Blue Diamond restores Bridgemere Show Gardens

An extensive restoration by Blue Diamond has returned Bridgemere Show Gardens to their former glory and they have been awarded Partner Garden status by the RHS. Read more - members only

Klondyke dominates the GCA awards

Bents became the best GCA destination garden centre, while Klondyke Morton is the garden centre of the year as the group dominates the awards for smaller sites.  Wyevale Nurseries is named best supplier. Read more - members only

Klondyke, Morton Hall, Garden centre of the Year

Key growers retire from Hillier Nurseries

Two Hillier Nurseries innovators are retiring. Alan Postill, one of the UK’s greatest plant breeders, and Nursery Manager Dave Hooker, who has worked for Hillier for 43 years. Read more - open to all

Alan Posthill with Robert Hillier

Wilko is reported to have secured £40m in new funding

Sky News has reported that wilko has secured £40m in funding from Hilco. Read more - members only

Perrywood raises over £45k for the local community

Over the last two years, Perrywood Tiptree and Perrywood Sudbury have raised a grand total of £45,000 for local charities, schools and community projects. Read more - open to all

The headlines that made 2022 unique - a round-up

2022 was dominated by the recovery from the distortions to trade caused by Covid. It was a year of acquisitions. There were some game changers and sadly we lost some leading characters. Read more - open to all

The YPHA - a game changer for young people in horticulture

New garden centre team at AMES UK

AMES UK has updated its garden centre team to offer even more value and support to its retail customers. Read more - open to all

Alan Jones Craig Keyworth Darren Boorman

Notcutts celebrates opening of new Brampton Garden Centre

Notcutts celebrated the official opening of their new-look Brampton Garden Centre at a community event on 2nd December. Read more - members only

Joanne Hawkins-McDowell, Caroline Notcutt and CEO, Nick Burrows cut the ribbon.

Fire at Alton Garden Centre

Alton Garden Centre in Wickford, Essex has been damaged by a fire which broke out in the roof of the restaurant. Read more - members only

Statement from Dobbies on Feb 2022 results

Dobbies' long anticipated results for the year to February 2022 are to be published imminently on Companies House.  The group has issued the following statement in advance.  Read more - members only

Dobbies, Boston

David Austin Roses becomes the final Key Partner for the YPHA

The Young People in Horticulture Association has revealed David Austin Roses as their final key partner for 2023-2024, joining Floramedia, Boningale, ICL and the RHS. Read more - members only

Tong unveils plans for Otley

Customers will notice a real difference in the gardening offer at Stephen H Smith’s garden centre at Otley following Tong’s £500,000 investment. Read more - members only

YGC Group MD, Mark Farnsworth

Allensmore reaches final for International Grower of the Year

Allensmore reaches the final 10 from growers around the world in the AIPH International Grower of the Year (IGOTY) Awards 2023. Read more - members only

Perrywood pulls plans for £10m Sudbury redevelopment

Spiralling costs and increased borrowing rates have forced Perrywood to re-think the re-development plans for Sudbury. Read more - members only

Hillier Nurseries purchases a 200-acre farm at Liss

Following the acquisition of Rosebourne Hillier continues to invest. Hillier Nurseries has invested £4m in Hampshire land for tree production. Read more - members only

Work starts on 6th little dobbies

Work has started on the 6th little dobbies high street shop, that is reported to be the biggest yet. Read more - members only

little dobbies at Chiswick

Arena acquires Patch Plants

Arena Online Ltd, the UK’s leading ethical flower business, has announced the acquisition and merger of Patch Gardens Ltd (trading as Patch), the leading plant delivery business. Read more - members only

Will Wynne

Bents' FD retires after nearly 30 years

Brian Daniels, Bents’ Finance Director who joined the team in 1993 when Ron and his wife Wendy were running the business, retires. Read more - open to all

Wendy and Ron Bent (on screen), Matthew Bent, Katherine Bent, Brian Daniels and Helen Bent

Leadership changes at Evergreen Garden Care

Evergreen Garden Care has announced that Ian Hepburn, marketing director for two years, will be leaving the company with Rich Fisher succeeding him from January 3rd, 2023. Read more - open to all

Rich Fisfer

Squire's buys long established plant supplier

D. J. Squire & Co. Ltd has acquired the shares of Barnsfold Nurseries Limited, a business it has worked with and admired for many years. Read more - members only

Squire's Badshott Lea

TGH rescues The Garden Trading Company

A Yorkshire private equity house has bought The Garden Trading Company out of administration after it was split from Joules. Read more - members only

Tim Whitworth

Primrose has been bought by the founders of Crocus

Mark Fane and Peter Clay, the founders of Crocus, have acquired the assets of the online garden retailer, Primrose, from its administrator. Read more - members only

Tong to upgrade gardening at Harden

Last month YGC unveiled plans for the first phase of Stephen H Smith at Otley's revamp.  It has now said it will spend £200,000 on the first phase of Harden's revamp.  Read more - members only

Mark Farnsworth with Sharon McNair and Sarah Ritchie

Losses continued at Dobbies Group

Dobbies Garden Centres Group results for the year to February 2022 show sales were up +36%.  Losses after tax were £-24.4.  The directors expressed confidence in the group’s ability to refinance its debt. Read more - members only

Dobbies, Tewkesbury

British Garden Centres names new Group Buying Director

British Garden Centres welcomes Scott McCabe as their Group Buying Director. Scott, with a wealth of industry experience, joins BGC on December 1st.  Read more - open to all

Scott McCabe

Blue Diamond opens new restaurant at Wilton GC

Blue Diamond has opened a new restaurant, Kipling Parlour, at Wilton garden centre in new state of the art building.   Read more - open to all

Optiplan Kitchens Ltd is in administration

Optiplan Kitchens Ltd a national kitchen retailer with concessions on 4 garden centres has entered administration. Read more - members only

MP visits Sustainable Business of the Year, Greenwood Plants

Andrew Griffith MP visited Greenwood Plants in Walberton on 18th November after it was recently named ‘Sustainable Business of the Year’ at the 2022 Central South Business Awards. Read more - open to all

Andrew Griffith MP visited Greenwood Plants nursey

Exceptional windfalls push SGP sales over £100m

Directors of Smart Garden Products recognise that sales up +65% to over £100m in the year to November 2021 are exceptional and due to covid related windfalls.  Read more - members only

Stewarts takes the pain to protect customers and staff

2021 was a good year for Stewarts which has 3 garden centres on the south coast.  But Martin Stewart has told his local newspaper that they will make a loss in 2022.  Read more - members only

Martin Stewart

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive