A team from Blue Diamond including MD Alan Roper outlined the key qualifications for potential product listing in its garden centres at BHETA’s retailer networking forum. Read more - members only

Headlines around the country include a sale and lease back by Dobbies, controversy about breast feeding in a garden centre and thefts of catalytic converters at Bents. Read more - members only

With container costs approaching $20,000, LOFA warns that freight problems are escalating and asks if this is due to the greed of shipping lines and if they are colluding to increase prices. Read more - members only

Planning permission has been granted for Perrywood’s £8-10m plans to build an inspirational new garden centre at the former Wyevale store at Sudbury.  Read more - members only

The team at a Bradford garden centre have secured planning approval for a second site as part of their ambitious growth plans. Read more - members only

ThinCats, the leading alternative finance provider to mid-sized SME, has provided £3m in funding to support two acquisitions for professional horticultural services to businesses and buildings provider, Urban Planters. Read more - open to all

Longacres at Bagshot has revealed that some staff have tested positive for Covid-19.  The store remains open and staff are self-isolating. Read more - members only

Results just published by Westland Horticulture Ltd show sales up 14% and operating profit up 42%.  At 30/8/2020, after the first lockdown, Westland had a strong cash balance. Read more - members only

Compo, the market leading garden media supplier across continental Europe, has been sold to a Duke Street Capital backed management buy-out. Read more - members only

Dobbies has announced the online relaunch of its Little Seedlings Club, to support and celebrate National Children’s Gardening Week (29 May – 6 June). Read more - open to all

Tony Blake first dreamt about creating a wildlife area on St Peter's Garden Centre back in 2012... Last year, his son Will, now the MD, began to make this a reality. Read more - open to all

Dobbies has announced plans for a second store in Northern Ireland, at The Junction Retail and Leisure Park.  A public consultation will commence in the coming weeks. Read more - members only

Dobbies Garden Centres, announces the next two little dobbies stores that will open this year: Chiswick High Road and Westbourne Grove. Read more - members only

MD, Richard Hopkins, has announced the successful completion of a management buy-out (MBO) of Fargro Ltd backed by  private equity partner Ashridge Capital. Read more - members only

Market leading pressure sprayer manufacturer, Kärcher, is introducing professional landscape management tools to its range: a chainsaw, brush cutter, hedge trimmer... Read more - open to all

Waste-aware gardeners will now be able to recycle compost packaging thanks to a trial scheme from Dobbies Garden Centres and Evergreen Garden Care. Read more - members only

Results just published by Hillier Nurseries for the year ending August 2020 show the significant impact Covid-19 had on the second half of the year.  Read more - members only

Mr Fothergill’s Seeds announces a new partnership with Italian seed brand, Franchi Sementi and UK based Italian goods supplier, Seeds of Italy for the coming 2022 gardening season Read more - members only

Norfolk Leisure says retailer demand at their trade show was 3X normal levels.  They introduced a range of UK designed barbecues and warned of possible delays in Christmas deliveries. Read more - members only

CEO, Graeme Jenkins, outlines Dobbies’ progress, including acquisitions, its migration away from Ocado, little dobbies, a new app and a new apprenticeship scheme. Read more - members only

The British Garden Centres Group have officially opened their 58^th garden centre this week, located in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.  Read more - members only

With sales up 30% at B&M UK, Simon Arora, chief executive said the last year has been an exceptional one but warned of a decline in revenues this year.  Read more - members only

It was a steep learning curve for Ian Hepburn who joined Evergreen Garden Care a few months ago as marketing director,  having worked previously for Mars.  Read more - members only

Carbon Gold, which has recently been added to all Dobbies stores as part of its sustainability strategy, is launching a new range of products for home-growers and gardeners. Read more - members only

Wildflowers feature in the carpark of the first new store in 6 years for Homebase, which has just opened in Cheltenham. Read more - members only

The doubling of weather-related sales in the last quarter and growth of ecommerce has powered B&Q to record sales.  However, Kingfisher is planning for lower sales this autumn. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond results for 2020, a year dominated by Covid, show sales up 11% to £210m and a 64% jump in profit before tax to £23.5m. Read more - members only

Marshalls, the stone and concrete specialist, reports strong sales in the last 4 months.  Trading continues to improve and order books are currently strong. Read more - members only

There is caution among independent garden centres over the reopening of inside catering, which is likely to be permitted from 17^th May, while there's social distancing. Read more - members only

Dobbies today opens its 71st store. Previously Johnsons Garden Centre, the store has undergone a refurbishment following its acquisition and closure 2 weeks ago. Read more - members only