Gardman to start TV advertising
Gardman is to run a TV advertising campaign leading up to the next bank holiday weekend. Catalogues with new ranges will appear during the summer. Read more - members only
Gardman to start TV advertising
Gardman is to run a TV advertising campaign leading up to the next bank holiday weekend. Catalogues with new ranges will appear during the summer. Read more - members only
New owner for Leighton Buzzard Garden Centre
Leighton Buzzard garden centre is the latest from the Home & Garden Group to be sold. This follows confirmation that QD Stores has acquired David’s Nurseries. One other is under new management. Read more - members only
Syngenta launches mildew resistant Busy Lizzie through B&Q
A new, downy mildew resistant Busy Lizzie bred by Syngenta is to be unveiled by B&Q. The Busy Lizzie is back, said Tim Clapp, “This is the biggest thing I have been involved in over my 20 years in horticulture.” Read more - members only
Steve Millington leaves Tildenet
Tildenet is looking for a sales and marketing director to look after its portfolio of brands and companies after it announced that Steve Millington is to leave the business. Read more - members only
B&Q hints at move onto the high street
Kingfisher CEO, Veronique Laury, has hinted that the future for B&Q would be to focus on smaller convenience stores, drawing on the success of Screwfix. Read more - members only
Start-up challenges larger manufacturers on plastic
Dan Robson, MD of recent start-up Green Digit, has laid down a challenge to larger manufacturers: If a young start-up company can successfully sell products – across Europe - made from sustainable, biodegradable materials, then surely others can too. Read more - members only
Fewer independents will sell their garden centres
Fewer independent garden centres will sell in future, said the owner of St Peter’s, Worcester. He also invited suppliers to consider running their gardening shops as a franchise. Read more - members only
Bunnings opens 24th Store as PE buyers circle
Bunnings has opened its 24th store in Somerset amid reports that private equity firms are eyeing a potential bid. The Aussie chairman is also visiting UK stores. Read more - members only
Fire destroys Klondyke Strikes at Stokesley
Klondykes’s Strikes Garden Centre at Stokesley in North Yorkshire was destroyed by fire on Friday night. Read more - members only
There was a tie for Notcutts' best garden centre
It was a tie in the judging for Notcutts’ best garden centre, while the pet and wild bird team won the best category prize at its recent annual awards evening. Read more - members only
Christmas department at Haskins Garden Centres has re-opened due to high demand
Haskins Garden Centre group has re-opened its Christmas department across all centres, due to high demand from customers. Read more - open to all
Which? names Lidl's Multi-purpose as best buy
Which? says Lidl's Multi-purpose compost is the best compost for pots and hanging baskets, beating others that cost 12 times as much. Read more - members only
Blue Diamond opens East Bridgford with more sites in the pipeline
Blue Diamond opened East Bridgford yesterday, its 20th store. The purchase of number 21 is close to completion and there are further sites in the pipeline, subject to planning. Read more - members only
Statement from The Garden Centre Association regarding Gardman
“The GCA extends its heart-felt thoughts and sympathies to all the company’s (Gardman) directors and staff and further offers its support and best wishes to the company in restoring its full business activity as soon as is practically possible.” Read more - open to all
JP Morgan says a UK exit is the least bad option for Bunnings
Wesfarmers is reviewing its options for Bunnings/Homebase in the UK after announcing massive write downs and losses last month. Now an analyst at JP Morgan suggests that the least cost option would be to leave the UK. Read more - members only
David’s Nurseries is a major purchase for Cherry Lane Garden Centres
QD Group has confirmed Cherry Lane’s purchase of David’s Nurseries in Martin Hussingtree, Worcester from the administrators of the Home & Garden Group. Read more - members only
Carol Paris to head Somerton, a new garden centre company
Former HTA chief, Carol Paris has set up Somerton, a new garden centre company that will trade as a franchise of Rosebourne. Read more - members only
Beast from the East hampers progress at BUKI
Third quarter results from Wesfarmers show a more resilient performance from BUKI (Bunnings UK and Ireland) as reports persist that it is prepared to offer ‘a dowry’ to potential purchasers of the former Homebase group. Read more - members only
Scotts Miracle-Gro invests further in hydroponics
Scotts Miracle-Gro is to purchase Sunlight Supply the largest US distributor of indoor-growing equipment strengthening its position in the medical marijuana market and indoor vegetable cultivation. Read more - members only
Chessum Plants appoints administrators and is for sale
The rose grower Chessum Plants, a sister company to Home and Garden that appointed administrators last month, is for sale having also entered administration. Read more - members only
Gardman availability up to 1200 SKUs
Gardman says Kings Lynn is fully operational again with over 1200 SKUs in stock and increasing as some lines are being flown in from the Far East. Read more - members only
Millais Nurseries has been granted a Royal Warrant
David Millais of Millais Nurseries has been granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales as supplier of Rhododendrons and Magnolias. Read more - open to all
Jonathan Halford to run the London Marathon
Jonathan Halford, chairman of both Forest Garden and Gardman, is raising funds for CLIC Sargent by running in the London Marathon. Read more - open to all
Fryer's wins garden centre of the year for the second year running
Fryer's Garden Centre in Knutsford near Manchester wins garden centre of the year at the annual Blue Diamond Awards for the year of 2017 held at Coombe Abbey. Read more - open to all
Wesfarmers appoints Lazards to find a buyer for Homebase
It has been reported that Wesfarmers has appointed Lazard to find a buyer for Homebase. Articles also speculate that a CVA is a possible outcome. Read more - members only
Home & Garden Group appoints administrators
It has been confirmed that the 9 garden centre Home & Garden Group has appointed the accountants Mazars as administrators on 27th March. Read more - members only
Former employees return as Gardman restarts operations at Kings Lynn
Gardman have decided to reactivate operations at Kings Lynn as demolition starts on Daventry. Reps will be calling on customers from Monday to advise on availability and ordering. Read more - members only
Unification reduces Kingfisher SKUs by 80%
B&Q sales fall 5.3% due to store closure programme and disruption from Kingfisher’s unification programme, which after 2 years has made good progress. Read more - members only
Gardman works on recovery plan
Gardman hopes to be in the position next week to tell customers what they will be able to supply and in what time frame. Read more - members only
Capi Europe opens innovative new factory
Capi Europe, the manufacturer behind Cadix in the UK, unveiled an innovative new factory with unique rotational moulding robots, that will see turnover double in the next couple of years. Read more - members only