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​Want to start gardening but need a little encourage-mint? Recent studies have shown that over half of millennials grow their own produce as a cheaper alternative to buying it, and 84% of millennials are looking for ways to make gardening easier[1]. To help make that happen, supermarket Aldi has partnered with TV horticulturist Matt James ahead of the return of its popular Grow Your Own and Spring Garden Prep range. The ranges will be available in stores from 1^st March and will be available to pre-order online at Aldi’s returning online Garden Shop now.
Designing bespoke landscapes and gardens, Matt James rose to fame on Channel 4’s popular show ‘The City Gardener’. He has also published several books including ‘How to Plant A Garden’ and ‘The Urban Gardener’. Now armed with a whole host of products from Aldi’s upcoming ranges, Matt James is giving keen gardeners some sage advice to show just how easy it is to create the ultimate herb garden with quality products at an everyday price. Once fully grown, these herbs can be used in recipes and as cocktail garnishes, meaning gardeners can make sure they get the most out of their garden!
Matt James, explains: “Looking to grow your own but not sure where to start? Try herbs! They’re easy to propagate and are a magnet for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects too. Aldi has a super range of gardening essentials, which are great value and importantly do the job which will help you get off on the right foot this spring – particularly for perennial favourites like sage and thyme which in particular need little TLC once established. Herbs off to Aldi!”
 
Aldi’s latest gardening ranges include everything customers need to get growing their own produce in any space, from the Seed and Cutting Tray (£2.99), 4 Tier Grow House (£19.99), and Windowsill Greenhouse (£1.99). Each product will help both complete beginners and gardening aficionados alike get the best out of their gardens. While the Large Walk In Greenhouse (£49.99) is perfect for those with a bit more space, the Wooden Mini Greenhouse (£59.99) will give plants more room to grow even in the smallest of spaces.
 
For top tips from Matt, taking you from roots to shoots and beyond, see below:
1. Most herbs aren’t fussy but do need free draining soil, otherwise they’ll rot. Dig in horticultural grit to improve drainage if needs be. No garden? No problem – you can still crop herbs in patio pots. Where space is truly tight; basil, chives and curly parsley will thrive on a cool kitchen windowsill. 
 
2. Why not save a packet and grow your own herbs from seed? All you need is some seed compost, small pots or modular trays, and a simple unheated propagator. Usefully, Aldi has a space-saving propagator that’s thin enough to neatly fit on the kitchen windowsill.
 
3. Other herbs like rosemary, sage, mint and bay laurel can be propagated by seed, but it’s quicker to take cuttings from plants of friends or neighbours in early-mid summer. A cold frame or small greenhouse will help get them off to a good start.
 
4. Many herbs don’t just taste good, they’re attractive to look at too. Group favourites like sage and rosemary in terracotta pots on the patio or mingle plants together with colourful flowering summer perennials for a display that really does look enough good to eat! 
 
5. To keep maintenance to a minimum, remember happy plants are healthy plants, so rule No.1 is to give plants some sun and the right soil.  Watch your watering too – too much is just as bad as too little. Be sure to only water when dry and never let pot plants in particular sit in standing water. 
 
 
Even when space is tight, shoppers can romaine calm – as Matt explains, there are plenty of herbs that are adaptable for a variety of conditions, inside or out! Better yet, once they’re fully grown they can be plucked from pots and added an extra dash of flavour to recipes, or be used as a garnish for one of Aldi’s award-winning tipples.          
Aldi’s Grow Your Own and Spring Garden Prep ranges are available in stores 1^st March and available to pre-order online from 23^rd February while stocks last. The full ranges can be found below:
Online Only:

BUYER	PRODUCT	PRODUCT CODE	PRICE
KFr	Premium Grow Tunnel	700752	£99.99
LSt	Electric Tiller	701986	£59.99
LSt	Rake Scarifier	701998	£59.99

 
 
Grow Your Own:

BUYER	PRODUCT	PRODUCT CODE	PRICE
KFr	Wooden Mini Greenhouse	90235	£59.99
KFr	Potting Bench	90473	£29.99
KFr	4 Tier Grow House	90263	£19.99
KFr	Tomato Grow House	90267	£14.99
KFr	Garden Stakes 6PK	11734	£3.99
KFr	Propagator Set 3PK	3018	£3.99
KFr	Slow Release Fertiliser	12890	£3.99
KFr	Decorative Flower Pot	99687	£3.99
KFr	Seed and Cutting Tray	76403	£2.99
KFr	Drip Feeders	702429	£1.99
KFr	Windowsill Greenhouse	4342	£1.99
KFr	Garden Stake with Seeds	701918	£1.99
KFr	Robust Gardening Gloves	90190	£1.99

Spring Garden Prep:

