Birchgrove Garden Centre at Pinchbeck is celebrating its 40 years in business throughout 2013 with contests and giveaways galore.
Opened in April 1973 by nurseryman Adrian Moerman and designed by Jim Jack to sell locally grown plants, Birchgrove still has its roots firmly in South Holland soil.
The Slinger family who took over in the late 1980s and became sole owners in 1990 have carried on the Birchgrove tradition by growing all the centre’s bedding and vegetable plants on site, and general manager Alan Davey has continued to work there for 37 years.
Company chairman George Slinger said: “Our own nursery at the back produces our bedding and veg plants and we grow on perennials from plugs produced by local nurseries, while most of our trees come from a bit further afield - Wisbech!
“When I bought the centre there were eight people working here and now there are 17, all working flat out.
“Over the years we’ve added two glasshouses, one housing Megapets, selling a huge variety of petfoods and the other the garden shop, the coffee shop and a garden furniture department. We’ve also incorporated Bettertack which sells a comprehensive ramge of equine care, equipment and clothing,”