Health
Health benefits of winter garden visits
Research conducted by the National Garden Scheme confirms health benefits of visiting a garden in the dark days of winter.
Regulation
Flower industry call for further grace period on post-Brexit border checks
Both the Dutch and UK flower industry express concerns regarding impending introduction of phytosanitary certificates on medium-risk products scheduled for 31 January 2024.
Business
Last of the peat-fired electricity power plants in Ireland switches to biomass
The end of an era of peat-fired electricity in the Edenderry power plant in Ireland switches from peat to burning biomass.
Media
Hornby George PR launch
Kimberley Hornby will be flying solo with the newly launched Hornby George PR, previously known as Hornby Whitefoot PR.
Media
Happy Christmas
Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and best wishes for the festive season.
Business
Dutch Flower Auctions Association: new peat-free growing medium grading
The new S57 grading characteristics and values, growers can now indicate to what extent the product has been grown peat-free.
Business
Increased energy efficiency subsidies for Dutch greenhouse horticulture
The Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Piet Adema increased available subsidies by €12 million for greenhouse horticulture.
Local Heroes
365-day running challenge for Greenfingers
Greenfingers Charity supporter, Kate Ebbens has vowed to spend 2024 running daily to raise much needed funds for the children’s hospice garden charity.
Business
Houseplants: saviours of the last-minute Christmas shopper
Around one in seven of all houseplants sold in UK garden centres are purchased in December.
Business
HTA November market data shows a confident countdown to Christmas
Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) shares insights on trading during the festive season.
Charity
The Nature Hubs Fund
In association with Starbucks, Hubbub is offering around 50 groups up to £6,000 of funding to develop green space initiatives to provide much needed access to nature.
Regulation
Unlimited penalties for polluters
Companies who pollute the environment can be hit with unlimited financial penalties from the Environment Agency.
Business
Industrial Energy Transformation Fund expanded to include Horticulture
The Industrial Energy Transformation (IETF) Fund is now accessible to horticulture businesses with high energy use to cut their energy bills.
Local Heroes
Gardening can be very profitable…
Hermès Heir plans to leave half of his $12billion fortune to his gardener.
Environment
DEFRA: No plans to ban artificial grass
Stating a commitment to eliminating all avoidable plastic waste by 2042 and acknowledgement that artificial grass has no wildlife value, Defra has no plans to instigate a ban on plastic grass.
Artisan
Garden Museum & TOAST collaboration
British lifestyle brand TOAST and the Garden Museum have collaborated with artist Rosie Harbottle on a series of original artworks.
Local Heroes
Westland’s Community Gardening Fund
Westland Horticulture has announced a New Horizon Fund aimed to support community garden projects across the UK and Ireland in 2024.
Charity
Support helplines over Christmas
Perennial’s helpline will close at 4.30pm on Wednesday 20 December and reopen at 10.00am on Wednesday 3 January 2024.
By the bye
Review into fresh produce supply chain fairness
Government launches review into contract fairness between producers and purchasers in the edible horticulture sector to ensure a fair price and transparency in the negotiation process
Media
Joe Swift’s Country Garden
New Youtube channel by Garden designer, writer and BBC’s Gardeners’ World presenter, Joe Swift documenting his new garden in the country.