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

In a pre-close second quarter trading update Kingfisher reports strong garden leisure sales thanks to fine weather. See more... Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has revealed the Best in Area garden centre winners at four awards presentation evenings. See more... Read more - members only

Construction work on the new Tesco/Dobbies complex in Kings Lynn is progressing so well, trading will begin much earlier than planned. See more... Read more - members only

Squire’s confirms that it is making a limited number of redundancies in its garden centres as part of a cost control exercise in case the sales levels of the last two years become the new norm. See more... Read more - members only

Four new board appointments show the direction in which The Garden Centre Group is moving. Gardenforum finds out more about its strategy from CEO, Kevin Bradshaw.  See more… Read more - members only

Work will start as soon as possible after Next won permission, on appeal, for a new Next Home & Garden in Sheffield. This will be their fifth. 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

A second profit warning from William Sinclair knocks 15% from its share price, wiping out gains made during July. See more… Read more - members only

Bedding plant producer RA Meredith has been bought by Glendale Horticulture in a pre-pack administration deal from the joint administrators David James Bennett and Ian Stewart Carr, joint administrators of Grant Thornton LLP. See more... Read more - members only

Homebase has joined the growing list of troubled retailers in Ireland. Yesterday an examiner was appointed as the business struggles to cope with falling retail sales and increasing rents. See more ... Read more - members only

Stagecraft is back in full production after a disastrous fire gutted their factory in March. See more… Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) reveals the Best in Area garden centre winners. See more... Read more - members only

Dobbies staff were told yesterday James Barnes, CEO and finance director Sharon Brown have left the business. See more… Read more - members only

Highgate Garden Centre, one of five within the Capital Gardens group, is to close in the next couple of weeks following its sale last year. See more… Read more - members only