Over 3 million people started gardening in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, according to figures from the Horticultural Trades Association. 

With more time spent at home, whether growing herbs on window sills, or creating vegetable patches outside; gardening became a leisure pursuit for a whole new generation of consumers spending more time at home in lockdown.

It's a trend that is being capitalised on, with a heavy dose of humour, with the launch of Selfridge’s Garden Centre.  The new department will sell gardening tools, seeds, indoor and outdoor plants, pots. As well as  Selfridges own label compost and its own label yellow gnome. 

Not your regular garden centre, Selfridge’s Garden Centre will also include a selection of fashion, lifestyle and beauty products, as well as an exclusive collection from Prada and a bespoke Selfridges own label merchandise featuring puns such as Herb Your Enthusiasm and Horti-Couture, for gardening and fashion enthusiasts alike. 

The Selfridges Garden Centre was launched by horticultural consultant Angela Maynard who has advised Selfridges in the development of the concept and the botanical artist Carly Rogers.

Reflecting the growing importance of experience in retail within the Garden Centre, The Potting Shed will be a destination for events and advice, with a resident gardener and a range of workshops and experiences which will explore the pleasure and positivity that gardening brings.

To promote the new section Selfridges has also placed a  grow bag installation in front of the store’s entrance. While Selfridges’ Gary the Gnome, will also be dressed in new season Versace, Bottega Veneta and Jacquemus, to star in a campaign by Berlin based creative studio Sucuk + Bratwurst to promote the store. 

Hannah Emslie, Creative Director at Selfridges, said: “A garden centre is evocative but familiar, and has provided rich inspiration for our teams, literally and creatively. We know our customers are more interested in gardening and greening than they have ever been – and so we are playing with the idea by bringing the essentials of a typical garden centre to our stores. We will be retailing plants, compost and garden gnomes alongside special and unexpected Selfridges products with a sense of fun and imagination, as we continue to explore pleasure in nature this year.”

A garden centre like no other.