The latest episode of The Underground Podcast, recorded live at Glee 2025, brought together two established names in the garden sector who are proving that evolution not reinvention is the real driver of long-term success.
Between Durstons’ confident new rebrand and Woodlodge’s thoughtful approach to product and merchandising strategy, the conversation revealed what happens when heritage businesses commit to innovation, clarity, and purpose.
Brand evolution built on performance and trust
For Durstons, the family-run growing media manufacturer, 2025 has marked a turning point. After decades of quiet consistency, the company unveiled a bold new brand identity that has transformed how it’s seen on the show floor and beyond.
“We’ve had lots of lovely comments about how strong the branding looks — its classical colours and its heritage feel,” said Managing Director Dan Durston. “We feel that the change we’ve made has really elevated our business and our brand.”
The rebrand, developed with Future Kings, began as an advertising brief but grew into something more profound. It gave Durstons a visual and strategic language to match the quality and reliability their customers already associated with the product.
For co-host Phil Wright, it’s a creative transformation that works: “It feels premium and unified, a family of products that flow together.”
But the design work is only part of the story. The rebrand is also a signal of deeper operational confidence. In recent years, Durstons has tripled its production capacity and invested heavily in its peat-free product development; not just to meet legislation, but to stay ahead of it.
As Simon Blackhurst put it, “Performance is the key element — when a consumer opens that bag, it has to work.” Consistency, both in formulation and delivery, is what builds lasting trust.
Educating for the peat-free future
The shift towards peat-free products remains one of the most significant challenges in growing media. For Durstons, it’s as much about education as it is about innovation.
“We need to keep banging that drum,” said Simon. “Peat-free isn’t difficult, it’s just different. The whole industry needs to help consumers understand that.”
It’s a message echoed across the sector: sustainability must be paired with communication. Clearer signage, better in-store advice, and aligned messaging across brands can reduce confusion and build consumer confidence. As the Enrich the Earth campaign and other collaborations have shown, consistency in communication is just as important as consistency in product quality.
Design, data and direction at Woodlodge
When Kate Ebbens joined Woodlodge earlier this year as Commercial Business Manager, she stepped into one of the UK’s largest and most design-led suppliers of outdoor and indoor garden products.
Her perspective is refreshingly holistic: it’s not just about what’s in the range, but how the range is presented. “It takes a huge amount of work to make a stand look effortless — but that’s what great merchandising does.”
At Glee, Woodlodge showcased not only its renowned planter collections but also an expanding portfolio of recycled plastic pots, part of a wider move towards sustainable materials and value-driven design. “Garden retail has evolved,” said Ebbens. “Customers are more design-conscious, sustainability-minded and value-driven than ever before.”
Her insight points to a growing truth in garden retail: visual presentation and product storytelling have become core differentiators. As buying groups, independents and consumers seek stronger connections between indoor and outdoor living, the brands that lead with design and education will shape the next phase of the category.
Purpose as the ultimate motivator
Beyond the business, Ebbens also shared her latest challenge: leading a group of industry peers on an expedition to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in 2026, and in the process raising £100,000 for Greenfingers Charity. It follows her remarkable achievement of running 5K every day throughout 2024 to raise funds for children’s hospice gardens.
For a sector built on growth, hers is a reminder of what truly sustains it: purpose. “Every step up that mountain will help fund a Greenfingers garden,” she said. It’s the kind of motivation that resonates deeply across an industry that thrives on community.
The takeaway: clarity, consistency and care
Across both conversations, three themes stood out that garden brands would do well to note:
- Clarity of brand: a clear, confident visual identity makes it easier for retailers and consumers to engage.
- Consistency of product and message: from peat-free blends to point-of-sale materials, reliability builds reputation.
- Care for purpose: whether through sustainability or charitable work, authentic intent strengthens trust and loyalty.
As the garden industry continues to navigate change, from legislation to lifestyle trends, brands like Durstons and Woodlodge show that growth doesn’t mean losing your roots. It means tending them, thoughtfully and with intent.
The Underground Podcast is produced by WrightObara, creative partners for home and garden brands. Listen to the full episode: