During the first half of 2023, Perennial assisted 1,184 people, compared to 897 in the first half of 2022, a 31% increase.  This highlights the urgent need for increased support. Read more - open to all

Christie & Co, has launched its Retail & Leisure: 2023 Mid-Year Insight, which reflects on activity, trends and challenges across the UK’s convenience retail, forecourt, garden centre and leisure markets in the first half of 2023 and provides an outlook for the rest of the year. Read more - open to all

The Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Garden Retail Online Workshops (GROW) e-Learning platform has introduced five new compliance-based e-Learning courses covering food safety and health & safety (July 2023). Read more - open to all

Post Covid-19, results are still pretty healthy for most but not all garden companies, as the likes of Westland, Squire’s, Klondyke, Scotsdale and Allensmore show. Read more - members only

UPDATE: Barton Grange, Cowells and Tong Garden Centres have signed up to the Prosper Buying Group.  So has St Peter’s Garden Centre saying time is right for a change. Read more - members only

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation is benefiting from a substantial donation from Westland Horticulture to assist the Foundation with their work supporting students studying horticulture. Read more - open to all

Gates Garden Centre near Oakham in Leicestershire, has joined The Tillington Group,  a buying and marketing group for top independent garden centres. Read more - members only

The team from the Garden Centre Association (GCA) have a stand at Glee this month (June 2023) where existing members and those interested in finding out more about the organisation can drop by. Read more - open to all

Blue Diamond has cut the ribbon on a rejuvenated Van Hage at Ware which Alan Roper reveals was the site that gave him inspiration when he was starting his career. Read more - members only

AGM hears that GIMA had strong results as Simon Davison of Zest Outdoor Living is voted on to the GIMA Council and Jenny Douthwaite is re-elected President. Read more - members only

The industry remains optimistic, says The HTA Market Update, despite the challenging weather conditions in March which reduced garden centre sales by -28%. Read more - members only

Research by New Scientist has found that many smartphone apps that aim to identify plants from photographs are not very accurate. Read more - members only

“The launch of Seezon™ is a very exciting moment for SBM Life Science.  More than just a new website, we hope it will act as the go-to digital destination for consumers.” Read more - members only

Attendees at the GIMA Day Conference on 14^th March will hear Dobbies CEO Graeme Jenkins and British Garden Centres’ Director, Boyd Douglas Davies & Project and Development Manager Amy Stubbs, plus... Read more - open to all

New sentencing guidelines relating to underage knife sales have been published and are due to come into effect on April 1, 2023.  Legislation covers a broad range of of bladed articles including axes. Read more - open to all

Join us 3 Aug 2pm BST to find out how technology can seamlessly manage HR, payroll and scheduling across Garden Centres retail and restaurant operations. Read more - open to all

The HTA HUB is a purpose-built Learning Management System to host e-learning, links to training, development information and downloadable resources. Read more - members only

Wyevale Nurseries is this month offering a free downloadable peat free PDF advisory leaflet to trade customers seeking assistance with the changes to the law around peat usage (July 2023). Read more - open to all

Plants sales increased massively in the May sunshine making up for transactions lost earlier in the year.  Garden sundries also improved but by less and are still down for the year.  Read more - members only

A NatWest study has revealed that the gardening sector has blossomed across the UK, with a +267% uptick in gardening-related shops opening since 2017.   Read more - members only

The Garden Media Guild (GMG) is pleased to announce that it has confirmed the appointment of its officer roles, with Mike Palmer returning as Chair, supported by Alexandra Campbell, Stephanie Hafferty and Lexi Gee as Vice-Chairs. Read more - open to all

Today’s House of Lords launch of the New Environmental Horticulture Group (EHG) shows the sector’s importance to achieving national environmental goals. Read more - members only

Predominantly unsettled weather in April, with little in the way of consistent warmth and a colder spell later on, failed to help garden centres recover lost sales. Read more - members only

HTA lobbying secures Government agreement that UK plant passports can be attached to ready for sale plants within the EU for another two years, while electronic passporting is developed. Read more - members only

Bay View Garden Centre has joined the Choice Marketing Group.  This brings the number of members within the buying and marketing group to 48. Read more - members only

Applications are re-opening for the Forestry Commission’s Tree Production Capital Grant to drive the production of tree seed and saplings through developments in machinery, automation and the expansion of facilities. Read more - open to all

Fran Barnes, new chief executive of HTA said, “The Prime Minister’s comments on garden centres when announcing the Windsor Framework were hugely encouraging. We need the words to match the reality…” Read more - members only

The Federation of Small Businesses has published a summary of measures in the Budget affecting smaller businesses.  The HTA criticises lack of action on the environment. Read more - members only

The Prince and Princess of Wales visited a new garden therapy site in Wales, part of the garden-therapy social enterprise, Life at No.27. Read more - open to all

Gardening sales were down in the January report by the GCA Barometer of Trade but revenues were given a boost by Christmas clearances and catering. Read more - members only