Find Your
01 Apr 2026
Landscaping has long been a staple category for independent merchants, but many are looking for ways to refresh their offer by finding extra benefits to meet changing customer needs.
This is where suppliers are increasingly stepping up to help merchants regain their competitive edge – not just with new landscaping products, but also with smarter commercial support. Across the sector, suppliers are investing in ranges that meet two parallel needs: the customer’s rising demand for sustainable, ethical materials and the merchant’s need to sell more value into each quote.
Stepping stones to a one-stop-shop
It’s no surprise that merchants need support from suppliers to allow them to quote for all of a landscaping project. When customers arrive at the trade counter with complex landscaping requirements, merchants want to be able to supply more than just the paving or decking – they want to quote for the entire scheme.
To address this, leading suppliers have broadened their ranges beyond core materials. From jointing compounds and natural stone to planters and pergolas, there are added value options at every turn. Some suppliers are also offering direct-to-site delivery for larger or specialist items, helping merchants win the business without needing to hold every item in stock.
As one of the UK’s leading independent suppliers of landscaping products, Talasey is a good example of this new approach.
“We’re not expecting merchants to stock more,” Rebecca Hughes, marketing director at Talasey explains. “Instead, we’re helping them win more of the project. We are expanding our ranges to offer products that can be delivered directly to the site, which removes the need for warehouse space, while still growing the merchant’s share of the sale.”
Responsible sourcing
As Rebecca points out, sustainability and responsible sourcing are also fast-growing areas of demand. Professional landscapers and homeowners alike are prioritising materials with environmental and ethical credentials. To support the merchant’s offering, suppliers are responding with ranges made from recycled plastics or rapidly growing materials like bamboo.
There are serious social issues at play too. For example, natural stone manufacturing, especially in India, is known for child labour abuses, so many suppliers are working with their supply chain and carrying out rigorous checks to ensure their stone is ethically sourced at all points in the process.
“Our CEO, Mark Wall, is very passionate about ensuring our supply chain remains ethical and puts people’s welfare first,” says Rebecca.
“We have partnered and work extremely closely with a company in India that manufactures our natural stone, it is one which insists on what many would see as ‘Western’ health and safety standards, like clean drinking water, mandatory PPE and properly maintained safety machinery to reduce the risk of harm to the workforce.
“This investment allows our merchant customers to have much greater confidence in our commitment to ethical, responsible and safe practices at every stage of the process. To push this further we are also part of the Ethical Stone Register, which helps us fully prove our ethical credentials to many landscaping customers.
“We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and we are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships,” she adds. “It’s not just about legal compliance – it’s a key part of our brand promise to implement and enforce effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains.”
For merchants, these commitments are a huge reassurance and also allow them to serve a higher-value customer base. By offering products that align with ESG goals, merchants can pitch themselves to a wider market that is increasingly open to spending more for ethical clarity.
Supporting merchants with knowledge
Beyond the product itself, independent merchants benefit most when suppliers are proactive in their service and education. Regional sales teams, dedicated merchant support roles and in-branch training are all being used more strategically to ensure merchants are confident in upselling newer or more premium products.
Emma Hopkins, landscaping category manager at NMBS, explains: “What we’re seeing now is a change in the conversation. Independent merchants aren’t just looking for product access, they want a supplier who can help them be an expert, so they can provide the tailored and regional support that their customers expect.
“We help NMBS members and suppliers across the landscaping industry to increase awareness about new products making their way to market.
By leaning on NMBS and its supplier partners, merchants can better respond to customer trends, reduce their admin load and make smarter purchasing decisions – all while accessing rebate benefits that improve their profitability.
Find out more about NMBS and its landscaping suppliers like Talasey, go to https://www.nmbs.co.uk/oneplace/.