Poplar Tree Garden Center

Visited on September 25, 2007

Dave and I had one last day left on our Brit Rail pass so we decided to take a long day trip to Durham.  Dave and my daughter Cara had visited Durham in 1996 and 1997 so he was familiar with the city and wanted to show it to me.

While in the tourist center in Durham, I found one last brochure in the rack for the Poplar Tree Garden Centre.  It was a lovely day for walking and we got to see some of the residential gardens on our stroll out to the centre.  On our way we found Houghall Community College, which has studies for a degree in Horticulture.  An employee that I later chatted with at Poplar Tree had obtained her horticulture degree from that college.

Background

• Location – Durham is a beautiful medieval city on the North Sea Coast. In 1090, the Normans, under William the Conqueror, began construction of Durham cathedral and castle on a peninsula surrounded by the River Wear. The cathedral was completed in 1133 and provided a sturdy protective border fortress from the warring Scots to the north. For 800 years the castle was the home of successive prince-bishops, who ruled northern England. In 1832, they turned the castle over to what is now known as the University of Durham. The cathedral was the first English building with ribbed vault construction as well as the first stone-roofed cathedral in Europe. The castle and the cathedral together are considered the finest Norman achievement in architecture in Europe. A walk through the cathedral is suggested if you visit Durham. 
• Transportation – Manchester, our starting point, is near the Irish Sea Coast on the western side of England, or what is called the Midlands. A three-hour train ride to Durham took us to the North Sea Coast on the eastern side, (which is dryer than the Midlands but has harsher winters. ) The bus route ran to within a few blocks of the centre. However, we elected to walk the approximately two miles to the Centre to sight see. 
• History – Poplar Tree Garden Centre and Brambledown Landscape Service were based together at this location in the past.  Approximately twenty-five years ago the landscaping service and garden centre separated, with Poplar Tree remaining at this site.  When the owner of Poplar Tree retired he offered the business to Brambledown Landscape, as he had remained friends with the orginal owner.  Currently Brambledown is continuing the centre, under the Poplar Tree name.
• Marketing – Poplar Tree advertises that they have been helping customers get the best from their gardens for over 30 years.
• Service – The current owners state that they will continue the relatioinship the previous owner established with his customers. 

Facility

• Structure – This was a small, attractive garden center and due to zoning restrictions, will not be able to expand. Fall garden displays lined a path on each side approaching the entrance doors. Heavier bulk garden and landscaping items were neatly stacked and organized to the side of the driveway providing close access for loading into vehicles. 
• Access – The interior area had wide, clutter free isles for easy maneuverability whether using a shopping cart or a person using a wheelchair. 
• Appearance – Even though it was an overcast day, the interior was bright and very clean. The exterior walkway and outdoor benches were swept free of debris. All departments, both interior and exterior, were well organized, making efficient use of their space. 
• Signage
• Interior Signs – Individual areas were marked with product identification signs on the display stands rather than using overhead signs.
• Exterior Signs – The outside garden area carried plant description signs as part of the benches.
• Displays
• Interior Displays – They made good use of displaying items vertically, saving shelf space and providing visual contrast in the gift shop area. Houseplants were color coordinated, arranged in a decorative order on rounded benches with taller plants in the center. There were racks of Johnson vegetable and flower seeds. The merchandise area and the surrounding plant display had the touch of an interior decorator.

Plants

• Outdoor Plants – Poplar Tree Garden Centre does not have any facilities on premises to grow their own plants.  The plants they obtained for sale, were spaced neatly on the benches, not crowded. Helianthemums (sunrose) and dahlias were still in bloom. A bit of cool weather had started to turn the trees and bushes in the outdoor area with a touch of fall colors. 
• Indoor Plants – They carried a good selection of indoor plants and tropicals.
• Warranty – I did not see a warranty on plants displayed at the time of our visit.
• Quality of Plants – The selection of fall plants were healthy. There was a selection of summer perennials, such as Verbascum (mullein) and salvia for 50% off price. These neatly pruned, deadheaded markdowns still had deep green summer color. They were a great bargain for any gardener.

Merchandise 

• Gifts – The gift shop carries greeting cards, high quality decorative figurines, candles, leather purses, glassware, silk flowers, gardening books, and ornaments.
• Restaurant – Brambles Coffee Shop opened its doors at this location in February 2006. It seats up to100 people. There is a picnic area by the River Wear for customers to enjoy. 
• Clothing – They do not carry clothing at this centre. The employee I had a conversation with stated that they were a plant-orientated business.
• Pet Supples  – They did carry bird supplies as well as cat and dog products.
• Stoneware – They carried indoor and outdoor ornaments such as pots, in the popular colors of blues and earth tones. Ornamental garden statutes, tubs, fountains, ponds and birdbaths were also available.
• Gardening – The usual garden products from garden gloves, fertilizers, compost, garden tools, herbicides, pesticides, plant food, and seeds were well stocked. They also offered irrigation systems. A web site was available for ordering garden tools, lawn care, wildlife, and pest control products. Garden books, children garden products and misc. garden items are available through this site. At the time there was a limited number of products but it appears that the site is in the process of making additional items available.
• Aquatics – In the pet care section there are tanks of fish, accessories that go with the care of fish, and products to set up outdoor water features. 
• Structures – They did carry working greenhouses, which are popular in the UK as well as heaters for them in cold weather. When riding the rails, it is not uncommon to see these greenhouses in back yards by vegetable plots. As we approached the centre, a residence nearby had a greenhouse full of ripe tomatoes as well as fruit trees surrounding the outside. 
• Landscaping/Hardscaping – A landscaping service (Brambledown Landscaping) is advertised on their web site. It includes garden designing from sketch proposals to project management. Hard landscaping is offered for the installation of patio paths and walling, water features, timber structures, and decking. Planting service and soft landscaping includes site preparation, planting plans, providing plants, and planting. Turf supplied and laid is also a service provided. On site they did carry a well-stocked supply of hardscaping materials which is not surprising since Brambledown and Poplar Tree are now one company.
• Flower Shop – Their website proclaims: "We train our florist to the highest standards offering fresh flowers of the highest qualities at unbeatable prices."