Skinny Jean Gardeners link-up with VegTrug to share a growing enthusiasm at The Edible Garden Show

London, March 16, 2015 – As part of their mission to find the ‘missing generation’ of gardeners, planting innovators VegTrug will be at The Edible Garden Show, eager to put gardening at the heart of the family with the help of a pair of green-fingered gurus.

VegTrug - this year’s entrance sponsors – have just announced a three year sponsorship deal with TV’s Skinny Jean Gardeners (right). Founded in January 2013, Skinny Jean Gardeners have become an influential voice in horticulture, reaching wide audiences through work with Jimmy’s Farm and across the BBC from Blue Peter to Radio 1.

The team are also known for associations with Kew Gardens with their Grow Wild project and through in-store installations with top clothing brands. Initially, VegTrug will be working with the Skinny Jean brothers, Dale and Lee Connolly on a series of personal appearances including live theatre slots at TEGS. Dale and Lee who are 24 and 26 respectively will also be taking a proactive role in the company’s online inspiration and education programme, which promotes subjects such as ‘grow your own’ and ‘wildlife gardening’ to VegTrug fans the world over.

Commenting on the sponsorship, VegTrug CEO Joe Denham said: “This is a great opportunity to associate the brand with a youthful yet opinion forming partnership such as Skinny Jean Gardeners. We are particularly excited about the impact it will have on our younger customers and their families as they are inspired to get into gardening.”

VegTrug’s free-standing planters are an ideal fit for the show as Joe explained: “We don’t tend to do consumer shows but TEGS puts us in touch with our customers. We get great feedback about our products and we can ask the gardeners themselves, what are you growing, why are you growing it?

“There’s a real family focus to TEGS this year, and we’re really excited about that. When we came up with this idea a lot of it was about helping a missing generation of gardeners, people whose mum and dad had never shown them how to grow their own. They want the skills for themselves, and for their children.”

This year VegTrug has launched a special planter and matching workstation with potting tray for kids combining fun style, with easy access at a perfect height for children’s gardening.

Education is a vital part of VegTrug according to Joe: “When we came up with the idea I said this is great but we need an educational programme so we can give people tips on how to use VegTrug best. We have an app for iPhone and Android which has videos from Chelsea gold medal-winner Andy McIndoe to really help people get their best out of the gardening.”

Joe added: “What makes VegTrug so clever is the v-shape. Deep-rooting vegetables can be grown in the middle, while shallower plants, such as salads, can be grown around the sides. It works across all ages; young families can grow all they need, wheelchair users find it works really well and teachers can use it in schools.”

The show at Alexandra Palace from 20-22 March, which boasts a brand new sister event, Good Life Live, has something for all the family and is packed with not-to-be-missed exhibits featuring a broad range of grow your own products as well as outdoor living activities and experiences. In addition to famous chefs Rachel Green and Mark Lloyd, visitors will enjoy an incredible line-up of gardening experts including James Wong, Pippa Greenwood and Paul Peacock, who will be providing new ideas to novice gardeners and seasoned growers alike.

There will be interactive sessions for children where they can get their hands dirty including learning how to create wooden badges, baking bread in a plant pot and making their own butter in the Make it! area. They can even hold baby chicks in the Chicken Coop, have a field day on the Village Green, meet the animals in the pop up City Farm or get creative in the Family Zone.

On Saturday, 21 March CBeebies’ Mr Bloom will be popping along to say ‘Ello Tiddlers’ with a bundle of veggie stories, gardening games and catchy songs in a high-energy show.

New for 2015, under 16s will be able to visit the show free of charge. To book your tickets, which give access to both The Edible Garden Show and Good Life Live, please call the ticket hotline on 0871 230 3451 or visit www.theediblegardenshow.co.uk.

PAUL SMITH ASSOCIATES
16th March 2015