Early days and innovations

Barters has seen huge changes in the horticultural industry over the past 60 years. Under the care of Douglas Weguelin, it was a pioneer in the growing of hardy nursery stock in pots and the use of polythene tunnels, the first one being made from old wartime nissen huts. Whether you like or loathe them, Barters was also one of the first nurseries to grow leylandii conifers - this picture shows some of the originals taken in 1972 - and we still have some of them acting as windbreaks on site today. 

Barters at its biggest

In the 90s, we had five sites and grew a vast range of plants which included field grown trees and conifers, tender perennials as seen in the Longleat Walled Garden, conservatory plants, ferns and all the other plants Barters still grow today. Customers then included numerous chains of garden centres and this was our biggest market. The increased power of the chains and the recession of the 90s brought about rationalisation to the single site occupied by the nursery today on the greensand of Chapmanslade. 

Market changes

More recently, Barters has changed its emphasis from a garden centre supplier to a grower and supplier to, particularly the domestic, landscape business. Supplying garden centres is fraught with danger these days as so many are in the hands of so few. One wet spring can be catastrophic in terms of losses and 2012 was the best example of that yet. The landscape and garden design industry is in the hands of an army of small businesses, many of which have sprung up over the past 10-15 years. 

Barters Grow 'n' Source

Barters now seeks to supply that market by growing excellent quality shrubs and perennials as well as sourcing other plants of all shapes and sizes to fulfill orders. Wiltshire is not blesssed with a multiplicity of nurseries, so a company that is prepared to take a lot of the donkey-work out of plant-sourcing is considered by many of our customers to be a bonus.