The garden supplies trade welcomes the new range of plants

Nearly 90 per cent of the exhibition space for the Spoga+Gafa garden trade fair from 31 August to 2 September 2014 has now been reserved. Around 2 000 exhibitors will present their products and services in Cologne on an area of 241 000 m2 in halls 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10. More than 80 per cent of the exhibitors are from abroad. As in previous years, the show will be divided into the five zones garden living, garden care, garden creation, garden unique and garden basic. Directly following the show on Wednesday 3 September, the BHB will organise the first BHB Garden Summit, which will be held in future in the years between the biennial BHB Garden Conference.
The input of the horticultural marketing organisation Landgard at Spoga+Gafa 2014 has met with a favourable response from the intended target groups in the garden supplies trade. There has been a very positive reaction from both the DIY stores that sell plants and owner-operated garden centres. “We are very pleased that this option has been included. Plants were absent from the green show in Cologne,” said Peter Botz, director of the Association of German Garden Centres (VDG).
John Herbert, general secretary of the European DIY Retail Association Edra, spoke of the considerable advantage that Landgard’s involvement offered to fair visitors from the DIY store segment also. Many DIY store operators from Europe and beyond would be brought to Cologne with their buyers because of this. “It’s a win-win situation for Spoga+Gafa and for our members,” commented Herbert.