G7 shares Glee stand with new owner

G7, a major supplier of EPOS to garden retailers, has agreed to sell the business to Swan Retail. See more... Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Group buys Garden & Leisure

The Garden Centre Group is this morning telling staff employed by Garden & Leisure that it has acquired the business. See more... Read more - members only

Growth in outdoor seasonal products fails to lift B&Q

Half year sales fell at B&Q despite 17% growth in outdoor seasonal products in the second quarter. Group sourcing continues to expand, while store resizing continues. See more... Read more - members only

TGCG buys Cheddar and Lechlade

The Garden Centre Group has bought Cheddar and Lechlade Garden Centres from Park Garden Centres. See more... Read more - members only

£75,000 fine on Dobbies was lenient

Judges have rejected Dobbies appeal against a record £75,000 fine for pumping poorly treated sewage into a stream, saying the penalty had been lenient. See more… Read more - members only

Solus seeks to rebuild after departures from sales team

Gardenforum talks to Solus, the leading garden wholesaler, to assess the impact of recent departures from the sales team. See more... Read more - members only

Former Hobbycraft CX offers craft service to garden centres

The former chief executive of Hobbycraft is introducing a specialist craft service, C-Crafts, to independent garden centres. In the past he believes they have not handled the category well. See more... Read more - members only

Next continues its rapid expansion of Home & Garden stores

Next opened its fourth and largest Home & Garden store last month and has 4 more confirmed, probably opening in time for next spring. See more… Read more - members only

Allensmore Nurseries doubles growing space

Allensmore Nurseries has acquired additional land to provide the space to grow in the next 10 years, along with its key customers. See more… Read more - members only

Second garden centre for Longacres

Longacres has signed a lease on Shepperton garden centre. The opening for what will be Longacres’ second garden centre, is planned for the autumn. See more... Read more - members only

After the heat, the floods

Three garden centres in the Midlands suffered flooding in the storms that marked the breakdown of the heatwave. See more... Read more - members only

Fine weather boosts B&Q outdoor sales by 20 per cent UPDATED

In a pre-close second quarter trading update Kingfisher reports strong garden leisure sales thanks to fine weather. See more... Read more - members only

The GCA announces best in area winners

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has revealed the Best in Area garden centre winners at four awards presentation evenings. See more... Read more - members only

October opening for Tesco/Dobbies Kings Lynn complex

Construction work on the new Tesco/Dobbies complex in Kings Lynn is progressing so well, trading will begin much earlier than planned. See more... Read more - members only

A sign of the times at Squire’s

Squire’s confirms that it is making a limited number of redundancies in its garden centres as part of a cost control exercise in case the sales levels of the last two years become the new norm. See more... Read more - members only

Glee New Product Awards 2013 - Winners announced

Ten, ground-breaking new garden products have been confirmed as the winners of the coveted Glee New Product Awards 2013. See more... Read more - members only

Van Hage returns to normal after fire

Fire led to the evacuation of Van Hage garden centre at Great Amwell on Wednesday afternoon. See more… Read more - members only

Notcutts enters discussions to sell Cambridge site to Scotsdales

Notcutts Garden Centres have entered into discussions with Scotsdales with a view to selling their Cambridge Garden Centre. The sale is expected to complete on 1st October 2013. See more… Read more - members only

Sinclair to sell direct

William Sinclair has taken the decision to do all its own distribution rather than use wholesalers. Gardenforum asks new CEO Peter Rush why and if this is an indication of wider changes in distribution. See more... Read more - members only

Plantasjen closes Gardenworks in Dublin

Plantasjen, the 100 strong Scandinavian garden centre group is closing one of its two stores in Ireland defeated, says the Irish press, by the difficult retail sector. See more… Read more - members only

Gardman’s new CEO starts on Monday

Stewart Hainsworth starts work with Gardman on Monday as its new Chief Executive Officer. He completes the new team at Gardman under chairman, Jonathan Halford. See more... Read more - members only

Garden and Leisure sells half of Percy Throwers to Waitrose

It has taken two years for Garden & Leisure to tie up a deal with Waitrose to redevelop Percy Throwers. The garden centre multiple has announced today that it has sold half the site to the supermarket chain. See more... Read more - members only

Whetmans carries the flag for the UK, in Canada

Can Whetman Pinks be named the world’s best grower at the first congress of the AIPH to be organised by Tim Briercliffe, which will be held in Canada, this Autumn. See more... Read more - members only

Independence for Bellagio UK

Bellagio UK, originally a subsidiary of the Bellagio Group, has become an independent UK business after Julian Windsor and his family bought the shares they didn’t already own. See more... Read more - members only

Smart Solar buys Greentree

The transformation of Smart Solar, since Paris Natar bought a controlling stake, continues with the acquisition of Greentree. Gary Ackers becomes commercial director of Smart Solar. See more... Read more - members only

Production problems lead to second Sinclair profit warning

A second profit warning from William Sinclair knocks 15% from its share price, wiping out gains made during July. See more… Read more - members only

Glendale Horticulture buys RA Meredith

Bedding plant producer RA Meredith has been bought by Glendale Horticulture in a pre-pack administration deal from the joint administrators David James Bennett and Ian Stewart Carr, joint administrators of Grant Thornton LLP. See more... Read more - members only

Homebase Ireland in examinership

Homebase has joined the growing list of troubled retailers in Ireland. Yesterday an examiner was appointed as the business struggles to cope with falling retail sales and increasing rents. See more ... Read more - members only

Stagecraft back in full production

Stagecraft is back in full production after a disastrous fire gutted their factory in March. See more… Read more - members only

The GCA announces South Thames winners

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) reveals the Best in Area garden centre winners. See more... Read more - members only

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