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Catering and clothes were up, but outdoor categories were well down last month. Source: Garden1

January catering and clothes sales were up at garden centres, but outdoor categories were well down last month. Source: Garden1

Easy gardening, takeovers, new accounts and celebrity-backed new products were themes at the annual Garden Press event at the Barbican this week. Source: Garden1

Easy gardening, takeovers, new accounts and celebrity-backed new products were themes at the annual Garden Press event at the Barbican this week. Source: Garden1

After a slow sart to the gardening TV season, commissions are finally coming through. Source: Garden1

Thompson & Morgan could go back on the market in June after its annual results are published, sources suggest. Source: Garden1

The world’s largest producer of outdoor power products, Husqvarna, is launching the UK’s first and biggest robotic lawnmower giveaway worth £300,000. Source: Garden1

The world’s largest producer of outdoor power products, Husqvarna, is launching the UK’s first and biggest robotic lawnmower giveaway worth £300,000. Source: Garden1

Wyevale will be sponsoring and retailing from garden shows this summer. Source: Garden1

Bentley Brushware has partnered with the National Trust to develop a new range of garden furniture for 2016. Source: Garden1

Buglife, also known as The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, will receive a donation from sales of Buttacup’s water butt planters while Buglife will endorse the company’s products. Source: Garden1

The Garden Press Event has heard a debate on the future of gardening, with panellists at the Garden Tags event worrying about the lack of young people moving into horticulture. Source: Garden1

The Garden Press Event has heard a debate on the future of gardening, with panellists at the Garden Tags event concerned about the lack of young people moving into horticulture. Source: Garden1

On 17 March representatives from the Royal Horticultural Society’s Affiliated Societies team, Britain’s largest network of gardening clubs and horticultural societies, will join a Flower Show Forum at Castle Gardens in Sherborne, Dorset from 2pm – 4pm. Source: Garden1

Specialist Rose and Plant Centre, Peter Beales has re-opened its Tea Room and Restaurant after an extensive refurbishment. Source: Garden1

Hillier Nurseries has announced its results for the year to 31 August 2015, with an increase of 4.45 per cent in sales to £28.391m from £27.180m. Overall profit after tax was £967,580 – down from £3.495m in 2014. Operating profit was £1.339m – down from £1.421m. Source: Garden1

Garden centres are undergoing a “paradigm shift” to become entertainment centres with soft play, while private equity ownership, consolidation and “scary Latin” were all cited as factors that are making buying gardening products less attractive, the Garden Retail Summit, hosted by Horticulture Week in London earlier this month, (4 February) has heard. Source: Garden1

The euro was another big issue discussed at the Garden Retail Summit, with Management Today deputy editor Andrew Saunders looking at currency impact on trade. The panel included Growforth director Stan Green, Garden Industry Manufacturers Association director Vicky Nuttall and International Association of Horticultural Producers secretary-general Tim Briercliffe. Source: Garden1

Possible buyers for Wyevale Garden Centres are being touted following reports that its finance-house owner is gearing up to sell the business with an asking price of £700m. Source: Garden1

The Garden Retail Summit gave essential advice on policy changes, with Sunday trading and the National Living Wage the big issues discussed by garden retailers. Source: Garden1