Bents celebrates new Board member

Bents Garden & Home is planning for the future and has announced the promotion of Jo Derbyshire to Finance Director. Read more - open to all

Jo Derbyshire becomes finance director at Bents

Perrywood opens £8.5m Garden Centre at Sudbury

This month Perrywood Garden Centres has opened its brand new £8.5 million garden centre in Sudbury, Suffolk.  It expects turnover to increase by a third in the next year to around £6m. Read more - members only

Plant Canopy

Pravin Patel retires after nearly four decades at Premier Decorations

Pravin Patel has retired from his role at Premier Decorations Limited after 37 years with the company. Read more - open to all

Pravin Patel

Richard Jackson holds first TikTok Live Show

No stranger to innovation in promoting gardening plants and products, Richard Jackson is launching his first ever TikTok LIVE, this Saturday 18th October at 10am. Read more - members only

4 distinguished names leave the HTA Board

The HTA has already named three new non-Executive directors who are joining the HTA’s governing board.  What is less well known are the names of the industry stalwarts who are standing down. Read more - open to all

Matthew Bent

Blue Diamond triumphs at Excellence in Housewares Awards

Blue Diamond Garden Centres has secured two major accolades at the prestigious Excellence in Housewares Awards 2025, held at The Royal Lancaster, London. Read more - members only

Ali Buchan and Claire Jenner Blue Diamond Category Managers Kitchen and Housewares

Promotion for Mark Butler

Mark Butler, UK Field Sales Manager with Vitax since 2017, has been promoted to Director of Sales in recognition of his outstanding contributions and leadership. Read more - open to all

BHETA restructures senior team ahead of 2026

BHETA is restructuring its senior management team from January 2026. Will Jones becomes Exhibition Director for the Exclusively Show, while Stephen Richardson steps up as General Manager, reporting to Executive Chair Andrew Weiss. Read more - open to all

Will Jones

The HTA appoints new Non-Executive Directors to its Board

The HTA has appointed Jacqui Prior, Brett Avery, and Martin Rowe as Non-Executive Directors, bringing extensive horticultural, finance, and business expertise to guide strategy, governance, and support for over 1,400 member businesses. Read more - open to all

L-R Martin Rowe, Jacqui Prior and Brett Avery

Green-tech’s Laura Darlow named Pro Landscaper 30 under 30 winner

Green-tech’s Logistics Team Leader Laura Darlow has been named one of Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winners for 2025, recognising her rapid career progression and outstanding contribution to the landscaping industry.

 

Read more - open to all

30 under 30 winner Laura Darlow with MD Kris Nellist

Alan Roper is not thinking about succession

Blue Diamond MD, Alan Roper,  reveals his thoughts on his successor, GLEE and the 8 pillars that support the country’s biggest turnover garden centre group. Read more - members only

Alan Roper at Glee

Smiemans strengthens team with Olaf Mos

We are delighted to welcome Olaf Mos to the team. He brings extensive experience in glass constructions and energy systems, and will be strengthening our team in the commercial and operational areas. Read more - open to all

Olaf Mos at Smiemans

Joe Lydon wins Garland’s ‘Sales agent of the year’

Garland Products has awarded the title to Joe Lydon, its agent for Scotland. This is Joe’s fourth win, following successes in 2014, 2016 and 2022. Read more - open to all

Joe Lydon with Garland's 'Sales Agent of the Year' Trophy

New director to lead growth at Branded Garden Products

Branded Garden Products Ltd (BGP), parent company of Thompson & Morgan and Suttons, has appointed Mark Burberry as B2B Director to strengthen its retail and export strategy.

Read more - open to all

Mark Burberry

Mary Portas to speak at 2026 GCA Conference

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has announced that businesswoman, broadcaster, author, and activist Mary Portas OBE will be a keynote speaker at its annual conference. Read more - open to all

Mary Portas OBE, who will be speaking about retail at the 2026 GCA annual conference

Per Klemm Named Germany’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ at TASPO Awards

Selecta one CEO, Per Klemm, wins TASPO’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ for leadership, innovation, and sustainable growth in the ornamental plant industry. Read more - members only

Society of Garden Designers announces 2025 Fellowships

The Society of Garden + Landscape Designers (SGLD) has announced its 2025 Fellowships, honouring six leading figures in the profession for their outstanding contributions to garden and landscape design. Read more - open to all

Colegrave Seabrook Foundation appoints Stuart Lowen as New Chair 

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation, the UK’s only registered charity dedicated to supporting students in horticulture and ornamental plant production, has announced Stuart Lowen as its new Chair of Trustees. Read more - open to all

Stuart Lowen takes over from Jeff Colegrave

Yorkshire Garden Centre Group celebrates 2025 ‘Great by Nature’ graduates

Thirty-four team members from Yorkshire Garden Centre Group have completed the 2025 Great by Nature programme — an in-house leadership initiative designed to develop emerging talent and strengthen the group’s future management pipeline. Read more - open to all

L-R: Lynsey Dyson, Mel Martin, Ben Cawkwell, Julie Greensmith, Becki Smith Some of the team

Dobbies announces CFO change

Dobbies Garden Centres announces that its CFO, Jonathan Wass, will step down from his role on 12 November 2025 and names his replacement. Read more - open to all

Pete Templeton, CFO Dobbies Garden Centres

Pam Pointer award winner from Bransford Webbs

Sam Olesky, apprentice at The Bransford Webbs Plant Company, has won the Pam Pointer Award for 2025 through the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIH). The award recognises horticultural students for outstanding achievements in both academic and practical pursuits.
Read more - open to all

Sam Olesky

Gyles Brandreth announced as keynote speaker at 2026 GCA Conference

Writer, broadcaster and former MP Gyles Brandreth will deliver a keynote on “The Seven Secrets of Happiness” at the GCA’s 2026 Conference, part of its 60th anniversary celebrations.

Read more - open to all

Gyles Brandreth who will be speaking at the 2026 GCA annual conference

Takeaways from the HTA conference

The best attended HTA Conference heard the retiring speech by James Barnes, a review of the economic outlook and an update from a DEFRA minister plus panel debates. Read more - members only

Top HTA award recognises achievements of Natalie Boynton

The HTA has awarded Natalie Boynton, Happy Plants Ltd and co-founder of the YPHA, the 2025 Pearson Memorial Medal for outstanding service to the garden industry. Read more - open to all

Natalie Boynton and Will Armitage

YouTube farmer Joe Seels to front national Christmas tree competition

YouTuber and farmer Joe Seels will host the 2025 British Christmas Tree Growers Association competition, where winners provide Downing Street’s tree and wreath, with a Celebrity Choice award and industry celebration. Read more - open to all

Patrick Kielty to host the 2025 GIMA Awards

Patrick Kielty will take the stage on Thursday 6 November 2025 at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales, guiding guests through a night celebrating the innovation, dedication and passion of the garden product manufacturers shaping the future of garden retail.

Read more - open to all

Patrick Kielty to host the 2025 GIMA Awards

GCA adds a new member to the Executive Committee

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has appointed Dan Lawton, General Manager at Moss & Moor in Ilkley, as Area Co-Chair for the North, covering Scotland and Northern Ireland.  Read more - open to all

Dan Lawton has joined the GCA’s Executive Committee as Area Co-Chair for the North.

New area sales manager for Fallen Fruits

Fallen Fruits are excited to announce that Sarah Cottle will be joining the business on the 10th September as our New Area Sales Manager for the East Midlands and North East. Read more - open to all

Sarah Cottle - New Area Sales Manager for the East Midlands and North East

Green-tech strengthens Irish presence

Green-tech has announced the appointment of Gavin Saunders as Business Development Manager for Ireland. Gavin joined the company on 1 July 2025 and is already working closely with customers and partners across the island. Read more - open to all

Richard Gill and Gavin Saunders

STIGA appoints a new UK managing director

STIGA announces the appointment of James Gordon as the company’s new UK Managing Director and confirms attendance at GroundsFest 2025. Read more - open to all

James Gordon, STIGA's new UK Managing Director

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