Environmentalist Trewin Restorick has been announced (November, 2019) as the first speaker booked for the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual conference in Bristol in January (January 26 until 29, 2020). Read more - open to all

Eliminating plastics from our gardens, the social prescribing of gardening and the leafy love affair of millennials and their houseplants, were just some of the varied subjects being championed by gardening’s greatest influencers, at this year’s horticultural ‘Oscars’, the Garden Media Guild Awards. Read more - open to all

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Among the winners at Hillier’s Awards Dinner were: Botley, Hillier’s garden centre of the year; Meon Valley, Horticultural Supplier of the year; and Decco Mills. Read more - members only

Andrew Baker, Finance Director at Zest 4 Leisure, has completed his 12 ^th and final competitive running event for 2019 to raise funds for Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith children’s hospices. Read more - open to all

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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; Georg Metz steps down as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director. Read more - open to all

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