Features

bio-bean Limited, maker of Coffee Logs – planet-friendly fire logs powered by coffee – has cut its carbon footprint by 6%. The company has achieved this by removing the thin wax coating from the surface of Coffee Logs, making the product even more sustainable whilst remaining an efficient, high-quality fuel.  When bio-bean first developed Coffee Logs – around 7 years ago – it included a thin coating of paraffin wax on the outer surface of the logs. The wax served as a solid, protective layer to keep the logs from breaking during transport to stores and into consumers’ homes. It also kept…

Museums & Galleries Ltd launched in the 1980s with the aim of bringing the gems of the world’s museums to beautifully made and produced cards and stationery for the high street. It remains true to this mission today, but over the years the company has expanded both its product portfolio and the variety of art it publishes, so today has an outstanding retail offer covering a wide spectrum from heritage fine art to contemporary fashion design, old masters to contemporary artists and illustrators, anonymous archival discoveries to the most prestigious of fine art museum brands. The company…

NEW compact-size ‘Performance’ BBQs feature technology and design innovations. Char-Broil’s new BBQ range for 2022 presents the Performance 2.0 line, designed in a compact new shape to take up less garden space while still packed with high-performing features.  Key to this is an enhanced version of Char-Broil’s innovative TRU-Infrared cooking system, as well as high-quality burners and grates which enable these grills to deliver fool- proof BBQ results every time. The Char-Broil Performance launch in 2022 will be supported by a new Char-Broil brand advertising campaign, in print and online,…

THE GARDEN Centre Association’s (GCA) 56th annual conference due to take place at the end of this month has been postponed as a result of the ongoing spread of Omicron (January 2022). The organisation’s executive committee has taken the decision to defer the event based on safety concerns and made the announcement to members this morning (January 10). Tammy Woodhouse, GCA Chairman Elect, who is due to take office as Chairman this month, explains: “I’m very disappointed to announce that we’ve decided to postpone the January 2022 GCA conference.  “As an executive committee, we feel the…

Dog owners need look no further when seeking a tasty, healthy way to keep their Furr Babies hydrated - Furr Boost is a natural dog drink which pooches and their parents across the UK love!  Designed especially for our canine counterparts, it provides a junk-free complement to a dog’s daily water intake and is formulated using only human-grade, high-quality ingredients, so discerning dog owners can be sure that they’re giving their pet a treat which is both delicious and nutritious. Perfect for even the fussiest of four-legged friends, it is available in three appetising flavours; beef,…

BOOKING has now opened (November 2021) for the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual conference in January (January 23-26, 2022). The conference, which will include talks, industry updates and opportunities to socialise, takes place at the Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa in Lancashire from January 23 until 26. GCA Chief Executive, Iain Wylie, said: “As this is the grand return of our annual conference, our last was held in 2020 as last year’s had to be cancelled due to Covid, we wanted to let people know booking for the event is now open, so if you are hoping to attend, please…

Portfolio Home to Launch New Festive Collection for Garden Centres at Harrogate Christmas Fair. Christmas is coming with Portfolio’s new throws and cushions  Leading home textiles brand, Portfolio Home, has launched a stunning new range of traditional and quirky Christmas products specifically tailored to Garden Centres and Retailers which they are excited to showcase exclusively at Harrogate Christmas Fair (16th – 19th January 2022). The new festive collection includes soft fleece throws and tapestry velvet cushions which have been designed to help increase consumer basket value during the…

EcoGro are delighted to announce their new additions to their highly popular family of eco-friendly, sustainable and natural plant foods: EcoGro Lawn Power, and the EcoGro one litre range.  EcoGro Lawn Power is an exciting and innovative natural plant food designed to help your lawn flourish. This new product contains added nutrients and works with the soil microbes to aid root development. It also acts as a moss suppressant, helping avoid these dense mats which outcompete with grass for all vital water and nutrients. By activating microbes, it will also breakdown any dead matter and…

