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Competition among DIYs and large garden centre chains is set to toughen up as Australian retailer Wesfarmers buys Homebase, according to former Garden Centre Group chief executive Nicholas Marshall. Wesfarmers’ £340m offer for Homebase was a “knockout blow” for his interest, said Marshall, with the City valuing Homebase at around £200m. Source: Garden1

The HTA will look for the “next legislative opportunity” and has been working trying to persuade MPs from all parties to vote for extending Sunday trading from the current six hours. Source: Garden1

Dibleys Nurseries are celebrating their 40th Anniversary this year with the commercial launch of the Streptocarpus Polka-Dot Purple which was voted best houseplant in the ‘2015 Chelsea Plant of the Year’ competition. Source: Garden1

A relaunch of the Ornamentals Round Table Action Plan’s 12 asks of government at Parliament saw Defra minister George Eustice pledge to aid the horticulture industry. Source: Garden1

HTA chief executive Carol Paris says Wesfarmers buying Homebase is a positive move for the garden retail industry but could lead to tightening of prices. Source: Garden1

Sharper Thinking Associates combines the expertise of Alicia Harper and Richard Gianfrancesco professionals of the DIY, garden & leisure and horticulture sectors, offering a breadth of knowledge and support to clients across the UK and Ireland. Source: Garden1

German trade show Spoga Gafa is offering a prize for an outdoor living product designer. Source: Garden1

Bakker Spalding has announced the UK mail order launch of the first hosta to ever flower yellow, ‘Miracle Lemony’, which is new and exclusive to the company. Source: Garden1

Consumer and shopper behaviouralist Ken Hughes is speaking at the 2016 Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual conference next week (January 24 until 27, 2016) to talk about the customer of the future. Source: Garden1

Garden industry lobbyists led by the RHS and HTA are due to relaunch the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Action Plan in the Strangers Dining Room at the Palace of Westminster on 19 January. Source: Garden1

The Government’s Sunday trading proposals will be delivered in the Enterprise Bill, Second Reading in the House of Commons expected in the first week in February. Source: Garden1

Website richardjacksonsgarden.co.uk is launching a gardening club. Source: Garden1

More than £34,000 was raised at the Party for Perennial and the charity announced the Worshipful Company of Gardeners as the first Diamond Partner in its corporate membership scheme. Source: Garden1

This year has been declared ‘Year of the Tomato’ by Fleuroselect, the organisation which trials and assesses new seed varieties from around the world to determine their suitability for European conditions. Source: Garden1

With the BBC advertising for new presenters and social media speculation mounting, Gardeners’ World, which starts in early March, has yet to announce who will present the show. Source: Garden1

Vitax has appointed Daniel Wilkinson as managing director, replacing Paul Gooding who remains as chairman. Source: Garden1

Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers has bought Homebase for £340m. Source: Garden1

Tim Clapp is now head of range (horticulture and garden care) at B&Q parent company Kingfisher. Source: Garden1

Tim Clapp has been promoted to become head of range (horticulture and garden care) at B&Q parent company Kingfisher. Source: Garden1

Hundreds of people from across the horticulture industry gathered at the Skyloft at Altitude London at the top of Millbank Tower on 15 January 2016 for the Party for Perennial, the charity’s annual fundraising event. Source: Garden1