The HTA is to meet the government in October backed by overwhelming support from its members in favour of exempting garden centres from Sunday trading restrictions. This will add weight to the Bill currently in the House of Lords. See more... Read more
July figures from the GCA barometer of trade show that garden centres have clawed their way back to match last year's sales figures by encouraging their customers to spend more. But there has been a change in the sales mix. See more... Read more
The Composting Association has changed its name to the Association for Organics Recycling. See more... Read more
This year’s salary survey by the HTA shows that garden centre managers continue to be paid more than a nursery manager. The average plant area manager is paid £19,500 and nursery workers in the Southern region remain the highest paid with average wages of £14700. Sales manager salaries have grown 8%. For details see more... Read more
The HTA is replacing its annual conference with The Garden Industry Leaders’ Conference at the London Stock Exchange in October. It will be chaired by Peter Day of BBC's In Business, and speakers will include HSBC senior economist Mark Berrisford-Smith, Stuart Scott, Edward de Bono’s master trainer in the UK, and Tim How, chief executive of Majestic Wine. See more...
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The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) advisory service continues to receive many calls from gardeners worried that their crops are being damaged by weedkiller residues from contaminated manures or soil improvement composts. See more... Read more
Internal correspondence between GCA members shows that those who are already active in the controversial AIS/GRO buying group are delighted with the results, even before the imminent appointment of a senior garden buyer. See more... Read more
Pets and aquatics will have two new regional trade shows for 2009. PATS 2009 is being organised by former organisers of Glee and Petindex. See more... Read more
GIMA has been forced to postpone its June meeting, due to the absence of its Director, Neil Gow, who is unwell. He is expected back before long. Read more
Efforts to include more planting in new urban developments are bearing fruit with news that a third council has passed a motion put forward by the HTA with 9 more likely to follow soon. See more... Read more
Wiseweather’s long range weather forecast for May predicts a month dominated by low pressure. The North and the East will fare best. See more... Read more
The London based DIY & Garden Show is to have a fresh look and a new name, Totally DIY. But organisers are adamant that despite dropping the word, their commitment to gardening is as strong as ever. See more... Read more
The HTA is to launch an electronic gift card to enhance the existing National Garden Gift Voucher scheme. Members will be contacted within 6 weeks so that the scheme is ready for Christmas trading. See more... Read more
The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has announced two new members to its Retail Management Group. They are Philip Evason of Haskins Garden Centres, and Iain Wylie of Grosvenor Garden Centre, Chester. See more... Read more
Suggestions that GRO is dead, made at the recent GIMA meeting, have been vehemently denied by AIS. For the first time Gardenforum can reveal many of the garden centres that have joined. See more... Read more
Any warmth in September will be short lived says Wiseweather. And there’s more rain to come. See more... Read more
Having decided not to exhibit at Glee this year, Marshalls has taken the unusual step of criticising the garden industry's largest trade show. See more... Read more
The HTA is urging nurseries in England to register their interest in receiving entitlements for the single payment scheme as soon as possible. See more… Read more
This month is predicted to be one of the cooler and wetter Augusts of the last decade. A few hot days are expected but no protracted warm spells, according to Wiseweather. See more... Read more
Significant training grants are available for HTA members to take advantage of through the Women and Work project, managed by Lantra Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land-based sector. See more... Read more
UK retail sales values fell 0.4% on a like-for-like basis, compared with June 2007. Sales have now been lower than a year ago in three of the past four months, the worst since summer 2005. See more... Read more
LOFA, the association for importers and manufacturers of garden furniture, has asked Dr Alan Knight to help establish a LOFAMARK, an environmental and ethical guarantee for garden furniture and accessories. See more... Read more
After a very average June, Wiseweather expects patterns to change in the next week to a rather more unsettled phase. This will make July one of the coolest of the last decade or so. See more... Read more
The Composting Association is changing its name to the Association for Organics Recycling from August. See more... Read more
Wiseweather predicts that low pressure will be dominant in the south and west for a lot of June while the north east will see higher pressure nearby. See more... Read more
The new management team at Glee realise that it has to make changes if the exhibition is to remain the annual focus for the garden and pet industries. They have responded with a number of initiatives that will improve the value of the show to visitors and exhibitors alike. See more... Read more
Wyevale Garden Centres are to develop an employee academy. It is expected that 275 employees will participate in the academy, which commences in July 2008. See more...
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The first meaningful figures for the spring have been released by the Garden Centre Association. Sales to the end of March of plants and garden sundries fell, while catering and pets increased. See more... Read more
Professional lawn maintenance companies promise to keep your lawn looking good. But is it worth using one? Gardening Which? has put them to the test. Also on trial are lawn edging shears. See more... Read more
Wiseweather predicts soil temperatures will be near average in the north and central parts but possibly slightly above average for southern parts after mid month, with soil moisture deficits near or slightly above average. See more… Read more