Designing the Next Generation of High-Performance Garden Centre Destinations

We use behavioural and commercial spatial design to turn garden centres into integrated retail-leisure exosystems that increase dwell time, secondary spend, and long-term asset value.

No obligation. Just early clarity on where to focus next.

Designing the Next Generation of High-Performance Garden Centre Destinations

We use behavioural and commercial spatial design to turn garden centres into integrated retail-leisure exosystems that increase dwell time, secondary spend, and long-term asset value.

No obligation. Just early clarity on where to focus next.

THE INSIGHT

Most Garden Centres Are Leaving Millions on the Table in Plain Sight

The problem is not demand. It is design.

Most sites still operate as:

Plant retail first
Experience second
Revenue expansion third

High-performing garden centres behave differently. They function as destination ecosystems, not retail sheds. That shift changes everything:

Customer stays longer and spend more
Food and beverage becomes core revenue, not an add-on
Layout drives flow, not congestion
Seasonal peaks become year-round revenue stability

At HPW, we have delivered this transformation repeatedly across more than 100 garden centre projects, in the UK and internationally.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Your Site Already Has the Demand. It's Just Not Being Captured.

A well-designed garden centre can unlock:

A 30 to 80 percent increase in dwell time
Higher per-customer spend through curated journey design
Stronger year-round revenue resilience, not just seasonal spikes
New income streams: food halls, lifestyle retail, leisure zones

We design garden centres as multi-revenue environments, not single-purpose retail spaces.

This is where expansion stops being constructed and becomes commercial engineering.

We Design the Commercial Logic of Garden Centres

The best-performing garden centres are designed around movement, dwell time, and the connection between experience and spend, not just product categories or floor area.

HPW approaches regeneration with this logic first, understanding how customers move, pause, and engage across retail, food, and leisure environments before design begins.

This approach is shaped by over 40 years of experience and more than £100m of garden centre developments for operators including Haskins, Dobbies, Rosebourne, Blooms of Bressingham, and Van Hage.

The result is a commercially engineered environment where layout improves flow, food and beverage drives destination value, secondary spend is built into the customer journey, and seasonal trade is balanced with year-round engagement.

This is why HPW's garden centre projects consistently outperform conventional retail architecture.

No obligation. Just early clarity on where to focus next.

CASE-LED PROOF

What Regeneration Looks Like in Practice

Haskin Garden Centres (UK)

Full experiential redesign of retail and food zones
Improved circulation and dwell-time flow design
Integrated leisure and retail zoning

Result: A stronger destination model, not just retail expansion.

Rosebourne Garden Centres

New-build and regeneration schemes
Integration of food hall, retail, and lifestyle zoning
Designed for year-round footfall stability

Result: Expanded revenue streams beyond horticulture retail

Van Hage Garden Centres

Large-scale experiential retail transformation
Enhanced interior zoning and customer journey design
Stronger secondary spend environments

Result: Increased conversion from visit to behaviour.

Haskin Garden Centres (UK)

Full experiential redesign of retail and food zones
Improved circulation and dwell-time flow design
Integrated leisure and retail zoning

Result: A stronger destination model, not just retail expansion.

Rosebourne Garden Centres

New-build and regeneration schemes
Integration of food hall, retail, and lifestyle zoning
Designed for year-round footfall stability

Result: Expanded revenue streams beyond horticulture retail

Van Hage Garden Centres

Large-scale experiential retail transformation
Enhanced interior zoning and customer journey design
Stronger secondary spend environments

Result: Increased conversion from visit to behaviour.

WHAT CLIENTS SAY

They are straightforward people to work with. They concentrate on fighting our corner.”

Warren Haskins

Chairman, Haskins Garden Centres

HPW came up with a startling recommendation, an almost three-dimensional brand plan.”

Stephen Spencer

Commerical Director, National Trust for Scotland

We have a huge commitment to sustainability. They ensured the project's complete success.”

Tim Howell

Managing Director, Sandy Balls Holidays Centre

HOW WE WORK

Understanding Before Designing

Every garden centre operates differently.

Our process is designed to help operators better understand customer behaviour, commercial opportunities and spatial performance before making major investment decisions.

By combining operational insight with customer-focused design thinking, we create practical strategies that improve experience, increase dwell time and support long-term commercial growth.

No obligation. Just early clarity on where to focus next.

Understanding Before Designing

Every project starts with listening.

Our process is designed to help clients better understand their spaces, challenges and opportunities before making major decisions.

By combining operational insight with human-centred design thinking, we create practical, sustainable strategies that support long-term success.

Step 1

Discovery & Insight

We begin by understanding your customers, your site, your operations and your commercial ambitions.

Step 2

Customer Experience & Flow

We explore how movement, layout and atmosphere influence dwell time, spending behaviour and overall visitor experience.

Step 3

Commercial & Spatial Strategy

We develop ideas that improve customer engagement, strengthen destination appeal and unlock opportunities across retail, food and seasonal experiences.