Around 500 garden centres and industry suppliers across the UK are putting the final plans in place for the second annual Garden Re-Leaf Day, which takes place on Friday, March 8, marking the launch of gardening season.
The Garden Centre Group, Klondyke, Scotsdales, Webbs, Squires, Bents and Notcutts are among those running Garden Re-Leaf Day events in the hopes of both boosting spring customer footfall and raising money for Greenfingers, the official Re-Leaf Day charity.

Events across the country include a nationally-available Gardening Quiz featuring questions set and recorded by a range of TV gardening celebrities, and a HTA-run Natinoal Gardening Gift Voucher competition called 'Find the Winning Plot.' Local initiatives being run by garden centres include children's planting activities, community garden makeovers, in-store 'plant doctor' advice, sports challenges, raffles and competitions.

Supporters for Garden Re-Leaf Day include the Garden Centre Association (GCA) and the Garden Industry Manufacturers Association (GIMA). The QVC shopping channel is also broadcasting two fund-raising shows on Saturday, March 9 and Sunday, March 10 at 9am, donating at least £1 per product sold to Garden Re-Leaf. Suppliers who have rallied their support include Thomson & Morgan, Raymond Evison Clematis, Burgon & Ball and Luxform.

Suppliers William Sinclair Horticulture, Solus and Javado have gone one step further by making selected special products available for retail sale in aid of Re-Leaf Day.

Last year the first ever Garden Re-Leaf Day rose more than £55,000 for Greenfingers, which was able to create two specially-designed family gardens at children's hospices in West Dunbartnoshire and Stone-on-Trent with the funds.

The initiative was thought up as a garden industry answer to the BBC's Comic Relief by Hillview Garden Centre chief executive Boyd Douglas Davies. He said: "Garden Re-Leaf Day is a fantastic opportunity to get customers shopping for their gardens again after the winter months. If you're looking for inspiration on how to get involved, visit the Garden Re-Leaf Day website where there are lots of ideas.

"And if you do arrange a last-minute activity, don't forget to add the details to the Garden Re-Leaf Day website www.gardenreleaf.co.uk so your customers and the media can see what's on."