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Southend FC boss Phil Brown made a guest appearance at Alton Garden Centre director Andy Bunker’s 24-hour Plantathon in aid of Garden Releaf/Greenfingers today. Source: Garden1

Changing attitudes towards growing, dwindling membership and effective communication with a younger audience were among the concerns shared by more than 120 people from gardening clubs across Dorset and Somerset, who gathered at Castle Gardens in Sherborne on 17 March. Source: Garden1

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) Trust has announced this month (March, 2016) its first successful candidate to join the Study Tour Group at the International Garden Centre Association (IGCA) Congress. Source: Garden1

This year’s Rising Stars Programme has now begun, with a record number of entries from garden centre staff looking to get horticulture retailing training. Source: Garden1

The Drewitt Group has been awarded a contract to provide the mechanical and electrical services for Stewarts Garden Centres’ new warehouse in Christchurch, Dorset. Source: Garden1

Suttons and Dobies of Devon will be welcoming two new PR/ Brand Managers in to the fold, who will take over the PR from Francijn Suermondt as of 21 March. Source: Garden1

MacFarlanes Garden & Butterfly Nursery, at Hawkinge, near Folkestone is on target to be re-opened for business after re-develpment by May. Source: Garden1

Waitrose aims to build on its growing share of the horticultural market by launching its first ever customer magazine dedicated entirely to gardening. Source: Garden1

The former Garden & Leisure garden centre in Devon can now sell more non-gardening goods. Source: Garden1

Stewart, the British manufacturer and distributor of gardening products, catering products and technical moulding solutions, is investing in its manufacturing capability. Source: Garden1

She had been area sales executive for Suttons Consumer Products, where she has worked for since January 1998. Source: Garden1

Cloudy Bay designer Sam Ovens has said he wants to bring heather back into fashion at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016. The “controversial” heather, as well as pines and grasses, make it an unusual garden for Chelsea, he said, while the use of heather at the show has been “twee” and “wrong” in the past. Source: Garden1

In a move aimed directly at the independent garden centre sector, Gareth Powell has been appointed as national account executive by the Lancashire based growers, Ornamental Plants. Source: Garden1

With Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day taking place across the UK this Friday, participating garden centres are being encouraged to garner maximum exposure for the industry’s main fundraising day in the mainstream media by capturing high resolution, print quality images. Source: Garden1

Budget 2016: Osborne reveals plan to help retailers on business rates and plans new flood defences, HS3 and a sugar tax to go towards school sport facilities. Source: Garden1

Garden Centre Association members’ houseplant sales were 29.83 per cent up compared to the same month last year. Furniture and barbecues were up 29.22 per cent and clothing was up 57.94 per cent. Source: Garden1

The designs for The Sun Flower Square, the industry garden led by Peter Seabrook have been unveiled. Source: Garden1

Google shopping specialists Dream Agility say online garden retailers are not using Google adverts as well as they could. Source: Garden1

The garden retail consultant, Jane Lawler, believes some point of sale is too long, is unlikely to be read and might even put off the casual buyer. Source: Garden1

Some growers have cut staff benefits ahead of the National Living Wage (NLW) coming in, according to HTA ornamentals committee chairman Geoff Caesar. Source: Garden1