Leading continental plant importers Europlants and Classiflora held very successful open days recently against a background of falling imports. And Plant Fairs go from strength to strength. See more... Read more - members only

Doff Portland has strengthened its balance sheet with new funds from private equity and has strengthened its management team. This will enable the company to build its presence in the market over the next five years. See more... Read more - members only

Health experts have called for better warning labels on potting compost after three cases of legionnaire's disease in Scotland were said to have been linked with the use of bagged compost. See more... Read more - members only

Gardening Direct is withdrawing its carrot and beetroot plug plants after accusations by Which? Gardening that novice gardeners were being mislead, paying £1.09 per carrot. Other companies were also accused of offering poor value. See more… Read more - members only

So successful has been Beckworth Emporium in its first 9 months that John Kitching, former Blooms CX, and David Brown are adding 24,000 ft.² of new buildings. See more... Read more - members only

Peat free compost outperforms peat based ones when it comes to growing in containers. In the March edition of Which? Gardening, all three composts labelled "Best Buy", were 100% peat free. See more... Read more - members only

Trans-Continental Group, which supplies the garden industry with Snow Time Christmas goods and Sun Time garden furniture, is expanding and moving its operations from Blackpool to Preston. See more... Read more - members only

More than a quarter of garden centres reporting in the GCA Barometer of Trade increased sales during January, pulled along by strong gains in the sales of pet and aquatics. See more... Read more - members only

Scotts and Hillier Nurseries have joined forces for Chelsea. Together, they will invite show visitors into a secret diary room on the Hillier stand, where they will be asked to divulge secret nuggets of gardening wisdom. See more... Read more - members only

Evidence of citrus longhorn beetle damage has had a devastating effect on the growers in Boskoop, Holland. See more… Read more - members only

After four years, Dobbies has won approval to build a £12 million garden centre at Lisburn, Northern Ireland. See more... Read more - members only

Thompson & Morgan has announced the purchase of Chempak, the plant food manufacturer. The deal was completed in the last few days. See more... Read more - members only

An interview with James Barnes, published in the Scotsman, reveals that Dobbies enjoyed its strongest Christmas to date. Demand was high for Christmas trees, lights and decorations, along with gifts and festive plants, such as poinsettias. See more... Read more - members only

The management and administration of the John Innes Manufacturers Association (JIMA) has moved to the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA). See more... Read more - members only

Visitors to six garden centres in The Garden Centre Group are now able to take their laptops with them and check their emails or surf the Internet while on-site. See more... Read more - members only

Having failed to hit the unrealistic target of reducing peat consumption in 2010 by 90%, the government has announced a new target that all compost for the amateur gardener should be entirely peat free by 2020. There is also to be a consumer awareness campaign. See more... Read more - members only

Vandals have caused £30,000 of damage to Coblands Nursery in Tonbridge. Polytunnels were ripped and irrigation stolen. See more... Read more - members only

The banks have taken control of Global Garden Products (GPP), the maker of Mountfield and Stiga mowers and garden machinery. This ‘wipes out’ the equity held by the 3i Group. See more... Read more - members only

The Bournemouth Echo reports that administrators had been appointed at the discount group Glendel, which operates Superbuys and two garden centres in the south of England. See more... Read more - members only

Bosmere Products will complete its move to a new and larger distribution centre at Crawley, Sussex at the end of this month. This follows the sale of the business at the end of last year. See more... Read more - members only

Defra and the Scottish Government today called on Britain’s gardeners to help stop the spread of invasive aquatic plants that damage the natural environment and cost the economy millions with a new campaign to highlight the plight of Britain’s waterways. See more... Read more - members only

Scotts and Westland will again be carrying the gardening message to millions of homes this spring with TV and marketing campaigns that have a combined value of over £8 million. See more… Read more - members only

As part of the ongoing fight to limit the damage caused by possible outbreaks of citrus longhorn beetle, the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) has issued guidance on steps being taken in the UK to reduce the risk of it becoming established here. See more… Read more - members only

Management team has bought a stake in the Garden Store group as joint founder, Patrick Pearce, retires. See more... Read more - members only

Nicholas Marshall says the e-learning programme unveiled at last weeks plant trade show represents a new dawn for The Garden Centre Group. He also confirmed that the group was financially ‘in a good place’. See more... Read more - members only

E P Barrus, which last year took control of the UK distribution of Wolf-Garden, has won the right to distribute the Wilkinson Sword range of garden tools. See more... Read more - members only

Dobbies moves to exploit its link with its parent, Tesco. Dobbies branded products are to appear in the supermarket’s stores in northern England and Scotland. It is also exploring the possibility of adding a garden centre alongside a new development by Tesco. See more… Read more - members only

It is a repeat of last year with Bents Garden Centre beating Webbs into second place by the narrowest of margins in the competition to be GCA Garden Centre of the Year. See more... Read more - members only

Awards announced yesterday on the first day of the GCA Conference honoured Stewarts Gardenlands, Sunshine Garden Centre and Taylors Bulbs. See more… Read more - members only

Alan Titchmarsh is to work with B&Q as it seeks to cement ‘its position as the UK’s largest chain of garden centres’. He will provide regular tips and advice through in-store displays and on B&Q's website. See more... Read more - members only