DIYWEEK.net

Customers and suppliers of Earlswood Plants in Solihull are being assured that there will be a seamless transfer of business when the firm goes into dormancy this month.
The retail plant side of the business will be taken on by the White family, who will sell plants to the general public through Earlswood Garden & Landscape Centre, and the wholesale cash and carry will be transferred to Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford.

Wyevale Nurseries joint chairman Heather Williamson said: "Earlswood Plants, which also trades as Greenline Plants, will cease trading and all creditors will be paid in full and within the normal terms of business.

"The company was set up in 2009 as a 50/50 partnership between Wyevale Nurseries and Innocenti & Mangoni Piante in Italy.

"The decision has been made to put Earlswood Plants in to dormancy primarily due to a significant change to how landscape and garden design customers buy from nurseries, with the emphasis moving to email and online purchasing and deliveries direct to client sites rather than collecting from a cash and carry. Our aim is to find better solutions for our customers."

She added: "We want to meet our customer demands and it seems fitting to split the business. The retail plant side of Earlswood Plants will be handed back to the White family, who will trade plants through Earlswood Garden & Landscape Centre and intend to further develop the retail site.

"Earlswood Garden & Landscape Centre understands its retail customer base in detail and will be able to offer a more coherent service to its customers.

"The cash and carry side of Earlswood Plants will be transferred to our Head Office in Hereford and the Wyevale Nurseries Landscape & Amenity sales team will pick up the Earlswood Plants wholesale accounts.

"By running the wholesale business from Wyevale Nurseries customers will benefit from our dedicated sales team, a much wider selection of plants and our own distribution. We aim to offer customers equal, if not a better, range and to continue the excellent service levels provided by the team at Earlswood Plants."

Earlswood Garden Centre & Landscape Centre was established in 1996 by Steve and Dave White. It specialises in landscape materials, sheds and garden buildings with a range of top quality fencing panels and garden sheds manufactured on the premises.

Earlswood Garden & Landscape Centre managing director Dave White added: "It is business as usual for Earlswood Garden & Landscape Centre and we will continue to strengthen the retail plants side going forward."

Wyevale Nurseries is one of the largest family-run wholesale nurseries in the UK. It was established in 1928 by Harry Williamson and continues to be a family-run business, with ownership and joint chairmanship currently being held by the third generation, Heather and Simeon Williamson.