Press Cuttings

Over the last few years Plants4Presents plant gifts have been featured in numerous 'gift guides' and magazines, including:-

The Daily Mail, The Daily and Sunday Telegraph, S Magazine for The Express, The Sunday Mirror, The Guardian, Good Housekeeping, Country Living Magazine, BBC Gardeners World, She, Zest and The Lady.

We have also been lucky enough to be included in a number of longer articles a selection of which are included below.....

If you are researching an article or gift guide and would like more information or high resolution images then please do get in touch with Emily Rae on 0845 226 8026 - we'd love to hear from you.

Growing Gifts	December 2008, Country Living Magazine
	Give a locally grown plant this year from Plants 4 Presents (0845 226 8026; www.plants4presents.co.uk). The company's range of British-bred plants for Christmas includes grapevines and camellias from Dorset, poinsettias and hyacinths cultivated in Sussex and organic herbs and chilli plants from its own nursery.
	Plants are gift-wrapped in recyclable gold kraft paper and recycled tissue, boxed in 80 per cent recycled cardboard, decorated with paper and raffia ribbon. A greetings card printed on recycled card using vegetable inks is also provided. Camellias are the starts of the festive collection: starting at £26, the're available in two sizes with a choice of red, pink or white blooms. Order by 22 December for Christmas delivery.
Plants for Presents - why not?!	December 2007, The Female Touch, www.tft.mag.co.uk
	Plants4Presents is the brainchild of Isobel Rae, who runs the business with her daughter and sister-in- law from their specialised nursery deep in the heart of Sussex. Claire White gets the chance to find out more. Claire White: How did the business come about? Isobel Rae: In 2004 I was looking for a way of using my programming skilss to set up a business selling gifts on the internet. I tried one or two ideas, and soon discovered one of them was an outright winner - PLANTS FOR PRESENTS. While it is easy to buy garden plants on the internet, you can't get them delivered on a specific day, presented as a gift in a pot-holder with a full-size card. You can order some pot plants through the florist network, but you are very limited and it's difficult to get the more unusual plants like citrus trees. As soon as we launched our site in Christmas 2004 we discovered our customers really loved the range of plants available, and were appreciative of our dedication to customer service.
CW: How do you find working with your family? IR: The great thing about working with your family is that you know you are all on the same side. We are all working for the same thing. We trust each other and so we can adjust our hours and holiday so that everyone gets what they need. We understand each other's strengths and weaknesses, and how to make the best of them. People on the outside might say you work harder in your own business than you do when you are employed. However you don't have the stress of having to do things just because your employer tells you to - we are all working on what we think is the right thing for the business. It's quite simple - we believe that if we give our customers a quality service the business will grow and grow CW:Do you find that this business is usually male dominated? IR:While in large companies the management can be male-dominated I don't think it is so much of an issue in small businesses, and especially in horticultre, where it is not unusual to find a woman a the helm of a nursery. In our particular immediate family it so happens that I was the one who chose to start up the "Plants4Presents" business, and was quickly joined by my daughter, and then by my sister-in-law. We make a good team. So you could say our business is 'female-dominated'. The management are all female, but the employees are more male than female. I don't think it is too much of an issue really. Perhaps we are more people -focused than you might find in a male management team, so more supportive of our co-workers, and customers. I hope so. CW:What is your favourite plant that you sell? IR: My favourite plant is the bougainvillea. I love it when it's summer or autumn, and you go into the nursery and it's full of purple and orange plants. Fabulous reminds me of the Mediterranean. Unfortunately they are not in bloom all year round. CW: Why do you think plants are so popular as presents, as opposed to flowers or chocolates? IR:The great thing about sending a plant as a present is that it last so much longer than flowers or chocolates. Some of our plants (like the olive trees, figs or bays) will last for years. The other nice thing about choosing a plant is that it is so much more personal. You can choose a plant that carries a message (olives for peace and fidelity). You can choose a plant that will be useful (a dwarf chilli plant covered in hot chillis). Or you can choose a plant for the green-fingered (a lemon or grapefruit). We carry a really wide range, from small and flowery for your grandma's flat to large and permanent for a wedding gift. CW:Which plant would you recommend for the perfect gift IR: A great small present for a man who loves cooking would be a dwarf chilli plant in fruit. This plant is only going to last the winter so he won't have to fuss over it. On the other hand if your guy is a gardener, how about a grape vine? If you are sending something to an elderly friend or relative who likes the traditional 'pink and pretty' plants, i would suggest you send a Sussex-grown cyclamen basket or scented hyacinths. I also think the camellias are a lovely present, because they flower in the winter. On the other hand you might be looking for something even more unusual - like an orange, lemon or grapefruit - especially if the person is interested in plants and would appreciate the challenge of raising their own fruit. For more information have a look at the Plants4Presents website - www.plants4presents.co.uk and get your loved one the perfect gift! The company is striving to become completely accredited by the soil association for their organic techniques and work hard to reduce their impact on the environment - minimising the packaging required for their plants and using, wherever possible, packaging that can be recycled.
