John Robinson Houseplants moves and changes name to House Plants Direct

John Robinson Houseplants has moved from Romsey to West Parley, near Bournemouth International Airport, and has changed its name to House Plants Direct Ltd.
The sister company to the Golden Acres Group now occupies space at the group’s main nursery.
House Plants Direct imports and sells a variety of house plants and is best known for its own-produced ranges of coloured sand planters – called Simply Sand – which are hand-produced onsite.
The company employs nine staff, plus additional pre-Christmas temporary staff.
Director John Robinson said: “The move will allow for greater efficiencies and improved service.”
House Plants Direct was the original limited company name while it traded under the brand name of John Robinson Houseplants.
www.golden-acres-nursery.co.uk   Photography by Phil Dowding

GAN: early exhibitor bookings are positive

Among the first exhibitors to book for GAN 2011, which takes place on February 9, are Kernock Plants, LBS Horticulture, H.Smith Plastics and Woodland Horticulture.

Plant propagator Kernock Plants says GAN is a key show in its calendar: “It is an excellent time of year for us to show some of the alpine and spring range of plants at their best... and an excellent opportunity to showcase our new additions.”

Horticulture product distributor LBS Horticulture has attended the show for a number of years and: “... we find it an excellent way to touch base with some of our local customers as well as finding a few more. The success of this show means we always re-book straight after.”

Horticultural container manufacturer H. Smith Plastics books early for GAN in order to obtain a stand in its usual place so that existing customers can find them easily. “We think it is a reasonably-priced show held early in the year so growers can use any new products for that spring.”

And growing media supplier Woodland Horticulture says it has always found GAN provides an ideal platform for meeting landscapers, growers and garden centres located throughout the Wessex area: “The friendly and informal atmosphere has enabled us to effectively develop new business.”

GAN show director Simon Edwards said: “The 2011 event is shaping up extremely well and its range of plants and products will be wider than ever. Exhibitors are very positive for next season and the show’s timing fits so well in their marketing plans.”

The one-day southern horticultural trade show GAN will place next year on Wednesday February 9 and its website is now live with full exhibitor’s information and online booking.

It takes place at Dorset’s Golden Acres Nursery near Bournemouth International Airport. For information visit www.ganshow.com

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Picture:  Kernock Plants will introduce four new Erysimums at GAN 2011 along with the new pink Iberis ‘Absolute Amethyst’, pictured.

Golden Acres: garden centres invest in new training diploma

Garden centres are investing in a new training diploma that will help them provide the best customer service and advice.
Staff from Golden Acres' four garden centres at West Parley, Three Legged Cross, Landford and Cadnam are studying for the Horticultural Trade Association’s (HTA) newly-launched Garden Retail Diploma.
Group plant area co-ordinator Emma Green said: “It’s a brand-new qualification and covers every aspect of running a garden centre. We are keen to develop our staff for the future good of the business as well as to provide the best service we can to our customers.
 “The diploma will give staff a broad understanding of the whole of the retail operation and improve their horticultural knowledge, all in one qualification.
“We know that businesses who invest in training for their staff are more efficient, have less waste, and are able to assist their customers better. You are only as good as your staff, so we are very happy to add this new diploma to the range of training we offer our people.”
The HTA’s new diploma is the only specialist qualification in the garden retail industry and gives garden centre staff the opportunity to develop the specialist knowledge and skills they need to become sales professionals.

www.golden-acres-nursery.co.uk    Photography by Phil Dowding
www.the-hta.org.uk

Picture:   (left to right:) Michelle Savage, Chris Woods, Gemma Sparrowhawk and Alix Gibbins from the Golden Acres group of garden centres, who are studying for a new garden retail qualification - the HTA’s Garden Retail Diploma. With mentors David Goble and and Emma Green.

