Emma Bryan is an independent greeting card publisher supplying contemporary paper goods to businesses around the world.  Emma’s hand-painted illustrations and distinctive colour palette are at the heart of her business and her designs are full of pastel hues, hand-painted florals, and inspiration from the natural world. 

“I’m surrounded by British birdsong and flowers all day in my garden studio, so it is no wonder they find their way into my designs but I enjoy exotic flora and fauna too.  I live in an area of Surrey which has the largest population of wild parakeets in the UK, and they often descend on the garden en masse, disturbing the usual quiet visitors. It won’t be long before they make it into a design, I’m sure!”

A former graphic designer, Emma followed a long-held dream to retrain as an illustrator in 2016, and after an art retreat to Sardinia in 2017, found her way into the friendly world of greetings cards, rather than publishing, as she had envisaged. 

The BTO’s National Nestbox Week, a highlight of the ornithology calendar, returns on February 14th – 21st February and leading garden decoration specialist, Deco-Pak is encouraging customers to get their gardens, yards and balconies ready for our feathered friends.
 
The RSPB recently reporting that the song thrush population has plummeted by 76% in 40 years, and house sparrows along with other small garden birds are also witnessing a similar decline as hedgerows and woodland habitats are continuing to be lost. With the loss of natural places suitable for nesting increasing,  it has never been more important to conserve our native breeding birds. Providing well designed hibernaculum such as nest and roosting boxes for them can really help and Deco-Pak has the perfect range for retailers to stock for customers to purchase to preserve the population of avian visitors. 

Ahead of National Nest Box Week (14–21 February 2020), leading quality wild bird and pet food producer, Henry Bell & Co, is focusing on nest box education with advice on how to select and care for the right nest box this spring. The Henry Bell range of Nest Boxes are specifically designed to encourage different bird species, including Robins, Blue Tits, Great Tits, House Sparrows and Wrens.

They are all crafted to provide adequate insulation from the cold and extremes of weather and have good drainage, locks to protect from predators and top opening – as recommended by wild bird care experts. Each nest box comes with recommendations about how best to use, clean and position the nest box.

Types of nest boxes start from RRP £5.99 for the Henry Bell Nest Box and Henry Bell Open Nest Box through to a more premium offering found in the Henry Bell Elegance range which features a variety of entrance holes, open front designs, sloping and flat roofs (RRP £14.99).

Gardeners in the UK can now manage weeds in an organic, natural way with the launch of an innovative new weed prevention product from Westland. 

‘Resolva Weed Preventer’ is a first in the UK marketplace, offering gardeners an organic, timesaving, preventative solution to weeds. The highly effective new product is made from 100% plant based natural ingredients and is safe for both children and pets.

Research shows that whilst gardeners enjoy a certain amount of weeding, it can be frustrating if it gets too much.  Resolva Weed Preventer is proven to stop weeds before they start, reducing the need for hand weeding in beds, borders and vegetable patches by preventing weeds’ seed development and establishment.   The product is simply sprinkled on bare soil then watered in to provide six weeks of protection after application.   It does not damage established plants.

The Hawkesmill Nurseries team have created an extensive collection of over 1500 varieties that appeal for all seasons.  Now available all year round in 2 and 3-litre pots, these are presented with large 'lock-in labels' to give maximum impact and uniformity throughout the range.

There is a selection of promotional lines for this year too of the most exciting and popular varieties, which are hand-picked for the customer for the suitability, appeal and seasonality.  These are all supplied with full-colour POS.

Details of the full variety list can be emailed on request, these include many favourites such as various varieties of Euphorbia, Allium, Bergenia, Camassia, Dicentra, Erysimum, Iris ... to name but a few.

Why would anyone replace a key sustainable component of our living environment with a coal and oil-derived product, one of only limited life span and almost impossible to recycle? When the entire planet is waging war on unnecessary plastics and the climate emergency, what is it that persuades consumers to make this terrible choice? And why cover children’s sports fields in products that can harm their health? Why on earth does anyone choose artificial grass? And why does the Government do nothing about it?

The reason is threefold: 1) skilful marketing, 2) the absence of product and consumer information, and 3) the lack of industry and product regulation. It doesn’t matter where your priorities lie, from saving the planet to saving your pennies; seen from any angle this is clearly a scandal.  So, before it is too late, we must dig deeper and expose the murky truths behind this phenomenon - and help stem a slowly emerging environmental disaster. Let’s address the three areas of blame, in turn, starting with marketing, a brilliant lesson in consumer exploitation – and an opportunity to debunk some untruths.

THE GARDEN Centre Association has announced Phil McCann and Mark Taylor will be joining its team of inspectors.
 
The pair will be responsible for inspecting member garden centres in South Thames with Phil inspecting those in the Garden Centre category and Mark checking members in the Destination Garden Centre category.
 
Iain Wylie, GCA Chief Executive, said: “We’re thrilled to have Phil and Mark joining our established team of inspectors.

The lawncare sector is poised for a buoyant spring. Months of rainfall have left the nation’s green expanses lacklustre in appearance and riddled with unsightly moss. When it comes to lawn renovation, however, the tide is turning against synthetic treatments. In a sector where chemicals once dominated, a transformation is being driven by a new generation of natural lawn treatments that are not only kinder to the planet, but reward consumers with outstanding results and levels of performance that were once only available to turfcare professionals.
 
Natural & organic lawncare solutions from DJ Turfcare and Viano
Viano organic lawn fertilisers, distributed exclusively in the UK by DJ Turfcare, hold the key to unlocking the full potential of the lawncare sector as consumers make the switch to natural and organic gardening. Viano has an impressive heritage: founded in 1948, the premium organic fertiliser range is the oldest privately owned brand in Belgium, supplying innovative eco-friendly lawn solutions to the professional and consumer markets, while the brand has established a loyal customer base at garden centres across the UK.

The doors are set to open on the third annual Glee at Spring Fair concession event in just a few short weeks. Retailers and buyers from across the garden, landscaping, and home and gift sectors are invited to register for the show to secure their free ticket ahead of the annual exhibition.
To register, simply visit www.springfair.com and click on the ‘Get your Free’ ticket button, and follow the instructions on screen. Your ticket will provide access to both the main show, as well as Glee’s second edition within its new-for-2020 location in Hall 7.
 
Retailers visiting the Glee at Spring Fair event will be able to access a whole host of exciting brands. Look out for Charles Taylor Trading, Creative Products, Dizmes, Neat Ideas, Chirpy Bird Foods, Euromedia, Fargro, Riverco Trading, Logs Direct, Juice & Jam, and Laurica Plants.
 
Additionally, the latest product innovation will be celebrated within Glee’s ever popular Glee New Product Showcase, run in partnership with the team from Garden Trade News.