Jekka McVicar to be President of the Herb Society 2013-2015

Currently a Patron of the Herb Society, Jekka McVicar takes up her new role as President from 1 January 2013. Read more - open to all

GCA names Wylie as Interim CEO

The GCA has parted company with Phil Slinger only months after his appointment as CEO. Iain Wylie takes on the role on an interim basis. See more… Read more - members only

Smart Solar agrees exclusive licencing rights to distribute Haxnicks product range

Smart Solar is delighted to announce that with immediate effect it is distributing the Haxnicks range of products across the UK, France and Germany under an exclusive licensing deal. Read more - open to all

Talking points from Glee

Here are some of the talking points from Glee including the prospect of a peat shortage, the absence of the new chief executive of the GCA and unrest among sales agents. See more... Read more - members only

Garden Centre Group hosts World's Biggest Coffee Morning

The country's largest garden centre group is backing Macmillan Cancer Support’s ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’ at its garden centres with restaurants this September (2012). Read more - open to all

Ex Virgin Chief to chair The Garden Centre Group

Stephen Murphy, who succeeded Richard Branson as group chief executive of Virgin becomes the new chairman of The Garden Centre Group. See more… Read more - members only

HTA welcomes new Secretary of State for the Environment

The HTA welcomes the announcement today that Owen Paterson MP, former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, has been appointed as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Read more - open to all

Summertime and the livin’ is easy…

More shows means more work to be done, hence the addition of two new sales executives: Callum Mellis and Jordan Peters. Read more - open to all

Bosmere appoint new Key Account Manager

Bosmere Products Ltd is pleased to announce the appointment of Glynn Davis as Key Account Manager. Read more - open to all

GCA members raise a wee dram in celebration of awards

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has recently (August 22, 2012) revealed the Best in Area winners for Scotland and Northern Ireland at an awards presentation evening. Read more - open to all

Experienced Marketeer Joins New Era at an Exciting Time

New Era, the Doncaster-based fish food specialist, has appointed a marketing manager with abundant sales and marketing expertise to take full advantage of the company’s latest and impending advances within the aquaculture marketplace. Read more - open to all

Celebrations as Cath and Team are awarded Best Farm Shop in Wales and the West

The Apple Tree Farm Shop at Brimsmore Gardens in Yeovil has walked away with a top accolade at the 2012 Garden Centre Association (GCA) awards. Read more - open to all

New Head of Category Management appointment

Responsible for Gardman’s category management approach to provide optimum product and service to its retail partners is Lisa Blackmore, the new Head of Category Management. Read more - open to all

Carol Paris is the new HTA Director General

It has been confirmed that Carol Paris is to follow David Gwyther as Director General of the HTA. See more... Read more - members only

Chairman steps down from Gardman

Terry Stannard, the non-executive chairman of Gardman Holdings is leaving the company. In his place, Jonathan Halford, the chairman of Forest Garden joins as a non-executive director. See more... Read more - members only

Rainer Schubert is new Sales Director for Scotts Miracle-Gro

Rainer Schubert has been promoted to Sales Director, Scotts Miracle-Gro Consumer UK Business Group. The appointment is effective from 1st October. Read more - open to all

Consumer specialist appointed Head of Bayer Garden

Darren Brown has been appointed Head of Bayer Garden.  His appointment builds on the company’s recent investment in the development of the Bayer Garden brand. 
Read more - open to all

Solus wins Supplier of the Year at the 2012 Greatest Awards

Solus Garden & Leisure are pleased to announce that they were awarded the Supplier of the Year Award at the recent Greatest Awards. Read more - open to all

Gardman appoint New General Manager, China

Gardman has appointed Lars Hard as its new General Manager, China Read more - open to all

Bosmere appoint 3 new Area Managers

Following hot on the heels of the appointment of Glynn Davis as Key Account Manager, Bosmere Products Ltd announce the appointment of 3 new Area Managers all of whom are seasoned professionals in the Garden and Hardware industry. Read more - open to all

Niall O'Regan Joins First Franchise

First Franchise has employed retail concession specialist, Niall O’Regan MRICS, as they continue to expand and develop their successful garden centre concession business Read more - open to all

Natural Paving raced to raise £1,600 for Greenfingers

STAFF from one of the UK’s leading suppliers of ethically sourced natural stone landscaping products recently presented a cheque for £1,600 to a charity that creates gardens at children’s hospices nationwide. Read more - open to all

G7 Computer Services celebrate 20 years of perfecting EPOS Solutions for the Retail Industry

Starting with 7 employees G7 now employ 25 staff.  Those who have been with G7 from the very beginning and still play a key role in the day to day running of the business, include developers Mark Mason and Robert Craig and joint managing directors, Neil Biltcliffe and Keith Lucas.

Read more - open to all

Nick Romano

It is with deep regret that we inform you of the passing away of Nick Romano on 28th August. Nick was a well liked and much respected Sales Agent in the garden industry, based in the South West. Our thoughts are with his daughters and family. Read more - open to all

Bayer Garden appoints Hardwick Agencies in South East

With effect from 1 September, Hardwick Agencies, run by Jason and Jane Hardwick, will represent Bayer Garden in the South East of England. Read more - open to all

Andre Doorduin joins Profitplant

Profitplant has appointed Andre Doorduin as Account Manager U.K. Read more - open to all

Nigel Gaffney joins Hortipak

Nigel Gaffney is the latest addition to the Hortipak team, employed as Account Manager to grow labelling and POS sales in the North East of England and Ireland. Read more - open to all

John Grayson appointed as Managing Director for Fiskars UK & Ireland

Fiskars, leading global supplier of consumer products for the home, garden and outdoors, has today appointed John Grayson as new Managing Director for Fiskars UK. Read more - open to all

Till operator jailed for stealing from garden centre

A sales assistant, who stole thousands of pounds over several years while operating the till at a garden centre, has been jailed for 8 weeks. See more... Read more - members only

New DG will be asked to make HTA fit for the future

The HTA has started the search for a new Director General – See Jobforum. The new DG will be expected to make it more relevant and more financially robust; and to represent the trade in the political arena. See more... Read more - members only

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive