The market is abuzz: garden retailers respond positively to LifestyleGarden®’s new Eden Project & DuraOcean® ranges

LifestyleGarden® is not a brand to do things by halves, which is why the company has kicked started the 2020 pre-season in style with not one, but two, true industry firsts. Here the company explains how the market has responded, and what it means for garden retailing in the coming seasons.

The first new introduction ahead of the 2020 season was the exclusive Eden Project partnership, which will see LifestyleGarden®’s garden furniture ranges supported by the Eden Project branding. The company will also have access to the Eden Project’s exclusive designs and patterns, providing the new range with an exciting selection of add-on sales opportunities, including accessories such cushions and deckchairs.

Representative of a common goal for a more sustainable future, this new partnership with the Eden Project is just the start of LifestyleGarden®’s ‘greener’ policy as proven by its second product introduction, DuraOcean®.

Tackling a worldwide issue, the DuraOcean® is breaking new ground by utilising ocean plastic waste such as nets, ropes and debris, to create the world’s first commercially available range of outdoor furniture. The range has launched with a DuraOcean® bistro set, featuring the Nassau FSC Eucalyptus table, providing retailers with a great opportunity to offer an ocean plastic product for consumers.

Both ranges were launched to retailers at LifestyleGarden®’s newly revamped 14,000sq ft showroom in Basildon, Essex. Throughout April retailers from across the country were given personal tours of the Eden Project DuraOcean ranges, as well as LifestyleGarden®’s wider offering.

One retailer who had an exclusive look at the 2020 ranges was Alison Novell of Pohill Garden Centre in Kent. Talking about the new ranges Alison said: “At Pohill we pride ourselves on being more than a garden centre, instead we like to think of ourselves as community. Part of this means taking responsibility for our impact upon the world around us, and ensuring we look for greener alternatives to provide our customers with products that meet their eco-expectations. Until now, outdoor furniture has not fully fulfilled this ‘green’ brief, but LifestyleGarden® has completely changed that. Both the Eden Project and DuraOcean® are setting a new standard in sustainable, affordable and recyclable design, something I know will appeal to our customers. What’s even more impressive is that LifestyleGarden® is accountable for the entire production process, plus once products have come to the end of their lifecycle, that consumers can recycle all parts, meaning the impact upon the planet remains low from raw material to finished product. It’s an impressive feat, and one that we are happy to support.

“We are confident that the LifestyleGarden® ranges will be popular sellers once they hit stores in early 2020. We’re excited to seeing our customers’ reaction.”

Alison’s sentiments were echoed by Graham Pugh, Managing Director of Pugh’s Garden Villages, based in South Wales. A long-term LifestyleGarden® customer, Pugh’s Garden Villages’ outdoor furniture offering currently features 95% LifestyleGarden® products. With this in mind, Graham knew to expect big things from the company’s 2020 launch but what he found far exceeded his expectation. He said: “LifestyleGarden® has always proven to be a strong seller but the 2020 ranges are something else. At Pugh’s Garden Villages we are dedicated to delivering environmentally-friendly and green products. Both the Eden Project and DuraOcean® ranges enables us to do this in a considered, responsible and stylish way. I am endlessly impressed by the commitment of LifestyleGarden® to developing a sustainable business and product portfolio, and these latest introductions are testament to this commitment.

“For us LifestyleGarden® continues to enable us as business to grow. Each year we take on more and more of their stock as our customers are so responsive to it. In fact, LifestyleGarden® is responsible for our latest investment, which has seen us increase our on-site warehousing facility. This investment has been solely done to ensure we can stock enough LifestyleGarden® product to meet the inevitable demand! What’s more, the merchandising support that is on offer makes it so easy to sell LifestyleGarden® products. The new showroom is a great demonstration of this, and we’ll be working with the team to replicate the showroom as close as possible within our centre.”

Graham concluded by saying: “The DuraOcean® is a product that particularly excites me. It’s the result of a significant period of R&D and investment from LifestyleGarden®’s parent company, and one that is bringing to the fore a worldwide issue regarding ocean plastic and the negative impact it is having upon our marine life. The fact that garden retailers such as ourselves are able to support this high-profile product launch and help to educate our customers on the issue is something that is so rare, but so worthwhile. It’s a great opportunity for us all.”

UK garden retailers who are yet to see the new Eden Project and DuraOcean® ranges can do so at the LifestyleGarden® dedicated trade showroom in Basildon, Essex. Available for ordering ahead of the 2020 season, the range will also be showcased at the forthcoming SOLEX exhibition (9th – 11th July, NEC Birmingham).

Find out more

If you want to find out more about LifestyleGarden® and its excellent quality outdoor furniture, please visit us at www.lifestylegarden.com and follow the team on Facebook and Instagram.

Further details for the full ranges can be seen here www.lifestylegarden.com

Further details about ScanCom’s commitment to the environment and social accountability can be found at http://www.scancom.net

Further details about the Eden Project, including booking tickets, can be found at www.edenproject.com

Ends

Editors notes

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