Features

When Bentley Motor Cars recognised Parks as one of 100 great British manufacturers in 2019, buyers were surprised at what the home fragrance industry had known for years. What began in 1989 as a small London boutique selling a few hand-poured candles had quietly become one of the world's leading home fragrance manufacturers. It’s only recently that garden centres have caught up. “It was such a surprise”, says founder Carol Symons, “we’ve always let the product do the talking and to be recognised by a company like Bentley was such an honour. We see ourselves as a family business that just…

The Borderfields story began in Northumberland in 2005, when local farmers from either side of the Scottish Border came together to create a premium cold pressed rapeseed oil from their crops. Production of a high quality, simple, tasty product was their collective aim and with this, Borderfields was born. Rapeseed oil is produced from the black seeds of the rapeseed plant, also known as Brassica napus. It comes from the same family of plants such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Visually, the rapeseed plant makes for a lovely landscape surface during the spring when it sprouts vibrant…

In 2020 under extremally difficult Covid restrictions, Ebtech Glasshouse Systems Ltd, based in East Yorkshire built a new turnkey glasshouse facility at the site of Stewarts Garden Centre, near Wimborne in Dorset. The used glasshouse is 6,732m² overall, consisting of four separate areas plus a plant room. The first area is clad in sandwich panels c/w roof light panels and side wall windows, this area will have a separately internally clad small education classroom with the remaining area used for potting and machinery equipment, which has a clear span of 12.80m x 64.0m long. The growing…

Two of the world’s biggest power tool firms have launched new garden tool products in time for the spring gardening season. Bosch has introduced two new lightweight power gardening hand tools to join its Power For All Range, which includes last year’s award winning Universal GrassCut18v-26. The range offers more than 70 products allowing customers to use just one portable battery for their entire home and garden tool system.  A selection of the products can be seen below. Keo (NEW) Pruning with the cordless Keo garden saw makes the process effortless, offering the ability to cut branches…

With home entertaining and urban living on the rise, Cadac continues to invest in its premium range of barbecues to suit all sizes of outdoor space, with new additions to its award-winning range.  The new Citi Chef 40 FS barbecue from Cadac is the latest addition to its growing Urban Range (SRP £280). The compact shape and light weight are designed to take up less space on the patio, balcony or garden, without compromising on style and performance. All the features you’d expect from a Cadac BBQ are included; Thermogrill technology, easy clean GreenGrill ceramic and easy assembly. The single…

Our post-pandemic gardens are being asked to work harder for us than ever. They are being tasked to not only grow plants, but also to provide an outdoor extension to our homes where we can relax, exercise, entertain and eat. Kate Gould’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show Sanctuary Garden, ‘Out of the Shadows’ is a lesson in how the pandemic has changed the concept of the garden, with even the smallest now being tasked to serve multiple functions and incorporate modern lifestyle needs. ‘Out of the Shadows’ is one of the RHS’ ‘Sanctuary Gardens’ and is a small, contemporary garden which packs a huge…

About Littlefair’s Based in Blackburn, Lancashire, Littlefair’s are multi-awarding-winning manufacturers of water-based wood dyes, varnishes, finishing oils, wax polishes and flooring products. Littlefair’s supply a growing number of trusted stockists across the UK and different market sectors, which has been vital in spreading brand awareness for customers to try Littlefair’s products over larger, established brands.  Founded in 2001 by Les Littlefair, Les began stocking wood dye products in his bric-a-brac shop. He soon noticed how well the product sold and, as a joiner with an eye for…

 Taking place next week (February 17th, Wyboston Lakes, Bedfordshire), GIMA’s first Day Conference of 2022, focused on the forthcoming changes to the Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations (EPR), has just a few places remaining. Interested parties who want to learn more about the EPR regulation changes that are set to come into effect in 2023, are being urged to secure one of the remaining places for this special one-day event. The forthcoming EPR changes will see any businesses that turns over more than £1million, or handles more than 25 tonnes of packaging annually, become…

