Daily Info's Advent Calendar 2019

10th December: The Garden!

With Christmas preparation in full swing, many of us will be thinking about trees, wreaths, and decorations... all of which are available at The Garden of Oxford in the Covered Market! We spoke to owner Paul Birtles.

Tell us about what you sell
We sell lots of things connected with flowers and plants, and different products according to the season. From a bunch of flowers for home, to fabulous arrangements for a romantic wedding; from seeds and bulbs to spectacular plants; from cacti to orchids; from mistletoe to 10ft tall
Christmas trees and almost everything in between!

Alongside all of this, our talented team create the most beautiful arrangements for any occasion, and also share our passion for what we do with our customers.

How long has The Garden been going?
Since 1983 – 36 years!

Why was the business started?
I had worked as a Saturday boy in The Market in the 1970s, then in 1984 had a less than interesting job in an office in Romford! The lure of the market was enough for me to change tack, and I have been developing our shop ever since.

What do you like best about being based in Oxfordshire?
Oxfordshire is my home. I have a very strong sense of belonging here - that's the best thing.

Do you think Oxford is a good place to run a small business?
For us, yes, without doubt. The best thing about being in Oxford for us is the access it provides to a variety of customer bases. The resident population, the student population, and visitors, are all potential customers, and The Covered Market is perfectly situated to serve all of these, along with the homes, businesses, colleges and institutions that they are connected to. Of course, running a business in Oxford city centre presents its own challenges, but these are outweighed by the benefits.

What's the funniest thing that's happened in the shop?
As with many of our friends and neighbours in The Covered Market, we have had many high profile customers and visitors over the years. The royal visit of Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall in 2017 was great fun for the whole market - however, one event in particular makes me smile. Early one morning in 2012, when I was just setting the shop front out, Bill Clinton happened to come ambling down the avenue. He received the usual good morning that any passer-by would expect, and he then engaged me in conversation. His daughter, Chelsea, was studying at Oxford, and she was a regular customer of ours. I suggested that he might like to have our details so that he could send her flowers while she was here, and proceeded to reach inside my jacket pocket for a business card... I very quickly became aware of how jumpy the four large bodyguards that suddenly closed in on me were!

What's your favourite product?
It's a tie between Chocolate cosmos and larch branches covered in lichen.

Is there anything else you'd like to highlight?
Once again this year, we have transformed the former Hedges Butchers unit in the Market into a Christmas Emporium, and we are selling a fabulous range of Christmas decorations, from giant pine cones to wicker penguins! We will also, as usual, be selling our best quality, fresh-cut, English-grown Christmas trees. We supply tree stands, and, of course, will deliver your tree to your home.

Welcome to Daily Info’s 2023 Advent Calendar – 24 days of festive tips, free activities & local shopping suggestions!

This year's calendar offers a mix of Christmas suggestions, taking in traditions in Oxford and the wider area, and free activities & events in the build up to the big day.

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