Orchids are very popular as Christmas and New Year gifts so if you received one and are now wondering how to care for it properly, then here are my top tips to help keep it looking good for longer, says our CEO and trained horticulturalist, Peter Burks. Orchids have a reputation for being difficult to…
Nothing beats eating the veggies you have grown yourself, says our CEO Peter Burks. Peter is a keen allotmenteer and trained horticulturalist, who has worked in directorial and senior management positions for garden centres nationwide for more than 40 years and has a degree in horticulture from the University of Bath. This is what he…
Garden centre members have revealed their trading results for November in the organisation’s latest Barometer of Trade (BoT) report – with catering in poll position (2023). The figures show a year-to-date variance of 2.38% and that 11 of the 13 categories, recorded by member garden centres, saw an uplift during the month. Very encouraging Our…
We’ve had several new members join us in 2023 – with nine garden centres and 22 associates signing up and approved so far this year. These garden centres include Hillmount Garden Centre, Belfast, The Hertfordshire Garden Centre, Yarnton Home & Garden, Oxfordshire, Rutland Nursery and five Hilliers – Newbury, Three-Legged Cross, Weyhill, Aldermaston and Lechlade. Peter Burks,…
CASTLE Gardens (Garden Centre category) in Dorset and Garsons Garden Centre Esher (Destination Garden Centre) are the national winners of our Gisela Graham-sponsored annual Christmas competition 2023. The garden centres were judged to have the best festive displays in the country and will receive their awards at our annual conference in January 2024. Congratulations Our…
Members are being asked to vote for their Associate Member of the Year for 2023 – with the winner to be announced at our annual conference in the Cotswolds this January (January 28 until 31, 2024). The award recognises companies or individuals that have contributed to the success of the sector and is highly regarded…
We’re inviting members to put their marketing and community campaigns forward for our annual Worrall Cup competition (December 2023). We’ll be awarding a cup to the garden centre with the best marketing and community initiative during our 2024 annual conference in the Cotswolds next month (January 28 until 31, 2024). Flair & creativity Our CEO,…
Bestselling author and BBC radio and TV neuroscience presenter, Dr Hannah Critchlow will be speaking about wellbeing at our annual conference on the Tuesday, January 30 (January 28 until 31, 2024). Named by the journal Nature in 2019 as one of the ‘Rising Stars in Life Sciences’, Hannah is an internationally acclaimed neuroscientist and Fellow…
Our Barometer of Trade (BoT) figures for October reveal a ‘strong food theme’ at our member garden centres (2023). Eight of our 13 categories saw an uplift during the month as recorded by member centres, and the figures also revealed a positive year-to-date variance of +2.27%. Strongest performing Peter Burks, our Chief Executive, explains: “Catering…
HSBC’s former Head of Economics will be helping delegates at our annual conference understand the resurgence of inflation and the challenges that it continues to bring (January 28 until 31, 2024). Mark Berrisford-Smith, who worked for the bank’s Commercial Banking division in the UK until June this year, will be sharing his experience and expertise…