GTN Xtra - GTN Xtra - Issue 50 2017

The European Commission has dropped its proposal for a 10 year license extension for glyphosate after the European Parliament called today for the weedkiller to be phased out in the next five years...

| Comment (0)

Bunnings to test smaller format stores in urban areas

Property Week has reported Bunnings UK MD, PJ Davis as saying: "We will be opening Bunnings stores before Christmas to test how that smaller format will work in the UK...”

| Comment (0)

Bents open Winter Food Market in Open Skies

Already the biggest UK retailer in terms of catering covers, Bents have added more food options for their increasing customer base for Winter and Christmas 2017 by turning a part of Open Skies into a Bavarian Style Food Market...

See GTN Xtra's photos of the Winter Food Market and Bents Christmas 2017

| Comment (0)

Xylella fastidiosa: UK secures added EU protections

As increased protections against Xylella have been approved, former HTA President Adam Wigglesworth tells GTN Xtra: "The Industry working together will not guarantee that this disease does not arrive in the UK, but it will help reduce the risk of its occurrence and the subsequent effect..."

| Comment (0)

New £1 million garden centre creates 25 jobs

Hillmount Ards has opened its doors following a £1 million investment in transforming the site of the original Thriving Life Church into a 10,000sq ft lifestyle garden centre with the creation of 25 jobs for Newtownards in Northern Ireland...

| Comment (0)

Garden King to open 'Granny Grotto' supporting Alzheimer's Society

Garden King Garden Centre in Park Road, Newhall (near Swadlincote & Burton upon Trent) is set to open the doors to its grotto and welcome young at heart locals for their chance to meet Santa Claus...

| Comment (0)

Hot October dents gardening but Christmas sales grow

The unseasonally warm weekend at the start of October could have been a great driver for autumn gardening but in reality it seems most people took advantage of the weather outside to entertain, and when they did visit centres they bought more Christmas products than the previous week...

| Comment (0)

Industry backs Glee at Spring Fair 2018

In early 2017, Glee, the UK’s leading annual exhibition for the garden retail industry, announced it will be become a biannual event with the opening of a Glee concession show at Spring Fair 2018 (February, NEC Birmingham). Since this announcement, the garden retail industry has been quick to show its support of this new chapter for Glee...

| Comment (1)

Breaking new ground at Allensmore Nurseries

Work has started on the development of a further 9 acres of outdoor production at Herefordshire-based Allensmore Nurseries’ Madley site...

| Comment (0)

Cultivation Street announces new sponsor for 2018

Cultivation Street, the UK’s community and school gardening campaign pioneered by TV gardener David Domoney, announces Syngenta and their Calliope brand as the new sponsor to take the campaign into 2018...

| Comment (0)

DLF Seeds Ltd confirms exclusive deal to distribute MossOff Chemical Free in UK

DLF Seeds Ltd has announced a new partnership with VivaGreen Group which will see the company provide even more innovative gardening solutions to the garden centre market...

| Comment (0)

All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering

| Comment (0)

CEO of Jamie's Italian confirmed for headline keynote at Casual Dining

Jon Knight, the new CEO of Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, is the first big name Keynote speaker to be announced for Casual Dining 2018. The multi-award winning trade event for the UK's restaurant and pub operators returns to the Business Design Centre in London, next year, on 21-22 February...

| Comment (0)

Haskins in Roundstone supports sensory room project

Staff working at Haskins Garden Centre in Roundstone are supporting a local project to build a sensory room at St Andrew's High School C.E. for boys...

| Comment (1)

HRFC Colts are in the pink thanks to Outback

Hereford Rugby Club Colts team will be carrying the colours of Hereford’s Breast Cancer Haven charity this season with shirts sponsored by Outback...

| Comment (1)

Thrive gardeners visit Notcutts Oxford and create a haven for wildlife

A group of gardeners from Thrive in Berkshire had a brilliant time at Notcutts Garden Centre near Oxford recently. Notcutts have supported Thrive for more than a year now, funding a bursary to train people to become horticultural therapists and more recently donating the proceeds from their evening talks on flower arranging...

| Comment (0)

Dobbies name two Christmas Charities for the first time

For the first time ever, Dobbies have chosen not one, but two National Charity Partners for the Christmas season. WellChild and Action for Children both touch the lives of countless families in the UK today and Dobbies endeavours to raise as much money as possible...

| Comment (0)

GTN October 2017 Issue OUT NOW!
To view a digital version click here

Garden Trade News

Get your own copy of GTN Xtra

with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox...

Fordingbridge chairman Edward Way retires

The character that is Edward Way is hanging up his boots and retiring from Fordingbridge plc...

Suki Angels and Snowmen lead the way

Personalised Christmas decorations and gifts are the headline grabbers in this week’s GTN Bestsellers Christmas Products Chart...

Pumpkin twins’ giant beats their own record!

At the Autumn Pumpkin Festival in Netley, Southampton, sponsored by Thompson & Morgan, no less than four British records were broken...

Gardening in pots drives garden product sales

Indoors and outside, pot sales continue to be the rising stars of the GTN Bestsellers Garden Product Charts...

Dare to be different! Programme update for HTA Marketing Forum

With less than a month to go to the HTA Marketing Forum now is the time to sign up! This annual one-day event, aimed at all those involved in marketing and public relations in the garden industry, takes place at Horticulture House, Chilton, Oxfordshire on 15 November...

Preparing for next year

Preparations for next year are driving growing media sales at the moment...

GARDENA unveils new route to market with sales agents

GARDENA has recruited a dedicated network of sales agents to build brand presence and boost sales into garden centres...

Orchid sales up by 70%

Plant sales suffered last weekend as customers on the one hand enjoyed the warm weekend and on the other bought more plants for indoors to brighten up rooms as the evenings draw in...

The best of last week's

If you missed last week's GTN Xtra, below are the most-read stories...

Gardman reports £1.5m loss - but earnings soar by 50%

Gardman has reported a pre-tax loss of £1.5m for the year ending December 2016, mainly down to the exceptional costs of almost £2.3m associated with re-structuring following the previous year’s management buy-out, but earnings are up 50%...

Xylella fastidiosa: how Italy has tackled the problem

Dr Stefano Sogni, from Zelari Nurseries in Italy, has spoken exclusively with GTN Xtra to reveal how his country is successfully tackling Xylella fastidiosa. He says: "You need to get to know your enemy to fight the enemy."

Yobs smash up community garden centre

Police are on the hunt for mindless yobs who caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to a community garden centre in Oldham...