GTN Xtra - GTN Xtra – Issue 18 2025

In This Issue

LifestyleGarden confirms closure

Dobbies unveils new-look Brighton store

Call for action on anniversary of border chaos

Resolva returns to TV screens for 14th year

Sad news of the passing of Raglan’s Jean Davies

British Garden Centres return to BBC Gardeners’ World Live as Theatre Sponsor

RHS Licensing celebrates biggest-ever B&LLAs success

Sherborne Men’s Shed plans move forward following public discussion at Castle Gardens

Hozelock launches wellbeing hub to promote mental and physical benefits of gardening

Grass Gains Premium Lawn Feed announced as finalist in DIY Week Awards

EGO launches first robotic mowers

Garden Sundries Department Supervisor – Full-time, permanent

Get your copy of GTN Xtra

RHS CHELSEA PLANT OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST AND NEW PLANTS

Blue Diamond shortlisted for Plant of the Year award

Creative Retail Awards 2025 unveils high-profile judging panel

Thetford Garden Centre's positive experience with Garden Centre Magazine

The best of last week's

"Great people. Great brand. Good loyal customers" Dobbies CEO David Robinson speaks to GTNXtra

Squire's appoints Sam Dickson as new MD

Furniture & BBQs top garden centre sales in March

Kent & Stowe unveils Extraordinary Shop

RocketGro takes centre stage as headline sponsor of the very first Yeo Valley Organic Garden Festival

Heart of Eden appoints Kaz Edwards to lead peat-free expansion across UK retail

Altico’s Aggregates give retailers bags more value

Stuart Lowen's Floral Farewell, The War for Talent, RHS Licensed Products and more in GTN's April issue, read on-line here

GIMA Buyers Guide & New Product Digest Spring 2025 - A valuable source of reference for the UK Garden Trade

Situations Vacant

Garden Sundries Department Supervisor – Full-time, permanent
Baytree, Weston, near Spalding

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LifestyleGarden confirms closure

As of 31st August 2025, ScanCom UK Ltd and LifestyleGarden UK will cease trading and close...

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Dobbies unveils new-look Brighton store
Store investment programme underway across the UK

Dobbies Garden Centre in Brighton has had a major refurbishment unveiling its biggest ever gardening range; a new coffee shop and outdoor seating area; new outdoor furniture, clothing and toy ranges, all in a new store layout...

See picture gallery from the store opening

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Call for action on anniversary of border chaos

HTA repeats call for urgent action as trade disruptions and costs continue to plague horticulture..

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Resolva returns to TV screens for 14th year

Resolva, the trusted and effective solution for garden weeds from Westland Horticulture, returns to TV screens for a 14^th year of high-profile media presence from the 5^thof May 2025...

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Sad news of the passing of Raglan’s Jean Davies

Raglan Garden Centre has announced the sad passing of Jean Davies, beloved wife of Martin, co-owner of the centre. Jean was a devoted mother to Sarah and Alex, and a cherished grandmother to three...

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British Garden Centres return to BBC Gardeners’ World Live as Theatre Sponsor

The UK’s largest family-run group, British Garden Centres, has announced its return to BBC Gardeners’ World Live for the fourth consecutive year as the Live Theatre sponsor.

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RHS Licensing celebrates biggest-ever B&LLAs success

The Royal Horticultural Society Licensing team is celebrating its best-ever showing at the Brand & Lifestyle LicensingAwards (B&LLAs), with a record number of nominations – 12 in nine categories – and an unprecedented three category wins in the 2025 B&LLAs including, for the second time, the prestigious Best Licensed Heritage or Institution Brand award...

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Sherborne Men’s Shed plans move forward following public discussion at Castle Gardens

Around 30 people attended a public discussion at Castle Gardens, which is part of The Gardens Group, to learn about plans to introduce a Men’s Shed in Sherborne. Opened by The Mayor of Sherborne, Councillor Robin Legg, the meeting resulted in many individuals coming forward to help form the project’s steering committee...

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Stuart Lowen's Floral Farewell, The War for Talent, RHS Licensed Products and more in GTN's April issue, read on-line here

GTN April 2025. In this issue:

The war for talent – More People on how to secure the best candidates
Backing the brand – RHS Licensed products maximise sales
Country Forge – RHS-endorsed from Tildenet
Bramblecrest blossoms with the RHS
Stars come out for Blue Diamond
Plan ahead for spoga+gafa 2025
New beginnings for centres part 2
Best foot forward for Greenfingers – Garden Re-Leaf Day 2025
Floral farewell – GTN interview’s Stuart Lowen
Bedding and seasonal bonanza - GTN Planteria
Addressing misconceptions about SOLEX – LOFA Viewpoint
Boosting business development - HTA Viewpoint
Sunshine, sales and supply – GIMA Viewpoint

Read the issue on-line here

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GIMA Buyers Guide & New Product Digest Spring 2025 - A valuable source of reference for the UK Garden Trade

