Garden industry's big hitters claim top spot
Solus, Scotts and Honda were the big winners in the 2008 Garden Industry Manufacturers Association Awards, announced at the annual GIMA dinner in Birmingham on July 17.

Solus won the Tools and Implements category with the Yeoman Ladies Light Choice tool range, and won the Environmental Commendation with the Nortene Home Composting range – which then went on to pick up the overall GIMA Sword of Excellence award as well.

Scotts took the Garden Care award with Miracle Gro Organic Choice, and also won the Best Supplier's Information Website award with its 'Love the garden' site.

Honda's Seed Mailer was judged the winner of the Best Consumer Marketing award – and it too went onto greater things, winning the overall GIMA award for marketing excellence.

Westland took the Equipment and Sundries category with the Unwins Potato Growing Bag, and Plum Products triumphed in the Outdoor Leisure category with the Spider Monkey Play Set.

Bosch won the Garden Machinery award for its latest cordless hedge trimmer, the Growing Products award was controversially presented to B&Q for its Organic Living Salads range, and Hanson took the Garden Landscaping category with its Re-Create crushed brick.

The Christmas Cabin came top in the Christmas Products, Foods and Confectionery category with the Cinco 7 Christmas tree stand, and the award for Pet Care, Aquatics and Wild Bird Care went to Peter Smith's Grasmere Bird Table.

The judges picked STV's Repeller Bag as the winner in the Best Point of Sale Material category, and the award for Best Consumer Product Packaging went to 360 Innovations' trowel, fork, secateurs and gloves.

Finally, the Export Achievement Award went to Suttons, and few in the audience were surprised when the Supplier of the Year Award was won yet again by Gardman.

Around 400 guests attended the black-tie awards dinner, held at the Hilton Metropole at the NEC.