Excitement is building for a spectacular return for the 50th anniversary Four Oaks Trade Show in 2022, set for 6 & 7 September at our Cheshire nursery site.  Exhibiting offers the opportunity to meet with buyers, from across the horticultural trade sector, who come to look for new plants, products, technology, services and to connect with suppliers, colleagues, friends old and new. After a two-year gap and with new features including a comprehensive conference program, there is much to attract visitors who are expressing great anticipation at returning to Four Oaks once more.  Hundreds…

The much-loved Garden Re-Leaf Day Sponsored Walk and Cycle Challenge is making its return this March 18th. Having last taken place in 2020 just before the pandemic took hold, the return of the ever-popular challenge will be music to the ears of those Garden Re-Leaf supporters that have made the event an essential part of their annual FUNdraising plans.  This year’s Garden Re-Leaf Day Sponsored Walk and Cycle Challenge will start and end at Dobbies World’s End store, near Aylesbury, with teams and individuals invited to join in the fun. The route will take participants on a stunning tour of…

Echoing the incredible growth that is shaping the garden retail sector, Glee 2022 – taking part in late June (28th – 30th, NEC Birmingham) - is enjoying pre-pandemic levels of activity, helping the exhibition to fill 80% of its exhibition space with just five months to go until the doors open on this year’s edition of the leading garden retail event. With four halls of the NEC fit to bursting (that’s one more hall than in 2021!), Glee 2022 – the very first to take place in late June, helping the show to better align with the renewed buying cycle – will be a hotbed of leading brands and…

Ahead of its first Day Conference of 2022, GIMA has revealed more details about what attendees can expect to learn during the one-day event focused on Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations (EPR). Taking place on February 17th at Wyboston Lakes in Bedfordshire, the packed agenda will look at the EPR regulation changes that are set to come into effect in 2023. These changes will see any businesses that turn over more than £1million, or handle more than 25 tonnes of packaging annually, become responsible for the full cost of managing all packaging they place into the market. …

Showcasing the Landscaping industry more than ever before, The LANDSCAPE Show 2022 looks to bring more exhibitors, more visitors and more features than ever before to Hall 3 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on the 28th and 29th September.  This year LANDSCAPE introduces brand new features, including a Student Showcase by London College of Garden Design, and an additional program of ‘How to’ Seminars alongside their already outstanding program of 40 CPD accredited sessions for anyone in the industry to learn, grow, be inspired and expand their skills. Back again is the highly…

ExaClair launches 3 additions within its refreshed Décopatch mini kits range. ExaClair Limited, the UK distributor for Décopatch has launched 3 new kits to complement its popular mini kits range, containing everything required for a new Décopatch project all in one convenient box.  These new mini kits featuring a teddy bear, dragon and turtle are perfect for kids and adults alike and make a great introduction to the world of Décopatch! Each kit contains one ready to decorate papier mâché shape, two sheets of Décopatch paper, one glue pot and a brush. There are a dozen different mini kits to…

ExaClair launches new collection of Clairefontaine fine art sets in partnership with MOLOTOW™. ExaClair Limited, the UK distributor for Clairefontaine, is delighted to announce their new collaboration with the renowned German graffiti art brand MOLOTOW™, by releasing a selection of six unique fine art competence sets.  The sets contain specially chosen essentials from both of the brands to highlight watercolour or acrylic techniques.  Each set combines a variety of products, such as Molotow™ ONE4ALL marker pens or AQUA COLOR brushes with carefully selected Clairefontaine Fine Art papers that…

What they expect to see in 2022: Hartley Botanic is one of the oldest and most respected Glasshouse and Greenhouse manufacturers in the UK. The Lancashire-based business, which next year will have been running for 84 years, is known for the beauty, enduring strength, quality and performance of its Greenhouses and is the manufacturer of choice for leading horticultural organisations, institutions and designers in the UK and worldwide. With its finger on the pulse when it comes to what those in the market for a Greenhouse are looking for, every year the manufacturer predicts what it expects…