In the 1950's and 60's the Notcutts Nurseries exhibited at many national and county shows. In more recent years these shows have swung from generating significant levels of sales for the nursery to being a valuable form of publicity for the Garden Centres. This has led to an easing of the Show Department's timetable but not a reduction in the requirement for skilled preparation and timing of plants.

Notcutts now exhibit at the RHS Chelsea, Hampton Court and Gardeners World Shows as well as at the Suffolk County Show.

Notcutts Landscapes have been instrumental in the design and building of the many medal winning exhibits built at the Chelsea show since the war, including the three Lawrence Medal winning exhibits in 1969, 1981 and 1994. This coveted award is given annually for the best display seen by the Society at any of its shows, and is particularly sought after by all exhibitors.

The Notcutts' Centenary Exhibit, on the coveted Monument site, celebrated the centenary by recreating glimpses of previous successes at Chelsea. It drew together the most successful themes of the past Notcutts' Lawrence Medal winning designs.

In 1969 visitors could look over the Great Marquee for the first time ever, from a bridge built on the Monument site. In 1981 for the first time ever, mature climbing plants were displayed by aspect against walls. This was repeated in 1997 around octagonal walls. In 1994 plants were arranged by colour theme for the first time ever. And was repeated in 1997 within the octagons.

Notcutts Landscape: 1902 - Present

Roger Crompton Notcutt's landscape department was formed at the turn of the century to allow him to develop further the service that he was providing to his customers, the large country estate owners of East Anglia. RCN would travel out, often with Mr Martin, his head foreman (and, in effect, designer), to visit the owner and head gardener and discuss with them their preferred planting scheme.

A foreman, and in later years, a landscaping gang would be sent from Woodbridge. They would often stay away until the job was completed, hiring additional labour and equipment as required locally.

As RCN's reputation for quality designed and constructed gardens developed, so he undertook larger and more prestigious commissions. Locally, Notcutts were involved in the design and construction of the Promenade and Spa Gardens at Felixstowe. Notcutts planted the Avenue of Remembrance in Colchester in 1926 and the Woodbridge bypass with Cherry and Poplar trees in 1932. It was even involved in sowing grass in the early years of Ipswich Town Football Club's Portman Road ground.

After the Second World War the Landscape Department was re-formed and travelled further afield, with commissions for work in London as well as at the new towns of Basildon, Harlow, Letchworth, Welwyn Garden City and Witham.

In 1960 Mark Rummary joined as designer, subsequently Manager and eventually Landscape Director, until he retired in 1994. He had designed all of Notcutts Chelsea exhibits since 1967 and was awarded an Associateship of Honour in 1993 by the RHS.

In 1965 the existing landscape department at the Sydenham Nurseries in Birmingham became Notcutts Landscapes. There were also branches at Norwich and Tunbridge Wells.

Notcutts Landscapes today upholds the tradition creating practical and imaginative designs for gardens of all sizes from country estates to tiny courtyards, as it has done for over 90 years. The implementation of the designs is undertaken by teams of skilled and experienced craftsmen, a large proportion of whom have worked for the company for many years.

Their skills and expertise have won many national awards over the years, including the prestigious British Association of Landscape Industries.

At both branches only one point of contact is provided, from initial inquiry through the design stage, to the construction and completion of the work. All the construction staff work strictly to the detailed specifications and drawings, ensuring that the end result achieves only the very best standards in garden design.

Both branches operate from the garden centre sites: Woodbridge covering all of East Anglia, Solihull covering the Midlands and the upper reaches of the Thames Valley.

Notcutts Garden Centres

NOTCUTTS have always retailed directly to the public. In 1897 one of the attributes of the nursery was the seed and floristry shop that was then on the side of the Georgian house that RCN bought at auction. In 1913 he bought premises in The Thoroughfare in Woodbridge on the corner of New Street.

By 1953 this small town centre shop was in need of repair and was not meeting the customer demands placed upon it. Despite concern that customers might be unwilling to travel the half mile from the town centre to buy flowers, plants, seeds, bulbs and other supplies, a garden centre was built on the nursery in 1958 - one of the first purpose built garden centres in the country. A 'planteria' was added shortly after, a name created by Notcutts and now used throughout the plant retailing industry.

In the 1960's garden centre retailing blossomed. The big freeze of 1963 not only affected the nursery, but created a surge in demand for plants at garden centres in preference to mail order. The 1971 postal strike had a similar affect. The garden centre family group has now expanded to 14 centres, all different, and each justifying a visit in its own right.

The original garden centre concept has developed into a form of retailing as sophisticated as any other. Christmas decorations, gift ware, pets and restaurants share space with traditional garden sundries but garden centres remain pre eminent in the selling of plants.

All of our garden centres offer: a comprehensive range of "Guaranteed to Grow" hardy plants, (with 3000 varieties to choose from, many grown at Notcutts' own nurseries), some of the finest garden furniture collections in the country (sourced from all over the world), a wide range of essential garden sundries such as tools, fertilisers, garden chemicals and irrigation equipment, an assortment of houseplants, and seasonally, a magical array of Christmas decorations.

Notcutts believe that the staff are the key to achieving both excellence in gardening and in business, thus benefiting both the customers and Notcutts alike. The staff are drawn from a wide age band, and bring a variety of skills and experience into the garden centre. Many of them have a broad knowledge of gardening, whereas others specialise in specific areas. All have an enthusiasm for working with customers.

It is Notcutts objective to provide the highest possible standard of customer satisfaction. Staff are keen to advise on a wide range of gardening matters and additionally they are able to provide many special services, such as gift wrapping, and of course helping load large goods into customers' cars.

Notcutts commitment to customer care aims at maximising both the customers' pleasure in visiting the garden centre, and also the staffs job satisfaction. The garden centre is an exciting, stimulating and enjoyable environment in which to shop and work.