GAN awards now open for entries

Exhibitors heading for GAN 2011 on February 9 are being invited to enter for the show’s range of awards.
The three award categories are:
• Best New Plant Variety, including new flower, plant or plant material in any form, for example seeds, young plants and plugs;  
• Best Technical Product or Service, which includes professional products such as machinery, equipment, materials and services;
• Best New Retail Product, including equipment and services for garden centres and products for resale;
Entry for each section is free to exhibitors and will be judged on the day, with awards presented in a ceremony during the afternoon of the show. Judges will also tour the stands to make the ‘Best Stand’ award.
Director Simon Edwards said: "New plants and products are a vital element of GAN and are of major interest to visitors. We love the enormous range and variety of new items on show.”
The one-day southern horticultural trade show GAN will place next year on Wednesday February 9 and its website is now live with full exhibitor’s information and online booking.
It takes place at Dorset’s Golden Acres Nursery near Bournemouth International Airport.
For information visit www.ganshow.com
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Picture: Winner of best new plant at GAN 2010 was Kilworth Conifers with its hardy Podocarpus ‘Guardsman’, a new conifer with a distinctive erect, conical shape to be released for sale in 2011. It was seen for the first time at GAN.

Groveley Detection to exhibit at oil & gas show Adipec 2010 in Abu Dhabi

Hazard detection specialist Groveley Detection is to exhibit at oil and gas industry trade exhibition Adipec in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, during November.
Christchurch-based Groveley Detection is a manufacturer and supplier of gas and fire detectors for the petrochemical industry and aims to increase its presence in the Middle East market. It already supplies extensively to the UK, European, Caspian and SE Asian regions.
On show for the first time at Adipec will be Groveley’s new GDU-Incus, the latest addition to its range of ultrasonic pressurised gas leak detectors. The hemispherical airborne leak detector has extended area coverage, plus features such as self testing and cleaning and it is even submersible.
www.groveley.co.uk   Photography by Phil Dowding

Poppy feeds carnivorous plant

Carnivorous plants on show at Golden Acres Garden Centre fascinated young visitor Poppy Boswell (4) – who quickly found a dead fly to test them out.
A Pitcher plant wasn’t tempted but a Venus Flytrap quickly snapped shut on the insect!
The Landford centre’s display includes plants using all five basic trapping mechanisms:
• Pitfall traps (Pitcher plants) which trap prey in a rolled leaf that contains a pool of enzymes or bacteria which digest the insect,
• Flypaper traps using a sticky substance to catch insects,
• Snap traps that catch flies with rapid leaf movements,
• Bladder traps that suck in prey,
• Lobster-pot traps which force prey to move towards an area with inward-pointing hairs which stop the insect escaping.
Carnivorous plants supplement their nutrients from trapping and consuming fauna, typically insects. They grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, such as acidic bogs and rock outcroppings.The display is touring all four of the group’s garden centres at Landford, West Parley, Cadnam and Three Legged Cross.

www.golden-acres-nursery.co.uk   Photography by Phil Dowding

Royal Bay Dorset care homes: going for Gold Standard

Staff at a Corfe Mullen care home - Forest Hill House - have welcomed a new government accreditation for care homes that they say will have positive impact on the quality of life for care home residents.
Jules Dove, registered manager at Forest Hill House said: “Gold Standard Framework (GSF) is a very positive move in the care industry – one of the best changes for a long time and we are happy to work towards accreditation, which takes around two years.
“GSF is a process to attain high standards for end-of-life care – it’s all about staff, residents and their relatives working together to improve the residents’ comfort, peace-of-mind and quality of life while they live in the home.
“For instance, we already have an activities co-ordinator who organises internal and external events, including outings to places of local interest - and daily activities including gardening in raised garden beds, which is possible even from a wheelchair.
“Significantly, GSF also establishes better collaboration with GPs, primary care teams and specialists. ”
Jules is also group development manager of Royal Bay Care Homes, which owns and operates Forest Hill House. Its other two Dorset care homes – Castle Farm Retirement Home in Lytchett Matravers and Larks Leas Rest Home in Blandford Forum – are also preparing for GSF accreditation.
She said: “It is already working really well here, with all our staff getting involved and enjoying the process of accurately matching service to residents’ wishes and needs.
“We focus on living longer and living better. We find out what people love doing and ensure they continue that wherever possible while they are residents with us – their wishes are vital.
“It helps their confidence that they will always be looked after well, and their relatives enjoy the support framework we provide for them.”
Forest Hill House is a historic and architecturally-important country manor set in 15 acres of gardens and woodlands with views over Poole Bay and the Purbecks. Described as a care home with nursing, it has 33 residents and 50 staff.
www.royalbay.co.uk

3D home video: new screw-mount assembly converts camcorders to 3D

Virtually anyone owning a camcorder will soon be able to film in 3D with a new screw-mount camcorder lens assembly, says the company developing it.
Research and development company Stereoscopic Optical Systems says its dual lens system, mounted on the lens filter thread of a normal camcorder, produces true stereoscopic 3D home movies that can be shown on a 3D screen within minutes.
The product could be available to consumers within 12 months - but that’s subject to the developers finding collaborative or joint-venture interest to enable the unit to be mass-manufactured.
Managing director Russell Wilson said: “It’s a passive optical system that produces continuous, sharp 3D images in a way that will bring costs down for equipment manufacturers.”
www.stereoscopic3dimages.com     Photography by Phil Dowding

Groveley Engineering Precision wins SC21 bronze award

Groveley Engineering Precision has been presented a Bronze award from the SC21 programme, an aerospace and defence supplier accreditation - only the second in Dorset.
SC21 (National Action Plan for 21st Century Supply Chains) is a change programme which aims to accelerate the competitiveness of the UK's defence and aerospace industry by raising the quality performance of its supply chains.
It has made only 27 bronze awards around the country. Groveley’s award was presented at Farnborough 2010, where it was exhibiting.
In the process of qualifying for the award, Christchurch-based Groveley gained instant benefits in staff and workflow efficiencies – leading to extra capacity.
It trained its entire workforce to a minimum NVQ2 level in BIT (Business Improvement Techniques), which focuses on lean manufacturing and continuous improvement. It teaches the workforce how to identify and eliminate waste, create flow and improve quality leading to greater efficiency and increased profitability.
Managing director Peter Bennet said: “We have supplied precision engineered components to the aerospace and defence markets for 40 years and signed up to SC21 to improve our position in the supply chain.
“Our staff were brilliant and really bought into it and as a result are a more cohesive workforce that understands the business strategy.
“With efficiency up, we have created extra capacity to take on more precision engineering work. And on top of that we are now achieving 100 per cent on-time delivery.
“The award has a lot of credibility - as a direct result we are now in discussions with new defence and aerospace companies which we hope will lead to new contracts.
“Now we have gained the bronze SC21 award, we’re moving on to silver and gold levels.”
www.groveley-precision.co.uk
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Picture:  Groveley’s Peter Bennet (centre) and Stuart Leaper (left) with SC21’s Russ Armitage

Groveley Detection: first remotely-operated gas detection aspirator

A gas storage facility in Germany is the first site to install Groveley Detection’s new remotely-operated gas detection aspirator system.
Designers at hazard detection specialist Groveley developed the system to monitor potential methane gas leaks at a regeneration gas-fired heater, which dries gas that has been stored in underground storage caverns before being fed into the main grid.
Managing director Robert Bennet said: “Remote operation from a control room means personnel can avoid going into the hazardous area during operation, which can reach temperatures of 800°C.
“It also allows the system to be used intermittently – only when the heater is in operation – and to automate the system’s line purge to clean the sample line with compressed air.”
The aspirator incorporates Simtronics GD-10P gas detectors.
Photography by Phil Dowding   www.groveley.co.uk

GAN 2011 is open for exhibitor bookings

The southern horticultural trade show GAN will take place next year on Wednesday February 9 and its website is now live with full exhibitor’s information and online booking.
Last year the exhibition attracted visitors from sectors such as growers, wholesale nurseries, garden centres and landscapers.
UK and European exhibitors included plant growers, seed companies, nursery equipment, ventilation systems, natural stone, garden products packing suppliers and irrigation systems.
Director Simon Edwards said: "Already 107 exhibitors are booked for GAN ‘11, with over 160 companies expected, many of which will launch new products and previously unseen plants. Last year was our best and busiest show ever, and 2011 already looks like it will exceed it."
It takes place at Dorset’s Golden Acres Nursery near Bournemouth International Airport.
For information visit www.ganshow.com       Photography by Phil Dowding

Golden Acres: Lisa Philp-Vieira appointed assistant group catering manager

The Golden Acres group has appointed Lisa Philp-Vieira in a new position of assistant group catering manager for its four garden centres.
Lisa was formerly catering manager at Poole Stadium, then head chef at AFC Bournemouth, following years of experience in restaurants and hotels.
She said: “I’m discovering what little gems the cafes and coffee shops are in Golden Acres; the quality is extremely high and each has its own style and ambience.”
Photography by Phil Dowding   www.golden-acres-nursery.co.uk

New management team workshops

New Forest Hotels

Management development company KJ Associates has launched a new service - practical management team workshops that focus on current issues within an organisation.

