Why Pleydell Smithyman Are Known as Leading Garden Centre and Farm Shop Consultants

Over the past few months, I’ve had a number of conversations that have all ended in a similar way. Clients, colleagues and industry partners have said to us: “You offer so many services and have so much experience – why don’t you market the business more?”

It’s a fair question, and one that has prompted some reflection.

The honest answer is that Pleydell Smithyman has grown by doing the work well, building trusted relationships and earning a reputation for delivering results. For many years, our focus has not been on telling people what we do, but on showing it – through the success of the garden centres, farm shops and food businesses we support.

As leading garden centre and farm shop consultants, our work is deeply rooted in the sectors we serve. We don’t sit on the sidelines. We work closely with independent and group businesses, industry associations, suppliers and stakeholders, helping them navigate change, plan for the future and strengthen their commercial performance. Much of our work comes through word of mouth – a recommendation from one operator to another, or from an association that trusts us to support its members.

Relationships First, Always

At the heart of Pleydell Smithyman is a belief that relationships matter. Garden centres and farm shops are people-led businesses, often family-owned and community-focused. They thrive on trust, shared values and long-term thinking – and so do we.

We take the time to understand each client’s business, challenges and ambitions. That might mean supporting a start-up farm shop, helping a mature garden centre reposition its offer, or working with a multi-site operator on strategy, property, retail performance or food development. Our role is never one-size-fits-all, because no two businesses are the same.

Experience That Runs Deep

Our reputation as leading consultants is built on decades of hands-on experience across garden retail, farm retail, food halls, cafés and destination businesses. We advise on everything from feasibility and site selection through to retail layout, food strategy, operational improvement and long-term growth planning.

Crucially, our advice is practical. It is grounded in what works in the real world, not theory. That is why so many businesses return to us time and again as trusted advisors, and why industry bodies ask us to support their members and contribute to wider sector development.

Values That Guide Everything We Do

Our values – Passion, Empathy, Solution Focused and Partnership – are not marketing statements. They shape how we work every day.

• Passion for the industries we serve drives our commitment and energy.

• Empathy allows us to see challenges from our clients’ perspective and provide advice that is realistic and supportive.

• Solution Focused ensures we help businesses think clearly about where they are going and how they will get there.

• Partnership means we focus on ‘being part of our clients business’

These values are why we thrive in sectors like garden centres and farm shops, where authenticity, service and long-term thinking really matter.

Looking Ahead

While we may not always shout about what we do, we are proud of the role Pleydell Smithyman plays in supporting some of the UK’s most successful and respected garden centres and farm shops. As more businesses ask how we can help them grow, adapt and succeed, we recognise the importance of sharing our story more openly.

After all, if our experience, values and approach can help more businesses flourish, then that is something worth talking about.

At Pleydell Smithyman, we will continue to do what we’ve always done: build strong relationships, deliver meaningful results and support the future of garden retail and farm retail across the UK.

I often find myself thinking that if anyone wants to talk about anything in their business, we are here to help. Whether it’s strategy, retail performance, food, property, people or simply acting as a sounding board, we have the knowledge, experience – or the right contacts – to help answer those questions. Our approach is shaped by our core values of Passion, Empathy, Solution Focus and Partnership, which guide every conversation and every piece of advice we give. Time and again, I see that once businesses start talking to us, we add genuine value and fresh inspiration. That, in many ways, is simply what we do and why we thrive. It may also explain why we haven’t always shouted about ourselves as loudly as we could have. Perhaps that’s something for me to reflect on.