Garden Centre Guide

The Moulton College Garden Centre is open 7 days a week.

Pots, tubs and other garden accessories are available year-round.

Garden Centre Guide

Introduction

This page - Garden Centre Guide - is designed to provide students and visitors with a brief introduction to the Garden Centre and the other retail outlets that include a Pet Shop and a Florists.

The Garden Centre is used extensively to support the education and training of students at Moulton College, especially those following Horticulture, Floristry, Animal Welfare and General Education programmes. The day-to-day activities of the Garden Centre are reported weekly in the Farm Report.

The Garden Centre is open to the public seven days a week throughout the year:

Monday to Saturday	9.00am – 5.00pm
Sunday	10.00am – 4.00pm

It is located at the Holcot Centre on Pitsford Road, Moulton (between the John Ashby Sports Hall, and the Vet Centre / Animal Therapy Unit). Ample car parking is available immediately in front of the Garden Centre entrance.

The Garden Centre is managed on a daily basis by the Garden Centre Manager Michael Liddell. It is administered by the Garden Centre Directorate comprising:

Garden Centre Directorate:

Chris Moody:	Principal
Gerald Davies:	Deputy Principal Resources and Development
Mike Liddell:	Garden Centre Manager

The Garden Centre has seven staff:

Mike Liddell:	Garden Centre Manager
Michelle Griffin:	Assistant Garden Centre Manager & Florist
Juana Wilson:	Garden Centre Assistant
Michelle Collier:	Garden Centre Assistant
Daniel Potter:	Garden Centre Assistant
Michelle Collier:	Garden Centre Assistant
Katie Bland:	Pet Shop Retail Assistant
Jade Martin:	Pet Shop Retail Assistant

Aims

To demonstrate high standards of management, economic and physical achievement in a commercial operation, in particular, high standards of retailing, forward planning in merchandising and plant production, in order to maximise sales.

To provide students with an opportunity to work in a high quality, commercial venture, and to make real life performance data available for use in their learning programmes.

To promote the College in the local community, by raising awareness and providing an opportunity to distribute College literature to a wider audience.

Summary

Opened in conjunction with a farm shop in 1992 to sell student produce from a former potting shed, the Garden Centre was moved into a new building in August 2002. In October 2008 a Pet Shop and a Floristry outlet were added to increase the breadth of experience afforded to students.

Garden Centre Shop

Stock is booked in and sold through state of the art, touch-screen EPOS technology. There is a House Plant section and a Conservatory used to display seasonal plants, seeds and bulbs.

Plant Food and Garden Chemicals, along with a range of garden tools and sundries are available to meet most gardening needs. A senior citizen’s discount scheme is operated and a monthly promotional newsletter is produced for a mailing list, which is sent to nearly two thousand subscribers.

The Garden Centre Retails Most Types of Plant

Annuals

Summer and winter bedding for baskets and boarders produced in our own Nursery to give instant colour to your garden.

Alpines

For smaller spaces and planters and hanging baskets the Garden Centre produces an in numerous variety of alpine plants. These provide a multi-seasonal display with a profusion of flowers and are ideal for any situation.

Perennials

Herbaceous are once again making an impact on British Gardens. This is reflected in the quality and variety of perennial plants the Garden Centre both produces and sells. From the ever popular cottage garden plants to the new varieties that are ideal for today’s modern architectural planting schemes.

Roses

The Garden Centre has produced roses, this year as part of a new pilot scheme. Producing not only traditional Hybrid tea and floribunda but also the luxurious scented Gallica roses, numerous climbers and the ever popular living Gift roses for that special, personalised gift.

Shrubs

In 2007 the Garden Centre began producing it own shrubs in both 1 ltr and 3 ltr formats. This year the varieties and quantities have increased to match demand.

Nursery Area

This area consists of a large multi-span poly-tunnel, which is heated to form the primary growing space. Various crops are produced to be sold to the public through the Garden Centre, including perennials, shrubs, roses and bedding in summer, and winter flowering plants in later months.

Pet Shop

The Pet Sop supplies a wide range of pets including small mammals and reptiles. A large pet food section stocks a good range of pet foods, as well as a selection of sundries, toys, bedding materials and just about everything required for the responsible care of pets.

Florist

The Florists retail outlet provides flowers for every occasion along with a wide range of pot plants. Floral displays are also provided by arrangement on a commercial basis to local organisations and businesses.

You can contact the Garden Centre directly for any enquiries on 01604 494206.