Alexander Rose started with a simple yet challenging brief – to design a fun, funky modular lounge set which was waterproof yet retained a sense of luxury.

The result is the Beach Lounge, a collaboration between the British-based company and the internationally renowned designer Carsten Astheimer. Its strong yet lightweight powder-coated aluminium frames come in two colours, and can be displayed in limitless configurations depending on the purchaser’s own style and space requirements.

The fresh look of the furniture is characterised by the five modern colours of its cushions – grey, orange, turquoise, taupe and lime. The cushions themselves are deep-seated and have an opulent feel, as well as being water-resistant and hard-wearing.

Clever design touches like a vented mesh panel built in to the cushion fabric mean the furniture will retain its look and feel, while the ingenious connecting toggles provided secure the cushions to the frames safely. 

The Beach Lounge consists of four main components – single chairs, corner chairs, side tables and coffee tables. Optional tops for the tables include different coloured perforated aluminium or FSC-certified Roble hardwood, and the side tables can double up as sumptuous footstools by attaching a spare cushion using the same toggles.

For more information on the Beach Lounge, visit Alexander Rose’s website.


Delighted with response at SOLEX

Alexander Rose were delighted to be part of SOLEX 2016, and reported strong sales across the board – particularly of its famous benches.  Managing DIrector Borge Leth said: “We were delighted with the response to our new 2017 collections, particularly the Ocean Pearl weave and the Beach Lounge modular set. Buyers complimented the fresh look and design of our pieces, and it was great to be part of a show with such an energetic feel.”

Alexander Rose has exhibited at SOLEX since it was launched in 2008, and will be returning in 2017 with some great new designs and a few surprises along the way.

Originating in the 1890’s, Primus is known for its multi award-winning, fuel-efficient stoves in the outdoor market. The new Primus CampFire range, designed and manufactured in Europe, is the result of two years of R&D in conjunction with consumers and retailers alike.

CampFire Stoves

There are three two-burner stoves in the range, each one tested rigorously before leaving the Primus factory. The ONJA, pictured (SRP: £105), a showstopper at the SOLEX summer outdoor living exhibition last week, has been crafted from a unique blend of stainless steel, oak, brass, cloth and leather. It is compact and portable (with an integrated carrying strap), easy to assemble and pack away, yet suitable for large pots for serious outdoor cooking.

It’s perfect for using in the park or on a weekend’s camping. Once unfolded the body becomes a stable cooking unit that protects the burners from the wind. An oak lid doubles as a chopping board or a platter to serve food on. The KINJIA (SRP: £145) and TUPIKE (SRP: £180) complete the stove offering. Both are powerful, light and compact. The TUPIKE comes with fold out legs, side windscreens for shelter, removable drip-tray for easy cleaning and a griddle plate. One of the great features with all three models is that they run off easy-to-buy self-sealing LP gas cartridges and there’s no need to purchase expensive and heavy refillable gas cylinders.

CampFire Stainless Steel Pots & Frying Pans

The range includes four pots and two frying pans that are designed to last for years. Made from 18/8 polished stainless steel, the pots have lids with integrated colanders and the frying pans feature an aluminium layer for even heat distribution. This offering is available as two sets – the smaller set (1.0L and 1.8L pots and 21cm pan) and a larger set (1.8L and 3.0L pots and 25cm pan). Each set stacks neatly and comes with a storage bag. SRP: Small set £50, large set £75.

CampFire Accessories

The CampFire Prep Set (SRP: £55) consists of everything you need to prepare great food outdoors, fashioned from high quality stainless steel and oak. There’s also a Utility Sack with a watertight roll top closure which is handy for carrying water or food in when camping or taking home used cutlery, plates etc after a day’s picnic.

CampFire Knives, Cutlery, Pint & Plate

Available in two sizes (12cm SRP: £20 or 15cm blade SRP: £24) the CampFire Knives have oak handles and are great for slicing, chopping, dicing and filleting. The Cutlery Set (SRP: £10.95) is crafted from 18/8 stainless steel. The knife, fork and spoon all pack up tightly and come in a leather sleeve. Primus uses food grade 18/8 stainless steel for the CampFire Pint, a tapered, easy stacking drinking beaker in polished or black finish. Made from the same durable stainless steel is the high-sided plate to complete the range.

