D. J. Squire & Co., Ltd (Squire’s Garden Centres) has announced that its subsidiary, Barnsfold Nurseries Ltd (Barnsfold), has acquired the business and certain assets of Liss Forest Nursery Ltd (Liss Forest). The new business will be known as Barnsfold Liss.

Liss Forest is a hugely respected grower of hardy plants, based in Liss, Hampshire. The merged business will offer a high-quality range of hardy plants from Liss and bedding plants from Barnsfold to the garden centre sector and beyond.

The expert nursery team at Liss Forest will join the newly merged business, as will Liss Forest’s highly experienced Sales Manager, Mark Warner.  Vincent Catt, Managing Director of Liss Forest, will also join the team for a significant transitional period. The hardy plants business will be operated from the existing Liss Forest site at Blackmoor Nursery in Hampshire, where Mark and Vincent will be based.  The merger has no impact on existing customers of Liss Forest, which will be serviced as before, with the ability to gain access to the extensive range of bedding plants grown by Barnsfold.

Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres, comments: “We are delighted to welcome the Liss Forest team to our group.  We know the business well, having been a customer for many decades and there are many shared values between our family businesses. I have  the greatest respect for the Liss Forest team and all they have achieved over the decades, and very importantly, the dedication and outstanding service to the horticultural industry given by Peter Catt and his son Vincent.

“We have been working with Vincent Catt for some time to plan for the future of both businesses and this has only further cemented my admiration for Vincent and the business he and his father have nurtured with such care and passion.

”I have also had the privilege of meeting their expert team of growers who look after the extensive range of quality core hardy nursery stock at Liss. I am genuinely excited for what lies ahead.

“Squire’s is committed to maintaining Barnsfold Liss as a substantial supplier to the whole garden centre sector and beyond, as well as remaining a strategic supplier to our own garden centres”.

Vincent Catt, Managing Director of Liss Forest Nursery, added: “I am very pleased to have secured the future of our family business through the merger with Barnsfold.  We have worked with Squire’s over many years and know that it shares our values and way of doing business.  I am looking forward to playing my part in developing the combined business further.”

Above: The Barnsfold Liss team; Ollie Turner - General Manager, Barnsfold Nurseries (second from left), Sarah Squire – Chairman, Squire’s Garden Centres and Vincent Catt – Managing Director, Liss Forest Nursery (fourth from left) with the Liss Forest team.