In This Issue
Mr Fothergill's Seeds acquires Darlac Garden Tools
Garden centre catering buyers prepare for lunch! 2017
Woodstock Chimes – It’s All About the Sound
Evergreen Enterprises leads with quality, innovation and variety
GCA Ruxley Rose finalists revealed
Autumn kicks in already, says GTN Bestsellers
Industry mourns loss of well-loved character
Charity fund-raising: a way of life for our garden centres
Wyevale Nurseries ready crop of 'game-changer' Daphne
Squire’s donates plants to White Lodge Centre
Clematis on Plantarium judging list
Garden centre staff pull on walking boots for charity
Equip yourself for success after Brexit
Millbrook Garden Centre complete 60 Mile Charity Walk
Summerseat Gardeners Question Time is a winner for local hospice
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Heuchera are most popular plant of the week
Can you help centre's Think Pink event to raise cash for hospice?
Wonderwall leads way for garden product sales
Allensmore set for Christmas range launch
Charlotte tops the Christmas menu
Garden Futures Conference 2017 line up announced
Bark up as weeds need to be supressed
Briers expands sales team again
New business name for GTN
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
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Email neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk, or trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 01733 775700


Industry mourns loss of well-loved character


The garden centre industry is mourning the sad loss of Stephen Pickering, who worked for Wyevale Garden Centre (Poppleton, York) from 1994 until his retirement in 2012, receiving an RHS long service medal for 47 years service in 2009. He was 70.

Steve started working for Challis of York at 15 years old.  His first job included picking cabbages.  He helped to set up the nursery in the fields opposite the centre.  Challis opened their first centre in York in 1964 and Steve was one of the first employees at this very successful centre.

He worked in every area of the centre over the years working his way up to general manager by 1969.  Wyevale purchased the centre in 1993 and Steve achieved great success as centre manager of York, only stepping down due to his failing eyesight. 

He remained a valued employee and was considered the backbone of the centre.  His horticultural knowledge was invaluable and he shared this with countless employees over the years.  In 2009, Steve received the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society's Long Service Medal for 47 years' dedicated service to the industry and it was presented to him at a ceremony at Wyevale's Head Office at Syon Park by the President of the RHS.

In 2011, Steve was diagnosed with cancer and although he continued to work in the outside planteria, he retired in May 2012. 

Despite surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Steve's health deteriorated and in early 2017 it was clear that Steve was losing his long battle with cancer.  Steve was cared for at home by his family and most recently by the nursing team at St Leonard's Hospice in York, where he sadly passed away on 9th August 2017, surrounded by his family.

Steve will be forever remembered as Steve from Challis' and will be sorely missed by family, friends and those who worked with him or knew him from his many years spent living and working in Poppleton.

Steve's burial will be held at Mowthorpe Garden of Rest, Terrington on Thursday 24th August at 10.30am followed by a celebration of his life at Poppleton Methodist Church, Upper Poppleton at 12.30pm.  All welcome.
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Clifford Parkin
Sorry very sorry to read this, Steve was a great chap and will be missed.
Cliff