More information: visit www.primus.eu

Building on previously successful attendances at SOLEX, a year of strong sales growth and increasing customer numbers, leading wholesaler Brundle Gardener brought several new ranges of colourful children’s furniture and an expanded FireBall range.

The children’s resin furniture sets proved a winner at Solex 2015, so pirates and circus sets have been added to the range to enable children to enjoy the garden while letting their imaginations run wild.

The sets, made from robust glass fibre (UV-stable to ensure weather resistance) come with tables that vary in height from 62cm to 77cm and four colourful chairs. There are now also colourful wooden sets and stackable chairs to extend your children’s range. 

The 900mm diameter hand-crafted FireBalls in Dragon and Forest designs are guaranteed to make an excellent showpiece in any garden centre display. New to the range is the London Skyline in 600mm diameter, which won ‘Best New Product’ at Solex 2016. It’s a product not to be missed.

Weather permitting, we can sit outside later in an evening with Brundle Gardener’s Illuminated Bistro Set. White LEDs give superb lighting and are powered by just three AAA batteries.

Where space is limited, the Foldable Half Table & Chairs make an ideal solution. The power coated metal frame, glass table top and comfortable Textilene seats fold simply after use.

For a full range of innovative, stylish and quality garden products visit the website, where you can download a catalogue or click here to email the company.

Tel: 0131 335 5955

JAMIE OLIVER CARAWAY SET – NEW FOR 2017

Dining has never been more fun than with Hartman’s Jamie Oliver range of garden furniture. From multi-functional fire pits with chill-out chairs to formal dining with integrated ice buckets, there’s something for everyone in this inspired range full of cheeky twists. 

The original Jamie Oliver product for Hartman, the fire pit set, offered the complete solution for any outdoor occasion, for grilling, chilling and keeping warm when the sun goes down. The range has now expanded and is made up of the grilling set, the firepit set, the feastable set, the cosy corner set, a lounger, coffee set and deep – seated bench.

The Caraway is brand new for the 2017 season. Designed by Chris Wall who we first met in 2011 when we launched “The Hartman Prize” in conjunction with Birmingham University to find new and inspiring garden furniture designers. Chris won our first year competition with his fantastic design, and so when we were tasked with designing an all new set of furniture for Jamie Oliver we had no hesitation in contacting Chris.  He spent a few days talking to the Jamie Oliver guys and after listening to their brief came up with this modern set made from lightweight aluminium. This new table seats six comfortably and gives a clean, cool and contemporary feel to your garden.  As with all Jamie Oliver furniture there is a cooking element in the form of an integral fire pit for cooking up a few tasty morsels when family and friends pop round.

ARUBA! ARUBA!  

Introducing the Aruba, our brand new aluminium collection.  Coated in muted latte tones it is teamed with soft seated mocha stripe cushions.

This user friendly furniture is made from a strong aluminium frame which emphasises the elegant lines of the set. 

The four and six seat tables have durastone tops. This is a combination of glass sprayed with stone giving the table tops a textured look and feel. 

This collection combines a lounge set, a relaxer and a hammock.  The tables are paired with either dining or recliner chairs making this set a modern classic with a timeless design.  

WEAVED INTO YOUR HEART

A natural look and feel combined with unmatched comfort, durability and low maintenance has made weave one of the most popular choices in stylish, quality garden furniture.

Hartman’s weave collection features graceful silhouettes and durable materials for furniture that stays strong and beautiful all year round.  We have five collections of weave available this year, the Madison, the Appleton, the Bali, the Atlanta and the Hartford.

Each collection offers a little something different for everyone.  The two new collections that we are really excited about this year are the Atlanta (above) and the Hartford (below) , both modern and contemporary styling in shades of platinum, driftwood and sesame, the Atlanta is combined with ceramic tables which gives a totally new look and feel to the collection, whereas the Hartford is more compact and introduces a square casual dining set for those who have smaller outdoor spaces but still want a set large enough to have their family and friends round but small enough to fit on their patio or decking.

Four new additions to the Outback barbecue range – in the latest exclusive stainless steel design –  put a shine on their SOLEX Stand.

Buyers have already signed-up for the new top-of-the range Outback Signature Series, with four- and six-burner models exceeding sales targets in the first three months since their UK launch. The Signature provides the ultimate in grills, griddle, roasting and rotisserie cooking, and is delivered pre-assembled on its own pallet. 

