Features

AMES, established in 1774, has a group turnover exceeding $550million and owns market leading brands in USA, Canada and Australasia. They operate in ten distinct product categories all focused on home garden consumers and manufacture their product in dedicated facilities in USA, Canada, China and Australia. Having identified UK and Ireland as a strategic development opportunity, they recently acquired La Hacienda and Kelkay in the UK to add to their existing True Temper business in Ireland. Simon Hupfeld, CEO AMES says: “The market opportunity in the UK and Ireland has been a focus for us…

Haskins Garden Centres are encouraging gardeners to look after their plants and wildlife due to the ongoing warm temperatures. Alasdair Urquhart, Haskins’ in-house plant expert, commented: “Long-range forecasters are warning that hot weather is looking likely to hold out through the rest of summer and even into autumn. As there is nothing in the forecasts to suggest that the conditions are going to change any time soon, now is a good time to think about how the weather will be affecting your garden.” Haskins recommends the following gardening activities during the heatwave:  Water plants…

With beautiful sunshine and high temperatures all over the UK, it’s no wonder that gardeners are making the most of spending time outside this summer. The dry weather does bring with it some cause for concerns, including news of a temporary hosepipe ban coming into effect in the North-West of England and one already in place in Northern Ireland. As temperatures rise, the absence of rain means parched plants, browning lawns and a struggle for Britain’s wildlife to find food, shade and water to drink. Reservoir levels across England are being reported as lower than expected and water bodies…

Certainly Wood – www.certainlywood.co.uk - has come up with an ingenious little way for campers & holidaymakers to get their fire going without any hassle. The Kindle Roll has an SRP of £1 and is made up from a neat little bundle of 8 poplar kindling sticks together with one of Certainly Wood’s Flamers – a natural firelighter made from wood wool. Also included are easy-to-understand instructions on the best and safest way to light a fire.   Kindle Rolls make the perfect addition to any campsite shop or included in a welcome pack. What’s more, the kindling is grown in Britain and the…

The gardening and horticultural industry have seen some innovative new products throughout 2019, while the tried and tested brands continue to develop and keep pace with consumer demand. For great networking, buying and training opportunities, whether you're an exhibitor, a buyer or both, check out our pick of the best trade shows… Solex, July 9 - 11 2019, NEC Birmingham The Summer Outdoor Living Exhibition promises to be bigger, better and more enticing than ever before in 2019. Traders can see the latest designs in garden furniture, barbecues, outdoor lighting, parasols, gazebos and…

Outdoor living enthusiasts can enjoy entertaining to their hearts’ content with the new Garden Fireplace from leading chimney manufacturer, Schiedel Chimney Systems. Versatile and stylish, the Garden Fireplace creates a stunning central focus for any outdoor living space while keeping smoke at bay, making it the ideal solution to alfresco living, dining and heating; a trend which is set to thrive this summer despite the unpredictable British weather! It can be freestanding, raised or built against all wall which, along with its relatively small footprint, makes it perfect for even the tiniest…

Haskins Garden Centres are encouraging children to get outside and connect with nature by celebrating Nationals Children’s Gardening Week (May 26 – June 3). Presented by the Horticultural Trade Association, National Children’s Gardening Week celebrates the fun that gardens hold for kids. Haskins shares these values and is supporting young gardeners in their centres and online with activities for children and parents to enjoy. Children will be able to learn how to encourage wildlife into their gardens, complete a range of great worksheets, and discover plants that grow in spring as well as…

Want to offer customers something a little special than just the norm? Check out our top Father’s Day gifts to get some out-of-the-box ideas… 1. The Bulletproof Rocks Glass - £21.99 - The Fowndry  For the man in your life who loves a tipple, check out this awesome hand sculpted whiskey glass with a genuine .308 bullet lodged in its side! Holding 325ml of your favorite sauce, every glass is crafted by hand making each one totally individual. What’s more this Bulletproof Rocks Glass comes beautifully gift wrapped making it an ideal gift this Father’s Day. 2. The Anysharp Tactical Knife…

Garden centres are getting a helping hand with their accounts from the new HMRC-recommended Rhino App. HMRC Approves the Rhino Small Business App for Digital Record Keeping and Direct Accounts Submission to its new Making Tax Digital Platform. As part of its Making Tax Digital (MTD) initiative, HMRC has approved the new Rhino App for the submission of business accounts directly from the app to its online MTD portal. That portal went live on 15th March 2018. Rhino integrates directly into the Making Tax Digital platform and is the only accounts package approved by HMRC that allows a business…

ONE of the UK’s leading nurseries will be providing a selection of plants to The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) for its first-ever garden trade stand at The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Malvern Spring Flower Show (May, 2018). Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford will be loaning 22* different plant varieties, including Lomandra ‘White Sands’, Veronica ‘Tissington White’ and Pittosporum ten. ‘Variegata’ to BALI for the show, which will open to the public on May 10. Adam Dunnett, Sales and Marketing Director at Wyevale Nurseries, said:  “BALI’s The Secret Garden trade stand…

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…