Blog
Blog
In the evolving world of garden retail, the sites that win aren’t just focused on horticulture – they’re curating experiences. But to retain core audiences it’s still essential that plants remain the heroes…
When Perrywood recently embarked on a bold £8.5m redevelopment of its Sudbury Garden Centre its ambition was to create a destination that offered a premium retail and leisure experience while protecting its horticultural essence. And we’re delighted that this ambitious ask led them directly to our expert in-house garden team!
Gold standard plant display – the highlight of the upgrade
At the heart of Perrywood’s new garden centre stands two monumental Fordingbridge designed and installed plant display canopies, each covering a vast area of 60m x 12m. And these aren’t just canopies! They are climate-smart, revenue generating structures designed around three core principles:
Two vast new barrel-vaulted taper trellis structures create a bright, uplifting browsing environment, even on the dullest days, while unique Opal 60 roof sheeting allows daylight to flood the space and shields customers and vulnerable plant ranges from harmful UV in hotter months.
Innovation creates a truly year-round browsing experience
When winter bites, automated frost curtains protect valuable stock at the touch of a button, safeguarding margin that would otherwise be lost to the elements. Innovative vents embedded into the two giant canopies even read the weather outside and react automatically – opening or closing to maintain the ideal growing and browsing climate beneath.
Sustainability was also forefront in the design. Integrated guttering captures rainwater to irrigate the displayed plants – cutting water use and operational costs and helping the Perrywood team meet environmental commitments without compromise.
The sky is the limit
What was once a seasonal asset is now a climate resilient, revenue driving anchor for the impressive new site and as a result of their newly weather-proofed plant zones and enhanced on-site experience the Perrywood team is expecting to increase sales from £4.5m to £6m by 2026.
For garden centres looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, the message is clear: experiences impress but all-weather solutions are crucial to making the numbers work, and if you still want plants to be the star of your show, an expertly designed all-weather plant display canopy could be the upgrade that shifts your site form good to exceptional.
Want to discover what’s possible at your centre? Reach out to our expert garden centre team today to arrange your complimentary site visit.
