A new independent, family-run garden centre is set to open at the Hatton Experience at Hatton Country World in Warwickshire on Monday, July 5.
The 19,000sq ft centre will be run by owners Julian and Judi Ranson and will offer gifts, clothing and a pets department as well as plants and sundries.

Mr Ranson ran Notcutts' flagship Solihull garden centre for 24 years, and trained at Writtle College, Chelmsford. During his time at Notcutts he set up several initiatives to encourage children into gardening, including a Saturday morning children's gardening club, and this will also be high on the list of priorities at Ransons.

He said: "I have always believed that children should be enthused to garden, and being at the Hatton Experience will certainly help us to achieve that aim. My initiation into gardening was when I was 12 and sowed seeds for my parents and then sold the resulting plants on to them. I have been selling plants ever since."

He continued: "With so few new garden centres of this size opening in this country it is a fantastic opportunity to open, own, run and build our own family business. We are all looking forward to the challenge and our determination to succeed is enthralling."

Initially, 18 people will be employed at Ransons Garden Centre, including Adam Covell, formerly indoor manager at Notcutts Solihull.

Judi Ranson added: "The whole family, including my mother-in-law who is in her seventies, is really looking forward to making this fantastic opportunity work. It is an exciting venture for all out family to be involved in and for Julian and I to be involved in the new venture together. We hope our love of gardening will rub off on other families and encourage them to keep visiting us at Ransons."

The family have a minimum 10-year lease on the site, which is five minutes from Junction 15 of the M40, on the A4177 between Solihull and Warwick.