“The good news is we have fixed it,” says Dobbies CEO

Dobbies CEO, Graeme Jenkins, faced up to 80 suppliers at yesterday’s GIMA Day Conference and apologised for recent payment and communication problems. Read more - members only

Graeme Jenkins

Blue Diamond hosts spectacular Awards Night

700 staff and guests, dressed for the 1920’s, danced the Charleston as the winners of the Blue Diamond garden centre awards celebrated into the early morning. Read more - members only

Two more garden centres for Blue Diamond before Easter

MD Alan Roper revealed to 700 staff at last night’s spectacular Folies Bergere style awards evening that Blue Diamond would have two more garden centres by Easter.  Read more - members only

News from the aisles of the Garden Press Event

The 2023 Garden Press Event was filled with innovation driven by the quest for greater sustainability; and bloggers feeding the interest of younger plant lovers. Read more - members only

Andermatt's beneficial bugs and biodegradable netting

Alan Roper speaks about his plans for Peterborough

Blue Diamond Garden Centres MD Alan Roper plans to invest £3m in the newly acquired Van Hage garden centre in Peterborough with an official launch before Easter. Read more - members only

Senior lender takes control of Dobbies

The Dobbies chairman and 4 other directors resign as Dobbies shares are bought by its main lender, Ares Management. Read more - members only

YPHA pays tribute to mentor and friend Paul Cooling

YPHA members gathered at Coolings yesterday at a gathering initiated by Paul Cooling.  They toured the nursery, heard from TV presenter Adam Frost and learned how the company is now owned by the staff. Read more - open to all

YPHA Committee with Ian Hazon, Liz Dowling and Adam Frost

Blue Diamond restores Bridgemere Show Gardens

An extensive restoration by Blue Diamond has returned Bridgemere Show Gardens to their former glory and they have been awarded Partner Garden status by the RHS. Read more - members only

Klondyke dominates the GCA awards

Bents became the best GCA destination garden centre, while Klondyke Morton is the garden centre of the year as the group dominates the awards for smaller sites.  Wyevale Nurseries is named best supplier. Read more - members only

Klondyke, Morton Hall, Garden centre of the Year

Key growers retire from Hillier Nurseries

Two Hillier Nurseries innovators are retiring. Alan Postill, one of the UK’s greatest plant breeders, and Nursery Manager Dave Hooker, who has worked for Hillier for 43 years. Read more - open to all

Alan Posthill with Robert Hillier

Wilko is reported to have secured £40m in new funding

Sky News has reported that wilko has secured £40m in funding from Hilco. Read more - members only

Perrywood raises over £45k for the local community

Over the last two years, Perrywood Tiptree and Perrywood Sudbury have raised a grand total of £45,000 for local charities, schools and community projects. Read more - open to all

The headlines that made 2022 unique - a round-up

2022 was dominated by the recovery from the distortions to trade caused by Covid. It was a year of acquisitions. There were some game changers and sadly we lost some leading characters. Read more - open to all

The YPHA - a game changer for young people in horticulture

New garden centre team at AMES UK

AMES UK has updated its garden centre team to offer even more value and support to its retail customers. Read more - open to all

Alan Jones Craig Keyworth Darren Boorman

Notcutts celebrates opening of new Brampton Garden Centre

Notcutts celebrated the official opening of their new-look Brampton Garden Centre at a community event on 2nd December. Read more - members only

Joanne Hawkins-McDowell, Caroline Notcutt and CEO, Nick Burrows cut the ribbon.

BGC expands plant production capacity

British Garden Centres has leased Hawkesmill Nurseries’ unit at Temple in Warwickshire.  Renamed Temple Nursery it will become BGC’s third production unit. [Updated] Read more - members only

Boyd Douglas-Davies

BGC prepares for national Garden Re-Leaf fundraising extravaganza

British Garden Centres has got more than ever planned for Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023.  The family-run group is hosting several special events nationwide to raise funds. Read more - open to all

Boyd Douglas-Davies warms up for Garden Re-leaf Day

Malcolm Scott unveils new identity

Rural operations and planning specialists Malcolm Scott Consultants have relocated to a new office as the business grows and develops its services.   Read more - open to all

New product strategy for Dobbies

Dobbies unveiled a new focus at the Garden Press Event covering everyday value plus further commitments to sustainable gardening. Read more - members only

YPHA announce first set of ‘Supporters’ for 2023-2024

The Young People in Horticulture Association are excited to announce their first five supporters for the 2023-2024 sponsorship term. Read more - open to all

YPHA members on a tour of Coolings recently

Hozelock to Introduce fingerprint drug testing

Hozelock is to implement drug tests to promote employee safety utilising fingerprint sweat-based technology from Intelligent Fingerprinting. Read more - members only

New supplier for British grown orchids and green houseplants

Double H nurseries is on a mission to transform houseplant wholesale. The Horti House web shop will supply garden centres with British grown orchids and green houseplants. Read more - members only

The Orchid House

Work starts on 6th little dobbies

Work has started on the 6th little dobbies high street shop, that is reported to be the biggest yet. Read more - members only

little dobbies at Chiswick

Arena acquires Patch Plants

Arena Online Ltd, the UK’s leading ethical flower business, has announced the acquisition and merger of Patch Gardens Ltd (trading as Patch), the leading plant delivery business. Read more - members only

Will Wynne

Bents' FD retires after nearly 30 years

Brian Daniels, Bents’ Finance Director who joined the team in 1993 when Ron and his wife Wendy were running the business, retires. Read more - open to all

Wendy and Ron Bent (on screen), Matthew Bent, Katherine Bent, Brian Daniels and Helen Bent

Leadership changes at Evergreen Garden Care

Evergreen Garden Care has announced that Ian Hepburn, marketing director for two years, will be leaving the company with Rich Fisher succeeding him from January 3rd, 2023. Read more - open to all

Rich Fisfer

Squire's buys long established plant supplier

D. J. Squire & Co. Ltd has acquired the shares of Barnsfold Nurseries Limited, a business it has worked with and admired for many years. Read more - members only

Squire's Badshott Lea

TGH rescues The Garden Trading Company

A Yorkshire private equity house has bought The Garden Trading Company out of administration after it was split from Joules. Read more - members only

Tim Whitworth

Primrose has been bought by the founders of Crocus

Mark Fane and Peter Clay, the founders of Crocus, have acquired the assets of the online garden retailer, Primrose, from its administrator. Read more - members only

Tong to upgrade gardening at Harden

Last month YGC unveiled plans for the first phase of Stephen H Smith at Otley's revamp.  It has now said it will spend £200,000 on the first phase of Harden's revamp.  Read more - members only

Mark Farnsworth with Sharon McNair and Sarah Ritchie

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive