Toad Hall relocation falls through

The proposed relocation of Toad Hall Garden Centre to the former Wyevale site at Shiplake, south of Henley, appears to have fallen through. See more... Read more - members only

Marshalls grows in static market

Marshalls plc is a good indicator for the state of the hard landscaping sector. In the first 6 months of this year determined marketing has increased revenue 9% to £177.2 million in a market that, they say, has been flat. See more… Read more - members only

Underlying trends remain positive says Dobbies

Dobbies blames the winter weather for a drop in like-for-like sales last year. New openings pushed turnover up to £112m. The group remains positive despite continuing testing times. See more... Read more - members only

Titchmarsh looks for innovative garden items for new ITV series

GIMA’s support for ITV’s Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh is leading to further opportunities to place product on daytime TV. See more... Read more - members only

Dobbies extends Eco offer at new Peterborough store

Dobbies’ new store at Peterborough, which opened on Friday, includes a 1500 sq ft, green hub to test the consumer appetite for environmentally sustainable products. See more... Read more - members only

Johnsons of Whixley to close Chobham operation

The weak house building sector has forced the closure of Johnsons of Whixley's southern operations at Chobham, Surrey. See more … Read more - members only

Council serves planning contravention notice on Dobbies

Dobbies garden centre at Livingstone, which opened this spring, has been accused of breaching planning regulations for selling more goods that are unrelated to garden centre retail than is allowed. See more… Read more - members only

Go ahead for new Keydell garden centre expected today

Speculation about the future of Keydell Nurseries looks likely to be ended later today if, as expected, East Hampshire District Council grants permission for a new garden centre a mile and a half away. See more... Read more - members only

Gollies spark race row at Bybrook Barn

A display of black golly dolls has provoked a threat of a mass boycott of Bybrook Barn Garden Centre in Ashford, Kent. See more... Read more - members only

‘These are Testing Times,’ says Ian Cheshire

B&Q sales fell 6.7% in the last 3 months thanks to the weather and the closing down sale at Focus. But shares rose on the news. See more... Read more - members only

Updated: Unfinished roundabout threatens Dobbies’ Carlisle opening

Latest: Carlisle has opened on time after Council approves last minute works... Dobbies had said it was confident that a new roundabout would be ready for Council approval on Thursday night, hours before the official opening today. See more... Read more - members only

Garden retailers hit the headlines around the UK

A new restaurant for Brigemere, Adrian Hall to close Hampstead GC, M&S to open on Trent Valley Garden Centre, B&Q cleared to buy 30 Focus Stores. See more... Read more - members only

Choice Marketing adds Johnsons then says enough for now

Choice Marketing puts a hold on the addition of further garden centres after Johnsons of Boston joins the group. See more… Read more - members only

Solus closes Newcastle depot

Solus has announced the closure today of its small Newcastle depot. In future customers will receive deliveries from Edinburgh or Birmingham. See more... Read more - members only

B&Q uses TrustMark to reassure customers

Following the demise of Focus and several other retailers, consumers can be wary about paying deposits before delivery. B&Q is using TrustMark to build confidence. See more... Read more - members only

Hillier’s Redditch to be Boyd D-D’s first centre

Hillier has told their staff at Redditch that it is likely that they will be sold to become the first garden centre in the new group promised by Boyd Douglas-Davies and Hillview Capital. See more... Read more - members only

TGCG wraps up purchase of Country Homes & Gardens

The Garden Centre Group has completed the acquisition of the shares it did not already own in Country Homes & Gardens. This should simplify the proposed sale of the whole group. See more... Read more - members only

Retractable roof for Planters at Bretby

Planters have started the redevelopment of its garden centre at Bretby, with the installation of a £400,000 retractable roof. See more... Read more - members only

Turf prices set for double-digit increase

According to the MD of Rolawn, the country's largest turf grower, prices are set for double-digit increases. See more... Read more - members only

Competition to supply Christmas tree for No. 10

Christmas tree prices look set to remain close to last year’s levels says the BCTGA as it reveals that the winner of its national Christmas tree competition wins the right to provide the specimen outside the door of 10 Downing Street. See more... Read more - members only

A year on – what happened to those advised by the Glee Garden Angels?

The Glee Garden Angels, hosted by Gardenforum are set to be the centrepiece for the Hothouse at Glee again this year. How have the 6 companies who faced the panel of entrepreneurs last year fared? See more… Read more - open to all

Next opens first garden centre, next Wednesday

Next is to open its first garden centre on Wednesday in Shoreham. Chief executive Simon Wolfson said this is the logical next step for its homewares business. See more... Read more - members only

Difficult times continue for Flying Brands

Flying Brands blames difficult times and mistakes for first half losses. It has been forced to renegotiate banking terms and will not pay an interim dividend. See more... Read more - members only

Van Hage cuts costs at Peterborough

Van Hage is to close its floristry departments at Peterborough and Great Amwell.  The company is also consulting about redundancies at Peterborough.  See more... Read more - members only

School wins permission to take over Wyevale, Mill Hill

Despite strong local resistance, Barnet Council has granted planning permission for a Jewish free school to take over The Garden Centre Group’s Wyevale Garden Centre at Mill Hill. See more... Read more - members only

Sales of garden furniture fall by 35% in June

A sharp drop in the sales of garden furniture, plants and garden sundries in June means that revenues for most garden centres have fallen below last year. See more... Read more - members only

The Fiskars Weed Puller was a clear winner at the GIMAs

Fiskar’s Weed Puller won the GIMA Sword of Excellence for the best product in the 2011 GIMA awards last night, plus the Marketing Award of Excellence. Solus was named Supplier of the Year for the second year. It was also a good night for the Hozelock Auto reel. See more… Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Group appoints Rothschild to consider strategic options

With sales and margins up, The Garden Centre Group has decided that ‘now it is time for the company to look at the various options going forward.’ See more... Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Group is to buy Country Gardens

The Garden Centre Group is to buy Country Homes & Gardens, whose garden centres trade as Country Gardens. This unifies the two groups that have been operating in tandem. See more... Read more - members only

Sinclair gets bogged down in peat

William Sinclair has been refused permission to continue harvesting peat at Chat Moss on environmental grounds, which it says make no sense. At Bolton Fell where they have stopped production, compensation negotiations are delayed. See more... Read more - members only

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