HortiTrends Weekly Comment & News Digest 17th Nov

GIYIreland are spreading their wings with the upcoming launch of a New Annual Glossy Magazine aimed at the Grow Your Own sector. If you are targeting that market then get your advert copy in before December 4th as according to Michael Kelly space is selling out fast. Advertising Opportunity With New GIY Ireland Magazine Diversifying from the on-line space where they communicate well with their members is a smart move for them and I foresee the publication turning into a monthly event. They continue to sell a range of horticulture related product on their web-shop and seem to have a loyal audience. They will need them.

Judging from the contacts that we have with businesses in the gardening sector, it is going to become very crowded on the online marketplace in Ireland. Many companies see it as an area of "guaranteed" growth. Some of the larger Irish co-op chains are also taking a serious look at the online end of the market with the advantage that they have fairly extensive chains of bricks and mortar stores for the "Shop & Collect" segment of their on-line sales. Garden related products can account for about 25% of a DIY's chains turnover so it is an area that they are going to fight hard to maintain and increase market-share by attempting to mimic garden centres in terms of staff quality/training and trying to create authentic links into the community.

To prove the point the gardening seed mail order company Marshalls are launching their first dedicated website in Ireland this month UK Mail Order Seed Company Delivers First Irish Website, which shows you that UK companies are very interested in the Irish market, especially when you consider the recent Bord Bia research that Home Food Growers Spend €20m on Seeds and Plants It will always be a market of interest that is on their front door and in their own language with the potential to add 10% to the bottom line based on population benchmarks.

Close to 60 designers/contractors attended the Bloom 2012 designers seminar. Great enthusiasm and interesting ideas pitched for Bloom 2012. Gary Graham or Bord Bia commented "While I have no illusions about the difficult job of work ahead on sponsorship we expect to be starting the process with a large pool of committed and talented designers and contractors which augurs well for the show". For those budding designers who want a TV profile and the fame and fortune that comes with it, then SuperGarden is currently recruiting for the upcoming series with the winner also earning the right to enter Bloom 2012 also.

Diarmuid Gavin is in the news again, as you will see in the two articles below, but for the wrong reasons. As I have said before, he delivered for his sponsors and if we had deep pockets as a country we would still be congratulating him. Its down to the organisations who decided it was a good use of money in the first place. A 2 million euro spend that will probably result in very few new tourists coming to Ireland. On the other hand Floriade 2012 which happens once every decade will have no Irish participation. With visitors in the millions being really influenced by the individual country pavilions showcasing what is best about each country it could result in new business and many new tourists for the country. Its not too late Bord Bia & Failte Ireland!

We have been contacted by three companies in the last week enquiring about advertising their Winter Maintainece Products & Services. We will be doing a feature on this sector so if you are interested in being included please contact us.

Also check out of latest Advertisements Offer which gives you a free month of advertisement but don't delay as you must book and pay before November 30th.

Thank you.

Joseph (Editor at HortiTrends)

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