British Garden Centres is delighted to announce the acquisition of Dobbies Rugby, further expanding the family-run business. This exciting news comes at the same time as the group exchanging on the lease of the Dobbies Northampton site. These additions bring the total number of centres to 72, cementing the phenomenal growth of the company as the go-to garden retail operator in the UK.

Both locations are highly regarded within their communities, and British Garden Centres looks forward to working with the existing centre teams to build upon the strong foundations already in place.

Rugby Garden Centre is expected to open in March as the team works to reset and stock the site, with Northampton following suit once the acquisition is complete. British Garden Centres will retain the current teams in both stores and due to the expected growth of the sites, there will be a recruitment drive with roles posted on the British Garden Centres website, https://www.britishgardencentres.com/careers/  and social media.

Charles Stubbs of British Garden Centres said: “These acquisitions represent a significant step forward in our continued growth and reinforce our commitment to becoming the leading garden centre group in the UK. We're delighted to welcome both teams to the British Garden Centres family and are excited about the potential for both the Rugby and Northampton sites.  By integrating these centres into our portfolio, we aim to expand our customer base and provide even more growth opportunities. With a dedication to quality, service, and leading garden plants and products, we look forward to a bright future and continued success with our suppliers.”
 
British Garden Centres (BGC) is the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group with 72 centres around the country. The group is owned and led by The Stubbs family, who also own and operate Woodthorpe Leisure Park in Lincolnshire. 

BGC was launched in 1987 with the opening of Woodthorpe Garden Centre by brothers Charles and Robert Stubbs. Since 2018 it has expanded rapidly with the acquisition of 50 garden centres allowing it to grow from its heartland to the business it is now with 72 garden centres spread from Carmarthen to Ramsgate, Wimborne to East Durham.

The group has a team of 3000 colleagues working across the garden centres, restaurants, growing nurseries, distribution centres, Woodthorpe Leisure Park, and Woody’s Restaurant & Bar.
 
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British Garden Centres is delighted to announce another addition to the family, acquiring the former Dobbies site in Havant.  This takes the group up to 70 centres, an extremely exciting milestone for the family-run business.

Havant Garden Centre is expected to open in March as the team work to reset and stock the site. British Garden Centres will be retaining all the current centre team and in addition there will be a recruitment drive due to the expected growth of the site. Extra roles will be posted on the British Garden Centres website, https://www.britishgardencentres.com/careers/ .

Charles Stubbs, Founder and Director of British Garden Centres said: “This acquisition marks another exciting step in our growth as a leading player in UK garden retail.  We're thrilled to welcome the Havant team to the British Garden Centres family and look forward to build on the strong foundations they already have in place.

"To reach 70 centres is a huge achievement for our family-run business. This would not be possible without our amazing team and the passion they have for what we do. A huge thank you must go to our suppliers who have been so supportive as we have grown over the last few years, for which we will always be grateful.”

Planning perission for the Blue Diamond Garden Centre at Alnwick on the Northumberland Estates retail development has been granted.  The Northumberland Gazette reported: "Plans to build the ‘premier garden centre in the North East’ on the outskirts of Alnwick have received the green light.

When built and opened the centre will become the 50th Blue Diamond Garden Centre after the group added three centres last month: Harlestone Heath and Huntingdon from Dobbies and Yarnton Garden Centre.

Blue Diamond Managing Director Alan Roper told GTN Xtra that after a full Blue Diamond refurb the Harlestone Heath and Huntingdon centres will re-open late March early April.

The Financial Times is the latest "newspaper" to publish an article questioning the future of garden centres.

Read the article here: https://www.ft.com/content/4986c7f3-8999-4456-a8d8-04aae1ca913e#comments-anchor

Tates of Sussex Garden Centres, welcomed James McCleary MP to their Paradise Park Garden Centre at Newhaven, East Sussex on Thursday (6th February 2025) to discuss the challenges the family business is facing from the impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 and concerns that the government is not providing enough support to the horticultural sector.

Sarah Mead (Director), fifth generation of the Tate family explained the financial cost to the business that the NIC and minimum wage increase will have and the desire not to simply pass this extra cost onto their loyal customer base.

Mark Gilbert (Director) further explained the value of the horticulture sector in the wider context on how valuable it was for well-being and referenced the recent Oxford Economics report commissioned by Environmental Horticultural Group on how much value the industry adds to the economy.

These points were received from the Lib Dem MP and his team with good understanding of the challenging situation SME’s find themselves in with current government policies.

Pictured (left to right): Sarah Mead (Tates Director), Sarah Osbourne (local councillor), James McCleary MP, Mark Gilbert (Tates Director).

The GCA’s annual event, organised by Chairman Elect, Ben Harrison Operations Director for Haskins Garden Centres, will be held at Carden Park Chester from January 25 until 28, 2026.

Ben, who is helping organise the conference alongside the body’s CEO, Peter Burks, explains: “Hot on the heels of our highly successful and much praised 2025 conference, we’re delighted to reveal that our next conference will take place at Carden Park Chester in January 2026.

“Our recent conference was very well attended with more than 400 members there across the two main days and we’ve had some wonderful feedback from delegates on the quality of the speakers, the ambience and the opportunities available to network and socialise. It was a great experience and one that we hope has helped inspire and energise our members to kick off 2025 with revitalised positivity.

“We’re currently working hard to make sure that our 2026 conference is even bigger and better than before, with a line-up of top speakers and plenty of chances to catch up with friends, colleagues and associates from the industry.

“It promises to be an upbeat celebration of what’s best about our sector, as well as offering some insightful information from our inspectors’ presentations and those of key business experts including those with knowledge of the economy, HR and marketing and sales.

“We’re also planning on ensuring that bookings for our 2026 event go live much sooner this year and they should be available via our website from this summer.”

The GCA was formed in 1966 and celebrates its 59th anniversary this year.

Peter Burks, GCA CEO, says: “During the 2026 conference, we’ll be officially welcoming Ben as our new Chairman. He will be taking over from Will Blake, Managing Director of St Peters Garden Centre, who has been absolutely brilliant. Although Ben is helping lead on the 2026 conference organisation, Will continues in his chairmanship throughout 2025.

“We’ll be keeping our members updated throughout the year when we unveil details of our 2026 line-up of speakers and when booking goes live. In the meantime, please keep an eye on our website and social media pages for all our latest news and follow #gcaconf2026.”

The GCA represents more than 200 garden centres nationwide.

Through sharing information and its inspection programme the GCA helps members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.

For further information, please visit www.gca.org.uk.

Thompson & Morgan’s incredipeatfree compost has received a 92% satisfaction rating in independent Feefo reviews, plus been endorsed by Which? in a Best Buy for Young Plants test.

T&M’s incredipeatfree (part of its incredicompost range) was developed in response to the poor quality of available compost on the market - compost that even the most accomplished gardeners were struggling to grow in. T&M worked with leading compost experts to develop a peat-free mix that that would give its customers the best possible start for their plants.

Eco-friendly, vegan-friendly and professional grade incredipeatfree multipurpose compost promotes strong root growth, and supports healthy flowers and foliage. It’s the perfect compost for growing on seedlings and plug plants, as well as for planting up containers.

This premium peat-free compost blends the highest quality wood fibre with a wetting agent, plus the ideal amount of fertiliser to get seedlings off to a great start - simply add extra fertiliser from the sachet included of T&M’s acclaimed incredibloom® plant feed for use with larger plants.

With excellent drainage and superb aeration properties, plants are given the ideal growing medium to encourage strong root establishment and healthy plant growth.

The Old Railway Line Garden Centre is celebrating another achievement after being named the 5th Best Garden Centre in the UK at the prestigious Garden Centre Association Awards. 

The family-run business, based in Three Cocks, also secured multiple top rankings in key categories, reaffirming its commitment to excellence across all areas.

At this year’s GCA Awards, The Old Railway Line placed:

• 5th Best Garden Centre in the UK Across All Size Categories
• 2nd Best Garden Centre (medium size category) in the UK
• 3rd Best Farm Shop
• 3rd Best Christmas Department
• 2nd Place in the Worrall Cup for Christmas Marketing

The GCA Awards are highly respected in the industry, recognising outstanding garden centres across the country for their quality, innovation, and customer experience.

Founder Mark Cleary said: "We are absolutely thrilled with these results! To be ranked among the very best garden centres in the UK, competing against some of the largest and most established names in the industry, is an incredible achievement. It’s a true testament to our amazing team, whose passion and dedication continue to make The Old Railway Line a special place for our customers. We are so proud of what we’ve accomplished together."

Joe Aldworth, Director of E-Commerce and Marketing, added, "Securing 5th place among the biggest garden centres in the UK is a huge achievement and a true testament to our team’s dedication in maintaining exceptional standards and creating an award-winning shopping experience for our customers. Reinvesting in the business and developing our new plant area has been a major milestone for us this year, and we’re excited for it to enhance the experience for everyone who visits."

The team at The Old Railway Line Garden Centre extends a heartfelt thank you to their loyal customers and hardworking team, who continue to make these achievements possible.

A South Leeds garden centre is the first to launch a range of houseplant accessories from a fellow Leeds business.

The GrowTropicals range of peat-free and organic houseplant potting mixes is now available at Tingley Garden Centre.

"GrowTropicals was set up by passionate houseplant hobbyist Jacob James during the COVID-19 pandemic. Community is at the heart of everything we do at Tingley, so we're delighted to support a local business and its entrepreneurial founder," said Emma Telford, a member of the houseplant team at Tingley Garden Centre.

"We're pleased to launch a selection of GrowTropicals potting mixes and components, including orchid, cacti, terrarium and houseplant mixes. All are designed to provide the optimal environment for houseplants to thrive and have been tested in the company's nursery, which is home to 14,000 houseplants."

Mr James is delighted with the listing: "Tingley Garden Centre is our first garden centre stockist in West Yorkshire and we're looking forward to seeing how our high-quality care products help local people to nurture their houseplants and terrariums."

GrowTropicals is a multi-award winning houseplant-focused brand that has quickly evolved into a trusted name and whose products are used at institutions including Kew, The RHS and Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Tingley Garden Centre is part of the Yorkshire Garden Centres family that also owns Tong, Otley and Bingley Garden Centres plus Dean's in York and Scarborough. It is home to a unique mix of shopping, dining and play for all the family, including Mission Out adventure playground, Grass Hoppers, Blooms Kitchen and Hearty's Food Hall.

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) hosted a webinar on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in collaboration with APHA, Border Force and Defra.

Following the success of previous webinars initiated by the HTA due to increased reports of compliance challenges, the meeting attracted over 70 participants from both the UK and EU. The session aimed to provide the latest information on regulations for those involved in the movement of flora covered by CITES controls across the UK border.

Participants heard from guest speakers Alex Brook (Defra), Lydia Andrews (APHA) and Ann Ainslie (Border Force) to learn about permits, policies and proposals for future legislation reform.

The HTA has communicated to the UK CITES-responsible bodies the sector's challenges and the desire to see improvements in user experience. This includes faster processing of import permit applications for live plants and the complete digitisation of the CITES application permit process.

Sally Cullimore, HTA Technical Policy Manager, said: "The high level of attendance and engagement at the HTA's webinar shows the demand for a smoother, less onerous CITES process. We are very pleased to hear Defra’s proposals to reform the UK legislation to facilitate legitimate trade by possibly removing the need for import permits for certain types of plant trades, or allowing semi-completed permits for live artificially propagated plants. We look forward to the consultation detailing these proposals, which we understand will be published in the Spring.”

HTA members can watch back the recording of the webinar on the HTA website: https://hta.org.uk/policy/policy-video-library/cites-webinar/ 

The team at Millbrook Staplehurst has been celebrating its award-winning success at the GCA conference where it picked up the prize for Local Garden Centre of the Year.

The winners of the Garden Centre Association’s most prestigious awards including its Garden Centres of Excellence were announced at its annual conference.

The awards ceremony took place at the De Vere Wokefield Estate, Reading.

Chief Executive at the GCA, Peter Burks, says: “We had a wonderful evening crowning our overall champion of champions and our ‘Garden Centres of Excellence’ winners. They have all been recognised for their amazing dedication to delivering the very best within our industry and they couldn’t be more deserving of these fabulous awards.

“We were also delighted to announce our Associate of the Year, as voted for by our member garden centres and to present our Worrall Cup to the garden centre the judges’ felt entered the best marketing too.

“We had a great second day at our 2025 conference. I’d like to thank our sponsors for helping make it all happen, especially Taylors Bulbs for sponsoring the day, The Horti House for our stage plants, Davidson Richards for helping keep us well fuelled by sponsoring our morning tea/coffee break, Quinton Edwards for our Tuesday champagne reception and Bon Bon’s for our delicious after-dinner chocolates. They all played a vital role in ensuring our Tuesday went so well, thank you.”

The full list of winners announced on Tuesday, January 28 were:

Destination Garden Centre of the Year:

Winner: Barton Grange Garden Centre

Second & third place winners: Perrywood Garden Centre (above), Tiptree; Bents Garden & Home

Garden Centre of the Year:

Winner: Fron Goch Garden Centre

Second & third place winners: The Old Railway Line Garden Centre; Aylett Nurseries

Local Garden Centre of the Year:

Winner: Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst

Second & third place winners: Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group; Klondyke Garden Centre, Burnside

Garden Centres of Excellence:

Aylett Nurseries

Barton Grange Garden Centre

Bents Garden & Home

Fron Goch Garden Centre

Meadow Croft Garden Centre

Perrywood Garden Centre, Sudbury

Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree

Ruxley Manor Garden Centre

The Old Railway Line Garden Centre

Thurrock Garden Centre

Associate of the Year:

Winner: Lyme Bay Winery 

Second & third place winners: Allensmore Nurseries Ltd; Smart Garden Products

The Worrall Cup:

Winner: Pugh’s Garden Centres

Second & third place winners: The Old Railway Line Garden Centre; Poplars Garden Centre

Robert Dyas took centre stage at the highly anticipated GIMA ‘Buyer Connect’ event held at the Windlesham Golf Club, Bagshot, Surrey. The event offered GIMA members an exceptional opportunity to engage with one of the UK’s most respected high-street and e-commerce retailers.

Established in 1872, Robert Dyas has built a reputation for offering an extensive range of quality products across home, garden, and outdoor categories. With 93 physical stores, many of which are located in and around London, and a robust online presence, Robert Dyas has become a household name. In recent years, the company has focused on expanding its e-commerce operations, with dropshipping becoming a cornerstone of its growth strategy.

Their Head of Online Trading, Richard Redman, says: “Since including dropshipping as a key part of our growth strategy, we’ve seen a huge amount of success, making it integral to our ever-expanding business. As such, we are keen to meet suppliers who can demonstrate a solid dropship offering, with plans to introduce new ranges ready for the 2025 season. We’re very much looking forward to fostering new and exciting partnerships and business opportunities.”

The retailer looked to connect with suppliers offering products for categories such as outdoor gardening, seasonal items, workshop tools, cleaning and utility products, kitchen essentials, appliances, consumables, technology, and home and fitness items.

The Horticultural Trades Association hosted its first Scottish regional event of the year at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, followed by a reception at Holyrood.

HTA members gathered for a behind-the-scenes tour of the site, an introduction to the Royal Botanic Garden team, and an update on the HTA’s policy work in Scotland. Following the regional event, the HTA hosted the Cross-Party Group (CPG) for Gardening and Horticulture for their Annual General Meeting at Holyrood, with MSPs and the HTA in attendance.

The evening reception was hosted by Christine Grahame MSP, with a speech from Professor Sir John Curtice, who advocated for the use of gardening and horticulture as a policy solution for the Scottish government, especially for an ageing population, to enable them to live better and not just longer.  The HTA’s Chairman, James Barnes and Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity of Scotland, also spoke at the reception.

Christine Grahame, MSP said: “I am delighted to sponsor this event in the Parliament to raise awareness of the importance of the horticultural trades and their contribution to the economy. I’m also passionate about promoting the great health benefits and enjoyment horticulture offers to millions of Scots. If anyone was in any doubt before, the Covid pandemic certainly demonstrated the importance of having access to good quality green spaces and, better still, for those of us lucky enough to have a garden, our wellbeing, and the horticultural trades are key to enabling that.”

Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister of Agriculture and Connectivity of Scotland, said: “I was pleased to attend the HTA parliamentary reception and speak about my engagements with the horticulture sector over the last several months, which the HTA helpfully arranged. Environmental horticulture is a diverse sector and I have developed a real sense of the sector’s important contribution to the environment, the economy and the Scottish population’s wellbeing.  I very much welcome HTA’s ongoing engagement with the Scottish Government, in identifying where the sector and Scottish Government can work together to achieve shared ambitions.”

