Figures from the GCA and HTA confirm that April sales were sharply down. Early trading in May shows signs of improvement but the season has still not really started at the time when it came to an abrupt end last year. Some retailers have warned of an unholy scramble if or when warmer weather comes. See more... Read more - members only

Westland is backing Diarmuid Gavin at this year's Chelsea Flower Show as he seeks to build the largest ever garden. You can watch the progress by clicking regularly on the website link below. See more... Read more - members only

A dire April should be kept in perspective after 3 years of strong growth. But there is a worry about bedding supplies for later in May. See more... Read more - members only

Alan Titchmarsh urged the different branches of horticulture to break out of their comfortable little boxes and to work together to show the rewards that a career in horticulture has to offer everyone from the academic to manually dextrous craftsmen and women. See more.... Read more - members only

From tomorrow over 20m people face a £1000 fine if they water a garden using a hosepipe. They will be able to continue to use drip irrigation but there are conditions. The terms of the water restrictions vary between the seven water companies. So where should garden centres go for advice? See more... Read more - members only

La Hacienda used its membership of ACID to enforce its IP rights against White Stores after discovering the company selling inferior quality chimeneas under the La Hacienda brand name. See more... Read more - members only

“Gardening: surely few things could be more eco-friendly? Not so,” says the Independent. It reports research by scientists saying, “Far from doing their bit to save the planet, Britain's green-fingered army may be damaging it.” See more... Read more - members only

Despite a massive fire at Booths Garden & Pet Centre on Friday – click website to see the You Tube videos – scores of pets initially thought to have perished, were saved. See more... Read more - members only

The RHS says that the devastating fuchsia gall mite is a new entry in the top ten list of pests most enquired about and it is likely to spread to the whole of Britain. See more... Read more - members only

An Evesham nursery has been fined £12,000 after a worker was injured when he fell through the roof of a glasshouse while cleaning gutters. HSE said companies must take suitable measures to prevent workers falling. See more... Read more - members only

The Press Association reports that a woman was killed and a man seriously injured in a garden centre car park in Kilmarnock. See more… Read more - members only

Three reports from the BRC show the pressure on retailers. Sales were the worst for 6 months in November, down 1.6%. Business rates will increase by 5.6% next year. Yet, price inflation is the lowest for 2 years. See more... Read more - members only

Following the lead given by John Lewis to highlight products made in Britain, Gardenex is challenging UK companies to capitalise on the organisation, tradition and pageantry of the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics to tap into pro-British sentiment abroad. See more... Read more - members only

Lord Taylor ripped up his prepared speech at the House of Commons last night and promised he would not let the interests of ‘our industry’ go by default. He backed the Localism Bill and the need for ‘near-market research’. See more... Read more - members only

The closure of the sales tax loophole on goods imported from the Channel Islands announced by the Treasury this week will hit young plant retailers. Early payment may not avoid the VAT. See more… Read more - members only

Malcolm Scott suggests HTA should react to supermarkets move into gardening. He is offering to help by encouraging Local Planning Authorities to respond to breaches of planning where they exist. See more... Read more - members only

Superscrimpers, the Channel 4 series about how to live life for half the money, returns in June with a programme on Gardening. They are asking garden centres to identify a family of big spending gardeners who want an amazing garden but can no longer afford it. See more... Read more - members only

7 million viewers of Countryfile last night, saw the UK’s major peat harvester call for a ban on peat. The programme reminded gardeners that they have a choice whether to use peat on their gardens. See more... Read more - members only

It’s a month since Garden Re-Leaf and the charity Greenfingers has already received donations of over £25,000 and the money is still rolling in. See more... Read more - members only

Has GYO peaked asks GIMA? “I have no intention of letting it peak,” says Pippa Greenwood. She told garden suppliers they need to do more to help the novice gardener succeed and warned that some products were not fit even for landfill. See more… Read more - members only

Many gardeners are likely to face a hosepipe ban by Easter says the HTA’s Tim Briercliffe. He attended Defra's drought summit where the Environment Secretary announced a drought order for the South East. See more... Read more - members only

There is a real possibility of hosepipe bans this spring, especially in the East and South East. HTA talks with government seek to soften their impact on gardeners. See more… Read more - members only

The Observer reports an EA technical advisor for invasive species saying that he holds his head in his hands when he walks around garden centres. The paper calls for citizen science to record the advance of non-native invasive species. See more… Read more - members only

Figures for the December sales were the best since last January. There was a like-for-like increase of 2.2%. But don’t get too encouraged says BRC, 2012 is expected to be an equally challenging year. See more... Read more - members only

Gardenforum's Review of 2011 tracks the year's trading and events. It also shows the high number of garden centres and nurseries that are investing despite the difficult economy. This review is open for all to read, see more... Read more - open to all

Mary Portas has suggested 28 ways to put the heart back into UK High Streets. Some could affect garden centres. The HTA has welcomed parts but warns that garden centres also have an important role as community hubs. See more... Read more - members only

Defra has announced a new £20 million fund to help farmers, foresters and horticulturists to invest in green projects and new machinery so that their businesses can continue to grow in an environmentally friendly way. Read more - members only

There will be a Fresh look to Chelsea 2012, reflecting the more informal approach of the new director general. There is to be a Fringe and, a little earlier, a National Gardening Week. See more… Read more - members only

GIMA is warning suppliers to double check orders if delivery is requested to an "off site" store. The order could be a scam. See more... Read more - members only

After the worst outbreak of Downy Mildew on Impatiens yet, it appears that it has become resistant to the key fungicide and can overwinter in soil. Growers are saying they will continue production as long as retailers accept there can be no guarantee against infection. See more... Read more - members only