A date has been set in mid-October for Blue Diamond to take on the lease of Fermoy’s Garden Centre, near Newton Abbot in S Devon in what is seen as a partnership to develop the site. See more... Read more - members only

Growing media sales fell 12% in 2012 and within that the proportion of peat fell, particularly for amateur use. Was this the result of unfavourable weather or increased demand for more sustainable products? See more... Read more - members only

Products containing the three banned neonicotinoids must be removed from shelves by the end of September. Consumers must use or dispose of any products they have by the end of November.  See more... Read more - members only

The traditional training to sell a stake, a tie and some compost when selling a tree, is wrong according to two leading tree experts at the Palmstead Nurseries workshop. See more... Read more - members only

Stagecraft is to move to new, permanent premises after its factory was destroyed by fire in March. It also has a new managing director. See more... Read more - members only

Ten, ground-breaking new garden products have been confirmed as the winners of the coveted Glee New Product Awards 2013. See more... Read more - members only

Fire led to the evacuation of Van Hage garden centre at Great Amwell on Wednesday afternoon. See more… Read more - members only

Notcutts Garden Centres have entered into discussions with Scotsdales with a view to selling their Cambridge Garden Centre. The sale is expected to complete on 1st October 2013. See more… Read more - members only

William Sinclair has taken the decision to do all its own distribution rather than use wholesalers. Gardenforum asks new CEO Peter Rush why and if this is an indication of wider changes in distribution. See more... Read more - members only

Plantasjen, the 100 strong Scandinavian garden centre group is closing one of its two stores in Ireland defeated, says the Irish press, by the difficult retail sector. See more… Read more - members only

Stewart Hainsworth starts work with Gardman on Monday as its new Chief Executive Officer. He completes the new team at Gardman under chairman, Jonathan Halford. See more... Read more - members only

It has taken two years for Garden & Leisure to tie up a deal with Waitrose to redevelop Percy Throwers. The garden centre multiple has announced today that it has sold half the site to the supermarket chain. See more... Read more - members only

Can Whetman Pinks be named the world’s best grower at the first congress of the AIPH to be organised by Tim Briercliffe, which will be held in Canada, this Autumn. See more... Read more - members only

Bellagio UK, originally a subsidiary of the Bellagio Group, has become an independent UK business after Julian Windsor and his family bought the shares they didn’t already own. See more... Read more - members only

The transformation of Smart Solar, since Paris Natar bought a controlling stake, continues with the acquisition of Greentree. Gary Ackers becomes commercial director of Smart Solar. See more... Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Group has named a new trading director and a new retail operations director who will oversee standards in the garden centres. Steve Pitcher, currently the purchasing director, is to leave after a short handover. See more... Read more - members only

Park Garden Centres is to invest £5m at Almondsbury following the sale of its other two sites to TGCG. See more… Read more - members only

Disease will see the demise of the Horse chestnut and the common ash, predicts the head of trees at Kew. But there may be a silver lining. See more... Read more - members only

After a dismal start to 2013, leading garden centres have now experienced 5 months continuous growth. In August sales were up 8%. See more... Read more - members only

G7, a major supplier of EPOS to garden retailers, has agreed to sell the business to Swan Retail. See more... Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Group is this morning telling staff employed by Garden & Leisure that it has acquired the business. See more... Read more - members only

Half year sales fell at B&Q despite 17% growth in outdoor seasonal products in the second quarter. Group sourcing continues to expand, while store resizing continues. See more... Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Group has bought Cheddar and Lechlade Garden Centres from Park Garden Centres. See more... Read more - members only

Judges have rejected Dobbies appeal against a record £75,000 fine for pumping poorly treated sewage into a stream, saying the penalty had been lenient. See more… Read more - members only

Gardenforum talks to Solus, the leading garden wholesaler, to assess the impact of recent departures from the sales team. See more... Read more - members only

The former chief executive of Hobbycraft is introducing a specialist craft service, C-Crafts, to independent garden centres. In the past he believes they have not handled the category well. See more... Read more - members only

Next opened its fourth and largest Home & Garden store last month and has 4 more confirmed, probably opening in time for next spring. See more… Read more - members only

Allensmore Nurseries has acquired additional land to provide the space to grow in the next 10 years, along with its key customers. See more… Read more - members only

Longacres has signed a lease on Shepperton garden centre. The opening for what will be Longacres’ second garden centre, is planned for the autumn. See more... Read more - members only

Three garden centres in the Midlands suffered flooding in the storms that marked the breakdown of the heatwave. See more... Read more - members only