James Barnes, Chairman of HTA, said: “We were delighted to have Christine Grahame MSP, Professor Sir John Curtice, and Minister Jim Fairlie speak at our Holyrood Reception. We have seen the horticulture industry in Scotland being recognised from our constructive engagement with the CPG - led by Rachael Hamilton MSP- which has been helpful in gaining a common understanding. Be it on the cost of running a business, encouraging the next generation of skilled workers, engaging those in education or finding floral-based health and wellbeing solutions, the HTA is committed to our work in Scotland.”

The HTA hosts a vast schedule of regional meetings throughout the year, details of which are updated regularly on the HTA website:https://hta.org.uk/regional-member-events

As the doors close on the 75th edition of Spring Fair, the UK’s largest retail trade show for Home, Gift & Fashion, the NEC Birmingham has been buzzing with energy, innovation, and meaningful connections. Over four days, more than 38,000 retail buyers and industry professionals gathered to discover the latest trends, meet suppliers, and be part of the ever-evolving retail landscape.

The 75-year-old show is expanding and transforming. As the retail sector continues to adapt, Spring Fair is at the forefront, fuelling growth by creating an unparalleled retail experience that connects buyers, brands, and industry experts. The show welcomed thousands of retailers including Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, The Very Group, Fenwick, Robert Dyas, Next, Moonpig, Matalan, B&Q, Tesco, Wayfair, ALDI, The Designer Rooms, TJ Hughes, QVC, The Walt Disney Company, TJX, Barkers, V&A Enterprises, Mackenzie’s, Hoopers, Currys, Blue Diamond, Ryman, TK Maxx, Cardzone, Budgens, Waterstones, Peacocks, Pets at Home, Mackays, Elphicks, Voisins, Hush, The National Trust, Warner Bros, Freemans, Barnardo’s, Paper Tiger, Dobbies Garden Centres, British Garden Centres, Blenheim Palace, Blue Cross, Anne Furbank, Jarrold Department Store, British Museum, N Brown, F Hinds, Specsavers, nkuku, London Transport Museum, The Perfume Shop, Science Museum, Hamleys, National Portrait Gallery, The Crown Estate, Westfield, Ulster Stores representing the breadth and diversity of the show’s appeal.

A Mission for Growth

With a mission to enable growth in the retail industry, Spring Fair has taken bold and creative steps to enhance its show, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of retailers and the industry. This commitment is reflected in its rapid expansion - Spring Fair is now the fastest-growing retail show in the UK, drawing in more exhibitors, buyers, and decision-makers, and it aims to create the UK’s largest retail experience to service the industry for the next 75 years.

The 2025 show has experienced:

• 14% increase in exhibitors at Spring Fair - 180 more exhibitors this year than last year
• 18% more New exhibitors at Spring Fair - that’s 400 NEW exhibitors
• Reports indicate buyers in attendance had higher spend thresholds and bigger budgets

Soraya Gadelrab, Event Director of Spring Fair said, “The show’s evolution is not just about size; it’s about impact. It’s not just the volume of buyers; it’s the quality and it’s the opportunities that this show delivers. By listening to the industry, responding to market demands, and embracing innovation, Spring Fair is delivering more than just a trade show, it is building the ultimate retail experience. We are dedicated to helping and supporting the UK retail sector to thrive by providing the environment for retailers to discover innovative products, gain valuable insights, and forge meaningful connections. Our success is measured by the growth and achievements of the businesses it serves and over the last four days we’ve heard so many success stories and new opportunities that highlight the tangible impact of Spring Fair.”

Nurturing Emerging Brands & Entrepreneurs

Spring Fair 2025 placed a strong emphasis on fostering new talent through initiatives like the #SBS Village, in partnership with Theo Paphitis, and the New Business Pavilions. For many first-time exhibitors, the show was a game-changer. Melissa McQuade from Charley’s Wild Worldshared, “I have actually met with six different zoos here - contacts I’ve been trying to reach for two years! Being at Spring Fair has made all the difference.”

Georgia and Tom Calvert from Avorium, part of the New Business Pavilion, echoed the sentiment: “It’s been a learning curve as it’s our first show, but we’ve had lots of good leads and met plenty of people that we’ll follow up with after the event. People are excited to see something new.”

Spring Fair is transforming the traditional trade show model into an interactive, immersive retail experience. By integrating activations, trend-led content, and experiential showcases, the event is creating more opportunities for engagement and learning. New enhancements introduced to elevate the retail experience include:

• New Business Pavilions – offered a dedicated space showcasing cutting-edge products and emerging brands poised to shape the future of retail.
• New Licensing Lab stage - where industry experts shared the latest licensing insights and retail strategies, ensuring visitors stay ahead of market shifts.
• Buyers Lounge featuring an immersive High Street experience - allowing buyers to experience products in real-life settings, making purchasing decisions more informed and impactful.
• New Gift Of The Year Showcase & Pavilion providing a launchpad for giftware brands.

Chris Workman from The Giftware Association said, “Spring Fair has been fantastic for the Gift of the Year Showcase, Pavilion, and Judging Area and it has been a busy successful week. It's been great to welcome over 70 judges to the Gift of the Year area to judge the shortlist and non-judges to discover new brands and products with a constant flow of traffic being sent to different corners of the show. There is a positivity out there too with inspiration being sought from the awards and speaking to members it's grand to hear they have had good shows.”

Meaningful Connections That Drive Retail Forward

Throughout the event, retailers from across the UK and beyond - from John Lewis and M&S to independent boutiques and heritage sites - engaged in meaningful conversations with suppliers and industry leaders. Buyer Tracey Sysum from Marina Homeware summed up the experience, saying, “We have found everything we are looking for. It’s been great meeting suppliers, and the Buyer Lounge is a real treat.”

The Buyer Lounge, featuring an immersive High Street experience, proved to be a highlight, allowing visitors to engage their senses with fragrances, tastings, and interactive brand showcases. This year’s introduction of Heritage 75 fragranced candles and diffusers provided a nostalgic and celebratory touch to the show’s milestone anniversary.

Laurie Morgan from Quintessence Fragrances said, “We are delighted to have participated in Spring Fair's 75th year, from creating the show's Heritage 75 signature scent to engaging in immersive panel discussions and showcasing our apothecary in the Buyers Lounge. This remarkable opportunity enabled us to connect with both existing and potential new customers, significantly expanding our outreach and influence. We extend our gratitude to the event organisers for their seamless execution, resulting in an incredible experience.”

Seb Schyberg, Sales Director from Sebnini added, “We are thrilled to have partnered with Quintessence and Spring Fair to bring their signature heritage fragrance to life. Seeing the product showcased throughout the event and the incredible reception it received was truly fantastic. We hope that when buyers light their candles in the future, they’ll be reminded of the amazing experience they had at Spring Fair.”

Gordon Morrison, CEO of the Association for Cultural Enterprises, commented after the successful Cultural Enterprise Day on Tuesday, “It was a genuine thrill for the Association for Cultural Enterprises to partner with Spring Fair for a day of curated cultural content. This stellar event, and the great team at Spring Fair, provided us with a unique opportunity to showcase cultural commerce and build networks. I look forward to developing the partnership further in the months and years ahead.”

With 1:1 appointments offering advice on boosting productivity, enhancing return on investment, and maximising revenues, the Ambiance Clinics were a resounding success. Stephen Spencer said, “Stephen Spencer + Associates are delighted to partner with Spring Fair to create a relaxing and inspiring Buyers Lounge and add value to the show experience for buyers and exhibitors through our Ambience advice clinics. On a personal note, having been involved with Spring Fair for nearly half its existence, in this 75th year it’s more important than ever that we work as a community to reimagine and futureproof our precious Retail sector and the show. We have had a brilliant response to all the efforts that are being made, and we hope to continue to build on these into the future.”

Katie Elmer, Buyer for Stationery, Vases and Flowers/Plants at John Lewis said, “Connecting with a lot of existing brands under one roof is great. We went to Top Drawer last week to see some brands, but Spring Fair offers lots more. Seeing a brand’s full range together is nice to see, especially how they merchandise and present it. I’m looking forward to the talks and Gift Of The Year, we like to hear from industry professionals and the advice they give.”

A Show Filled with Special Moments

The show kicked off with a grand opening by renowned designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, who set the tone with his signature flair and passion for independent retail. “There’s a huge amount of energy here,” he remarked during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This is where the world will change for retailers and brands in the next two decades!”

With a record-breaking 1,500 exhibitors, including 400 brand-new participants, Spring Fair 2025 proved to be a hub of innovation and opportunity. Exhibitors and buyers alike experienced a show designed to foster business growth, creativity, and collaboration.

Luke Felton from Present Time said, “We have had a very busy fair and have taken on 40 - 50% new customers which is why we come here. We have seen big department stores, smaller chains, cafes and independents. It's our best Spring Fair in the last 8 years and it’s so important for the buyers to see the new products, the new colours and see the value of the product.”

Kate Winch from Candlelight said, “For us we've had a fantastic show, our stand has been busy right through from 9am on Sunday. We've been busy, we've been stacked and are very happy with new business, we've probably opened over 150-200 new accounts from just this one show. We've also had some great conversations from the show for licensing. We've got 2 collaborations at the moment. These collaborations elevate the brand. The amount of interest we've had in these, and new opportunities has been very exciting.”

Mash Hafez, CEO at Benjamin Button said, “We’ve been going just over a year, and we have had an amazing show - it has been more than expected. We are really happy with it and can't wait for the Autumn Fair. We have met salons, pharmacies, department stores, and distributors and opened new accounts. Trade shows are so important for the exposure you get and the footfall.”

Gus Pretel from Jackie Brazil said, “We've had a fantastic Spring Fair, very happy, great buyers. It's lovely to see customers from London and internationally. This edition of Spring Fair has been really good - we picked up an extra 10 accounts in the first 3 days of the show which equals 20% of our sales so we are really happy with that.”

Marc Carey from Incredible Socks said, “It’s been an amazing show, we’ve not only met some great buyers, we’ve also had so many incredible conversations and made really interesting connections that could bring a whole new element to our business. Hasbro came to see us, interested in licensing and the Faire team have been super helpful. It’s really more than just a trade show.”

Tony Collins from Mindy Brownes Interiors said, “The new business opportunities and growth we have experienced during the event have been extremely promising for Mindy Brownes Interiors. The quality of stores that visited our stand has been exceptional. We have had the pleasure of meeting many enthusiastic and creative buyers, as well as shop owners who are optimistic about the future of retail in the UK and beyond. Additionally, we connected with numerous project managers working across the hospitality, online, and commercial sectors both in the UK and internationally - another significant advantage of exhibiting at Spring Fair 2025.”

Successful Debut of Moda x Pure

Moda x Pure’s successful debut at Spring Fair highlighted the show’s continued growth as a must-attend retail destination. By bringing together a mix of new and returning brands across Womenswear, Clothing & Footwear, Fashion Accessories and Jewellery & Watch collections, the show closed its doors proving to be a powerful platform for retailers seeking fresh inspiration and buying opportunities. Buyers appreciated the convenience of having everything under one roof, while exhibitors valued the opportunity to connect with a diverse mix of retailers in one location. With an impressive lineup of buyers from major department stores, boutiques, and independent retailers, exhibitors at Moda x Pure were delighted.

Oliver Greenaway from Moo Chuu said, “This is our first time at such a big trade fair. We have come to the show to expand our stockists across the UK. It's been very busy, and we have taken on new stockists and made several orders.”

Anastasiia Kyshmar from Jessica Graaf said, “We’ve had such a great time at the event! Our stand has been buzzing with excitement as we’ve met lots of new customers who were really impressed with our selections. There’s been plenty of laughter, great conversations, and a really positive vibe all around. We’ve truly enjoyed being part of the show and connecting with so many people.”

Tiago Silva, Head of E-commerce & Marketing at Yumi said, “The show is going really well, it has a great footfall here at Moda x Pure. We’ve seen a lot of repeat customers already, focusing on trends but also homing in on their customer preferences. We do find that our customers tend to come to just one show, so it’s preferable to have everything under one umbrella in one place, we absolutely prefer it this way.”

Speaking on Tuesday, Karen Caroll at South Beach commented; “We’ve not stopped all morning. We’ve taken quite a few orders and had a lot of interest, including some new customers and follow ups to do when we’re back in the office. Having everything under one roof is much better for us, we’ve got more customers in this one show, and it allows us to spend less time between shows. Being in Birmingham is more accessible and central.”

The Moda x Pure Catwalk presented an unforgettable showcase of contemporary fashion, blending bold statements with timeless elegance. From vibrant prints to flowing silhouettes, the collections captured the essence of A Modern Love Story. The show closed with striking pieces from Graduate Fashion Week designers, leaving the audience inspired and eager for the season’s upcoming trends.

Championing Independent Retail and Future Trends

From insightful keynote speeches to dynamic panel discussions, Spring Fair’s live content inspired visitors to embrace change and innovation. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen’s talk on licensing and creativity drew a packed audience, reinforcing the importance of authenticity and collaboration in the retail sector. Meanwhile, retail entrepreneur Theo Paphitis delivered a powerful message about the resilience of small businesses, urging them to stay confident in their unique offerings.

Trend forecasting sessions, including insights from Faire’s UK Country Manager Charlotte Broadbent, provided invaluable knowledge on how independent retailers can stay ahead by balancing bestsellers with fresh, trend-driven products. With sustainability, individuality, and experiential retail taking centre stage, buyers left equipped with actionable strategies for the year ahead.

Looking Ahead to the Future of Retail

As the show wrapped up, Event Director Soraya Gadelrab reflected on the incredible energy and engagement throughout the event. “For 75 years, Spring Fair has been at the heart of the retail community, and this year we’ve taken it to new heights. The feedback from exhibitors and buyers has been overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing that Spring Fair remains the go-to event for discovering new products, forging meaningful connections, and driving the future of retail.”

With another successful year in the books, Spring Fair continues to be the ultimate destination for retail innovation, inspiration, and opportunity. The excitement now turns to the next edition, as the industry eagerly anticipates what’s to come in 2026. Until then, the connections made, and the ideas sparked at Spring Fair 2025 will continue to shape the future of retail.

Visit www.springfair.com for more information.

A new green garden at RHS Garden Wisley is to house and be part sustained by the charity’s first ever composting toilet.

The Greener Skills Garden, designed by award-winning designer Dave Green, is a joint collaboration between RHS science and the charity’s New Shoots initiative, which was created to promote careers in horticulture. The garden will be brimming with inspiration for planet-friendly gardening and will provide the perfect space for those interested in pursuing horticulture as a career to take their first steps in developing sustainable growing skills.

The off-grid space will show visitors and budding gardeners that how we garden impacts the environment, while providing examples of how to do so in a way that not only reduces waste but actively mitigates the effects of climate change and boosts biodiversity. The garden will be managed by aspiring horticulturists wanting to gain hands on practical experience that’s aligned with the latest RHS sustainability science.

No garden waste will leave the site; instead, everything will be returned to the garden via a complete composting system. This will include a composting toilet whose resulting humanure, once thoroughly decomposed, will be put back into ornamental areas of the garden as soil improver. Alongside the toilet, composting bays, homemade comfrey fertilizer, and dead hedging will all play a part in recycling organic materials. This full circle system will support soil health, reduce waste, and foster thriving plant growth without relying on external resources.

Elsewhere in the garden this circularity is reflected in the creation of a sustainable drainage system, which will channel water runoff from roofs and hard surfaces via rainwater storage into a wildlife pond. When the pond is full any excess water will flow on to what will be RHS Wisley’s first rain garden, which will be monitored and recorded as a living experiment. The rain garden will be filled with a variety of plants that can continue to provide ecosystem services whilst coping with water inundation, allowing excess rainfall to be used by plants while infiltrating the soil slowly. 

The Greener Skills garden will not only be packed with inspiration for visitors but will function as an outdoor classroom for budding horticulturists engaged though the New Shoots programme, including school groups - teenagers from 14-years and older - and adults who are looking to change career. Volunteers through the programme will have the opportunity to practise propagation, grow and maintain plants, and create planting schemes in seasonal growing spaces.

Dr Chloe Sutcliffe, RHS Sustainability Fellow, said: “The benefits of gardening are well documented, whether it’s supporting biodiversity, improving health and wellbeing, or providing opportunities for learning new skills and even undertaking new career pathways. The Greener Skills Garden is a celebration of all these things; it will be a working, changing and growing space in which aspiring horticulturists can learn first-hand how to help the planet through gardening. Investing in horticultural careers in this way is a crucial component in ensuring a future where planet-friendly gardening thrives and continues to make a positive impact.”

Lewis George, RHS Horticultural Engagement Officer, said “We are looking forward to inspiring the next generation of horticulturists in this first of its kind space at an RHS Garden, which is aligned with our RHS Science sustainability knowledge. This space will be an all year round practical and supportive space for individuals from all backgrounds to start their career journey.”

Dave Green, award-winning garden designer, said: “Designing the Greener Skills Garden has been an incredibly rewarding experience. This space demonstrates how gardening can be a force for good - not just for people but for the planet, as it brings together innovative sustainable practices and hands-on learning. By empowering the next generation of horticulturists, we can inspire action and prove that even small changes in how we grow can have a big impact.”

The build of the garden itself will be carried out as sustainably as possible, with materials being sourced locally and the use of plastic minimised. Interpretation around the space will give visitors tips on how they can garden in a more planet-friendly way, from composting and water management good practice, to reducing single use plastics, and creating habitat for wildlife.

The RHS Wisley Greener Skills Garden will open to the public in summer 2025. A second garden is planned later in the year for RHS Garden Bridgewater, with other RHS Gardens to follow.

After revolutionising the market in 2024 with its reimagined Pro X series, EGO Power Plus is harnessing new markets this year with a bold portfolio of products. With the adoption of battery power becoming more popular, customers will now have even more ways to use their EGO batteries.

This year, EGO is expanding its Lifestyle range – a selection of battery-powered outdoor power equipment for use in the garden and beyond – to grow its innovative capabilities and to give existing customers exciting new uses for their EGO ARC 56V lithium batteries. New additions to the range include the SK1800E Outdoor Speaker, FN1000E Mini-Misting Fan, WDV0900E Wet/Dry Vacuum, the BSP3500E 15L Backpack Sprayer and the ETA0800E Earth and Ice Auger.

Back in the garden, EGO has developed an exciting range of new products. Its flagship product for 2025 is the LM2230E-SP professional mower. Its largest mower to date, this 55cm mower with a super composite deck, can cut up to 2000 sqm on a single charge with a 10Ah battery. For those who prefer their lawn maintenance a little more automated, EGO is releasing its first robot mowers, the RM4000E and the RM2000E, which can seamlessly adapt to the complexities of any lawn. And for tidying up the edges, the ST1510E-T line trimmer puts the ease back into trimming with Powerload^TM Technology which loads the line in seconds at the push of a button.

Ideal for arborists, the CS1200E professional top-handled chainsaw is a compact, lightweight saw which cuts smoothly and simplifies tree work.

Back on the ground, EGO’s 2025 leaf blowers have been developed with even more power and performance. The LB6150E has a 1,045m3/h output in Boost mode, and 18.5N of air force while the LB6700E has 1,138m3/h output in Boost mode and a 20N air force for bigger tasks across large areas. After blowing the leaves into a pile, EGO is also making light work of clearing with its first ever 3-in-1 leaf vacuum, the LV5000E 3. With the capability of mulching leaves as they are collected, this tool has the power to tackle small to medium household clean-ups and easily converts from vacuum to blower.

Momentum continues this year with the Pro X series, which is designed for heavy-duty commercial users who need tools that can cope with the demands of a busy working day and be charged overnight. Coming this year, is EGO’s first Pro X multi-tool powerhead, which has been upgraded to ensure it is robust enough to tackle the toughest of jobs. Also joining the series is the new LBPX1100, which is one of the most powerful backpack blowers on the market and the LBX1000 which provides the power of a backpack blower in a handheld unit. All three tools form part of the new generation of Pro X tools with BLE connectivity built-in for status monitoring.

Steve Roskell, Marketing Director EMEA for EGO, said: “The demand for battery-powered outdoor power equipment has surged dramatically in recent years, and EGO is proud to be leading the charge as more users make the switch. Building on the success of our Pro X series last year, we’re excited to unveil even more ground-breaking and innovative products this year”.

Compatible with EGO’s range of multi-tools is the new STA1700 line trimmer attachment which features technologies for automatic line feeding and fast line replacement as well as EGO’s first Dethatcher attachment (DA1400) which removes the thatch layer between grass and soil for a healthier lawn.

To learn more about EGO’s 2025 product line-up, visit: https://egopowerplus.co.uk/

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As the Government looks again at ensuring legislation on the sales of bladed items in the UK encompasses everything needed for public safety, a review which BHETA supports, the trade organisation has stepped up its ongoing campaigning to have round-ended cutlery knives removed from current Offensive Weapons Act 2022 legislation.  

This move is widely supported by bodies including Trading Standards and the Metropolitan Police, as all parties agree that cutlery cannot be included in any kind of OWA definition.

The proposed exclusion is important because of the financial impact of the consequent age verification on cutlery suppliers.  As BHETA explains, the current inclusion of cutlery knives in the 2022 guidance has led to significant compliance burdens for retailers, with every sale of normal, round-ended cutlery knives, and cutlery sets containing such items, requiring age verification on sale and delivery.  The costs and administrative burden to UK businesses is significant at a time when government support for economic growth is critical. Some BHETA members report annual costs nearing £50,000 for online age verification systems – costs which include changes to packaging, POS and merchandising instore, and to outer packaging in the case of items delivered direct to consumers.   Retailers face additional costs such as staff training.

BHETA’s cutlery campaign

In the light of the latest Government review, BHETA has written to Government MPs at the Home Office and the Treasury, to Home Office Civil Servants and to senior opposition politicians to urge them to exempt ‘non-lethal’ items such as ‘round ended cutlery knives’. 

Specifically, this has included:

Government Ministers - 

• Yvette Cooper MP (Secretary of State for the Home Department)
• Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP (Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention)
• Jonathan Reynolds MP (Secretary of State for Business and Trade)
• Sarah Jones MP – Minister of State (Minister for Industry)

Opposition MPs - 

• Chris Philp – Shadow Home Secretary, Conservative
• Andrew Griffith – Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Conservative
• Lisa Smart – Home Affairs spokesperson, Liberal Democrats

BHETA is now urging suppliers to write to their local MP in support of the campaign and has created a template letter for relevant parties, available via www.bheta.co.uk.

Specifically, BHETA and the industry requests that the Home Office use the upcoming Crime & Policing Bill as an opportunity to exempt blunt-ended cutlery knives from the OWA.

It proposes:

• Collaborating with BHETA and the industry to address this issue.
• Amending the legislation to exclude blunt-ended and rounded cutlery knives from the requirements for two-step age verification.
• The Home Office to issue updated guidance specifying that only sales of sharply pointed cutlery knives, such as steak knives, fall within the scope of Section 141A, and that round-ended table cutlery knives are excluded from this, and all other legislation aimed at reducing sales of dangerous knives to under 18s.

Legal background

Section 141A of the Criminal Justice Act made it an offence to sell a knife to an under eighteen. Until 2022, this legislation was applied by retailers and enforced by law-enforcement using common sense to exclude round-ended and blunt cutlery knives.  Guidance issued by the previous government in 2022, stated that a normal round-ended cutlery knife was “likely to be captured” by the restrictions under Section 141A CJA 1988.  The same 2022 Guidance went on to state that “cutlery knives (other than sharply pointed steak knives)” are not considered bladed products for the purposes of the regulations introduced by OWA2019 and were not dangerous or used in violent crime.

This has created a contradiction: while a normal round-ended cutlery knife is not a bladed product for the purpose of the OWA 2019, the 2022 Guidance draws such harmless items as normal cutlery knives within the restrictions meant to capture sharp and dangerous items.

BHETA’s overall stance on the knife legislation

BHETA has been at the forefront of campaigning to ensure that knife crime legislation is robust and workable, while not penalising legitimate cooking, food preparation, craft, and dining sales for suppliers, retailers, and consumers.  In 2018, in response to the issues affecting the sales of knives and bladed items, BHETA set up a supplier / retailer steering group to identify collaborative initiatives which contribute to responsible and safe knife retailing, such as Challenge 25 packaging and POS.  Ever since, it has supported the Metropolitan Police Knife Retailing group as well as Trading Standards, hosting their representatives and attending meetings at New Scotland Yard.  

More details of BHETA’s lobbying programme can be found on the BHETA website www.bheta.co.uk

The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation has created a series of podcasts ‘Cultivate Your Future’, which raises awareness around the shortage of people seeing horticulture as a viable career.

The podcast series speaks to people from the wide variety of roles in the industry. Listeners can hear about what they do, how they got into the job and the opportunities that they see ahead for their career.

If people even ‘think plants’, they probably think ‘gardening’, that chore that has to be done, and unlike the washing up or ironing it has to be done outside in the cold, wet and mud! Modern horticulture is not like that. A wealth of interesting, often high tech and varied roles, in exciting vibrant businesses requiring a multitude of skills at a huge range of levels. 

Add to this the opportunity often to work outside, amongst plants and the natural environment, in touch with the seasons and the benefit of reduced levels of stress (not always!) Horticulture as a career in the UK is a truly sustainable career.

As an industry we need to help people understand what modern horticulture, as a professional career, is about. Your customers may be thinking about a new career for themselves, know somebody who is or have a family member starting out in life who seeks inspiration. Your customers need to know about the podcast series Cultivate Your Future. After all they may even be a candidate for one of the Foundations scholarships in the future if that person really is inspired to see Horticulture as the career for them.

If you need further information, have an idea on how we can do more to support you, or you would like something custom prepared to help you promote careers in horticulture to your customers, please speak to one of the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation Trustees you may already know or get in touch via www.colegraveseabrookfoundation.org.uk

The Garden Press Event 2025 is set to deliver even more insights and expertise with the addition of two new speakers to the Collaboration and Innovation Zone. Jointly organised by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and GIMA, the event takes place on Tuesday, 18 February, at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London. 

How will shifting TV viewership habits impact gardening content in the digital age? Matt Young, Executive Producer at Middlechild TV, will launch a new channel with Alan Titchmarsh in 2025 across all major social media platforms. With 16 years of experience producing gardening content for television, Matt will share his insights on why the industry is moving towards digital platforms and what this means for gardening media. 

Engaging your audience 

Also joining the lineup is Lee Connelly, widely known as the Skinny Jean Gardener and a key figure in horticulture and gardening education.  Lee will explore how gardening boosts children's education, wellbeing, and environmental awareness, while sharing updates on Parliament discussions about adding horticulture to the curriculum. 

View the full line up of speakers here: www.gardenpressevent.co.uk/speakers   The show offers a unique opportunity for horticultural businesses to connect face-to-face with members of the garden press, showcase new products, and share industry stories. Over 400 members of the garden media have already registered to attend. 

For more details about the show, visit www.gardenpressevent.co.uk. 

This is a pre-registration only event and members of the media can register to attend in advance atwww.gardenpressevent.co.uk. Once your registration is confirmed full joining instructions and visitor passes will be issued one week before the event. 

From 25 to 27 March 2025, the Parc Chanot in Marseille will be transformed into a veritable crossroads for innovation and trends in the world of gardening. 

At JdC Garden Trends, 380 exhibitors, including 1/2 from over 20 countries, and 1,200 buyers from the French retail sector will be converging for an exceptional event. 

Conferences led by industry experts provide an ideal framework for understanding emerging market trends, with contributions from Promojardin, NielsenIQ & GfK.

These presentations are backed up by market figures and analyses that give visitors a clear picture of how the industry is evolving. This helps professionals to make informed decisions and anticipate future changes. 

For 3 days, experts from the gardening market will be hosting conferences on developments and prospects in the sector.

FlowerTrials, organised by FleuroSelect, highlights the latest breeding innovations in pot and bedding plants. And, for the first time in 20 years, this global horticulture event is now open to plant breeder’s agents.

Plants For Europe represents plant breeders from around the world, working with growers throughout the UK and Europe to bring the latest and greatest in plant breeding to the world of horticulture.

Having visited FlowerTrials® for over 15 years, Plants For Europe is thrilled to be invited to become a FlowerTrials® member and to showcase the varieties in our Portfolio.

Representing plant breeders

Plants For Europe is a truly independent plant breeder’s agent, representing the finest plant varieties from breeders around the world to growers across the whole of Europe, and beyond.

We’re delighted to be able to represent the tireless work from independent breeders, who bring so many fantastic plants to growers and gardeners, often in specialist and unusual genera.

We have a really exciting line-up of plants to showcase at FlowerTrials®, including several brand new launches. We will be sharing more information on these exciting new plants over the next few weeks – watch this space!

Come and meet us

We will be located with our hosts, Vitroflora at their Gebr. Alkemade BV location in Lisse. We already work closely with Vitroflora, who grow a number of our breeders’ varieties, making this a natural partnership.

FlowerTrials® ’25 will take place between 10th – 13th June.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for more information on our latest launches. Would you like to book in a meeting at FlowerTrials®? Drop us a line: hello@plantsforeurope.com

https://www.plantsforeurope.com/

https://www.plantsforeurope.eu/

Together with the adjacent GROEN-Direkt sample fair, the Spring Edition of PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt.was characterised by a surprisingly positive market mood.

Board member Hans Cok looks back on the fair with satisfaction: "There is once again a great demand for outdoor plants. Garden centres are looking forward to spring and growers are ready for it. This was immediately evident from the large number of early visitors who, throughout both days, generated a lot of traffic and turnover both in the stands and at the layer fair." The trade fair distinguishes itself by the wide and diverse range among the approximately 175 exhibitors where growers can profile themselves in combination with the trade fair where buyers have the opportunity to compare products, something that is becoming increasingly difficult online.

Visitors were enthusiastic about the wide range and the opportunity to discover new products. The versatility and quality of the fair were frequently praised.

Exhibitors look back on the fair with satisfaction. "The second day was busier this year than last year," reports Kwekerij Wouters. Robert Hooftman of WM J. Hooftman agrees: "We received both existing and new customers. The interest from Poland and Slovakia was particularly striking this year, which shows that the fair is reaching new markets."

New exhibitors successful

Several new companies also participated in the fair this year. Henri-Jet VOF chose PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt to be more actively present at fairs itself and to increase sales. Agapanthus BV, run by young entrepreneurs Tim and Lauren, was first introduced to the fair to reach European garden plant buyers. "We heard a lot of enthusiastic comments about the fair and wanted to discover who we could reach here. The organisation was excellent and our stand was neatly prepared for us. Now that we have been here, our conclusion is clear: We will definitely come back next year, and maybe we should participate in August after all!" said Tim.

Rhododendron 'Maximus' wins Green Retail Award

Rhododendron 'Maximus' by Leybaert was voted Visitor’s Favourite by trade visitors and won the Green Retail Award. The compact, hardy and disease-resistant plant with large buds that will soon show large, fire-red flowers was widely appreciated. Breeder Silas Crezée responds enthusiastically: "This is wonderful recognition of 12 years of breeding work. The plant is now available in 2 litres, and soon we will also introduce a purple, pink and white variant."

Theme: Does a brand work?

A theme at the fair was "Does a brand work?". At the Green Future Hub on the exhibition floor, Masja Pit of Hortipoint surveyed the value of brands for plants. "The responses were diverse, which gave us all kinds of questions that we want to investigate further in the coming period, including with consumers," said Pit. The results of this research will be presented during the Autumn Edition of the fair.

Tuinbranche Nederland visits fair with KIEM training

Marc Luning of Tuinbranche Nederland visited the fair together with 70 green professionals from garden centres. After a plenary session, the participants visited various stallholders. "Current topics such as climate and crop protection are discussed. Adapting the product to this is not something you do as Tuinbranche Nederland, as a garden centre or as a grower. You do that together. This branch thinking was excellently expressed during the fair. If we work together in this way, we have gold in our hands!" Luning said.

27 and 28 August Autumn Edition
The upcoming edition of PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt will take place on 27 and 28 August. At this Autumn Edition, the emphasis is traditionally a little more on establishing and maintaining relationships. Long term trade also gets more attention here. Nevertheless, August will also see an extensive GROEN-Direkt sample fair, with a lot of trading.

The Royal Horticultural Society has appointed Rob Brett to one of the horticultural industry’s most prestigious roles - Curator at RHS Garden Wisley.  The role oversees the team at the world renowned RHS Garden Wisley - created and designed to bring horticultural excellence, scientific research, practical expertise and garden inspiration to the UK’s nation of gardeners.

Rob Brett brings a wealth of horticultural experience from his current role at RHS Garden Hyde Hall where he has been Curator for the past 9 years. His previous roles include Horticultural Manager at The Sainsbury Laboratory - University of Cambridge, Curator of Temperate Collections at The Eden Project, Glasshouses Supervisor at Cambridge University Botanic Garden and managing the orchid collections at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Rob has been a trustee of Plant Network, continues to be President of The Kew Guild and works as an External Examiner for Cambridge Botanic Garden.

Cared for and owned by the RHS since 1902, RHS Garden Wisley has become the home of world-class horticulture, of gardening science and an inspiration to millions of annual visitors. As the first of the RHS gardens, Wisley has established itself as one of the UK’s most visited and best-loved gardens. With more than 100 horticultural staff, students and apprentices, supported by 145 volunteers, the team help to make a day at Wisley an amazing experience for all its visitors.

