Franchi hits the Brexit Headlines

Following a single tweet about a Brexit Vegetable Growing Survival Kit, Franchi Seeds has had journalists queueing up for interviews. TV appearances have included a spot on the One Show. Read more - members only

Paolo Arrigo

Choice appoints a non-exec chairman

Choice, the buying and marketing group of 42 independent garden centres, has recruited a former MD of Blacks Leisure Group as non-executive chairman. Read more - members only

Michelle de Lavis Trafford and Terry Maywood

8 out of 10 garden cushions fail to meet fire safety regulations

Testing by LOFA found that 8 out of 10 garden cushions sold on the high street and online fail to comply with Government regulations.  The LOFAssured swing tag which guarantees compliance will be shown at the Garden Press Event. Read more - members only

GCA reveals its ‘Garden Centres of Excellence’ winners

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) revealed the winners of its most prestigious awards at its annual conference including its 10 Garden Centres of Excellence and the Garden Centres of the Year. Read more - members only

Destination Garden Centre of the Year - Bents Garden and Home

How do you prepare for a No Deal Brexit?  You can’t afford not to.

We may not know what type of Brexit we will have till late March.  The implications of a no-deal crash out on 29th will be damaging at a time when plant and garden product imports are high. How do you prepare for a No Deal Brexit?  Read more - members only

Gardenforum reviews a turbulent year for garden retail

Here’s your chance to catch up with some of the events in the retail garden sector that you may have missed. It was a turbulent year with the collapse of Gardman; around 60 garden centres changing hands or closing, Wyevale, Bunnings, Snow and drought. This is open to all. Read more - open to all

Gardman's fire started a turbulent year

Slower start to Christmas in October

October figures released by the GCA show that Christmas lines sold more slowly than last year as gardening ranges benefitted from the weather. Read more - members only

A Christmas display at Blue Diamond, East Bridgford

Garden centre visitors fall as transaction values rise

Garden centre sales rise 8% in September on the back of gardening sales and a revival in the growth of catering. However over the year, the number of garden centre visitors has fallen according to the latest GCA figures. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond plants at newly acquired Bicester

Cultivation St. Ambassador of the Year supported over 1,000 children

David Domoney congratulates this year’s Cultivation Street ambassador of the year, Dobbies’ Steven Purton, who regularly shares his expertise with a local charity, 4 schools, a college and a hospital to improve their communal spaces. Read more - members only

David Domoney congratulates Steven Purton

Brexit: forewarned is forearmed says Gardenex

Gardenex advises companies to visit them at either spoga + gafa or Glee to get advice on preparing for whatever the eventual outcome of the Brexit negotiations will be. Read more - open to all

Amanda Sizer Barrett

GCA reveals their best garden centres in England and Wales

The Garden Centre Association has revealed the best garden centre members in each region following the 2018 inspections. Read more - members only

GCA Inspector Roger Crookes and Mike Lind with staff from The Old Railway Line

The winners of the GIMA Awards 2018 are……

Neudorff’s VineWeevilFree - Nematodes scoops the GIMA Sword of Excellence for best product, whilst Woodlodge has for the first time been name the GCA Supplier of the Year at the GIMA Awards. Read more - members only

The Neudorff team collect the Sword of Honour

Never has the outlook been so unpredictable for growers

The aisles of a busy HTA National Plant Show hummed with discussions about Wyevale, Brexit, technology, early wastage and the shortage of hardy nursery stock. Read more - members only

Brett Avery on Far Plant's busy stand

Ornamental plant nurseries will continue to be exempt from business rates

A court case in 2015 opened up a potential loophole in the law which would bring nurseries into line with paying business rates. The Government has decided this week that this will not happen. Read more - members only

Ball Colegrave

Suppliers experience bonanza order intake after holiday weekend

As sales take off at garden centres pressure falls on a supply chain already impacted by the fire at Gardman. Gardenforum checks stock availability. Read more - members only

Garden centres' profits fall in most recent filings

Recent figures published on Gardenforum Results pages show a fall in profits for most garden centres, while many suppliers have increased theirs.  Read more - members only

50+ Suppliers meet Choice buyers at the Spring Fair

Over 50 suppliers promoted their wares at a meet-the-buyer event held by Choice Marketing at the Spring Fair. Read more - members only

December sales success for garden centres

GCA figures show 7% growth for December with the top performing categories being restaurants, farm shops and outdoor plants. Sales for 2018 as a whole were slightly ahead, but footfall fell. Read more - members only

Garsons Esher, Farm Shop

Top awards for garden centres at GCA conference

Staff at garden centres across the country are celebrating after receiving awards at the Garden Centre Association's (GCA) annual conference in Luton yesterday (Monday, January 21, 2019). Read more - members only

Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Creativity and Innovation – Bents Garden & Home

The lessons of 2018 and a late Christmas

After a turbulent year for garden centres and a Christmas that came good in the end Gardenforum hears the lessons they learned and the risks they face in 2019. Read more - members only

Part of Barton Grange's Christmas display

HTA Market Update shows rising sales but negative consumer confidence

HTA has released its November market update, which reveals sales are up but levels of consumer confidence are negative.  It also shows ground water levels and river flows are below normal in areas. Read more - members only

Are you ready for the Millennials?

The old ways of doing things won’t open new doors.  Cultivating Retail heard how Millennials’ different lifestyle and technology are disrupting shopping. Read more - members only

Hubbub makes it fun!

The Choice Marketing awards go to …

At the Choice Marketing  Annual Conference and Dinner, Westland was named supplier of the year, Farplants was grower of the year and Widdop was awarded gift supplier of the year. Read more - members only

Michelle de Lavis-Trafford, Sue Grant, Andrew Illingworth, Mike Cook from Choice

Double digit increases in turf prices

Rolawn, a leading UK turf grower, has warned that prices are set to rise in the coming months, because of the extreme weather and rising costs. Read more - members only

Plant sales wilted in the July heat but barbecues sizzled

Garden centre sales wilted during the July heat wave, with outdoor living alone showing strong growth. Even restaurant sales fell according to figures from the GCA Barometer of Trade. Read more - members only

June sales were higher than April's

 “Don't panic!” said the old hands when sales were frozen in March and the daffodils had hardly broken ground, “It will even itself out by the end of June, it always does,” and they were right according to latest figures from the GCA. Read more - members only

Percentage de/increase in sales over last year by month

Somehow, we clawed it all back

By the end of June most Garden Centres have clawed back the sales lost in March and April. There is praise for the great support from suppliers and fantastic effort by staff. Read more - members only

Garden centres enjoyed a bumper May

The Beast from the East was forgotten as gardeners spent more in garden centres last month. Read more - members only

At the end of April garden centres were -10% down for the year

By the end of May, many garden centres look set to make up what looked like an unbridgeable -10.5% shortfall in sales at the end of April. Read more - members only

Squire's at Twickenham looking good

20% back in 7 days. We could do this!! (Updated)

The GCA figures for March are dismal, but after a week of better weather the mood has changed as a message from Stewarts Garden Centres shows.  Figures from Dobbies and Wyevale have been added. Read more - members only

Cafe and Food Hall at Blue Diamond's East Bridgford GC

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive