Latest News

GCA Plant Area Workshop success at Ball Colegrave

  The Garden Centre Association (GCA) held a successful Plant Area Workshop at Ball Colegrave this summer. The event was attended by plant area managers, buyers and supervisors and was facilitated by GCA inspector, Roger Crookes. Iain Wylie, GCA chief executive, said: “Our Plant Area Workshop was a big hit with…

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Weber returns to Glee 2016

Weber is set to make a return to Glee 2016, as the garden retail industry gears up for the must-visit trade event. Weber will be returning to the show with its full product portfolio including gas, charcoal and electric barbeques. The Weber chefs, synonymous with the brand, will also be cooking up delicious…

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Garden centre donates sunflower proceeds to charity

A Worcester garden centre is donating all the proceeds from the sale of sunflower blooms to charity. Laylocks Garden Centre has decided to give the funds raised from three acres of sunflowers to Midlands Air Ambulance. The charity has responded to more than 46,000 missions, averaging 2,000 per year, making it…

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Joe Lydon named Garland/Worth Gardening ‘sales agent of the year’

Joe Lydon has been voted the Garland/Worth Gardening ‘Sales Agent of the Year’. Joe is responsible for sales in Scotland. Taking advantage of many new product innovations, he achieved a 22 per cent increase in sales for his area. The award was presented to Joe at the company’s Annual Sales Conference…

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Hillier donates £13,000 to The Silver Line charity

A chance conversation between Robert Hillier and Dame Esther Rantzen at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2015 led to Hillier donating a cheque for £13,000 to The Silver Line charity today at Ampfield House in Hampshire. Hillier Nurseries introduced a new English lavender at Chelsea Flower Show this year, which raised funds for…

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New chairman appointed by Dobbies

Andrew Bracey has been appointed chairman of Dobbies, the UK’s second largest garden centre retailer, headquartered in Scotland. Andrew is a founding partner of Midlothian Capital Partners which together with Hattington Capital recently acquired Dobbies from Tesco for £218m on a cash and debt-free basis. John Cleland, CEO of Dobbies, said: “Andrew…

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Peckish sees sales increase by £2m and launches autumn birdcare collection

Peckish has revealed a new autumn birdcare collection. It promises to help ‘your sales soar’, with a natural seed mix, suet cake value pack, feeders and nestboxes. The products follow a big year for Peckish, which saw a £2m increase in sales. New consumers were welcomed into the birdcare market with…

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Springwatch bird and bat box kits predict Christmas popularity

Apples to Pears expects its range of licensed Springwatch Bird and Bat Box Kits to grab shoppers’ attention this Christmas. The products were ‘highly commended’ at The Gift of the Year Awards 2016. Designed to support wildlife, the kits are made in Britain from recycled and reclaimed timber. Materials are sourced from…

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Small businesses lose billions due to unfair contract terms

Over half of small firms have been subject to unfair contract terms with suppliers, costing almost £4 billion in the last three years New research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) suggests suppliers are failing to make auto-rollover clauses clear up front (24 percent), tying businesses into lengthy notice…

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Garden centre wants to expand with a horticultural holiday site

A Welsh garden centre is aiming to expand with horticultural themed holidays after supermakets have affected sales. Tal Goed Nurseries, based near Glan Conwy, has seen its turnover fall since 2009 and blames low cost competition, in particular, supermarkets. After over 25 years, the owners have decided to develop 27…

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