New Products for the UK Garden Trade for 2025 from GIMA Members:

AutoPot Global, Avocet Hardware - Greenman Garden Tools, The Big Cheese, Biohort GmbH, Biolan , Bulldog Tools, Charles Bentley & Son Ltd, Countrywide Bird Food, Deco Pak, Durstons, EKJU, elho, Evergreen Garden Care, Fandango Fire Tools, Formbar, G Plants, Gardena, Greenkey Home & Garden, GLEE, Handy, Helping Hand Environmental, Johnsons Lawn Seeds, LBC (Ultralight) Boots, Melcourt Industries, Mercia Garden Products, Museums & Galleries, Outtrade BV, Phoenox Textiles, Prestige Water, Primeur, Rocketgro, Shark Ninja, Sipcam, Defenders, SUMEC UK, UK Greetings, Vitavia, Woodmansterne, Hortiwool, Zero In, Zest, GIMA Awards 2025

Read the Spring 2025 GIMA Buyers Guide and New Product Digest here

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Hozelock launches wellbeing hub to promote mental and physical benefits of gardening

Hozelock has launched its new Wellbeing Hub —a free dedicated online space designed to highlight the positive impact gardening can have on both mental and physical health...

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Grass Gains Premium Lawn Feed announced as finalist in DIY Week Awards

Grass Gains has announced that its flagship Premium Lawn Feed has been selected as a finalist in the Garden Care Product of the Year category at the 2025 DIY Week Awards, one of the UK’s most respected accolades in the home and garden retail sector...

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EGO launches first robotic mowers

EGO Power+ is adding not one, but two robotic lawnmowers to its portfolio of battery-powered outdoor power equipment...

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GTN April 2025

GTN March 2025

GIMA Buyers Guide & New Product Digest Spring 2025

Garden Trade News

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RHS CHELSEA PLANT OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST AND NEW PLANTS

The RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year competition is entering its 15^th year and celebrates exceptional new plants launched since last year’s show and highlights the latest advances and trends in garden plant breeding. This year, 18 plants entered by businesses exhibiting at the show were shortlisted for the competition...

Blue Diamond shortlisted for Plant of the Year award

Blue Diamond Garden Centres are delighted to have two of their plant entries, shortlisted in the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year award 2025...

Creative Retail Awards 2025 unveils high-profile judging panel

The Creative Retail Awards has unveiled the judging panel for the 2025 Awards, which celebrate innovation and excellence across the retail, leisure, and hospitality sectors...

Thetford Garden Centre's positive experience with Garden Centre Magazine

As Garden Centre Magazine continues to grow in prominence across UK garden centres, the team takes the opportunity to catch up with an existing satisfied customer – Thetford Garden Centre...

The best of last week's

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

"Great people. Great brand. Good loyal customers" Dobbies CEO David Robinson speaks to GTNXtra

GTN Xtra had the opportunity this morning to meet Dobbies CEO, David Robinson at their Brighton Garden Centre which has undergone a facelift, including reopening areas that had previously been closed off to create a bigger retailing area and increased food and drink offerings. See our photo tour of the centre below and read David's views on garden centre retailing

Squire's appoints Sam Dickson as new MD

Squire’s Garden Centres has appointed Sam Dickson to the role of Managing Director. She will join the business on 23 June and will take over from Squire’s current MD, Martin Breddy who retires in July...

Furniture & BBQs top garden centre sales in March

Garden Centre Association members recorded a ‘wonderful’ March according to figures posted in the organisation’s Barometer of Trade for the month – with furniture & BBQs up at +57.7%...

Kent & Stowe unveils Extraordinary Shop

Kent & Stowe, the premium gardening brand renowned for quality and timeless design, has launched its new Extraordinary Shop – an innovative in-store retail concept now rolling out across garden centres...

RocketGro takes centre stage as headline sponsor of the very first Yeo Valley Organic Garden Festival
GTN Xtra Promotion

Through a brilliant collaboration, Somerset’s leading peat-free compost producer, RocketGro, is on board as headline sponsor of the first-ever Yeo Valley Organic Garden Festival this September – a celebration of sustainability, soil and spectacular gardening...

Heart of Eden appoints Kaz Edwards to lead peat-free expansion across UK retail
GTN Xtra Promotion

British gardening brand Heart of Eden has announced the appointment of Kaz Edwards as National Accounts Manager, reinforcing the company’s commitment to a peat-free future and expanding its footprint across the UK garden retail sector...

Altico’s Aggregates give retailers bags more value
GTN Xtra Promotion

Altico Garden Products have been busy providing retailers with a compelling Aggregate offer with their excitingFlash Pack Range, a value-packed offering that promises to transform garden centre Aggregate sales. Designed to attract customers and boost in-store engagement, this exclusive Buy 2, Get 1 Free promotion provides unbeatable value for garden retailers across six best-selling lines...