2017 started with a flourish but lost momentum and settled to be an OK year. Suppliers worried about Brexit, the living wage, higher costs and Wyevale. Retailers and growers worried about Xylella. Takeover activity reached new peaks among suppliers, but no major garden centres changed hands. The industry said goodbye to some old friends. Read our review – (open to non-subscribers). Read more - open to all

Riffelmacher have the pleasure to announce that The Denholm Agency formerly the agents of O. Widmann and Co are taking the helm and their representatives will be at the forthcoming Harrogate Christmas and Gift Fair. The Denholm team will be joining existing sales executive Kevin Sheehan. Read more - open to all

The dapper-suited entrepreneur made famous for his role as a judge on BBC’s ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ is speaking at the Garden Centre Association’s 2018 conference. Read more - open to all

The HTA has named Chris Pateman as the new chair of the Association.  In this new role Chris will assist the HTA Board in coordinating the activities of the HTA Executive and their teams at Horticulture House. In addition, he will represent the HTA at a senior level to Government and other stakeholders. Read more - members only

It is with great sadness and dismay we had to learn that Uffe Kloster, Commercial Director for Playmobil and Lechuza in the United Kingdom and Ireland, passed away over the weekend. We are deeply saddened by his sudden death. Read more - open to all

The Hillier Awards Night celebrated a record year for the group. Suppliers and garden centres collected their awards as Robert Hillier praised the impact Chris Francis has made since taking control in March 2014. Read more - members only

The Klondyke Group are pleased to annouce the appointment of Dan Lawton to the horticulture buying team. Dan will start on the 22nd January 2018. Read more - open to all

Results filed at Companies House for 2016 show how Brexit, rising costs, the living wage and tough competition are squeezing margins. Several nurseries are reorganising to stem losses. Read more - members only

T&M’s newly formed new product development team boasts over 140 years’ horticultural experience. Read more - open to all

Bernard Tickner MBE, whose home was at Fullers Mill, died peacefully this week. He was 93. Bernard leaves a legacy of achievements in both professional and private spheres which have enriched the lives of those in his local community and beyond. Read more - open to all

We are pleased to announce that Helen MacDonald of Merryhatton Garden Centre in East Lothian, near Edinburgh, has been appointed to the role of HTA Council Representative for Scotland. Helen replaces Simon Fraser who stepped down at the last meeting following his appointment to the Board. Read more - open to all

A member of staff at one of the UK’s leading nurseries is this month (November, 2017) growing a moustache in aid of a hospice in Hereford. Read more - open to all

Employees from Zest 4 Leisure, a leading trade supplier of quality timber furniture, have covered over 3,400 miles this year, raising in excess of £15,000 for Cancer Research UK, its chosen charity for 2017. Read more - open to all

Landscape company Bowles & Wyer has secured three new employees as part of its current restructuring programme under the guidance of John Wyer. Read more - open to all

Mark Portman joins Gardman as group sales director after 5 years at Henkel, where he had a succession of roles from head of sales UK to general manager UK, Ireland and the Nordics. Read more - open to all

Following the BBC’s successful Blue Planet II series the Garden Centre Association (GCA) has secured a guest speaker passionate about shark conservation for its annual conference in January (2018). Read more - open to all

Mr Fothergill’s Seeds is delighted to welcome Ken Ross to the company. He has joined Mr Fothergill’s as territory manager responsible for looking after garden retailers in an area running from Cambridgeshire to the west midlands. Read more - open to all

World renowned economist Roger Martin-Fagg will be speaking at the Garden Centre Association's (GCA) 52nd annual conference in Warwickshire this January (January 21 until 24, 2018). Read more - open to all

This year, staff at Mr Fothergill's were challenged to take their best pictures from our trial grounds and they certainly rose to the challenge! Read more - open to all

Members of the AIPH elected Mike Rimland from Costa Farms in Florida, USA as representative of North and Central America to the Board in September. Mike Rimland takes over from Bill Stensson from Sheridan Nurseries, Canada after his term was completed.  Read more - open to all

Phil joined Desch Plantpak in September 2016 and has been responsible for the North West area. He brings to the role extensive business experience within our industry. Read more - open to all

Former UK Ambassador Charles Crawford has been announced this month (November) as the first speaker booked for the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) 52^nd annual conference in Warwickshire in January (January 21 until 24, 2018). Read more - open to all

Herman Hamer, Shareholder and Advisor to the Board of Florensis, passed away on 12 November 2017 following a courageous battle against his illness. He was 60 years old. Read more - open to all

Dealing with tricky consumers can be quite a challenge requiring patience as well as great communication skills and a detailed understanding of the product as well as business relationships. Read more - open to all

With the EU licence for glyphosate set to expire on December 15^th, the EU has today failed to pass the Commission’s proposal of a licence renewal for 5 years. So what happens now? Read more - members only

Landscape company Bowles & Wyer has announced that Jason Lock, former partner at DeakinLock Garden Design, has been appointed as its new Head of Design & Build. Read more - open to all

In October 2017, due to the continued growth of their rapidly expanding Export business, Smart Garden Products welcomed two new employees to their award-winning team based in Abingdon. Read more - open to all

Glendale Horticulture is pleased to announce the appointment of Kersten Catella as Sales and Marketing Director. Read more - open to all

John Richardson, the chairman of leading horticultural nursery Johnsons of Whixley, has been named as one of the first recipients of a Lifetime Achievement Award in the recent Rural Excellence Awards. Read more - open to all

The character that is Edward Way is hanging up his boots and retiring from Fordingbridge plc. Read more - open to all