These latest statements are a small reminder of the huge changes that continue to take place within the garden industry - irrespective of current economic conditions - and that hold significant and permanent implications for competitors and suppliers alike. With access to the kinds of funds that independent players could only have dreamt of even in the best of economic times and economies of scale to die for, there are unlikely to be too many obstacles in this particular juggernaut's path - the planning regime notwithstanding. As chief executive James Barnes reminded The Times last week: "We are an independent brand and an independent business but with a big business behind us."

In her latest series for Horticulture Week, our business management correspondent Leslie Kossoff has been looking at the implications for independent players of all sizes of the corporates' latest moves. It is the mid-sized operators who are most at risk from the presence of the "big boys".

For starters, Kossoff says mid-sized players must ensure that throughout their own bid for growth they have maintained sufficient differentiation to continue to compete effectively when the Tesco/Dobbies, Garden Centre Group or any indeed any other juggernaut rolls into their patch. That differentiation is likely to begin with the personal touch with customers that economies of scale cannot buy, backed up by deep local knowledge and localised supply chains.

If you've missed the first two articles from the series, which were published in HW last month - and someone has snaffled your back issues - don't worry. You can find them and many more contributions in the new business management section of our website. Part 3 of the series will be published in HW later this month.