There are encouraging signs for Christmas in the October figures from the GCA. Sales of seeds and bulbs disappointed after early promise but the Christmas and gift categories have grown strongly . See more... Read more - members only

I have just eaten some of the best cakes ever at a garden centre. They were baked at the Café Theatre in Blue Diamond’s innovative Redfields garden centre which re-opened yesterday. See more... Read more - members only

Family-owned garden centre chain Notcutts has opened two temporary Christmas stores in Kingston and Cambridge in a bid to drive further sales for the business over the winter period. See more... Read more - members only

Work is to start next summer at Stewarts country garden centre to build a new interior landscaping greenhouse and two totally automated growing houses, with a public viewing platform. See more... Read more - members only

Mr Fothergill’s has recruited amateur gardeners across the UK to plant the same seeds at the same time to check how differently they grow. Already it has shown fascinating differences. See more... Read more - members only

Terra Firma has released the 2012 results for The Garden Centre Group. They reveal that it bought the company for £9 and the group is now owned by Trellis Capital Limited. See more... Read more - members only

As part of the ‘Plan it, Plant it this Autumn campaign’, the HTA has commissioned Majestic Trees to list the ten top varieties for November. The list will receive wide coverage in the national press. See more... Read more - members only

Having won permission for a new garden centre in Barnstaple, plans have been published to build houses on the current site for St John’s. See more… Read more - members only

GCA member Fron Goch is hoping to win permission to extend its shop and rapidly expanding café, after council officers have recommended approval. See more... Read more - members only

Yankee Candle has been sold to Jarden, a leading US consumer products company. The $1.75bn transaction is said to deliver compelling growth opportunities for the brand. See more... Read more - members only

Tesco and Dobbies will closely monitor the performance of their first joint site, which opens today at Kings Lynn. See pictures by clicking on the website link. See more... Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Association names the regional winners in the Ruxley Rose judging for best plant areas. See more... Read more - members only

Members of Choice Marketing have agreed to open its membership to more like-minded independent garden centres as they share another record £1m+ rebate. See more... Read more - members only

ScottsMiracle-Gro has reached an agreement to acquire the Tomcat consumer rodent control business from Bell Laboratories. See more... Read more - members only

Bents Garden and Home has introduced a new loyalty scheme for customers. The new "be inspired" club will reward members with exclusive privileges, personal benefits and special surprises. See more... Read more - members only

It took five hours to control a blaze that has all but destroyed TGCG’s Blooms Garden Centre at St Mellon’s. The company says it will remain closed for the foreseeable future. See more... Read more - members only

Carr Hall Home and Garden Centre, in Wilpshire has won permission to build 3 wind turbines that will stand 46m tall on land just behind the garden centre. See more... Read more - members only

Marshalls, manufacturer of paving and landscape materials, says order books are longer and consumer confidence is higher than for many years. See more… Read more - members only

The latest results published in Gardenforum’s Company Results show 2012 was a difficult year. Sales fell 12% at Solus and 13% at Gardman. But the acquisition of Cranswick boosted Westland. The Gardens Group, Planters and Clifton Nurseries were all affected by the weather. See more (open to all)... Read more - open to all

The reshaping of The Garden Centre Group continues with four more prominent departures. These include Tom Martell, head of training and sundries buyer Tristan Sissons who are set to leave by the end of the year. See more... Read more - members only

Concrete Products (Lincoln) 1980 Limited has three divisions. The Living Gardens Garden Centre is to close while a buyer is sought for the business and for Living Stone and Armortec. See more... Read more - members only

Morpeth Chamber of Trade is to fight plans by The Garden Centre Group to extend the area permitted for the sale of clothing and footwear to 2,000 sq m at Heighley Gate Garden Centre. See more… Read more - members only

Jane Lawler, Richard Browne and Wendy Towers have left Gardman leading to promotion for Sarah Downing and Laura Smart. See more… Read more - members only

Hillmount, one of Northern Ireland’s biggest garden centres has opened a second site at Bangor County Down, which it says is more than just a garden centre. See more... Read more - members only

Homebase and Argos are making good progress with their investment plans says the Home Retail Group as it reports on the half year between March and the end of August. See more... Read more - members only

DJ Squire has purchased the garden centre at Secretts near Godalming. This will be their 15th garden centre. See more... Read more - members only

Sunshine Garden Centre, in North London, has been granted permission for a new, two storey building. See more… Read more - members only

Who should pay for the unsold stock when a retailer can’t take the plants it reserved prior to the season and they have to be written-off? That was the great debate at the HTA Futures conference. See more… Read more - members only

Waitrose says the type of customer drawn by a garden centre and by its stores complement each other as it seeks to open 20 sites a year. See more... Read more - members only

In a move first suggested in June 2011, Stephen H Smith is to close its garden centre on the outskirts of Scunthorpe. It will be cleared to make way for a development by M&S. See more... Read more - members only