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.

Grosvenor has launched its popular, annual Schools’ Growing Competition to inspire school children from 11 schools in the local area to get growing.

Grosvenor’s Schools’ Ambassador and horticulturalist, James Mabon, is visiting each of the 11 participating schools to deliver the plug plants, compost, pots and plenty of hints and tips required to grow a prize winning Petunia Hot Flame. 

With more than 30 children from each school participating, each child will take their plant home to nurture it before taking part in an individual school’s judging ceremony where James will decide the three best plants from each school. 

The final of the Schools’ Growing Competition will then take place on Sunday 12th June at 2pm at the Garden Centre when one winner and two runners-up will be chosen and presented with a trug full of gardening goodies and vouchers for their schools.

Grosvenor’s ongoing work within the community highlights the benefits and ease of nurturing and caring for plants and each school looks forward to taking part in the competition each year.  

“Here at Saighton C E Primary School, the children’s enthusiasm for planting and caring for their own plant is a delight to see and we all greatly look forward to taking part in Grosvenor’s competition each year,” stated Mrs Alex Gelling, teaching assistant.

With the Petunia always a popular choice, Grosvenor opted for the easy-to-grow favourite for children to grow as their competition entry.

“We should see some great blooms and plenty of fresh buds, good leaf health and an exceptional rounded form from the Petunias over the coming weeks and by the time the Grand Final takes place on 12th June, I am sure I will be spoilt for choice and choosing a winner will be a very difficult task indeed!” said James.

“We launched the Schools’ Growing Competition 12 years ago and we are delighted to have inspired children to grow plants for all these years.  The enthusiasm and interest from the children and schools never diminishes and is a delight to see every year,” said Iain Wylie, managing director.

“Our regular Children’s Plant Workshops held here at Grosvenor during school holidays have never been more popular with children as young as five showing a great interest in the magic of gardening and it really is a joy to see,” Iain continued.

For further information on Grosvenor’s Children’s Plant Workshops, click here and to book please call Customer Services on 01244 625200.

Grosvenor will be helping visitors to enjoy a taste of ‘the good life’ this weekend, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th March, from 11am until 3pm, with expert advice, demonstrations and a mini farmyard too.

As part of its ongoing initiative to inform and advise visitors how easy it is to create or improve their own Edible Garden for a bountiful supply of fresh fruit and vegetables all year round, Grosvenor will be offering beginners and more advanced gardeners the chance to learn from the experts with tips and visual demonstrations in their own Edible Garden.

Grosvenor will also be helping visitors sign up to the One Pot Pledge encouraging children and visitors to the garden centre to get growing.  A national scheme in conjunction with Garden Organic, a charity in support of organic growing, the One Pot Pledge encourages everyone to get growing even with just ‘one pot’.

Visitors wishing to learn more about rearing their own animals and the importance of their impact on the countryside can see and stroke goats, guinea pigs, lambs, pigs and rabbits in Grosvenor’s visiting farmyard.  And spinning wheel demonstrations will be taking place showing the journey from fleece to wool, and there will be a fun fruit and veg quiz too with a free packet of seeds for every entrant.

On Sunday 20th March, the ‘100 Day Waste Challenge Roadshow’ will be at Grosvenor, offering hints and tips on reducing household waste through recycling, composting and raising awareness of how even the smallest actions can have a big impact.

“Here at Grosvenor, we are passionate about encouraging everyone to make the most of their gardens and to use even the smallest area to create a ready supply of the most nutritious fresh fruit and vegetables available.  Our Good Life weekend will provide the perfect opportunity for anyone interested in giving it a go to learn all they can and plenty more about enjoying self sufficient lifestyle,” commented Claire Binns, Events Co-ordinator, Grosvenor.

Following the announcement that Grosvenor has achieved the award of Garden Centre of Excellence for an unprecedented 11th consecutive year, Grosvenor’s award success has continued, judged to be one of the most environmentally aware garden centres in the UK.

In conjunction with the Garden Centre Association, to receive the Colour Your Life Green Community Award is a prestigious honour focusing on illustrating how important plants, shrubs and trees are on the environment, both economically and socially, and the impact of environmental awareness within a forward thinking business such as Grosvenor.

“Here at Grosvenor we aim to nurture an interest in gardening whilst at the same time promoting the benefits of plants in our everyday lives,” commented Julie Gregory, Colour Your Life ‘Champion’. 

“The impact plants can have on our wellbeing and the environment is vast but over the last 12 months in particular we have focused on redeveloping and rejuvenating the impact that the Grow Your Own experience has had on our visitors – a practice which is continuing to grow and reap rewards on the green space around us.”

A ‘Green Grosvenor’ team is in place at the Garden Centre with members from every area encouraged to devise initiatives to move the Colour Your Life initiative forward and continue to raise awareness of how Grosvenor works together with the local community to improve their effect on the environment and reduce their carbon footprint.

“Having won the Colour Your Life Green Community Award (previously known as the Green City Town & Country Award) each year since its inception three years ago, we are delighted to have once again retained such a prestigious environmental award to underpin our values and efforts here at Grosvenor,” said Iain Wylie, Managing Director.

“Grosvenor has once again shown that their focus on improving their impact on the environment with inspirational initiatives has been excellent and I was delighted to judge them one of the best in the UK.  I would like to thank them for their continuing support of this award and look forward to witnessing their new ideas over the coming months,” said Mark Long, Colour Your Life Green Community Award.

For further information regarding Grosvenor’s environmental policy, see www.grosvenorgardencentre.co.uk/go_green

Grosvenor Garden Centre has been named Retail Outlet of the Year by the industry leading Garden Retail Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London last week.

Celebrating the best in the garden retail industry and rewarding its efforts to achieve excellence across the centre, Grosvenor was a finalist in six categories including Community Involvement and Best Environmental Policy and received two further Highly Commended awards in the Best Planteria and Best Catering Facilities categories.

The awards were presented in recognition of the innovations undertaken by Grosvenor to ensure the centre continues to evolve and create an outstanding destination for visitors with excellence in every area – from the highest service levels to the range of products.  Each entry was judged independently alongside more than 100 entrants from around the country. 

“To be judged the winner of the most prestigious award of the evening, Retail Outlet of the Year, is testament to each and every member of the team here at Grosvenor.  Everyone has played a vital role in ensuring the success of the centre and to win this huge accolade is a great accomplishment,” said Iain Wylie, managing director.

“It is a great achievement to win these great awards especially as we were against ‘the best of the best’ from around the UK and to receive two further Highly Commended awards for the Best Planteria and Best Catering Facilities is the icing on the cake,” Iain continued.

These awards are the latest in a line of award wins for Grosvenor this year including the Garden Centre of Excellence accolade for a record 10th consecutive year and awards for the Greatest Living and Style and Outdoor Leisure sectors, together with Highly Commended status in the High Sheriff’s Award for Enterprise.

Members of the team at Grosvenor Garden Centre have marked National Baking Week (18^th – 24^th October) with a ‘bake and share’ sale to raise money for Claire House Children’s Hospice, the garden centre’s adopted charity for 2010.

The sale offered goodies ranging from cupcakes to fruit loaf, roly poly to sausage rolls - all of which were sold for a nominal donation with a total of more than £140 raised through the week.  

The ‘bake and share’ sale is the latest in a series of fundraising activities undertaken by Grosvenor in support of Claire House this year and follows abseils, coastal walks and the approaching Snowdonia Marathon – all embarked on and supported by staff at Grosvenor.

“The enthusiasm for this week’s sale was unbelievable with more than 30 members of staff kindly donating their time and home baked cakes and savouries towards the cause.  I think everyone enjoyed themselves both baking and eating and it is certainly an initiative that we will continue to adopt again in the future for charity,” said Jenny Carr, Customer Services Supervisor and organiser of Grosvenor’s ‘bake and share’ sale.

“Every year we choose a charity to adopt for a 12 month period and I have been delighted to see so many members of the team here at Grosvenor embrace the worthwhile cause of Claire House.  The ‘bake and share’ sale has been particularly well received in the staff room!” said Iain Wylie, Managing Director.

“What a great idea!  We are always extremely grateful for any donation to Claire House but we have been overwhelmed with the response from staff at Grosvenor by their generosity and ideas to raise funds.  The need for the service we provide will unfortunately never go away and it is with much appreciation that their support just keeps growing!” said Laura Irving, Area Fundraiser, Claire House. 

Grosvenor’s Apple Weekend has been a great success as visitors embraced the British apple and joined Grosvenor, local villages and schools, Eaton Estate and The Chester Grosvenor and Spa to enjoy the entertaining and informative event.

A village Masterchef competition saw Christine Emerson from Aldford, Chris Talbot from Eccleston and Rachel Gunnery from Saighton compete against each other for the coveted title and a winner’s hamper.  The lucky winner was Christine from Aldford with her starter course of filo baskets with brie, caramelised apple and onion with apple crisps and roasted clove of garlic. 

Rachel from Saighton had the hard task of completing a complicated recipe within the allotted time slot of one hour with pork sausages in honey, mustard and apple with potatoes, leeks, broccoli, apples and walnuts topped with a cheese sauce and coated with breadcrumbs.  And finally, Chris from Eccleston completed the three course meal with two fruit pies – one made using Bramley apples and the second with the addition of fresh blackberries.   Simon Radley, Michelin starred Chef from The Chester Grosvenor and Spa judged the competition alongside Scott Whitelam, Café Manager at the garden centre.

“It was a very difficult decision as all courses were equally tasty but the delicious caramelised apples on Christine’s filo baskets were particularly inspired,” said Simon Radley.

Head Gardener of Eaton Estate, Les Armstrong, proved a popular draw to the garden centre as he offered advice on growing apple trees and was able to identify unknown varieties of apples already growing in local gardens.

“I have been completely taken aback by the number of visitors requesting my advice and it has been a joy to see a few varieties of apples that I have never seen before.  I will be researching any left unidentified and contacting everybody with my findings over the coming days,” said Les.

Visitors were invited to try their hand at apple pressing using a traditional press, and took part in a longest apple peel competition with the winning peel measuring an amazing 429cm!  The winner was delighted to win a £50 garden centre voucher.

And there were prizes for the younger visitor too with a ‘Find Annie Apple’ competition and any child who visited the garden centre in apple fancy dress received a Grosvenor chocolate bar.

With nature activities, storytelling and face painting taking place throughout the weekend together with music from Abbey Gate and Eccleston school choirs and the City of Chester band on Sunday, visitors were entertained as they sampled juicy apples and enjoyed tastings in the food department, pork burgers and sausages from the barbecue and a choice of apple desserts in the Cafe throughout the weekend.

“The weekend was a great success with a fantastic response from the local community and the villages of Aldford, Eccleston and Saighton receiving an overwhelming number of apples towards their village juice appeal.  In fact, each of the two crates provided for each village were already full by Saturday evening!” commented Iain Wylie, managing director.

“Our Apple Weekend has seen a great number of visitors to the garden centre this weekend which has helped to create a real sense of community spirit.  I am delighted that by continuing to work with the local community, Apple Weekend was even bigger and better than last year.  We are providing a source of information and advice for anyone wishing to grow their own apple trees and inspiration for producing delicious meals with their own homegrown apples too.  Growing your own fruit not only reduces food miles but the produce is fresher and tastier too,” Iain concluded.

Grosvenor will be hosting a celebration of the great British apple next weekend, Saturday 9^th and Sunday 10^th October, between 11am and 3pm, held in conjunction with the local community of surrounding villages and Eaton Estate.

As part of its Growing Communities initiative, Grosvenor will be showcasing the versatility of this delicious fruit, as visitors can see apple press demonstrations and taste freshly squeezed juice, together with samples in the food department, an apple themed menu in the Café and pork burgers and sausages from the barbecue served with homemade apple sauce.  Les Armstrong, Head Gardener of Eaton Hall, will also be on hand to identify unknown apples grown from visitors’ gardens.

To keep everyone entertained, there will be children’s nature activities, storytelling, face painting and live music from the school choirs of the local villages and City of Chester band.  

With competitions for all ages to enjoy, visitors can try their hand at peeling the longest apple peel, hunt for Annie Apple and there will be a prize for everyone who visits Grosvenor dressed as a Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Red Devil, or any other apple variety - and there are plenty to choose from with more than 3000 varieties grown here in Great Britain!  

The village schools of Aldford, Eccleston and Saighton have also been learning about apples and each has produced an apple-themed display on view at the garden centre throughout the weekend. 

And everyone can help to raise funds for local villages by bringing along apples from their gardens to add to containers at the front of the centre, the contents of which will then be pressed into juice locally before being bottled to sell at village fetes and functions over the coming months to raise funds for community projects.  

“Our Apple Weekend last year proved immensely popular with everyone ready to embrace the versatile great British apple.  It is testament to the community spirit here in Chester that local schools and villages are supporting Apple Weekend and we hope to be able to raise even more funds for local villages and our own adopted charity for 2010, Claire House Children’s Hospice, who will be here throughout the weekend,” commented Iain Wylie, managing director. 

To coincide with the sixth annual National Conifer Week (2^nd – 10^th October) Grosvenor, located on Wrexham Road, Belgrave, has donated six Conifers to Claire House Children’s Hospice, the garden centre’s adopted charity for 2010 to provide added interest in the landscaped gardens at the Hospice in Bebington.

To acknowledge the resurgence in popularity of this versatile evergreen plant group, Grosvenor will feature Conifers as its Plant of the Month throughout October. By illustrating the versatility of these striking yet maintenance-free plants - perfect for creating a focal point in any garden - Grosvenor aims to raise awareness that Conifers are equally as elegant grown in pots or as a dramatic stand-alone feature. And, with the winter months fast approaching, many varieties of conifers change colour, providing year-round interest.

With inspirational displays at Grosvenor including their own specially designed Conifer Garden at the front of the Centre during October featuring distinctive varieties including Cryptomaria, perfect for creating a colourful backdrop to any garden and Juniper for flat growing ground cover to keep weeds down, there will also be special offers to encourage visitors to try Conifers in their gardens.

“Simple yet effective sums up Conifers perfectly and for any visitor looking for an easy to care for plant, we would definitely recommend a Conifer.  It is with no surprise then that it has been chosen as the National Plant of the Month,” said Iain Wylie, managing director.

“We were delighted to receive the Conifers from Grosvenor as part of their ongoing support of our work here at Claire House this year,” commented Laura Breen, Area Fundraiser, Claire House.

“They look very eye-catching in their chosen location and as they are also low maintenance, they provide the children with an improved outlook in the already delightful gardens and should continue to look amazing for years to come,” Laura concluded.

“Here at Grosvenor we are committed to helping visitors to the garden centre to make their gardens grow and have the confidence to plant more plants, shrubs and trees to improve the quality of the air we breathe and create more green space for everyone to enjoy. By donating Conifers to Claire House, we hope to continue to show our support of this worthwhile cause,” concluded Iain.

What a week we are enjoying here at Grosvenor!  Not only have we managed to raise more than £600 for our charity thanks to our team of novice abseilers, we have also added to our stream of awards this year by being chosen as the WINNER in the Living and Style category of The Greatest Awards and received the Silver award in the Outdoor Leisure section too! 

These national awards are held annually and rely on a combination of customer feedback and a judging panel who visit and assess every centre before choosing ‘The Greatest’!

Recognising teamwork and working together to create excellence, our Home and Garden Leisure team obviously wowed the judges as they showed considerable “planning and involvement from all of the team led by buyer, Emma Anzani”. 

“The end result is not just a department but actually strategically placed indoor living areas and displays throughout the store,” said the judges.

And for the Greatest Outdoor Leisure Sales Team, our team “impressed with their product knowledge and know their customers and their product.”

See our awards page for more details of our success to date!

And we still have the Real Food Festival to come this weekend!  Watch this space for our next blog with lots more details, or visit our Events page now!