Garsons

What Garsons does

Garsons is a privately held, family-run UK destination garden centre operator trading since 1871 under the legal entity Thompson Bros (Esher) Ltd. The company runs two physical sites — Garsons Esher in Surrey (headquarters and home to the Garson Farm Pick Your Own operation) and Garsons Titchfield in Hampshire — each combining a full-range garden centre, a farm shop with a butcher's counter, and an on-site restaurant (The Orangery at Esher and The Terrace at Titchfield). Concession partners include Pavers Shoes and Owton's Butchery, the latter co-producing the Wicor Jack Sausage with herbs sourced from a partner primary school. Headcount is stated at 251–500 employees.

The business operates a multi-stream revenue model: in-store retail of plants, outdoor furniture, garden tools, outdoor living products and gifts; farm shop produce and butcher sales; restaurant food and beverage; PYO farm ticketing (pre-booked, non-refundable, time-slotted); ticketed events and activities (Make & Take workshops at The Tipi and The Potting Shed, Pumpkin Parade); transactional e-commerce with home delivery to designated South East postcodes (free over £99, £10 below); an optional paid Build Service for furniture and barbecues from £30; and HTA National Garden Gift Voucher sales both in-store and online. A free Garsons Card loyalty programme drives repeat visits via member-exclusive discounts, personalised vouchers and a monthly prize draw.

The underlying technology stack is conventional and externally sourced. The website, e-commerce and webshop are powered by Garden Connect / Green Solutions, and the company has no proprietary platform, no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Digital channels — email marketing, blog content (Plant of the Month, gardening tips), social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram), and earned media including BBC South Today and BBC Two Gardener's World coverage — support a community-led go-to-market approach anchored by the Charity of the Year programme at each store and the Growing with Schools sponsorship across eight or more local schools. The business is consistently recognised by the Garden Centre Association (multiple GCA wins 2022–2025 including Best Outdoor Retailer UK 2023 and Best Christmas 2024/2025), the Farm Retail Association (Best PYO 2025), The Greats, RETAS and Excellence in Housewares.

Name

Garsons

Legal name

Thompson Bros (Esher) Ltd.

Website

https://garsons.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Garsons is a family-run UK destination garden centre and farm shop operator, founded 1871, running two sites in Esher (Surrey) and Titchfield (Hampshire). It serves South East England consumers with plants, outdoor living, farm produce, PYO experiences, restaurants, events, and online delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Esher

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Garden Centre Retail: Sale of garden plants, outdoor furniture, tools, outdoor living products, and general garden centre merchandise across two physical store locations
2. Farm Shop: Sale of local and farm produce including butcher's counter, local food products, and the Garsons Wicor Jack Sausage
3. Restaurant: Food and beverage sales at The Orangery (Esher) and The Terrace (Titchfield) restaurants within the garden centres
4. Pick Your Own Farm: Garson Farm PYO charges per item or weight for produce picked. Farm entry requires pre-booked tickets via online ticketing. Farm Tickets are non-refundable and do not include credit against produce picked
5. Home Delivery Service: Delivery of online orders to local postcodes. Free delivery on orders over £99; £10 charge for orders under £99. Additional optional Build Service for furniture and barbecues
6. Events and Activities: Revenue from ticketed events including Make & Take sessions, events at The Tipi and The Potting Shed, and the Pumpkin Parade event at Garson Farm
7. Garsons Card Loyalty Programme: Free loyalty programme driving repeat purchases through exclusive member discounts and offers. Monthly prize draw entries for cardholders on qualifying purchases
8. HTA National Garden Gift Vouchers: Retailer of HTA National Garden Gift Vouchers which can be purchased in-store and online. Vouchers are redeemable at Garsons garden centres and farm shops

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Garsons operates two destination garden centres (Esher, Surrey and Titchfield, Hampshire) selling plants, outdoor furniture, tools, barbecue products and home goods. The business bundles a farm shop with butchery, an on-site restaurant (The Orangery/The Terrace), and Garson Farm Pick Your Own (pre-booked ticketed entry) into each location, complemented by a webshop with home delivery to local postcodes and a free loyalty card programme.

Product overview

Garsons is a family-run garden centre business operating two locations in Esher, Surrey and Titchfield, Hampshire since 1871. The company offers a multi-faceted retail experience comprising a garden centre (with departments for plants, outdoor living, and home goods), an online webshop with home delivery, a loyalty program (Garsons Card), a farm shop with butchery, and restaurant facilities. Key experiential offerings include Garson Farm Pick Your Own (requiring pre-booked farm tickets), bookable events and activities, and optional services such as furniture assembly (Build Service) and delivery. The business also operates concessions including Pavers Shoes and sells gift vouchers. The core offering is the physical garden centre destination enhanced by digital commerce capabilities and community-focused services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Orangery: Restaurant at Garsons Esher, inspired by Garsons 150-year farming history as a supplier to London's Borough Market. Located in a spectacular glass building echoing early 20th-century market halls.

