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Zest 4 Leisure – part of the P&A group, is showcasing its new 2017 outdoor living collection at this week’s Solex exhibition trade show. Source: Garden1

Challenges and opportunities identified by industry figures in all horticulture sectors. Source: Garden1

The report for the year ending 27 December shows turnover of £311.1m, up from £290.4m. Source: Garden1

The testing of the 500 sites is undertaken by Sitemorse using automated software that, page-by-page reads the first 125 pages of each retailer’s sites to generate a ranked table based on checks to quality, user experience, accessibility, performance and SEO capability of each of the websites. Source: Garden1

Haskins and Garden & Leisure showed a marked improvement in the Sitemorse report, which ranks 500 UK-based retail websites according to their usability, accessibility, performance. Source: Garden1

International grower organisation head Briercliffe says following the vote by UK citizens to leave the EU we are now in a period of uncertainty before the full implications are understood. Source: Garden1

AIPH secretary general Tm Briercliffe has said it is too early for growers, importers and exporters of plants to make strategic decisions based on “what we know so far” about the impact of Brexit on exchange rates which “always do fluctuate” and may be reflecting “a short-term shock”. Source: Garden1

Squire’s Garden Centres is celebrating after winning a gold medal for its anniversary show garden at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Source: Garden1

University of Sussex Professor Dave Goulson has raised twice what he asked for through crowd-funding platform Walacea to research neonicotinoid use on garden centre plants. Source: Garden1

Peter Beales Roses has won the top rose prize at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show. Source: Garden1

Mr Fothergill’s has donated and grown seeds for the latest Greenfingers’ garden – the RBC Chelsea Garden at Earl Mountbatten Hospice on the Isle of Wight – that were planted at the hospice on 4 July. Source: Garden1

Overall shop prices reported deflation of 2.0 per cent in June, deepening from the 1.8 per cent decline in May. Source: Garden1

Tong Garden Centre has reached the shortlist in the Outstanding Customer Service category of the Welcome to Yorkshire White Rose Awards. Source: Garden1

The Royal Borough of Windsor has earmarked two garden centres to potentially be replaced by housing although it is believed the centres have no intention to close. Source: Garden1

GardenTags, the social networking app for gardeners, has pinpointed six different gardening tribes, following a survey of British gardeners. Source: Garden1

Garden centre retailers and suppliers say to keep calm on Brexit, despite possible short-term price rises. Source: Garden1

Winning the HTA National Plant Show best plant award means a five-to-10 per cent sales increase, according to Darby Nursery Stock. Sales manager Hannah Darby said winning plant Salvia ‘Blue Marvel’ will be available in stocks of 5,000-10,000 for 2017 in two and seven-litre pots. Source: Garden1

In a recent strategy presentation in Australia, Bunnings Group chief executive officer John Gillam said: “Homebase provides an established and scalable platform”, with “right-sized stores and a well-located network” that “supports warehouse merchandising” and has a “latent capability for a low-cost operating model”. Source: Garden1

The Newey Group has rebranded Eagle Plants, New Forest Plants and New Place Nurseries and taken a controlling interest in Evesham bedding grower Avoncross Ornamentals. Source: Garden1

Garden centre managers making more decisions alongside a big spend on developing existing buildings is the path to growth, according to Notcutts chief executive Nick Burrows. Source: Garden1