Friday 12 February 2016

6 months

We're about halfway through our Homebase Garden Academy year.  The experience so far has been amazing.  On the road we've helped transform an abandoned BBC garden, whilst almost completing an Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) Level 1 Practical Horticulture qualification.  We've had our minds opened to garden planning and design with Adam Frost.  We've visited market leading suppliers, enabled and informed to relay the information to customers and colleagues.  In our own stores, we've stormed through Christmas, and the preparation for the peak Easter season.  We've taken cuttings, divided bulbs, cultivated ground, and seeded soil at Birmingham's historical Botanical Gardens.

The Evergreens (pictured) might be the smallest of this year's Academy groups, but the shared experience has brought the team together.


So what happens in the second half? Well, we don't know for certain.  There is talk of a charity project, with an Academy competition to design the space.  We have the City & Guilds recognised Garden Licence to complete.  Two further seasons of learning in our stores including the colourful and busy Spring and Summer.  There are a host of suppliers to visit around the UK as well.  We might even be able to pursue the RHS Level 2 qualification.  Its going to be a fascinating time.

Wednesday 10 February 2016

Visiting Fiskars

The market leading garden tool manufacturer and supplier, Fiskars, received a visit from the Homebase Garden Academy last month at their showroom in Birmingham.  Account manager Steve introduced us to the brands the Finnish owned firm operate, and what a diverse range of brands too!  The business are big players in several global markets: kitchen utensils, crafting and outdoor equipment to name a few.  However, we were there to get to grips with the Fiskars garden selection.  If there is a chopping, cultivating or cutting task in the garden, Fiskars appear to have it covered.  It is very interesting to hear about the revolution in weeding, the differing European attitudes to innovation, the new Fiskars 'Light' range of digging and cultivation tools.  

The business mission is to make even the simplest things can be made better and smarter.  For a company that traces it's routes back to the 17th century, that is a very progressive ambition.  Even the most advanced of their hand tools can be recycled, or is sourced from natural product.  In-house manufacturing in Finland helps reduce the product miles too.

Following insightful explanation, we were let loose with an assortment of secateurs and loppers to experience the benefits of Fiskars Powergear for ourselves.  We failed, however, to extract the secrets of Fibrecomp.  Plus, our sub group failed to impress the sales director with our long handled, ultra lightweight trowel concept, but heh!  Massive thanks to Steve and John for making the day so memorable.