Gardman is advising retailers to stock up on bird food as studies show that more birds than usual are turning up in gardens this autumn. 

Duck Tape has invested in pitch-side advertising during this autumn's Rugby Internationals as well as the Six Nations home matches at Murrayfield in 2013. 

Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre is celebrating after being named as Somerset's best family-run business at the annual Somerset Business Awards. 

Garden centre chain Notcutts has launched an own-brand range of wild bird care products this autumn. 

The star of John Lewis' 2012 Christmas advert 'The Journey' has embarked on a UK-wide tour, sparking a massive Twitter following as users post sightings of the now-famous snowman. 

The owner of The Secret Garden Centre in London has gained Twitter fame after appearing in an episode of the BBC's Young Apprentice last week, during which he refused to give young contestants a discount on an olive tree. 

According to concession company First Franchise, "an alarming number" of UK garden centres have concession tenants on site that either have no official agreement in place, are trading after an agreement has expired or have not reviewed their tenants' agreement terms since they installed. 

A member of the family that operates a Kent garden centre has been given a suspended prison sentence after he performed indecent acts in a room on the premises. 

A new product and price comparision website allowing gardeners and DIY consumers to compare the best deals and bargains on tools and equipment available online has been launched this week. 

The latest report from GfK shows an increase in average prices lead to a 2% value growth across decorative categories during the third quarter of 2012 compared with the same period last year, but that "most sectors remain in volume decline." 

Visitors to next February's Ambiente show in Frankfurt will enjoy a preview of style and colour trends in homewares for 2013, within a dedicated display. 

The Horticultural Trades Association's fourth garden centre catering conference will take place on Thursday, February 28 at the Crowne Plaza, Birmingham NEC, and has been designed to epitomise best practice in the lucrative world of garden centre dining. 

The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled in water filter specialist Brita's favour after one of its advertisements was accused of being misleading. 

Town centre vacancies last month hit the highest figure recorded by the BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor since the service was first set up in July 2011. 

Comet's administrators announced today that 41 of the electrical chain's stores will be closed by the end of November unless a buyer can be found. 

John Lewis is taking on 80 young apprentices in 2012 in a programme that guarantees employment for all participants when their training is complete. 

An independent DIY retailer in South Shields has told DIY Week he is "disappointed but not surprised" after his appeal for inclusion in a social housing voucher scheme was turned down by South Tyneside council, which is continuing its exclusive partnership with B&Q well into 2013. 

A new campaign called 'Celebrate an Independent Christmas' is taking the country's independent retail community by storm. 

Pets could have a happier Christmas this year than grandparents if last year's festive shopping habits are repeated in 2012. 

Retailers are bracing themselves for a punishing rise in the price of tableware and ceramic kitchenware after the European Commission today announced the immediate imposition of new taxes.