Responding to three-year research results Outback, have also introduced stainless steel versions to the Jupiter four- and six-burner barbecues, where up-to-date design includes a new roasting hood and sear side burner, auto ignition and a digital meat thermometer.

Information: use this email link

LeisureGrow also launched its newest brand – NOMA Garden Art – at this year’s SOLEX.  

The brand uses the technology and expertise from the Christmas lighting experts at NOMA to create a new range of stylish, innovative and on-trend battery and solar-powered garden lighting, with floor, table, wall, and hanging lights available.

Modern Metallics:  On-trend industrial-style range includes copper lanterns with rice lights, and solar-powered LED filament bulbs that stick into the ground.

Rustic Emporium:  Classic meets eclectic range with metal lanterns complete with battery-operated pillar candles.

Woodland Walk:  Natural, rustic and full of woodland textures, this range includes realistic ‘wood-effect’ logs and blocks with inset solar-powered lights.

Starry Nights:  A touch of North Africa, with whimsical mirror-covered lanterns and monochrome designs.

Solar 360:  We've developed our unique Fit & Forget battery technology to work alongside our new solar range of garden lighting. This innovative state of the art range lights for 6 hours every day, 365 days a year, guaranteed.

Premier have diversified into gear for the beach, potentially a good fit for garden centre outdoor living departments.

They have taken on the Terra Nation brand of beach accessories, which include beach shaders and shelters, beach bags – and even a brush for removing the sand from your toes!

The shelters and shaders employ an ingenious ‘pop-up’ frame which needs only a firm pull on two cords to make putting it up a fast, easy process. All offer UV protection of 98% plus. The range is presented in roll-up packaging in an attractive PoS merchandiser.

Two brand new ranges from Bonnington Plastics developed to meet higher quality market needs than the company’s standard Kingfisher products were on display at SOLEX.

Sales director Sergio Tartaglia told SOLEX Sun today that the new Dusk till Dawn solar lighting brand was going down especially well with buyers. The new Four Seasons Vintage collection of garden furniture featuring elegant wrought iron designs with a ‘shabby chic’ finish was also attracting attention.

Bonningtons recently announced a brand development and expansion programme designed to widen its appeal to a more premium target market and increase turnover by at least 10% a year over the next three years.

‘It looks like wood…but isn’t’ is a message that visitors to this year’s SOLEX couldn't fail to notice…

More and more exhibitors have been developing garden furniture made from materials that can be fashioned to look like wood but offer zero maintenance properties.

Li-Lo Leisure Products showcased furniture sets made from aluminium with a wood-effect paint finish (cover page and below). Check out bistro set and dining sets with distinctive contemporary styling.

Mercer Leisure (225): have their Nevawood furniture (below), based on a top-secret material that can be sanded if required to remove blemishes and stains without losing its warm wood colouring.

Innovators International (425): are exhibiting their growing Winawood range of furniture made from a compressed recycled polystyrene with a realistic wood-effect finish.

The Zest 4 Leisure Alex Picnic Table

An orginial classic from the Zest family, the Folding Seat to Table garden product will prove very popular with its multi-use feature. Disguised as a solid yet comfortable bench, this product can be easlily transformed into a classic picnic table with one simple movement. A space saver in any garden.



Imogen Bench to Table

An orginial classic from the Zest family, the Folding Seat to Table garden product will prove very popular with its multi-use feature. Disguised as a solid yet comfortable bench, this product can be easlily transformed into a classic picnic table with one simple movement. A space saver in any garden.



Norfolk Arbour

The Norfolk Arbour is a beautifully designed product perfect for those who enjoy sitting in the sun with a little shelter. This pretty arbour with the trellis panels is an ideal spot to relax and unwind at the end of a busy day. Along with its beauty it also provides practicality as it comes complete with an underseat storeage box and lid.

Zest 4 Lesiure are on stand 240.

At around £400 per chair and £3,000 for a 3m by 1m table, the new Monterey collection from Barlow Tyrie is clearly targeting top-end domestic and commercial consumers – but you’re getting unique design features that will appeal to the style-conscious.

The collection is beautifully crafted with most joints dry-fitted without glue in Grade A teak that needs no oiling yet and will weather naturally to the traditional silver grey of the world’s most popular hardwood.