The half-day programmes are run every six months with an organisation’s management teams to enable them to focus on their strengths and weaknesses in team working during real, current issues.

The concept began as an experiment at one of Ringwood-based KJ Associate’s clients, New Forest Hotels, where one of the general managers was aware that her team’s management of time was not particularly good.

A successful workshop for the team was developed and then rolled out for the four hotels in the group, where now the whole management team attends each session for its hotel.

Managing director at New Forest Hotels, Michaela Lisle, said: “All our managers are benefiting from the workshops. The biggest advantage has been increased communication and a greater understanding of the dynamics of their own teams.

“This has had a positive effect on their team organisation, which in turn has benefited the staff and guest experiences. A management team that works together towards common goals makes for a happy team, improves the morale – and guests benefit from a happier team looking after them.

“Other organisations will benefit from investing in a similar process, as it gives your management team the ability to structure training themselves. They can deal with current issues that are affecting their team performance in a facilitated environment. All businesses strive to be proactive instead of reactive – these sessions nip any potential management team issues in the bud!”

Katie Jones of KJ Associates said: “This is relevant to management teams operating in any form of business or organisational environment, and in any industry. It is entirely focussed on real issues and learning from day-to-day events rather than theory.= - which makes it highly effective.”

www.kj-associates.co.uk

Groveley Detection: 600th gas aspirator

Hazard detection specialist Groveley Detection has shipped its 600th gas detection aspirator.
Christchurch-based Groveley has supplied its gas detection aspirators (sampling systems) to oil, gas and energy installations around the world since 1993, monitoring potentially lethal smoke, flame and toxic gases.
This unit - to be installed at ATCO Power’s Muskeg River cogeneration plant in Alberta, Canada - will monitor a gas turbine enclosure for potential methane leaks. It is the latest aspirator of five supplied to ATCO Power in Canada for gas turbine monitoring.
The 170-megawatt gas-fired power station provides steam and electricity to the Muskeg River Mine, with surplus electricity sold to the Power Pool of Alberta. Energy from the turbines’ hot exhaust gas is captured for use in the mine’s bitumen extraction process.
Groveley’s system includes three high-temperature (up to 185ºC) duct probes, which monitor different areas of ducting from the turbine by drawing gas samples to the aspirator cabinet and its three methane detectors.
The Muskeg River station's design enables it to generate electricity with minimal effect on the environment. Both of the gas turbines are equipped with low NOx combustors to minimise the environmental impact of generating electricity.
And it turns 84% of the natural gas's potential energy into electricity and steam - compared to an average of 33% achieved by conventional power stations - while emissions of greenhouse gases are about one-third of a similarly-sized coal-fired power station.
www.groveley.co.uk

John Browns Garden Centre: customers are getting younger

New figures at John Brown Garden Centre in Three Legged Cross, Dorset, show its customers are getting younger.
It’s not that older customers are reducing in numbers, says centre manager Jeremy Green, but that popularity has increased enormously since a refurbishment was completed 15 months ago, and new customers in the 45-60 age group are being attracted.
Figures for garden centres across the UK show a strong predominance in the over-60 group – gardening tends to be an older person’s past-time – and that’s still true at John Browns but research has revealed a gradual, but clear, shift.
Figures taken four times during the last 12 months show the percentage of of under-60s customers increased in that period from 28 per cent to 41 per cent.
Jeremy said: “We enjoy a close relationship with our over-60s customers, but at the same time it’s encouraging to see so many families visiting the centre.
“The new, modern style at the centre plays a significant part, as does the range of plants and products which we offer. There are also 13 concessions onsite offering a huge range of other products and services from electric bikes to a hair salon.
‘This year a lot of families haven’t gone away on holiday, so they have wanted to spend more time in their gardens.
‘Another reason for the shift we feel has been the re-emergence in popularity of grow-your-own vegetables and fruit, which attracts young couples and families in particular.”
John Browns is part of the Golden Acres group.
Photography by Phil Dowding.  www.golden-acres-nursery.co.uk