Barton Grange to sell three nurseries
Barton Grange group is to sell Garden Centre Plants and two nurseries belonging to Northern Liners. This will allow the group to concentrate on the garden centre at Brock and its substantial landscaping business. Read more
More changes at Wyevale as head of horticulture leaves
One Tim leaves Wyevale as another joins. Tim Clapp, head of horticulture, is to leave at the end of the month for B&Q. Tim Patten joins as multi-channel director. Read more
Hillview seals the deal with The Garden Store
Hillview has completed the paperwork to acquire The Garden Store business, eight months after the two companies effectively started trading as one. See more… Read more
Cheshire announces his successor and the strategy for B&Q
Sir Ian Cheshire names his successor as group chief executive of Kingfisher and outlines B&Q’s strategy of store closures and resizing as it adapts to the new digital age. See more… Read more
Westland launches two new ventures at SPOGA Gafa
Last November, Westland acquired Seramis, the German manufacturer of water retaining clay granules. It used SPOGA Gafa to launch a new range of products for Europe. See more... Read more
No mother, no sale
Garden centres and pet shops are facing a possible ban on the sale of puppies and kittens in a move designed to stamp out ‘horrific’ puppy farming. See more… Read more
Westland backed Crest Garden has announced a joint-venture with pot and tray manufacturer Desch Plantpak, which is completing a £2 million investment in the UK. See more… Read more
Dobbies opens first store within a store
Dobbies schedules an autumn opening for its first new format ‘store within a store’, within a Tesco. See more... Read more
Fulham Palace GC still closing as suitor pulls out
A petition signed by neighbours has been successful in persuading Pets at Home to withdraw from leasing the Fulham Palace Garden Centre according to GetwestLondon. See more... Read more
Decco calls for co-operation to plan 2015
The COO of Decco says that there are a lot of uncertainties for 2015. Manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers must plan and work together closely to manage distribution after the loss of Solus as a wholesaler. See more... Read more
Scotts gives update on Solus brands
Scotts recognises that it has much to do before Glee, to restore confidence with Solus customers. It has written today confirming that all Solus products will be available for the autumn, but has yet to determine a permanent route to market. See more… Read more
Two London garden centres are under threat of closure
Two London garden centres, Fulham Palace and Morden Hall are under threat of closure though neither is definite. See more… Read more
Adam Pasco tells frustrated plant breeders at the Fleuroselect conference that their message is not getting to the consumer. Or is it even the right message? See more... Read more
Lower sales of outdoor and seasonal products pulled B&Q down in the second quarter against strong comparisons last year. However the year-to-date figures are up. See more... Read more
In the centre of London’s Soho, on the hottest day of the year, the newly named Wyevale launched its Christmas displays to the consumer press and discovered many had no idea that garden centres did Christmas. See more… Read more
Notcutts opens phase 2 of Wheatcroft
Notcutts is to open phase 2 of Wheatcroft garden centre. The centrepiece is “The Street Kitchen” themed restaurant where each van cooks a different type of cuisine. See more… Read more
Tom Chambers buys Auld Lang Stone
Tom Chambers has announced the recent acquisition of Auld Lang Stone, the first of several acquisitions targeted by the company. Read more
C-Crafts to open first manned concession in Bents
C-Crafts, the company run by former of Hobbycraft chief executive, is to open its first manned arts and crafts concession in Bents with the second to be announced shortly. See more… Read more
Administrators appointed at Nottinghamshire garden centre
Administrators will continue to trade Tall Trees Garden Centre and The Nottingham Aquatic Centre for a short period while a purchaser is sought. See more... Read more
Shareholder vetoes Homebase sell-off
Homebase continues to close stores amid media speculation that it could be spun-off from the Home Retail Group. But a shareholder vetoes a sell off. See more... Read more
Crest Garden has supplied over 300 stockists in its first month of trading and goes public on the three brands to be unveiled at Glee. See more… Read more
Will Wyevale shortly be for sale? - UPDATED
Financial information services, Bloomberg and Reuters, are reporting that Terra Firma is looking to sell Wyevale, until recently The Garden Centre Group. But Gardenforum understands there is little behind these stories. See more… Read more
Landscape Juice reports Amazon sales of banned weed killer
A Landscape Juice investigation has revealed that Amazon.co.uk is openly advertising the banned herbicide Sodium Chlorate on its website via its sellers. See more… Read more
Fulham Palace GC to close at the end of August
The Prince’s Trust justifies the closure of Fulham Palace Garden Centre, despite a petition to retain it. See more… Read more
New restaurant lifts sales at Highfield Garden World
Highfield Garden World has shown significant growth following the opening, this spring, of additional retail space and a 450 seat restaurant with views over the river Severn. See more… Read more
Solus debtors must pay Scotts
It appears that a number of garden retailers have unexpectedly run into credit problems with Scotts Miracle-Gro because of money still owed to Solus. See more… Read more
Rochdale online reports that All–in-One garden centre faces a bill of £2500 in fines and costs having sold fireworks to underage volunteers last autumn. See more… Read more
Weeks before the start of Aylett’s dahlia festival, thieves drove a stolen Land Rover through the nursery beds devastating the display. See more… Read more
Gateacre Garden Centre, one of the first in the country, is to close after 80 years. Some staff will move to Burleydam. See more… Read more
The Garden Centre Group is history. As of today, the group has reverted to its former name, Wyevale Garden Centres. See more… Read more