Early success encourages Bunnings to double to 20 the number of Homebase stores converted to the new format, but still says the success of the pilots remains a precursor to additional investment. Read more - members only

Steve Pitcher started work with Homebase / Bunnings last week, a year after leaving B&Q. Read more - open to all

Leading heather producer Kingfisher Nurseries is to close at the end of this month, the owners are retiring and have sold the site to YouGarden. Read more - members only

A highlight of the first day of the HTA Catering Conference was Costas Constantinou explaining to Matthew Appleby, how he would improve the Dobbies restaurants. Read more - members only

It has been reported that Bunnings was disappointed with the Homebase performance in May, but that the two pilots are trading well. Read more - members only

Garden centres have made headlines in their areas for reasons as different as a fire, planning permission for housing, giving a facelift to a hospital garden and pleading not guilty to breaching planning laws.  Read more - members only

Having completed upgrades at Long Ditton, Chertsey and Hersham, Squire’s is to close Woking in June for redevelopment.  Read more - members only

B&M the ‘disruptive’ discounter with a strong gardening offer, opened 53 new stores in the UK during 2016-17 and increased sales to £2,035m. Read more - members only

The Sunday Telegraph appears to confirm trade rumours that Terra Firma was forced to prop up Wyevale earlier this year. Updated with  comments from Guy Hands. Read more - open to all

Crocus.co.uk, the original online garden centre, is to test a new retail concept with a geographical presence starting next year at Dorney Court. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond plans to double turnover by 2022 as profits jump by 28%. So far 2017 trade has been promising. Read more - members only

Marshalls, UK manufacturer of paving and hard landscaping products, says domestic order books are the longest ever as overall sales are up 6% so far this year. Read more - members only

Newspan has started construction to create one of the biggest destination garden centres in the country at Bridgford garden centre. Read more - members only

Nicholas Marshall brings in former Wyevale colleagues as he builds a new Dobbies catering team with plans for significant improvements. Read more - members only

Gardena is piloting an Ambassador store to showcase its product range at Gordale Garden Centre in the Wirral. Read more - members only

A new garden centre has started trading at Bonnetts Garden Village, managed by a former Dobbies general manager. Read more - members only

Squire’s has closed Woking Garden Centre for redevelopment, it will re-open in the spring – 50% larger. Read more - members only

Marshall challenged UK growers to grab the opportunity presented by Brexit. About Ocado he said online gardening sales are ‘piffling’ and now is the time for this to change. Read more - members only

British Garden Centres have been given permission for a massive re-development of their East Durham garden centre that will create 250+ new jobs. Read more - members only

Westland Horticulture increase sales to £127.7m and made a pre-tax profit of £4.1m after charges for integrating William Sinclair, bad debt write-offs and foreign currency losses. Read more - members only

E.P. Barrus, distributor of brands such as Wolf, Wilkinson Sword and Energiser, is to consolidate its operations under one roof and remain in Bicester, Oxfordshire. Read more - members only

The Kelling Estate has acquired the business and assets of Emcy Garden & Leisure including the land and buildings. Read more - members only

Quarterly results from Kingfisher show a strong performance from Screwfix to compensate a fall in sales at B&Q as the ONE Kingfisher transformation plan progresses. Read more - members only

At the recent BHETA networking event, Amazon buyers were out in force and outlined several services that could take the supplier opportunities to new levels.  Read more - members only

Blue Diamond is to take on the lease of the new £10m Bridgford garden centre near Nottingham once it has been built. Read more - members only

The London Stock Exchange has listed 3 garden retailers in its list of 1000 companies to inspire Britain.  They are Creative Gardens, Notcutts and Primrose. Read more - members only

Kelkay has announced that the former Gardman marketing director, Sarah Downing, has been appointed as head of marketing, a newly created role. Read more - open to all

Berwick Garden Centre has revealed that they bought a third site at the end of last year. Primarily a retail nursery, Plantsplus is being extended to include a restaurant. Read more - members only

RC Kemp & Son, a bedding and veg plant grower in Worplesdon, Surrey, is seeking to build new nursery to cope with increasing demand. Read more - members only

Dobbies is to launch an online store early next year serving the whole of the UK following an agreement with the Ocado Group’s Speciality Stores. Read more - members only