Hi, I’m Janice, and I’ve been part of the Yorkshire Garden Centres family for over 20 years now! My houseplant journey began in 2005, during a big life change – becoming a mum for the first time.

At that time, I was living in Shropshire with my newborn and when baby number two arrived, my husband and I decided to move back to Yorkshire to be closer to family. With two young children under six, I was ready for a new challenge so I decided to pursue something I’d always loved but never quite followed up on – horticulture!

Growing up, creativity ran in my family. My mum is an artist, but for me finding my own creative outlet took time. It wasn’t until I discovered plants that something really blossomed within me. I’ve always loved cottage garden plants and growing vegetables, so I decided to apply for a City and Guilds horticulture course. Fun fact: it’s the same course that Alan Titchmarsh studied, so you could say he planted the seed of horticulture in my mind – pardon the pun!

Studying with two young children was tough, but I absolutely loved it and had plenty of help from my mum. I graduated with distinction and landed my first job at a local garden centre called Armitage’s, which has now become part of the Yorkshire Garden Centre family. It really is a small world!

Hi I’m Emma, I work in the plants department at Tingley Garden Centre and help care for, display and choose our ranges of beautiful houseplants for our customers to enjoy.

But working life for me hasn’t always been so green, until just over 2 years ago I worked night shifts in a supermarket and lived in a small flat without a garden.

My very first houseplant however was a small, weedy Dracaena I named Alan and bought with my mum on a garden centre trip when I was a teenager living at home. Alan is now over one metre tall and survived my student days, if you want an easy plant to care for may I suggest a Dracaena!

Alan the Dracaena moved house with me a few times and ended up in my tiny flat. Being cramped with no green space the outside began to creep in, a Sansevieria (snake plant) ‘followed’ me home from Leeds Market one day, a couple of hanging plants given to me by a planty friend easily found room hanging from the Velux windows.

Soon the unthinkable happened and Covid19 gripped the country. I was a key worker on all the overtime I could manage and other than going to work – I was stuck alone in my flat. I also lost a summer job at the coast which I loved. I began mail ordering rarer plants from a local plant shop, buying the odd cactus and succulent from the supermarket and then the garden centres were allowed to reopen…. And the jungle really took off!

I now have a house with all the space I need for my indoor plant collection as well as my beloved goldfish with their planted tank and a real outside garden! Yey! But I owe the plants that shared that tiny flat with me, they kept me sane, gave me something to focus on and care for.

I now have the knowledge to help others successfully set up and care for their little patches of indoor greenery and hopefully they’ll live a greener and more healthy life too.

Hi, I’m Anthony, and I’ve been part of the houseplant team at Dean’s in York for 17 years. My journey with houseplants actually started long before my career began. I grew up gardening with my grandad, growing bedding plants, fruit, and vegetables. From there, I moved on to volunteer at my local cricket ground and later took on a role as a head groundsman.

I started working at Dean’s and later Yorkshire Garden Centres nearly 24 years ago. Initially, I helped out with weekend sales, collecting trollies, and potting up bedding plants. Over time, I moved to working full time in the outside sales area and our nursery site. Then, in 2008 I was given the incredible opportunity to transition into the houseplant buying role -despite having no formal experience with indoor plants at the time! It was a big change for me, and I had to learn fast how to care for different types of houseplants and figure out what would sell. But I embraced the challenge, and I’m proud to say it’s been an amazing journey since.

Today, I’m thrilled to have helped develop a larger, well–established houseplant area. We offer a wide variety of plants, from the classic houseplants everyone knows and loves to rare and unusual species. We even have specialty sections for things like cacti, ferns, carnivorous plants, ficus trees, and large specimen plants.

Throughout my time here, I’ve worked closely with our suppliers, learning more about plant care and sourcing new plants. I’ve seen houseplant trends come and go, but one thing’s for sure – the range of houseplants available has never been more exciting or diverse!

A GREAT Team that’s passionate about greenery

From the unique stories shared by each of our GREAT team, it’s clear that houseplants have the power to transform lives in countless ways. And, as we celebrate National Houseplant Week, we encourage you to find your own connection with plants and explore the endless possibilities they offer for your home!

Get Involved this National Houseplant Week

We hope these stories inspire you to take your own plant journey to the next level! Whether you’re a seasoned plant parent or just starting to explore the world of houseplants, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Visit us at your preferred centre, explore our collection and speak to our experts! Your indoor jungle is waiting!