A local garden centre is embracing a host of new developments this year and they are welcoming in customers new and old as their venture blooms. 

Rutland Garden Village, (Rutland Garden Centre and the Retail Village combined), in Ashwell has been built on the motto "at the heart of your community," and is seeking support from the local community to help their family-owned business blossom. 

Having taken over the centre in May 2019, husband and wife business partners Katey Lester and Robin Batten, alongside their sons aged 12 and 15, have guided the garden centre from strength to strength, and are ushering in some exciting changes in 2023. 

Katey Lester, one half of the ownership duo, said: "We had never run a garden centre before this one. We approached it with wide-eyed optimism," she laughed. "I don't know what we were thinking!"

Robin, her husband and business partner, added: "We wanted to run more than a business, to create an environment, a space we were proud of." 

Katey agreed: "Yes and that takes time, a fair bit of luck and a lot of support." 

In the summer, their undercover area is full of flowers, and in the winter months they host art and craft fairs. Image credit: Rutland Garden Centre.

There has been a garden centre on the Ashwell site since 1979, but since their takeover, the centre has seen some dramatic updates, including the addition of Katey's own labour of love, Barefoot Sunday in 'The Village.'

Barefoot Sunday is a New England inspired lifestyle store that sells a range of goods, from exclusive London health and skincare brands, to clothing, homewares, and even wellness and beauty products from, amongst others, US company Dirt Bag, a brand supporting the survivors of domestic abuse. Katey likes to source niche products that have a story. 

Dirt Bag products in Barefoot Sunday. Image credit: Nub News.

Alongside Barefoot Sunday in 'The Village' is Pets Corner, a children's playground, the stunning new Cakery, the garden centre store, Rigby & Rover dog groomers and very soon they will be welcoming the renowned local aesthetic clinic, Calveo.

Robin & Katey were very excited to share that they will be launching the 'Food Market at the Village' and 'The Village Store,' an indoor plant and gift shop, sometime in March/April. Katey explained that the Food Market will, hopefully, offer produce from local home and allotment growers alongside local food producers and their own 'Radish' brand.

Then, from 8 April, the team hope to add a regular car boot sale to their busy schedule. These will run for 14 weeks, each Saturday, weather permitting.

Radish restaurant can be found at the rear of the centre. Image credit: Rutland Garden Centre.

Radish, the accessible new restaurant adjacent to the garden centre, offers a seasonal and affordable menu and, in addition to normal opening times, Radish has programme of monthly events. 

In February, for example, they are hosting a Valentine's 'Two to Tapas' for £55 per couple in addition to Burger, Pie and Fish & Chip Friday nights. The events team are also busy organising private events at The Cakery and Radish, such as kids' pizza parties, baby showers, weddings, award diners, private speakers, afternoon teas and so on. 

They serve lunches and evening meals at Radish. Image credit: Rutland Garden Village.

Keep an eye on our What's On page to view their upcoming events. 

Katey added: "I would love to open a doggy café too. We are a very dog inclusive space. I love them, and Rutland is home to so many dog owners." 

The team have also recently introduced a membership scheme, the 'VIP Club.' Visitors to the centre sign up for a free membership card and benefit from lots of discounts and offers in both the garden centre and 'The Village'. "It's kind of like a Tesco Clubcard," Katey laughed, as "VIP members can benefit from VIP Club prices on lots of products. We hope to develop this concept more in 2023."

The Cakery also has its own loyalty card for all of those who enjoy good coffee and great sweet treats.

The Cakery is a family friendly space. Image credit: Rutland Garden Centre.

All of this sounds positive but Katey reflected on the struggles the team faced since they first opened, including but not limited to Covid, the Ukraine war, water shortages, a burglary and the cost of living crisis.

She said: "We were unlucky to take on such a huge project on the cusp of the covid pandemic. We had barely opened when we had to close. To stay afloat we reached out to our community when we were at our lowest, asking local people to volunteer, helping out with plant care, deliveries and the like. People were so generous, and now some of these amazing people work for us. It is fair to say that we have put our all into this venture, but it has been really hard. Well, it still is. Scary times for sure."

"However we hope that we are here to stay, we love our little piece of Rutland and we would like to give back, to be a part of such a giving community, to provide something different, something community-focused. That is our ethos and it is what drives us every day." 

Families are welcome at the centre. Image credit: Nub News.

The centre was also recently nominated for Rutland and Melton's Favourite Independent Shop Awards 2022, hosted by MP Alicia Kearns. Katey said: "It was so nice to be nominated, to be thought of. I feel that all of the individual shops here deserved a nomination, a mention.

When asked what they hope for, Robin said, "It is no secret that to survive we really need people to keep thinking about us and coming here, so that we can build and do more and give back going forwards. So often we meet people who had no clue that Rutland Garden Village is growing and changing and their surprised praise makes our day."

Find the centre at:

The Courtyard

Ashwell Road

Langham 

Rutland

LE15 7QN

The team are currently in the process of getting their website updated, so watch this space for more online action and, for now, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.