New ‘Frog’ commercial for Evergreen

Scotts Miracle-Gro is to spend £6.3 million on TV and press advertising, the same amount as last year. Among the new adverts, there will be a new ‘Frog’ commercial for Evergreen. See more... Read more - members only

All-In-One acquires land to expand

All-In-One has acquired land that almost doubles the size of the garden centre. Finance director, Jason Stafford, has engaged Ernest Wertheim to advise on extending the garden centre. See more... Read more - members only

Quick rescue for Wolf Garten

The manufacturing arm of Wolf Garten, placed in the hands of an insolvency administrator last month, is to be bought by MTD of the US. See more... Read more - members only

Woodthorpe makes it four with Spring Garden Centre

Woodthorpe Garden Centres Ltd has today completed the purchase of Spring Garden Centre, which lies a few miles north of Hull. See more... Read more - members only

Administrators appointed for Hurrans Garden Centres Ltd

Gary J Corbett and Colin Burke of Milner Boardman & Partners were appointed joint administrators for Hurrans Garden Centres Ltd at 3.30pm this afternoon. See more... Read more - members only

GCA names its garden centre of the year

Bents claims the title GCA Garden Centre of the Year 2009, just ahead of last year’s winner, Webbs of Wychbold. All in One, Donaghadee, Poplars Nursery and Taylors Bulbs were among the other winners. See more... Read more - members only

Wyevale restarts management training scheme

Wyevale is restarting its management training scheme and is looking for internal and external candidates for the programme that will prepare them for garden centre management. See more... Read more - members only

TGCMC to publish Turf Professional

From April the Turf Professional magazine will be published under license by The Garden Communication and Media Co (TGCMC), who also publish Garden Trade News. See more... Read more - members only

Documentation delays restructuring of Wyevale

It may take another week to complete the long awaited financial restructuring of Wyevale, the country’s largest chain of garden centres. See more... Read more - members only

‘Home Grown’ logo for UK growers

The Horticultural Development Company (HDC) has launched a ‘Home Grown’ logo for UK growers, with backing from the NFU. See more... Read more - members only

Bedding and Christmas boost for Golden Acres

The wholesale production arm of the Dorset-based Golden Acres Group is upping bedding plant production by nine per cent this year. Christmas was also a success for the retail arm. See more... Read more - members only

Growers to suffer as EU ignores HTA amendment

The HTA has asked the UK government for clarification after the EU today passed new plant protection regulation without assessing the impact it will have. See more... Read more - members only

New Horizon Peat Free Growbag – GW? ‘Best-Buy’ for second year

The latest Gardening Which? survey of peat free compost shows that, with the exception of Sinclair's New Horizon Organic and Peat Free Growbag, consistency in quality is still a problem. See more... Read more - members only

Margins are returning at Sinclair

Latest results from William Sinclair show the impact of difficult trading in 2008 and a poor peat harvest. However, margins are now recovering as inflationary pressures subside. See more... Read more - members only

2008 Review

Gardenforum reported on 18 garden centres changing hands last year. There was also the demise of wholesaler Spread, and a difficult year for Sir Tom Hunter’s investments in Dobbies, Flying Brands and Wyevale. For a review of 2008 and what to watch in 2009, see 'more'... (This article open to non-subscribers to see what you missed!) Read more - open to all

B&Q launches its greenest ever store

B&Q is celebrating the opening of its greenest ever store, at New Malden, Surrey. 50 per cent less carbon emissions and the biggest range of One Planet Home products in London. See more... Read more - members only

Baugur demise delays Wyevale agreement

Nicholas Marshall expects that completion of Wyevale's new financial arrangements will be delayed by a few days only, following the appointment of an administrator for Baugur. See more... Read more - members only

Wyevale refinancing will be completed despite Baugur filing

Rumours that high street stores including Wyevale could be closed following news that Baugur Group has filed for bankruptcy protection, are "silly, ill informed and irresponsible" according to Wyevale CX, Nicholas Marshall. See more... Read more - members only

Wyevale refinancing - almost there

The refinancing of Wyevale should be completed on Tuesday. This, says Marshall, will place the garden centre chain in a better position than any time since the company was taken private. See more... Read more - members only

Hurrans - for sale

A notice has appeared in the Financial Times today, advertising Hurrans, one of the country's oldest garden centre groups, for sale. See more... Read more - members only

The Scotsman runs VAT exposé on Dobbies

The Scotsman has published what it claims to be an internal Dobbies memo, which suggests that Scotland's largest garden centre chain is passing on the government's VAT cut to customers only if they complain. To see the full article, click on the website button... Read more - members only

Average GC shopping basket grows by £3.60 in 12 months

One in four garden centres increased sales during December. For the year as a whole, sales fell 2%. The latest figures from the GCA Barometer of Trade also show that average customer spend in 2008 increased by £3.60. See more... Read more - members only

Hopes for quick end to German insolvency of WOLF-Garten

Supplies of Wolf tools should be unaffected by the insolvency of WOLF-Garten GmbH & Co KG, the German manufacturing company. See more... Read more - members only

Deroma UK Acquires Mondian

Deroma has acquired the Cirencester-based pot distributor, Mondian. Effective immediately, the acquisition gives Deroma a greater share of the outdoor and indoor pots market, as well as a significant projected increase in turnover for 2009. Read more - members only

Homebase and B&Q - tight on costs

Tight cost control means that the Home Retail Group, parent of Argos and Homebase, will meet market expectations for profits despite falling sales; while B&Q is to withdraw from sponsoring the British Olympic Association. See more... Read more - members only

Four more conservatory concessions for Leekes

Leekes, the Welsh home and garden retailer, is to open four conservatory concessions on garden centres in the southwest. Three will be on Wyevale garden centres. See more... Read more - members only

Marshalls consults over closure of landscape display centres

With the market for repair and maintenance in domestic housing forecast to fall 15% this year, Marshalls, the landscape materials group, is reducing manufacturing capacity and the scale of its consumer initiatives. See more… Read more - members only

Livingston to leave Wyevale

Wyevale has appointed a new purchasing director on news that Andrew Livingston, COO, is to return to his DIY roots. CX, Nicholas Marshall is pleased with Christmas and expects his new funding structure to be in place by the end of next week. See more... Read more - members only

Christmas trade very much a 'curate's egg'

With both Next and Debenhams reporting lower sales in the Christmas period, garden centres appear to have fared the festive season better than the high street retailers. See more... Read more - members only

Wolverhampton garden centre to close

The Pavilion Garden Centre, near Wolverhampton, is holding a closing down sale. See more... Read more - members only

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