Garden Centres

[MargieH 7,599]

This has nothing to do with Nottingham in particular but I would value people's opinions on Garden Centres in general.

Someone  I know really well has an interview for a senior position at a well-known chain of Garden Centres.  Could you say what YOU think makes a good Garden Centre?   I know that opinions will vary depending on age and circumstances, - families with children/grandchildren, senior citizens,  busy young professionals etc etc - but I would love to read your views on how these places could be made even more popular.  

I suppose this is a sort-of survey, so I can tell this person what people think about Garden Centres in general (and any particularly good ones he could perhaps visit before his interview)

Thank you x

[philmayfield 6,115]

Garden centres these days go far beyond the idea of plants and gardening implements. Visit most of them now and you will find lots of overpriced tat for the home, giftware, clothing, coffee shops. Most of the non garden items are run as franchises and the plants and the shrubs are delivered in large trucks from Holland. Very few grow their own stuff. I’ve seen the same truck in this area deliver to Reg Taylor’s, Southwell Garden Centre and Hollybeck Garden Centre and they all sell at different prices. The only ‘genuine’ place I know around here is Shirley Nurseries on Mansfield Rd. Papplewick where they appear to grow their own plants and don’t have a coffee shop and all the other non gardening stuff. They are also considerably cheaper! I think the idea of a garden centre now is to keep you there spending by creating an ‘experience’. I do like Wheatcroft’s at Edwalton because they have have an Edinborough  Woollen Mill where I can buy cheap countrywear but I wouldn’t buy the rest of the overpriced rubbish at the centre.

[DJ360 6,721]

Just a quick response Margie as I'm off out soon. (Was typing this as Phil replied)

 

First thoughts are that as 'Retail Therapy ' seems to be largely a leisure pursuit these days, Garden Centres are increasingly broadening the range of products they sell.  So, whereas many years ago they basically supplied plants, compost and garden tools, many now have 'on site' Restaurants etc.  They've gone from being a 'plant shop/nursery' to a destination.  Many now I suspect buy in all of their plants from specialist nurseries, and concentrate on selling them.

 

There's a smallish one not far from here.  It's not in a very pleasant area.. just along an industrialised road.  All they sell is plants, boosted by Christmas Trees in the winter. not much else. But prices and quality are reasonable.

 

By contrast this one:  https://warbreckhomeandgarden.com/

 

...Has turned into what amounts to a Lifestyle Department Store.  In addition to plants, they sell aquatic and pet stuff. 'Craft' products, Christmas Trees (real and artificial) Decorations, fairy lights etc. 'Artisan Crafted' foods, preserves etc. Book, CDs DVDs and much much more.  They also have franchises on site selling Sheds, Home extensions etc., as well as a large restaurant.  A couple of others have grown in a similar way, the biggest near here probably being this one..

 

https://www.bents.co.uk/

 

It rightly describes itself as a ' Lifestyle Destination'.  But it ain't cheap!!

 

Depends of course on what the 'Senior Position' is that's on offer, but I'd have thought that the operation of these places these days depends very much on the quality and style of display/merchandising, a constant process of diversification, to maximise year round appeal and to provide something 'different'. 

 

So, I'd think from the perspective of the job seeker.. an awareness of the above, some understanding of/experience in retailsales/retail management and probably staff management, would be required.  These places a pretty slick operations these days, with only one real motivation.  Profit.

 

Agree with all that Phil says in his appraisal of modern 'destination' garden centres, but the job seeker needs to take a job seeker's line.

 

Col

 

 

 

[philmayfield 6,115]

I recollect talking to a Tony Wickes over 20 years ago when he had the centre on Catfoot Lane at Lambley. He told me all those years ago that the bottom had fallen out of the garden centre business because so many people were jumping in on the act. Think how the centres have mushroomed over recent years.

[philmayfield 6,115]

Yes DJ. I always speak from a cynic’s point of view. Please don’t take my opinion as the voice of the common man.

[DJ360 6,721]

Don't worry Phil.  I'm just as cynical.  At most garden centres these days, buying plants is almost an incidental, compared to the time spent undercover buying , as you say 'over priced tat' and having a meal.  The question is, what will the employer be looking for in a prospective new recruit?

[MargieH 7,599]

6 minutes ago, philmayfield said:

Yes DJ. I always speak from a cynic’s point of view. Please don’t take my opinion as the voice of the common man.

 

You , common?  That would possibly be the last thing I would think, Phil

[philmayfield 6,115]

Well the main focus is, as you say, pushing the retail experience. I don’t fall personally for that sort of thing but you’ve got to appeal to the average person, the viewer of TV soaps, ‘the man on the Clapham omnibus’, as one learned judge once said when defining the ‘ordinary’ man. This is what retail is all about;  screwing people but keeping them happy at the same time.

[philmayfield 6,115]

5 minutes ago, MargieH said:

 

You , common?  That would possibly be the last thing I would think, Phil

Can’t be common Maggie - not going to the same school as yourself.

[MargieH 7,599]

I wonder if you would be a different person if you'd gone to CLW Phil?   We would have been in the same first form as it was done alphabetically,  and probably in the same second form.  After that I chose the Arts side - I think you would have gone for the Sciences?

[philmayfield 6,115]

I chose Mellish because it was relatively long established with a measure of tradition. I didn’t fancy a ‘mixed’ school - maybe a bit distractive! I did all the sciences in the 6th. That didn’t particularly help me as an accountant but in later life, running a manufacturing organisation, a knowledge of Ohms Law and Newton’s laws of motion was all that I needed to keep one step ahead!

[loppylugs 8,427]

I suspect your garden centres have gone pretty much like petrol / gas stations here.  It is said they make more money selling coffee, hot dogs and lottery tickets than they make selling gas.

[philmayfield 6,115]

Very little money for a garage in selling gas (petrol as we quaintly call it). Just pence per litre (or gallons as you quaintly say!) 

[DJ360 6,721]

6 minutes ago, loppylugs said:

I suspect your garden centres have gone pretty much like petrol / gas stations here.  It is said they make more money selling coffee, hot dogs and lottery tickets than they make selling gas.

 

 

Could be Loppy, though Eva Cassidy had a rather more sombre take on it:

 

 

Love the song though.. one of Eva's best ..

[FLY2 10,108]

There's normally a local GC to suit everyone's tastes. 

Timmermans, a good cross section of everything. Brookfields, expensive and poor plant selection. East Bridgford, more of a shopping complex, and before it, Frosts, again expensive and poor plant selection. Dukeries, appalling. Wheatcrofts, poor selection, and coffee shop. Hollybeck, brilliant coffee shop, and reasonable prices. Southwell GC, reasonable. Reg Taylors, outrageous prices. Jacksdale GC, good. Reuben Shaws, reasonable cafe, good plants. Floralands, reasonable prices, cafe brimming with kids. Moores, good selection. Bardills, reasonable prices, good selection, and very friendly staff. However, appalling service in the coffee shop. Trowell, good all round selection of everything, and a good cafe.

[MargieH 7,599]

Thanks for all your comments - they are very helpful.  Has anyone been to a Dobbies GC?

[Commo 1,292]

Dobbies (think that it's pronounced as that but spelt Dobies) are prevalent north of the border, we have visited the Edinburgh centres a couple of times in the past and I believe are now becoming established in England. They are of the mega centre variety and sell loads of things that you think are good buys at the time then later wonder why you bothered, at least in our experience. We never bothered to check out the plant and flora sales.

[FLY2 10,108]

Dobbies have a GC just off J30 of the M1. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Crap coffee and poor and expensive plants, with minimal variety .

[radfordred 6,284]

I find this tread fascinating, in my 53 years I have never been to a garden center, I once brought a bag of daffodil bulbs 20 odd years ago from the stall on the left going into goose fair, they could still be in the bag in the garage? Also I can not remember the last time I drank a cup of coffee? Must be my council house up bringing? We never had a garden in Brixton Road it was black brick cobble in our backyard.    

[FLY2 10,108]

Margie, there's a brilliant one in your neck of the woods at Baston, on the A15 north of Peterborough. I've been many times. It's massive.

Another very large one is Brigg GC in North Lincs. Fantastic.

One mentioned in topic previously is Pennells at South Hykenham, Lincoln. Much improved recently. Also in the same area, just off the A46 is Donnington GC. Cosy and relaxing atmosphere.

Further south is Gates GC at Langham near Oakham. Good plants, but boring and extremely busy. 

My current favourite is The Grange at Asfordby Hill near Melton Mowbray. A fair selection of reasonable plants, and in winter, the biggest log fire you could wish to see. Oh, and the bacon sarnies on granary bread are to die for !

[FLY2 10,108]

RR, get out more. Pop up the road to Trowell this morning !

[radfordred 6,284]

I'll give that miss mate be nowt in there for me,  get out more! Mrs Red wants to know why I've been to 2 Forest matches in one week, Killing Joke @ Rock City on Friday night & 2 afternoon old workmate meet-ups in town on Wed & Thurs, thinks I've got summit on? Christmas init?  

[philmayfield 6,115]

56 minutes ago, FLY2 said:

Margie, there's a brilliant one in your neck of the woods at Baston, on the A15 north of Peterborough. I've been many times. It's massive.

Another very large one is Brigg GC in North Lincs. Fantastic.

One mentioned in topic previously is Pennells at South Hykenham, Lincoln. Much improved recently. Also in the same area, just off the A46 is Donnington GC. Cosy and relaxing atmosphere.

Further south is Gates GC at Langham near Oakham. Good plants, but boring and extremely busy. 

My current favourite is The Grange at Asfordby Hill near Melton Mowbray. A fair selection of reasonable plants, and in winter, the biggest log fire you could wish to see. Oh, and the bacon sarnies on granary bread are to die for !

The best thing about Pennell’s is the in-store butchers. Otherwise it’s the usual franchises for shoes, clothes, tat etc. The plant section is the usual bought in produce. We drop by for a coffee and a visit to the butcher’s most weeks. There’s no Dobies nearer to Notts than Chesterfield. The biggest and best I’ve been to was near to Garstang in Lancs. I think they were nominated the best in the U.K. Just looked it up - Barton Grange, garden centre of the year 2017.

[MargieH 7,599]

I never realised there were so many Garden Centres - we have one in the next village to us and it does a very good Carvery  on Sundays and Tuesdays, and a Senior Citizens Fish and Chips on another day.  There is also a Coffee Shop but I reckon that's expensive - the cakes especially.

There is a small go cart track for younger children at the edge of the plant/garden ornament area, and also a children's area with a few toys, paper and colouring pens in  the restaurant.  They welcome pre-arranged children's birthday parties as well.   I suppose if you want families to visit, there needs to be something to amuse the children.  At Christmas, there is an expensive opportunity to meet Santa and at the weekends leading up to Christmas, there are a couple of sad reindeer to look at.  Actually they don't look that sad because they have bedding and food and I suppose they are used to being on show.

The plants seen reasonable and there are several working water features.  I like seeing them...

 

[TBI 2,351]

Garden Centres have shown they are profitable and enduring, many being old-established and slowly being taken over by larger chains. Not only that, they are one of the few retail concepts that are actually thriving. A destination whether it's sunny or freezing. Food and drink to consume and purchase, fancy goods, clothes, stationery, furniture, seasonal goods, conservatories, summer-houses, things for the kids etc. Oh I nearly forgot the actual horticulture and associated equipment. I see them evolving and increasing their ranges much further. In these days of retail uncertainty, how often do you hear of one closing down?