QD Group has expanded its portfolio of Cherry Lane Garden Centres with the acquisition of Early Dawn Nurseries near Lowestoft in Suffolk.
Early Dawn has been trading since the 1960s and today it offers a large range of trees, shrubs, perennials and seasonal bedding alongside garden furniture, pet care, gifts and leisure items. The centre's 12 members of staff will keep their jobs and the business will continue to trade as Early Dawn Nurseries until a re-launch at Easter this year following a major redevelopment programme which will include a new family restaurant.

Value retailer QD's commercial holdings ceo, Nick Rubins, said: "Early Dawn is a fabulous looking site with an established customer base. We are planning to expand the current offer and make it easier for our customers to shop the full range of Cherry Lane products.

"Early Dawn has a great reputation for on site, own-grown plants and we look forward to expanding this with continued success over the coming seasons. This site complements our existing portfolio and is an exciting first acquisition of 2014 for the group.

"Our strategy is to develop our garden centre business both organically and through acquisition, and we always welcome approaches from successful businesses looking to exit the market," he added.

Cherry Lane Garden Centres also trade at Long Melford and Pulham Market in Suffolk, as well as in Norfolk, Essex, Nottinghamshire, Fritton, Northamptonshire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

This follows the departure of QD Group md, Justin Farrington Smith, which was announced at the end of January.