The trend towards ambient food is especially attractive to the younger consumer. People want to know where food comes from, that it is good for them and the environment. You can make money out of restaurants but... For some notable quotes from Catering 2013, see more... Read more - members only

Bayer Garden says it regrets the European Commission’s draconian proposals re neonicotinoid products. A number of retailers have withdrawn products that contain forms of the chemical that are suspected of being harmful to bees. See more… Read more - members only

An external investor has joined Marco Abbiati and Richard Bence to buy Tenax UK out from its Italian parent in what is known as a Bimbo. See more... Read more - members only

Quinton Edwards reports that the Welsh chrysanthemum grower, Springfield Nursery has been sold. See more... Read more - members only

GfK reports that wild bird care products have achieved a 1.5% value growth vs. the previous year. However it has not recovered to 2010 levels. See more...
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Proctor Brothers have sold their Pest-Stop division to P+L Systems. This is likely to lead to the brand taking a more prominent position in the garden market. See more... Read more - members only

A new trial ground will provide Suttons Seeds with more space for new variety and growing technique trialling as well as opportunities for putting on events for the public and the press. See more... Read more - members only

Barton Grange, Preston and Bents vied again to win the judging of best GCA destination garden centre of the year, with the former winning for the second consecutive year. Planters in Tamworth was judged best in the smaller, garden centre category. See more… Read more - members only

Godfrey DIY, the Norfolk based DIY chain with strong garden departments, has been put in liquidation. Two stores could be sold as going concerns. See more... Read more - members only

Quick reaction by the staff and fire brigade saved Klondyke from what may have been a second major garden centre fire. See more... Read more - members only

Christmas figures for Argos were better than expected, while Homebase disappointed with a fall in sales. However, the Home Retail share price has been strengthened by rumours of interest from private equity. See more... Read more - members only

Trebaron Garden Centre in Preston has been sold to Duxbury Holdings. The site was owned separately from the other Trebaron garden centres. See more… Read more - members only

Don’t play Russian roulette with your seeds and young plants says Which? Gardening. The Jan/Feb edition tested 27 widely available composts and says it never ceases to be amazed by how quality varies. See more... Read more - members only

The wet of 2012 will impact compost prices in 2013 says Sinclair. The company also expects the UK professional growing sector to contract, due to cheaper plants sourced from the Eurozone. See more... Read more - members only

Here’s a summary of the news that has filled the Gardenforum pages in 2012. It is dominated by the impact of the weather and perhaps the economy. The story is open to all our readers. See more... Read more - open to all

The sale of Highway Garden & Leisure should be completed next week. It is to be bought by Roys of Wroxham. See more Read more - members only

Barton Grange has announced that it will sell its garden centre at Bolton to facilitate further development at its main site at Brock. see more... Read more - members only

La Hacienda Ltd, the outdoor heating specialists, has taken on the exclusive rights to sell Heatmaster products in the UK and Ireland. See more... Read more - members only

What will the consumer gardening press be talking about after visiting the Garden Press Day last week? Here are some of the highlights. See more... Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Group has named the GCA chairman Peter Burks as regional manager of the year and Woodlands as its best large garden centre. See more... Read more - members only

A new garden product website shows how distribution channels are changing. Like many gardening websites, Britishgardener.co.uk relies on manufacturers to drop ship products, but this one also sells a unique range of products that could be made available to garden centres. See more... Read more - members only

Kingfisher has put its loss-making Irish division of B&Q into Examinership in an attempt to save some of the stores. See more... Read more - members only

Gardenforum interviews Kevin Bradshaw, The Garden Centre Group’s new CEO. He reveals that the search is on to recruit 3 directors and that the group is absolutely focussed on growth through acquisition and through increasing revenue from existing sites. See more... Read more - members only

The GCA and the HTA both show that sales were up 6% for December and went some way to claw back the revenue lost in the wash-out spring. But traditional gardening lines have been hit hard. See more... Read more - members only

Notcutts hopes to build a Waitrose store on its garden centre site at Bagshot on the A30 in Surrey and to build a new garden centre alongside it. See more... Read more - members only

The HTA’s conference for growers, Contact 2013, heard today how The Garden Centre Group is to introduce central distribution for plants this spring as it seeks to become known as the best retailer for plants in the UK. See more… Read more - members only

A CVA has been approved by creditors of Doff Portland. This paves the way for new owners 151 Products to invest in the future of the business. See more... Read more - members only

Recent investment and better buying have brought massive growth to Haskins this Christmas. It now wants a 5th site to develop. See more... Read more - members only

Ramraiders caused £10,000 of damage when they hit the Notcutts garden centre at Cranleigh on the night of the 23rd. See more... Read more - members only

Nottingham based Doff Portland has been sold to 151. News has also emerged that Neudorff, whose products were handled by Doff, has moved to Solus for its distribution to UK garden centres. See more... Read more - members only