December’s BoT shows a ‘nice’ end to the year December’s Barometer of Trade (BoT) figures out today show ‘another nice increase on sales’ and a year-to-date figure of +7.31% (January 23, 2026). Of the 13 categories logged by our member garden centres, nine were up when compared to December 2024 with seeds & bulbs top…
Things to do in the garden in January January may feel quiet in the garden, but it’s the perfect time to prepare for the year ahead. While growth slows during winter, there are plenty of tasks to keep you busy and set the stage for a successful spring. Plan your planting Use this downtime to…
November BoT shows ‘strong growth’ Our November Barometer of Trade (BoT) out today reveals ‘strong growth’ of +9.04% when compared to the same month in 2024 – with the year-to-date figure up +8.18% too (December 19, 2025). From the 13 categories recorded by member garden centres, 11 were positive, when likened to November 2024 with…
Bank’s Head of Retail & Leisure at our Annual Conference An expert on Retail & Leisure for HSBC is presenting on retail trends at our Annual Conference at Carden Park Chester next month (January 2026). James Sawley, the bank’s Head of Retail & Leisure, is speaking at our 60th anniversary year event on the Tuesday,…
Our Westland Horticulture-sponsored Rising Stars finalists Five individuals from member garden centres have been revealed as finalists in our Rising Stars programme sponsored by Westland Horticulture (December 2025). Put forward by their garden centres, the staff completed a series of workshops in 2025 and will now present at our 60th anniversary year Annual Conference in…
Packing up your tools for winter A bit of prep at this end of the year will pay dividends in the spring, so rather than watching the telly this afternoon, get a bit of fresh air. Once the jobs are done you have every right to feel very smug indeed and think about how much…
Climate scientist to speak at our 2026 Annual Conference Climate scientist Professor Tamsin Edwards will be speaking at our 2026 Annual Conference at Carden Park Chester on the Tuesday (January 27, 2026). Prof Edwards, who regularly appears on TV and radio, specialises in quantifying the uncertainties of climate model predictions, particularly for the ice sheet…
Our 2025 Christmas display competition winners Our Gisela Graham-sponsored annual Christmas competition national winners were announced today in a webinar for members (December 5, 2025). Bents came a starry first in the Destination Garden Centre category; Garsons Titchfield shone in the Garden Centre section and Brimsmore Gardens in Somerset sparkled in the Local Garden Centre…
HSBC economist at our Annual Conference Chris Hare an Economist at HSBC Global Banking and Markets will be taking to the podium at our Conference at Carden Park Chester on January 27, 2026. Chris, who also spent five years in the UK forecasting division at the Bank of England, is speaking at our 60th anniversary…
Look after your garden wildlife this winter At this time of year, the wildlife in our gardens will need a little bit of extra help to keep it going during the colder days and nights. Here are our handy hints to help keep your friendly mammals, birds and insects well-fed, safe and cosy: To help…