In This Issue
Blue Diamond to raise £60m to accelerate growth
Accurate time, every time – take control of staff attendance with WorkForce Manager
Zest adds to its modular outdoor entertaining collection
Antirrhinum 'Shiryu Kiss' wins Best in Show at HTA’s New Plant Awards 2026
GCA BoT shows strong performance for furniture & BBQ sales in May
Local artist adds colour and creativity to Perrywood
SealStop seals deal with leading garden centre chain
Four Wyevale Nurseries staff celebrate 130 years of service between them
Grief-inspired garden sponsored by Blue Diamond
Summer starts at SOLEX 2026 – register today
Gates acquires the freehold of Gates Woodlands Hinckley
Fenella Crichton retires from Pentland Plants
Olympic legend Sir Jason Kenny named as a headline speaker at 2027 GCA Conference
GIMA to launch international trade service Gardenex
Hot May highlights the value of gardens as garden centres navigate rising costs
Dobbies confirmed as first-ever sponsors for Discover Scottish Gardens map
Leading industry experts to speak at FutureGrow Expo 2026
Root One turns 25!
Summer Showroom Directory in GTN May-June 2026 Issue
Get your copy of GTN Xtra
Carers UK and Thrive join forces to help unpaid carers
Wyevale Nurseries to exhibit at HTA National Plant Show
Farplants to showcase award entries, Christmas Ranges and new initiative at National Plant Show
Webb secures BBC Gardeners’ World Best Buy recognition
RHS Badminton Flower Show to feature largest ever show garden alongside first exhibit by music icon Will Young
SDEA Launches LearnVM, a new online course in visual merchandising and retail experience design
RHS joins the 50th anniversary celebrations for Whichford Pottery
Registration opens for 78th AIPH Annual Congress
The best of last week's
Blue Diamond Garden Centres and Diddly Squat Farm Announce Exclusive Retail Partnership
GIMA Awards 2026 attracts record-breaking interest as judging day approaches
Toolbank drive to success at the GIMA Charity Golf Day
Blue Diamond to buy all the stock from AMES
Retailers give GET OFF Paws Away the thumbs-up
Greenfingers Kilimanjaro Team keep trekking upwards and you keep donating, over £227,000 raised so far, thank you to all!
Greenfingers Charity Kilimanjaro Trekkers Pass £225,000 milestone as they reach Day Three on the mountain
Greenfingers Kilimanjaro team get Floral Friday off to an early start
The Greenfingers Kilimanjaro team get ready for the ultimate challenge as they arrive in Tanzania - UPDATED
Rainforests, rock walls and the roof of Africa – the adventure awaiting the Greenfingers team
Celebrities send video message of support
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news.

Email trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 07973 504214

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Greenfingers Kilimanjaro Team keep trekking upwards and you keep donating, over £227,000 raised so far, thank you to all!

The Greenfingers Charity Kilimanjaro Challenge team have trekked to over 4,600m above sea level on their way to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and thanks to your continued donations the total raised so far as just exceeded £227,000.

 

Kate Ebbens reports from the trek: "Some of us are a bit ill from altitude sickness and tummy upsets but ploughing through, it’s very hard..."

 

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/greenfingers-kilimanjaro2026
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Greenfingers Charity Kilimanjaro Trekkers Pass £225,000 milestone as they reach Day Three on the mountain

The Greenfingers Charity Kilimanjaro Challenge team has reached Day Three of its extraordinary trek to the summit of Africa's highest mountain, with fundraising now exceeding an incredible £225,500 towards the creation of a new Greenfingers Garden at Naomi & Jacks, a children's hospice in Winchester...

 

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/greenfingers-kilimanjaro2026
Read more and see photos from the first days of the trek
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Greenfingers Kilimanjaro team get Floral Friday off to an early start

The Greenfingers Kilimanjaro team get Floral Friday off to an early start as they prepare to depart from their overnight hotel to the start point of the 8 day Trek to the Top of Africa... and back.

 

You can be part of Floral Friday, along with many Greenfingers Charity supporters, by simply wearing something floral, telling your friends and colleagues why you are wearing Floral on Friday and hopefully encouraging them to donate and help the team get to over £250,000 raised to build wonderful gardens at children's hospices across the UK.

 

Donate at: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/greenfingers-kilimanjaro2026
Read more and see more photos as they depart for the start of the trek
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The Greenfingers Kilimanjaro team get ready for the ultimate challenge as they arrive in Tanzania - UPDATED

The Greenfingers Kilimanjaro team arrived in Tanzania earlier today (Thursday), on the eve of their trek into the rainforest on Floral Friday. A total of £222,332 has been raised so far (updated at 21:30 Thursday evening. To support the Greenfingers Kilimanjaro Trek team and get them to over £250,000 raised to build gardens in Children's Hospices, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/greenfingers-kilimanjaro2026
See gallery of pictures of the team arriving in Tanzania
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Rainforests, rock walls and the roof of Africa – the adventure awaiting the Greenfingers team

For months we have has been following the Greenfingers Charity Kilimanjaro team as they trained, fundraised and prepared for the challenge of a lifetime. Together, the 23 trekkers have already raised more than £214,000 in support of Greenfingers Charity, inspiring colleagues, friends and family every step of the way.
 
As departure day finally approaches, one question remains – what exactly have they signed up for...
See the challenge itinery in full here
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Celebrities send video message of support

Dame Mary Berry, Alan Titchmarsh, David Domoney, Jo Whiley, Stephen Mangan, the cast of Eastenders, Ann-Marie Powell and Jim Carter are among the celebrities sending messages of support to the Greenfingers Kilimanjaro Challenge team...
See photos of the departure to Africa and watch the celebrity video here
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Blue Diamond to raise £60m to accelerate growth

Blue Diamond Limited, the UK’s number one garden centre retailer, has today announced that it plans to raise a £60 million investment from Caledonia Investments plc, the FTSE 250 investment trust...
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Accurate time, every time – take control of staff attendance with WorkForce Manager
GTN Xtra Promotion

Accurate employee attendance is fundamental to running an efficient and compliant garden centre. When staff consistently sign in and out, you gain reliable data that underpins payroll accuracy, ensures HR compliance, and gives managers the visibility they need to run smoother operations.
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Zest adds to its modular outdoor entertaining collection
GTN Xtra Promotion

Following the outstanding success of Zest’s outdoor entertaining collection during the 2025 season, the timber garden furniture and outdoor leisure specialist is returning to SOLEX to unveil a host of additional ‘al fresco’ products (stand number #430) and show promotions, exclusive to Zest’s on stand visitors...
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Antirrhinum 'Shiryu Kiss' wins Best in Show at HTA’s New Plant Awards 2026

Kernock Park Plants Antirrhinum 'Shiryu Kiss' has won Best in Show at the Horticultural Trades Association’s (HTA) prestigious New Plant Awards – sponsored by ICL – at this year’s HTA National Plant Show...
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GCA BoT shows strong performance for furniture & BBQ sales in May

Garden Centre Association members had an ‘encouraging’ May according to the body’s Barometer of Trade (BoT) out today – with furniture & BBQs sales up significantly on the same month last year...
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Local artist adds colour and creativity to Perrywood

Perrywood Tiptree recently invited artist Lucy Tiffney to create a vibrant new artwork in its Creativity Display Garden, adding her eye-catching designs to a feature seen in most of our gardens, the plain wooden garden shed...
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SealStop seals deal with leading garden centre chain
 

SealStop, the ground-breaking Yorkshire-made automatic shut-off valve designed to eliminate water waste, is now being stocked by independent garden centre chain Longacres...
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Four Wyevale Nurseries staff celebrate 130 years of service between them

Four colleagues from Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford have been recognised for their long service after collectively achieving 130 years of employment at the UK’s award-winning commercial grower between them...
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Grief-inspired garden sponsored by Blue Diamond