Rob Brett, said: “I’m both excited and honoured to take on the role of Curator at RHS Garden Wisley. It marks the beginning of an exciting new journey, that fills me with enthusiasm. Importantly, this transition allows me to remain within the RHS, surrounded by exceptional plants and talented people. I continue to be part of the RHS’ network of gardens, where we have the privilege of driving innovation, influencing the future of horticulture and showcasing the very best our industry has to offer. I look forward with great excitement to playing my part in helping RHS Wisley to flourish.”

Clare Matterson, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society: “At the RHS we pride ourselves on nurturing and developing horticultural talent and I’m so pleased that after an extensive search from potential candidates across the UK, Europe and North America Rob stood out as the best person for the role. His passion for horticulture, exceptional experience and his true talent for leading people will be incredibly beneficial to this amazing role and very special garden. The Curator at Wisley has ultimate responsibility for caring for this historic and beautiful garden, as well as nurturing our talented gardeners, informing our understanding of the science, art and practice of horticulture whilst adapting to new knowledge, the changing environment and inspiring all those who visit to grow.”

Rob Brett will start his role at RHS Garden Wisley in March 2025.

Surfinia is one of the leading trailing Petunia on the market. Volmary are excited to be able to offer our customers exclusive access to the Petunia Surfinia Heartbeat, a new introduction for spring 2025.

Surfinia Heartbeat has the most beautiful white flowers and delicate soft pink hearts with a compact, mounding, trailing habit.

It was launched at the Floral Fantasia Garden press day in August 2024, which is located at the RHS Hyde Hall Garden in Essex, attracting nearly 300,000 visitors a year. The Floral Fantasia Garden is open to all visitors to Hyde Hall.

Floral Fantasia’s aim is to bring the public together with plants, plant breeding and commercial growers and if funded by sponsors and the sales of new and exciting plant varieties.

The funds allow for the continued success of the garden and is also used to employ an apprentice Horticulturalist to take care of the gardens and to learn all about commercial horticulture.

To continue our support with this initiative we are adding an amount of 10p per plant, onto the royalty, which will be used to enable Floral Fantasia to continue to bring this garden to life.

As a new introduction, the availability is limited so place your order today, you will not be disappointed with this absolute stunner.

For more information please contact your sales representative or our UK office on the number below.

01945 419 100 or email sales@volmary.com   

Respected and prominent horticulture industry professional, James Barnes, has been appointed as an advisor to Dobbies Garden Centres, as the team implement their growth plans.

James has 30 years of wide ranging experience in the garden centre industry, and has been Chairman of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) since 2018. James led the growth and sale of Dobbies, after transforming the turnover of the business, and now the Dobbies’ team is looking forward drawing on his industry knowledge and wider business expertise.

James Barnes said: “I have a long history with Dobbies, it’s a really fantastic business, and I’m excited to be in a position where I can work with David and his senior team on their robust plans for growth.”

David Robinson, CEO of Dobbies, said: “I’ve enjoyed my meetings with James since joining Dobbies and it’s brilliant to formalise this relationship. James is a hugely respected figure in the industry who is ideally placed to work with us as we accelerate our plans for growth.

“He knows Dobbies incredibly well, and as we start our 160^th year of helping British gardeners to grow, it’s great to share the news of his appointment.”

GIMA members have a conversation with Dobbies today (Wednesday 5th February) but we are unable to report on the conversation as the trade media were not invited to attend.

Gates Garden Centre, a family business with over 75 years of history, is pleased to announce the launch of a second location. 

From February the 1st  Dobbies Stapleton, formerly known as Woodlands Garden Centre, near to Hinckley in Leicestershire has officially been known as Gates Woodlands Hinckley.

This highly popular destination will continue to serve gardeners and shoppers from across the region, with the existing team remaining in place, bringing their expert knowledge and dedication to exceptional customer service.  Due to the expansion of the site with additional products and services, there will also be a recruitment drive for new keen, talented team members. 

Nigel Gates commented 'The Gates team are excited to collaborate with their new colleagues, enhancing and expanding the existing infrastructure to deliver the signature Gates brand experience at this much-loved Garden Centre.'

Following a brief refurbishment period, the centre will reopen, retaining all shop-in-shop concessions to ensure a seamless and familiar experience for visitors.

British Garden Centres has announced the acquisition of the Dobbies centre in Morpeth, taking its portfolio to 69 sites. 

The Morpeth site hopes to open in early to mid-March and will revert back to its original name of Heighley Gate Garden Centre, with the group very much wishing to embrace the heritage of the site. British Garden Centres is retaining the existing centre team and looks forward to working with them to build on the existing strengths of the site, ensuring it will become a top destination garden centre.

The centre will look to recruit additional roles into the team to support the growth. The job vacancies will be posted on the British Garden Centres website  (www.britishgardencentres.com/careers ) and Heighley Gate's social media pages.

For other updates on the centre and opening please keep an eye on the Heighley Gate Garden Centre’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

Charles Stubbs, Founder and Director of British Garden Centres said: “We are thrilled to welcome the Heighley Gate store and teams into the British Garden Centres family.  Our priority for the next few weeks is to work with the passionate team to ensure a smooth transition and swift reopening for the local community. We are excited to continue growing and strengthening our presence across the UK as the largest family-run garden centre group.”

British Garden Centres (BGC) is the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group with 69 centres around the country. The group is owned and led by The Stubbs family, who also own and operate Woodthorpe Leisure Park in Lincolnshire. 

BGC was launched in 1987 with the opening of Woodthorpe Garden Centre by brothers Charles and Robert Stubbs. Since 2018 it has expanded rapidly with the acquisition of 50 garden centres allowing it to grow from its heartland to the business it is now with 69 garden centres spread from Carmarthen to Ramsgate, Wimborne to East Durham.

The group has a team of 2,700 colleagues working across the garden centres, restaurants, growing nurseries, distribution centres, Woodthorpe Leisure Park, and Woody’s Restaurant & Bar.

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the re-letting of two Dobbies garden centres in Gosforth and Stratford-on-Avon, as well as the sale of Chelston Nurseries in Somerset.

Christie & Co was instructed by several landlords affected by the Dobbies restructuring process. The centre in Gosforth has been let to British Garden Centres, whilst the Stratford centre will be rebranded ‘Warwick Garden Centre’ and operated by the owners of the nearby Stratford Garden Centre. Both operators are undertaking refurbishments and restocking, in preparation for spring trade.

Chelston Nurseries, located near Wellington in Somerset, has been sold to local garden centre operator Richard King, who owns sites in Sidmouth and Exmouth, trading as Kings Garden and Leisure.

There has been a high level of activity in the garden centre market so far this year, and Christie & Co anticipates a further four sales in February. These transactions and record viewing levels reflect the strong demand for quality sites across the country.

Tom Glanvill, Director – Garden Centres at Christie & Co, said: “We finished 2024 with an exceptional run of transactions, and I am really pleased to see this momentum carry forward into 2025, with garden centres remaining one of the most sought-after trading businesses.”

Corby + Fellas has announced that Cranborne Garden Centre has implemented itsacclaimed WinRetail system to run the garden centre and restaurant operations.

Cranborne Garden Centre is set in the walled, former kitchen garden of Cranborne Manor in the beautiful Dorset countryside. The gardens are truly beautiful and the café is not to be missed, along with a stunning garden room.

A spokesperson for Corby + Fellas said: “Many thanks to Claire Whitehead and her team and C+F’s Grant Davis for ensuring a smooth and effortless transition. We look forward to a long and harmonious relationship with Cranborne, almost our 100th customer.”

 https://www.cranbornegardencentre.co.uk/

Harrogate BGC, Brigg BGC, Cook’s, Birkacre, Pugh’s Radyr, Bents have picked up Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Team golds in GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards, presented at Spring Fair on Monday. Smart Garden - Three Kings walked away with The Greatest Christmas Supplier gold...