BUYER	PRODUCT	PRODUCT CODE	PRICE
LSt	Petrol Lawnmower	701973	£179.99
LSt	5 in 1 Multi Gardening Tool	701991	£129.99
LSt	Petrol Chainsaw	701997	£79.99
KFr	Large Walk In Greenhouse	90265	£49.99
KFr	Wooden Cold Frame	90237	£29.99
KFr	Waterbutt Pump	701226	£29.99
KFr	210 Litre Waterbutt Set	49159	£29.99
KFr	Incinerator	76915	£14.99
KFr	Lawn Edging 4PK	702096	£9.99
KFr	Milano Planter	701649	£8.99
KFr	Climbing Plant Support	702101	£6.99
KFr	Concentrated Weed Killer	12888	£6.99
KFr	Lawn Feed, Weed and Moss Killer	703370	£5.99
LSt	Garden Clogs	99492	£4.99
KFr	Brass Hose Accessories	99691	£4.99
KFr	Lawn Repair Kit	703373	£4.99
KFr	Garden Mesh	90260	£4.99
AC	Garden Friends Doormat	10910	£3.99
CM	Brooms	703166	£2.99
KFr	Top Soil	703531	£1.99
KFr	Concrete Path and Patio Cleaner 2L	69689	£1.99

 

 
*All prices have been checked against latest OSD report.

 
Recipe information
Grilled Peach Julep
Ingredients

• 50 ml Highland Black 8-Year-Old Whisky
• 6-8 mint leaves
• 15ml honey
• 1 peach
• 10ml fresh lemon juice

 
Method
 

• Add the mint to the cocktail shaker and cover with the Highland Black 8-Year-Old Whisky.
• Lightly muddle using a wooden spoon.
• Add the honey to the cocktail shaker and stir until dissolved.
• To make peach purée cut 1 peach in half and de-stone.
• Lightly grill the two halves until they begin to caramelise.
• Add to a blender until smooth and place in the fridge to chill.
• Add 25ml of peach purée and all the remaining ingredients and stir to ensure all the flavours are combined.
• Pour into an ice-filled tall glass.

Pamplemousse Gin
Ingredients

• 80ml Greyson’s London Dry Gin
• Juice of 1 Red Grapefruit
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
• Tonic Water
• Ice Cubes

Method

• Put the grapefruit and lime juices together with the gin in a cocktail shaker, along with a sprig of rosemary and some ice cubes.
• Shake well, then strain into two large gin glasses over ice.
• Top up with tonic water, garnish with lime wedges and rosemary to serve.

Mango & Mint Frozen Yogurt
Ingredients

• 2 x 400g packs Ready to Eat Fresh Mango Chunks
• 500g Greek Style Yogurt
• 10g Fresh Mint

Method

• Chop the mint.
• Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Pour the purée into a freezer-proof bowl.
• Freeze for about 80 minutes until semi-hard and serve.
• If it’s been in the freezer a long time, allow it to thaw for 15 minutes before serving.

 
Notes to editors:
Aldi is Britain’s fifth largest supermarket with over 874 stores and 33,000 employees.
The company has more than doubled its market share since 2010. In the 12 weeks to 26^th January 2020, Aldi grew sales by 5.7% and it achieved a 7.9% share of the UK grocery market (Kantar Worldpanel data). By 2025, Aldi will operate over 1,200 stores.
Aldi is attracting hundreds of thousands of new customers every year with its range of exclusive brands, passing low operating costs on to customers in the form of low prices.
The supermarket believes in making every day amazing and that’s why every single day Aldi delivers on the best possible value for millions of families throughout the UK and Ireland across everything from award-winning fresh produce to world class gin.
Aldi won’t be beaten on price; consistently racks up award after award for quality; treats its suppliers with fairness and respect and recognises the responsibility of supporting valued institutions such as Team GB to demonstrate the importance of health and wellness. That’s Aldi. That’s everyday amazing. The reason they do this? Because Aldi believes that everyone should have access to fresh, healthy, affordable food…it’s a right, not a privilege.
 The company’s current achievements and initiatives include:

• Aldi is the UK’s lowest priced supermarket. The Grocer’s weekly price comparison of 33 supermarket products found that a weekly shop at Aldi was 8.1% cheaper than its nearest competitor (The Grocer – 7^th February 2020)
• Aldi has a five-year partnership with Teenage Cancer Trust – its fundraising target of £5m will go towards helping the trust to reach out to every young person with cancer in the UK. 
• Aldi’s rates of pay are significantly higher than the Government’s National Living Wage and also above the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended national rates. Store Assistants receive a minimum hourly rate of £9.40 nationally and £10.90 in London.
• Aldi is the official supermarket partner of Team GB and ensures every member of the team has access to fresh healthy Aldi food via monthly shopping vouchers, and that 1.2 million 5-14 year olds will learn about the benefits of cooking fresh, healthy food via its Get Set to Eat Fresh education initiative. Aldi has been a partner since 2015 and has extended its commitment to the 2024 Olympic games in Paris.
• In June 2019, for the sixth consecutive year, Aldi was ranked the best-performing supermarket for compliance with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, underlining its commitment to maintaining fair, predictable and sustainable prices within its supply chain.

Full details of Aldi’s awards and achievements are detailed at www.aldi.co.uk/awards