Garden takeover

The private equity firm Terra Firma has acquired The Garden Centre Group, the UK’s largest garden centre operator. The group was valued at £ 276 mio. The Garden Centre Group operates 129 centres in England and Wales under different brands which include Wyevale, Blooms, Country Homes and Gardens, Bridgemere, Jack’s Patch, Old Barn and Sanders. In the extremely fragmented market this portfolio of garden centres is “difficult to replicate, given planning restrictions,” explained Guy Hands, chairman and chief investment officer of Terra Firma, in his comments on the acquisition. Moreover, “The Garden Centre Group has enormous potential and we see a considerable opportunity to help it grow through focused strategic investment,” he added.