Here are all the winners:

The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team – Sponsored by Woodlodge

GOLD AWARD: Webbs Wychbold

SILVER AWARD: Newquay

BRONZE AWARD: Haskins Snowhill

HIGHLY COMMENDED; Studley BGC; Snowdonia Nurseries

Finalists

• Brigg BGC
• Gates
• Haskins Snowhill
• Klondyke High Legh
• Newquay Garden Centre
• Perrywood Tiptree
• Rutland Garden Nursery
• Snowdonia Nurseries
• Squires Badshot Lea
• Studley BGC
• Webbs Wychbold

The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team - Sponsored by Pelsis Doff

GOLD AWARD

Wolseley Bridge BGC

SILVER AWARD

Coolings Rushmore Hill

Gates

BRONZE AWARD

Pugh's Wenvoe & Radyr

HIGHLY COMMENDED

St Peter’s

Poundbury        

Jacksons Boutique

Finalists

• Coolings Rushmore Hill

• Elleker Lodge
• Gates
• Haskins Ferndown
• Meadowcroft
• Newbridge Blue Diamond
• Pengelly Garden Centre
• Poundbury
• Pugh's
• Wentworth
• Wolseley Bridge BGC

The Greatest Gardening as a Christmas Gift Sales Team - Sponsored by Fandango Fire Tools

GOLD AWARD

Gates

SILVER AWARD

Duchy of Cornwall Nursery

Notcutts Rivendell

BRONZE AWARD

Newbridge Blue Diamond

Finalists

• Duchy of Cornwall Nursery
• Gates
• Glendoick
• Newbridge Blue Diamond
• Notcutts Rivendell
• Wentworth

The Greatest Christmas Gifts Team – Sponsored by Museums and Galleries

GOLD AWARD

Duchy of Cornwall Nursery

SILVER AWARD

Gates

BRONZE AWARD

Perrywood Tiptree

Finalists

• Brigg BGC
• Duchy of Cornwall Nursery
• Gates
• Glendoick
• Old Railway Line
• Perrywood Tiptree
• Raemoir
• Rutland Garden Nursery
• Wentworth

The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Promotions Team - Sponsored by Glee

GOLD AWARD

Pugh’s

SILVER AWARD

Alton

BRONZE AWARD

Albrighton BGC

Finalists

• Albrighton BGC
• Alton
• Keydell
• Old Railway Line
• Pengelly
• Pugh's

The Greatest Christmas BBQ and Outdoor Leisure Team – The SOLEX Sizzle - Sponsored by SOLEX

GOLD AWARD

Newquay

SILVER AWARD

Polhill

BRONZE AWARD

Alton

Finalists

• Alton
• Cambridge Home & Garden
• Newquay Garden Centre
• Old Railway Line
• Planters Tamworth
• Polhill

The Greatest Festive Retail Food Team – Sponsored by Pleydell Smithyman

GOLD AWARD

Pugh's Radyr & Wenvoe

SILVER AWARD

Gates

BRONZE AWARD

Notcutts Rivendell

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Beckworth Blue Diamond

Finalists

• Beckworth Blue Diamond
• Bow Garden & Aquatics
• Chessington
• Garsons Esher
• Gates
• Glendoick
• Notcutts Rivendell
• Pughs Radyr & Wenvoe
• Ruxley Manor
• St Peters

The Greatest Christmas Wild Bird Care & Pet Team - Sponsored by Marriages

GOLD AWARD

Monkton Elm

SILVER AWARD

Ruxley Manor

BRONZE AWARD

Notcutts Solihull

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Wolseley Bridge BGC

Finalists

• Fairways
• Gates
• Hillmount Ards
• Monkton Elm
• Notcutts Solihull
• Ruxley Manor
• Webbs
• Wolseley Bridge BGC

The Greatest Garden Centre Grotto Team - Sponsored by Smart Garden Products – Three Kings

GOLD AWARD

Ruxley Manor

SILVER AWARD

Gouldings Santa Experience

BRONZE AWARD

Baytree

Finalists

• Baytree
• Chessington
• Coolings Lifestyle
• Gouldings
• Hillmount Belfast
• Keydell
• Rosebank
• Ruxley Manor
• Wentworth

The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Supplier Team – As voted for by the Garden Centre Teams visited by the judges this year

GOLD AWARD

Smart Garden - Three Kings

SILVER AWARD

Festive

BRONZE AWARD

Kaemingk

Finalists

• Coach House
• Festive
• Florasilk
• Giftware Trading
• Gisela Graham
• Kaemingk
• Premier
• Richard Lang 
• Seasonal Group
• Smart Garden

The Greatest Group Small Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Woodmansterne

GOLD AWARD

Harrogate BGC

SILVER AWARD

Studley BGC

BRONZE AWARD

Wolseley Bridge BGC

Finalists

• Albrighton BGC
• Brockworth BGC
• Garden King
• Harrogate BGC
• Hemel BGC
• Studley BGC
• Wolseley Bridge BGC

The Greatest Group Large Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Tildenet

GOLD AWARD

Brigg BGC

SILVER AWARD

Notcutts Rivendell

Sanders Blue Diamond

BRONZE AWARD

Arcadia BGC

HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Haskins Snowhill

Finalists

• Arcadia BGC
• Brigg BGC
• Haskins Snowhill
• Klondyke High Legh
• Notcutts Oxford
• Notcutts Rivendell
• Ramsgate BGC
• Sanders Blue Diamond
• Squires Badshot Lea

Judges Special Awards 

GOLD AWARDS – The Greatest Christmas in Adversity Teams

Pengelly 

The Old Well Garden Centres

GOLD AWARD – The Greatest Christmas Outdoor Event Team

Webbs Wychbold

GOLD AWARD - The Greatest Group at Christmas

British Garden Centres

The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Garden Radio

GOLD AWARD

Cook’s

SILVER AWARD

Munro's

BRONZE AWARD

Poundbury

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Duchy of Cornwall Nursery

Rutland Garden Nursery

Finalists

• Cook’s
• Duchy of Cornwall Nursery
• Munro’s
• Norwich Camping & leisure
• Poundbury
• Rutland Garden Nursery

The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by Kaemingk

GOLD AWARD

Birkacre

SILVER AWARD

Castle Gardens

BRONZE AWARD

Glendoick

Finalists

• Birkacre
• Bosworths
• Castle Gardens
• Glendoick
• Jacksons Boutique
• Newquay Garden Centre
• Silverbirch

The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by MorePeople

GOLD AWARD

Pugh’s Radyr

SILVER AWARD

Garsons Titchfield

BRONZE AWARD

Old Railway Line

Wentworth

Finalists

• Garsons Titchfield
• Hillmount Belfast
• Meadowcroft
• Old Railway Line
• Pugh’s Radyr
• Raemoir
• Thetford
• Wentworth

The Greatest Giant Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Kaemingk

GOLD AWARD

Bents

SILVER AWARD

Perrywood Tiptree

BRONZE AWARD

Gates

Finalists

• Barton Grange
• Bents
• Garsons Esher
• Gates
• Perrywood Tiptree
• Ruxley Manor
• Webbs Wychbold

The Greatest Christmas Garden Centre Team as voted for by customers

GOLD AWARD: Birkacre

SILVER AWARD: Allbrighton BGC      Greatest from a Group

BRONZE AWARD: Keydell Nurseries    Greatest in the South of England

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Hillmount Belfast         Greatest in Northern Ireland

Newquay                      Greatest in the South West

Old Railway Line           Greatest in Wales - equal

Snowdonia Nurseries    Greatest in Wales - equal

Trowell                         Greatest in the Midlands

Fakenham                    Greatest in East Anglia

Perrywood Tiptree       Greatest in the South East

Pugh’s Radyr    

Wolseley Bridge 

Bow Garden & Aquatic Centre  

Harrogate BGC             Greatest in the North

Munro's Nurseries        Greatest in Scotland - equal

Trioscape         

Mackenzie & Cruickshank         Greatest in Scotland - equal

Azure Garden Centre   

Brockworth BGC           

Bosworths Burton Latimer        

Top 30 2024 as voted for by customers – Finalists 

• Albrighton BGC
• Alton
• Azure Garden Centre 
• Birkacre
• Bosworths Burton Latimer
• Bow Garden & Aquatic Centre
• Braintree BGC
• Bridgnorth BGC
• Brockworth BGC
• Fakenham Garden Centre
• Garden King
• Harrogate BGC
• Hillmount Bangor
• Hillmount Belfast
• Keydell Nurseries
• Mackenzie & Cruickshank
• Munro's
• Newquay Garden Centre
• Old Railway Line
• Perrywood Sudbury
• Perrywood Tiptree
• Planters Bretby
• Pugh’s Radyr
• Pugh’s Wenvoe
• Roxton BGC
• Snowdonia Nurseries
• Summerhill
• Trioscape
• Trowell
• Wolseley Bridge BGC

Watch out for The Greatest Christmas Awards photo tours of the centres in future issues of GTN Xtra, starting this coming weekend and in the next issue of GTN magazine.