Containers of garden furniture, delayed by the Coronavirus lockdown in China, are arriving in the UK as retailers are closed leaving LOFA members facing crippling demurrage and other costs. Read more - open to all

Government classifies DIY and Hardware as essential. B&Q closes for a day as it prepares to provide only essential products. Homebase remains open but its website is unavailable. Read more - open to all

The HTA calls on companies to sign an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for support for UK ornamental growers whose businesses are threatened by the closure of garden centres at this, the worst possible time. Read more - open to all

As restaurants on garden centres are closed in the battle to contain Coronavirus, HTA chairman James Barnes writes to members promising HTA support and announcing a weekly survey on trading. Read more - open to all

Following the announcement by the French government to close all non-essential public places, effective from today, all 221 of Kingfisher’s Castorama and Brico Dépôt stores in France have closed for a month. Read more - members only

Given the facts that the COVID-19 virus is categorised as a pandemic, that cases in the UK are rising and set to rise further over the coming weeks, Hortipak have put the following precautionary measures in place... Read more - open to all

A successful month after its soft opening, Haskins’ Snowhill Garden Centre celebrated with a formal ribbon cutting by Warren Haskins and his son and daughter-in-law. Read more - members only

Agralan has bought a majority shareholding in Remin Volcanic Rock Dust. The purchase will bring the soil and compost remineraliser to a wider customer base. Read more - members only

The proposed Scotch Corner Designer Village will open in autumn 2021. Plans for the garden centre are being drawn up based on specifications agreed with Blue Diamond. Read more - members only

The National Garden Scheme is delighted to welcome Rachel de Thame, one of the country’s favourite gardening media personalities, as its new Ambassador. Read more - open to all

HE Knowles (manufacturing) Ltd (10473767), maker of garden tools in the West Midlands, appointed RSM Restructuring Advisory as administrator in January 2020.  Read more - members only

Fron Goch garden centre in North Wales starts a £1.5m facelift next week, with a new main entrance, an shop extension and a larger external plant canopy. Read more - members only

The rapidly expanding British Garden Centre Group has added to its management board headed by Charles and Robert Stubbs. Other senior management, including buyers, have also been added to. Read more - members only

Haskins has opened Snowhill Garden Centre having completed a £15m redevelopment. The first weekend was very successful says Julian Winfield, despite the close attention of Storm Dennis. Read more - members only

Westland has employed Quiet Storm as its new advertising agency. Its first output will be Westland’s biggest TV advertising campaign for peat-free compost. Read more - members only

B&M has decided to close 49 stores temporarily in light of current trading conditions out of a total 656 in the UK. Read more - open to all

In light of the Prime Minister’s latest restrictions of movement to control Coronavirus, Blue Diamond and Rosebourne decide to close but Dobbies says it ‘continues to operate our stores to serve our local communities’. Read more - open to all

Klondyke, Millbrook and number of leading garden centres have announced that they are closing, doing what’s best for staff and customers during the Coronavirus crisis. Others are set to follow. Read more - open to all

Bird seed manufacturer Johnston & Jeff is flying high with the announcement of a £1m expansion of its factory at Gilberdyke, East Yorkshire. Read more - members only

2018 results just published for Wyevale Garden Centres Capital show that the 145 garden centres were sold for £430m and that a substantial dividend has been paid to its shareholder. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond celebrated a successful year of growth with a night of pizzazz and glamour, naming Harlow (Acorn) and Derby (Oak) as its garden centres of the year. Read more - members only

Construction work has completed ahead of schedule on a 470sqm extension at Laylocks Garden Centre near Worcester, despite the terrible weather. Read more - members only

The Lechuza brand of self-watering pots and planters has a new distributor in the UK, Instadecor, that trades in the UK as Get Potted. There's also a new online shop. Read more - members only

Antony Harker has confirmed that he will not be accepting an offer of a strategic advisory role with AMES UK. He has made a significant investment in and holds an advisory role with in British Garden Centres. Read more - members only

After a successful year-long trial Homebase has added its complete plant range to the SmartPlant App providing its customers with a free digital plant caring assistant. Read more - members only

Homebase has returned to profit ahead of plan; proposes to complete CVA 18 months early and will expand its product range to be a single destination for home and garden projects. Read more - members only

Tong sales grew +8.6% to over £9m last year. The Yorkshire garden centre has also completed the first phase of a major development project, which is performing strongly. Read more - members only

Haskins reveals its priorities for Forest Lodge Garden Centre, Bird World and Garden Style as it sets about getting to know the businesses and moving them onto their platforms. Read more - members only

Winnersh garden centre has posted a notice to say that it has been flooded and that it and all businesses on the site will be closed, indefinitely. Read more - members only

Leading Gloucestershire independent Highfield Garden World has gained outline consent to extend its rapidly growing business, with work due to start later this year. Read more - members only