The Garden Centre Group has announced a clutch of appointments designed to give the 140-centre chain a further injection of high street expertise.

TGCG’s trading director Dan Zinner said the appointments would help to expand the division’s commercial capabilities and improve the customer offer. “As leader in the garden centre industry, TGCG aspires to bring the best of the retail industry to the gardening world,” Zinner added. “We are building a trading team that brings passion about retail and leadership in commercial best practices, as well as some of the industry’s deepest expertise in the horticulture category.”

Stuart Heritage joins from Dixons Retail as head of category commercial management. He will work with suppliers across categories to explore new opportunities and initiatives.

Anita Morrison, who joins from Britvic as head of decision support, will also work across category teams to advise and support on complex pricing and promotional decisions.

Other appointments are designed to  bolster the group’s horticultural expertise. Mairi Devlin, a category manager, who has joined from Homebase, has more than a decade of experience in garden buying. David Mitchell, who joins from Waitrose as a specialist plants buyer, has long track record in horticultural and agricultural buying.

Tim Clapp, TGCG’s head of horticulture said: “Gardening is at the heart of our business, and we have assembled a horticulture team of unparalleled strength, including some of the most experienced buyers in the industry, to make sure our customers have access to the finest plants, flowers and supplies in the UK.”