As the Nation celebrates National Gardening Week this week, Meadowdale Nurseries in Telford, are getting ready for a special celebration of their own.

The family-run garden centre, who started their business from scratch, will be celebrating a huge milestone this month, as they reach their 30 year Anniversary.

In that time, the owners have developed an outstanding reputation for their home grown bedding plants and are now considered to be one of the best garden centres in the area.

Meadowdale Nurseries was the brainchild of Bob and Barbara Anderson, who bought the 7 ½ acre plot back in May 1987, developing the Nurseries from simply fields.

They began trading a year later in May 1988 in a simple portacabin, selling home grown plants and cut flowers, plus fruit and veg that they bought in. As the business expanded they reduced the amount of cut flowers and fruit and veg, in order to make space for their own plants.

As the garden centre grew in popularity, their two sons John and Rob became increasingly involved and finally took over the Nurseries in 1997, when their parents retired.

John Anderson, co-owner of the Nurseries said: “We started helping our parents from a very young age and as we got older, we would work in the Nurseries at weekends to earn extra pocket money. Living on site as well, meant it was very much a way of life and a fantastic part of our childhood.

“When our parents retired, it was only natural that we took over and it has been a great honour for us to see the business go from strength to strength. We are very grateful to all of our loyal customers, who have continually supported us along the way and hope that they will come and help us celebrate.”