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Merry Christmas to all our readers
The team at GTN and GTN Xtra wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas and a well earned break for a few days.
Happy Christmas from Trevor, Alan, Anisa and Neil, plus our valued team of Greatest Christmas Awards judges; Neil, Nicci, Jane, Peter, Mike and Roger. Ho, ho, ho...
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HTA response to increase in inheritance tax relief threshold

The Horticultural Trades Association has welcomed today’s Government announcement that the Inheritance Tax (IHT) reliefs threshold will rise to £2.5 million for businesses. Proposed changes to IHT reliefs in the 2024 Autumn Budget were set to create a ‘lose-lose’ scenario for the UK...
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Festive Productions launches its 2026 Christmas Collection
GTN Xtra Promotion

Festive Productions has launched its 2026 Christmas collection, delivering a commercially focused range designed to help retailers maximise Christmas sales. The collection builds on proven best sellers while introducing new product developments and exclusive licensed ranges for the year ahead...
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A million thanks – the Greenfingers Charity celebrates a landmark year

As 2025 draws to a close, the Greenfingers Charity is reflecting on one of the most remarkable years in its 25-year history, a year defined by generosity, achievement and the shared belief in the power of gardens to bring comfort and joy to life-limited children, their families and carers. From breathtaking fundraising events to the creation of new therapeutic gardens, Greenfingers Charity is offering a million thanks to the hundreds of individuals, businesses and organisations whose generosity defined 2025...
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The Otters Brook Collection makes its debut at the Christmas & Gift Show 2026
GTN Xtra Promotion
The Otters Brook Collection will be exhibiting for the first time at the Christmas & Gift Show in Harrogate, marking an important milestone for the brand. Visitors can find Otters Brook in Hall C on stand C13, where the team will be showcasing its new Christmas collection...
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GCA November BoT shows ‘strong growth’ - up +9.04% on November 2024

November's Garden Centre Association (GCA) Barometer of Trade (BoT) reveal ‘strong growth’ of +9.04% when compared to the same month in 2024 – with the year-to-date figure up +8.18% too (December 19, 2025). From the 13 categories recorded by garden centres, 11 were positive...
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HTA Market Update: Christmas comes early for UK garden centre sales, but cost challenges continue

The Horticultural Trades Association’s (HTA) December Market Update shows a steady growth in garden centre sales, offsetting the uncertainty caused by the Autumn Budget and an exceptionally wet November, with the UK receiving 33% more rainfall than a typical November...
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Unwins Seeds now available on Westland Live

Westland Horticulture has announced that Unwins seeds is now fully available via its online ordering portal, Westland Live, giving retailers across the UK and Ireland a seamless, efficient route to order and replenish their seed stock...
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Trans-Continental consolidates after cyber attack and launches new Wallace & Gromit Christmas range

Trans-Continental, the company behind the well-known brands SnowTime and SunTime,has taken the decision to consolidate its activities and focus mainly on fob and direct container business in future and has announced the launch of a new licence to market Christmas products featuring Aardman’s beloved characters Wallace & Gromit...
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Colegrave Seabrook Foundation Appoints Two New Trustees

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of two new trustees, Christine Burton, Joint Managing Director of Bransford Webbs, and Sarah Want, Associate Director at MorePeople, further strengthening its commitment to supporting education and career development within horticulture...
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Peckish launches campaign to celebrate the joy of feeding wild birds
Peckish has announced the launch of ColourWatch, an engaging new campaign designed to celebrate the joy of feeding wild birds while supporting new consumers entering the category. The initiative combines education, customer rewards and national data collection to help shoppers feel more confident about the birds visiting their gardens.
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EGO Power+ celebrates 10-year milestone with distributors at Nanjing HQ

EGO Power+, the leading manufacturer of cordless outdoor power equipment, marked a major milestone in 2025, as the company celebrated the 10th anniversary of its European launch...
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Spring Fair announces launch of Widdop & Co village
Spring Fair has announced the debut of the Widdop & Co Village, an immersive new destination showcasing innovation, storytelling, and product launches from one of the industry’s most established suppliers...
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Horticulture leaders join charity to help shape future
Perennial, the UK’s only charity dedicated to supporting everyone facing challenges in horticulture, welcomes leading voices from the horticulture industry to the Board, as well as a new Director of Services with exciting plans for the future...
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Rainbow Plants Nursery in Devon sold

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has announced the sale of Rainbow Plants on Holcombe Lane in Ottery St Mary, Devon...
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WHM Pet donates feed and funds to support Rabbit Rescue Northwest
WHM Pet, home of Marriage’s, a leading manufacturer of pet feeds, has donated a supply of premium rabbit pellets as well as £100 to Rabbit Rescue Northwest, a charity dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming domestic rabbits...
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Conservation of Scotland’s rarest moss boosted by Air-Pot innovation

The team at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has been able to successfully cultivate one of Scotland’s rarest mosses – Round‑leaved bryum – during ex‑situ conservation trials with the help of Air-Pot...
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Notcutts announces new multi-purpose compost to launch in February
Family-owned garden centre group, Notcutts, has announced a new and improved compost formula designed to deliver even better growing results, launching nationwide across its 19 garden centres and online from February 2026...
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Yorkshire Garden Centre Group exceeds its fundraising target

With three months of the ‘Charity Year’ still to go, a Bradford headquartered garden centre group has exceeded its fundraising target by 50%...
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2025 Most Jumperful Challenge raises over £5,500 for Greenfingers – taking total to £37,000 since launching!

The Greenfingers Charity is celebrating the success of the 2025 Christmas Jumperful Challenge, a fun and festive fundraiser that has once again brought cheer, colour and generosity to the season. Thanks to the efforts of Christmas jumper wearers Matt Mein and Sarah Want, this year’s challenge has already raised over £5,500 to support the charity’s work creating magical, therapeutic gardens for children in hospices across the UK...
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Get your copy of GTN Xtra
with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox...
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Industry shocked at passing of Caroline Houghton
Two weeks ago we are shocked to hear of the passing of Caroline Houghton, Key Account Manager at Tom Chambers, after a short illness...
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Bank’s Head of Retail & Leisure is speaker at GCA Annual Conference
An expert on Retail & Leisure for HSBC is presenting on retail trends at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Conference at Carden Park Chester next month...
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Government responds to the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework – HTA comment
Jennifer Pheasey, Director of Public Affairs, Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), commented: “The Government’s response to the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework, and its acceptance of all of Lord Murphy’s recommendations, is a positive and welcome step..."
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The new Italian petunia that towers above the rest
Introducing Suttons 2026 NEW Petunia ‘Allegra F1’, the biggest petunia you’ll ever grow!
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Evergreen Garden Care gifts more than 30 hectares of Peatland to Natural England
Evergreen Garden Care, is proud to announce the gift of 31.4 hectares of Peatland to Natural England, as part of its continued commitment to nature conservation...
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Substantial growth at PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt Spring Fair
The Spring Edition of PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt is fast approaching. Fortunately, we have a compelling news angle that adds some real value to what could otherwise be a rather standard announcement. At the moment, we’re seeing a 12.6% increase in net reserved stand space. While the number of exhibitors is only slightly up, it’s clear that the average stand size is larger
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The best of last week's
If you missed last week's GTN Xtra, below are the most-read stories...
Fire burns down garden centre overnight
Hayes Symington Garden Centre in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, has burned down as a result of a fire in the early hours of Monday morning, 15th December...
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Konstsmide closes its UK business
Konstsmide UK has written to its customers, informing them that the business has closed down due to the economic climate and rising operating costs. Other Konstsmide branches in Europe will continue to operate as normal...
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Greenfingers announces closure of Richard House Children’s Hospice
Greenfingers has announced: "It is with deep sadness that we have learned of the forthcoming closure of Richard House Children’s Hospice..."
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APAC announces major expansion into the UK garden centre market
APAC, one of the UK’s longest-established suppliers with over 50 years in business, is set to make a major entrance into the UK garden centre market. As part of this strategic expansion, APAC has appointed Hannah Shoesmith as Head of Sales.
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The Gardens Group partnered with Corby + Fellas
Corby + Fellas has welcomed another prestigious group – The Gardens Group – to its award winning, WinRetail system, to power the thriving and demanding retail and hospitality operations...
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GCA announces Westland Horticulture-sponsored Rising Stars finalists
Five individuals from Garden Centre Association member garden centres have been revealed as finalists in the industry body’s Rising Stars programme sponsored by Westland Horticulture...
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UK garden centres are the real deal when it comes to the sale of real Christmas trees
More than half (52%) of real Christmas trees are bought in UK garden centres...
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