Quietly on the 2nd September Baytree Garden Centre celebrated 50 years of business. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic we had planned on having a large party where customers and staff past and present and all those involved in the success of Baytree could come together and celebrate this significant milestone in Baytree’s history, alas that was not the case.
Reinhard Beihler and his wife Vonnie who many of you will know started Baytree as a small stall at the side of the road way back in 1970. This fledgling business soon grew a shop which sold fresh fruit and vegetables and outside there were several raised beds growing a plethora of plants. Every year after that a new building housing more gardening products would be added and here we are 50 years later as the largest independently owned garden centre in the region.
Throughout the years as a business we have done our best to support local charities and organisations in our community. An especially enjoyable event for us was being able to support the Spalding Flower Parade with our vintage Baytree van festooned in flowers and supporting the Young Farmers float.
A particularly memorable event we used to host was the giant vegetable competition which drew monster specimens from all over the region.
More recently we donated Seeds and Bulbs to the local Johnson hospital as a thank you to all of the NHS workers who kept us safe during the recent lockdown. At Christmas time we raise money for charity from the donations taken in the feeding of Santa’s Reindeer. Last year alone we raised over £15000 for those local worthy causes that takes our total money raised to over £250,000 that we have donated to charities.
Reinhard, Vonnie and family have always loved this area and that’s why there love for the region is felt by our customers and friends who use the garden centre as a place to meet and catch up, a place to enjoy a cracking Sunday Roast, where you’ll always be met with a friendly smile and advice will always be freely given so that you can get the very best results from your garden. For 50 years Baytree has been an integral part of the community.
Baytree has come through recessions, global meltdowns and now the Covid-19 pandemic Baytree has been there at the heart of your garden. So here’s to the next 50 years from everyone at Baytree.