High flyers at West End’s Haskins Garden Centre

This month (October), eight employees at Haskins Garden Centre in West End, Southampton passed their Institute of Management Level 4 awards. Read more - open to all

Sam Davis, Louise Welch, Emma Withers, Sarah Austwick, Lisa Waim, Susanne Hansen-Briggs, Kathryn Cro

Clematis champion Raymond Evison awarded Pearson Medal at HTA Garden Futures Dinner

Nurseryman, lecturer, author and photographer Raymond J Evison OBE VMH, was presented with the HTA Pearson Memorial Medal at the HTA Garden Futures Dinner Read more - open to all

Raymond Evison with HTA chief executive Carol Paris.

Ben's Guinness Record bean is longest amid sabotage claim at Mr Fothergill's

What began as a light-hearted staff competition to grow the longest runner bean at a Suffolk seed company, eventually won by Ben Roden with a pod measuring 47.2cm, took a nasty turn when pods with winning potential were mysteriously taken, snapped in half and discovered in a nearby bramble thicket. Read more - open to all

Ben Roden with his winning bean

Keeping it in the family

Antony Harker and his partner Hayley have been running Kelkay for over 15 years and as it’s grown, more of the family have joined the business. Read more - open to all

Retailers join Deco-Pak for first charity golf day

Deco-Pak has just held its first Charity Golf Day playing host to over 35 garden retailers at Crows Nest golf club in Brighouse, 5 minutes away from Deco-Pak’s head office.  Celebrating a successful year in the company of customers old and new, the hard working, fun loving team also managed to raise hundreds of pounds for Greenfingers on the day.

Read more - open to all

Rod Slaters team

Green-tech promotes from within to gear up for expansion plans

Green-tech has today announced a new structure in readiness for its future expansion plans. Read more - open to all

L-r: Mark Wood, Andrea Questari, Richard Gill, Roger McGivern and Dean Jackson

New national sales manager joins Fallen Fruits for GLEE

Fallen Fruits’ newly appointed National Sales Manager, Edward Cantle has been getting to grips with his new role with the garden giftware company at this month’s GLEE. Read more - open to all

Fallen Fruits’ newly appointed National Sales Manager, Edward Cantle

Wyevale Nurseries sees 45% increase from garden design sector

One of the UK’s leading nurseries in Hereford has announced that it has seen a 45% increase in sales year-on-year this month (September, 2016) from the garden design sector. Read more - open to all

Adrian Hoare, Garden Design & Domestic Landscape Sales Manager

CDG announces new promotions and appointments

Catering Design Group (CDG) has announced the promotion of Mike Sinclair - its award winning Principal Design Consultant, to the position of Design Director. The business has also appointed Kevin Broadley as Contracts Manager, whilst promoting Gemma Strong to the position of Design Consultant. Read more - open to all

CDG team members

Decco’s COO, John Findlay, names his successor

John Findlay has announced that he will retire from Decco at the end of March. Charlie Lacey has been named COO designate. Read more - open to all

John Findlay

Denny completes channel swim

“I celebrate internally when I get stung by jellyfish as I know it'll distract me from the pain in my arms and shoulders,” writes HTA’s Dave Denny about his channel swim, last week. Read more - open to all

Start of Dave Denny's swim

Stuart Gooden leaves Planters Garden Centres and moves to pastures new

After 14 very successful years, Centre Manager Stuart Gooden is looking to take it slightly easier and moving to the South West.  Read more - open to all

Stuart Gooden

Hale Events appoints new Sales Executive

Hale Events are delighted to announce that Lesley Meaker has joined the Hale Events Sales Team.  Following their acquisition of the Hotel, Catering & Retail Show last year, they now run 5 successful trade shows, and have expanded their sales team accordingly.   Read more - open to all

Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres awarded honorary degree

Colin Squire, Chairman of award-winning family business Squire’s Garden Centres, has been named Honorary Doctor of Art & Design by Kingston University. A former student of Kingston University, Colin Squire was given this honour in recognition of his outstanding contribution to horticulture and the local community. Read more - open to all

Colin Squire (right) receiving his honorary degree from Ron Tuninga (left).

Chris and Kyle start Management Trainee Scheme

Chris King and Kyle Ross have this month (July, 2016) started their two-year Management Trainee Scheme at one of the UK’s leading nurseries based in Hereford. Read more - open to all

Management Trainees - Kyle Ross and Chris King.

It’s a black card for our pesticides Experts

Green-tech’s Chris Swan and Dean Jackson have recently received their Black, management CSCS cards. Read more - open to all

Chris Swan

Thompson & Morgan appoints new National Sales Manager

Chris Holloway has been appointed as National Sales Manager to leading garden centre brand Thompson & Morgan. Read more - open to all

Chris Holloway has been appointed as National Sales Manager.

Perennial CEO, Richard Capewell, to retire in Spring 2017

Richard Capewell, the Chief Executive of Perennial, the charity for all UK horticulturists, has announced his plan to retire in Spring 2017. The charity is currently seeking his replacement. Read more - open to all

Perennial CEO, Richard Capewell

Adam Taylor joins HTA Board

Adam Taylor, Director of Taylors Bulbs, has joined the HTA Board as vice-president elect it has been confirmed today. Read more - open to all

Adam Taylor, Director of Taylors Bulbs

Tatham & Durr to collaborate with Wyevale Nurseries

Two award-winning garden designers have recently announced that they will be working in the future with one of the UK’s leading nurseries. Read more - open to all

Kate Durr and Caroline Tatham.

Cadix M.D to skydive for Greenfingers!

Managing Director Kate Ebbens from Cadix UK is this weekend taking part in a skydive in aid of raising money for Greenfingers. Read more - open to all

Large pot specialist gain new sales agents at Glee

Pots of Distinction turned heads and gained two new prestigious selling agents at the Glee trade fair at the NEC in Birmingham this month. Read more - open to all

Jason Hardwick

These boots are made for walking...

Simon Quinton-Smith will be embarking on a 27 day trek in Nepal next month, raising money for Greenfingers Charity.   Read more - open to all

New Chairman announced for the Yorkshire Agricultural Society

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society is entering a new era as Chairman, Simon Theakston steps down from the role. The Society is best known as the organiser of the annual rural showcase, the Great Yorkshire Show, and for the last eight years he has been at the  Society’s helm, leading it through one of the most exciting and innovative periods in its long history. Read more - open to all

Simon Theakston with Nick Lane Fox at the Great Yorkshire Showground following the announcement.

Clocking up 133 years!

Staff at Pennell’s Lincoln Garden Centre said goodbye to their colleague Trevor Smith on Wednesday, who is retiring after a fantastic 53 years with Pennells! Read more - open to all

Fred Smith Retirement photo from May 1984 – with Trevor in the background

Joe Lydon scoops  Garland/Worth Gardening ‘sales agent of the year’ award

Taking advantage of many new product innovations, Joe Lydon has achieved a 22 per cent increase in sales for his area and has been voted the Garland/Worth Gardening ‘Sales Agent of the Year’.   Read more - open to all

Joe Lydon (r) receives the ‘Agent of the Year’ award from operations director, Tony Dedman

Celebrity gardener Chris Collins to give CarFest revellers free consultations on gardening this Bank Holiday

Celebrity gardener Chris Collins will be on hand for three days at CarFest South from 26th to 28th August 2016, giving free advice on how to make the most of your outside space – whether it is a balcony, roof terrace, patio or even just a windowsill. Read more - open to all

New apprentices for Bransford Webbs

The Bransford Webbs Plant Company are very proud to announce that two new apprentices will begin working with them in September. Arthur Dawes and Billy Wilce have both been offered a position on the nursery team. Read more - open to all

Bransford Webbs appretices past and present.

Continental ride to raise money for Cancer Research UK

The Director of Newspan Building Solutions, Mark Murray, will be supporting a fleet of cyclists in a charity bike ride on the 21st August – starting in Southampton and Finishing in Rome. Read more - open to all

Mark Murray, will be supporting a fleet of cyclists in a charity bike ride.

How Perennial helped over 1200 people last year

Perennial helped over 1,200 people last year battling illness, financial hardship, bereavement and disability. Read some of their stories. Read more - members only

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive