Longacres have issued the following statement following the fire yesterday at their Shepperton Garden Centre...

Eddie Topping, one of the pioneers of garden centre retailing in the UK, sadly passed away peacefully with his family around him yesterday evening (Monday 6th September 2021)...

The undersigned feel there should be a much more open debate on the peat in horticulture issue with both for and against statements up for discussion...

Sir Brian H  Donohoe Ret'd MP Secretary of the Gardening and Horticultural Group 1992—2015

Peter Seabrook, International TV Gardening Presenter/Gardening Editor, The Sun.

Robert Hillier, Director Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres.

Jim McColl, Presenter BBC TV The Beechgrove Gardening Progammes.

Adrian Bloom, Chair Blooms Nurseries Ltd.

Jason Bloom, Managing Director Blooms Nurseries.

Bunny Guinness, Garden Designer and Broadcaster.

Andrew Tokely, Horticultural Director, E. W. King & Co Ltd.

Garry Coward Williams, Editor, Amateur Gardening Magazine.

Robert Wharton, Director Wharton’s Roses (fears unfair European Competition).

Paul Wharton, Director Wharton’s Roses.

Alan Sargent, Founder Association of Professional Landscapers.

Paul Cooling, Chair Coolings Garden Centres. (Currently not enough Peat Free alternatives).

Neil and Nicci Gow, Experienced and long-term Garden Retailers.

Steve McCurdy, Managing Director, Majestic Trees Ltd.

Kenneth Cox, Director Glendoick Nursery and Garden Centre, Ericaceous Plat Exporter.

Christine Walkden, Gardening Broadcaster and Lecturer.

Steve and Val Bradley, Authors, Social Media, National gardening Columnists.

Graham Richardson, Group Managing Director Johnsons of Wixley and six fellow directors:-

John, Andrew, Iain, Robert, Eleanor and Jonathon Whitemore.

Douglas Wilson, Director/Partner, Trioscape Garden Centre and Nursery.

Jo Davey, Horticultural Marketing Research and Development Manager.

Michael Smith, Director Grange, Nurseries and MeadowCroft Garden Centre.

Simon Crawford, Director, Burpee Europe.

Tim Kerley, Director, Kerley & Co, Plant Breeders.

Derek Jarman, Director Hayloft Nurseries Ltd.

Groves Garden Centre in Bridport has published the following very well worded e-mail to it's customers explaining why they are open during Lockdown 3:

"We are privileged to be able to remain open during the January 2021 lockdown. Garden centres have been classed as an essential shop, and this is not a responsibility we have taken lightly..."

Scotch Corner Designer Village has announced that it has just signed a lease for a 160,000 sq ft home and garden centre with Blue Diamond, which will be the largest in the UK...

The winners of GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020 have been announced LIVE! on-line during Glee's Festive Focus Day today. 

And the winners are...  

In advance of the launch of GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020, GTN's Northern Correspondent, Steve Myatt, paid a visit to Barton Grange to bring you this first GTN Xtra Christmas photo tour.

Dobbies Garden Centres Group Limited accounts for the 52 weeks ending 28 February 2021 show an operating profit of £12.9m on reduced turnover of £224m, however, after finance costs the group reported a loss of £31m...

After the first full week of operating during lockdown 3, several garden centre owners and directors have shared their views about being allowed to be open for business.

"With the classification as “Essential” I believe they are looking at the science and evidence of the mental and physical benefits that gardening brings..."

"Even in this cold weather you only have to spend an hour or two outside to know how much better it makes you feel..."

"Its ironic that centres were heaving before Christmas with the potential hazards and now we are empty some choose to close..."

"I felt more uneasy about staying open during the November lockdown when our focus was Christmas..."

“It would be a desperate shame to be open now, and then get shut down when we desperately need to be open..."

"This of all years, with the disruption to the supply chain, is not the year to delay deliveries..."

British Garden Centres arrive in Harrogate with their 58th garden centre, due to open in April, and are looking to fill 40 new jobs...

In this issue of news and information for garden centre professionals:

• Patio Black Spot - Bloomin Marvellous on Patios.
• Antony Harker launches Altico at Glee.
• Made to measure merchandising from Primeur.
• Meadow View Stone Delivers.
• Miss Marple Afternoon Tea – Alan Roper’s new dining concept.
• Blue Diamond Springfields, GTN Photo Tour.    
• Downtown Grantham, GTN Photo Tour.
• Glee 2021 is ready to refuel retail.
• HTA Column – Job for life?
• LOFA Member profile – Traeger.
• GIMA Column – A Celebration of newness.

Nicholas Marshall is making a return to Garden Centre retailing at Lavershot Barns, Windlesham, Surrey...

GTN Xtra has learned of the sad passing of Pat Coutts, the long-time event director of the Four Oaks trade show...

Gardens are the main stage for family re-unions as England moves to the next stage of the Roadmap today, and garden centres have been reporting their busiest ever day on Saturday this weekend...

Last Friday, 3rd December, new operators, Lush Landscapes, took over the running of the plant and garden centre at Windlesham after Nicholas Marshalls Country House Group pulled out...

Many LOFA members have products on the container ship that is blocking the Suez canal, Ever Given, or held up in one of the container ships behind the vessel, which means yet another setback for the outdoor leisure industry which is already dealing with issues caused by port congestion, lack of empty containers and rising shipping costs...

Joules, the premium British lifestyle brand, has announced that it has acquired The Garden Trading Company Limited, a digitally led retailer of home and garden products inspired by the British countryside and lifestyle trends...

The team at British Garden Centres took the opportunity of a brief lull in trading on Easter Sunday to express their huge thanks to their industry friends for their help in the last year...

Elho won the Sword of Excellence at the GIMA Awards last night with its Green Basics Veggie Wall 80cm. Other winners on a spectacular night of celebration at Celtic Manor in Wales included: Richard Jackson Garden, Stihl, Fallen Fruits, Mr Fothergill's Seeds, Onduline, Wildlife World, The Solar Centre, Woodlodge, Evergreen Garden Care, Dalefoot Compost and Meadow View Stone...

The UK’s leading brand of sustainable composite decking and cladding, Composite Prime, has launched an exclusive online stockist training programme. Following a huge surge in demand for composite decking products experienced by stockists during the pandemic the brand has invested in a free to use, virtual training platform...

Bill Bickerdike, one of "the gang" of garden centre pioneers in the UK, has died aged 83.

He passed away peacefully last Wednesday evening at home after a short illness, with his family around him...

"Westland Horticulture is significantly ahead of our plan in delivering ambitious sustainability targets across our potting soils and composts for 2021. However, we would warn that the toughest days lie ahead for the sector unless some reality is brought to the debate around peat." Keith Nicholson, Marketing Director Westland Horticulture...

Here’s our picture special from last night’s glitzy GIMA Awards evening hosted by celebrity Vernon Kay. Pictures taken by Steve Burden and Trevor Pfeiffer.

Yesterday afternoon, local newspapers reported that Dobbies had bought Johnsons of Boston Garden Centre...

The Environment Secretary, George Eustice, will today speak from Delamere Forest when he will confirm that the Government will ban sales of peat products by the end of this Parliament, subject to public consultation this year...

A combination of lockdown#3 and wintry weather means that even shopping for gardening essentials stays at an all time low as far as the GTN Bestsellers Epos data tells us...

Has the bubble burst for garden centres increased sales volumes?  Analysis of last weeks Epos data for GTN Bestsellers shows sales dipping below or just matching previous years levels for the first week since mid February...

Dobbies opened its 71^st store, located in Boston Lincolnshire, on Friday 30th April 2021...

Nicholas Marshall is back - with aspirations to open many new plant centres.

In this issue of news and information for garden centre professionals:

• Solex Online - “exhibitors preview”
• Marshall is back… again
• Garden Re-Leaf Day 2021 raises £75,000
• New Products - Glee style
• Glee Buyers Power List - nominate your top buyers
• GIMA Golf Day - full results and pictures
• Hillier Heritage at Syon Park - GTN Photo Tour
• Signs of the times at Thetford - GTN Photo Tour
• Jam on top at BGC Bressingham - GTN Photo Tour
• HTA Column – 20/20 Vision… so last year.

Choice Marketing members are celebrating the completion of another successful year with a huge rebate of £1,800,000, for achieving agreed targets with their key suppliers during 2020...

Last week saw the return of Choice Marketing’s annual conference and trade show. The two day event brought together Choice members from over 40 independent garden centres across the country for what was described as “the perfect mix of supplier presentations, networking opportunities, and entertainment” combined with a trade show with over 90 trade exhibitors from the garden, leisure and gift sectors...

Following on from last weeks issue GTN Xtra received the following statement from Derek Bunker about the response to his COVID-19 update and his views on garden centres staying open during lockdown 3...

On the 14 October 2021 – Phil Gibbs, former LOFA Secretary was given a 27-month custodial sentence for Fraud by abuse of position – fraud act 2006 between 01/08/2013 and 31/12/2018...

The Blue Diamond Group has added to its portfolio of garden centres with the acquisition of Mere Park Garden Centre in Newport, Shropshire...

Planning officers have recommended that proposals for what’s been described as the UK’s largest garden centre be approved by local councillors...

Value garden centre group, Cherry Lane, has acquired Langford Nurseries & Garden Centre in Bedfordshire, taking their group of garden centres to 15...

Nominations are now open for the Glee Buyers Power List Awards, the winners will be celebrated at Glee 2021...

In advance of tomorrows reported publishing of the governments Peat Strategy by George Eustace, DEFRA Minister, the UK gardening industry appears to be preparing for a peat-less future...

After reading Charles Stubbs Easter message in GTN Xtra on Easter Monday, Derek Bunker, who is celebrating 50 years of Alton Garden Centre contacted the GTN team to pass on his thanks to all suppliers and staff too...

Britons could soon be paying up to fifty per cent more for their garden sheds due to a global shortage of timber...

Twenty-three years after buying Johnsons of Boston, David Isaac, a self-described "engineer from a family of retailers", has retired and the business sold to Dobbies.  GTN Xtra had the privilege of visiting David and his team on their last day of independent trading, Sunday 18^th April 2021, before the centre closes for a two week re-fit...

Renato Canale 1942-2021

It is with the heaviest of hearts that Valerie, Fabienne, (daughters) Kiaran, (grandson), Oscar Freddie and all the team at Europlants UK Ltd are notifying industry colleagues and friends of the passing of Renato Canale on the 17th May 2021...

California Gardens in East Yorkshire has been sold for £1.5m to two local businessmen who plan to invest more than £1m in the garden centre and create 15 new jobs...

Garden Centres in Scotland and Wales, where garden centres are currently not allowed to open, need our support with their petitions to devolved governments to allow them to re-open as soon as possible...

British Garden Centres 58th centre at Harrogate opened yesterday where Charles Stubbs and Anthony Harker enjoyed the welcome sunshine...

Tong’s new £14m garden centre on the edge of Wakefield was given the green light today (Thursday), as council planning chiefs approved plans for the site of a former golf course. The company now has permission to build the new garden centre and soft play area at the former Acanthus Golf Club off Thorpe Lane in Tingley, which is expected to provide up to 250 jobs.

GTN's Greatest Awards team of experts are out in force this week and the following two weeks visiting the teams at the 57 Garden Centres nominated in this year's Greatest Christmas Awards...

GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards are sponsored by:

"From head shaves to virtual walks, quizzes to minutes mowed, pot sales, skipping, #floralfriday and much more we really cannot thank the industry enough for their inspiration and for digging deep and putting the FUN into FUNdraising!..."

There is great anticipation in the garden retail sector for the long-awaited return of Glee (14^th – 16^th September 2021, NEC Birmingham) as an in-person event; with suppliers and retailers set to reconnect and create new opportunities at this year’s show. Building on this excitement, the Glee team has confirmed that the 2022 event will move to a new date in order to meet the ever-developing needs of the garden retail sector. As a result, Glee 2022 will take place June 28^th – 30^th...