More than 230 garden centres nationwide attracted thousands of customers to special events and fund-raisers last Friday and across the weekend, as part of Garden Re-Leaf Day.
All proceeds from the event, which was also supported by product and promotional initiatives from many of the gardening industry's key suppliers, will go to Greenfingers, Garden Re-Leaf Day's nominated charity for 2014.

The total amount raised will not be known for some months. However, Garden Re-Leaf Day's founder and Hillview Garden Centre ceo Boyd Douglas-Davies raised over £2,500 himself by taking part in a six-hour, 240-mile row-ride challenge.

He said: "What an inspiration to see so many garden centres and suppliers putting so much effort and fantastic creativity into this year's Garden Re-Leaf Day!

"From one end of the country to the other, retailers had thought of some fantastic ideas and events to get customers back in store after the wet winter months. The bonus was the opportunity to raise money for Greenfingers along the way - and we'll be announcing the total monies raised in the summer.

"A huge thank you and well done to everyone who took part or contributed in some way."

He went on: "Footfall and extra sales income are as much one of Garden Re-Leaf Day's objectives as the fund-raising, and it works - at our Studley site for example we saw a 30% uplift in sales revenue on that day compared with Friday the previous week."

Greenfingers is a small, nationwide charity dedicated to building gardens in children's hospices around the UK.