Blue Diamond Garden Centres has reported a strong first half of the year, with sales and profits increasing despite challenging weather conditions and continued pressure on consumer spending.
For the six months ending 30 June 2026, the garden centre group recorded sales of £216 million, up 12.5 per cent, while pre-tax profit increased 16 per cent to £24 million.
Like-for-like sales rose 1.6 per cent, outperforming the Garden Centre Association (GCA) benchmark by 0.8 percentage points and the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) benchmark by 3.4 percentage points.
The group attributed its performance to its diversified retail offering, which combines traditional gardening products with a broader range of lifestyle and home-related categories, alongside restaurants and other services.
Its restaurant division was a particularly strong performer, with like-for-like sales increasing 6.2 per cent during the period.
Blue Diamond has also continued to expand its portfolio, completing the acquisition of Highfield Garden World, alongside two new leasehold acquisitions, Leaf Creative and Holt.
In June, the group announced a three-year exclusive partnership with Diddly Squat Farm, which will see the businesses develop a co-branded range of gardening products.
The partnership forms part of Blue Diamond’s wider strategy to strengthen its retail offering through exclusive products and brand collaborations.
Away from its retail operations, the group secured its second consecutive Gold Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, this year for a drought-resistant immersive display.
Its Step by Step Gardening with David Domoney YouTube series has also attracted more than 500,000 viewers per episode.
Blue Diamond said its performance demonstrated the resilience of its business model, with its diversified offering helping the business navigate difficult trading conditions across the garden centre sector.
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