The growing presence of online retailers was clear at the Garden Press Event with two established sites and two newcomers, one launched at the show and one being mysterious about its launch plans. Read more

Comments by Wyevale’s CEO, amplified by press speculation, have set the garden rumour mill turning at full speed.  It appears that many are expecting a Dobbies purchase any day.  They seem likely to have a long wait. Read more

The owner of Pyle Garden Centre is reported to have been let off a 6 month driving ban to keep his business afloat. Read more

Having installed a biomass boiler in the autumn, Cobbins Nursery will shortly start construction of a new glass house ready for the poinsettia crop later in the year. Read more

Sunshine Garden Centre and Van Hage are the best GCA outdoor living retailers.  Cowell’s and Bents are the best for plants. Read more

A trading update from Notcutts reveals a strong Christmas performance, a new chairman and a new deputy.  The garden centre group is also looking for a new CEO. Read more

Li-Lo Leisure has bought Westwoods Global.  The companies will continue as independent entities, but the sales agents will sell both brands. Read more

Plans to develop a joint Tesco/Dobbies store at East Kilbride have been abandoned.  There are now no Dobbies stores being developed and there is no indication that the shop within shop concept will be repeated. Read more

News has emerged that the Group CEO of Stewart Plastics left in October.  This was followed by two more departures in December, including sales director Nigel Thompson, who becomes a consultant to the company.  There is a new role for Gavin Wray. Read more

William Sinclair is to sell the site where Gem was manufactured till 2008. Read more

The Government is proposing legislation that would force Britain’s biggest companies to reveal their payment terms and performance, quarterly.  GIMA welcomes greater transparency saying the garden industry is particularly bad when it comes to paying bills. Read more

Wyevale Garden Centres has completed its 2014 acquisition campaign with the purchase of the four Golden Acres garden centres in the south of England. Read more

Steve Harper is set to leave Bord na Mona and join Gardman at the beginning of February.  Terry Murphy will also be moving to the company. Read more

In face of local opposition Van Hage has withdrawn a planning application to add a Waitrose store at Great Amwell.  A modified plan will be submitted after Christmas. Read more

Wyevale Garden Centres today announced it has acquired Podington Garden Centre, which the Read family founded in 1976 and built into a leading independent garden centre. Read more

Continuing a campaign started last year DLF Trifolium accuses some competitors of continuing to cut corners by bulking out their lawn seed blends with unsuitable low grade seeds. Read more

Arboretum, Ireland’s leading garden centre, has two reasons to celebrate.  It has been named National Store of the Year and has signed up to buy the National Garden Exhibition Centre. Read more

The country’s gardening press converge on the Barbican on Thursday to get fresh ideas to write about this spring.  What will catch their interest at the Garden Press Event? Read more

Blue Diamond has acquired Newbridge Nurseries, near Horsham bringing the number of garden centres in the group to 17.  With this latest addition Blue Diamond sales are forecast to top £85m this year. Read more

The GCA conference ended with the presentation of top awards to Cedar Associates, Cowell’s and Barton Grange.  10 garden centres won the coveted garden centre of excellence plaque. Read more

Martin Breddy, who headed Scotts Miracle-Gro in the UK, has been axed as Jim Hagedorn continues to streamline his senior management team. Read more

Tough trading conditions and teething troubles led to static sales and a trading loss for William Sinclair.  It now claims the industry’s most advanced production capabilities, but can it win back customers? Read more

Fiskars, who recently celebrated its 365 year legacy, has chosen Birmingham as the new UK office location. Read more

Local newspapers have interpreted a statement from the local council as a planning reprieve for Hare Hatch Sheeplands.  But this is not the case says the owner. Read more

Barbecue supplier, Swiss Grill Limited (07465749) was put into liquidation on 30th of December. Read more

Vitax has bought the shares of Organico Ltd, the manufacturer of 6x and Groworganic.  The deal was announced today.  See more… Read more

2014 has been dominated by the repositioning of the major gardening goods distributors following the demise of Solus.  The weather for once provided a good news story and towards the end of the year there was a flurry of activity from Wyevale as it picked up eight long established independent garden centres.  See the full review – which is open to all… Read more

The COO of Scotts Miracle-Gro is to leave as Hagedorn continues to streamline the business.  This follows the departure of the CFO earlier in the year. Read more

There’s further evidence that online garden retailers and garden centres are converging. Garden4Less is offering a platform where retailers can sell product online, with no set up fee. Read more

A staff member at Wyevale’s Hastings Garden Centre caused a furore when he posted a job advert on Facebook that was branded ‘derogatory’ and ‘insulting’.  Read more