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

Daniel Holden has been revealed as the winner of the Westland/GCA Rising Star of 2016

Daniel from Barton Grange Garden Centre was voted Rising Star of 2016 by delegates at the GCA Conference in St Andrews, Scotland and picked up his award on stage at the Gala Dinner on Tuesday night. Read more - open to all

Daniel Holden collects his award

GCA welcomes new inspectors

The Garden Centre Association has today (Monday, January 23, 2017) announced its three new inspectors who will begin visiting member garden centres this spring. Read more - members only

Gordon Emslie - GCA inspector

Mike Cook joins Choice

Choice Marketing is very pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Cook as Group Services Manager with immediate effect. Read more - open to all

Mike Cook

Louis King appointed to rule London and Kent

Essex-based Louis King has been appointed territory manager for Kent and most of London by Mr Fothergill's. He comes to the Suffolk seedsman from a similar role with Unilever. Prior to this, Louis lived in Sweden for eight years, where he was a semi-professional footballer. Read more - open to all

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

Gardman appoints Scott McCabe as Director, Garden Centre Independents

Following a hugely positive response to Gardman’s 2017 marketing programme, Scott McCabe will join Gardman to strengthen the Garden Centre Independents team. Read more - open to all

Scott McCabe

LOFA prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a new Chairman and Vice Chairman

It is with regret that LOFA has to announce that Chairman Paul Bevington has decided to step down from LOFA Council, for personal reasons. He is succeeded by Mark Osborne. Read more - open to all

Mark Osborne

Johnsons of Whixley rewards dedication of staff

Johnsons of Whixley have marked the achievements of four members of staff who have each completed ten years’ service with the company. Read more - open to all

Chairman steps down at Hayloft Plants

After just over three years as Non-Executive Chairman at Hayloft Plants Ltd, Martin Harvey is leaving the specialist multichannel garden plant company, to focus on growing his award-winning Bio-Gard business, which sells a range of waste water treatment products for domestic septic tanks under the Muck Munchers brand. Read more - open to all

Martin Harvey

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