About Us

My name is Simon, and I’m the proud founder of English Country Gardens Ltd, based in Sherborne, Dorset. I’m thrilled to have won the New Business of the Year 2023 and to have been the Runner-Up in 2024 at the local business awards. Over the past two years, I’ve dedicated myself to understanding my niche by trading at various local markets and shows, honing my knowledge and business vision.

My ethos revolves around offering high-quality, hand-crafted, and English-made or sourced products where ever possible. My goal is to celebrate and preserve traditional English trades by providing products that cater specifically to country gardens and estates.

The business began in my shed at home in Sherborne, inspired by a long-term customer and friend who owns a picture-perfect white thatched cottage with a beautiful country garden. When he asked if I could source some whisky barrel planters, I was eager to help. I also needed planters for my own acers and roses, so we went in on a large batch of half barrel planters together. Given their durability – being made of oak – I was prepared that they might take a while to sell. However, the leftover barrels sold quickly when I listed them on social media, prompting me to order another pallet. Demand soon expanded beyond half whisky barrels to whole barrels, water butts, and more, and thus Sherborne Whisky Barrels was born.

My passion for gardening and these unique products soon led me to pursue this venture full-time. As the business evolved, I rebranded as Sherborne Country Gardens to better reflect my expanded vision.

Since then, the business has grown significantly. I was fortunate to have a resident pitch in Pageant Gardens at the Sherborne Market through 2022 and 2023, and I also participated in numerous local shows, including the Sherborne Castle Country Fair and The Oak Fair.

With the launch of our new website, CountryGardens.co.uk, toward the end of 2024 or early 2025, we will build an extensive selection of hand-picked, high-quality, and reputable brands for nationwide delivery. Our range will include garden sculptures, garden tools, machinery, planters, plant supports, furniture, greenhouses, and more. We will also boast a range of suppliers to include luxury shepherds’ huts, stone temples, and other items in the near future, that embody the traditional English country garden aesthetic.

I am incredibly passionate about sustainability and the reuse of renewable or existing resources. This ethos guides my product selection, and I continue to use my customer’s garden as a benchmark — if I can picture an item in their garden, it’s likely a perfect fit for our range.

If you believe your products align with our ethos and values, please get in touch. I’m excited to see where this journey leads and to continue building the most prestigious country and estate gardening retail business in the UK.