New Yankee Candle scam – More Calls UPDATE

Retailers have been receiving bogus calls seeking to place big orders for Yankee candles, paid for with cloned credit cards.  THIS SCAM IS STILL HAPPENING. Read more - members only

Garden Wise and Barton Grange are the top GCA garden centres

Barton Grange made it five in a row beating Bents and Burston by the narrowest of margins to be GCA large destination Garden Centre of the Year.  Garden Wise was named garden centre of the year. Read more - members only

Anne Radley, Joanne & Gillian Bertram of Garden Wise, with GIMA's Vicky Nuttall and Julian Winfield,

Brantano has gone into administration

It has been reported that Brantano, the value shoe retailer that operates concessions on 29 garden centres has been placed in administration. Read more - members only

New investment promised for Homebase as sale terms are agreed

Australia’s Wesfarmers has agree to buy Homebase for £340m and promises new investment to build the DIY and garden group. Read more - members only

Business as usual as Wyevale buys Woodcote Green

Wyevale Garden Centres buys Woodcote Green one of the South’s largest garden centres and promises it will be business as usual. Read more - members only

Chris Milan

Tildenet buys Bosmere

Tildenet has acquired Bosmere in a move that will confirm its position as a major retail supplier in the gardening sector. Steve Millington will stay with the business. Read more - members only

Andrew Downey

Are Brantano concessions at risk from restructuring

The Sunday Times reports that 800 jobs are at risk at Brantano, the out-of-town shoe retailer with concessions on garden centres. Read more - members only

Brantano at Wyevale, Huntingdon

Sales boost for Pennells after major extension

Pennells Garden Centre at Lincoln completed a £2m major extension in the spring and has seen strong growth this autumn. Read more - members only

Warm weather presents a potential challenge to growers

Daffodils are flowering earlier than ever in the exceptionally mild weather. But how are growers of shrubs and herbaceous plants managing? What happens if we get a cold spell as some watchers of El Nino predict? Read more - members only

Narcissus Spring Dawn taken on 16th December in Lincolnshire

Wyevale’s new e-commerce website will be rolled out in the spring

Wyevale Garden Centres’ new e-commerce website has gone on test with a panel of existing customers. It aims to be the best gardening website in the UK. Read more - members only

Sheila Hill explains more about Scotts’ new strategy

Sheila Hill explains more about Scotts’ new strategy and how it is actively looking at additional investments in Europe. Read more - members only

Sheila Hill

Dobbies' devaluation of assets leads to massive loss

Dobbies has revised the value of its assets downwards by £54m causing a loss before tax for the year of £48m despite an increase in sales. Read more - members only

Barton Grange outshines Bents for Christmas sparkle

Barton Grange and Castle Gardens are national winners of the 2015 Christmas display competition judged by the GCA. Read more - members only

Andy Campbell

Nicholas Marshall confirms discussions with private equity groups

Nicholas Marshall confirms discussions with private equity groups and says something has got to happen to Homebase in due course. Read more - members only

Nicholas Marshall

Website of the Year - Richard Jackson’s Garden 

The Garden Media Guild Awards presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Adrian Bloom and Website of the Year to Richard Jackson’s Garden. Read more - members only

Confirmation that Wyevale has acquired Crowders

Wyevale Garden Centres confirms the purchase of Crowders Garden Centre in Lincolnshire. The Crowder family retain the nursery and online business. Read more - members only

Squire’s at Twickenham wins top plant area award

GCA today revealed which garden centres are the best for plants, garden products, outdoor living products and garden furniture. Read more - members only

Squire's Julie Leatherdale & Ian Hammond with new GCA chairman, Julian Winfield

Local speculation suggests Crowders will be Wyevale’s next purchase

Local news sources are speculating that Crowders in Horncastle will be the next garden centre to be purchased by Wyevale Garden Centres. Read more - members only

Wyevale raises £91m through sale of garden centres

Wyevale Garden centres has sold eight garden centres to Orchard Street Investment Management in a sale and leaseback deal. Read more - members only

Australian group Wesfarmers in talks to buy Homebase

It is widely reported that Home Retail Group is in advanced talks regarding the sale of Homebase to Australian giant Wesfarmers. Read more - members only

Lovania has ambitious plans for Seoint

Lovania Nurseries acquires Seoint Nurseries and Neil Alcock is made managing director. Read more - members only

Neil Alcock

Review of 2015 in the Garden Industry

2015 was an eventful year in the garden sector. Here is a round-up of some of the most important stories on Gardenforum throughout the year. This article is open to non-members. Read more - open to all

Bicester, one of the 8 garden centres bought by Black Rock for £112.5m

Rapid growth at Smart Garden comes at a cost

Big losses are all part of the plan as Smart Garden invests in rapid growth, almost doubling sales in 2 years. Read more - members only

Thompson & Morgan is predicting the best ever year for grow your own

Thompson & Morgan has reported a 24% rise in seed sales through September to end of November 2015, compared to the same period in 2014, driven by vegetable seed sales. Read more - members only

Newbridge Nurseries duo in dramatic chase

Local news sources report how a garden centre manager and a member of his team chased and caught a man they suspected of leaving Newbridge Nurseries with stock worth £500. Read more - members only

Scotts Miracle-Gro discusses joint venture for UK & European operations

Scotts Miracle-Gro says it does not make economic sense to invest heavily in its European business and is in discussions with another party regarding a partnership. Read more - members only

Creditors meeting called for Maingate

A creditors meeting has been called for Maingate Ltd, supplier of County wheelbarrows and Stylys gifts. Read more - members only

Wyevale starts 25% off Christmas sale

Wyevale has launched a Christmas sale and guarantees to replace live Christmas trees with a new one, right up to Christmas Eve. Read more - members only

Hillier names suppliers and garden centre of the year

Robert Hillier tells his new management team, “You have changed the face of Hillier,” as sales leap by 25%. Read more - members only

Robert Hillier with Ruth Rook, Employee of the Year

Wyevale plans to put houses on Beaconsfield garden centre

Wyevale has submitted a planning application to put 9 houses on land at Beaconsfield garden centre. Read more - members only

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive