Creative Outlooks - Barton Grange Garden Centre - A Blossoming Business Venture

Creative Outlooks - Barton Grange Garden Centre - A Blossoming Business Venture

May, 21 2025


You may take it for granted that there is a local garden supplier in Lancashire where you can buy everything related to gardening. However, there is so much more to discover about the historical value and present significance for this month’s ‘Creative Outlooks’ – Barton Grange Garden Centre.

To continue please watch this short film highlighting this incredible centre –

The film focused on the modern day Barton Grange but it actually began over 70 years ago  when Edward and Ada Topping bought a small mansion in Barton, just north of Preston. They had big plans to convert it into a six bedroom hotel which opened in 1951.

While the couple worked together to build up the hotel business, their son Eddie was at college training as a horticulturist and landscape gardener. After graduating in 1955, he returned home to set up a market garden in the five acres of land surrounding his parents’ hotel.

As the hotel business grew, so too did the adjoining gardening enterprise. In 1957, Eddie created a landscaping business which quickly blossomed.

In response to the high demand his business was experiencing Eddie ventured forward and opened the North West’s first ever garden centre. It made it to the papers on 10th May 1963.

From humble beginnings to the vast expansive creations it went on to become one of most successful businesses in the region. Throughout the 70s and 80s Eddie invested some considerable time into developing the business further covering more land and plant distribution.

By this stage it was winning awards allowing it to branch out in the 1990’s by opening a second centre in Bolton and a third in Woodford in Cheshire. The hotel developed further introducing a gym and leisure area and fine dining at the Walled Garden Bistro.

In February 2006, the garden centre at Woodford was sold to enable the business to re-shift its focus back to Lancashire. Work then began on the group’s most challenging development – the £12 million project to build the new garden centre and narrowboat marina at Brock, just north of Barton. This new centre opened in March 2008, and the marina welcomed its first narrowboat in September that same year.

Consecutive awards followed from 2012 – 2022. The garden centre in Bolton was sold to allow big plans at Brock.

From a small hotel to a major group of companies with a multi-million pound turnover, Barton Grange has established itself as one of the leading businesses in the North West.  It remains a family-run company committed to traditional values. Guy Topping oversees the garden centre, the marina and The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre. Group chairman Peter Topping runs the nurseries and looked after the landscaping business until it was sold in 2022.

The Flower Bowl was opened in August 2018 and visitors can experience –

  • • A four sheet curling rink which is only curling rink in the North of England.
  • Luxury ten pin bowling
  • A premium 3-screen cinema
  • An all-weather crazy golf course and two golf simulators
  • The Ocean Fish & Chips Restaurant and the elegant Blooms restaurant

For more information simply visit the following website link –.

https://www.bartongrange.co.uk/

A year after The Flower Bowl was opened the original hotel was sold so that organisers could focus more on the potential for growth at The Barton Garden Centre and The Flower Bowl to increase it’s value and develop interest for the public in the future.

Barton Grange remains one of the pivotal garden centres in the North West of England. From it’s welcoming entrance to the glorious display of plants in the horticultural section, there really is something for everyone.

With friendly staff happy to assist and a wide selection of goods to purchase in and around the centre, it’s a great day out for everyone. You can relax in the eating areas then browse the plant section ….you will go away with a smile on your face and a warm glow in your heart. It started as a small creation but has gradually blossomed into the wonderful garden centre we have all come to appreciate in the modern world.

^Alex Ashworth CCG Art Blogger