This week marks 20 years since the merger of Bransford Garden Plants and Webbs Nurseries, forming The Bransford Webbs Plant Company.

The merger bought together two strong nurseries renowned for high quality plants and innovative promotions. The nursery now produces 2million plants each year, across an 18-hectare site. We are proud to be a local employer, employing over 100 staff during peak season and in 2024 were awarded Great Places to Work accreditation.

Initially continuing to operate from two sites, the entire nursery operation moved across to the Bransford site in 2013, where it has continued to go from strength to strength. The last 20 years has seen immense redevelopment across the Bransford site from the Propagation Unit to the potting shed, increased growing areas and a new despatch and office facility completed in 2013. More recently, investment has been made in new growing facilities with the company committing to spending approximately £1million in the next twelve months to redevelop existing facilities into state-of-the-art growing environments in order to improve quality, reduce water usage and develop production and despatch facilities.

The last twenty years has also seen the introduction of a wide range of successful promotions. Dianthus Memories, Hebe Rhubarb and Custard and Digitalis Apple Blossom all won Best New Plant at the National Plant Show. Our in-house Hebe breeding programme has seen the introduction of the Hebe Red Wine and Summer Drinks ranges, along with several stand-alone varieties. Through a successful R&D unit we continue to introduce around 35 new plants each year.

“Bringing the two nurseries together gave us a focus to build the business”, commented Richard Colbourne, Joint Managing Director. “The merger has meant that over time we have been able to take advantage of economies of scale, improved efficiencies and to grow stronger as a business. We are all very proud of the company we have become and the successes we have had along the way.”