HTA Pearson Medal awarded to John Ravenscroft

This year the HTA has awarded the Pearson Memorial Medal to industry pioneer John Ravenscroft in recognition of his outstanding services to horticulture. Read more - open to all

Boyd Douglas Davies and John Ravenscroft

Harry starts Management Trainee Scheme

Harry Downes has this month (November, 2019) started his two-year Management Trainee Scheme at one of the UK’s leading nurseries based in Hereford. Read more - open to all

Harry Downes who has started his two-year Management Trainee Scheme at Wyevale Nurseries.

Keith Weed to be proposed to RHS Members as the next President of the RHS

The Council of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced it will be supporting the nomination of Keith Weed for election as RHS President in 2020. Read more - open to all

Keith Weed

James Mitchell to leave Westland

James Mitchell, head of key accounts at Westland Horticulture for the last 6 years, looks set to leave and become an independent agent for the South West.  Read more - open to all

James Mitchell

Notcutts chairman to step down

Notcutts is to start the search for a new chairman, following the announcement that Nicky Dulieu is stepping down.  Read more - open to all

Nicky Dulieu

BALI Chalk Fund’s top award presented to Writtle student

George Truss, a student of BALI Training Provider college Writtle University College, has been awarded the BALI Chalk Fund's National Landscape Student of the Year Award 2019. Read more - open to all

George Truss

Environment Minister to address Cultivating Retail audience

Rebecca Pow MP, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Environment, will address the garden industry at the Cultivating Retail conference on 19 November. Read more - open to all

Rebecca Pow

Paolo Arrigo wins Person of the Year

Paolo Arrigo - pictured with his mother Theresa - of Seeds of Italy and Franchi Seeds who has been voted Slow Food Person of the Year Read more - open to all

Paolo Arrigo with his mother Theresa.

Pippa Greenwood is the new HTA Horticulture Manager

The HTA has appointed botanist and broadcaster Pippa Greenwood as HTA Horticulture Manager to support grower members of the association. Read more - open to all

Pippa Greenwood

Growers prepare for year of resilience rather than growth

Growers attending the latest HTA Ornamentals Committee meeting reported an extremely positive twelve months of trading. The meeting also saw the appointment of Martin Emmett, Strategy Director for Tristram Plants as the new chair, taking on the role from Geoff Caesar, who has stepped down after six years. Read more - open to all

Geoff Caesar and Martin Emmett the new Chair.

IPPS 6 packer award for Bransford Webbs apprentice

Isobel Watson, from The Bransford Webbs Plant Company, has won a place on the IPPS European Regional Annual conference, taking place this year in Stratford upon Avon, in the Midlands. Read more - open to all

Isobel Watson

Malcolm Scott Consultants appoints new associate

Garden centre planning and design specialists Malcolm Scott Consultants has expanded its Worcester-based team with the appointment of a new Associate, Read more - open to all

Andrew Burton

New sales agency appointments

West Country Soil Improvement Ltd have announced the appointment of ARC Southern to represent them across the Southern Counties of England including Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Hampshire, Middlesex and South London. Read more - open to all

The team from ARC Southern

Support Steve Harper as he runs for Perennial

Bord na Mona's Steve Harper is running the Great North Run on September 8th (2 days before Glee) on behalf of the gardeners' charity, Perennial.  Click here to support him, Read more - open to all

Brian's lifetime in horticulture is just what the doctor ordered

Mr Fothergill's celebrated 60 years in horticulture for their Trials Manager Brian Talman at their August Press day with a presentation of an acer Shirasawanum Jordan in a premium pot with a personalised inscription. Read more - open to all

Brian being presented with his Acer by joint MD's John Fothergill and David Carey.

Zest 4 Leisure's managing director honoured at business awards

Steve Morgan, Managing Director of Zest 4 Leisure, was presented with the Lord Barry Jones Legacy Award at the Flintshire Business Awards. Read more - open to all

 Lord Barry Jones and Steve Morgan

Distinction for Green-tech apprentice

Apprentice George Goodier has passed his course with the highest honours and has accepted a permanent contract with Green-tech as a Sales Advisor. Read more - open to all

Rachel Kay with George Goodier apprentice pass with distincton

Deco-Pak’s Craig Hall remembers Greenfingers on his wedding day

It was a case of “something borrowed, something green” for Deco-Pak’s Craig Hall at his recent wedding as he and his new wife, Debbie, raised over £1,200 for Greenfingers Charity thanks to generous donations from guests and families. Read more - open to all

Deco-Pak’s Craig Hall and his new wife, Debbie at his recent wedding.

Mike Lind on the GCA, independence and the minimum wage

Monkton Elm’s Mike Lind gets ready to hand over the chairmanship of the GCA and warns that the proposed increase in minimum wage could be a significant threat for the garden centre sector. Read more - members only

Mike Lind

Greenfingers Charity welcomes Sue Allen as Trustee

Greenfingers Charity is delighted to announce that Sue Allen, founder of Millbrook Garden Centres has joined the charity’s Board of Trustees. Read more - open to all

Sue Allen

Kyle joins the Plant Health Professional Register

A Production Manager at one of the UK’s leading nurseries based in Hereford has successfully completed a competency exam to become an Associate on the Plant Health Professional Register. Read more - open to all

Kyle Ross Production Manager at Wyevale Nurseries

Landmann Barbecues appoint new Key Account Manager

Due to their continued growth, Landmann have appointed Luke Hopkins as their new Key Account Manager to manage key retailers within the Midlands / North of the UK. Read more - open to all

Ames’ Antony Harker returns to garden centres

Antony Harker, formerly of Tong and Kelkay, is to step down as MD of Ames UK having acquired a stake in part of British Garden Centres. Read more - members only

Richard Slade, Antony Harker and Richard Pyrah

Just Eat’s Chief Operating Officer joins Cultivating Retail Programme

Graham Corfield, Chief Operating Officer for Just Eat, joins the high profile line up of speakers at the Cultivating Retail Conference, sponsored by Evergreen Garden Care. Read more - open to all

Boyd Douglas-Davies appointed as HTA President

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), which took place at Glee on 11 September, saw the appointment of Boyd Douglas-Davies as HTA President. Read more - open to all

HTA President Boyd Douglas-Davies with Immediate Past President Adam Taylor

Roger Llewellyn of Ace Equipment has passed away

Roger Llewellyn whose family owned Ace Equipment passed away on the 1st September in Queen's Hospital  Burton on Trent, a year on from having major heart surgery at Papworth. Read more - open to all

Sean Robinson appointed Chief Executive Officer of Stiga Group

Sean Robinson appointed Chief Executive Officer of Stiga Group; Georg Metz steps down as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director. Read more - open to all

Sean Robinson appointed Chief Executive Officer of Stiga Group

E. P. Barrus extends garden division team with appointment of area sales manager

E.P. Barrus has extended its sales team with the appointment of Gary Bowness as Area Sales Manager covering the North West and Midlands. Read more - open to all

Gary Bowness

Vitax appoints new area sales manager

Vitax is delighted to announce the appointment of a new area sales manager to cover customers across Avon, Wilts, Hants and Dorset following the retirement of Julian Goodhand earlier this year. Read more - open to all

Mark Butler (left) national sales manager with  David Beech, Vitax’s new area sales manager.

Rainer Schubert becomes Burgon & Ball UK MD

Rainer Schubert has been appointed as Burgon & Ball UK managing director.  Most recently he was UK and ROI sales director at Scotts Miracle-Gro. Read more - open to all

Rainer Schubert

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