Products and services

• Garsons Garden Centre Physical garden centre retail offering plants, outdoor furniture, tools, barbecues, gifts, housewares and home goods across the Esher and Titchfield locations for individual consumers and families in South East England.
• Garsons Online (Webshop)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £2,100 raised for Greenfingers Charity (Charity of the Year 2022)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Rainbow Trust Children's CharityflagshipOthers · 1 January 2026Garsons Esher Charity of the Year 2026/27. Rainbow Trust provides practical and emotional support to families with terminally ill children, working alongside NHS teams at home, in hospital, and in communities. The South East Team based in Leatherhead, Surrey supports families in Surrey, London and Sussex. Garsons will raise funds through in-store activities, events, and customer donations.
• Alfie's WishflagshipOthers · 1 January 2026Garsons Titchfield Charity of the Year 2026/27. Alfie's Wish grants wishes for children aged 0-16 across the UK with a cancer diagnosis or within six months of remission. Works with hospital teams and social workers from Young Lives vs Cancer. Garsons will support through till charity boxes, in-store fundraising events, and customer donations.
• LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming)coreOthersGarsons is a member of LEAF, demonstrating commitment to sustainable farming and environmental stewardship. LEAF promotes sustainable agriculture and works with farmers and the food industry to deliver more sustainable food production.
• Garden Centre Association (GCA)coreOthersGarsons is an official member of the Garden Centre Association. GCA supports garden centres with training, benchmarking, and industry representation. Garsons participates in GCA awards programmes and member directory.
• Farm Retail AssociationcoreOthersGarsons is a member of the Farm Retail Association, representing farm shops and farm retail outlets. Won the Farm Retail Association Best PYO award in 2025.
• Horticultural Trades Association (HTA)coreOthersGarsons is an official retailer of HTA National Garden Gift Vouchers. The HTA is a not-for-profit organisation that re-invests proceeds from the voucher scheme in supporting gardening and gardening good causes.
• Wicor Primary SchoolflagshipOthersGarsons Titchfield has actively supported Wicor Primary School for over 12 years under the Growing with Schools scheme. Donations include seeds, plants, compost, vouchers, and expert horticultural advice. The school has featured on BBC Two's Gardener's World. School produce is sold at Garsons and a local restaurant. Garsons also helped create the Fernery Project at the school.
• Owton's ButcherycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOwton's operates the butchery counter within Garsons Titchfield Farm Shop. Created the Wicor Jack Sausage using herbs foraged by Wicor School pupils. The sausage is sold at the Garsons Titchfield counter with a percentage of profits going to school funds.
• Pavers ShoesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPavers Shoes operates a concession within Garsons Titchfield garden centre, offering footwear products to garden centre visitors.
• Garden Connect/Green SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party website technology provider powering the Garsons website platform, including e-commerce functionality, cookies, and web analytics. The provider handles website hosting and development.
• Hurst Park Primary AcademyminorOthersGarsons donated vouchers exchanged for pollinator-friendly seeds and supplies for the school's Wonderland themed Barrel Garden, which was showcased at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show.
• Danes Hill SchoolminorOthersGarsons donated 10,000 spring bulbs (daffodils, tulips, crocus, bluebells) for a memorial bulb planting event in partnership with J Parker's. The planting commemorated Lettie and Emma Pattison and was attended by the school community.
• Esher Church SchoolminorOthersGarsons donated vouchers used to purchase wildlife homes (bug houses, bird boxes, bat boxes, insect hotels) for the school's Eco Ambassadors programme.
• Esher C of E High SchoolminorOthersGarsons donated vouchers used to purchase tools, pots, and wildflower seeds for planting over 600 tree saplings across school grounds as part of a sustainability project.
• Cams Hill SchoolminorOthersGarsons team visited to advise on and donate wildflower seeds and a lavender plant for the school's sensory garden project.
• Esher Sixth Form CollegeminorOthersGarsons donated vouchers used to purchase plants for a sensory garden created by students from the Additional Learning Needs Department during Wider Skills Week.
• Effingham Junction Station VolunteersminorOthersGarsons donated plants and compost to refresh the station's volunteer-maintained planters, located near the Esher store.
• Queen Alexandra Hospital (Portsmouth Hospitals Charity)minorOthersGarsons Titchfield donated £100 in vouchers to help fund the 'Garden of Life' therapeutic garden at Queen Alexandra Hospital, providing plant recommendations from horticultural staff.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• B&Q: UK's largest home and garden improvement retailer with nationwide DIY, plants, outdoor and garden equipment ranges. Competes with Garsons for garden product spend, though lacks Garsons' destination restaurant and PYO experience.
• Dobbies Garden Centres: Largest UK garden centre chain with 70+ stores, offering plants, outdoor living, food halls and restaurants. Directly comparable destination garden centre model at national scale, but with broader geographic reach than Garsons' two sites.
• Homebase: UK home and garden retailer selling plants, outdoor furniture and DIY products across ~150 stores. Overlaps with Garsons on garden and outdoor product categories though with a less curated, lower-service proposition.

Direct peers

• Notcutts Garden Centres: Family-origin UK garden centre group operating ~18 destination garden centres with restaurants, plants and home/garden ranges. Closest direct peer to Garsons in mix of plants, outdoor living, food service and family heritage positioning.
• Squire's Garden Centres: Family-run UK garden centre chain with ~15 sites across the South East of England, offering plants, outdoor furniture, restaurants and events. Same South East regional overlap as Garsons and similar destination retail format.
• Van Hage Garden Centres: Independent family-run garden centre group in the South East and East of England, with plants, outdoor living, gift and food offerings. Directly comparable family-run destination format with similar geographic reach.
• Perrywood Garden Centre: Independent family-run destination garden centre in Essex with plants, gift, restaurant and strong award pedigree (GCA winner). Comparable independent destination model serving a similar affluent commuter-belt customer.
• Hillier Garden Centres: Family-owned UK garden centre chain known for own-grown plants, restaurants and lifestyle retail. Highly comparable destination model with strong plant heritage and multiple GCA award wins, competing in similar customer segments.
• Castle Gardens (Sherborne Castle Gardens): Independent destination garden centre in the South/South West with plants, gift and food hall offerings. Comparable independent destination format of similar size, though without Garsons' on-site PYO farm.

Regional players

• OWTONS Farmshops / South Downs Farmers: Owton's Butchery (Garsons' concession partner) operates standalone farm shops in Hampshire. Comparable on the farm shop / local produce dimension that Garsons integrates alongside its garden centre.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Garsons_Esher

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Garsons