A CELEBRITY horticulturalist will cut the ribbon on Rugby’s new garden centre next week.
TV presenter David Domoney will officially open Rugby Garden Centre at the former Dobbies site at 10am on Saturday March 15.
David, known for TV shows including ITV’s Love Your Garden and This Morning, will also give a talk on all things gardening in the new centre later that day.
The first 100 customers through the door on opening day will receive a gardening goody bag, with another 100 up for grabs the following day.
British Garden Centres bought the site – on the Straight Mile near the A45 – following Dobbies’ closure at the end of January. The company has retained existing staff and renovated the centre’s restaurant, adding a carvery.
Martin Mayes, Centre Manager at Rugby Garden Centre, said: “We’re so happy to be reopening Rugby Garden Centre and celebrating with the community.
“This relaunch is all about our shared passion for creating beautiful homes and thriving gardens. We’ve brought together a fantastic collection of products to inspire and equip you, whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting.
“Looking forward to welcoming back our old customers and meeting new ones.”
David Domoney is a Fellow of the London Colleges of Horticulture, a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, a Fellow of the Warwickshire Colleges of Horticulture and a Fellow of the Linnean Society.
He is the mastermind behind two national British gardening campaigns and competitions – Cultivation Street’s Community and School gardening campaigns, and Young Gardeners of the Year.
He has received a total of 34 Royal Horticultural Society medals, including RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold medals and Best in Show Trophies, for his gardens, floral displays, and scientific exhibits, which have appeared everywhere from Hampton Court Palace to BBC Gardener’s World Live.
British Garden Centres was launched in 1987 with the opening of Woodthorpe Garden Centre by brothers Charles and Robert Stubbs. Since 2018 it has expanded its portfolio to 72 stores.
