News Comment
Spring is just around the corner... people are starting to get back out into their gardens and garden centres and nurseries are getting their plantareas ready for what will, hopefully, be a busy season. Our ‘Spring into summer’ PR campaign (see page 3), which was well received at the Garden and Home Press event in February, highlights key topics and areas of interest for the media to focus on to help create a real buzz about gardening in 2013. Garden Re-Leaf Day on 8 March provides the perfect opportunity to kick-start the season and encourage customers to start thinking about their gardens. It’s also been heartening to see so many businesses across the supply chain use this event to raise funds for Greenfingers. In the wake of the horsemeat scandal, consumers are showing an increased desire for authentic and locally grown produce. As an industry, this is an area that we have an affinity with and I think local provenance will play an increasingly important role as we move forward, not only with regard to the produce we sell, but also the plants. Of course, the hope is that it will also encourage more people to have a go at growing their own fruit and vegetables. So, if you stock local make sure you let your customers know! I would like to take the opportunity to highlight to
HTA members the invaluable service that is available to them through the advice lines that we provide through partner organisations (see page 19). From pensions, property and planning to legal, transport, VAT and security there really is a wealth of knowledge just a phone call away.
Carol Paris HTA Director general
Horticultural Trades Association Horticulture House, 19 High St, Theale, Reading RG7 5AH t 0118 930 3132 f 0118 932 3453
e
media.office@the-hta.org.uk If you would like to reproduce anything from HTA News, please contact the HTA for permission. While every care is taken that all information inside the magazine is correct, prices and details may be subject to change. The HTA reserves the right to shorten or modify material submitted for publication. The HTA takes no responsibility for claims made in advertisements or advertisement features in the magazine.
Heathers are bloomin’ HTA specialist group meeting
At the latest meeting of the British Heather Growers’ Association (BHGA), held at RHS Wisley, members heard about plans to hold an AGM trial on heathers. AGM Trials development manager Mark Heath explained that the trial, planned for autumn 2014, will take place across three sites. Members of the BHGA and the British Heather Society are involved in identifying suitable heathers to take place in the trial, alongside existing AGM heathers. John Hall, Chair of the BHGA, commented, ‘We are delighted heathers are going to undergo AGM trials. They are such versatile plants and can provide real texture and interest to all gardens. Heathers are a great wildlife plant providing a year-round food source for pollinators.’ He added, ‘We are keen to look at ideas to encourage gardeners to think outside the box and use heathers more in mixed planting schemes. The display put together by the plantarea staff at the RHS Wisley Plant Centre really helped to show customers how versatile heathers can be as companion plants.’
The BHGA is open to new members – growers and retailers.
_Do you have a heather champion in your garden centre? Do you run seasonal heather displays? We are looking
for examples of good practice with regard to heather merchandising. If you can help, please contact the HTA media office on 0118 930 3132 or email
media.office@the-hta.org.uk
HTA editorial team Gill Ormrod and Angela Bean Editorial Christine Dyer Design Chris Pearce, Propel Design
www.propel.co.uk Printed by Buxton Press Advertising Sarah Cottle, Viridis Media t 01780 763 041/0773 606 1255 e
sarah@viridismedia.co.uk HTA Commercial manager Tim Bell t 07808 775177 e
tim.bell@
the-hta.org.uk
Cover image Bright Spark
www.brightspark.co.uk
4 HTAnews I March 2013 I
www.the-hta.org.uk
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