The UK’s premier landscaping exhibition is less than a month away - have you registered yet? Hall 12 on the 3rd & 4th November at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham - Make sure it's in your diary!  The LANDSCAPE Show provides the first in-person opportunity to reconnect with others in the industry! LANDSCAPE welcomes exhibitors with a vast collection of leading products, services and innovations for the design, build and management of exterior and interior landscape projects.  LANDSCAPE 2021 is the trade event you will not want to miss – and the best part is, it’s all FREE!…

Leading gift and housewares player pushes expansion with leading European pots and planters brand, creating further great offers for retailers and consumers. My Gifts Trade (MGT) and Pottery Pots Nederland BV (PP) are delighted to continue theirdistribution partnership which sees MGT take on exclusive UK and Republic of Ireland distribution for the Pottery Pots brand.   Pottery Pots is a global brand with Dutch roots, developing and selling high quality planters and related products, from jumbo pottery to small accessories and from glossy to rough finishes.  The core ranges are manufactured…

bio-bean Limited, a Certified B Corp and manufacturer of Coffee Logs, has been named a Best for the World™ B Corp in recognition of its exemplary performance beyond commercial metrics. Ranking in the top 5% of all B Corps in its size group worldwide for their sustainable business practices, bio-bean earned this honour because of its excellence in its environmental performance and impact. bio-bean recycles spent coffee grounds from businesses across the UK and upcycles them into Coffee Logs – planet-friendly fire logs for wood burners and stoves – and other bio-based products. By using…

Christmas 2021 provides an opportunity for garden retailers to make up for losses sustained in the pandemic. With national Covid restrictions easing, this festive season promises to be a brighter one than 2020. And for customers, buying a real Christmas tree is all part of the experience.  Here, we speak to the British Christmas Tree Growers’ Association (BCTGA) about its work in promoting British-grown trees. And we hear from some of the Association’s members who offer their insight into being part of an industry that’s growing – in more ways than one. Making the most of your Christmas…

Fish4Pets®, home of the Fish4Dogs® brand has launched a new range of fish-based treats, specifically designed for puppies. The champions of fish are well known in the pet food industry for pioneering fish as ‘the perfect protein’, packed full of natural, healthy goodness for our canine companions. Karen Hubbard, Product Portfolio Manager at Fish4Pets® explains ‘we have one of the largest range of treats in the industry, utilising many different varieties and formats of natural, healthy, sustainably-sourced fish, and whilst many of our treats are suitable for puppies, we have never before had…

Kings Seeds are an Independent British owned company. We are able to offer you the very best varieties available on the market as we have no allegiance to any particular breeder. Our Qualified Technician tests all our seeds for purity, vigour and germination before being despatched to you. If you are unable to find a particular variety you want, just let us know and we will try to find it for you. We supply seed to commercial growers of flowers and vegetables, wholesale, to large users of seed and to the home gardener through our seed packets. On our farm, we have been selecting and…

Glee will return in-person on 14th – 16th September 2021 Industry leading brands set to appear on the exhibitor line-up. Glee’s theme will be Time to Grow, reflecting the opportunities for garden retail. After over a year away from in-person events, Hyve Group are delighted to announce that Glee will return to the NEC Birmingham from 14th – 16th September 2021. Following their Time To Grow manifesto, Glee will be designed to support the industry, helping garden retailers and brands to build on the momentum the industry has gathered over the past year. Working in line with Hyve Group’s Safe…

With the arrival of spring comes the perfect time to get out in the garden and make the most of your outdoor space. One way to completely transform your garden for 2021 is to invest in a garden sculpture. With so many styles and sizes to choose from, Ian Hay, Art Director at the Saul Hay Gallery in Manchester shares his tops tips: Think about WHY you want a sculpture When it comes to buying sculpture for your garden, ask yourself, what do you want the sculpture to bring to the space? Is it to offer sharp, bold contrast to the living elements of the garden, or blend in with natural forms? Is…