You know the saying “ I have seen it all ” , well walking round Glee ( the 36^th year for this annual Garden and Leisure Trade Show) I came across something a little different. I usually avoid putting my foot in large dollops of cow pat when walking my dog in the fields of Sussex, but why didn’t I think of using the cow pat to make bio degradable plant pot!

Having walked round two large halls and feeling a little under inspired, I turned a corner and was met by the sight of a large Fresian cow ( not real I might add)  surrounded by little packets of pots made from their manure. Perhaps it would have been more interesting if the cow had been real though!

Last year I had been disappointed when I had visited Glee and wasn’t sure whether it was worth going back, but although not as big a show this year, I did gather some useful information on a few new exhibitors and spent time  talking in detail to some manufacturers about particular products. Westminster Stone launched their new National Trust Collection and had such a lovely trade stand, it put many show gardens to shame. In fact they won the award for Best Garden Design stand.

I wasn’t able to attend any of the Hothouse Seminars but there were a good list of speakers with talks on promoting and marketing a landscape business to a garden industry question time and attracting the next generation of gardener. The new product awards feature the latest innovations from leading brands in the industry. I always feel that this section is a bit lost and a bit dull and should be a highlight. The McCulloch chainsaw C2340 won the best Machinery product, Swallow won the Garden Leisure award for the Signet Greenhouse, Javado for the Best Plants with a hardy garden orchid, Scotts Miracle Gro Round Up Gel won for Garden Care and the Green Innovation award went to Slug Cone.

There is an innovators zone , garden angels who are there to help six new products launch into the garden or pet industry ( there is a whole pet section at the show), a new planteria section and a competition to see who can do the best merchandising.

Garden furniture did not feature as much  which may be a reflection of over buying by many garden centres over the past few years .But a great deal of exhibitors must be expecting a very cold winter as along with their normal merchandise they were promoting many solutions to melting ice and snow.