Core gardening categories spring into life

Our members saw sales in core gardening categories increase during February (2015) according to our Barometer of Trade (BoT) results.

Sales of outdoor plants increased 9.42% compared with the same month in 2014, sundries increased 10.27%, but it was seeds and bulbs that saw the biggest rise at 14.33% up.

Iain Wylie, our Chief Executive, explained: “It looks as if garden centre customers spent the majority of February preparing for the new season with purchases of new plants, sundries and seeds and bulbs.

“At the moment we have no idea what the year ahead is going to hold for us but it looks as if gardeners have high hopes for good weather and are eager to get back into their gardens and get growing again. It’s great to see sales of core gardening categories on the rise consistently since the beginning of the year and I only hope this continues.” 

We’re pleased to announce our new area chairmen

We’ve appointed our new area chairmen who will represent member garden centres in each region this month (March, 2015). 

Under Will Armitage’s chairmanship, the regions have been tasked to help improve opportunities for members and assist them to get more from us.

Will explained: “We’re very pleased to have our new area chairmen for 2015 now in place. Each one will take over the representation of the member garden centres in their area.

“I hope to see more activity from each region in the coming year and stronger regional groups.”

In the South Thames region Jolyon Martin from Chessington Garden Centre has taken over the role of chairman from Tim Mason from Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres.

Peter Self from Whitehall Garden Centre follows Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre’s Managing Director, Mike Lind, as the chairman for the Wales and the West region. Mike has become a directly elected member of the GCA Executive Committee.