Glee Innovators – where are they now?

Launched in 2009, the Glee Innovators Zone has helped hundreds of companies break into the garden retail market.  See where they are now. Read more - members only

Introducing Hex Living

HEX Living, a new outdoor storage and garden furniture brand has been unveiled today, with a range of premium-quality, British made metal sheds, storage and furniture. Read more - members only

HEX Living’s Neal Lafford, Paul Clews, Martin Smith, Rupert King

GCA announces its 2021 winners, remotely

Barton Grange and Old Railway Line win the best garden centre categories and Allensmore is named Supplier of the Year in the 2021 GCA Awards. Read more - members only

GCA Chairman, Tammy Woodhouse announcing the awards

Notcutts unveils new-look Woodbridge garden centre

To mark 125 years of glorious gardening, Notcutts cuts the ribbon at a refurbished Woodbridge Garden Centre.  Read more - members only

‘Your Local’ to open 3rd garden centre

Alver Valley Garden Centre is set for a soft opening in the second week March to become the third location for Paul Richard’s ‘Your Local Garden Centre’ group. Read more - members only

Garden centres making the local headlines

Local news headlines include tributes to the owners of Brookfields Garden Centre, an otter raiding Otter Nurseries, approval for a new Sunderland garden centre, an acquisition by Kybotech and developments at Newbridge Nurseries. Read more - members only

Highfield Garden world's Greenway family with some of their planet-friendly products

Artevasi SA opens new stand-alone business in the UK

Artevasi, one of European’s leading pot manufacturers, invests further in the UK market with the formation of Artevasi UK Ltd.   Read more - open to all

Syngenta has acquired two next generation bioinsecticides

Syngenta Crop Protection has acquired two next generation bioinsecticides, NemaTrident® and UniSpore®, to combat increasing resistance and a wide range of insects and pests across horticulture and ornamentals. Read more - open to all

Chance to speak directly to John Lewis

The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) is to hold a networking webinar with the John Lewis Partnership on Wednesday 2nd February at 10.30 am Read more - open to all

Hillier Buys Ducks Hill Garden Centre

Hillier has bought its 19th garden centre, Ducks Hill in Ruislip.  This extends its presence in the south and west of London after the opening of Syon last year. Read more - members only

Hillier Garden Centre, Ruislip

Deco-Pak found guilty of corporate manslaughter

Deco-Pak has been found guilty of corporate manslaughter after the death of an employee in 2017.  Director Rod Slater has been cleared of manslaughter by gross negligence. Read more - members only

Burks reveals the challenges ahead for the GCA

Mike Burks is soon to pass the chairmanship of the GCA to Tammy Woodhouse.  Before January's conference, he looks back at the association’s achievements through Covid and views the challenges ahead. Read more - members only

Mike Burks

B&M hails strong Xmas results with an extra week’s wages

B&M like for like UK sales were down -6% in the Golden Christmas Quarter but up +14% on pre-pandemic 2019 showing a strong retention of new customers.  Staff will receive a bonus. Read more - members only

Dobbies to install EV chargers at 30 stores

Dobbies has signed up with Gridserve to install EV chargers at 30 stores.  Each will contain up to 12 high power EV charge points. Read more - members only

STIHL GB plans new HQ and warehouse

STIHL GB reveals plans to build a new headquarters and state-of-the-art warehouse facility near its current premises in Camberley, Surrey. Read more - members only

Proposed STIHL GB warehouse and HQ

Barton Grange has done it once again!

At a virtual awards presentation held on 15th February 2022, Barton Grange Garden Centre was announced as the winner of the ‘Destination Garden Centre of the Year’ award. Read more - open to all

Guy Topping with Tammy Woodhouse

Nottingham acquisition for Cherry Lane Garden Centres

QD Stores' value garden centre group, Cherry Lane, has acquired Retford & Gainsborough Garden Centre in Nottinghamshire. Read more - members only

Bosworths Garden Centre to move

Bosworth’s have lodged plans to build a new, larger garden centre three miles from its Latimer garden centre in North Northamptonshire. Read more - members only

Timmermans makes it 59 for British Garden Centres UPDATED

British Garden Centres has announced the group’s 59th garden centre with the purchase of Timmermans Garden Centre of Nottingham.  It will be renamed Woodborough Green. Read more - members only

The Gardens Group’s green collection scheme

With 1,500 Christmas trees to collect from Dorset homes and 7,500 bags of peat free compost to be delivered, The Gardens Group developed a clever system to maximise efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint. Read more - open to all

Sarah Raven Kitchen and Garden acquires Rookery Farm 

On the 31st January 2022, Sarah Raven, the online gardening and lifestyle brand, acquired Rookery Farm nursery in Lincolnshire.   Read more - members only

Sarah Raven and David Robinson

Durston doubles production capacity

Following a period of continued growth, Durston Garden Products has made two significant investments in machinery offering improved production levels and quality. Read more - members only

Tong trebles food preparation space for its restaurants

The West Yorkshire Garden Centre has invested significantly to treble The food preparation area for its restaurants. Read more - open to all

Colin Porter, Vanessa Wright, Parbjota Rhoud, John Igo and Cath Westmoreland

Jury fails to reach verdict on Michael Hall charge

A Bradford Jury has been dismissed after it failed to reach a verdict on a charge of manslaughter by gross negligence against Deco-Pak MD Michael Hall.  Read more - members only

New Lincoln Garden Centre opens

Mike Frecklington has today opened a new garden centre, Cherry Tree Garden Centre and Coffee Shop near Lincoln. Read more - members only

Julian Charles targets up to 10 garden centre concessions

Julian Charles, the leading bedding and linen retailer, has announced plans to open up to 10 concessions in garden centres over the next 12 months, following the launch of its new concession in Tong Garden Centre. Read more - open to all

Julian Charles at Tong Garden Centre

Blue Diamond buys Blackdown GC

Blue Diamond has acquired Blackdown Garden Centre near Taunton in Somerset.  This becomes their 39th site. Read more - members only

Expansion and improvements at Bransford Webbs

Since the lockdown in 2020, The Bransford Webbs Plant Company has continued its nursery development plans to help meet the increased demand for UK grown nursery stock. Read more - members only

BHETA to hold open webinar with Ebay

As eBay expands its focus on DIY and gardening, BHETA is to host an industry-wide webinar open to all suppliers with the online marketplace. Read more - members only

Hare Hatch Sheeplands submits plans for new garden shop

Owners are optimistic that the Council will accept plans for a new retail garden shop and environmental improvements at Hare Hatch Sheeplands. Read more - members only

Rob Scott and Andy Dicks at Hare Hatch Nurseries

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive