We have just been awarded Garden Centre of Excellence status for a record breaking 12th consecutive year!

Garden Centre of Excellence for the 12th consecutive year

Audited annually by the UK Garden Centre Association (GCA), results determine which garden centres continue to achieve the highest standards of excellence and only these top centres achieve this much sought after award.

“Not only has this award shown that we have continued to offer our customers the very best expertise, service and range of products but to achieve this unequalled recognition from the GCA underpins our efforts to not only maintain but to also improve the experience we offer here at Grosvenor,” said Iain Wylie, managing director.

“Garden centres must provide standards of excellence to be accepted as members of the GCA.  Awarded to the top 10 centres in the country each year, it is a great achievement for all the team here at Grosvenor to be chosen as Garden Centre of Excellence – especially as we are the only Garden Centre in the UK to have achieved this honour for 12 successive years,” Iain continued.

“We were delighted to present Grosvenor with this award.  Not only do they continue to offer an admirable level of knowledge to their customers, they never rest on their laurels, nor take the award for granted.  Each visit highlights to us exactly how much they continue to achieve with even greater improvements year after year and their continued success in the annual audit is a great testament to their efforts,” commented Gillie Westwood, Chief Executive, GCA.

Not only is the Camellia ideal for winter colour, it is easy to grow so the perfect starting point for gardeners just starting out.

The Camellia will complement any flower border with a fantastic range of colours to choose from including striking whites, pale pinks and deep reds.  Pick your varieties carefully and you could enjoy colour from November to April.

February Plant of the Month: Camellia

Lovers of an acidic soil, Camellias prefer a sheltered position, ideally in shade and away from direct sunlight.  If you try to grow your Camellia in an exposed location, you must water frequently.

Make sure you prepare the spot with plenty of compost to strengthen the root system and add mulch in winter with a deep layer of bark.  If you don’t have acid soil in your garden, try growing your Camellia in a container – use ericaceous compost and use water collected from the water butt rather than direct from the tap. Use an acidic fertiliser to make sure your Camellia receives the correct balance of nutrients.

Plant alongside these acid-loving Rhododendrons, Pieris, Enkianthus and both deciduous and evergreen Azaleas for beautiful displays.

Be my Valentine this month with this beautiful ‘My Valentine’ hybrid tea rose.  With large red blooms and long, strong stems, ‘My Valentine’ epitomises Valentine’s Day and will make an eye catching cut display for inside your home later in the year.

Be 'My Valentine' with this beautiful rose

So, to February.  Where shall we start with the garden this month?  One of the easiest ways to get started is by sowing seeds – you can start by sowing indoors even when it is freezing cold outside.  Alternatively, choose from a range of seedlings and plug plants which are just one step further on from sowing seeds and already beginning to establish from recent germination and to form roots.    Plant them straight into trays of compost so they have more room to develop.  Use good quality compost with slow release feed for best results.

Have you seen any Crocus or Snowdrops peeping through yet?  They really are the sign to watch for as we count the days to spring.  The pure white of a newly shooting Snowdrop against a frosty garden reminds us all that our gardens will soon be sprouting new flowers so make sure your borders are fully stocked with summer flowering bulbs now.    Leave room between each bulb so that each has chance to swell and feed them weekly.  Clump together the same bulbs for a good display in the coming months.

Always remember to discard faded flowers to encourage more new growth.

If you would like a lovely display of colour in your planted containers later in the spring, but really have no idea how to choose complimentary colours, take a look at our displays of bedding plants here at Grosvenor.  Grouped so that you can instantly which look good together, please ask us for help.  Or choose a pre-mixed range of bedding in packs of six.  Don’t worry, you can’t go wrong!

You can begin to prepare your edible garden by digging over any area where you plan to grow vegetables.  Use compost or soil conditioner and leave the surface as rough as possible to take advantage of any frost which will help improve the structure of the soil.

Prepare your vegetable patch now

Tomatoes  are really the easiest starting point for anyone wishing to begin growing their own fruit and vegetables.  With so many varieties to choose from, choose a tasty option to suit the space you have available.  A grow bag or raised bed is the perfect way to get growing!

Generally one of the colder months in the year, you do need to make sure your tender plants and fruits are protected from frost so make sure you have that all-important fleece to hand.  If you manage to keep frost damage at bay, your fruits will swell beautifully in the summer.

The roots of fruit trees and bushes should be fed now with slow release plant food or granules.  A few handfuls will keep your plants fed throughout the season.  You should also dig the food into the top layer of soil and mulch with compost to retain moisture and even suppress weeds.

If we continue to enjoy mild weather for this time of year, you could sow your broad beans, parsnips and peas but always remember to just be careful and cover with fleece or a cloche so that any germinating seeds are protected.

Don’t forget that birds and wildlife really do need our help all year round but especially during the colder months.  Our range of bird feeds, fat balls, feeders and tables will make sure you have everything you need to encourage birds to your garden.  Always remember to keep your bird baths topped up with fresh water and never let it freeze!

Our Plant of the Month this January is the Primula.  Versatile, evergreen or herbaceous perennials, the Primula has flowers of a beautiful, sunny, deep yellow in springtime with green foliage for interest all year round, even during the colder bouts this month.

More than 500 species exist in the Primula genus, including Cowslip and Polyanthus.  One of the most well known is Primula vulgaris meaning ‘prima’ (or ‘first’) and ‘rosa’ (or ‘rose’), therefore symbolising the ‘first rose’ or spring has sprung.

Most Primulas offer delightful splashes of colour in gardens throughout the spring but if we continue to enjoy a mild winter, you may see the Primula over these months too.

Available in a wide selection of colours including brights and pastels from blue to pink, purple to red and white to yellow  - whatever your preference and colour scheme, you are sure to find the perfect shade for your garden or planted container.

Easy to grow, the Primula is unfussy about soil type or its location and will be equally at home on a sunny patio or in a shaded border.  If you use it to add colour to a pot, make sure you water it frequently so it

Our Plant of the Month in January - the Primula

does not dry out and use a multi-purpose compost.  And of course, always remember to deadhead any plant regularly to encourage new growth and longer flowering.

Members of the team at Grosvenor Garden Centre on Wrexham Road in Belgrave, near Chester have supported a family featured on the popular BBC One series ‘DIY SOS: The Big Build’.

Donating £1200 worth of plants and a teak garden bench to the family, the team spent two days at the project planting raised beds and hard landscaping.

The Grosvenor team helps family

“We were thrilled to help transform the home of the family in Dolgarrog,” commented Pete Davies, Plant Manager at Grosvenor.

“Support of the local community is very important to us here at Grosvenor and our involvement in the programme was not only a great experience for us, we were able to add the finishing touches to the newly created garden in this much needed new home.” Pete continued.

Mark Hogan, winner of Jaques football table

Well done Mark and we hope you enjoy many years of table football!

Here comes 2012 – a brand new year of gardening and enjoying the great outdoors.  Happy New Year!

We all have great ideas for our gardens this year with Karl, our bedding expert, planning a Jubilee garden of red, white and blue and Roland adding a rockery filled with alpines.

So what are your plans?  A completely new look or more colour, or even a larger space for growing your own?  Whatever you plan to do, we can inspire you to make the most of your outdoor space.

The weather may not be kind to us in January but you can still enjoy the fresh air by plotting your new schemes.  If you want a change in certain areas, now is the time to identify where you would like to improve your borders, for example, or choose which vegetables you want to grow.  That’s an easy one – start with your favourites!

So, for vibrant colour in your flower borders, why not plan your display now?  With seeds and bulbs to choose from, you can begin to prepare now.  What could be more satisfying than nurturing your seeds to established planted groups of colour?  Choose a mixture of colours and heights for the best displays.  Did you try any of our new varieties of plants last year?  If so, we would love to hear from you – how did you get on?  We introduced Petunia Phantom which proved very popular and this year we are going to add to our range with Starflame Primroses available from mid February and a new range of Nemesia Michelle Pink and Myrtle Blue from April.

Sweet Peas are an old favourite of Roland here at Grosvenor.  He says you can’t beat the colours or fragrance of the Sweet Pea.  Try ‘Prima Ballerina’ for gentle shades of pink, mauve and cream with each stem producing an average of four blooms so perfect for cutting and bringing indoors.

Sweet Pea Prima Ballerina

Watch out for our new seedlings which will arrive at the Garden Centre from mid February so if you want to cut out the first stage of encouraging seedlings from seeds, this is the option for you.  Make sure you use a recommended compost from our growing area which will give your seedlings the best start possible.

Don’t forget to protect your pots and containers for another couple of months by placing them close to the house or a sheltered wall.  And that all important fleece will still come in handy so make sure you have plenty ready for those frosty nights.

As you know, your lawn is the pinnacle of a beautiful garden and to ensure it stays in peak condition through the colder, slow growing months, you should have given it a good autumn feed.  Add a reminder to your 2012 calendar now that your lawn will need a feed in March to give it a boost before spring arrives.

Easy to grow tomatoes are a favourite with many beginner gardeners as they really are an easy starting point to a productive edible garden.  All you need to get started is a planter and seeds in your chosen variety – we have plenty to choose from!

Seeds of large onions should be sown in January to give them a long period of growth.

We would suggest that you start a gardening diary now so that you can keep notes throughout the year and monitor your successes and thoughts for improvements for 2013.

Indoors, your Christmas poinsettias should continue to thrive over the coming weeks but keep all houseplants away from heat and droughts.

And finally, encourage more birds to your garden by keeping your bird feeding station kits, feeders, trays and bird baths topped up with fresh food and water.  Make sure the water does not freeze over!

This month we welcome Christmas with a kiss under the mistletoe (home-grown of course!), a warming glass of mulled wine and an array of gardening goodies for green fingers to open on the big day itself!

