Over seventy five years ago David Squire (known as DJ – inset left with son Colin), Head Groundsman and gardener at the Police Orphanage in Twickenham, was made redundant. With a young family to support he set up his own business, and that business has grown into a thriving, family-owned garden centre group which now comprises 15 garden centres, and rose, herbaceous and bedding plant nurseries.
Today DJ’s son Colin is Chairman of the company, (for more about Colin and his 60 years in Horticulture click here) and continuing the family tradition Sarah, Colin’s daughter, is Deputy Chairman.
When the company was founded in 1935 our main activities were landscaping small domestic gardens. During the 1939/45 war, all landscape activities ceased and the nurseries were turned over to vegetable production. For a short period we built a number of air-raid shelters, Anderson shelters, in the grounds of houses in the Twickenham and Sunbury areas. During the 1960′s people became ever more interested in gardening for themselves rather than employing a gardener.
In response to this we opened our first garden centre in Sixth Cross Road, Twickenham (Inset Right), in 1964. Over the years horticultural retailing has become the most important part of our business and we now also have garden centres at Shepperton, Badshot Lea, Hersham, Chertsey, Woking, Windsor, West Horsley, Crawley, Reigate, Long Ditton, Washington, Stanmore, Milford and Cobham.
Seventy seven years on, and with many changes in the direction and nature of the business, we still hold the same core values. To provide the local communities in which we operate with superb quality plants and gardening products as well as attractive ranges of garden furniture, BBQs and gifts, and a truly enjoyable garden centre experience.