Developing Business In The Garden Industry
HTA issues advice on Impatiens Downy Mildew
The HTA has issued an information sheet providing advice to garden retailers outlining the issue of Impatiens Downy Mildew and the need to promote alternative bedding plants this year.
Impatiens Downy Mildew is a fungal disease that causes yellowing leaves, leaf loss and death of Impatiens wallerinana, commonly known as Busy Lizzies, during wet weather and damp conditions. With 2011 being a particularly bad year for Downy Mildew young plant producers and wholesale nurseries have
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New product targets garden centre customers to boost sales
The HTA has launched the Garden Spender Location Report to help garden retailers improve their profits by describing and mapping gardeners and garden spending in their local area.
The report illustrates in maps, tables and charts, a defined area around the location of the store and pinpoints specific types of customers or ‘Garden Spenders’*. Providing a unique insight into the local consumer market for garden products, the information will allow garden retailers
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Camellia adds a splash of colour as February’s Plant of the Month
Camellia is the HTA’s Plant of the Month for February and is one of the most popular plants for adding a bright and vibrant splash of colour when there is little else flowering in the garden.
The range of flower colours is vast, from light pinks to dark reds and stunning whites, with single, double and other flower forms available such as peony and anemone. Depending on the cultivar, the flowers can be enjoyed from November through to April. They grow particularly well in a container provided
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New HTA report shows that there is still a growing appetite for garden centre catering
According to the latest HTA ‘KeyPoints’ report, garden centre catering continues to be a fast growing market with a 51% increase in the number of visits to garden centre cafes over the last three years
“Garden Centre Catering – growth and success”, launched this week, shows that catering is becoming an ever more important part of what garden centres do.
The report reveals that half of specialist garden retailers now offer catering, compared with 40% who offered it in 2008 and customers are flocking to them. In 2011 there were around 55 million visits to garden centre cafes, compared with 36 million in 2008.
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Workshops focus on how to engage with communities locally and online to grow business
A new series of HTA workshops focussing on garden centre initiatives that support and connect with local communities and online communities in the virtual world is set to start at the end of January.
The workshops, 'Engaging Communities & Growing Business Locally & Online' will demonstrate the importance of engaging with these key stakeholders and feature the latest market research and case studies from garden centres across the country.
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Celebrating 50 years young with a new smartphone app
The HTA has launched a new mobile version of the National Garden Gift Vouchers website in the scheme’s 50th anniversary year.
The new site enables customers with mobile devices such as Netbooks, iPads, iPhones, Blackberry, Android phones and other mobile and smartphone devices to find the nearest UK garden centre or garden retail outlet where they can buy and spend vouchers. The advanced search facility on the new site will
... Read More >>The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) is the trade association for the UK garden industry. It is dedicated to helping develop the industry and its member businesses, including most garden centres and other garden retailers, growers, landscapers, manufacturers and suppliers.