GCA Conference booking NOW OPEN on GCA website

Booking is now open for our annual conference next January (2024) and we’re revealing our 21st Century themes and top-quality speaker line-up too. Read more - open to all

Chairman Elect for 2024/25, Will Blake

2024 GCA conference themes & speakers revealed

Booking has now opened for the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual conference next January (2024) and the organisation has also revealed its 21st century themes and its top-quality speaker line-up too. Read more - open to all

Managing Director of St Peters Garden Centre and GCA Chairman Elect for 2024-25 Will Blake

Retail crime crisis: Garden centres lost £16m in the last year

The HTA has joined the BRC and other major retailers to call for action on the escalating crisis of retail crime affecting over 70% of garden centres. Read more - members only

Fran Barnes

Competition to provide Downing Street Christmas tree

The British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) will be hosting a competition to determine the supplier of this year’s Christmas tree for Downing Street. Read more - open to all

Peter Wright, star of Channel 5’s The Yorkshire Vet

New top level Environmental Horticulture Group launched

Today’s House of Lords launch of the New Environmental Horticulture Group (EHG) shows the sector’s importance to achieving national environmental goals. Read more - members only

GIMA confirms 2023 judging panel

Once again, GIMA has secured an impressive line-up of judges for the 2023 GIMA Awards with garden centre and multiple retailer representatives, trend experts, and leading buyers. Read more - open to all

2022 GIMA Awards judging in action

Weather dampens spring sales

Although weather dampened March sales, the GCA has “a lot of confidence that customers have not forgotten us”.  But spring 2023 is a late one. Read more - members only

Garden sales get going in February

Plants and garden products were top sellers in February, boosting growth in smaller garden centres, according to the latest report from the GCA Barometer of Trade. Read more - members only

Peter Burks

Train a mental health first aider in your workplace 

Join Perennial in helping create a culture of mental wellbeing throughout the horticultural community by training a Mental Health First Aider in your workplace. Read more - open to all

GCA calls for applications for GCA Trust Dick Allen Scholarship Award

Members of the Garden Centre Association (GCA) are being urged to put forward their staff for the GCA Trust’s Dick Allen Scholarship Award Scheme. Read more - open to all

Will Blake and Laura Matheson, St Peters GC

Dobbies & British Garden Centres to headline GIMA Day Conference

The UK’s two largest garden centre chains will both be addressing GIMA members at the forthcoming Day Conference being held on 14th March at Wyboston Lakes, Bedfordshire.   Read more - open to all

Klondyke dominates the GCA awards

Bents became the best GCA destination garden centre, while Klondyke Morton is the garden centre of the year as the group dominates the awards for smaller sites.  Wyevale Nurseries is named best supplier. Read more - members only

Klondyke, Morton Hall, Garden centre of the Year

Predictions for 2023 from garden centre leaders

2022 turned out better than many garden centres feared, but the outlook for 2023 is uncertain.  “We can’t sit back and let the economy dictate the rate of growth,” said one garden leader. Read more - members only

The headlines that made 2022 unique - a round-up

2022 was dominated by the recovery from the distortions to trade caused by Covid. It was a year of acquisitions. There were some game changers and sadly we lost some leading characters. Read more - open to all

The YPHA - a game changer for young people in horticulture

Applications open for RHS work-based training

Applications for RHS work-based training positions are open, giving prospective horticulturists and those wanting to progress their career, training with leading experts and the opportunity to learn hands-on skills while getting paid. Read more - open to all

Sipcam wield the GIMA Sword of Honour

Top honours at last night’s GIMA Awards were won by Sipcam Home & Garden and Smart Garden Products with many other companies becoming first time winners of the category awards. Read more - members only

The Sipcam team with the GIMA Sword of Honour

Allensmore is HTA Grower of the Year

Allensmore, Majestic Trees and Greenwood Plants led the list of UK nurseries that were honoured at the 2023 HTA Grower of the Year Awards last night. Read more - open to all

Mark Taylor, MD of Allensmore Nurseries

Modest growth masks big departmental sales swings

GCA sales figures for the year so far show a little growth, but they mask double digit growth in some departments and similar falls in others. Read more - members only

AI generated image of a plant area in August!

PetQuip Awards 2023 announces finalists

After a record number of entries, the PetQuip trade association has revealed the list of finalists for the PetQuip Awards dinner on 1 October at Telford International Centre. Read more - open to all

Plant Heritage relocated to RHS Garden Wisley

Plant Heritage, the horticultural conservation charity which manages the National Plant Collections, is now based right next to RHS flagship garden in Surrey. Read more - open to all

Lilium 'Odysseus'

BALI Chalk Fund launch Student of The Year 2023

The BALI Chalk Fund are delighted to announce that they have updated their Student of the Year competition to reflect the wider aspect of BALI membership. Read more - open to all

Entry to the 2023 GIMA Awards now open

The 2023 GIMA Gala Awards dinner (19th October, Celtic Manor) may yet be seven months away but suppliers who want to be in the running to win one of the highly coveted awards need to start thinking about their 2023 entries. Read more - open to all

There are good times ahead for gardening

GIMA hears good times are ahead for the garden sector as the Covid surge in garden spending is here to stay.  There will also be an Olympic boost for greening. Read more - members only

GIMA president Jenny Douthwaite from Primeur

Cirencester to welcome GCA members for 2024 conference

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has announced that the location of its 2024 annual conference will be Cirencester in Gloucestershire (March 2023). Read more - open to all

De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel

News from the aisles of the Garden Press Event

The 2023 Garden Press Event was filled with innovation driven by the quest for greater sustainability; and bloggers feeding the interest of younger plant lovers. Read more - members only

Andermatt's beneficial bugs and biodegradable netting

We are being misinformed about the economy

We are being misinformed about the economy, an independent expert tells the GCA.  We are going to have a recession but it will be mild.  It will not be a problem. Read more - members only

BPOA 2023 Technical Conference - In-person ticket sales end soon!

In-person ticket sales for the 2023 BPOA Technical Conference, taking place on Wednesday 1st February 2023 at the NFU Conference Centre, Stoneleigh, close on Wednesday 25th January – don’t leave it too late to book! Read more - open to all

GCA members reminded to book places for first face-to-face conference since 2020

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) is reminding its members to book their places at its first face-to-face conference since 2020, which takes place at the end of this month. Read more - open to all

Tammy Woodhouse, GCA Chairman

GCA members to compete for Worrall Cup

Members of the Garden Centre Association (GCA) are being invited to put their marketing campaigns to the test as part of the organisation’s annual Worrall Cup competition. Read more - open to all

Squires Garden Centres - Worrall Cup winners 2020

Get ready for the most JUMPERFUL time of the Year 2022!

“Put your Christmas sweater on, it's got to be done” are the words of Christmas crooner, Michael Bublé, and who are we to disagree especially when it is for charity? Read more - open to all

Abigail Stocker and Botd Douglas-Davies with those sweaters

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive