The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, sponsored by M&G Investments, is pleased to announce the shortlist for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden Product of the Year 2012.
The award was launched by the RHS in 2011 to celebrate the best new garden product introductions available at the Show and is judged by a panel of experts, who are looking for innovative, sustainable and quality garden-related products. The panel of judges consists of:
• Karren Brady – TV personality and successful business woman
• Nicola Gidlow – Head Buyer at John Lewis
• Chris Harrop – Head of Marketing at Marshalls
• Dougal Philip – owner of a successful garden centre in Scotland and an RHS judge
The winner of the 2011 award was the Kadai Charcoal Maker, which produces charcoal in an environmentally friendly way from foraged sticks or split logs. There are fifteen products on the shortlist and the winner of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden Product of the Year 2012 will be announced on Monday 21st May, the day before the show opens to the public.
The shortlist for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden Product of the Year 2012 is as follows:
Access Half Growhouse, by Access Garden Products
This Half Growhouse has been designed to provide a more durable solution to the ubiquitous plastic growhouse. The Access Growhouse is designed to last many years and to endure heavy wind. It offers a resilient and affordable covered area to grow tender plants. Glazed in toughened safety glass, the Growhouse is strong enough to withstand storms and snow, whilst keeping the plants inside snug. A built-in shelving system provides room for up to 24 seed trays. Later in the season the shelves can be removed to allow tomatoes to be grown.
Show Price: £149 (to be confirmed)
Threadhoe, by Agralan Ltd
The Threadhoe is a novel, uniquely designed hoe that allows weeds to be removed from the smallest of areas without damaging plants. It has been developed in Sweden by specialists in hoe design and the ergonomic design prevents wrist strains.
Price: £6.99
Keo Cordless Garden Saw by Bosch Lawn & Garden
The Keo is an innovative, lithium-ion powered saw that makes trimming branches and cutting back overgrown areas of the garden simple and effortless. Its special feature is the detachable “A-Grip”, a branch grip that allows you to hold both the saw and the branch simultaneously with only one hand. Weighing less than a kilogram and with a Swiss precision, this tool combines cutting efficiency with maximum mobility. It provides an easier solution for cutting thick branches than the strain of a hand saw.
Price: £89.99
Kneelo™ Ultra Cushion Knee Pads by Burgon & Ball
The Kneelo is an ultra-cushion kneeler with memory foam technology. They are comfortable, practical, lightweight and easy to carry. Generously sized, with contoured edges, Kneelo allows you to work in cushioned comfort for prolonged periods of time. The unique design of Kneelo pads allows them to flex and move with the wearer giving optimal comfort both kneeling ad standing.
Price: £14.95
The Back Door Gardening Bag by Carrier Company
Robustly made from natural jute and canvas, this bag is designed to hold those small tools, gloves and secateurs that gardeners tend to keep indoors. Intended to be kept by the back door, this bag means a gardener’s tools are always on hand for quick forays into the garden.
Price: £14.50
Bamboo Children’s Hand Tools by Darlac Limited
Green, sustainable and strong, these tools are ideal for use by children in the garden. Using bamboo instead of hardwood is a green, sustainable choice while the carbon steel heads are honed and coated for strength and durability.
Price: £5.95
The Crucello by David Harber
The Crucello is a new development in water features, combining classical elegance and materials with contemporary simplicity of design. A contemporary take on the traditional three-tiered water feature, this fountain gives the impression that each of the three tiers is suspended above the other by rods of water alone. Lighting will illuminate each tier as well as the rods of water.
Price: £30,000
Jubilee Spiral by Gaze Burvill
A technical challenge to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Jubilee Spiral seating can be placed around a small tree or sculpture, or displayed in its own right. Craftsman-made for optimum comfort, this piece is designed to be used and not just admired. The entire seat is hand made by skilled craftsmen in Gaze Burvill’s Hampshire workshop using European timber.
Price: £7,200
Harrod Slot&Lock™ Framework Building System by Harrod Horticultural
Harrod Slot&Lock™ is the answer to the problems associated with building framework for protection netting and supporting plants. It was designed and developed in the UK by Harrod Horticultural as a result of their customers’ frustration with supporting framework falling to pieces and ruining their flowers and vegetables. With this system, aluminium tubing simply slots into the sockets in a range of plastic connectors which can then be locked into position with a stainless steel screw.
Price: £1.10 for a five way connector
Tango E5 by John Deere
The Tango E5 is an automatic mower which operates within a pre-set boundary wire that a local specialist dealer can install. The frequent mowing operation helps to promote a healthy looking lawn and eradicates the manual effort associated with traditional lawn maintenance, as well as removing the need to dispose of grass clippings. It is ideal for lawn areas of up to 1800sqm and garden obstacles can be either accommodated by the boundary wire (a flower bed for example) or avoided by the traction sensor device where the Tango E5 will automatically back away from any obstacle it contacts (a tree for example).
Price: £2,090
Prometheus Landscape Range by Prometheus Lighting Instruments
The Prometheus Landscape Range provides high quality lighting, whilst consuming 70 per cent less energy than traditional lighting systems. The system offers a safe, simple ‘plug and play’ installation through the use of an innovative connector system. The system can be powered from a mains supply, rechargeable battery pack or even solar sources allowing the system to reflect the needs of any garden.
Price: £800 (starter kit)
Meadow in My Garden by Solar Technology
Nova-Flore meadow seed mixtures are designed to foster biodiversity and create a haven for bees, butterflies, and song birds. The range offers two box sizes (60g and 200g) to cover a small flowerbed or a sizable corner of a garden. The range is broad, targeted at specific gardens, soil or light conditions, or aesthetic objectives. Each boxed mixture contains up to thirty seed varieties which will produce precisely the visual effect shown in the image on the front of the box.
Price: small £9.99/ large £19.99
Aliplanter by Squareroot Planters
Aliplanter is the most durable and versatile classic garden planter in the market place. It is made entirely from aluminium, a non-corrosive solid material that defies time, weight, water and other environmental factors. It incorporates Squareroot’s planting system that enables the planter to be a sturdy frame with no base. The planting is housed in internal containers allowing the plant to be lifted in and out when required.
Price: TBC
Weedmaster Damask and Floral Gloves by Town & Country
The new Weedmaster gloves are the UK’s first all-over patterned, nitrile dipped gloves. Designed to fit like a second skin, they are lightweight, flexible and comfortable to wear, whilst offering resilience and protection. Using the latest technology, a clear dip can be used which allows a pattern to be used all over the glove.
Price £4.99
Garden Trunk by Wilstone House and Garden
The Garden Trunk provides somewhere to store barbeque accessories, charcoal, cushions, lanterns and other outdoor items. It can also double as a seat. This is an ecological, versatile and portable lightweight chest specially designed for garden use from recycled, galvanised roofing sheets from India.
Price: £129
Source: Hortitrends News Articles
