The Journal

The roots of garden centres in London can be traced back to the Victorian trend of creating well maintained outside spaces to encourage engagement with nature. It was through their creation of plant nurseries that the incredible civic spaces, many of which still remain today, were flushed with colour and energy. Steadily, as suburban expansion took a greater hold of the city in the early 20th century, these nurseries evolved into retail spaces that were open directly to the general public.