Event report Grower Awards and ornamental horticulture
Since its creation in 1936, the company
has really raised the profile of pinks and over the last 15 years has introduced a wide range of dianthus to the market. Hampshire-based Lowaters Nursery
Whetmans’ MD Carolyn Bourne receiving one of three awards
In March, over 400 people gathered to celebrate the best in ornamental and edible horticultural production at Haymarket’s Grower Awards at the Lancaster Hotel in London. Devon-based Whetman Pinks won the overall title of Ornamental Grower of the Year. It will go on to represent the UK at the International Grower of the Year Awards at the AIHP Congress in Canada this September. Whetman also took the title of BPOA Protected Ornamental Grower of the Year and Best New Variety, Herbaceous Perennials for Dianthus ‘Memories’ – which also won the 2011 New Plant Awards at the HTA National Plant Show. Commenting on the firm’s achievements, Whetman Pinks MD Carolyn Bourne said, ‘During the past six years, we’ve doubled turnover and profits. We produce 5.5 million cuttings a year, of which 22% is exported to mainland Europe. We feel that we are contributing to the UK’s renaissance as a manufacturing nation.’
took the title of Nursery Stock Grower of the Year. Under the Garden Beauty label, Lowaters produces a wide range of nursery stock, propagating around 70% onsite. They were awarded this prestigious prize not only for growing an exciting range of high quality plants, but for ‘growing them responsibly’, something that has always been important to Lowaters. The nursery is self sufficient in water and has a 50kW photovoltaic unit, supplying 30% of its electricity requirements. There is extensive recycling and the firm expects peat free production by 2014. In addition, the company relies heavily on biological and cultural controls rather than conventional pesticides. Lowaters also prides itself on its
Best New Variety: Bedding Plants Calibrachoa Superbells ‘Lemon Slice’
well-trained workforce. Employees are encouraged to do management courses and apprenticeships. Not surprisingly, staff retention is excellent with its 24-strong team having worked at the firm for an average of almost 10 years.
HTA award success Ornamental Grower of the Year Whetman Pinks BPOA Protected Ornamental Grower of the Year Winner – Whetman Pinks. Highly Commended – Kernock Park Plants Nursery Stock Grower of the Year Winner – Lowaters Nursery. Highly Commended – James Coles & Sons (Nurseries); Viking Nurseries Best New Variety: Bedding Plants Joint winners – Calibrachoa Superbells ‘Lemon Slice’, Kernock Park Plants/Proven Winners; Wallflower F1 Sugar Rush, Ball Colegrave/David Colegrave Foundation. Highly Commended – Strawberry F1 Toscana, ABZ seeds Best New Variety Herbaceous Perennials Winner – Dianthus ‘Memories’, Whetman Pinks. Highly Commended – Pennisetum ‘Vertigo’, Kernock Park Plants Employee of the Year Winner – James Moffatt, Container nursery manager, James Coles & Sons. Highly Commended – Carlos Guinand, Nursery manager, Majestic Trees; Luke Hughes-Burton, Assistant crop manager, VHB Herbs Business Innovation of the Year Winner – Treefinder, Majestic Trees. Highly Commended – GreenSky, Boningale Nurseries
The Lean effect…
Three of the winners across five of the categories at the Grower Awards cited Lean working as a contributing factor in their success. Whetman Pinks, James Coles & Sons and Lowaters Nursery have all undergone Lean training delivered by Gosport-based business Fedden USP. The company, which specialises in Lean training, has been able to assist garden centres and nurseries in a variety of ways and now has a new offering
which will benefit its clients further – the Lean Academy, which aims to train future Lean champions to have the skills, knowledge and confidence to make improvements to their own businesses. It is a hands-on course that shows participants the practical application of Lean principles in today’s business environment. Principal consultant of Fedden USP Neil Fedden explains, ‘Businesses are
likely to benefit from noticeably reduced lead times, productivity improvements and increased customer service levels; in fact, it is worth noting that business savings in excess of £30,000 per year are expected from each delegate attending the Lean Academy.’
_Further information on Lean training available from Fedden USP can be
found at
www.fedden-usp.co.uk HTAnews I May 2013 I
www.the-hta.org.uk 9
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