New CEO for Mr Fothergill’s

Mr. Fothergill’s Seeds Limited has named Michael Yates as new the CEO.  He comes with 25 years of global brand building experience. Read more - open to all

Michael Yates, CEO at Mr Fothergill's Seeds

Westland's online houseplant hub for consumers

8th – 14th January is National Houseplant Week and Westland has launched an online educational hub for consumers to find their houseplant advice. Read more - members only

Notcutts hits record customer satisfaction levels at the close of 2023

Over 8 years Notcutts has doubled its customer satisfaction score (NPS) to the level of Excellent.  Notcutts CEO, Nick Burrows outlines how the garden centre group has achieved this. Read more - members only

2023 news roundup

We highlight the main events of 2023 including the collapse of Wilko, juggling of the trade shows calendar and the deaths of some notable pioneers in the industry. Read more - open to all

YPHA hold meeting at Coolings as tribute for their mentor Paul Cooling

Westland to fund community gardening projects

Westland Horticulture has launched the New Horizon Fund to support community gardening projects across the UK and Ireland in 2024. Read more - members only

New Horizon Fund Pallet Banner

Best Christmas displays in the UK

Castle Gardens and Garsons Garden Centre, Esher have been declared the national winners of the GCA’s Christmas display competition for 2023.  See the Regional winners. Read more - members only

Christmas in Numbers by British Garden Centres

Popular demand brings back ‘Christmas in Numbers’ by British Garden Centres, the country’s largest family-run garden centre group. Read more - members only

Evergreen’s last bag of compost with peat

A major milestone for Miracle-Gro and Evergreen Garden Care as the very last bag of peat compost came off our manufacturing line. Read more - open to all

Tiger enters landmark deal with British Garden Centres

Specialist online garden building retailer Tiger, a part of Woodlands Home & Garden Group, has just agreed a landmark deal with the British Garden Centres group. Read more - members only

4th Generation steps in at Barton Grange as Landscapes is sold

Profits have risen at the family-run Barton Grange Group in a year when it completed the disposal of its landscapes division. Read more - members only

Sarah Raven makes second acquisition with Taylors Clematis

Sarah Raven has acquired Taylors Clematis to become, she claims, the largest clematis retailer in the UK. Read more - members only

Sarah Raven

A new chapter at Hillier Nurseries

Chairman Robert Hillier will be standing down from his position of Chairman of Hillier Nurseries and will hand the reins of the family-run business to his son, George. Read more - open to all

Robert Hillier photo Michael Butters

Garden Trading invests to support growth

Garden furniture and lifestyle retailer, Garden Trading, is investing £2m to support its growth following its acquisition by a private equity firm last year. Read more - members only

Man dies in accident at Titchfield Garden Centre

UPDATED A former Olympian in his 70’s has died after being hit by a lorry at Stewarts Abbey Garden Centre in Titchfield, Hampshire. Read more - members only

Klondyke buys the Crieff Food Company

The Klondyke Group Limited has announced the acquisition of The Crieff Food Company from founder Jamie Landale.   Read more - members only

Blue Diamond warns about dogs in Garden Centres

Endsleigh Garden Centre, in Ivybridge, Devon, part of the Blue Diamond Group has re-kindled the debate about allowing dogs in garden centres. Read more - members only

New Year and new growth for Sipcam Home & Garden

Sipcam Home & Garden has started the new year with a bang, with the news that their owners Sipcam Oxon have acquired the Blumen Group. Read more - members only

Hornby George PR officially launches

As 2024 unfolds a new name for all things PR has launched with one of the sector’s longest-serving PR professionals at its helm. Hornby George PR marks an exciting new chapter for the team that previously led the way with Hornby Whitefoot PR. Read more - open to all

Kimberley Hornby - owner of Hornby George PR

Public support for proposed Blue Diamond garden centre

Northumberland Estates and Blue Diamond have proposed to build a new garden centre on land at Cawledge to the east of the A1 near Alnwick. Read more - members only

Dobbies unveils £130m loss

Dobbies Garden Centres Group blames difficult trading conditions in the year to Feb 2023 for declining sales and a pre-tax loss of £130m. Read more - members only

Dobbies CEO David Robinson

Scottish minister calls for removal of peat deadline

Scottish minister backs HTA calls on Westminster to remove arbitrary 2026 deadline for banning sale of peat in professional horticulture. Read more - members only

Mairi Gougeon MSP

Serious warehouse fire at Garland Products

We can confirm that we suffered a serious fire in the smallest of three industrial units on The Pensnett Estate in Kingswinford in the early hours of the morning on 30th November. Thankfully we can confirm that no one was injured in the incident. Read more - members only

Notcutts surpass 1.5 million charity donations through Pennies

1.5 million micro-donations at Notcutts, in partnership with the UK charity Pennies, have raised over £500,000 for various charity partners. Read more - members only

Greenwood Plants reaches 100% peat-free target

Greenwood Plants is growing 100% peat-free across all six of its nursery sites in the UK, reaching its end of 2023 target ahead of schedule. Read more - members only

Notcutts wins Best Employer award

Notcutts Garden Centres win the Hospitality and Retail category in the Eastern Region Awards for Best Employer. Read more - members only

Stacey East, Woodbridge GC; Sarah Dempsey, HR Director; Sarah Brittain, Norwich GC.

National recognition for Blue Diamond

National recognition for Blue Diamond.  The garden centres group joins Boots, Tesco and Wickes in the final eight for judging in Retail Week’s Award for Best Retailer over £250m.  Read more - members only

B&M increases store opening target

B&M plans 125 new stores in next 3 years as it announces another half year of ‘disciplined profitable growth’. Read more - members only

Winnersh reopens after Storm Ciarán closure

Flooding caused by Storm Ciarán forced the closure of Winnersh Garden Centre, part of British Garden Centres, last week. Read more - members only

Alton Garden Centre re-open fire-hit restaurant

A restaurant at Alton Garden Centre in Essex has risen from the ashes and re-opened after a major revamp and rebrand. Read more - members only

UK wellie brand Evercreatures bought by Rouchette

UK wellie brand Evercreatures has been bought by French footwear company Rouchette as part of a deal for its parent company Astbury Collections. Read more - members only

Tony Bailey

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive