With over 400 exhibitors and 130 new brands exhibiting for the first time, this year’s show promised to be as busy and bustling as ever! Glee provide 8 carefully tailored product sectors that make it quick and easy to find suppliers who are right for you, 4 of which are most important to a company like GardenSite: Landscaping & Garden Decoration, Garden Care, Plants and Retail Experiences and Services.

David Coton, one of our long-standing Partners here at GardenSite, has religiously attended Glee every year since its establishment in 1974. This year, he has welcomed the return to a September date along with many other buyers and large-scale suppliers - not only does a September date flow more harmoniously with the industry’s natural timing of seasonal changes, but it also gives retailers like GardenSite ample time to reflect on the busy season as it draws to a close, and time to discuss what sort of preparations we would like to make for the year ahead.

We have to admit, what we look forward to most every year is connecting with our wonderful suppliers, most of whom are located all over the country with some even abroad.

Trent Kieser from Biohort on their stand at Glee

David’s first stop was to check in with the team at Biohort, one of our longest-standing and most trusted suppliers, who we recently collaborated with to exhibit at the 2024 RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. Biohort is an Austrian brand that has earned its place as Europe’s market leader for metal sheds and storage boxes. As such, we were honoured to team up with them for the week-long horticulture festival in London back in July. You can read about our partnership at the show in our blog: Event Overview: RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2024. At Glee, they showcased their new products, including the Pergola which not only provides shade but also creates the perfect space for a garden party or outdoor entertainment! It boasts a classic, timeless design and first-class workmanship. 

Biohort's innovative new Pergola

Next, we paid a visit to our colleagues at Eastern Connections, Ice and Jodie. We have had a very successful season retailing their excellent products, especially the natural stone range of water features. Our best-sellers include the Babbling Basalt Feature which was actually featured on ITV’s ‘Love Your Garden’ as well as the Natural Slate 50cm Sphere Water Feature. 

David from GardenSite with Ice and Jodie from Eastern Connections

David then said hello to some of our brilliant aquatic goods suppliers, including Hamac/Aqua Creations, Bermuda, Kelkay and IvyLine. It was exciting to see some of their new products that will be launching in 2025, including water features and preformed ponds.

Bob from Bermuda showing David around his stand

David then had the opportunity to meet Glee Event Director, Matthew Mein! David congratulated Matthew on the event's milestone 50th anniversary and discussed how the show has evolved over the years. Matthew emphasised the importance of staying up to date with the ever-changing gardening industry, quoting the following: 

“Our industry is constantly evolving, and Glee plays a crucial role in shaping the future of garden retail. By engaging with our community and understanding their needs, we can ensure that Glee continues to support our stakeholders effectively by providing a platform for growth, celebrating innovation and bringing the market together when it is needed most.“

David meets with Glee Event Director Matthew Mein

As impressive as ever, it’s safe to say that Glee is arguably the most important event for the gardening community because it brings the entire industry together. This year’s show was a fantastic event that provided the GardenSite team with the space to network with existing suppliers and establish potential connections and converse in face-to-face trading. We are already looking forward to next year's show!