Blue Diamond Garden Centres is sponsoring Where Grief Grows Quiet, a powerful Young Designer garden at the RHS Badminton Flower Show 2026, created by Sophie Leo in support of national cancer charity Maggie's...
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Summer starts at SOLEX 2026 – register today

With just under one month to go until SOLEX 26 opens its doors, excitement is building for what promises to be another fantastic show...
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Gates acquires the freehold of Gates Woodlands Hinckley

Following a highly successful first year of trading, the Gates family has completed the acquisition of the freehold at its Stapleton site, securing the long-term future of Gates Woodlands Hinckley...
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Fenella Crichton retires from Pentland Plants

Pentland Plants has said farewell to Fenella Crichton, wishing her a very happy retirement. She has been a huge part of the family business for 10 years...
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Olympic legend Sir Jason Kenny named as a headline speaker at 2027 GCA Conference

Britain's most successful Olympian of all time Sir Jason Kenny has been confirmed as a headline speaker for the Garden Centre Association’s annual conference in January 2027...
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GIMA to launch international trade service Gardenex

GIMA has announced the launch of Gardenex, its dedicated international trade service, designed to support international trade, strengthen commercial connections and create new opportunities for businesses operating across the global garden sector...
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Hot May highlights the value of gardens as garden centres navigate rising costs

The Horticultural Trades Association’s latest Market Update shows that garden centre sales slipped just 1% by value in May 2026 compared with the same month last year – the sunniest May on record. Consumer confidence edged up 2 points to -23, while the UK’s joint third warmest May on record helped drive demand in seasonal categories...
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Dobbies confirmed as first-ever sponsors for Discover Scottish Gardens map

Dobbies Garden Centres has been announced as the first-ever sponsor of the Discover Scottish Gardens map, widely recognised as one of Scotland’s most popular tourism brochures...
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Leading industry experts to speak at FutureGrow Expo 2026

The Horticultural Trades Association has announced leading industry experts in automation, innovation and precision crop protection as speakers at FutureGrow Expo 2026: Nursery of the Future...
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Root One turns 25!

From humble beginnings to a thriving nursery garden centre, Root One celebrates 25 years of growth, community and horticultural passion...
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Summer Showroom Directory in GTN May-June 2026 Issue

In this issue:

  • Fakenham Garden Centre
  • Glee Roadshow 2026
  • Celebrations and trends at Chelsea
  • J-Class Moongate
  • Making Napoleon famous
  • Comfort and joy from Bramblecrest
  • Summer Showroom Special & Directory
  • DLF and Johnsons Lawn Seed
  • LeisureGrow open for business
  • Westland’s brand-new showroom
  • Introducing Royal Garden UK
  • Plant show round up for Summer 2026
  • Food allergy awareness and safety - New GTN series
  • Create an experience - Adapt or Die
  • Floral Spectacular at Chelsea - GTN Planteria
  • Keeping Garden Furniture moving - LOFA Viewpoint
  • Putting on a show - HTA Viewpoint
Read the issue on-line here
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Get your copy of GTN Xtra
 

with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox...
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Carers UK and Thrive join forces to help unpaid carers

Unpaid carers are invited to join a free fortnight of simple gardening and nature activities launching next week from Carers UK and Thrive...
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Wyevale Nurseries to exhibit at HTA National Plant Show

Leading commercial grower Wyevale Nurseries will be exhibiting at the Horticultural Trades Association National Plant Show, taking place on June 17-18 at NAEC Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire...
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Farplants to showcase award entries, Christmas Ranges and new initiative at National Plant Show
 

Farplants will be exhibiting at stand 349/360 at the National Plant Show 2026 - easy to find as they’re neighbouring the HTA Village...
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Webb secures BBC Gardeners’ World Best Buy recognition

British garden machinery brand Webb Garden Power has been presented with 2026 Best Buy status by BBC Gardeners’ World magazine for two of its latest cordless lawnmowers: the Webb 20V 30cm Cordless Cylinder Lawnmower and the Webb 40V (2 x 20V) 47cm Brushless Self-Propelled Lawnmower...
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