Catering sizzles & Christmas sparkles in September’s BoT Catering served up the best results for September according to our latest Barometer of Trade (BoT) figures. Seven of the 13 categories logged were up in the figures submitted by our garden centre members when compared to September 2023; with the year-to-date variance up 0.91%. Growth Our…
Our Westland Horticulture-sponsored Rising Stars finalists FOUR individuals from member garden centres have been announced as finalists in our Rising Stars programme sponsored by Westland Horticulture (October 2024). The staff were put forward by their garden centres for the scheme and took part in a series of workshops during 2024. Our finalists GCA inspector, Gordon…
Free retail security webinar for members Three retail security specialists will speak to members at a free webinar on the topic next month (November 2024). The online event will be chaired by Tammy Woodhouse from Millbrook Garden Centres and takes place on Wednesday, November 13 from 3-4.30pm. Informative & useful Peter Burks, our Chief Executive,…
Tub-tastic! If you’ve cleared out your patio pots and tubs this month and removed your summer-flowering plants, then you can now replace them with biennials and bulbs for a gorgeous display of colour in the spring. Winter colour Ornamental cabbages are also good, with attractively shaped heads of white, green or purple foliage, if you’re…
How to plant an apple tree Now’s a great time to plant an apple tree. Choose your spot Choose an open, sunny but sheltered site in almost any soil, but make sure that the ground is neither prone to water logging nor has a high lime content (above pH7). The ideal soil for apples is…
Don’t let the garden go into hibernation this winter The winter months need not be dull in the garden. There’s plenty to add life and colour. Choose mixed planting in containers for added colour and life when everything else seems dull and grey. Flowering evergreens, clusters of berries and blossoming bulbs in containers and pots…
General gardening tasks for October There are a number of tasks that gardeners could consider doing during October. Trees, shrubs, roses and fruit bushes can be planted from the middle of the month onwards. Prepare the ground in advance by digging it over and mixing in lots of compost or well-rotted manure. Planting Add some…
Remember Hedgehogs this November! The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) has issued top tips on how to reduce the risk of harming hedgehogs this November. Fay Vass, Chief Executive of BHPS said: “As the nation gears up for bonfire and firework season, we are asking people to #RememberHedgehogs and consider how our actions can harm…
A ‘buoyant’ August for members Our August Barometer of Trade (BoT) figures out today (October 1, 2024) show some ‘really strong’ results. From the figures submitted by our member garden centres for the month, it was revealed that 12 of the 13 categories recorded were up, when compared to August 2023. Strong August Our CEO,…
Odd gardening jobs for September There’s lots of planning and preparation for the new season during September. Here’s a few things you can be getting on with: Now is a good time to put up new bird and bat boxes Start to provide a variety of foods such as left over fruits and seeds to…