In the Trade? Help Your Business with 'Meet the Supplier' Events

Meet the Supplier events are there to extend your contacts in the landscaping industry. Run by Paul Willavoys of Landscapeplus, the lighting, water feature and irrigation experts, they take place at venues around the country. At London Stone in 2023, we’ve been delighted to host meetings at our Kent, Bristol and Hampshire showrooms.

About 10-12 companies are present at the sessions. You'll find national companies, as well as a sprinkling of businesses local to your area. On arrival, attendees are assigned to a small group. Each company has 10-15 minutes to talk to a group before a bell goes and everyone swaps round. “It’s like speed dating,” says Paul. Wood-fired pizza is provided for lunch, at which point attendees can go back and talk in more detail to businesses if they want to. “We make it a morning event,” explains Paul. “A lot of people don’t want to travel to trade shows, and this is a couple of hours out the day, so they can do some work in the afternoon.”

The events are free to attend. Attendees may show their appreciation, if they choose, by donating via a Just Giving page to Perennial, the charity which supports anyone in the landscaping and horticultural industry who is struggling.

Comments from attendees have been very positive. This one, from Gareth Manning, Gartenart Swimming Ponds, about our Kent showroom meeting in October, is typical. “The event was great, providing an excellent opportunity to reconnect with our current suppliers and explore collaborations with new ones. The format of short presentations by each supplier before moving on to the next was highly effective.”

With up to 40 people attending each event, you’ll find plenty of people to exchange news with. It’s a relaxed opportunity to connect with other people in the industry and discover the expertise of companies providing a wide range of services and products

In 2023, Landscapeplus ran these events in conjunction with the Landscape Academy, Chilstone and, of course, London Stone. Stu Williams, our Head of Business Development North, is looking forward to next year. "It was a great opportunity to bring suppliers, garden designers, landscapers from our fantastic industry together," he says. "As well as the presentations, it was fantastic for people to network and build new business relationships. We will be attending many more in 2024, plus hosting more at our various showrooms too." After the enthusiastic response to events in 2023, we’re looking forward to welcoming you to Meet the Supplier mornings in spring 2024, including one at our Manchester showroom for the first time. You’ll also find us in Meet the Supplier events in Leeds and Edinburgh. If you're already a customer and receive marketing emails from us, we'll let you know when there's an event in your area. Alternatively, contact Landscapeplus to ask to be notified of future events or keep an eye on our social media.