The Underground

Alan Roper, Managing Director of Blue Diamond Garden Centres, returns to The Underground Podcast for another unmissable conversation ahead of Glee 2025. As the UK’s most profitable garden centre group, Blue Diamond has become the sector’s benchmark for growth, ambition, and resilience.
In this candid discussion with Phil Wright and Kate Turner, Alan shares his no-nonsense perspective on:

• The acquisition of Barton Grange and why legacy, culture, and profitability matter in today’s market
• How Blue Diamond balances group scale with the local identity of iconic garden centres
• Why sustainable growth and customer focus must trump the “numbers game” of acquisitions
• The challenges of moving to peat-free compost and the role suppliers must play
• Opportunities to engage younger generations through houseplants and social media
• What loyalty data is teaching Blue Diamond about its customers — and how that will shape strategy to 2026

• His advice to other garden centre owners: focus, benchmark, and know your customer

Alan also speaks openly about the wider pressures facing retail, from wage inflation to government policy, and why keeping gardening at the heart of the business is non-negotiable.
And the conversation doesn’t stop here. Alan will be live at Glee 2025 in The Hive for an exclusive Q&A session hosted by Phil from The Underground Podcast. This is your chance to put the big questions directly to one of the sector’s most progressive leaders.
Submit your questions by Sunday 8th September: https://forms.office.com/e/ASZBwwS9wK
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear from Alan on the podcast, then continue the conversation at Glee.

In this episode of The Underground Podcast, Phil and Kate sit down with Nikki Burton, Managing Director, and Dr Victoria Wright, Technical Manager at Melcourt, the UK’s leading peat-free growing media company.

Melcourt has been at the forefront of sustainable horticulture for over 40 years, building its reputation on bark-based innovation, technical excellence, and consistent quality, epitomised by their RHS endorsement. Nikki and Victoria share the company’s journey from forestry roots to Royal Warrant holders, with insights into how they pioneered their peat-free products long before it became a national priority.

Listeners will discover:

• Why Melcourt has always been peat free and how its SylvaGrow range has become a benchmark for both professionals and home gardeners.

• The challenges of consumer education in a market where “peat free” often tells you what a product isn’t, rather than what it is.

• How consistency, raw ingredient knowledge, and supply chain expertise are critical to building trust in growing media.

• The importance of industry collaboration, from DEFRA to the Responsible Sourcing Scheme.

• Future opportunities and the role legislation, standards, and education will play in accelerating the industry-wide transition.

Packed with practical insights for garden centre teams, retail buyers, and brand marketers, this episode sheds light on one of the most debated issues in horticulture and highlights how Melcourt is helping shape the future of sustainable growing.

http://melcourt.co.uk/

Your hosts:

Phil Wright: ⁠⁠http://wrightobara.com⁠⁠

Kate Turner: ⁠⁠http://www.gardenerguru.co.uk

As the official podcast partner for Glee once again, The Underground Podcast kicks off our 2025 coverage with Steven May of JDM Country Products. Steven brings a unique perspective on how both exhibitors and buyers can get the most value from the UK’s leading garden trade show.
In this episode, Steven unpacks the power of smart sales techniques in garden retail — including his now-famous “Would you like fries with that?” analogy — and explains how upselling done right can transform profitability. He also shares practical advice for exhibitors on how to design a stand that stands out, and guidance for buyers on spotting the next big products on the show floor.
Whether you’re preparing to showcase your brand at Glee or planning your buying strategy, this episode offers invaluable insights to help you succeed at the biggest event in the garden sector calendar.

In this episode of The Underground Podcast, Phil and Kate welcome Anna Wili, Head of Marketing for the National Garden Scheme (NGS), a charity with almost a century of history opening gardens for good causes. Anna shares how the NGS began in 1927 as a way to fund district nursing, and how it’s grown to over 3,500 gardens opening each year, raising more than £74 million for nursing and health charities.
We explore the unique blend of horticulture, hospitality, and heart that makes garden visiting so special. From peeping behind rarely opened gates to enjoying a slice of homemade cake. Anna reveals how the NGS champions the link between gardens and wellbeing, the variety of gardens that take part (from manicured estates to wildlife havens), and the personal stories that bring each opening to life.
With the charity’s centenary celebrations in 2027 on the horizon, Anna also outlines exciting plans for brand partnerships with the garden industry, opportunities for garden centres and suppliers, and how professionals across the sector can get involved.
Whether you’re a garden centre owner, a manufacturer, or simply a passionate gardener, this episode is packed with insights into:

• How the NGS sustains a 100-year tradition of generosity and community spirit
• The role of gardens in health, biodiversity, and wellbeing
• Opportunities for collaboration and brand licensing in the run-up to the centenary
• How to become an NGS garden owner and why you shouldn’t be shy about your patch
• And of course, we discover which celebrity Anna would most like to see open their garden for charity…
  

Listen in and be inspired to throw open your own garden gates or work with the NGS to help them grow their impact even further.

National Garden Scheme: https://ngs.org.uk/

Your hosts:

Phil Wright: ⁠⁠http://wrightobara.com⁠⁠

Kate Turner: ⁠⁠http://www.gardenerguru.co.uk

In this episode of The Underground Podcast, Phil and Kate welcome back returning guest Scott Smith, who has just completed his thesis for the RHS Master of Horticulture (MHort). His subject? The hot topic of peat free compost, an issue that continues to challenge, frustrate, and divide gardeners and growers across the UK.
Scott shares insights from his self-funded, 14-week compost trial, comparing how different peat free products performed against traditional peat-based compost using Sungold tomatoes as his test crop. From nutrient lockout and NPK imbalances to the common mistake of overwatering due to dry surface layers, Scott’s findings are eye-opening for anyone navigating the peat free transition.
We talk about the challenges of standardisation, the need for clearer compost labelling, and the surprising results that saw B&Q Verve peat free compost outperform much more expensive brands. Whether you're a professional grower or a weekend gardener, this episode is full of practical tips, honest reflections, and some much-needed clarity around peat free gardening.
Highlights include:

• How Scott designed his home-grown compost trial
• Why NPK levels matter more than you think
• The risk of nutrient overload in certain peat free blends
• What compost brands performed best—and worst
• Real-world advice for switching to peat free with success
• What the industry needs to do next for gardeners to feel confident making the switch

Perfect for: Garden centre buyers, horticultural professionals, peat free product developers, and any gardener who’s ever asked: “Why won’t my plants grow in peat free?”

Your hosts:Phil Wright: ⁠⁠http://wrightobara.com⁠⁠Kate Turner: ⁠⁠http://www.gardenerguru.co.uk

In this episode of The Underground Podcast, Phil is joined by Beth Johnson, CEO of Umbrella, the promotions agency behind major campaigns for brands like Cadbury and Unilever. Together, they explore how the garden sector can borrow from the grocery playbook to drive footfall, shift stock, and boost brand engagement.

Beth shares:

• Why promotions are about more than discounts—and how they can build brand equity
  
• Real-world examples from FMCG, including VIP merch drops, cashback offers, and sports tie-ins
  
• How garden retailers could better use loyalty schemes and customer data
  
• Why personalisation is the future—and how brands should prepare
  
• Practical advice for running legally sound, high-impact promotions in physical and digital spaces

Whether you're a brand manager, garden centre buyer, or just curious about how to turn browsers into buyers, this episode is packed with insights on how promotions, done right, can spark growth.
Relevant for: garden brands, garden centres, product marketers, FMCG professionals, and anyone curious about shopper behaviour and brand-building.
For more on Beth's work: team-umbrella.co.uk

In this episode of The Underground, we dig into the story behind SeedSticks® with Jamie Gray of Sow Easy, a second-generation family business with an unexpectedly brilliant journey from razor blades and swords to sustainable seed-based gifting. Jamie shares how a quirky R&D project from the 1980s became a unique product that's now catching the eye of retailers, eco-conscious consumers, and budding gardeners across the UK.

We talk about the rise of gifting in gardening, the power of visual growing aids, and the challenges (and charm) of breaking into retail with something genuinely new. From compostable materials and clever point-of-sale to cocktail-themed herb packs and childhood nostalgia, this is a warm, insightful look at a business growing with intention and joy.

https://soweasy.com/retail/

In this episode, Kate and Phil sit down with Beth Anderson, a passionate plant health inspector and dedicated advocate for Young People in Horticulture. Beth shares her journey through the YPHA’s pilot Launch Success Challenge, a year-long initiative designed to equip under-35s with real-world marketing and branding skills for the horticultural industry.

From giving the humble Begonia an image makeover to pitching to industry leaders, and masterminding giant crepe paper flowers for Gardeners World Live, Beth talks candidly about teamwork, creativity, and why she believes the warmth and openness of horticulture makes it a truly unique place to build a career. Expect plenty of laughs, behind-the-scenes stories, and a dose of infectious enthusiasm that might just make you see begonias (and compost!) in a whole new light.

YPHA: https://www.ypha.org.uk/

Your hosts:

Phil Wright: ⁠⁠http://wrightobara.com⁠⁠

Kate Turner: ⁠⁠http://www.gardenerguru.co.uk

In the opening episode of Season 4, Phil and Kate discover the rich personal and professional journey of Will Armitage: agricultural and horticultural consultant, entrepreneur, and current President of the HTA (Horticultural Trades Association). From rebellious beginnings to helming his family’s sixth-generation business and ultimately championing the sector on a national stage, Will shares an absorbing story of tradition, adaptation and advocacy.

This episode explores the soul of horticulture, the people who make it thrive, the quiet power of collaboration in a competitive world, and the urgent need for government recognition. Will also lifts the lid on the HTA’s vital work: from policy lobbying and business benchmarking to the power of regional networking. Plus, a surprising tale involving Victorian oil paintings, greenhouse glass, and a tree that makes Will smile every time. It’s a conversation not to be missed.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/warmitage/

https://hta.org.uk

In this first episode of a two-part special from The Underground Podcast, hosts Kate and Phil dig into the root of the industry’s biggest environmental pivot—going peat free. With decades of dependency on this “gold standard” of growing media, why is it now so crucial to leave peat behind? And why is it proving so hard to replace?From the carbon cost of extraction to the slow regeneration of peatlands, this episode explores the environmental urgency driving the move away from peat. But this is no simple switch. Through conversations with leading scientists, manufacturers, campaigners, and trade leaders, we uncover what made peat so effective—and why sustainable alternatives must work harder to match its performance.Whether you’re a professional grower, a home gardener, or simply peat-curious, this episode lays the groundwork for understanding what’s at stake and what’s next in this growing media revolution. Episode 2 will pick up the trail, delving into the practical realities of making peat-free work.Featuring:Elaine Gotts – Research & Development Scientist, Levington / Evergreen Garden CareSimon Blackhurst – Horticulture ConsultantWill Scott – Team Leader, Heart of Eden (AHS Limited)Jane Hartley – Brand Portfolio Manager, Evergreen Garden CareSteve Harper – Chair, Responsible Sourcing Scheme & Managing Director, Southern TridentSally Nex – Environmental Gardener & Campaigner, Peat-Free PartnershipFran Barnes – Chief Executive, Horticultural Trades AssociationJane Lawler – Marketing Consultant & HTA Board MemberDan Durston – National Sales Director, Durston’sToby Thomas – Managing Director, RocketGro