HTA chairman, James Barnes calls for the backing of members, especially growers, to hear him present plans to re-invigorate the HTA and to promote sustainability at the Cultivating Retail conference. Read more - members only

The new Welcome building that opens next month at the RHS Wisley garden will sell more unusual and rare plants from one place than anywhere else in the UK. Read more - members only

Here’s your chance to catch up with some of the events in the retail garden sector that you may have missed. It was a turbulent year with the collapse of Gardman; around 60 garden centres changing hands or closing, Wyevale, Bunnings, Snow and drought. This is open to all. Read more - open to all

LOFA has announced that secretary Phil Gibbs left the association on Friday 19^th October as a new look board explores new opportunities for the association. Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Association has recruited 9 new members bringing the total number of garden centres the association represents to nearly 200. Read more - members only

The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) is launching a new retail data service for members thanks to an exclusive deal with research and data provider, GfK.  Read more - members only

Chris Pateman became chairman of the Horticultural Trades Association earlier this year. Part of his role is to be the new face of the HTA, representing the interests of members to Government and the rest of the garden sector. Read more - members only

Latest figures from The GIMA Barometer of Trade (BoT) show that raw material costs have risen by 12%. These costs, says GIMA, will have to be passed down the supply chain. Read more - members only

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

BHETA has created a new National Home Improvement Week for the home and garden industry on dates in the middle of March that clash with Garden Re-Leaf Day. Read more - members only

3 leading trade associations GIMA, The HTA and Gardenex are backing the additional Glee exhibition, a concession at the Spring Fair in February. Read more - members only

The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) is to launch two major sales campaigns this autumn. One targets the public, the other is to recruit trade members. Read more - members only

The GIMA Barometer of Trade reports double digit cost increases for raw materials, freight and labour in the last 12 months. Read more - members only

Due to illness one of the new GCA inspectors has been forced to step down this year. So two, who had intended to retire, are back as judges and will address the newly announced regional awards meetings.  Read more - members only

The HTA has backed its management team by promoting finance director, Alex Vick, to senior executive director in charge of day to day operations and by giving each director greater responsibility. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond continues its Wyevale buying spree buying Bridgemere, while Webbs buys Cheltenham garden centre. In addition 2 centres will close. Read more - members only

SmartPlants adds T&M to its growing list of commercial partners.  Customer receipts by the mail-order supplier will soon be accompanied by the newly developed SmartPlant 'button' to provide post sale advice. Read more - members only

James Barnes, the former CEO of Dobbies, is to become the chairman of the HTA and will speak on behalf of the association with members and outside the industry. Read more - open to all

David Domoney congratulates this year’s Cultivation Street ambassador of the year, Dobbies’ Steven Purton, who regularly shares his expertise with a local charity, 4 schools, a college and a hospital to improve their communal spaces. Read more - members only

The Royal Horticultural Society will receive £4 million from the National Lottery towards a five-year project that includes developing the world’s first National Centre for Horticultural Science and Learning, at the RHS Garden at Wisley. Read more - members only

The HTA Board has announced that Chris Pateman has left his post as Chairman of the HTA citing family reasons and the long commute. Read more - members only

The GCA urges those who haven’t booked to act quickly as rooms for the annual GCA conference (21st - 24th Jan) are running out. This is the main networking event for top garden centres and suppliers, with top speakers from business, sport and entertainment. Read more - members only

Gardenex has secured grant funding to help UK manufacturers, especially SME’s, exhibit at major overseas garden trade shows. For the first time these will include Myplant & Garden in Milan. Read more - members only

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

The window has opened for future horticulturalists to apply for scholarships from The David Colegrave Foundation. There are 7 potential scholarships available. Read more - members only

The RHS has approved award-winning online learning provider Learningwithexperts.com 
(formerly MyGardenSchool) as an accredited provider of RHS gardening qualifications. Read more - members only

Last week’s 3 day conference and trade show, held by Choice Marketing, eclipsed the HTA Futures conference that it clashed with, by drawing 160 delegates. 90 suppliers exhibited at the trade show. Read more - members only

The HTA is warning garden centres it will not accept gift vouchers once they have expired, due to a change in legislation. The amnesty on vouchers with an expiry date of 31 December 2016 ends on 31 August 2017. Read more - members only

At the recent BHETA networking event, Amazon buyers were out in force and outlined several services that could take the supplier opportunities to new levels.  Read more - members only

Having lost its planning argument with Wokingham BC, Sheeplands garden centre has closed concessions, seeded the overflow carpark and made other changes. Read more - members only