GCA Chairman elect, Will Armitage gives the first details of the speakers and content lined up for the 2014 January conference at Blackpool. See more... Read more - members only

September sales edged higher than a strong month in 2012 reflecting buoyant bulb and gift sales and the continued growth of catering, according to the latest data from the GCA. See more... Read more - members only

Gardenex reports significant success for British garden and leisure manufacturers at spoga+gafa. They received over 1,000 positive enquiries from 64 countries and at least two exhibitors expect to confirm orders over £500,000. See more... Read more - members only

October should be slightly drier and warmer than average, with the driest weather in the South East. There could be temperatures over 20C in the middle of the month. See more... Read more - members only

There is a new partnership between UKTI and i2i to encourage more small companies to export, hence the last minute appearance of UKTI at Glee. See more... Read more - members only

Changes announced by RHS Director General, Sue Biggs, mean promotion for Jim Gardiner and Hayley Monkton and redundancy for directors James Rudoni and Stephen Bennett with Bob Sweet retiring. See more... Read more - members only

Judges of the BALI National Landscape Awards praise members’ ability to deliver contracts when budget cuts are having a noticeable impact. Click here to see the winners. See more... Read more - members only

Wiseweather suggests September will start and end with periods of high pressure, separated by a more unsettled spell in the middle. See more... Read more - members only

James Wong is one of the first speakers to be unveiled for the HTA’s Garden Futures conference that will look at change, multi-channel retailing and challenges in the supply chain. See more... Read more - members only

July proved to be good for garden furniture sales but it was too hot for restaurants. GCA figures show that garden furniture and hard landscaping have sold best in the sun. See more... Read more - members only

There’s a warning from GIMA of a new attempt at fraud just at the time when people covering those on holiday may be caught out. See more... Read more - members only

Senior buyers have said they will support GIMA’s ‘Meet the Buyer’ event that will add a new dimension to Glee as a late surge in bookings for the September show pushes stand numbers over 500. See more... Read more - members only

Malcolm Scott says garden centres may have open A1 retail planning permission without realising it. This is after a recent appeal ruled that imprecise planning conditions can mean a Garden Centre enjoys open A1 retail use. See more... Read more - members only

Judging of the GIMA Awards has been completed and it will be Giles Brandreth who hosts the presentation of the winners on July 18th. A few tickets remain for anyone wanting to join in the industry’s most important awards evening. See more... Read more - members only

Companies that raised funds through Garden Re-Leaf are being asked to get funds to the organisers so that the total, which looks likely to exceed last years £53,000, can be announced at the GIMA awards. See more... Read more - members only

As part of the ‘Plan it, Plant it this Autumn campaign’, the HTA has commissioned Majestic Trees to list the ten top varieties for November. The list will receive wide coverage in the national press. See more... Read more - members only

GCA attended Glee for the first time and received an immediate surge in applications from emerging independent garden centres. See more... Read more - members only

Sales of fertilisers (including lawn and plant) grew by 9 percent in value YTD in August 2013, weedkillers 7 percent and growing media 6 percent says GfK. BBQ sales doubled. See more... Read more - members only

GCA attended Glee for the first time this year and received an immediate surge in applications from garden centres wanting to join the top club for independent garden retailers. See more... Read more - members only

So successful was the meet-the-buyer event at Glee that GIMA is holding a follow-up in October and Glee is hoping to develop the concept next year. See more... Read more - members only

While Glee, which starts on Sunday, is primarily for buyers, there are a number of other activities going on that will interest those not directly involved in buying or taking a short break from it. See more... Read more - members only

As exhibitors prepare for Glee, HTA research into what the garden trade needs from trade shows backs an autumn show, but finds most retailers want to see plants as well as garden products. See more.... Read more - members only

Leading retailers are getting behind GIMA’s ‘Buyer Connect’ event at Glee. This is the chance for suppliers to get a face-to-face meeting with buyers who are often out of reach. See more... Read more - members only

The BBC and RHS have agreed that Chelsea, Hampton Court, Tatton and Malvern flower shows will be broadcast exclusively on the BBC until 2017. Gardeners’ World will continue to draw on experts from the RHS. See more… Read more - members only

The garden centre whose plant area wins the Ruxley Rose competition this year will have proved its excellence in spring and autumn as judging by the GCA becomes more rigorous. See more... Read more - members only

East Malling, the centre for fruit research, is to open its doors to public for first time in a decade. 2013 is its centenary. The day will offer tours, a chance to meet the scientists and a visit to the fascinating root laboratory. See more... Read more - members only

Can Whetman Pinks be named the world’s best grower at the first congress of the AIPH to be organised by Tim Briercliffe, which will be held in Canada, this Autumn. See more... Read more - members only

The Government and health authorities are asking the public to be on high alert during August and September for outbreaks of two species of beetle. The predators are capable of destroying a wide range of trees and shrubs if they become established in the UK. See more... Read more - members only

Every garden category tracked by GfK except for pest and disease achieved value growth in May 2013, helping to offset the significant declines seen earlier in the year. See more... Read more - members only

Wiseweather forecasts high pressure for much of July with lots of warm, dry weather. See more... Read more - members only