Following updated guidance from the UK Government that soft plays may reopen in England, Dobbies Garden Centres, is reopening 31 soft plays through September. Read more - members only

Perrywood is seeking permission to expand and upgrade the Sudbury garden centre it bought from Wyevale 2 years ago, to a size similar to Tiptree. Read more - members only

Dobbies has launched its Christmas events programme, with Santa due to arrive at all 68 stores. Safety is Dobbies’ number one priority so booking will be online. Read more - members only

Desch Plantpak has acquired all IPP’s commercial activities. This will boost to Desch’s leading position in thermoformed and injection moulded products for the horticultural industry. Read more - members only

Steve Harper, sales and marketing director of The Greener Gardening Company (formerly Bord na Mona), left the business last week. Read more - open to all

British Garden Centres has acquired the former Wyevale garden centre at Thatcham, which has been closed for several months.  Re-opening is planned for October. Read more - members only

Which plant varieties will be hot for 2021?... the industry has voted at the Ball Colegrave Trial Grounds at West Adderbury. Read more - open to all

Landlord Tony Miller has given Wyevale’s Swindon Hay Lane a complete overhaul and renamed it Studley Grange Garden Centre. Read more - members only

Greenfingers Trading Ltd that ran Greenfingers.com was put into liquidation on 4^th August. The website however continues to trade. MD 0f M8 Group, Scott Torrens, explains what happened. Read more - members only

Handy completes its transformation to wholesaler as it closes its retail outlet in Swindon. Read more - members only

Dobbies Garden Centres celebrates introducing a range of Sainsbury’s food and grocery products to its flagship store in Edinburgh. Read more - members only

Leading pot supplier, Woodlodge, is extending its garden decoration offer with the acquisition of Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry. Read more - members only

Fresh @ Burcot Garden Centre at Bromsgrove is closing later this month. The garden centre is being sold by Nicci and Neil Gow. Read more - members only

Eliza Tinsley has bought Reedy Tools and Greenman Garden Tools. Read more - members only

On 28^th May Wyevale Garden Centres Ltd, one of garden centres’ biggest names disappeared into history, when it was wound up after trading for 58 years.  We look back through the years. Read more - members only

Online garden retailer, Primrose, has been put up for sale, reports The Times.  This confirms rumours within the trade that the company was looking for a buyer.  Read more - members only

Morrisons has acquired Lansen Nursery.  This, its says, will enable its garden centres to develop further, widening the range of outdoor plants. Read more - members only

A major transformation project at Hillier Garden Centre Marlow that began just before the spring has now been completed. Read more - members only

Evergreen Garden Care says demand continues to be 20%-30% up on last year, but warns about expecting growth in 2021. Read more - members only

The Granary Group are delighted with the acquisition of Ladds Garden Village as it continues to expand its garden centre portfolio.  Read more - members only

Dobbies garden centre at Ayr has asked visitors to its restaurant last Friday to be vigilant after a visitor tested positive for Covid-19. Read more - open to all

Beckworth Emporium, between Northampton and Wellingborough, is about to start work on a major upgrade that will lift its sales of plants and gardening. Read more - members only

Fosters Garden Centre in Thrybergh, Rotheram is to close at the end of October after 40 years trading.  Read more - members only

Tong garden centre is to open a second 180 seat restaurant this autumn on the mezzanine of a recent extension at the Bradford site. Read more - members only

Part of Dame Sharon White’s transformation review for John Lewis includes building a new gardening business, potentially with new partnerships and acquisitions.  Read more - members only

Kingfisher, the group that operates B&Q and Screwfix in the UK, increased sales by 26% in June.  Half year profits will be ahead of last year. Read more - members only

Dobbies has partnered with Sainsbury’s to sell a range of the supermarket’s food and groceries at its garden centres. Read more - members only

The HTA reports a £1.5m COVID-19 support package is being offered to Northern Ireland horticultural businesses and calls again for a grant aid scheme for British growers. Read more - open to all

While Dobbies are reopening their restaurants as soon as permitted, others are adopting a more cautious approach.  Some are not opening this month. Read more - open to all

SBM has restructured its European marketing team adding four including James Ramnought in the UK as head of marketing for North West Europe (United  Kingdom / Benelux). Read more - members only