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Gift ideas for 2020
GIMA members have unveiled their latest giſtware, homeware and tools with wildlife gardening products poised to drive sales growth
is particularly valuable to stockists during National Nestbox Week (14-21 February), which also coincides with Valentine’s Day for the bird lovers out there. Following the success of its BEES Grow Gifts
Stocking an eye-catching and tempting assortment of giſtware and homeware can boost footfall during the colder months early in the New Year. Both categories are buoyant at destination garden centres and, along with garden tools, are vital for keeping sales upbeat in the run up to the start of the gardening season. GIMA members are at the forefront of innovation – here’s a snapshot of their latest products that’ll inspire sales this spring. In the giftware category, Wildlife World is harnessing the power of technology with the launch of its wire-free Observation Camera. Wildlife World has also launched Gift Packs, which feature a selection of nest boxes, spotting guides, wildflower seeds and nutritious food – ideal for boosting sales in the run-up to Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Wildlife products are key for Henry Bell, too. The company’s Tim Cole, explains: “The decorative collection from our Wild Bird Range offers the perfect gift for garden bird lovers ahead of Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter. Inspired by nature, the collection is a stunning range of plant and flower themed garden bird feeders that are colourful, vibrant and elegantly packaged.” According to Craig Hall, director of Deco-
Pak, the company’s Garden Shed Birdhouse – which features a 32mm opening for attracting smaller birds such as wrens, tits and finches – “makes a great gift box”. Hall points out that it
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over autumn, G Plants has launched a range of outdoor growing gifts for spring planting; ideal for Mother’s Day and boosting bank holiday sales in April. Planters are filled with growing medium and seeds or bulbs, making the perfect gift. Primus, a brand of A Perry, supplies hundreds of handcrafted gifts for the home and garden. Marketing manager, Mark Bignell, said: “We have expanded on our licensed ranges to include RSPB hand-carved wooden birds, emoji metal wall plaques and the iconic Gromit from Wallace & Gromit joins Shaun and Timmy in our garden sculptures.”
Darlac, known for cutting tools, is blurring the lines between giftware and containers with its new WaterMe pot, an intelligently designed watering product. The pot can ‘advise’ when more water should be added to the reservoir through a water level indicator, so plants are kept in the best of health.
Crafts play an important role in gift departments. Caroline Thornborough, director of Thorndown, explains: “Thorndown’s new Stencil Craft Packs make crafting easy, allowing budding artists, up-cyclers and home crafters to create fabulous pieces with minimum effort. Packs are competitively priced for the hobby market with an attractive sleeve design, while POS helps to sell packs easily.”
Giftware can cross over into homewares, too. Maxine Finnegan, Manager at Garden Pride Marketing, says: “Our Wellington Boot Stands are the perfect gift and accessory for the style- conscious home. Designed to be sophisticated yet versatile, stands come in a variety of sizes to
suit all families. They are handcrafted to be sturdy and practical. Retailers can display them with ease and they’re perfect for any season.” In the homewares category, Primeur, the doormat supplier in the UK, is reporting strong demand for its eco-friendly doormats with both the Scrap n’ Sorb and Contours ranges offering backings made from recycled rubber. The Contours mats, part of the Mighty Mats range, are proving a winner by offering customers a robust utility doormat which is heavy weight and an excellent scraper. Both product ranges are ideal for indoor and outdoor use, increasing their sales appeal. Tools help to generate vital revenue under cover in winter, and it’s a sector that’s ripe with innovation. Fallen Fruits has embraced the trend for house plants by developing an extensive range of specialist tools and sundries. Burgon & Ball has announced expansions to
its range, too. Rainer Schubert, managing director at Burgon & Ball, explains: “The new ‘National Trust made by Burgon & Ball’ collection results from our major new collaboration with Europe’s largest conservation charity. This high-carbon range of garden tools uses traditional manufacturing techniques and offers a distinctive heritage feel.” The design-led Sophie Conran collection features the addition of large tool and large cutting categories to create a comprehensive range.
Finally, iTip Handles is promoting its award winning product as the spring gardening season gets underway. Andy Hill, marketing executive at iTip Handles, says: “iTip Handles are the safest and easiest way to move and tip a loaded wheelbarrow. They reduce the chance of backache, wrist and jarring injuries, while giving the ability to complete tasks more comfortably and quickly.”
GCU January/February 2020
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