i don't keep track because if i did i'd probably stop. having once owned a gc i can say that it will do 80% of its business in 6 weeks in the spring with people who come in once a year and basically know nothing about gardening. even more than most retail it is soul destroying.
I think one of the difficulties is that a small garden centre doesn't work - you can't compete with the big chains on buying in the stuff (whether it's bedding plants, pots or furniture) as cheaply as they can.
Small shops compete with the big supermarkets by being just around the corner so you can pop in for a few things, but the thing about garden centres is that you need a car to carry most stuff so it doesn't work like corner shops.
Far better to specialise in something niche that the big chains can't do - I'll travel miles out of my way to go to a specialist nursery like Woottens - but then they started small ages ago and it took them a long while to get where they are today, with a thriving mail order business as well as being open to the public.
Don't want to pour cold water on your enthusiasm but going it alone is a very hard row to hoe.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yes i would love to create a garden centre/nursery which will be more focused on good quality and selection of plants and i suppose the a bit more than the basics to do your gardening.
I want to be accessible to people without their own transport, so basically i want people to be able to reach me place by public transport and on foot.
Most of the nurseries and proper garden centres i.e. not B&Q and others are more than 15 mins away by car from the city centre and i want to be in the city bounds.
So specifics:
good selection of plant that are good quality.
pots and made by local potteries
a little coffee shop for people to have a little sit down
and essentials to do gardening.
Want to be close to the city centre and offer delivery service too.
I was spending a small fortune in the local garden center every week when I started back to gardening earlier this year. It was getting a bit out of hand with water butts costing £70 then a further £30 for a plastic base, paving stones etc etc.
I had to stop and start looking online for better deals. I went from at one point splashing out around £150 per visit to now spending an average £15 on essentials at the local GC.
The problem with being close to the city centre is that land is so expensive and nurseries/garden centres need a fairly large area! I'm afraid that start-up costs/overheads will be high
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
well sort of. I want to help people use the very small space you have in the city and help people create green spaces in the city where people thought they might not have been able.
I have done a good amount of homework Dovefromabove, and thinking of working with local nurseries for the stuff i can't grow.
So my question is what is peoples option about have a place that you would normally be will to drive 20 odd mile for just around the corner from you?
..my close neighbour is a nursery...never been in it... one up the road...never been in it... I like to go maybe half hour or 45 mins drive...and spend a day out...preferably a bit up market..... I will go to a nursery if it's well kept....I don't enjoy walking around a muddy or messy environment... my best one is about 20 mins drive...no café...but top quality and wholesale prices...
..the most successful, and fairly new venture not far away is where they have a good café/restaurant with a small garden centre attached.... few people are looking at plants except in Spring for the bedding.... people today can't seem to be a..ed to cook lunch, they enjoy eating out, especially if they are older people comfortably off...better off families.... couples.... stuffing their faces with lunch, dessert or cake, more than filling gardens...
...that's how I see it...and that's how they make their money....so I'm told...it's always busy, but pleasant...
...I'm not sure a forum such as this, is the best place for market research purposes....personally.. but best of luck with your venture...
Posts
i don't keep track because if i did i'd probably stop. having once owned a gc i can say that it will do 80% of its business in 6 weeks in the spring with people who come in once a year and basically know nothing about gardening. even more than most retail it is soul destroying.
I think one of the difficulties is that a small garden centre doesn't work - you can't compete with the big chains on buying in the stuff (whether it's bedding plants, pots or furniture) as cheaply as they can.
Small shops compete with the big supermarkets by being just around the corner so you can pop in for a few things, but the thing about garden centres is that you need a car to carry most stuff so it doesn't work like corner shops.
Far better to specialise in something niche that the big chains can't do - I'll travel miles out of my way to go to a specialist nursery like Woottens - but then they started small ages ago and it took them a long while to get where they are today, with a thriving mail order business as well as being open to the public.
Don't want to pour cold water on your enthusiasm but going it alone is a very hard row to hoe.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you so much for all the brilliant input.
Yes i would love to create a garden centre/nursery which will be more focused on good quality and selection of plants and i suppose the a bit more than the basics to do your gardening.
I want to be accessible to people without their own transport, so basically i want people to be able to reach me place by public transport and on foot.
Most of the nurseries and proper garden centres i.e. not B&Q and others are more than 15 mins away by car from the city centre and i want to be in the city bounds.
So specifics:
good selection of plant that are good quality.
pots and made by local potteries
a little coffee shop for people to have a little sit down
and essentials to do gardening.
Want to be close to the city centre and offer delivery service too.
I was spending a small fortune in the local garden center every week when I started back to gardening earlier this year. It was getting a bit out of hand with water butts costing £70 then a further £30 for a plastic base, paving stones etc etc.
I had to stop and start looking online for better deals. I went from at one point splashing out around £150 per visit to now spending an average £15 on essentials at the local GC.
The problem with being close to the city centre is that land is so expensive and nurseries/garden centres need a fairly large area! I'm afraid that start-up costs/overheads will be high
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Usually about 4 times the amount I planned to spend!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
well sort of. I want to help people use the very small space you have in the city and help people create green spaces in the city where people thought they might not have been able.
I have done a good amount of homework Dovefromabove, and thinking of working with local nurseries for the stuff i can't grow.
So my question is what is peoples option about have a place that you would normally be will to drive 20 odd mile for just around the corner from you?
Sorry Edd I was thinking a bit further north for now but you never know we end up in Darlington too
..my close neighbour is a nursery...never been in it... one up the road...never been in it... I like to go maybe half hour or 45 mins drive...and spend a day out...preferably a bit up market..... I will go to a nursery if it's well kept....I don't enjoy walking around a muddy or messy environment... my best one is about 20 mins drive...no café...but top quality and wholesale prices...
..the most successful, and fairly new venture not far away is where they have a good café/restaurant with a small garden centre attached.... few people are looking at plants except in Spring for the bedding.... people today can't seem to be a..ed to cook lunch, they enjoy eating out, especially if they are older people comfortably off...better off families.... couples.... stuffing their faces with lunch, dessert or cake, more than filling gardens...
...that's how I see it...and that's how they make their money....so I'm told...it's always busy, but pleasant...
...I'm not sure a forum such as this, is the best place for market research purposes....personally.. but best of luck with your venture...
kind regards...