Media release
20 July 2012
Tauranga garden centre named the country’s best
Palmers Bethlehem has been named the best garden centre in the country, in the Yates NZ Garden Retail Competition.
The annual awards, which are organised by the Nursery and Garden Association of New Zealand (NGIA), were announced at
the industry body’s conference in Auckland last night.
Franchisee owners Peter and Helen Wayman – a husband and wife team who bought the store five years ago – are thrilled at
the win.
Peter says he and his team are constantly striving to make every aspect of the store the best it can be for their
customers – from their products and service to the store’s welcoming environment, and its proud standing in the
community. He’s delighted that five years of hard work has been recognised.
“I am so proud of the efforts of all the team” he says. “We’ve put in a huge amount of effort in making the layout of
the centre inviting and friendly, and we’ve extended our range of products to provide customers lots reasons to visit
us.
“We’re also very involved with our community. We’re a key supporter of our local school Bethlehem Primary – we give
talks to the children, we show them around the store, we sponsor their growing competitions, and we donate products for
the school garden.”
Since buying the franchise five years ago, Peter and Helen have taken care to create a garden centre that appeals to all
members of the family. There’s a play area for children, the popular Cafe Botannix serves excellent coffee and has an
outdoor seated area surrounded by plants, there are several water features and garden art, and a great selection of
unique gift items.
The centre’s staff range of expertise covers all areas of gardening. Palms, cycads, aquatic plants and water features
are a speciality of the store, reflecting the demands of the sunny Tauranga lifestyle.
ENDS