I was horrified the other day to hear this story…
A customer was in the greenlife section of a big box store when she overheard a staff member recommending a particular potting mix. Curious because all gardeners want to know what they could be doing better, she moved closer to hear more.
What she discovered was shocking: the staff member was recommending a product she recognised immediately as composted fertiliser, not a potting mix at all.
The bag even clearly stated, in bold print: "THIS IS NOT A POTTING MIX."
These first-time gardeners walked away with three bags of the wrong product and a handful of plants. Unknowingly setting themselves up for heartbreak. Their plants were unlikely to survive, and worse, they’d probably blame themselves when it all went wrong.
This is the real danger of bad advice.
When a plant fails, people get discouraged. They feel like they’ve wasted their time, energy, and money. Many give up on gardening altogether, thinking they were the problem, when in reality, it was simply the wrong product for the job.
The right advice makes all the difference.
And the best place to get it?
A business that actually specialises in gardening.
Garden centres are home to qualified, experienced horticulturists. People who don’t just sell plants, but understand them. We’re locals too, which means we’ve battled the same clay soils, the same hot summers, the same tricky planting spots. We don’t just sympathise, we’ve been there.
Our goal is to help you through your gardening challenges, take away the confusion, and bring back the joy of growing. For most of us, this isn’t just a job. It’s a lifelong passion.
Here at Trevallan Lifestyle Centre, between Carolyn and myself, we bring over 50 years of hands-on gardening and horticultural experience to the table.
We work hard to stay current, not just with what looks good, but with what actually works. That means staying on top of:
Changes in product formulations
Plant performance in our climate
Emerging industry trends
Environmental challenges
We attend supplier sessions, horticultural expos and conferences, and regularly read industry journals and research papers. I’m also a proud member of the Horticultural Media Association, which helps keep us connected and accountable as professionals in this trade.
At Trevallan, we’ve learned that we don’t need a thousand gardening items on the shelves. We only stock what we use ourselves. The tools, products, and plants we know work. It’s all about keeping things simple, effective, and grounded in experience.
We also run a number of horticultural workshops and masterclasses throughout the year, because we believe gardens are investments and to make sure that investment thrives, you need access to honest, down-to-earth, professional advice.
So next time you’re ready to improve your plant-life balance and give your space a little TLC, visit the real gardening experts at Trevallan Lifestyle Centre, your local garden centre.