The sling seats and backs are exclusive to Barlow Tyrie and made from a soft ‘rope’ of Textilene and Olifen. The Monterey tabletop is a wipe-clean scratch- and stain-resistant ceramic tile available in a choice of colours (ivory in our pictures). 

The collection was designed by director Mark Tyrie (pictured), the company’s chief designer.

Napoleon launched a brand new range of gas barbecues called Rogue at Solex.

Three new grills make up the range; the R425, R425SB and R425SIB, all using liquid propane. 

New, sleek styling is their trademark. Features common to all include three bottom burners, folding side shelves for easy storage, dual level stainless steel sear plates, WAVE™ cooking grates, Napoleon’s JETFIRE™ ignition system and ACCU-PROBE™ temperature gauge.

The R425 has three burners, the R425SB has a fourth which is a range side burner, both come with a black porcelain enamelled finish. They have porcelain-coated cast iron reversible channel cooking grates and a large single door storage cupboard. An optional, detachable storage basket is available for both models.

The R425SIB comes in stainless steel only. It has a larger cooking area and its fourth burner is an infrared SIZZLE ZONE™. It also has a detachable storage basket, stainless steel cooking grates and a double-door storage cupboard.

Martin Sobey, UK Sales Manager (above), said: “Rogue combines the features of our most popular Triumph and LE lines, with some of the refinements and build quality of our Prestige and Prestige PRO premium ranges. It offers features sometimes only seen on larger models but at a more entry level size. We believe it is a combination which will prove very attractive with prices from £549.99.”

The LE3 has been the company’s biggest volume seller over the past year – while in value terms, the £3,000 Prestige Pro 665 is leader of the pack.

Pots and planters specialists Cadix were rushed off their feet as soon as the the show opened as their re-entry into the outdoor furniture market attracted a stream of interested buyers.

The collection has a contemporary ‘industrial’ chic that managing director Kate Ebbens (below) says is designed to dovetail with the company’s distinctive style of planters.

The materials used range from a lightweight resin that mimmicks the look of their original Terrazzo designs (now re-introduced) but without the weight, to a new combination of cement and resin in a chunky robust tabletop with an attractive ‘stone’ finish.

Kate believes the designs fill a gap in the market.

Customers who are reluctant barbecuers because of the smoke may be attracted to the LotusGrill, which was showcased by importers LLC.

LotusGrill’s built-in battery-driven fan that blows air directly on to the charcoal, which burns considerably hotter, cleaner and more efficiently as a result, with little or no smoke. Double-walled construction means the outer skin never becomes burning hot and both stainless steel inner bowl and grill grid are dishwasher proof.

Displays like the one set up at SOLEX by LLC (pictured) would make a colourful focal point in any garden centre outdoor living department and offer a genuinely different alternative to the regular barbecue offering.

Information from the LLC website

A visit to the Summit stand provided solutions for any ‘gifts for men’ displays.

The company’s National Trust collection is almost tailor-made for the job, consisting of items like LED hand-held and head-torches, mugs, flasks, bags and back-packs. Designs on some items employ iconic National Trust patterns and images (for example, Corfe Castle on mugs and flasks.


Sales director Richard Taylor told SOLEX Sun: “Garden centre giftware tends to be quite female-orientated so we’ve made sure this range addresses that problem with products that have a distinctly male appeal.”

Garden centre buyers visiting the stand have also been picking up on another great ideas from Summit –water-proof slippers. And who doesn’t need a pair of those by the back door?

While their new RHS-endorsed wooden benches and indoor/outdoor synthetic weave ranges have been the stand-out attraction on the Kettler stand, buyers looking for adventurous cutting-edge designs have been finding plenty to whet their appetites.

SOLEX Sun’s style spotters were particularly impressed by the sophisticated new Soho and Manhattan sets from their Elegance collection, targeting consumers looking for chic contemporary styling.

The Soho set (pictured on the cover page) shows the Wrap chair with grey seat pad and tabletop in Slate, while the Manhattan set pictured here features the Twist sling chair in Taupe.

Writer and broadcaster David Domoney, co-presenter of ITV’s Love Your Garden series, made an appearance on the Hartman stand (505) at SOLEX on Tuesday to promote the latest addition to his Celtic Collection.

