Butters announces shake up to cut costs

Following the buyout of Keith Butters last year by Butters Group, the distributor of plants and bulbs has announced a shake up in the face of tough trading conditions. See more... Read more - members only

Forest Garden returns to profit with Home Delivery

It is almost two years since Michael Timmis, the former owner of Forest Garden, joined with Jonathan Halford and AW Jenkinson in a management buyout, releasing the company from the short-termism of 3i. How has it progressed? See more... Read more - members only

Kingfisher cuts back on new investment

Kingfisher, B&Q’s parent company delivers the forecast dividend cut and reduces capital expenditure to stop debts growing further. See more... Read more - members only

Klondyke makes it 24 with Lady Green

Klondyke Garden Centres has, this afternoon, completed the deal to buy Lady Green Garden Centre, a GCA Garden Centre of Excellence. See more... Read more - members only

Dobbies' third new garden centre proposal this month

A week after announcing two proposals for new garden centres, Dobbies has revealed plans for a third, near Carlisle. See more... Read more - members only

Flying Brands cuts dividend after difficult year

Flying Brands, the mail order group that operates Flying Flowers, Gardening Direct, Garden Bird supplies and Sarah Raven’s Kitchen & Garden, has had a very difficult year in 2007. See more... Read more - members only

Wyevale announces plastic plant pot recycling initiative

Wyevale Garden Centres Ltd (“Wyevale”), the UK’s leading specialist garden centre retailer, has today announced “Plan Apple”, its action programme to address the key sustainable development challenges facing the gardening industry. Read more - members only

Wyevale to extend Sanders Garden World

Wyevale is to display plans that would double the internal sales area at Sanders Garden world, one of the garden centres that it acquired last autumn. See more… Read more - members only

M&S to sell garden tools and compost

Marks & Spencer is significantly expanding its gardening range in 14 of its larger stores and on the M&S website. See more... Read more - members only

Marshalls uses landscaping to drive product sales

Results published today by Marshalls show the importance of display centres, landscape installation and the sponsorship of RHS Chelsea in driving sales growth. See more... Read more - members only

Hillier assumes Notcutts cash and carry business

Hillier Nurseries has acquired Notcutts Select and Collect. At the same time John Woods Nurseries has opened a cash and carry service on the former Notcutts nursery near Woodbridge. See more... Read more - members only

Work starts at Pennells, Lincoln

Work started last week at Pennells Garden Centre, Lincoln. The 6-month development is expected to double turnover. Pennells is one of the oldest garden companies in the UK. See more... Read more - members only

B&Q stronger to face tougher retail environment

Fourth quarter results from Kingfisher show a small decline in sales at B&Q, offset by growth from France and Eastern Europe. See more... Read more - members only

Industry praises Government restrictions on paving

DEFRA has listened to the garden industry and has published measures that will prevent householders from laying non-porous paving in their front drives without planning permission. See more... Read more - members only

Wyevale focuses on plants

Jim Hodkinson asked Wyevale’s horticultural staff for a ‘really big push’ as they are seen as the spearhead of Wyevale’s return to growth. See more... Read more - members only

Major European Expansion for CASCO Group

CASCO Group have announced serious expansion plans into mainland Europe by way of the acquisition of Korail Group. This acquisition means CASCO Group now own the well-known European brand ‘Aquastyl’. See more... Read more - members only

New Place Nurseries reorganises

Sussex based New Place Nurseries have reorganised following the retirement of George and Priscilla Duncan. They have also taken stock from Hewton Nurseries that is to close. See more... Read more - members only

Crocus links up with Homebase

Crocus has signed a major deal to provide an online plant service to Homebase customers. See more... Read more - members only

Barton Grange delays opening of new centre

Barton Grange is to open its new garden centre at Brock, the week after Easter. See more... Read more - members only

Weather hits peat harvest but Sinclair is upbeat

The latest half-year statement from William Sinclair is upbeat, despite showing results that are lower than last year. See more… Read more - members only

Blaze at West Country Garden Centre

14 fire engines and around 75 firefighters fought a blaze at a West Country garden centre on Thursday night. See more… Read more - members only

Sales fall at Homebase

Just when garden centres seem to be having a strong start to the year, Homebase reports a 5% fall in like / like sales in the first 8 weeks of 2008 and a fall for the last 12 months. See more… Read more - members only

Two more sites for Dobbies

On the eve of opening its 23rd garden centre this weekend at Southport, Dobbies has submitted planning permission for two further stores. See more... Read more - members only

William Sinclair aims for substantial growth

In 2005 William Sinclair, the compost manufacturer was ill. Three years later, Bernard Burns tells Gardenforum, it is demonstrably healthy having learnt to play to its strengths. See more... Read more - members only

15 new look garden centres for Countrywide

Countrywide has expanded its gardening range with 15 new look Garden Centres within its stores. See more... Read more - members only

Wyevale buys Heighley Gate

It has finally been confirmed that Wyevale has bought Heighley Gate Garden Centre, one of the North East’s leading garden centres, just north of Morpeth near the A1. See more... Read more - members only

Investment bank takes stake in Hartman

Less than 3 successful years after Hartman, the European garden furniture group, was rescued from administration by a management buyout, 40% of the business has been sold to an investment bank. See more... Read more - members only

Country Gardens makes it 13

Country Gardens has acquired its 13th garden centre with the purchase of Flowerland Garden Centre (Salisbury). See more... Read more - members only

HART members earn £640,000

A year after her management buyout of HART, backed by the Barwell, Jessica Adams is pleased with the progress that the buying group for smaller garden centres has made. See more... Read more - members only

Profits tumble at NWF

Shares in NWF, which operates 6 garden centres, were marked down sharply this morning following a fall in profits in the six months to the end of November. See more... Read more - members only

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