Blue Diamond to preview Christmas

Blue Diamond Garden Centres have announced a series of exclusive Christmas preview evenings to kick off the 2025 festive season. Read more - open to all

Blue Diamond triumphs at Excellence in Housewares Awards

Blue Diamond Garden Centres has secured two major accolades at the prestigious Excellence in Housewares Awards 2025, held at The Royal Lancaster, London. Read more - members only

Ali Buchan and Claire Jenner Blue Diamond Category Managers Kitchen and Housewares

Blue Diamond completes delayed Busy Bee deal

The delayed Blue Diamond acquisition of Busy Bee Garden Centre near Ryde, the Isle of Wight completed on October 2nd. Read more - members only

Westland wins the Peter Wilson cup

Westland lifted the Peter Wilson Cup for Choice Marketing’s Associate of the Year at their annual conference and trade show. This is second year in succession that it has won the members' vote. Read more - members only

Mike Cook, John McDowell, Sue Birch asnd Michelle de Lavis Trafford

The best thing about Glee “is that people are no longer talking about Dobbies”.

In a recent interview at Glee Chief Executive, David Robinson, shared his insights on experiential retailing and his vision for rebuilding Dobbies Garden Centres. Read more - members only

Dobbies CEO, David Robinson at GLEE

Alan Roper is not thinking about succession

Blue Diamond MD, Alan Roper,  reveals his thoughts on his successor, GLEE and the 8 pillars that support the country’s biggest turnover garden centre group. Read more - members only

Alan Roper at Glee

New TV gardening programme launched on YouTube

Broadcaster David Domoney and Blue Diamond’s  MD, Alan Roper, have joined together to produce a brand-new television programme to be exclusively available on YouTube. Read more - members only

David Domoney

British Garden Centres takes on the Entertainer

Britain’s largest toy retailer, The Entertainer, is to trial toy concessions in British Garden Centres’ sites across the country. Read more - members only

Christie & Co finds new owners for Layham Garden Centre

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the successful change of ownership of Layham Garden Centre, located in the village of Staple near Canterbury, Kent. Read more - members only

Layham Garden Centre, Staple

Pleydell Smithyman celebrates milestone anniversary

Leading specialist design and business consultancy Pleydell Smithyman is proud to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Read more - open to all

Leadership transition at E P Barrus Ltd

E P Barrus Ltd is today announcing changes to its Board, marking a new chapter in the company’s distinguished history. Read more - open to all

Retirement of Andrew Feilden from E P Barrus Ltd Board

Whitehall concludes the sale of Woodborough garden centre

UPDATED From Thursday 21st August the former Whitehall Garden Centre at Woodborough will be opening under the ownership of family business, Ranu Limited. Read more - members only

British Garden Centres turns 35

From a single site in Woodthorpe, Lincolnshire, in 1990 to becoming the UK’s largest family-run garden centre group, British Garden Centres is celebrating a remarkable milestone in 2025 — its 35th anniversary on 25th August. Read more - open to all

Amy, Charles, Phillipa and Amy Stubbs

Brand new to Bents this Christmas

Tumble down the rabbit hole with Alice and embark on a fantastical light trail at Bents Garden & Home this Christmas.  This brand new experience will take visitors on a magical journey... Read more - open to all

Dobbies announce their annual accounts to 23 February 2025

Dobbies Garden Centres Group Limited has filed its historic Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Group and its subsidiaries.  Read more - members only

Dobbies announces CFO change

Dobbies Garden Centres announces that its CFO, Jonathan Wass, will step down from his role on 12 November 2025 and names his replacement. Read more - open to all

Pete Templeton, CFO Dobbies Garden Centres

From disaster to rapid growth led by a new management team

20 years ago, brothers Nic and George Snell set up Certainly Wood, a firewood company, which has been instrumental in driving a positive change in the firewood industry. Read more - open to all

Sandra Taylor (Managing Director) and Iain Burgess (Commercial Director)

A very solid performance from British Garden Centres

The combined British Garden Centres results for 2024 are now available and show ‘a very solid performance’, claims the group, despite a challenging trading year. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond marks £1m contribution to the National Trust

The collaboration between Blue Diamond and the National Trust comes to a close with over £1m having been given donated to support vital conservation work. Read more - members only

Sales and profits grow at Notcutts

Notcutts restructures to mitigate additional employer cost pressures as like-for-like sales and profit increase in 2024/25. Read more - members only

Bridget McIntyre, Julian Herbert, Mark Haddock, Caroline Notcutt and Nick Burrows

Gardening Club acquires Studley Green

Colin Campbell-Preston of Capital Gardens group confirmed today the sale of their garden centre at Studley Green, Buckinghamshire, to The Gardening Club. Read more - members only

Bents recognised as one of the UK’s best workplaces

Bents Garden & Home has been named one of the UK’s Best Workplaces in Retail, Hospitality & Leisure, while a team participated in the “One More Lap” 12-hour ultra-endurance relay. Read more - open to all

Dobbies reveals 5th garden centre upgrade

Dobbies Garden Centre in Bury St Edmunds is the 5th store to be refurbished in the group's £4m upgrade programme. Read more - members only

Dobbies unveils fourth refurbished store

Unveiled today, Dobbies Garden Centre in Beaconsfield is the latest store to be refurbished as part of its programme of investment across the store estate.  Read more - members only

The Buffalo Co has partnered with DECCO

The Buffalo Co. has partnered exclusively with DECCO, the UK’s largest garden centre wholesaler, to expand its reach in pet and garden retail.  Read more - open to all

Caragh Nurseries acquires Earlswood Landscape Centre

County Kildare-based Caragh Nurseries has acquired Earlswood Landscape & Garden Centre in Solihull, marking its first move into the UK market. Read more - members only

Cleeve Nursery and Garden Centre has closed

Cleeve Nursery and Garden Centre in Bristol, formerly owned and run for 35 years by past HTA president Alan Down, has closed permanently. Read more - members only

A more detailed look at the Dobbies accounts

Here is a more detailed look at the 2025 accounts for Dobbies, released last week along with those of the previous year. Read more - members only

Cadnam Garden Centre

Ryde’s Busy Bee Garden Centre to join Blue Diamond

Busy Bee Garden Centre near Ryde, the biggest garden centre in the Isle of Wight, is to join the Blue Diamond Group, in just over 2 weeks’ time, on 1st September.  Read more - members only

Cherry Lane buys Bawdeswell Garden Centre

Cherry Lane garden centres have bought family-owned Bawdeswell Garden centre near Dereham, Norfolk, making it the 19th garden centre in the Group. Read more - members only

Bawdswell Garden Centre

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive