In this edition of Dig It Chris Day chats with the editor of Garden Trade News (GTN) Trevor Pfeiffer. Trevor examines how the massive garden trade, suppliers of both products and plants help spread news and information as well as analysing the sales across the trade in the Best Sellers Charts. Trevor gives us some of his personal insights into the garden centre trade from sustainability and global warming to the massive ongoing peat-free compost debate! Trevor’s mantra is that growing plants gives you an optimistic point of view on life and we couldn’t agree more!

Big breaking news stories The Wyevale sell off and the passing of Peter Seabrook

Garden Heroes Guy Topping, MD of Barton Garden Centre located between Preston and Garstang. The garden centre set up includes a marina and an entertainment complex The Flower Bowl, which includes a cinema amongst other activities! Mike Burks, The Gardens Group of Garden Centres in Dorset and Somerset. Great ethos of getting garden centre teams motivated as well as plenty of communication through their proper tea breaks complete with a huge tea pot at 10am and 4pm every day! Floral Thursday world record for Greenfingers charity. The idea was fostered by Neil Grant, Managing Director of Ferndale Garden Centre in Sheffield to wear something flowery and it’s become popular as well as fun for fundraising opportunities.

Awards New products at GLEE, a trade show held annually in Birmingham and the GTN Greatest Awards, teams are nominated for specific categories such as Best Christmas merchandising and Best Grotto.

Garden magazines mentioned Garden News, Garden Answers, Gardeners’ World and Practical Gardening (no longer produced) and RHS The Garden magazine. 

HTA global warming news.

Plants mentioned Apples, Poinsettias, Petunias, Pelargoniums (Geraniums), Taylors Autumn planted for Christmas potatoes and Trevor’s favourite,  Squash Mashed Potato and Squash ‘Baked Potato’.

Favourite garden centre Poppies Garden Centre, Saulmore Shore, By Oban in Argyll.

Desert island luxury Trench digging shovel. Go for one with a metal shaft and handle which makes it extra strong, great for getting underneath roots when having to move plants!

Products mentioned Garden lighting, both solar and low voltage. Westland Boost All-Purpose Plant food . Fito Orchid drip feeders .

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Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music.

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