Emma Lamb and Sam Clark who were sponsored by the GCA Trust to attend the International Garden Centre Association (IGCA) Congress have reported back about their experiences (October 2019). Barton Grange Garden Centre’s Emma and Sam, who works for Cowell’s Garden Centre, were picked for the Trust’s Dick Allen Scholarship Award Scheme and joined more…
We are expanding our team of inspectors after seeing a record number of new members join us this year. The new inspector will visit member garden centres in one or two of the area groups around the country. We have seen a record-breaking 13 new members join us this year and we are processing further…
Houseplants were the best sellers for a second month in a row (September, 2019) at garden centres across the country according to our Barometer of Trade report. Sales were up 12.34% compared to the same month last year (2018). The trend for houseplants doesn’t look like it’s going away any time soon, and after a…
The August Bank Holiday Weekend helped lift sales at garden centres across the country at the end of the month according to our Barometer of Trade report. Houseplant sales were up 20.69% compared to the same month last year (2018) and outdoor plant sales were up 6.09%. After experiencing soaring temperatures in July, we were…
Hot weather in July (2019) sent traditional garden centre category sales soaring according to our Barometer of Trade report for the month. Seed and bulb sales were up 50.94%, outdoor plant sales were up 24.02% and sales in houseplants were up 19.7%. It is fantastic to see such a huge rise in sales in traditional…
Our members in Scotland and Northern Ireland are celebrating after picking up awards during a presentation evening recently (Thursday, August 29) at Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre. In Scotland, Simpsons Garden Centre was awarded Garden Centre of the Year in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category and Mains of Drum Garden Centre in the Garden Centre…
We are encouraging our members to do what they can to help reduce the amount of plastic going to landfill (August, 2019). Two of our member centres recently worked with Herefordshire and Worcestershire authorities to get non-black PP plastic pots and trays accepted in household and kerbside recycling bins. Will Blake, Director at St Peter’s…
We have seen a record number of new members join in 2019 – with 10 signing up so far this year (2019). These include three centres from the Klondyke Group, an additional centre for Perrywood Garden Centre, as well as six other independent garden centres from across the country. We’d like to welcome all of our new…
Wet weather caused poor sales in traditional garden centre categories in June (2019), according to our Barometer of Trade report for the month. Outdoor plant sales were down -12.56%, furniture and barbecue sales were down -14.71% but houseplant sales were up 11.56% compared to the same month last year. In June 2018 we were all…
Staff at garden centres across the Wales & West region are celebrating after scooping awards during a presentation evening at Castle Gardens this week (Tuesday, July 23, 2019). Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre was awarded Garden Centre of the Year in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category and The Old Railway Line Garden Centre…