Despite the restrictions through the early months of 2021, severely curtailing garden opening activities, the National Garden Scheme has made donations of over £3m to charities.  Read more - members only

NFU members can help ensure that Defra has regular information on labour shortages across all faming sectors by completing a new weekly survey on staff absences and labour supply in key sectors of the UK economy. Read more - open to all

The best 2021 gardening product is Elho’s Green Basics Veggie Wall. Meadow View Stone is Supplier of the Year. Other multiple winners were Wildlife World and Richard Jackson. Read more - members only

The HTA says the Chancellor’s emphasis on ‘upskilling’ the workforce does not go far enough.  Urgent government action is needed to address the lack of colleges and seasonal labour rules. Read more - members only

BHETA is updating members on the implications of the latest information from Government on the timing and scope of the proposed Offensive Weapons Act (OWA). The proposed legislation affects the sale of bladed items in the housewares, DIY and garden sectors. Read more - members only

As The Times reports massive container ships carrying Christmas stock being diverted to Rotterdam, garden suppliers fear massive inflation and continuing delays next year. Read more - members only

All statistics suggest that the UK consumer focus on DIY, grow your own, garden leisure, etc remains strong beyond lockdown.  Read more - open to all

Gardening sales fell in August but garden centre revenues continued to grow as restaurant sales recovered, according to August figures from the GCA. Read more - members only

Online retail sales fell by -9.3% Year-on-Year in August but gardening bucked the trend according to the latest IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index. Read more - members only

Tickets for Glow at the RHS Gardens are on sale now as the world’s leading gardening charity prepares to light up all five of its gardens this winter. Read more - open to all

The HTA market update covering July shows garden centre sales remain significantly ahead of pre-pandemic levels and that consumers remain cautious. Read more - members only

An increasing number of garden centres are seeking warehouse space to take stock control into their own hands following recent supply chain availability issues, says Malcolm Scott. Read more - members only

With Government ending mandatory distancing measures and mask wearing in stores on 19^th July, Freedom Day, we do a straw poll of garden centres on masks and restaurants.  Read more - members only

The latest GCA Barometer of Sales shows garden centre revenues were up +9% over May 2019 and +17% up if restaurant catering is excluded. Read more - members only

The HTA’s Market Update shows garden centre sales were up 30% in May but decreased in the second half of the month as Covid restrictions eased. Read more - members only

BOT figures from the GCA show garden centres have sustained their Covid boost.  Revenues were around +30% up on pre-pandemic levels in October. Read more - members only

This months HTA Market Update says 2m new lockdown gardeners have been retained but consumers will be more reluctant to spend in the months leading up to Christmas. Read more - members only

Pecent results on Gardenforum show how companies fared over the first lockdown inc: Smart Garden Products, You Garden, The Barton Grange Group, Woodlodge Products, Otter Nurseries, Woodthorpe Hall and Spear & Jackson. Read more - open to all

UK growers and retailers are being asked to join Peter Seabrook and become involved in the UK Floral Fantasia growing trials at RHS Hyde Hall. Read more - open to all

The HTA has called for an extension to the Seasonal Workers Pilot Scheme (SWP) to include plant and tree growers to support the industry in the short term. Read more - open to all

The hotly anticipated GIMA Awards are set to be a huge celebratory event, especially as it is now officially sold out! Manufacturers and suppliers from across the garden retail sector have been quick to snap up their place at the 40th-anniversary event. Read more - open to all

Alan Roper says that expecting 2022 to be better than the current year is to be too optimistic.  And Christmas supplies? “It’s going to be a nail biter.” Read more - members only

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has announced that the location of its 2022 annual conference is to be Blackburn in Lancashire. Read more - members only

Haskins at Snowhill and Squire’s Hersham are the top garden centres in the GCA South Thames area, while Perrywood, Tiptree and Thurrock win North of the Thames. Read more - members only

Increased costs and restrictions on the UK horticulture industry to export to the EU have seen a marked drop in the value of trade in the first six months of the year, demonstrating a missed opportunity for the sector to grow its contribution to UK ‘green trade’.  Read more - open to all

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics medalists are awarded with a victory bouquet and Interflora reveal the deeper meaning behind the chosen flowers. Read more - open to all

We ask garden centres if they will be more cautious about ordering for the autumn and next spring now that all shops are trading.  It seems not... Read more - members only

The Exclusively exhibition (24^th to 25^th August) will unveil the next three / five year trends.  One of the biggest is Reset, which is all about ‘preserve, conserve, protect’. Read more - open to all

Headlines around the country include a sale and lease back by Dobbies, controversy about breast feeding in a garden centre and thefts of catalytic converters at Bents. Read more - members only

Following a recent IPPS Europe Committee meeting, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Annual Conference, due to have been held this October in Edinburgh, Scotland. Read more - open to all