The results from the 2013 HTA wages survey for growers of ornamental crops illustrates how the sector is impacted by rising staff costs, attributed largely to the inflated increases governed by the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB). See more...
Read more - members only

As in 2011, honey fungus topped the list of diseases reported to the RHS Advisory Service. The biggest change was a sharp increase in box blight, due to the wet weather. See more... Read more - members only

The trend towards ambient food is especially attractive to the younger consumer. People want to know where food comes from, that it is good for them and the environment. You can make money out of restaurants but... For some notable quotes from Catering 2013, see more... Read more - members only

Andrew Maxted, Director of Marketing, is to leave the HTA as it restructures in order to cut costs. See more... Read more - members only

Scotsdale became Davidson Richards’s 40th independent garden centre client when it implemented the cloud-based OpSuite retail solution at its two garden centres. See more... Read more - members only

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has announced a new PR campaign, to encourage consumers to get out in their gardens, following the poor weather of last year. See more... Read more - members only

A new television programme and a new way for both novice and experienced gardeners to shop for plants is launching on Ideal World TV. See more... Read more - members only

Garden Re-Leaf is asking companies to post details of their plans on Gardenreleaf.co.uk by 10th February so that details can be given to the national press at The Garden Press Event. See more.... Read more - members only

The Glee trade show dates are to be brought forward by a day in 2013 so that it will run from Sunday to Tuesday. This and other changes follow extensive consultations with all sections of garden retail. There is also a potential venue change suggested for 2014. See more... Read more - members only

The GCA gives details of 2 major events for spring: There’s a sparkling array of speakers for the GCA conference and there’s to be a nationwide Celebrity Quiz for Garden Re-Leaf Day. See more... Read more - members only

GIMA is to move its headquarters to the Federation of Garden and Leisure Manufacturers, of which Gardenex and PetQuip are divisions. See more... Read more - members only

An HTA survey of growers says that 8% may go out of business due to Chalara fraxinea and 58% predict cash flow problems. See more... Read more - members only

Nicola Gammon’s Shoot Gardening is opening an on-line marketplace that it claims will ultimately offer a bigger range of plants and products than any other garden shopping destination. See more… Read more - members only

London Tree Officers have written an open letter to Boris Johnson, pleading with him to champion the cause of urban forest. They are finding it hard to protect the city’s trees from ash dieback and other new diseases, while facing cutbacks. See more.... Read more - members only

The GCA’s e-learning project looks set for a full roll-out in the next few weeks. Trials have proved so popular that staff have been choosing to do the modules at home. See more... Read more - members only

There are two new websites for 2013. The first is new. GreenPlantSwap is a marketplace for nurseries and gardeners to sell or swap plants. The second is a revamp of Scotts’ Love the Garden. See more… Read more - members only

Wiseweather predicts the risk of frost and snow will continue throughout March as high pressure will be nearby for much of the month. See more... Read more - members only

Representatives from the Defra plant health policy team visited Hillier Nurseries to see how their stock of home grown ash trees has become completely worthless. See more... Read more - members only

Gardenforum has completely refreshed its database of company results. Many new companies have been added. Recent updates include the latest figures from Westland Horticulture, Solus Garden & Leisure, DJ Squire, Wyevale Nurseries and Haskins. See more... Read more - open to all

The GCA Barometer of Trade reports that sales fell 8.5% in January, with restaurant sales also down for the first month in over 2 years. The reason – the snow. See more... Read more - members only

What will the consumer gardening press be talking about after visiting the Garden Press Day last week? Here are some of the highlights. See more... Read more - members only

Listen up gardening experts, the David Colegrave Foundation (DCF) is offering multiple scholarships to those who are set on a career in horticulture. But there are less than two months left to apply. See more... Read more - members only

Here’s a summary of the news that has filled the Gardenforum pages in 2012. It is dominated by the impact of the weather and perhaps the economy. The story is open to all our readers. See more... Read more - open to all

There has been a flurry of high street retailers taking concessions on garden centres as owners look to stabilise their cash-flow. One conspicuous success has been the introduction of Virgin Experience Days, which is now seeking to roll out to all garden centres. See more... Read more - members only

The operations of the GCA are to return to the HTA offices at Theale, 5 years after they moved out. See... Read more - members only

"Any manufacturer that doesn't consider export as part of its marketing mix is missing out," said Amanda Sizer Barrett, during the latest Meet the Buyer day, where UK suppliers had one-to-one meetings with companies from USA, Germany and other European countries. See more... Read more - members only

October failed to deliver the expected autumn recovery. Garden centre sales fell 2% according to the GCA. Plants and gardening categories suffered the most. But sales of Christmas lines have started strongly, almost out-selling plants. See more... Read more - members only

Faced with exceeding its extraction limits, David Austin Roses has installed a system to harvest rain water and recycle the run off from irrigation. The result is that the company will grow faster having tripled its supply of water. See more… Read more - members only

There is no lack of finance to buy garden centres say Gilbert Evans. But it may come from different sources. Hence the introduction of corporate finance specialist Paul Herrington to the team. See more... Read more - members only

There is still no clarity about the spread of Chalara fraxinae, the ash dieback disease. There are still no plans, other than a ban on all tree movements, to prevent it destroying 90% of ash trees in the UK. Now the politicians are playing the blame game, while UK nurseries face huge losses. See more... Read more - members only