EWM bids for then withdraws from Wyevale

Soon after Sky News reported that Edinburgh Woollen Mill owner Philip Day had lodged an offer for Wyevale, their bid was withdrawn. Read more - members only

Wyevale's Percy Thrower garden centre

Homebase to axe 300 head office jobs

Hilco has started its remedial action after taking control of Homebase with an announcement that 300 head office jobs will go by November. How many stores will close? Read more - members only

Independent garden centres at either end of the country expand

Building starts on a new garden centre in Honiton, while work is nearly completed on an additional retail building for Threaplands in Scotland. Read more - members only

Scott (L) and Grant Higgins

A record May means Garden Centres close in on last year's figures

After a terrible start to the year, garden centres prospered in the warm May weather and all but recovered the sales lost in the earlier months. Read more - members only

Squire's Twickenham

Pandemonium caused at Reigate Garden Centre closing down sale

Till queues were reported to be over 100 yards long at the ‘invitation only’ closing down sale at Reigate Garden Centre. Read more - members only

Award winning Cowell’s saved from closure

Cowell’s garden centre, winner of the GCA’s best plant area, has in the last 3 weeks been saved from closure. Read more - members only

Gordon Brown (L) with Cowell’s Darren Woodmass, Jane Keating, Mavis, Martin & Alan Cowell

Strikes at Stokesley rising from the ashes

The first major phase in the resurrection of Klondyke’s Strikes Stokesley centre is getting underway. Read more - members only

Fire-risk pet cushions company fined £30,000

Highly-flammable cushions found at Coletta & Tyson’s garden centre led to a £30,000 fine for manufacturers Rosewood Pet Products. Read more - members only

Weather restrains B&M’s strong growth

A disappointing spring has held back like for like growth to 4.7% for y/e March 2018 after a good 2017 Spring/Summer garden and outdoor leisure season.  Read more - members only

ITE agrees to buy the owner of Glee and Spring Fair

ITE has agreed to buy 7 exhibitions from Ascential, formerly EMAP, that include Glee, Spring and Autumn Fair. Read more - members only

New owners for Stansted Park Garden Centre

Stansted Park Garden Centre becomes the second to be branded ‘Your Local Garden Centre’, having been bought from administrators by Paul Richards and Tim Mason. Read more - members only

Paul Richards (L), James White and Tim Mason

Terra Firma, raises the ‘For Sale’ signs over Wyevale

Terra Firma has appointed Christie & Co to sell Wyevale Garden Centres as a whole or garden centre by garden centre.  Read more - members only

Wyevale Head Office

Ivy House all day kitchen opens at Groves Nurseries

Family owned Groves Nurseries in Bridport welcomed visitors for the first time last week to the Ivy House Kitchen, their new restaurant designed by Malcolm Scott Consultants.

Read more - members only

Smart Garden is one of Europe’s 1000 fastest growing companies

The FT has listed Smart Garden Products in Europe’s 1000 most rapidly growing companies. Further growth seems certain as stock levels have been raised by 50% at its new warehouse. Read more - members only

Maxicrop UK is renamed Valagro UK

Valagro, has announced that its subsidiary Maxicrop (UK) Ltd, has changed name to Valagro UK Ltd, selling to the professional market. Last year SBM took on sales to the domestic garden market. Read more - members only

Scotts in UK becomes Evergreen Garden Care

Evergreen Garden Care UK is the new name for The Scotts Company (UK) and signals a new strategy and direction for the business. Read more - members only

Will Wyevale be broken up?

Terra Firma says it has received a significant number offers for all and for parts of the business and is now considering its options. Gardenforum considers the signs to look out for. Read more - members only

Shire Garden Buildings fully operational after a major fire

Around 50 firefighters and 12 appliances were called to a major fire yesterday at Shire the garden buildings manufacturer at Wisbech in Cambridgeshire. Read more - members only

Scheurich to buy Deroma

Scheurich in co-operation with Baikap is to buy Deroma by the end of 2018. This is the first of several new growth stages for the Scheurich company. Read more - members only

Court victory for Hare Hatch Sheeplands

Court victory lifts the threat of jail hanging over Rob Scott after action taken by Wokingham Borough Council against Hare Hatch Sheeplands was ruled unfair and unjust. Read more - members only

Rob Scott at Hare Hatch Sheeplands

Wesfarmers confirms completion date for Homebase sale

Wesfarmers has confirmed 30th June as the likely completion date for the Homebase sale to Hilco. The industry now waits to see what steps the turnaround specialist will take to return Homebase to health.  Read more - members only

The Wyevale sale – a 2 stage process

Christie & Co says there is interest in almost every one of the 145 Wyevale Garden Centres put up for sale last month and explains how the sale is likely to progress. Read more - members only

Syon Park plants area

Garden products part of Tesco Direct’s huge clearance

Following the announcement last month that its loss-making non-food on-line business is closing next month, Tesco has launched a series of clearance offers on some of its garden products. Read more - members only

Wyevale values garden centres at £446m

Christies & Co have unveiled a list of the 145 Wyevale garden centres for sale and their valuations, with Woodcote Green topping the list. But what if the group is broken up? Read more - members only

Chilton garden centre valued at £2.4m

Hilco nails Homebase for £1

Hilco, the turnaround specialist behind HMV has bought Bunnings UK and Ireland. Job losses are likely to follow. Also a CVA? Read more - members only

A decision on Homebase could come within days

Multiple reports suggest that a decision on the buyer for Homebase could come within days. Two turnaround investors appear to be leading the race. Store closures would be likely. Read more - members only

Bunnings in Frome

Proactive Blue Diamond shares the Brexit pain with suppliers

2017 growth for Blue Diamond, but “With a weakening economy over the coming years almost a certainty, pressures on margin are likely to mount as the marketplace becomes more fiercely competitive,” says MD Alan Roper. Read more - members only

Alan Roper

Westland growth rate slows in 2017

A year of rapid growth following the purchase of William Sinclair, has been followed by 12 months to April 2017 when Westland Horticulture sales have grown little. Pre-tax profits have improved despite the impact of a large bad debt. Read more - members only

Farplants unveils mobile friendly portal for ordering plants

A new mobile friendly trade portal unveiled by Farplants will mean plant buyers can check availability and order stock while standing by their display benches. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond buys 21st garden centre

Blue Diamond has bought, Orchard Park, a North Dorset garden centre with planning consent to expand. Read more - members only

Orchard Park

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive