The DIY and gardening retail sector is set to grow 3.3% in 2013, making it the strongest category for projected growth in retail, according to a new report by Verdict and SAS UK. 

For the first time in the Haskin Garden Centre group's 39 years of trading, turnover exceeded £4million during the month of December. 

BDC Electrical Distribution Ltd - formerly known as BDC 2008 and Bridisco - is back on form 18 months after entering administration. 

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) recently welcomed Defra's announcement of the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) in England and Wales. 

John Poore, MD of Poore's of Acton, was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to charity in the new year honours list. 

Doors supplier Home Decor has started the new year in a brand new home - Woodhouse Mill in Sheffield. 

It was not a very merry Christmas for Notcutts Garden Centres after ram-raiders drove a stolen Mitsubishi pick-up truck into the sliding glass doors of the company's Cranleigh centre, causing £10,000 worth of damage. 

Off the back of a year which saw 194 retail insolvencies, up 6% on 2011, early indications are that Christmas trading in 2012 was "reasonable but not spectacular" according to business advisory firm Deloitte. 

Ray Scotting, until recently managing director of Liberon Ltd, died on Christmas Day. He was 68, and had been diagnosed with cancer earlier in 2012. 

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is asking MPs to prioritise listening to local businesses to help halt high street decline, in the wake of empty shops reaching a new high of 11.3% in town centres. 

Strong sales of festive decorations and plants helped value retailer QD achieve record Christmas trading figures. 

Enthusiastic shoppers helped John Lewis break a raft of sales records over the Christmas period, the department store retailer said today. 

According to the latest CBI report, more retailers saw a sales increase during the first two weeks of December than those who did not, but the number was far below retailers' expectations for the festive buying period. 

Former Kingfisher CEO Euan Sutherland, who was named chief operating officer last February, has announced he is leaving the home improvement giant from March 2013 to become CEO of The Co-operative Group. 

Hand tools manufacturer Irwin Tools has set itself the target of raising £50,000 for Help for Heroes next year through sales of a limited edition handsaw. 

A 22-year-old DIY store in Pembrokeshire will close for good tomorrow (Thursday, December 20) - marking the sad demise of a "wonderful business" for owner Malcolm Walker. 

The Garden Centre Association is calling all garden centre members to cast their votes for the Associate Member of the Year award, recognising efficiency, helpfulness, professionalism and best product. 

Members of the Garden Centre Association have reported Christmas product sales up 11% during November 2012 compared with November 2011. 

The final 49 Comet stores will shut up shop for good today after administrators failed to find a buyer for the electrical chain, which would have celebrated 80 years of trading next year. 

The second ever Garden Re-Leaf Day will include a competition run by Westland Horticulture for retailers who run the most effective campaign - launched last year as the garden industry's Comic Relief equivalent - to win compost worth £6,000.