Two appointments at Westland Horticulture: Simon McArdle becomes marketing and category director at Gardman Crest and Mark Sage joins from Wyevale to become head of commercial horticulture. Read more

Griffon Corporation has announced that its subsidiary AMES has bought Apta, to add to its purchases of Kelkay, Anchorfast and La Hacienda. Read more

Sales have risen 24% at RHS Wisley since the opening of its new Welcome building in June, attracting the younger shopper. Houseplant sales are up 62%. Read more

Among the winners at Hillier’s Awards Dinner were: Botley, Hillier’s garden centre of the year; Meon Valley, Horticultural Supplier of the year; and Decco Mills. Read more

Sir Terry Leahy former CEO of Tesco and current investor in Dobbies explained how retailing has changed.  Garden centres are well placed, gardening spend could double because of today’s issues. Read more

Environmental Factors have appointed DECCO Ltd as their exclusive distributor for NemaKnights. Read more

John Lewis opens a concept store experience at Southampton where specialists will advise on everything from wine and gardening to interiors and technology. Read more

Smart Garden have announced that first deliveries of their new Zöon Pet Range have started arriving in Garden Centres nationwide. Read more

A free Insight report by Salience shows the top online plant retailers and how some well-known names have lost search engine visibility… Download the report and get advice. Read more

Monkton Elm’s Mike Lind gets ready to hand over the chairmanship of the GCA and warns that the proposed increase in minimum wage could be a significant threat for the garden centre sector. Read more

Squires is rolling out a storewide brand and signage refresh across its 15 garden centres. It has started with Badshot Lea. Read more

YouGarden, the multi channel garden retailer whose revenues have grown 35% pa for the last 5 years, has completed an MBO with the backing of Kester Capital. Read more

Forestry England and the Friends of Westonbirt have added to the National Arboretum for the first time in nearly 200 years by buying the next door Silk Wood House. Read more

Northumberland Estates hopes to re-establish trading from Syon Park Garden Centre as soon as is feasible.  Wyevale closed the site last month. Read more

Following months of detailed planning, work is now underway on a major expansion at The Bransford Webbs Plant Company. Read more

After a devasting fire in April 2018, Klondyke has announced the opening of a brand new Strikes Garden Centre and restaurant at Stokesley. Read more

Dobbies says that its underlying sales are around £300m after acquisitions and 5% like for like growth. Chairman Andrew Bracey says it will look to float on the Stock Exchange “in a year or so”. Read more

If you do nothing else, do Crazy Golf, said Guy Topping at the HTA Conference, explaining his development of the Flower Bowl, a leisure experience at Barton Grange Garden Centre. Read more

Administrators have been appointed at National Polytunnels (01656315). The phones are not being answered and the website has been suspended. Read more

What are the industry plans for environment? The HTA will create a Sustainability roadmap that it hopes the different voices in horticulture will unite behind. Read more

There is much to do to improve our performance says Thierry Garnier, reporting his first quarterly results for Kingfisher. They show a like for like drop in sales at B&Q of -3.4%. Read more

Plans have been submitted to build a garden centre that would be operated by Blue Diamond in the walled garden of the Elveden Estate. Read more

Brand new £2m market-leading distribution centre takes centre stage at Kettler HQ. The extra high facility, which is centrally located adjacent to its current warehouse, will treble the company’s current onsite capacity. Read more

With 645 B&M store in the UK. B&M says it is becoming the destination store for important product categories from toys and Christmas decorations to gardening and DIY. Read more

The Internet Gardener has ceased trading and issued a notice of intent to enter liquidation. Read more

Notcutts is to start the search for a new chairman, following the announcement that Nicky Dulieu is stepping down.  Read more

Agrumi has announced that Folium and Flos Plants will be taking over its wholesale nursery on November 1^st.  It will remain business as usual. Read more

Work has started on an extension to Selby Garden Centre in Yorkshire that is too small to be profitable.  The additions will more than double its turnover. Read more

As many as 20 garden centres could be affected by the Bonmarché administration at the end of last week. Read more

Hillier Trees has noted a surge in demand for British grown oaks.  Orders have increased by 93% year on year. Read more