New Ideas at the Garden Press Event

For those of us in the gardening media, the season really starts with the annual Garden Press Event in London.

Part trade show, part chance to catch up with colleagues, it’s always a busy day with plenty to see and lots to chat about.

This year, saw several new exhibitors as well as familiar faces with some interesting products on show. Here are just a few of the things that caught my eye.

Talking compost

My family find it funny that I can get so excited about new compost ranges but, as every gardener knows, good growing literally starts at ground level.

The move towards peat-free has seen several new brands enter the market and one at the GPE was Heart of Eden, a range of composts and soil improvers made in Penrith.

The mix uses composted bark, compost made from green waste and coir to add water retention. Green waste can come with its own problems but Nathan Fletcher from the firm assured me that it is thoroughly sieved to remove plastics and heated to get rid of any residual herbicides.

“It should clear 99.9% of weedkiller,” he said.

I’m going to be sent some of this to trial and I will be putting it to the test this summer.

Water-wise gardening

Given the recent downpours, it may be hard to think about collecting rainwater but come summer I know I will be glad of every drop in the water butts.

They’re not always the most attractive or easy to use though and an idea from The Dipping Tank Company aims to solve that.

These contemporary aluminium tanks double as a water feature and source of water for dipping a can into – so much quicker than waiting for it to fill from a tap.

They come in a range of sizes and there are accessories, such as stands for plants or a waterfall, so you can personalise it.

A clever idea that impressed those assembled winning it the new product of the year award.

Gardening with children

Trying to encourage the next generation to garden is something that’s we all want to encourage and these rather cute plot markers from Burgon & Ball aim to do just that.

They come with a length of twine to mark out a child’s plot and there are flower markers as well as these veg.

The collection, which includes tools, is backed by online information to help parents who want to garden with their children.

Seed-sowing

Growing from seed is one of the best bits of gardening and it was good to meet up with a company that I’d not come across before.

Premier Seeds Direct sells direct to gardeners rather than via garden centres and relies on ‘word of mouth’ to get its name known.

The firm prides itself on top quality seed, a wide range, including many organic varieties, and a good price.

It’s another product I will be putting to the test this year and I may well be trying them in these new seed starting trays from Germie, which unclip to allow seedlings to be easily removed.

The honeycomb kits come in three different sizes and are made from recycled plastic with a UV protector added to make them last longer.

Hortiwool

Using sheep’s wool in gardening isn’t new – Dalefoot (reviewed here) have been adding it to their compost for many years – and I’ve tried slug repellent wool pellets in the past. However, the wool pads from Hortiwool are more versatile.

Uses include deterring slugs, protecting from frost, capillary matting and as a liner for pots and hanging baskets, which is what I did. The basket was planted up with some violas from Ball, who produce plants for the industry.

Natural protection

Sheep’s wool is also used in a wood and rust protection spray made by Andermatt but it was their plastic-free fleece that I liked. Made from plant material, it should last at least two seasons.

Other things I spotted at the Garden Press Event included this watering can from Westland Horticulture with a clever flip-up rose – no more hunting around for it.

The pretty pots on the Crocus stand were getting many compliments.

This battery-operated hand-pruner was demonstrated by one of the Stiga team and dramatically cut through a branch of about 2cm with absolute ease. I will be reviewing this later in the season.

How cute are these egg boxes full of bulbs. There are four different collections – two of tulips, one narcissi and one allium – and they are available from Taylors Bulbs who will be unveiling a new daffodil, N. ‘King Charles’, at this year’s Chelsea.

Also new for 2024 were two lovely clematis from Raymond Evison Clematis. ‘Guernsey Flute’ (pictured top of page) holds its flower buds just open for a while, giving it the appearance of a champagne flute. ‘Lindsay’ has deep purple/blue flowers with striking red anthers.

Finally, a bit of fun from online plant seller Roots Plants who challenged us to draw a Latin name out of a bag and match it to the correct plant. Possibly a reckless challenge at a Garden Press Event full of gardeners.

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