Blue Diamond opened East Bridgford yesterday, its 20^th store. The purchase of number 21 is close to completion and there are further sites in the pipeline, subject to planning.   Read more

“The GCA extends its heart-felt thoughts and sympathies to all the company’s (Gardman) directors and staff and further offers its support and best wishes to the company in restoring its full business activity as soon as is practically possible.” Read more

Capi Europe, the manufacturer behind Cadix in the UK, unveiled an innovative new factory with unique rotational moulding robots, that will see turnover double in the next couple of years. Read more

The BBC reports that a man has been arrested on suspicion of arson as smoke continues to rise from the new Gardman warehouse in Daventry following a massive fire last night. Read more

Countrywide Farmers, with 48 stores, has gone into administration after a potential sale is referred to the Competition and Markets Authority.  Read more

Pennells Garden Centres have acquired the Four Seasons Garden Centre at Sleaford in Lincolnshire as of March 1^st 2018. Read more

The Wyevale management is focussed on standards, better communication with the shop floor and training as head office restructuring is almost complete. Read more

Ascential, the owner of Glee, Pure, Spring & Autumn Fair trade shows has announced a strategic review of its exhibitions business. Read more

Wyevale, the country’s largest specialist garden centre group with 147 stores, has published a report on the latest gardening trends revealed by a survey of 15,000 garden lovers. Read more

Gardman has apologised to customers for the disruption to deliveries and is working night and day to resolve teething problems at its new warehouse. Read more

Kelkay has been acquired by Griffon Corp for $56m. Anthony Harker will become MD of Griffon’s AMES UK, which also acquired La Hacienda last July. Read more

QD Group has added The Barn Garden & Aquatic Centre in Peterborough to its Cherry Lane Garden Centres group and will carry out improvements. Read more

After a strong March and April, growth all but evaporated, according to the latest GCA figures for 2017, especially in larger garden centres despite healthy plant sales. Growth in catering revenues slowed but remained positive. Read more

As a result of below-expectation trading Bunnings United Kingdom and Ireland (BUKI), the owner of Homebase, is expected to report an underlying loss of £97million before interest and tax in Westfarmers’ 2018 half-year results.

Caulders has received planning permission to redevelop a redundant nursery at Menstrie. Read more

B&Q sales fall 5.3% due to store closure programme and disruption from Kingfisher’s unification programme, which after 2 years has made good progress. Read more

Gardman hopes to be in the position next week to tell customers what they will be able to supply and in what time frame. Read more

Wesfarmers is reviewing its options for Bunnings/Homebase in the UK after announcing massive write downs and losses last month. Now an analyst at JP Morgan suggests that the least cost option would be to leave the UK. Read more

Dramatic aerial images of Gardman’s Daventry warehouse show the extent of the fire which continues to burn. The company hopes to have information about new premises by the end of the week. Read more

BBC are reporting a large blaze overnight at Gardman’s Daventry warehouse. In an initial statement the company says it currently has no access to the site and will provide further updates during the day. Read more

There has been rapid growth at Hillview Garden Centres, both like-for-like and from acquisitions in the last 12 months, having shown little growth in the 2016/7 results recently filed. Read more

CEO Karl Kahofer has named Mark Portman as General Manager of Scotts (UK), filling the role Sheila Hill vacated in February. Portman has been group sales director at Gardman since last October. Read more

An announcement is expected shortly that Sheila Hill has left The Scotts Company (UK). Also imminent is an announcement about the future of Roundup. Read more

Brexit hits Premier profits, rapid growth at Goulds (Dorchester) and Kelkay are some of the latest results to be published on Gardenforum’s company results. Read more

A transformed Squire’s garden centre at Woking has re-opened this weekend, prior to its official opening on March 17^th. Read more

Reigate GC in Surrey is to close later this year after the Tiley family, who have run the business for 35 years, announced they had sold the site to a housing developer earlier this month. Read more

Klondyke is to close Sycamore Park Garden Centre if planning permission for housing is granted.  Moreton Hall is due to re-open partially, shortly, with other developments to follow. Read more

What is happening at Dobbies? Nicholas Marshall is no longer running operations, yet the company insists he is still chief executive. There is a new COO, a new head of purchasing and a new retail director. Gardenforum investigates. Read more

It is too early to judge whether the new Glee at the Spring Fair will become an annual event. Gardenforum believes it has potential, with a change of name and focus. Read our notes from the aisles. Read more

Gardman have taken steps to improve output from its new £30m Daventry distribution centre. Read more