Welcome to the April issue round-up of Garden Centre Retail

News Centre: A round-up of news from the industry

News Extra: Stagecraft’s factory opening

Association News: The Garden Centre Association and Horticultural Trades Association share more of their thoughts on what they have planned for 2014.

Business Tips: Guy Moreton discusses recruiting the right staff, Keith Bateman of Davidson Richards advises on what to consider when reviewing EPoS solutions, David Standing talks about changing the customer demographic, and Jeremy Davies shares tips on preventing customer theft.

Opinions: Jane Perrone, gardening expert and author talks about April’s trends in the world of domestic gardening, and Kevin Waters stresses that garden centres are more than just coffee shops.

View From The Top: In our second big interview, we talk to Iain Wylie of The Garden Centre Association, who shares his knowledge of the industry, and how it led him to where he is, and talks about what the GCA has planned for the coming months.

Store Design: Paul Pleydell, in the second instalment of his series, outlines a selection of ways in which a garden centre can become a true retail experience.

Plant Focus: Lucy Summers, garden designer and plant lover, shares some of her favourite plants that the urban gardener should consider.

Plantarea Q&A: Garden Centre Retail looks at five different garden centres, who tell us about the importance of plants in the world of garden retail.

Product Lines: A selection of product news and latest kit feature along with Westland Horticulture’s Senior Brand Manager’s advice on how to keep lawns looking their best. In this month’s Trading With feature, Garden Centre Retail speaks to Chris Ramsden, Sales and Marketing Director of Suttons Seeds.

Jobs: A collection of vacancies from across the garden retail industry.

Staff Room: A selection of little interviews, a calendar of “what’s on”, and Alex’s blog all feature in our Staff Room section.