2016 - a year of change

2016 saw second tier garden centre chains and independents invest as Wyevale consolidated. Homebase and Argos are sold. The HTA moved offices and moved to become the lead association for all gardening related businesses. Glyphosate, Xylella and the weather made frequent headlines. Scotts and Bayer looked for a way out of distributing consumer garden chemicals. Read our review – open to all. Read more - open to all

Bunnings buys Homebase

Lovania launches a mobile website to aid plant buyers

Lovania has teamed up with Floramedia to create a mobile website to aid plant buyers with information and images while shopping the plant area. Read more - members only

HTA embraces GCA and GIMA

Once estranged, The HTA and GCA plant a tree at the new HTA Hub to show that they are more together than for many years. While the GIMA president has joined the HTA board.  Read more - members only

L-R Adam Wigglesworth, Carol Paris of the HTA; Iain Wylie and Julian Winfield of the GCA

Stewarts buy Abbey Garden Centre

Stewarts Garden Centres have today bought Abbey Garden Centre in Titchfield, making it 3 in the group. Martin Stewart said he was thrilled. Read more - members only

Strong profit growth from T&M

T&M revealed a sharp improvement in performance in its latest accounts, crediting more efficient operations along with a shift away from traditional catalogues to the web. Read more - members only

Plant inspecting at T&M

Uncertainty for suppliers as Dunelm buys WS Group

It is widely reported that Dunelm has bought WS Group the online retailer of home and garden in what seems to involve a pre-pack deal. Read more - members only

Garden centre fire near Heathrow

15 fire engines took 5 hours to control a major fire at Ansell Garden Centre on Sunday. Read more - members only

Decco fined £2.2m following death of a worker

Garden and DIY wholesaler, Decco, has been given the largest ever fine for a local authority prosecution after a worker died following a fall at one of its depots. Read more - members only

Why are gardening brands ignoring QVC?

Richard Jackson, the gardening guru on QVC, asked why many garden brands ignore QVC when so many famous brands in other sectors sell through it. Read more - members only

Richard Jackson

‘Europe is not a long term priority for us’ says Scotts chairman

Scotts-Miracle Gro continues to look at ways to exit Europe and hopes of a final answer in the near future. UK sales were hit by the closure of Solus. Read more - members only

Wyevale Folkestone is to close

Radnor Estates that own Folkestone garden centre have served notice on Wyevale having won planning consent to use the site for residential use. Read more - members only

Bunnings making good progress with Homebase

Gillam says the new pricing, marketing and operational strategies within Homebase is achieving results in line with plans.  Read more - members only

John Gillam

Rosebourne opens its first garden centre

Rosebourne has started trading at Weyhill, near Andover. Its first garden centre has opened its doors prior to its official opening this Saturday, the 22nd October 2016.   Read more - members only

Sainsbury’s is to put Argos in every store

Sainsbury’s will introduce Argos digital concessions to more than 20 additional stores by Christmas, bringing the total number to over 30. Read more - members only

Smart Garden to buy Chapelwood from Scotts

Paris Natar says at last he has found the right opportunity as Smart Garden agrees terms to buy the Chapelwood wild bird care business from Scotts. Read more - members only

New management structure as BGC develops

Phillippa Stubbs tells how British Garden Centres group in the North East is strengthening management and controls now that it is a £26m, 10 garden centre group. Read more - members only

British Garden Centres

Wilko want to create more of an open door policy

Wilko tells suppliers, “We’ve lost touch over recent years.” Now, “We want to create more of an open door policy.” Read more - members only

Blue Diamond takes on Polhill’s Cambridge garden centre

Blue Diamond has today taken over Coton Orchard garden centre in Cambridge from Sevenoaks based Polhill. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond's flagship store at Redfields

Hare Hatch Sheeplands looks set for a long fight with Wokingham

The enforcement dispute between Wokingham District Council and Hare Hatch Sheeplands seems set for the long run after a Council debate that was called a farce by owners of the garden centre. Read more - members only

Buoyant Hillier celebrates a year of growth

Hillier crowned Eastbourne their Garden Centre of the year. They named Meon Valley Nurseries, Westland and Bramblecrest as their best suppliers but warned that any price increases would be resisted. Read more - members only

Hillier Eastbourne

Under the radar changes at Klondyke

As Bob Hewitt retires and David Yardley takes over they explain the under-the-radar changes at Klondyke since Bob Gault died in 2011. Read more - members only

Klondyke executive directors, David Yardley, Sharon Allan and David Abbott with Bob Hewitt

Two garden centre groups open new restaurants in time for Christmas

Frosts at Woburn Sands and Notcutts at Norwich are completing £multi-million developments in time for Christmas. Read more - members only

Opening of Notcutts' restaurant in Staines

B&M reports good sell-through of gardening and outdoor furniture

B&M is delighted with last year’s new stores, including the significant number of larger, former DIY stores that have garden centres. Read more - members only

Take a sneek peek at the new Wyevale website

Wyevale has offered Gardening Club members a sneek peek at its long awaited new website, which launches very soon. Read more - members only

Bunnings to pilot 10 warehouse stores

Bheta hears there will be 10 pilot Bunnings Warehouse stores by the end of next year, starting with St Albans, and there will be fewer direct imports. Read more - members only

PJ Davis

More independent garden centres show growth in 2015

Latest results on Gardenforum show growth in 2015 for garden centres like Otter Nurseries, Polhill, West Country Garden Centres and Woodthorpe Hall.  Sales declined for two suppliers of garden machinery. Read more - members only

Scotsdales holds consultation over new homes at Fordham

Scotsdales has held a public exhibition showing the proposed development of 250 homes on its garden centre at Fordham Read more - members only

Home & Garden to close Doveley’s Garden Centre

Doveley’s Garden Centre, which is leased by the Home & Garden group, starts a massive 3 day closing down sale on Friday. Read more - members only

Garden centres making the news

A chance meeting with Olympic cyclists, The Apple and Cider fair at Eggesford and houses planned for a former Wyevale garden centre are among the regional headlines this week. Read more - members only

A38 traffic congestion.  Picture from the Derby Telegraph

2015 was a good year for Haskins, Alton, A. Mir & Co and Europlants UK

The latest company results to be updated on Gardenforum include strong growth from A&E Leisure, Europlants and A. Mir & Co, plus figures from Alton Garden Centre, Pennell’s Holdings, Haskins and The Millbrook Garden Company. Read more - members only

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive