Independent, family-run Stratford Garden Centre is delighted to have won the industry’s award for the best plant area in the Midlands.
The original Stratford Garden Centre, situated in Clifford Chambers just two miles from Stratford upon Avon town centre was named the region’s winner of the prestigious Ruxley Rose Competition by the Garden Centre Association (GCA).
Lauren Green, who heads up the plants team at the garden centre, explains why the award is so important. “Plants are at the very core of our business and this competition is about the whole plant experience from the moment customers arrive on the car park, throughout the garden centre and in all of the outdoor plant displays. The competition is tightly contested and we we’re judged against our peers by industry experts. This is the first year that we’ve entered so to be named the Midlands winner is incredible. It’s given the whole team a real buzz.”
Chosen for the best plant area in the Midlands in the up to £3m turnover category takes a lot of hard work, attention to detail and creativity. Ian Boardman, GCA Competition Judge, explains what sets Stratford Garden Centre above the rest; “Stratford Garden Centre strives for high standards in all that they do. The plant area is lovely; striking colours, fun displays, lots of ‘wow’ factor and healthy plants. The staff are very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable and it’s a great place to buy your plants for the autumn and winter season.”
Autumn is a crucial part of the gardening calendar and it is often an opportunity lost by many garden centres. There is lots of planting to be done in the autumn ready for the spring and it is important to inspire gardeners for the season ahead. But that is easier said than done when some plants are starting to die back for the winter.
Lauren concludes: “At Stratford Garden Centre we understand that customers want ideas and that’s what we try to give them with our plant displays. We’ve worked particularly hard in our outside Planteria using different themes such as ‘gourds’ and ‘grow your own’. We’ve used props, colour contrasts and companion planting to create displays that are just that little bit different. We cant’ wait to find out if we’ve been named the national winner in January. Finger’s crossed!”
