Revitalised Hillier is ready to expand
Much has changed at Hillier in the last 3 years as it emerges as a stylish, modern, authoritative retailer bringing plants and the home together. Read more
Revitalised Hillier is ready to expand
Much has changed at Hillier in the last 3 years as it emerges as a stylish, modern, authoritative retailer bringing plants and the home together. Read more
Bunnings have done it says Insight DIY
Steve Collinge, MD of Insight DIY, has reviewed the first Bunnings conversion of a Homebase and says they have delivered a stunning version of Bunnings on UK soil. Read more
Squire’s re-opens Chertsey GC after a complete rebuild
Chertsey, Squire’s boutique garden centre, has reopened after being closed for a year for a complete rebuild. It will be followed by Hersham. Read more
Capi takes shares in Cadix
Capi Europe has bought shares and invested in Cadix UK to strengthen ties and grow its UK market share. Read more
Hillview buys Shipley Garden Centre
Hillview Garden Centres completed the acquisition of Shipley Garden Centre in Derbyshire on Thursday, bringing the number of outlets to 11. Read more
Silver for Bransford Webb in international grower awards
The AIPH Awards at the Colosseum Theatre in Essen, Germany celebrated the world’s best in ornamental horticultural production. Bransford Webb was the sole UK winner taking Silver in its category. Read more
Squire’s and Cowells take the top GCA plant awards
It’s three awards each for Squire’s, Cowell’s and Barton Grange at The Garden Centre Association conference. Squire’s and Cowell’s are the best GCA plant retailers. Read more
Wyevale’s new website is central to its multi-channel plans
Wyevale Garden Centres says its new website is a platform for e-commerce and a unique resource for Britain’s gardeners to derive consistently good quality and trusted advice. Read more
H&E Knowles (Lye) is bought out of administration
Former owners of garden equipment maker H&E Knowles (Lye) have formed a new company to buy part of the assets from the administrators, so protecting 78 jobs. Read more
Elho completes purchase of Ebertsankey
Elho’s Good(s)Factory has completed the purchase of Ebertsankey as Fiskars focuses on its core consumer business. Read more
GC Christmas sales have ‘stalled a bit’ after a 7 – 10 year trend of huge increases
The majority of garden centres say Christmas sales were up but competition is increasing and December sales were disappointing for some. Read more
New management structure as BGC develops
Phillippa Stubbs tells how British Garden Centres group in the North East is strengthening management and controls now that it is a £26m, 10 garden centre group. Read more
Wilko want to create more of an open door policy
Wilko tells suppliers, “We’ve lost touch over recent years.” Now, “We want to create more of an open door policy.” Read more
Blue Diamond takes on Polhill’s Cambridge garden centre
Blue Diamond has today taken over Coton Orchard garden centre in Cambridge from Sevenoaks based Polhill. Read more
Hare Hatch Sheeplands looks set for a long fight with Wokingham
The enforcement dispute between Wokingham District Council and Hare Hatch Sheeplands seems set for the long run after a Council debate that was called a farce by owners of the garden centre. Read more
Lettuce news from Cardwell goes viral
News from Cardwell garden centre that the supermarket shortage of lettuce and courgette has created a surge in demand for seed has gone viral. Read more
Dobbies had its most successful Christmas trading period in the last five years
CEO, John Cleland, said, “The solid start to 2017 is extremely encouraging and represents a strong foundation for our new 3 year strategy plan.” Read more
Scotts hopes to sell its European business by spring
Scotts Miracle-Gro is cautiously optimistic that it will have a solution for its European business by the spring. Read more
Bunnings opens St Albans with 10% price promise
Bunnings has opened its first concept store in the former Homebase in Griffiths Way, St Albans. Read more
Blue Diamond wins planning permission for Newbridge
Blue Diamond is to capitalise on its high share price to issue new shares as news comes through of a successful planning consent for Newbridge. Read more
Stihl to approach garden centres to sell battery cordless tools
Stihl warns its specialist dealers that it plans to extend its distribution of lithium-ion cordless garden tools to selected garden centres and hardware stores, next year. Read more
Top GCA awards for Cowells, Barton Grange and Woodlodge
Barton Grange beat Bents and Stewarts by the narrowest of margins to make it six in a row as GCA large destination Garden Centre of the Year. Woodlodge lifted the prestigious Supplier of the Year cup. Read more
Wyevale’s Hillingdon garden centre is to close
The Wyevale garden centre at Hillingdon is to close at the end of January, it is reported.
Read moreNotcutts celebrates 120 years
Notcutts will be marking its 120th anniversary this year as a family-owned garden centre business after opening as a nursery in 1897. Read more
Bob Hewitt joins Kelkay board
Former chief executive, now non-executive chairman of Klondyke, Bob Hewitt has taken up an additional part-time role as non-executive director of Kelkay. Read more
Caulders buys Cupar garden centre
Caulders Garden Centres have started the year by buying a 5th site at Cupar. The owners will invest £250,000 on refurbishment before the season. Read more
2016 - a year of change
2016 saw second tier garden centre chains and independents invest as Wyevale consolidated. Homebase and Argos are sold. The HTA moved offices and moved to become the lead association for all gardening related businesses. Glyphosate, Xylella and the weather made frequent headlines. Scotts and Bayer looked for a way out of distributing consumer garden chemicals. Read our review – open to all. Read more
Lovania launches a mobile website to aid plant buyers
Lovania has teamed up with Floramedia to create a mobile website to aid plant buyers with information and images while shopping the plant area. Read more
HTA embraces GCA and GIMA
Once estranged, The HTA and GCA plant a tree at the new HTA Hub to show that they are more together than for many years. While the GIMA president has joined the HTA board. Read more
Stewarts buy Abbey Garden Centre
Stewarts Garden Centres have today bought Abbey Garden Centre in Titchfield, making it 3 in the group. Martin Stewart said he was thrilled. Read more