Viano confirms an investment of €6million

DJ Turfcare’s trading partner Viano confirms an investment of €6million to support business growth. These investments will enable DJ Turfcare to continue to deliver market leading solutions and outstanding customer service levels throughout 2022 and beyond. Read more - open to all

Viano HQ

Losses continue at Dobbies

Dobbies Garden Centres suffered an -8% fall in sales due to Covid, leading to a reduced pre-tax loss of £-18.3m.  The directors are confident of refinancing its £225m its term loan by 2023. Read more - members only

Boston garden centre

Latest results show winners and losers during the pandemic

Results recently published on Gardenforum show winners and losers.  Companies where performance improved include Decco, Capital Gardens, Doff Portland and Longacres Garden Centre. Read more - members only

Garsons is celebrating 150 years

Garsons celebrates 150 years and continues to evolve.  It is now run by the fourth and fifth generation of the family. Read more - members only

GH Thompson

Dobbies submits plans for 2nd Northern Ireland store

Dobbies sets opening date for a 110,000 sq ft. store in Northern Ireland, at The Junction Retail and Leisure Park. This will be its second in the province. Read more - members only

How Cherry Lane worked to be fully stocked for Xmas

Cherry Lane Garden Centres, owned by QD Stores, has worked remotely, ordered earlier, juggled shipping lines and bought more from UK and Europe for Christmas. Read more - members only

  James Collins, trading director for the QD Group

Tates plans to extend Mayberry Garden Centre

Tates of Sussex has revealed plans to develop the smallest of its 4 garden centres, Mayberry on the Old Shoreham Road, Portslade. Read more - members only

Deco-Pak directors in court over employee death

Deco-Pak directors Mike Hall and Rod Slater have denied a charge of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of an employee in 2017. Read more - members only

little dobbies #5 opens in Richmond

Dobbies Garden Centres continues investment in little dobbies as it opens the third in London, at Richmond on Nov 4th. Read more - members only

AMES UK invests in new production facility for Woodshaw

As part of a wider expansion plan for all their UK based manufacturing, AMES UK will move the Woodshaw manufacturing to a new and larger facility on their Pollington site. Read more - members only

Pollington site with the new Woodshaw factory top right

Solar is latest step in Bents’ six Green Footprints

A total of 1167 new panels have been fitted as the next step in Bents’ Garden & Home aims to be over 90% self-sufficient at all times in the coming years. Read more - members only

Green-tech appoints new Managing Director

Landscape supplier Green-tech has announced the appointment of a new Managing Director. Read more - open to all

Richard and Rachel Kay Kris Nellist and Chris Clark

Notcutts resume redevelopment programme after 2020/21 pause

Sales down and profits up during the pandemic, reports Notcutts as it resumes garden centre improvements including a multi £m redevelopment at Oxford. Read more - members only

Caroline Notcutt, Nick Burrows, Bridget McIntyre

Ames builds capacity and resilience for 2022

Ames doubles production and warehousing capacity, building inventory to 16 weeks across all core products in its drive to build turnover to £150m. Read more - members only

Liza Goucher - marketing and Nick Jones - commercial director with Paul North, MD

Blue Diamond does not share suppliers’ optimism over 2022

Alan Roper says that expecting 2022 to be better than the current year is to be too optimistic.  And Christmas supplies? “It’s going to be a nail biter.” Read more - members only

Alan Roper, Managing Director of Blue Diamond Garden Centres

Construction starts on Dobbies’ Southwest store

Construction has begun on a new flagship Dobbies Garden Centre at Cotswolds Designer Outlet near Tewkesbury.  Read more - members only

Graeme Jenkins, CEO at Dobbies & Simon Tothill, Property & Development Director at Robert Hitchins

The Country House Group leaves Windlesham

The Country House Group, the company headed by chief executive Nicholas Marshall, that became the plant centre tenant at Lavershot Barns has left the Windlesham site suddenly.  Read more - members only

BCTGA growers light up Downing Street

Praise from Prime Minister Boris Johnson for growers from the British Christmas Tree Growers Association as they light up Downing Street Read more - members only

Millbrook Garden Centre in Monmouth is for sale

Christie & Co, who built its reputation as the vendor of the Wyevale garden centres, is selling Millbrook Garden Centre near Monmouth in South Wales.  Read more - members only

A study of topsoil finds 47% not suitable

A study of topsoil in the UK, commissioned by Rolawn, has revealed serious concerns about the standard of the product on sale to the public across the country. Read more - members only

Paul Dawson Rolawn’s Chairman and Managing Director

Sales are down -9% so far this autumn at B&M

B&M is well positioned to navigate a number of potential cost headwinds and inflationary pressures heading into 2022, although sales are down -9% so far this autumn. Read more - members only

Housing plans approved on Millbrook at Crowborough

After a delay of a year, plans to build houses at Millbrook’s Crowborough garden centre have been approved. Read more - members only

Highfield’s opening roof and other new features complete this year

Highfield Garden World in Gloucestershire is on track to finalise its plant area redevelopment, complete with revolutionary opening roof, before the end of the year.  Read more - members only

Left to right:  Emma Russan, Tim Greenway, Saffron Weaver, Joan Greenway, Sue Weaver + Bobby the dog

Latest garden centre results show impact of 1st lockdown

Pecent results on Gardenforum show how companies fared over the first lockdown inc: Smart Garden Products, You Garden, The Barton Grange Group, Woodlodge Products, Otter Nurseries, Woodthorpe Hall and Spear & Jackson. Read more - open to all

Evergreen invests in London start-up, Muddy Trowel

Evergreen Garden Care has led the first seed investment round in Muddy Trowel, a UK start-up during the COVID-19 lockdow. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond buys Mere Park GC

Blue Diamond has completed the purchase of Mere Park Garden Centre in Shropshire.  This could be the first of several acquisitions in the coming months. Read more - members only

Mere Park Garden Centre

B&Q opens largest store in a decade

B&Q’s new Colchester store is one of its largest stores to open in the last decade. It combines instore shopping missions with digital fulfilment. Read more - members only

Record £2m rebate for Choice members

Choice Marketing announced at its annual conference that it is looking for new members as it revealed a record supplier rebate and its 'Suppliers of the year'. Read more - members only

Kaemingk's Sander Tunissen and Julie Taylor with Michelle de Lavis-Trafford and Terry Maywood

Founder of Wildlife World hands over to Mark Pitman

Norman Sellers who started Wildlife World in the 1990’s is stepping back to become non-exec chairman.  The new managing director is Mark Pitman. Read more - open to all

Norman Sellers

Klondyke completes redevelopment of Polmont GC

Klondyke completes the redevelopment of Polmont Garden Centre that increases the size fourfold following the relocation of the head office. Read more - members only

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive