“Alexa, start the lawnmower”. “Alexa, water the borders and vegetable patch”. “Alexa, order me a pack of Miracle-Gro”. Turn back the clock by a decade and such voice commands would have been dismissed as the plot of a sci-fi movie. Now, AI and smart technology that has revolutionised our homes is set to transform the way the nation tends its flowers, fruit, lawns and vegetables. High-tech app-controlled kit and robotic gadgets that promise to make gardening easier are taking the garden retail market by storm. Continue reading →

With catering and food sales continuing to offer major add-on profit opportunities for garden centres, leading garden trade show Glee (10^th – 12^th September, NEC Birmingham), will be offering retailers extensive inspiration at the newly introduced Taste Village.   Continue reading →

In an exciting move to help build Glee’s ongoing relationships with consumer media and their readers, it has been confirmed that Grow Your Own magazine will once again be bringing its annual Great British Growing Awards to Glee 2019. Continue reading →

As the leading trade show for the garden and outdoor leisure sector, Glee is a key date in the calendar. With just five months to go until the doors open on the 2019 event (10^th – 12^th September, NEC Birmingham), the show’s organisers confirm that this year’s exhibition will be a bigger and more vibrant showcase of the best the industry has to offer. Continue reading →

Britain has always been a nation of animal lovers. Now, we’re an island of truly pampered furry friends – with animals no longer regarded as pets, but one of the family. Even in turbulent economic times, Brits are putting pets’ wellbeing before their own – and that’s music to the ears of pet accessory retailers. Continue reading →

The horticultural heart of the exhibition, Glee Plants, showcases an extensive range of plants, trees and shrubs from UK and international suppliers. To date a host of brands – of all sizes – have confirmed their presence at the September show (10^th – 12^th September, NEC Birmingham), bringing with them the best new plant varieties for the season ahead. Continue reading →

Retail success stories seldom hit the headlines with the UK gripped by Brexit jitters – but the nation’s garden centres are riding on the crest of a wave. While Britain’s High Streets are facing economic headwinds that have seen big name retailers consigned to history, garden centres are bucking the trend and experiencing healthy levels of growth. Continue reading →

The beating heart of Glee, the Glee New Product Showcase provides a one-stop-shop for all the latest product innovations from around the show. Each year 11 products are selected as winners by a panel made up of leading industry figures and gardening experts. Six months have now passed since the 2018 winners were crowned, making it the perfect time to catch up with some of the brands to find out how the award has helped grow business, and to see what 2019 has in store. Continue reading →