A special ribbon cutting event has been held at Notcutts Garden Centre Norwich to mark the opening of the new ‘Notcutts Garden’. The garden was officially opened on May 11 by Nicky Dulieu, chairman of Notcutts’ 18 garden centres nationwide, alongside the Lord Mayor and Sheriff of Norwich, customers, local gardening groups and the Notcutts Norwich team.
The opening event, where guests were treated to celebratory drinks and canapes, was also attended by Notcutts vice chairman Caroline Notcutt and Notcutts chief executive Nick Burrows.
The Notcutts Garden aims to inspire visitors with creative ideas for their own outdoor spaces, featuring over 700 plants from 60 different varieties which have been carefully selected to suit each area of the garden. There are four separate areas within the garden: The Retreat, a tranquil spot to sit and enjoy a wonderful view over the garden; Shady Corner, which is filled with luscious Tree Ferns, Azaleas and Rhododendrons that thrive in shade; Seasonal Colour, which is alive with vibrant colours all-year-round and The Table, in which culinary kitchen plants and herbs are the star of the show.
The garden took just over three weeks to complete and was designed and built by a Notcutts team of horticultural experts. Featuring Buxus sempervirens, Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’, Festuca Intense Blue, Pleached Lime Trees, Variegated Hostas, Azaleas, Heucheras and Dicksonia Antarctica to name but a few, the garden aims to provide intrigue and colour all year round.
Norwich centre manager Richard Greenacre said: “We’re delighted with the beautiful Notcutts Garden at Norwich and we’d like to thank everyone who joined us at our official opening event. The garden celebrates the best of what we do at Notcutts – to provide expert advice and inspiration to customers with all levels of gardening experience, and with outdoor projects of all sizes. Over the years, Notcutts has won 50 Gold medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, so we’re pleased to bring our expert experience to Norwich with a stunning garden design to inspire our customers.”
Speaking at the event the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Councillor Marion Maxwell, said: “It was a privilege to be invited to open The Notcutts Garden and I was absolutely blown away by it. Notcutts is a real asset to Norwich.”
The Notcutts Garden is open to visit for free all year round at Notcutts Garden Centre Norwich. Notcutts Norwich has recently undergone an impressive refurbishment and is the first of Notcutts’ 18 garden centres across the country to have a garden of this kind. Throughout 2017, which marks Notcutts’ 120th anniversary year, further gardens will be created at other centres.
