For many years, the recipe for a successful garden centre was relatively straightforward: offer an attractive range of plants, provide knowledgeable advice, and ensure that customers enjoy their shopping experience. Today, however, customer expectations have...
August is the month when plant health issues stop being theoretical and start becoming visible. Heat stress, inconsistent watering, holiday neglect, and peak pest activity all converge, creating a perfect storm for worried customers arriving at garden centres with...
Waste in the plant area has become one of the most persistent operational and commercial challenges for UK garden centres. With plant losses typically accounting for 3–8% of annual turnover, and weather volatility increasing the risk of stock deterioration, waste is a...
Climate‑resilient plant ranges are rapidly becoming a commercial necessity for UK garden centres. With the UK experiencing its eight warmest years on record since 2014 and rainfall patterns becoming increasingly erratic, customers are seeking plants that can cope with...
Sustainable plant sourcing has shifted to a defining commercial priority for UK garden centres. With supply chains under pressure from climate volatility, rising import costs, and tightening environmental expectations, retailers are reevaluating where and how their...
The houseplant boom that defined the late 2010s and early 2020s has finally eased. What began as a cultural surge fuelled by Instagram aesthetics, urban living, and the rise of the “plant parent” has settled into a more measured, mature market. Sales have softened,...
The modern garden centre is no longer defined solely by plants, pots and compost. Over the past decade, and accelerating sharply in the last three years, the sector has undergone a profound transformation. Garden centres have become leisure destinations, community...
This May in its twenty-ninth year at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Burgon & Ball will be throwing a spotlight on the colour and creativity of gardening. As a creator of beautiful garden tools and accessories since 1730, Burgon & Ball’s exhibit at the world’s...
Each day in April, Garden Centre Retail will be posting an article ‘written’ by AI, following a list of topics that affect the garden retail landscape in the UK. Today’s topic is plants, and how we could be due a change of the offering. The types of plants available...
Wyevale Nurseries is providing free expert advice this year on plants garden centres can offer customers that will both survive very wet and drought conditions. As one of the UK’s longest‑established commercial horticultural businesses, the Hereford-based company...
Dobbies Garden Centres is marking the official start to the 2025 festive season with its delivery of 40,000 real Christmas trees, available in stores across the UK now. With a wide selection of 1-9ft trees to choose from, including 30,000 freshly cut trees and 10,000...
With industry frustration mounting over continued uncertainty surrounding the peat ban, Durstons is urging retailers to get ahead of the curve and help gardeners grow confidently with peat-free compost now, before the switch becomes mandatory. The Government’s recent...
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