Suppliers of timber goods to the garden trade were in buoyant mood at this year’s Garden Leisure Exhibition (GLEE). Contrary to pessimistic predictions, far from the market seeing the demise of the decking boom, most of the market leaders at the NEC reported sales up by as much as 40% this year. And they’re confident this will be the trend into 2004.

Similarly, in the field of garden furniture most manufacturers seem confident that timber will regain all the territory it appeared to lose to metal last year as the fashion pendulum swings away from spidery styling and silvered finishes to re-affirm UK consumers’ long-standing love affair with teak.

Not that manufacturers have ceased to explore new species and new sources. For instance, The Tabula Trading Company Ltd, is focusing on Argentinian eucalyptus grandis. “We are so impressed with the performance of this hardwood that we are prepared to guarantee all our pieces for a minimum of 10 years,” said managing director Nick Barnicoat.

At RWH Stock Solutions Ltd dining suites make use of Malaysian yellow balau, while rustic garden ornaments like bird feeders use silver birch with its decorative bark still in place.

Elsewhere in the show South African saligna – claimed to be 30% harder than most qualities of teak – made its debut as the raw material for roll up portable pathways, while Kettler (GB) Ltd has turned its back on tropical timbers and revived robinia as the raw material for its new Herlag Ro-timbers range.

The fact that the size of the average British garden has been steadily shrinking over the past decade seems no deterrent to the manufacturers of sheds and summerhouses who this year are trading up.

The latest Unilog catalogue from M&M Structures for instance includes “amenity” buildings constructed in the machined rounded timber which is this company’s speciality. M&M also produces a comprehensive range of fencing, pergolas and landscaping materials.

Landscaping demands

“Random cobbles” made from pressure treated logs are now included in the range of Plum Products. In landscaping Plum is also introducing purpose-made hardwood sleepers.

Meanwhile, of its overall range, M&M joint managing director Nigel Poyner claims that it is at the quality end of the market where the greatest future growth lies. And to stimulate this growth, during the year ahead he plans to target the independent retail sector, recruiting new outlets to expand his company’s stockist network.

A similarly rosy view is taken by Dandf managing director Richard Fawcett. “2003 has been a fantastic year, but this is just the beginning,” he said. “We are planning further major investments for the year ahead and it is our stockists who will be the main beneficiaries. We are looking for a further 50% growth over the next 12 months and to satisfy the anticipated additional demand we are creating a new production unit which will increase our overall capacity by 60%.”

A new piece of equipment already in situ at Dandf is a Weinig splitting machine which will improve timber utilisation and productivity.

Dandf offers a full range of garden items. A line tipped as a particular winner for 2004 is its summerhouse shaped so that it will sit neatly in a corner. The company also predicts a surge in demand for children’s play equipment and playhouses.

Garden playhouses for adult use is the market-expanding notion which has inspired Matabu Ltd managing director Paul Cameron to introduce a version of the typical African safari game lodge to the UK garden scene.

For the Shire group, adult garden play means enclosures for home swimming pools, hot tubs and gymnasia. Shire also sees the trend for working from home as fuelling demand for the larger models in its Pine Lodges series of garden building, many of which are ideally suited as office accommodation for the domestic consumer as well as the commercial site.

Environmentally conscientious consumers are now being urged to look at how the timber has been treated and the use of Osmose Naturewood for all timber in contact with the ground is a major story this year both for Timeless Timber and Forest Garden.

On finishes for furniture the trend is to slightly darker shades – treacle rather than golden syrup.