According to the GCA, garden centre sales at the end of May remain 2% behind the first five months of 2009. Last month failed to regain sales lost to the cold spring earlier in the year. See more... Read more - members only

Outraged by the latest settlement figure imposed by the Agricultural Wages Board, David Gwyther says, "The AWB is demonstrating yet again that it is out of touch, out of date and, hopefully, out of time". See more... Read more - members only

Faced by falling postal revenues, the Post Office is diversifying. Its latest venture is to offer specialist insurance for florists. See more... Read more - members only

Manufacturers have only two weeks to submit their entries for the GIMAs. All entrants gain valuable exposure but the winners this year will gain added national coverage. Tickets for the presentation evening are already heading for a sell out. See more... Read more - members only

British products in both the garden and pet product sectors have proved to be a big attraction in the North American market according to The Federation of Garden and Leisure Manufacturers, which has organised two British exhibiting groups in Las Vegas and Orlando in recent months. See more... Read more - members only

Two reports into the UK garden market - one from the HTA, the other from Verdict - portray a very different picture of the garden market in 2009. See more... Read more - members only

PATS, the regional pet and aquatic trade shows, have announced dates for 2011 having increased visitor numbers by 23% this year. See more... Read more - members only

Confidence is returning to the job market according to Mike Fuller of Horticruitment. This has been their busiest year ever, especially on the retail side. See more... Read more - members only

Are we heading for a drought this year? If so, the industry should draw some comfort from assurances won from the Government by HTA lobbying before the Flood and Water Management Bill was passed. See more... Read more - members only

There is a new format and new venue for the April business meeting of GIMA. For the first time it will be hosted by a garden centre. Speakers include an Oxford professor of economics, who will talk about the business outlook after the election. See more... Read more - members only

Wiseweather predicts a traditional April with sunshine and showers in the South, but colder and wetter in the North. See more... Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Group is opening many of its larger garden centres on Easter Day as a service to Gardening Club members. They will be able to take lunch in the restaurant and browse the shop and plant area. See more... Read more - members only

A new HTA Marketing Committee, bringing together marketers from leading retailers, growers and garden goods suppliers will meet for the first time in April. See more... Read more - members only

The HTA National Plant Show’s new website - www.nationalplantshow.co.uk - is now live enabling visitors and exhibitors to keep up to date with all the latest news and information. See more... Read more - members only

The HTA has objected to a scheme of seasonal tariffs announced by Southern Water that proposes to charge 6% more for water used in the summer months and 2% less for the rest of the year. See more… Read more - members only

A deal between the RHS and the HTA will lead to garden centres and nurseries selling RHS membership packs, making a healthy profit. See more... Read more - members only

LOFA has announced three initiatives to be unveiled at Solex in July. They are Virtual Solex, “Made Aware” and the inclusion of non-members in 2011. See more... Read more - members only

Wiseweather says June should be drier and warmer than average. But storms could affect rainfall totals, especially in the south. See more... Read more - members only

The new Secretary of State for DEFRA, Caroline Spelman, has agreed to meet the HTA. The coalition government has published plans that include measures to ban illegal timber, a national tree planting campaign and reform of the water industry. See more... Read more - members only

Despite a challenging target provided by a record breaking April in 2009, garden centres reporting to the GCA Barometer of Trade increased sales by around 5% in April 2010. However, this was not enough to make up for sales lost in the extended winter earlier in the year. See more... Read more - members only

On behalf of nurseries, the HTA is asking garden centres to increase their stock of Danish trolleys. Shortages are causing delays in the supply chain and adding unnecessary costs. See more... Read more - members only

Wiseweather forecasts that cold nights and frosts could continue through the month as May is expected to remain cooler, drier and sunnier than average. See more... Read more - members only

With 5 months to go, the space booked at Glee 2010 is already close to the size of last year’s show. In the core garden care section there are 49 new exhibitors plus 27 lapsed exhibitors that are returning. See more... Read more - members only

Aylett Nurseries is the first independent garden centre to become a full member of the Growing Media Initiative (GMI). This means that 55% of its bagged growing media is not peat. See more... Read more - members only

Clarion Events announces today the cancellation of Garden Expo 2010. See more... Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Group will open the doors of 74 garden centres to members of its Gardening Club on Easter Day. To see which centres will open, see more... Read more - members only

Early evidence from The GCA suggests that the season has finally started, boosted by a good Mother’s Day weekend for garden centres. Cold weather, however is still delaying plants purchases. See more… Read more - members only

Six weeks before its opening date of April 27th, the Northern PATS show is full. Taking place at Harrogate IEC, North Yorkshire, PATS Harrogate has more than 110 exhibitors Read more - members only

Garden centres are invited to check their entries on www.GardenCentreguide.co.uk a directory of UK garden centres to be launched at Easter. See more... Read more - members only

Growers, waiting nervously as independent retailers delay deliveries of spring stock, were cheered by news that the Tories would abolish the AWB. See more... Read more - members only