We also have an exclusive and extensive range of products at Coolings Lifestyle, ideal to style your al fresco area, including soft furnishings and chimenea. Please call in store to see the full range available. Products include…
Weather Resistant Cushions in various colours 
Chimenea 
Range of Cosy Throws
Join Ian Hazon, our Operations Director for a special day visiting three of the Coolings garden centres – a chance to experience the variety, personality and plants that make each Coolings truly unique.
Arrive at Coolings The Gardener Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill for 8.45am and collect your takeaway breakfast before departing at 9am for a day full of inspiration.
Our first stop is Coolings Potted Garden near Maidstone in Kent – our smallest centre, known for its excellent plant range, charming layout, and friendly, knowledgeable team.
Next, we head to Coolings Wych Cross, situated on the wonderful Ashdown Forest, and famous for its outstanding collection of roses and home to the peaceful Pump Garden. Here you’ll enjoy a relaxed Ploughman’s Lunch and time to explore the site at your leisure.
We’ll return to Rushmore Hill at approximately 4.30pm.
This is a wonderful opportunity for gardening enthusiasts looking for a memorable day out immersed in plants and great company.
Spaces are limited – so please book now and ensure to fill in your menu choices for breakfast and lunch.
To book to Explore Coolings, please go via the booking page link here
To celebrate the arrival of an amazing array of spectacular specimens we are offering a huge 20% off selected shrubs up until the end of June – while stocks last!
Find the new autumn ranges in-store at Coolings Lifestyle – the home of decoration inspiration! As the leaves change colour, the temperatures drop and the days grow shorter, we find ourselves spending more time indoors and what better way is there to bring some comfort for the colder months ahead than by giving your home a seasonal style makeover!
Autumn has arrived at Coolings! Our ‘Fall into Autumn’ Feel Good Garden and seasonal displays are all about celebrating the transition between summer and winter.
Gary Carvosso, Coolings Chairman and Ian Hazon, Coolings Production and Operations Director (both pictured left) talk us through the Pump Garden in our new video – please watch here.
A special heritage is revived…
The name ‘Pump Garden’ comes from the pump that now stands proudly on display in the far corner of the half an acre garden. The pump signifies and celebrates the special heritage of this site and its restoration springs life back into a forgotten and lost part of Wych Cross’ past.
History of Wych Cross Garden Centre
The pump is the original water pump that supplied water to the site from the 1930’s.
The original site was the market garden for the Roebuck Hotel, just next door on the A22. In 1939 a water supply was needed to service the site so a well 70 ft deep was sunk with a further 400 ft of borehole put in. The pump was then used to draw the water up into tanks in the hotel and provide water around the site. At that time the whole project cost a guinea a foot, which is over £38,000 in today’s money.
The market garden was developed into a nursery in 1949 under the ownership of Major Stringer, but the site eventually separated from the hotel in the early 1960’s after the Major passed away. Phil Pearson became the new owner, having worked on the site since 1949 and he developed it into a retail nursery.
Wych Cross Market Garden c.1940’s
Following on from Phil Pearson, new owners once again arrived in 1986 with Jon Hacker, John Paisley and Ray Kennedy taking the reins. Over the years the nursery became famed for growing a large range of roses, something that continues today.
In 2016 the business was once again sold, this time to Wyevale, the national chain of garden centre operators.
Wyevale itself was owned by an investment company and when they decided to sell all their centres, over 150 in total, to pay back their investors, Coolings were more than happy to acquire Wych Cross Garden Centre in 2019, having known Jon Hacker, John Paisley and Ray Kennedy in the days of their ownership.
After buying Wych Cross, we then embarked upon a complete refurbishment of the site and centre to improve the customer facilities, plant areas and general shop layout. And although the Coolings family still hold a stake in the business, the majority of the share are owned by the employees as part of an Employee Ownership Trust, so our staff all benefit directly from their passion for the running of the business.
Since taking over, we have also taken great pride in restoring the rose production nursery and we began growing again on-site in 2020, producing roses to supply all 4 our our garden centres. Today Wych Cross grows 180 varieties of roses and stocks a further 55 varieties of David Austin roses. To say that we know roses is an understatement!
The seed of an idea came about for restoring the pump and re-discovering the garden.
The Pump Garden
The half acre site that the Pump Garden covers originally formed part of the grounds when the site of the nursery and hotel were one. Over the years as times changed the garden was lost and just became part of the overall site without trace of the once beautiful beds and borders. The revived Pump Garden will not only highlight the roses we produce but feature mixed planting to mirror the original designs from the past.
Painstakingly restoring the pump and digging in over 100 tons of well-rotted compost (from our compost heaps) to improve the heavy clay soil was an undertaking even before planting could begin. Pathways and an extensive wooden pergola have been installed in readiness for the beautiful rose varieties to feature and flourish over time. And the pump is back on site and sits boldly and proudly in the top corner of the site, clear for all to see.
Where once the pump provided water for the gardens and site, we have dug a pond that fills naturally from rainfall and the natural springs we have flowing on site. It contains approximately 140,000 litres or 30,795 gallons of water and is a restful and reflective feature of the lower part of the garden.
The Water Pump
As celebrating the heritage of the site is at the heart of our passion at Wych Cross, we undertook a restoration project of the old water pump, that once provided water for the garden centre and the neighbouring hotel. The project was a huge job as the pump had to be relocated from its initial position, restored and re-positioned in the garden and although it isn’t a functional object, it allows us to reflect on the vast history of the site.
Why not visit our wonderful café whilst on site too!
The Hybrid Tea Room, a wonderful café that offers a range of drinks, cakes, breakfast and lunch, looks upon the rose area of the centre. The picturesque view from the terrace presents aisles and aisles of colourful roses, pinks blushing throughout each row. Open 7 days a week Monday – Saturday 9.00am -4.30pm and Sunday 10am – 4.30pm Last orders 4pm.
The new Feel Good Garden is centred around celebrating the joy of long summer days and thoughts of the Mediterranean’s blue sea and sky. Launched ready for the summer months ahead, it evokes the senses and feelings of wellbeing – it will feel like you are on holiday!
The Feel Good Gardens can be viewed at The Gardener’s Garden Centre, Wych Cross and Potted Garden, please look out for the Feel Good Garden signage.
Terrariums can make a beautiful addition to any living space; they take up very little room and need very little maintenance too.
Panacea Large Terrarium (294083) NOW £19.99 Early Bird Offer (Normally £29.99) (Subject to availability)
Now you have your new Terrarium, your FREE Terrarium Accessory Kit, chosen your plants, and picked-up your compost, you can get planting!
For guidance on How to plant your own Terrarium click here and read our step by step guide.
*** For those of you who prefer to watch, rather than read, here’s a link to our You Tube video.
*Please note that our Mini succulents are not included in the Early Bird 3 for 2 Offer.
Terrarium Repotting Mix (305308) £4.99
Cactus & Succulent Repotting Mix (305304) £3.99
Activated Carbon (277476) £5.99
An exciting, fresh new delivery of soft fruit bushes has arrived! In stock are the some of the most popular and much-loved varieties, including blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, red, white and blackcurrants and more unusual varieties of grapes, fig, boysenberry, loganberry and kiwi.
If you haven’t grown soft fruits before, don’t be daunted! They are surprisingly easy to grow and care for and can bring an abundance of delicious fruits for relatively minimal effort. Savouring fruits you have grown yourself brings a great sense of satisfaction and well-being too.
Soft fruit bushes will grow in most garden soils that are free draining and can be planted either bare root into the ground or into containers or pots, so contrary to what you might think, you don’t need a large garden.
The addition of fruit bushes can add interest and variety to your garden borders or patio’s and attract wildlife through their abundant mix of flowers, fruits and foliage. Plant a variety of types and you will have something to pick and enjoy throughout the growing season. You can also freeze most berries and currants to enjoy later in the year.
HINTS & TIPS FOR SOFT FRUITS SUCCESS!
When to Plant: Best between October and early spring. However, container growing soft fruits can be planted at any time of year.
Where to Plant: Happiest positioned in open sunny spots – near a wall or fence helps too, where they can shelter from cold winds. They hate being water-logged, so look for a free-draining area in your borders.
How to Plant:
For containers, ensure to
place stones or broken crockery over the drainage hole in the bottom of the container and fill with good-quality compost, mixing with one third grit or perlite.
Soil consideration: Will grow in most soil types, but ideally rich and well-draining is best. If you have clay soil, dig in lots of organic matter. Create a good soil mixture by using half garden soil with half general-purpose compost.
Watering: Water thoroughly once a week in dry weather, especially during the first year. In later years water during prolonged dry spells. Don’t let containers dry out, keep moist at all times.
Feeding: In spring, top up with mulch, such as compost, laying it at least 5cm thick and away from the canes or stems of the plants, to avoid them rotting. In containers, the plant uses up all the nutrients quicker, so liquid feed every 1-2 weeks during the main growing season May-August.
Pruning: Prune every year in later winter/early spring. The general rule is to prune out the dead and diseased. With most fruit bushes, prune all the shoots right back to encourage new growth. With mature bushes, prune out about a third each year. Regular pruning keeps fruit yields high.
Support & Safety: Some bushes need support – such as wires or canes. Have these in position prior to planting out. Keep fruits safe from birds, who also love the fruit when it appears with a fruit cage or netting over containers.
Check plant labels for individual care needs. For more help and advice, speak to our experts in-store
