Ferndale's part of the UK Garden Industry

Ferndales part of the UK Garden Industry

Ferndale Garden Centre plays an active role in the UK Garden Industry, often called the Ornamental Horticulture Industry. We are members of industry trade associations to benefit you, our industry and ourselves.

The Garden Centre Association

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has its origins in the very roots of the garden centre movement, which surprisingly has only been in existence for around half a century.

The association was established in 1966 by the early pioneers wishing to make plants available year-round and make gardening more accessible. The term ‘garden centre’ was not coined until the early 1960s – before that, gardeners bought their plants from nurseries or by mail order.

The GCA insists members meet the highest retail standards and participate in an annual inspection process, to ensure these standards are maintained and improved. GCA members, large and small, set the benchmark for high retailing standards within the industry which others can only aspire to. The Association can state, proudly, that it represents the leading garden centres within the UK and worldwide as part of its membership of the International Garden Centre Association (IGCA).

You can rest assured that you are buying top quality plants from members of the Garden Centre Association. Their plants come from the finest growers and have been cared for by experts until the moment it leaves the garden centre.

GCA members offer plants that are guaranteed to grow!

We are confident that your plant purchase will thrive in your garden but with the uncertainties of nature, sometimes this won’t be the case.

In your garden but with the uncertainties of nature, sometimes this won’t be the case.

To offer you peace of mind, GCA members offer a free replacement or credit for any container-grown hardy plant which dies, providing it has received reasonable care, bears the member’s garden centre label and is returned with proof of purchase.

All our members offer this guarantee for a minimum of 12 months but many extend it to an even longer period. Ferndale’s hardy plant guarantee is for 5 years.

The Horticultural Trades Association

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) was founded in 1899; an organisation formed by its members, for members. Their main aim, to represent horticultural tradesmen to deal with the issues they faced as an industry, still drives it today.

Today the HTA runs the Garden Gift Card and Voucher scheme loved by Gardeners. The HTA also arranges schemes for members to save costs and aid businesses improvement, and has recently arranged a national plastics recycling scheme.

The HTA is also a lobbying organisation and is working closely with government departments to secure excellence in Bio- Security (pest and disease prevention from abroad), and post Brexit schemes to ensure continued supplies of continental plants.

Ferndale's part of the UK Garden Industry