Life

Casual Gardener: 75 years of gardening expertise

From humble beginnings three quarters of a century ago Hillmount garden centre in the hills above east Belfast has grown into one of the north's leading horticultural attractions. Owner Robin Mercer talks John Manley through its history and the secret of its longevity

Hilmount garden centre is operated by the Mercer family (l-r) Alan Mercer, Robin Mercer and Edith Mercer
Hilmount garden centre is operated by the Mercer family (l-r) Alan Mercer, Robin Mercer and Edith Mercer Hilmount garden centre is operated by the Mercer family (l-r) Alan Mercer, Robin Mercer and Edith Mercer

WHAT'S your first memory of gardening?

I grew up in the nursery with my dad and grandfather – it was my playground and I could often be found down in the greenhouses. My grandfather gave me a small area in the greenhouse to learn to grow plants and I’ll always remember the great sense of achievement I got from sowing seeds and watching them germinate.

I was given a tropical plant when I was young and to this day I can remember its name, Aralia elegantissima, and its lovely coloured foliage.

Did you always plan to have a career in horticulture?

I’ve always had great satisfaction growing plants and I when I left school I spent a year at Fernhurst in West Sussex working for ICI research. When I returned home I went to Greenmount for a year.

We later decided to expand from a nursery selling a small amount of plants into a garden centre after realising we could be the retailer, not just the grower. When it was originally suggested my father and uncle said it wouldn’t work up in the hills above east Belfast but luckily they were proved wrong.

Do you still raise your own stock?

We bring in some plants and grow them on but the problem is that customers want to buy when they see even if the plants are not ready for planting, so we have specific growers who will grow the plants ready for us to display for sale.

Do you have your own garden?

We have our own family garden at our home. It was a half-acre site with the house and we left a grass area for our three boys to play in but as they got older we created more beds and a fish pond.

These days, I spend my free time flying my hot air balloon so it would be my wife Edith who takes time to care for our garden which now includes a vegetable patch bought for her as a present by our sons.

What's your favourite plant and why?

I have many favourite plants but I have a Picea pungens Hoopsii (Colorado Blue Spruce) in my garden which I love. This was supposed to be a dwarf slow-growing plant but it is now 20ft high and one of the most special plants in our garden.

My least favourite plant is a weed called marestail – one of the worst weeds.

In your decades in the trade are there any gardening fashions that you've not liked?

For a period of time roses were our main plant in the gardens and everyone had to have roses but unfortunately people would forget to spray their roses for blackspot and mildew.

Other fashions were conifers and heather beds but again the heathers eventually got woody and didn’t look so good but luckily the conifers were the focal points.

Why did you decide to mark Hillmount's milestone with a book?

Our 75th anniversary was a good opportunity to gather all the pictures and leaflets we’ve accumulated over the years. It’s really a keepsake for our family and customers who have their own memories of growing up around Hillmount and we're delighted by the interest there's been in it.

We contacted a publisher who said it could take a year to publish but he kindly dropped everything and put it together in three months when he realised we couldn’t wait for a year as 2015 is our 75th year.

What changes have you seen in the garden centre sector during your life time?

Garden centres have changed over the years from customers coming along in their wellies for a bag of compost to now expecting good car parking spaces, toilets and café options as well as buying colourful plants and gifts.

We've been expanding our offer from humble beginnings over the years and Hillmount now includes BBQ Academy, an extended café – The Gardener’s Rest – and a firm fixture in our events calendar, Santa’s arrival and his grotto, which customers happily queue for up to three hours to visit during the festive season. We also have a second branch in Bangor.

:: Hillmount's anniversary book is available now priced at £10