Water management specialist ACO Technologies launch this month ACO Stabilisation Fabric – a new non-woven separation membrane which offers stockists a great opportunity to generate additional revenues from the expanding residential drainage market. The new fabric is designed to work with the award-winning ACO GroundGuard ground reinforcement system. By installing the Stabilisation Fabric above and below the sub-base layer aggregate migration during settlement is virtually eliminated, reducing total aggregate costs by up to 25% and improving the stability of the finished installation.

Introducing the exciting and innovative, award-winning range of stylish mats - Hug Rug™ – the world’s most environmentally friendly barrier mats, luxurious bamboo bathmats and pet beds – Snugs™.

Made in the UK, reducing carbon mileage, at a Carbon Trust approved plant, Hug Rug™ has an impressive list of eco-credentials. From sourcing recycled materials, eco-friendly manufacturing, consideration of daily use – the mats can be washed at 30°C, to the eventual disposal through recycling; Hug Rug™ is as environmentally friendly as possible.

Two varieties of tomato from Johnsons new World Kitchen range of vegetable seeds from around the globe performed particularly well on the company’s East Anglian trial grounds in the summer of 2009. Tomato Big Red F1, which was bred in Italy, produced very high yields of ‘beefsteak’ fruits in a greenhouse, with a flavour superior to that of other large fruited varieties which were also on trial.

Eco Coir are specialised suppliers of quality coco peat based growing solutions and are committed in protecting the non-renewable resource of peat bogs and replacing its line of growing products by coco peat. Coco peat (coir) is an excellent growing medium made from coconut husks, a waste product of the coconut industry. Coco peat is an ideal substitute for peat moss and has been increasingly used as a complete growing and rooting solution.

In many product sectors within the garden centre market the news remains positive and the potential is still strong. One such area is the candle market which in the UK continues to grow and offers plenty of scope, perhaps more so than in many other European markets. 

Between 2000 and 2006 the amount of candles used per person (measured by weight), increased by 40% to 0.21 kg. Yet compared to other northern European countries, the UK still has a long way to go. In Holland, for example, they use 3kg of candles per person per year with the Scandinavian countries not far behind. 

The Nuttery have launched an innovative range of wild bird feeders for fat/suet. The eagerly awaited Oval is available in 3 versions - Fatballs (as pictured), Suet Nuggets (which can also be used for peanuts) and Suet Blocks. All feeders are squirrel, cat and big bird proof and come with the unique Nuttery lifetime guarantee. Featuring locking handles and a removable food container for easy fill/clean, the Oval is designed to help attract a wild variety of bird and is suitable for year round feeding.