A POPULAR garden centre that won gold at last year's Chelsea Flower Show has gone into administration.

Leaf Garden Centre, also known as Leaf Creative, first opened its doors in 2018 when it was founded by Peter Dowle, of Howle Hill Nursery, but the business, which is now located in Huntley, filed for administration on February 27, with new owners Blue Diamond Garden Centres, having already taken over.

Brett Lee Barton and David Meldrum, of BK Plus Limited have been named as administrators after the original business became insolvent.

The garden centre is still operating as the latest Blue Diamond Garden Centre in the country after the group took over the site.

Howle Hill Nursery, a separate entity that continues to trade independently, teamed up with the Blue Diamond group last year after the organisation commissioned a design to be displayed in the Great Pavilion.

Last year’s Royal Horticultural Society exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show took nine days to put together and it showcased the range of plants available at Blue Diamond outlets along with several of Leaf Creative Gardens’ own large specimen plants including a six metre Wollemi Pine, one of the rarest plants that dates back to the time of the dinosaurs.

Mr Dowle is no stranger to the world-famous flower show, having created 26 show gardens there, and said last year: “There is nothing like the buzz of being on site during the build and we’re delighted with the result. It’s been a great journey for us and the team. It’s been good to work closely with Blue Diamond and to deliver their first Chelsea gold.”

Blue Diamond is a rapidly growing group with over 52 sites around the UK and has reported annual sales of just over £338 million. It is now the largest garden centre group in the UK and the Channel Islands and boasts inspirational retailing with a point of difference.