The new 6ft (1830mm) Aria table features a top made from a glass-reinforced concrete onto which Domoney has designed an innovative tiled diamond pattern with a mosaic edging. The cast aluminium table itself has a new bronze finish, also now available on the matching Celtic chairs.

“The new tabletop material we’ve used here means the top can be a single tile on to which we have painted the pattern, eliminating the problem of moisture permeating the gaps between tiles in conventional tiled tops,” Domoney said. “We think we have created something very different that will appeal to a wide market. It’s very hard-wearing and only needs wiping down to keep it looking good.”

You don’t have to look too hard at this year’s SOLEX to discover that more and more suppliers are turning to alternatives to wood for the manufacture of outdoor furniture.

First we featured a furniture collection by Supremo made from a compound, called Resysta, based on rice husks.

Then we spotted a new range of furniture on the Daro stand made from another re-cycled waste product called Stonewood. Yes, it’s made of powdered stone – waste material from the quarrying industry – which is moulded at high pressure and laminated on to steel frames to produce a striking range of chunky tables, benches and stools. The moulds used are created from real timber cuts, for truly authentic surface detail and texture that has to be seen to be believed. Half close your eyes and you could pretty much be looking at the real thing!  “We had to put these signs drawing attention to the material on the display, otherwise visitors would probably have assumed it was just wood,” said Daro director James Brown.

Daro have been working on the material’s development for more than a year, after searching for an alternative not just to wood but to glass, a popular but increasingly expensive (not to mention brittle) tabletop material. Stonewood appears to tick all the boxes – strong, sustainable,good looking…and distinctive. 

Bosmere are aiming to re-energise the garden protective covers category with new ranges and clearer segmentation between them.

The company now has four ranges to choose from – entry-level Protector Plus, the new mid-range Master line-up, the best-selling Cover-Up collection (including Storm Black, Thunder Grey and Modular) and finally, the all-new Premier range.

The addition of Master and Premier means Bosmere can now meet all price point and consumer needs across the category. Master lines in durable polyester fabric offer a sharper price point and a five-year guarantee, while the new flagship Premier range promises the ultimate in outdoor covers, made in an amazingly lightweight but durable new breathable fabric with a seven-year guarantee.

Char-Broil and Dancook showcased more than 12 new products. Centre stage was the new-to-market Char-Broil T-22G gas barbecue, which has just received a Which? Best Buy.

Char-Broil, a family-based US company, has been making barbecues since 1948 and offers a brand portfolio of gas and charcoal grills plus the Big Easy SRG – an all-in-one smoker, roaster and grill – plus a comprehensive range of matching grill accessories.

The company is also an innovator in infrared cooking technology. Its industry-leading TRU-Infrared™ ensures an even distribution of heat every time, without flare-ups and locks in flavours.

Ian Railton, Char-Broil and Dancook’s European MD believes the Which? Best Buy proves that Char-Broil technology makes a real difference to the cooking and flavour of barbecued food.  “Our Char-Broil and Dancook ranges for 2017 are set to be our strongest yet,” he said.

The Dancook range is founded on the Danish tradition of cooking outdoors.  The simple, unique products are manufactured in solid materials in a stylish design.

For more information visit www.charbroil.co.uk or call 01993 705217.

Quality and value are the hallmarks of the Pagoda ranges of rattan, steel, aluminium and Textilene products that will be on display, along with the company’s new barbecues.

Utilising the buying expertise of its offices in Chinas, the company has been able to reduce its prices on the Toulouse rattan range, making it even more affordable while maintaining quality.

All products are inspected after initial production to ensure that they meet exacting standards, and again when production is completed, using in-house inspectors who check to accepted international AQL standards.

Pagoda @ Munro Importers (stand 445).

Garden Trade News were at the NEC early on Monday to capture all the action from the build-up to the three-day SOLEX, which started today (Tuesday). See the picture gallery below...

To register for your place at SOLEX click here

Cadac, the South African barbecue company, has revamped the much admired BraaiMaxx and revised the retail price.

The award-winning BraaiMaxx is a revolution in outdoor cooking, with two independent cooking areas that allow interchangeable cooking surfaces to be used, two at a time.

Six Cadac modular drop-in cooking surfaces are included and each burner has a flame failure device.

Easy to use and simple to clean, the BraaiMaxx offers unparalleled flexibility and is the choice of many professionals.

Information www.cadac.uk.com

0333 2000 363   info@cadacuk.com