Glee is the UK’s leading garden and lifestyle trade show. Each September it draws buyers, distributors and retailers from across Europe and beyond. This year DAIM (DAIICHI VINYL Idea Making) arrived in Birmingham with a clear aim. We did not come only to show products. We came to show how thoughtful design can make life easier for our retail partners and for the gardeners they serve.
The response confirmed that approach. Over the three days, our team held many recorded business conversations with buyers from the UK and other countries. They included national garden center groups, e-commerce specialists, importers, and suppliers to some of the world’s largest home-improvement chains. Roughly two-thirds of those conversations ended with a request for samples, pricing or a formal quotation.
Our Multilink Trellis, Flip Washer Staple, FlexWall Edge and No-Dig Edging, and our retail-ready display rack system drew the most interest from buyers.
1. The Industry Landscape: Gardening in the Era of “Lemonading”
The 2026 garden season opens against a difficult backdrop. Consumers face economic pressure, climate anxiety and constant digital noise. Trend analysts have described this mood as a kind of collective exhaustion. You might expect that to reduce interest in gardening. The opposite is happening.
From Setback to Sanctuary
Garden Media Group’s 2026 Garden Trends Report names this year’s defining mindset “Lemonading”. It describes a proactive, creative resilience that turns setbacks into opportunities. Lemonading is not forced optimism. It asks a practical question: “What can I do with this?” For many people, the answer is the garden. It is a place where daily chaos softens, and small, manageable successes rebuild a sense of control.
Several related shifts matter to anyone who sells garden products:
- From lifespan to “Joyspan.” Consumers judge products less by how long they last and more by how much everyday enjoyment they deliver.
- “Minorstones” over milestones. Gardeners celebrate small personal wins, like a thriving climbing rose, a tidy border or a productive vertical vegetable patch.
- The “Botanical Bento.” Country Living describes a growing trend toward compact, carefully arranged garden spaces. Gardeners organize every square meter with purpose, often vertically.
What This Means for Retailers
For retailers, these trends point to a new job. Customers no longer want to buy more things. They want solutions that work the first time, fit small spaces and bring visible order to their gardens. Behind the shelf, the pressures are just as real: freight costs, tariffs, raw-material volatility and limited floor space. Winning retailers in 2026 will offer precision, reliability and purpose, and that is exactly what we saw buyers looking for at Glee.
2. Our Philosophy: Designing for Customer Success
DAIM’s purpose is simple: Making Life More Comfortable. Our mission, Bringing Joy to Everyday Life Through Innovation and Convenience, shapes every product we develop. It also shaped how we designed our presence at Glee 2026.
Two Customers, One Solution
This reflects a core DAIM belief: our success depends on our customers’ success. A retailer succeeds when products sell quickly. A gardener succeeds when a project works the first time. Good design serves both at once.
For consumers, this means gardening that is easier, tidier and more rewarding. It is Lemonading made practical. For retailers and distributors, it means products that sell steadily, displays that use floor space efficiently, and a supplier that listens.
Built on 60 Years of Expertise
Our multi-base production model supports this philosophy with operational resilience:
| Strategic Base | Primary Role | Strategic Value |
| Japan | Innovation & Development | 60 years of expertise; hub for refining original and patented designs. |
| China | Diverse Supply & Scale | Efficient material sourcing and the ability to scale production rapidly. |
| Vietnam | Cost-effectiveness & Resilience | Scalable manufacturing base that maintains competitive pricing despite global instability. |
3. Exhibition Highlights and Key Results
Quantitative Outcomes
Glee 2026 was one of DAIM’s most productive European shows to date. Over three days, our team:
- held recorded business conversations
- gave hands-on product demonstrations
- received requests for samples, pricing or quotations
4. Roadmap and Next Steps
Glee 2026 is a starting point, not a finish line. Our team is already turning conversations into action:
• Priority follow-ups. We are sending competitive quotations to our distributors and garden center partners.
• Retail qualification support. We are supplying additional samples and technical support for the laboratory testing.
• Factory visits. We are hosting partners at DAIM.
• Digital engagement. We are publishing how-to videos showing the use of DAIM products.
We look forward to meeting partners again at spoga+gafa 2027 and Glee 2027 for deeper conversations.
5. Conclusion: Let the Lemonading Begin
Uncertainty shapes the 2026 gardening market, but so does a strong desire for comfort, order and small everyday joys. At Glee 2026, we saw that retailers and distributors worldwide share our belief that the right product, thoughtfully designed, can turn life’s lemons into something better.
At DAIM, we will keep making new ideas that help people. We will listen closely, adapt quickly and build products that make gardening easier and more rewarding for everyone in the value chain.
