A good gardening autumn and an expected increase in the price of Christmas trees should give garden centres a good start to the new gardening year. Sales since last July have increased by over 5% according to the GCA, with smaller garden centres improving the most. See more... Read more
The latest updates in Company Results show sales grew in 2008 at Johnsons of Whixley, Thompson & Morgan and Woodlodge Products, but their profits declined. Park Garden Centre became a £10m+ garden centre for the first time and Klondyke sales grow by 19%. For further results, see more... (This article is open to all readers)... Read more
Scotts Miracle-Gro is to close Smith & Hawken, the American retail chain bought in 2004, having failed to find a buyer. See more... Read more
After four years Dobbies has won planning permission for a new garden centre at Lisburn, just south of Belfast. See more... Read more
The former Tesco store at Fosse Way, Shepton Mallet officially opened as the latest Dobbies Garden Centre last Sunday. It is the UK's first centre to be converted from a supermarket. See more... Read more
Despite requests from the Stratford Garden Centre, an independent, family run business, the Wyevale group has refused to reconsider the new name for its Stratford outlet. See more... Read more
Greenacres Nurseries in Stapleton, Leics, has been sold for an undisclosed sum. The deal was arranged by Alexander Mackie Associates. See more... Read more
A strong end to May means garden centres have held on to most of the gains they made in the first 4 months of the year. Smaller centres actually increased sales in the month. See more... Read more
Suppliers have expressed concern over new trading terms, issued last week by Wyevale. One supplier told Gardenforum, "I don't think our bank would allow us to trade under these terms, we would have to walk away." See more... Read more
Garden centres have complimented suppliers on how well they managed an exciting and frustrating spring. Garden centres report that 2009 sales are 6% – 17% ahead of last year but are cautious about Christmas. See more... Read more
Andrew Sells, merchant banker and chairman of Linden Homes for 16 years has been named as the new independent chairman of Wyevale. See more... Read more
Details have emerged in Bradford of the labrador dog that died having eaten Homebase own brand slug pellets, despite them containing animal repellent. See more… Read more
A big jump in sales of outdoor products and cost savings have doubled B&Q profits for the three months to the end of April. See more... Read more
William Sinclair, whose brands include J Arthur Bower's, Silvaperl and New Horizon, dispatched record volumes in March helping half year sales reach £22.3 million. See more… Read more
Masked raiders armed with handguns and a crowbar attacked a security guard and tied him up outside a Wyevale garden centre on bank holiday Monday. See more... Read more
Double success for Howard Nurseries and GPS-controlled planting in Holland are covered in this month's nursery column. See more... Read more
Hammond Phillips have just received instructions to secure an occupier for Andover Garden Park, a 40,000sq ft garden centre development to the west of Andover. Read more
30% have bought garden furniture in the last two years, but only 8% in the last year. With ageing furniture in gardens and the willingness of the marginal gardener to respond to promotions, HTA research highlights the opportunities this summer. See more... Read more
Gardman has reported a buoyant start to 2009 despite the current economic climate. In the last 12 months sales have increased by around 20%. See more... Read more
Among the topics covered by Peter Dawson in his monthly nursery column are the HTA's opposition to the new AWB settlement for England and Wales. See more.... Read more
From being a one-year wonder, GYO is set to expand according to speakers at last weeks GIMA business meeting who presented thought-provoking ideas to develop the concept. See more... Read more
Judges said that the Glatz Alu Twist Parasol beat a very strong field to win the coveted GIMA Sword of Excellence at last night’s Industry award. By one point, Gardman retained the Supplier of the Year Award for an astonishing 8th successive year. For all the winners, see more... Read more
GCA member, Keydell Nurseries could become a housing estate according to the Portsmouth News. See more... Read more
Revised plans for Wyevale’s Sanders Garden World have been approved by the district council in Somerset despite local objections. Work on the 35,000 ft.² extension is expected to start later this year. See more... Read more
The 2008 accounts now lodged at Companies House show what has really happened to Wyevale and the scale of its losses. They also show that Britain’s largest garden centre group is now the largest shareholder of rival, Country Homes and Gardens. See more... Read more
Sales in the final week of May, which were 20% up on the previous week, meant that the month's volumes ended 8.5% down on 2009, but still well up for the year. See more... Read more
The June issue of Gardening Which? Magazine starts a regular feature that will review new gardening products, providing an opportunity for garden suppliers. See more... Read more
Bents Garden Centre will be the first of up to 100 garden centres to sell Smart Solar’s panels that generate solar electricity, saving householders a possible 20% off electricity bills. See more... Read more
Evidence of the localisation of Wyevale comes with news in the local press that the Henley garden centre has changed its name to Shiplake Nursery and Garden Centre. See more... Read more
Nicholas Marshall has consolidated his control of Wyevale with four new directors at West Coast Capital (Hortis). The search for a new chairman with a real affinity for the garden industry is well advanced. See more... Read more