But don’t put your feet up just yet - crisp, cold days are still a great time to enjoy your garden.

You should now concentrate on cutting down or digging up old plants to make space for new additions.  You may well have lost some of your favourites in the extreme weather conditions last year so take stock and plan areas for replacements.  Give new tender plants the best possible start by protecting their roots with a layer of mulch.

Don’t forget to add your garden waste such as the cuts of pruned herbaceous plants, to the compost heap to help create the high quality mulch bursting with nutrients ready for next year’s gardening.

If your patio is looking a little drab, add a planted container or filled tub to add colourful interest.  Filled with winter flowering plants such as Pansies, Heathers, Skimmia Rubella and Helleborus Niger and completed with foliage plants including Hedera and Sarcococca. Keep your containers on pot feet to retain good drainage – and don’t forget containers make an ideal gift at Christmas.

Leaves will still be falling so continue to collect them so that you don’t smother your low growing plants.  Once the leaves have finished, the month provides a great opportunity to begin your winter pruning of fruit trees.  Spur prune your apples and pears and bush fruit too.

Your lawn may need to be cut again if the weather stays particularly mild.  It would be a good idea to have your lawnmower serviced after this final trim so it is in peak condition ready for the spring.

Christmas would not be Christmas without Cyclamen and Poinsettia to add that all-important festive touch to your home.  Make sure they do not dry out and keep their roots moist at all times.  These plants need plenty of light but avoid droughts and heat sources such as radiators.  Other than that, they should be easy to care for and are always a welcome gift too!

At this time of year, the birds need you.  They need a steady supply of fresh water so please make sure your bird bath does not freeze over.  And keep any bird feeders fully stocked with seeds and nuts. Plants with berries are also a great way to provide birds with a tasty morsel and your Berberis, Holly and Viburnum will not only produce berries, they also provide a fantastic hedged nesting place for birds.

If your tulip bulbs are already in the ground, keep an eye on their location and water with a slug killer which will seep through the layers of soil and kill any molluscs below.

Winter root cropped vegetables should be delicious when harvested now, particularly your home grown parsnips and Brussels sprouts – the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas dinner.

The weather will become colder soon so ensure you have stocked up with plenty of fleece to protect your plants on frosty nights.  Keep branches of young trees clear of snowfalls to avoid weight damage and tie shrubs and climbers back to protect from strong winds.

And finally, Merry Christmas from all at Grosvenor!

Every tree matters at Grosvenor as the garden centre encourages customers to plant at least one tree during the UK’s largest celebration of trees, National Tree Week (26th November – 4th December). 

Marking the beginning of the winter tree planting season, National Tree Week has been celebrated since 1975 and is now an unmissable date in Grosvenor’s calendar.

“Not only does planting a tree in your garden increase your positive impact on the environment and support wildlife, but trees have been proven to offer health benefits too as they promote wellbeing and improve the green space around you,” commented Iain Wylie, managing director.

Grosvenor is marking the occasion by introducing new varieties to its popular range of fruit and ornamental trees, such as Apple Christmas Pippin and Rosette, Prunus Frilly Frock and Sorbus Olympic Flame.  
  
“Our trees are sourced from British nurseries as local to the garden centre as possible with none travelling further than Worcestershire so they arrive and remain in the best condition possible,” stated Pete Davies, plant buyer.

“Each of the new varieties has been carefully chosen for its excellent quality and exciting new distinctive features.  National Tree Week is the perfect time to plant at least one new tree and any of these new varieties would be a great addition to every garden – we even provide a free stake and tie to give all our trees the best possible start,” Pete continued.

A member of Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Grosvenor is highly supportive of any means to encourage wildlife in gardens.  Trees provide an excellent source of food and nutrients and prove an effective way of creating a food source for animals before hibernation.

For further information on Grosvenor’s range of trees (and Christmas trees!), please call Grosvenor’s team of horticultural experts on 01244 625270.

Visit Grosvenor next weekend, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th November between 11am and 3pm, as Santa makes his entrance at the Garden Centre for a fantastic Christmas experience.

Enjoy Santa’s parade at 11am on Saturday and Sunday as Santa arrives on his sleigh pulled by reindeer and accompanied by stilt walking, the Grove Park Theatre pantomime cast and festive music by the City of Chester band.  Santa will be at the Garden Centre all weekend to meet and greet customers young and old.

See Santa

With entertainment throughout the weekend including circus workshops and rousing festive music, Santa’s reindeer will remain at the Garden Centre until 3pm each day and visit again every weekend before Christmas.

“The arrival of Santa at the Garden Centre is always a popular and memorable experience to begin the countdown to Christmas and I would encourage everyone to arrive early to avoid disappointment!” commented Iain Wylie, managing director.

Santa will return to the Garden Centre from Saturday 3rd to 24th December to read a story in Grosvenor’s Storytime with Santa experiences.  And on 17th, 18th and 24th December, he will attend special Breakfast with Santa experiences too.  These events are extremely popular so early booking is advised.