QGarden in the Portugal News 21 May 2011

1. The Portugal News • 21 May 2011
38 GARDENING
Business is blooming beautiful
for Algarve’s Q Gardens
Speaking to The Portugal “Our mission is to meet the that will lead us where we want knowing everything about each
News, Francisco Castel- needs of our customers, garden to go and be a better company. and every species.
Branco, Q Garden’s managing owners, enthusiasts and land- “We have the products, the In addition there is a large
director, takes a stroll down scapers, offering a wide range knowledge and the services range of complementary gar-
memory lane to explore the of vegetal specimens, garden which result in a value propo- den utilities like different
growth behind one of the Al- utilities and related services”, sition for our customers. The types of soils, fertilizers, pots,
garve’s longest-established Mr. Castel-Branco explains, garden enthusiasts know us”, furniture, shade solutions or
and best known gardening adding “customer’s require- he says con- artificial
centres, and reveal the secrets ments will be met by our fidently. grass.
behind its success. friendly, knowledgeable, pro- Q Garden Q Garden
Q Garden was established fessional and problem-solving is best further pro-
almost 20 years ago as a Gar- oriented staff.” known for vides a range
den Centre, to fill an existing With a background in busi- its massive of gardening
gap in the market. It is a unique ness administration, Mr. assortment services,
space where clients can walk Castel-Branco understands of plants. which Mr.
around and enjoy the centre’s the market and customers’ With more C a s t e l -
astounding plant collection, needs. He believes a company than 3,000 Branco says
whether just for the pleasure is sustained by its workers and different the company
or for purchasing. “if we are all committed to our types of plant in a variety of was “pushed in to.”
mission statement and perform sizes and colours, Q Garden “Our customers pushed us
in accordance with our values employees are renowned for into the landscaping and main-
tenance services several years
ago. We project and develop
landscaping and irrigation
works, from a small garden to
a large property. We are prop-
erly equipped and we have the
professionals to do it”, he ex-
plains.
Working solely to satisfy
even the most discerning cus-
tomers’ expectations, he adds:
• Irrigation systems “Our purpose is to meet the
• Rustic walls customer’s needs. You buy a
• Fences container and need someone to
• Artificial grass do the planting? Then we will
• Soil covers and mulching do it. You have a problem with
• Palm tree treatments your irrigation system? We’ll
• Biological products fix it. You have pests or dis-
• Vegetables eases in your garden? We’ll
• Furniture treat it. We have the plants, we
landscape and we maintain
• Pots and planters
your garden.”
• Aquatic plants After conducting in-house
• Plant rental research Q Garden found their
customer base could be divided
E.N. 125 Odiáxere • LAGOS
into three distinct categories:
Tel.: +351 282 799 633 • Fax: +351 282 799 893 garden owners and gardening
www.qgardenpt.com enthusiasts, construction
email: qgarden@mail.telepac.pt companies and the real estate
developers, and the landscape

2. The Portugal News • 21 May 2011
GARDENING 39
Taking the designer catwalk
to your garden
As the RHS Chelsea Flower gardening for people who like
Show approaches, award-win- the organisms around them to be
ning contenders Bunny Guinness as relaxed as they are.”
and Chris Beardshaw tell Hannah Hot plants at Chelsea may
Stephenson about the design include a clutch of interesting
trends we’re likely to see on the alpines such as meconopsis
horticultural catwalk that may (blue poppies), along with qual-
soon make their way to the do- ity herbaceous plants such as
mestic garden. peonies and almost black
Visitors to the horticultural bearded irises, while topiarised
and maintenance companies. from which they can select any event of the year are likely to see plants (watch out for the Laurent
For such, specific services plants and trees they will need more punchy colours, a push on Perrier garden) will also be popu-
have been tailored for each cat- to landscape a garden. This ornamental fruit and veg and a lar.
continuing growth in native and “Large topiarised plants are Chili peppers
egory. way they don’t have to worry
“We have developed cus- in collecting plants from sev- naturalistic planting, experts are becoming more available and
tomer partnerships with eral suppliers as we can cover predicting. people are spending less on col-
The RHS Chelsea Flower and fragrant. Large terracotta Guinness’s show garden, provid-
builders and real estate promot- all their needs in a single order, lections of plants and more on
Show is always a showcase for pots containing lemon, apple and ing colour and architectural inter-
ers, who share the same values at competitive prices. They individual ones,” Beardshaw
the most inspirational, out-of- quince fruit trees are placed est. Raised beds should catch on
we do, and we give them ex- can then have peace of mind observes.
this-world designs, but what can throughout the garden. because they’re easier to tend and
actly what they want. In the knowing they will have their “People are happy to spend
we take from the garden catwalk “Some people are still very much more productive, she says.
landscape and maintenance plants on time.” £100 (€114.67) upwards on a
to the average domestic setting? reluctant to put vegetables into While muted colours such as
category we supply plants to In keeping with modern single large specimen.
“There’s always a danger that prime positions. In the old days, whites and blues have been the
companies and individual gar- times and the era of IT, Q Gar- “We are no longer banging the
the show gardens become such they were in the walled garden must-have colours of recent
deners”, Mr. Castel-Branco den has introduced a new web drum of ‘Plant it small and wait
grand statement pieces that you which was miles away from the years, Guinness reckons there
revealed, adding that while the page to offer an even better 50 years and it might turn into
feel as though there’s very little house because people thought are going to be some dazzlers this
landscape and maintenance service to its clients. what you’ve anticipated’. By
access in terms of the materials they didn’t look particularly year.
segment can also been seen as Despite being present on the buying larger plants, there’s an
and the ideas you can take,” says good. “I wouldn’t be surprised if
competitors, they are firstly internet for many years, “our instantaneous reward that can
award-winning garden designer “But I think the kitchen garden there weren’t quite a few punchy
and foremost customers. page was technologically be- be gleaned.
Chris Beardshaw, who this year can look good all year round, any- colours because of the recession,
He says “Indeed they are our hind the times and we needed a “B&Q and Homebase, both at
is not only helping create the where that’s highly convenient. to hot things up a bit and raise the
competitors in landscaping more flexible tool with which Chelsea with show gardens, feel
Bradstone Fusion Garden, an I can’t think of any vegetable that temperature,” she predicts. “I
and maintenance but also our to communicate and interact there’s a market for increasing
urban show garden, but is also a isn’t ornamental when it’s ar- know there are reds in some of the
customers at the Garden Cen- with our customers and pros- the public’s awareness of plant
judge at Chelsea. ranged well. Seeing any crop structures.”
tre. We assist them to better pects”, Mr Castel-Branco con- materials.
“However, there seems to be a nicely grown, whether it’s in The RHS Chelsea Flower
their knowledge regarding cluded, saying he hoped “the “The idea of growing fruit and
number of clear directions - one lines or swirls or curves, looks Show, The Royal Hospital, Lon-
plants and we offer the land- new page will help us to be veg in baskets and boxes and up
is a celebration of plants in his- lovely. Veg should be grown in don SW3, May 24-28 (May 24-
scapers a ‘plant list’ service, closer to our customers.” walls and fences has to come in
tory, reflecting on the plants high-profile places because they 25, RHS members only, May 26-
through a more mainstream
which have performed particu- are high-profile things.” 28, RHS members and non-mem-
source.
larly well for us. Black Italian kale, chillies, to- bers). To book tickets and show
“Expect new mechanisms for
“There’s a huge move towards matoes, standard gooseberries information visit
hanging baskets and irrigation,
native plants and naturalistic and redcurrants all feature in www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea.
troughs and boxes, to come
planting. It takes a while, when through those outlets.”
you think that Chelsea is at the Bunny Guinness, winner of
high end of the fashion market, for six gold medals at the show and
things to become mainstream. designer of the 2011 M&G gar-
“We are looking at gardening den, a modern take on a tradi-
in a very biodiverse way, think- tional kitchen garden, predicts
ing carefully about the plants we that fruit and veg will be brought
weave together and what effect into the spotlight in domestic
they are going to have, not just on gardens.
our senses but on all of the other In the show garden she’s de-
organisms that we share our signed, cabbages and beans min-
spaces with. gle with clematis and roses,
“You see plants growing in the while lavender and other herbs
way plants want to grow. It’s ensure the garden smells sweet
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