Staffordshire garden centre Jacksons Nurseries flourishes under new generation of family ownership
Green fingers must run in the genes of the Jackson family as Luke Jackson leaves a corporate finance job with Barclays to run the family garden centre business. The change comes as Luke and wife Priya have welcomed their baby son Edward to the world and allows existing owners Roger and Ruth Jackson to ease back into retirement.
‘Jacksons’ has built a reputation over the last 65 years as a haven for garden enthusiasts and food lovers alike. Set in idyllic countryside of the Staffordshire Moorlands, its popular tea room serves up home-cooked food with friendly personal service, while expert advice is always available in the plants-led garden centre and the farm shop offers gifts, homeware and a range of local produce.
Luke Jackson said: “It’s a big change to swap Canary Wharf for the village of Bagnall and exciting to take on the challenge of running the business full time. We’re fortunate to have a fantastic, friendly and hard-working team who are committed to protecting our heritage and family-run ethos while driving the business forward into the future. I enjoyed taking cuttings when I was growing up and helped build Jacksons' first ecommerce website, so transitioning into the business now is a natural next step.”
Jacksons Nurseries started in the 1960s when Peter Jackson, a school teacher with a passion for plants and a love for roses, opened a market garden from his back yard. The nursery has grown and flourished over the years with the same ethos, passion and love for growing at the forefront of the business today. The business now produces 300,000 plants per year from the 10-acre nursery site, which are sold on the garden centre and delivered nationwide from the online shop.
Jacksons Nurseries have already doubled down on their service-led approach, rolling out personal shopping experiences with their plant consultants for anyone looking for in-depth, tailored “help and advice” sessions. Local customer Ben Mills, who recently took advantage of the new service, said: “The advice from Jacksons plant expert Peter Lea was second to none. He was very knowledgeable and gave us lots of ideas and inspiration. We are looking forward to putting the planting plan that Peter produced for us into action.”
Another initiative Jacksons are rolling out is an expansion of the plants range. Nursery production manager Hayden said: “We’re currently in the process of growing 160 new varieties of perennials, ready for the coming gardening season. This includes smaller plants we will offer in 9cm pots at a lower price point, as well as our existing larger two-litre pot size. We’ll be announcing the new varieties in spring, so watch this space."
Jacksons continues to focus on supporting the local community, both close to home and further afield. Its planting team recently installed 16 root-balled Christmas trees for Pontypool council and regularly helps with displays at local Bagnall church, St Chads. Local resident Esther Buckle said: “Jacksons have historically supported St Chad’s at Christmas time. This year they kindly provided the lovely tree which looked particularly festive in the entrance to the church. We are always very appreciative of Jacksons help."
Jacksons Nurseries is located on Thorney Edge Road in Bagnall, ST9 9LE. More information is available on their website at www.jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
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