Student wins BPOA - Peter Seabrook Bursary in DCF Scholarship Season

Student, Gabor Lukoviczki, has won a David Colegrave Foundation (DCF) Sponsored Scholarship. Gabor, who is studying at Myerscough College in Preston, Lancashire, received the £1,000 British Protected Ornamentals Association (BPOA) - Peter Seabrook Bursary. Read more - open to all

Gabor Lukoviczki

Student wins SWGS Sponsored Scholarship
in DCF Scholarship Season

Student, George Laws, has won a David Colegrave Foundation (DCF) Sponsored Scholarship. George, who is studying Horticulture BSc at Writtle College in Chelmsford, Essex, received the £1,500 South West Growers Show Sponsored Scholarship. Read more - open to all

George Laws, South West Growers Show Sponsored Scholarship

Smart Garden announces 2016 Sales Awards

Following an outstanding year in 2016, Smart Garden Products rewarded and recognised the great efforts of their sales force for their considerable contribution to the growth of its business. The winning Sales Team, for the second consecutive year, is ARC Southern Ltd for its fantastic achievement in the South-eastern territory. Read more - open to all

Sales team of the Year - Arc Southern

Carol Paris is to leave the HTA

The HTA has announced that CEO, Carol Paris, will be leaving at the end of April to move on to new challenges. Read more - members only

Carol Paris

Scottish Horticultural Medal awarded to Stan Green

The Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society’s (RCHS) Scottish Horticultural Medal has been awarded to Past President of the Horticultural Trades Association, Stan Green, for services to Scottish Horticulture. Read more - open to all

Stan Green (left) receiving the Scottish Horticultural Medal.

Merzario team cycles for Greenfingers

5 staff from Merzario Ltd (Freight forwarder based in Ongar) will cycle approx 150 miles from London to Amsterdam to raise money for Greenfingers Charity. Read more - open to all

Nicholas Marshall takes control at Dobbies - UPDATED

Nicholas Marshall has replaced John Cleland as CEO of Dobbies Garden Centres and is investing in the business. Read more - members only

Andrew Bracey, chairman; Nicholas Marshall CEO and Graeme Jenkins CFO

Next generation takes control at Mr Fothergill's

Mr Fothergill’s has announced a change in ownership with the majority shareholdings moving from fathers to sons. Read more - open to all

David Carey and John Fothergill

Mike Lind is to be the next GCA chairman

Mike Lind is to succeed Julian Winfield as GCA chairman at the beginning of 2018. He says he wants to make the GCA more relevant. This is at a time when it represents only a small proportion of garden centres… read the Gardenforum comment. Read more - members only

Mike Lind

RHS honour Andrew McIndoe with the Veitch Memorial Medal

Garden writer, broadcaster, designer and former Hillier Director, Andrew McIndoe, has been awarded the prestigious Veitch Memorial Medal, one of the highest accolades in the world of horticulture. Read more - open to all

Andrew McIndoe receives the Veitch Memorial Medal from Sir Nicholas Bacon, President of the RHS.

David Good, former director of Country Gardens, has died

David Good, former director of Country Gardens and keen motor racer, has died aged 83. Read more - open to all

Steve Harper is rejoining Bord na Mona

Steve Harper is to rejoin Bord na Mona along with his business partner, Jerry Walker. Charles Farmer leaves shortly. Read more - members only

Steve Harper

Bunnings three phase strategy for Homebase

Bunnings reveals 5 year strategy for BUKI, says clearance activity is largely complete and it will open 3 more pilot stores before June. Read more - members only

Hockley International ltd name Tommy Gill as managing director

Hockley International ltd have appointed Tommy Gill as managing director.  He is a former MD of Bayer Garden in the UK. Read more - open to all

Tommy Gill

New member of the sales team for BEES™ Seeds & Gifts

The New Year has brought the opportunity of expanding the sales team at G Plants. Paul Egan will be working in the north of England, focusing on Garden Centre and gift store sales. Read more - open to all

Two garden centre staff sponsored for IGCA Congress

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) Trust has announced this month (March, 2017) that not one but two candidates this year will go to the International Garden Centre Association (IGCA) Congress. Read more - open to all

(Left to right) Liz Dowling, Brand Manager with Tammy Woodhouse, Managing Director of Millbrook Gard

Perennial appoints Peter Newman as CEO

Peter Newman, currently Chief Executive of children’s charity Dreams Come True, joins Perennial as Chief Executive in May 2017 following the retirement of Richard Capewell. Read more - open to all

Peter Newman

Paulina Rzeszotarska added to Mr Fothergill's marketing team

Paulina Rzeszotarska has joined Mr Fothergill’s as Retail Marketing Executive. She comes to the Suffolk seedsman, to work on the Mr Fothergill’s brand, from the toy manufacturer Schleich UK where she was Marketing Administrator. Read more - open to all

Paulina Rzeszotarska

Lifetime Achievement award for Paul Brooking

A Lifetime Achievement award has been presented to Paul Brooking, sales manager and front man for Quality Ornamentals, who retires at the end of the month. Read more - open to all

Paul Brooking

Garden retailing loses one of its innovators

Chris Milan former owner of Woodcote Green Nurseries in Wallington, Surrey has died. He was 57. Read more - open to all

Chris Milan

Nigel Gibson receives RHS Long Service Medal for 40 years of service to Horticulture

The Provender Nurseries team are over the moon to have celebrated Nigel Gibson's 40 years in Horticulture yesterday. 40 years – now that is something to celebrate. Read more - open to all

(L-r) Richard Burt, Richard McKenna, Nigel Gibson, Sheliagh & Chris Lanem, Tom Norris & Jude Lawton.

South African herb specialist Margaret Roberts has died

Margaret Roberts, the grower and author who popularised the use of herbs in South Africa, has died. Read more - open to all

Weber appoints new sales director

Weber® barbecues has appointed a new Sales Director for the UK and Ireland to build on its leading position in these key markets. Read more - open to all

Chris Howard

Home and Garden Group announces new appointment

The Home & Garden Group who currently operate 9 garden centres are pleased to announce that Neil Stevens, former Director of The Garden Store Ltd has joined their management team as Business Development Manager. Read more - open to all

Neil Stevens, Business Development Manager

SBM invests in marketing to drive growth

SBM Life Science Ltd has expanded its marketing team as part of its strategy for growth; Ioana Codreanu has joined as assistant brand manager and Angharad James as marketing assistant. Read more - open to all

 Ioana Codreanu, assistant brand manager and Angharad James, marketing assistant.

Dobbies & Decco to speak at GIMA Day Conference

GIMA have announced that John Cleland, CEO of Dobbies Garden Centres and Charlie Lacey, COO at Decco will both be speaking at the next GIMA day conference. Read more - open to all

John Cleland, CEO of Dobbies Garden Centres

Gardening ‘royalty’ Pippa Greenwood to give demonstrations at Haskins Garden Centres

February and March sees gardening ‘royalty’ Pippa Greenwood visit Haskins Garden Centres in Ferndown, Dorset and West End, Hampshire to talk to customers on her growing experiences as well as giving an exclusive gardening demonstration. Read more - open to all

Pippa Greenwood

Paul cycles for YoungMinds

Support Zest 4 Leisure's Paul Haynes as he cycles for YoundMinds to thank for the help his son has received over the last couple of years. Read more - open to all

Paul Haynes

Leadership and management success for employees as at Haskins Garden Centres

Eight employees working across Haskins Garden Centres in Ferndown in Dorset, West End in Southampton and Roundstone and Snowhill in West Sussex have achieved success by completing their management and leadership training. Read more - open to all

Haskins Garden Centre staff acheive management qualifications.

Thrive remembers one of its founders

A church service was held in January at Beech Hill, Berkshire to remember the life of gardening charity Thrive’s founding member The Rev’d Dr Geoffrey Udall who would have celebrated his 100th birthday on Monday January 16th 2017. Read more - open to all

 Geoff Udall at Trunkwell

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