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 - members only

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 - members only

Capi Europe has bought shares and invested in Cadix UK to strengthen ties and grow its UK market share. Read more - members only

Hillview Garden Centres completed the acquisition of Shipley Garden Centre in Derbyshire on Thursday, bringing the number of outlets to 11. Read more - members only

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 - members only

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 - members only

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 - members only

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 - members only

Elho’s Good(s)Factory has completed the purchase of Ebertsankey as Fiskars focuses on its core consumer business. Read more - members only

The majority of garden centres say Christmas sales were up but competition is increasing and December sales were disappointing for some. Read more - members only

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 - members only

Wilko tells suppliers, “We’ve lost touch over recent years.” Now, “We want to create more of an open door policy.” Read more - members only

Blue Diamond has today taken over Coton Orchard garden centre in Cambridge from Sevenoaks based Polhill. Read more - members only

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 - members only

Hillier crowned Eastbourne their Garden Centre of the year. They named Meon Valley Nurseries, Westland and Bramblecrest as their best suppliers but warned that any price increases would be resisted. Read more - members only

Scotts Miracle-Gro is cautiously optimistic that it will have a solution for its European business by the spring. Read more - members only

Bunnings has opened its first concept store in the former Homebase in Griffiths Way, St Albans. Read more - members only

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 - members only

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 - members only

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 - members only

The Wyevale garden centre at Hillingdon is to close at the end of January, it is reported.

Notcutts will be marking its 120^th anniversary this year as a family-owned garden centre business after opening as a nursery in 1897. Read more - members only

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 - members only

Caulders Garden Centres have started the year by buying a 5^th site at Cupar. The owners will invest £250,000 on refurbishment before the season. Read more - members only

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 - open to all

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 - members only

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 - members only

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 - members only

T&M revealed a sharp improvement in performance in its latest accounts, crediting more efficient operations along with a shift away from traditional catalogues to the web. Read more - members only

It is widely reported that Dunelm has bought WS Group the online retailer of home and garden in what seems to involve a pre-pack deal. Read more - members only