In This Issue
Coolings buys Potted Garden Nursery at Maidstone
Supplier rebates to exceed £1.5m for Choice members
New Xylella e-learning module available from HTA
"Xylella is the most serious situation I have come across in 32 years in the industry"
Selby site is No.2 for Whitby garden centre family
Plants and Christmas boost September sales
Perrywood, Castle Gardens, Aylett Nurseries and Fron Goch win GTN's Greatest Garden Centre Awards
Hillview CEO 'shocked' to win HTA Pearson Medal award
Smart Garden wins 'Greatest Supplier' award again
Embracing change for the future of garden retail
Syngenta takes over Cultivation Street sponsorship
On the trail of berried treasure
Garden centre walkers smash target for charity
Haskins donates a host of golden daffodils
Seedsmen explore urban gardening trend at Paris event
Countdown begins for Garden Re-Leaf Day 2018
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Scotts fail with claim that Westland Safelawn advertising was misleading
It’s an orchid feed bonanza
Welcome to Thermidrome
Growing Media stays up 4% as bulb planting swells sales
Pansies rule supreme through September
Decorations get personal and Santa loo roll sales are up
Feeding for winter energy
23 Zest 4 Leisure employees take on marathon
Klass opens fashion concession at Longacres Ashford centre
Consumers more likely to buy from a name they recognise
Zapper app is the rewarding way to pay by phone
New role for Rachel
Get the balance right with Flopro
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards 2018: entries now open
Another strong year for specialist coffee roaster Matthew Algie
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Hillview CEO 'shocked' to win HTA Pearson Medal award

 

Boyd Douglas-Davies has been awarded the Charles Pearson Memorial Medal for  outstanding contribution and service to the horticultural industry.

 

Boyd, who is CEO of the Hillview Garden Centre Group, was presented with the accolade by HTA President, Adam Taylor, at the HTA Garden Futures Conference held at Heythrop Park, Oxfordshire. 

 

A respected figure in the industry, Boyd studied at Pershore College of Horticulture beforer a career in garden retail  spanning more than  30 years.  He strted working at his fathers’ business, Clows Garden Centre, before moving across to Webbs of Wychbold where he worked for 20 years up to the position of Chief Executive.  His determination and experience in retail and sales saw Webbs repeatedly recognised by the Garden Centre Association (GCA) as the UK’s Best Garden Centre.

 

He then left to start the Hillview Garden Centre Group in 2011, which has seen phenomenal growth, acquiring 11 stores across the Midlands.  Boyd instigated key retail and sales concepts in store and increased footfall across the chain by introducing onsite events such as ice rinks, circus and motor shows. Their Soft Play Barns have been a phenomenal success and entertain close on 100,000 children per year. In 2015, Hillview launched their e-commerce platform .

 

Boyd is also renowned for his charity work in the industry and joined the Greenfingers Board of Trustees in 2014.  He is the brain and founder behind Garden Re-Leaf Day, a cross-industry fundraising extravaganza to kickstart the gardening season.  Through events such as 24-hour Plant-a-thons, quiz nights, sponsored walks and cake sales, Garden Re-leaf has raised more than £500,000 for Greenfingers.

 

"I was totally shocked and for once utterly lost for words when the announcement was made," Boyd saidf. " I feel incredibly honoured to be the recipient of this year's award and to be included in a list of people for whom I have such huge respect and admiration is a genuine privilege.  This is such a wonderful industry and to have been part of it for the last 33 years is brilliant. I hope this doesn't mean anyone's expecting me to hang up my boots anytime soon!"

 

The HTA Charles Pearson Medal, instigated in 1930 in memory of the HTA’s first General Secretary, is presented annually at the Garden Futures event.

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