Adrian Bloom pays tribute to Laurence Flatman

Laurence Flatman died in January, aged 88.  He spent his working life at Blooms Nurseries in Bressingham.  A thanksgiving service will be held on March 2nd. Read more - open to all

Adrian Bloom, Mary Fox, Laurence Flatman, Alan Bloom, Maurice Prichard, Flora Bloom, Robert Bloom.

David Austin Roses appoints Paul Manley as Wholesale General Manager

David Austin Roses is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Manley to the role of Wholesale General Manager. Read more - open to all

Paul Manley

New international sales director for Landmann

Landmann restructure for ambitious plans for global growth with the new appointment of a new International Sales Director. Read more - open to all

Garden retail expert bolsters Vitax’s sales team

Vitax has recruited a garden centre retail specialist to bolster its sales team as the company appoints a new area sales manager to cover Avon, Wilts, Hants and Dorset. Read more - open to all

(L-r): Ross Baldock with  Vitax’s national sales manager – Mark Butler

Carol promoted to Head of Business Support

Carol Dickinson from Hereford has this month (January, 2020) been promoted to Head of Business Support at Wyevale Nurseries. Read more - open to all

Carol Dickinson Head of Business Support at Wyevale Nurseries

Elizabeth Hayes, doyenne of Hayes Garden World, has died

Elizabeth Hayes, who with her late husband Leith transformed an Ambleside nursery with its small cafe into Hayes Garden World, died earlier this month. Her funeral took place last Friday. Read more - members only

Leith and Elizabeth Hayes.

The most recent addition to the AMES UK Director team

The most recent addition to the AMES UK Director team is Matt Wilson who joined the business in September.  Matt’s confident that AMES UK – before the addition of Apta - will break the £50m barrier in 2020. Read more - open to all

Matthew Wilson

New role for Rachel at Suffolk Seedsman

Mr Fothergill’s are pleased to announce a significant promotion for long-standing and valued member of staff, Rachel Cole. With immediate effect Rachel will be promoted to the new position of Seeds Manager. Read more - open to all

Rachel Cole

BBC comedian to return to compere GCA awards dinner

Stand-up comedian and comedy writer Jo Caulfield will be returning to compere the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) conference awards’ dinner this month (January, 2020). Read more - open to all

Jo Caulfield

GCA conference attendees to learn about mindfulness from Buddhist monk

A Buddhist monk who specialises in teaching mindfulness meditation will be taking to the stage at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual conference in Bristol this month (January 26 until 29, 2020). Read more - open to all

Thubten will be teaching about mindfulness meditation.

New commercial director HilverdaFlorist

Bart Sneek has been appointed as the new commercial director of HilverdaFlorist and thus joins the management team. Bart Sneek succeeds Melchior Moen, who recently left HilverdaFlorist.  Read more - open to all

Bart Sneek

Tributes pour in for much-loved Theresa Swann

The UK and international gardening and pet industries have been paying tribute to Theresa Swann, Head of Events at Gardenex  and PetQuip, who sadly passed away in December. Read more - open to all

Theresa Swann

Internship of a lifetime for young horts

Every year the David Colegrave Foundation (DCF) and the American Floral Endowment (AFE), jointly award an internship of a lifetime - The Markham-Colegrave International Scholarship. Read more - open to all

Markham-Colegrave winner James crawford at Rakers

MBE for Kew’s Tony Kirkham

Tony Kirkham has been awarded an MBE for services to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and to arboriculture in the New Year's Honours. Read more - open to all

Tony Kirkham MBE

Panarama Agencies Ltd announce new appointment

Panarama Agencies - one of the North's leading sales & merchandising operations has further strengthened it's sales team with the appointment of Dan Hind as Area Sales Manager. Read more - open to all

Dan Hind joins Panarama Agencies Ltd as Area Sales Manager

Triathlete from Mr Fothergill's to make Garden Releaf Debut

Sam Broadway, National Account Manager for Mr Fothergill’s, has been doing some serious training to ensure optimum performamce for her 100km Garden ReLeaf bike ride on 13th March. Read more - open to all

Sam Broadway, National Account Manager for Mr Fothergill’s

Empathy by PlantWorks appoint sales manager for the North

PlantWorks UK, which produces biological solutions for gardening and horticulture, specialising in mycorrhizal fungi, has expanded its UK team ready for a busy 2020. Read more - open to all

Neil Acton joins the team as field sales manager.

Freedom of the City of London granted to MD of Penrith’s Dalefoot Composts

Professor Jane Barker, who makes eco garden compost from Herdwick wool and bracken, has been granted the Freedom of the City of London. Read more - open to all

Professor Jane Parker with Mark Johnson, Master Worshipful Woolmen

Penelope Hobhouse receives SGD Lifetime Achievement Award

Renowned garden designer, plantswoman and author Penelope Hobhouse has been named as the next recipient of the SGD Lifetime Achievement Award at the SGD Awards Ceremony 2020.  Read more - open to all

Gardenex announces Joe Denham as new chairman

Gardenex is pleased to announce that Joe Denham, CEO of VegTrug Limited, has taken over as chairman of the Federation. Read more - open to all

Joe Denham

Phil and Mark join GCA team of inspectors

The Garden Centre Association has today (Monday, January 27, 2020) announced Phil McCann and Mark Taylor will be joining its team of inspectors. Read more - open to all

Mark Taylor

Mike Burks to take over as GCA Chairman for 2020/21

Mike Burks will take over as Garden Centre Association (GCA) Chairman for 2020/21 at the start of the organisation’s annual conference from next week (January 27, 2020). Read more - open to all

Mike Burks

Spencer Goodall to join Garden Pride Team!

Garden Pride are pleased to say that Spencer Goodall has joined the team as the new sales agent for the South West! Read more - open to all

Spencer Goodall

Sue Allen steps into the shoes of John Ashley at Greenfingers

Sue Allen has succeeded John Ashley as chair of Greenfingers, the industry backed charity that creates gardens at children’s hospices to cheer patients and their families. Read more - open to all

Richard Jackson, Sue Allen and John Ashley

New sales merchandiser for Landmann

Landmann are delighted to announce the appointment of Matthew Lee. Read more - open to all

Landmann announce the appointment of Matthew Lee.

Chris Schofield joins Infinity Christmas Trees

Infinity Christmas Trees are pleased to announce the recent addition of Chris Schofield to the company in the position of Senior Account Manager. Read more - open to all

Chris Schofield (right) with David Brown, Managing Director.

Kate Adie CBE to speak at GCA conference

Former BBC Chief News Correspondent Kate Adie CBE has been announced as a speaker at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual conference in Bristol this month (January 26 until 29, 2020). Read more - open to all

Kate Adie

GARDENA UK sales team goes from strength to strength with new senior appointment

Leading global gardening specialist GARDENA, recently appointed a new field sales manager to strengthen its growing sales team. Read more - open to all

Edward Cantle Field Sales Manager (left) and Key Account Manager Gary Fisher (right).

Review of 2019

Here is a summary of the news stories published on Gardenforum during 2019:  Wyevale disintegration and the expansion of other groups, the environment, supplier consolidation and people in the news.  This review is open to all. Read more - open to all

Mark Pitman joins Wildlife World

Wildlife World, Europe’s leading designer and manufacturer of wildlife products have appointed Mark Pitman to their Management team, who joins the business in January 2020 to lead their Marketing function, alongside a progressive development plan for future growth. Read more - open to all

Mark Pitman

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive