garden centres: Henry street

flourishing in a growth industry

‘The Gardeners Choice – Giving you More' endorsement is assurance of the quality at Henry Street , Reading . The facility is impressive. But the company is not just a garden centre. Rose fields in the picturesque countryside are planted with over 300 varieties. Over 95,000 bushes are grown every year. Many are famous prize winners, including rose of the year Rhapsody in Blue. Specialists continually produce new cultivars, the most recent winning another Gold medal at Hampton Court .

Today's garden centres are sophisticated businesses. It is no longer enough to sell annuals and perennials. From snowdrops in spring to tinsel at Christmas, companies must manage a perishable product range as diverse as nature itself. And more besides to fulfil the fashion for gazeboes and water features. This trend is set to continue. While the shopping experience is normally fulfilling and customers are usually in a relaxed frame of mind, long queues at the checkout are a real deterrent to repeat visits.

Henry Street needed a new garden tool. A complete retail business from mainstream companies with a best in class reputation. Epsilon StoreTrader for Sage was the obvious choice. Scanning patio furniture and apple trees is not an option. Neither are stock codes on bits of paper, or price allocation to departments. The item search engine retrieves exact details of each individual product in an instant. Just one of the clever features in the package. Accountability of every single stock item with complete integrity is assured.

Acres of land are potential selling space. The range of available merchandise is enormous. The trap of over-investing in perishable and seasonal stock is avoided. Plants men at Henry Street can now populate the garden centre with confidence. Stock movement is tracked with the same precision as pollen transfer in the creation of new hybrids. The right product is available at the right time to visitors. The family owned business is in the watchful hands of the 5th generation who strive to ensure an enjoyable visit is had by all.

“Our challenge is to manage the diversity of nature and so equipped with our best in class technology tool we can safeguard our heritage and achieve sustained growth.”

Tim Gould, Owner, Henry Street Garden Centre