As the days grow longer and the weather milder, thoughts turn to spending more time in the garden. If you want to make the most of your outside space this year, whether that is by creating a vegetable patch or simply utilising it for entertaining and relaxing, making sure things are kept neat and clutter free is essential. Forest Garden’s 2018 range of small storage provides different sized bike stores, garden stores, cupboards and boxes, all made in the UK using British timber. The clever range gives lots of choice to suit your size, taste and budget. Each unit is available in either an…

Garden Re-Leaf Day is fast approaching! With just under three weeks until the garden retail industry comes together to kickstart the season and raise much needed funds for Greenfingers, the event organisers are urging interested parties to sign up now and take part before it’s too late! FUNdraising Days Garden businesses across the country have been busy planning their own FUNdraising events for Garden Re-Leaf Day on Friday 16th March, and across the weekend.  Longacres Garden Centre will be going the extra mile with over 40 people completing a sponsored walk which will start at their …

A TRADITIONAL foundry has diversified to manufacture stunning garden furniture and has already despatched orders across Europe. When Lancashire-based Glen Castings was incorporated in 1972 its core business was creating products for the building and drainage trades. Jim and June Butterworth founded the business and when their son Alan joined the company in 1973 it was supposed to be just for six months as he planned to join the army. However, he stayed and for the last 30 years has been managing director of the business, which is now based in Burnley Road, Bacup. Alan spotted that…

Get set for summer in style with the latest, luxurious garden furniture from Kettler The latest in luxury garden furniture, Kettler’s new Palma Round Set is perfect for the garden or conservatory. RRP £1999. The collection comfortably seats eight on its sumptuous six seater sofa and two matching stools, and includes a glass top dining table.  With comfort at its absolute core, the Palma Round collection features ultra-soft cushioning on all seating with double piping for extra support. The cushions are UV, stain and shower resistant, and all furniture pieces are made from weather-proof…

It’s official! Wales's Moody Sow Farm Shop makes the best Welsh Lamb products Moody Sow Farm Shop in Wales is celebrating after winning a Diamond Award for the Welsh Lamb product in the UK’s most prestigious competition for craft butchery products – The Smithfield Awards. The event, which is held annually by the Q Guild of Butchers recognises and rewards the excellent products that are being produced by the very best butchers in the country. Butcher Christian Regan, whose winning product was Welsh Rib Eye Crown Steak, was awarded his trophy by BBC broadcaster and food expert, Nigel Barden…

Greenfingers Charity is inviting their supporters to put their pedal power to the test this spring by taking on an inspiring new Cycle Challenge for Garden Re-Leaf Day. The event, which takes place on Friday 16th March, will now feature a new Cycle Ride Challenge for bike enthusiasts.  The route will start in World's End Garden Centre, Wendover and take in the scenic Chiltern hills and idyllic countryside.  There will be two routes available, 50 miles and 100 miles . The inaugural Garden Re-Leaf Cycle Ride Challenge was an idea put forward my Matt Jackson (Mr Fothergill’s) and David…

The Spur ® range of brackets and shelving systems is manufactured in Devon by Storage Solutions Ltd. Spur Shelving is a historic global brand that has been around since the 1950's. Originally part of Savage Industries Watford, and then as part of McKechnie plc. McKechnie was known as widget and co for it's diverse product range which included many other brands from Obo nails to Swish the curtain track manufaturer. Newell the American conglomerate then took over McKechnie and after a few years closed the Spur manfacturing operations and exiting the European shelving market. That is when…

Garden centre and horticultural industry staff are this month (January, 2018) being asked to sign up for a fundraising event being held at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual conference. A game of hockey with an element of ‘fun and frolics’ will take place on January 21 at Stratford Leisure Centre, adjacent to The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, from 3pm to raise money for Greenfingers, which creates gardens at children’s hospices nationwide. Ian Flounders from Woodlodge Products, who captains The Cabbages team, which is made up of garden centre suppliers, said: “Last…

In previous years, neutral shades such as white and ivory, have typically been the preferred paint colour choice for conservatories, orangeries and garden rooms, especially around the time when white uPVC was very much en vogue. However, Westbury Garden Rooms, designer and manufacturer of bespoke timber extensions has seen an exciting new trend emerging amongst their customers, with more homeowners choosing to paint the exterior timber of their extension in black shades of paint, in order to create a real statement in their garden. In addition, white paint has long been a popular choice as…

RADIO and TV comedian Jo Caulfield will be compering the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) conference awards’ dinner this month (January, 2018). Jo, who is also a comedy writer, has worked on some of the biggest shows and with some of the top names in British comedy. Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “Not only has Jo been the regular warm-up performer for the BBC’s ‘Have I Got News For You’ for many years, she has appeared as a guest on the show, as well as on ‘Mock The Week’ and ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks’. She has also appeared on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. “On Radio…

Latest luxury and practical pet products on show on British pavilion at Global Pet Expo 2018 Among the many new products being launched by leading British suppliers exhibiting on the British pavilion at Global Pet Expo will be luxury dog accessories, a range of pet treats and coats, pet cleaning and hygiene products, flea and bug repellents, chicken coop safety features and pet treat packaging.   The British exhibitor group at Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida (21 to 23 March 2018) is being organised by PetQuip, the UK pet trade association, for the eighth consecutive year.  In addition…