Village garden centre marks 102 years (From Watford Observer)

Village garden centre marks 102 years

4:50pm Tuesday 24th February 2009 in News By Paola Dellafiora

Villagers packed out a Kings Langley church on Thursday evening to hear about Garden Scene – Chipperfield’s 102-year-old garden centre.

Local man Terry Simmonds, 74, of Chapel Croft, turned out to talk about Garden Scene’s colourful history - the fourth presentation the popular Chipperfield resident has given on a subject close to his heart.

It was his grandfather Herbert Simmonds, a nurseryman and florist, who established the business back in 1907.

Terry, a horticulturist, said: “My grandfather’s nursery venture started in his back garden. He lived in a cottage in Chapel Croft where he grew plants and vegetables which were then sold locally.

“He then purchased an acre of land where Chapel Croft joined Pest House Lane and the nursery grew from there.”

Terry, a grandfather of five, described how after the war the nursery blossomed and home deliveries of produce were made by motorbike. By 1930 H Simmonds and Sons had become one of the largest nurseries in Hertfordshire.

It was Herbert who discovered the weeping cotoneaster hybrida pendula - a shrub with red berries that was given an award of merit and which was displayed at the Royal Horticultural Society show in Crystal Palace.

By the 1960s everything began to change and Garden Scene became one of the first nurseries in the country to start growing plants out of pots.

The business was sold in 1993 to the Foskett family, and although no longer owned by the Simmonds, Terry is still a regular part-time consultant at the centre four days a week.

He continued: “It's been great seeing the centre grow and change. Years ago everything was done by hand. A fleet of ladies would come in after having dropped their children at school and prick out the plants in seed trays. More recently most things are done by machines.

“I’ve loved meeting all our lovely customers and have enjoyed getting to know them all. The centre is a day out for many. We pride ourselves on our personal service and the quality of our plants.”

Despite being in his 70s Terry has no plans to retire and is heavily involved with the local community. He is chairman of Bovingdon History Society and is also a deacon at Chipperfield’s Baptist Church.