Plants4Presents blossoms	NetDespatch 24 September 2007
	NetDespatch is playing a key part in the growth of Plants4Presents, one of Britains most successful online retailers. Plants4Presents pioneered the idea of selling plants as gifts over the Internet. The Sussex-based company has been able to expand nationally by using NetDespatch to seamlessly integrate its Internet shop orders with nationwide parcel services provided by APC Overnight. NetDespatch's Velocity web shipping and tracking platform automatically converts Plants4Presents shopping cart orders into barcoded parcel labels and on-line web bookings for the local APC Overnight dept. This means that order details are entered only once - by the customer when they place an order. With up to 400 orders a day in peak times, the re-keying of addresses has been eliminated and as an added benefit NetDespatch web software automatically checks addresses to ensure first time delivery success once in the hands of the carrier. With complete integration between the plants4presents.com web site, NetDespatch Velocity and the APC Overnight parcel system, customers can track the progress of their gifts from order to delivery.
Formed in 2004, Plants4Presents is the brainchild of Isobel Rae, who used her considerable expertise as an IT consultant and programmer to create a website which is easy to navigate and yet offers a wealth of pictures and information. A keen amateur gardener for many years, Isoble Rae wanted to provide a plant delivery service that not only delivered quality plants on time but also delivered them carefully wrapped and packaged so they really looked like a gift. "Since integrating our website with NetDespatch, our business really has taken off. NetDespatch has allowed us to expand freely and provide excellent service thanks to automatic label printing and the online tracking. NetDespatch is an innovator in the provision of on-demand software and services using the Internet. Increasingly involved in integration between customer and carrier systems, NetDespatch enables the seamless flow of data from order to delivery with live tracking and easy access to information via the web. As well as online gift delivery service, Plants4Presents has launched plants4promotions and plants4events websites and also offers tailor made services for corporate clients. These range from large plants for new offices, plants for events which have included support of campaigns for The National Geographic Channel, CocaCola and Schweppes, and Dole.
Kumquat Tree	June 2007, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Threes A Crowd
	I think oranges have to be one of my favourite summer fruits... I was then introduced to Kumquats (which look like mini Satsumas) at a restaurant one evening. These 'little gems of the citrus family' are small oval fruits with a golden-yellow to reddish-orange peel and have a very distinctive taste... While the fruit has been cultivated in China and Japan for centuries, it is a relative newcomer to the rest of the world. This is a wonderful gift for someone and a real treat especially from the exceptional 4presents team. Breathtakingly packaged and presented a present like this cannot fail to impress and may even encourage the kitchen-phones to pick up a pan.... Read the whole article at www.threesacrowdonline
Company is blossoming	February 2007, Business Matters
	An expanding web-based plant delivery service is reaping the fruits of its labours and taking root at larger premises in Newick. Family-run business Plants4Presents is beginning renovation work to covert the two-acre chrysanthemum nursery at Fletching Common into a pot plant haven. The company was formed four years ago by keen gardener Isobel Rae at her home in Surrey and is run with the help of her sister-in-law Christine, daughter Emily and two other staff. Emily said her mother saw a gap in the market for delivering a range of plants for special occasions. She said "When we set up there wasn't anyone doing anything interesting for plants. We're different from florists because we've got quite a big range and do a lot of citrus plants. People prefer a lasting present for things like Mother's Day. They can plant it in the garden and it will last for years. It's a nicer present than something that will die in a vase. Customers can view all the plants in stock on the company's website which was set up to by Isobel and is updated weekly with new pictures. Some plants are hand-reared but most are either sourced from Sussex nurseries, like their Christmas Poinsettias, or from Holland.
With 500-1000 plants stocked at any time, the company prides itself on its wide range which includes exotic plants citrus and olive trees. Emily said: "We supply quality traditional and unusual plants with that special 'wow' factor and the extra space has already allowed us to extend our range to include some really spectacular larger plants. The company delivers to any address with a UK postcode and has already delivered to customers as far away as the Scottish Hebrides and the Isle of Man. Prices start at £17 for a selection of three herbs in a basket. To see plants4presents current range of plants go to www.plants4presents.co.uk or call 0845 226 8026
Fruity Flora	January 2007, Moving Location Magazine
For a centre piece on your kitchen table or in the sitting room that adds style and colour we simply loved these dwarf citrus trees from Plants4Presents. Plants are always a good idea to make your home look bright, fresh, added to which you can take them with you when you move. Celebrate with a slice in your G&T, from your very own lemon tree to toast your new home. Choose from dwarf orange, lemon, limequat and kumquat trees. Order online; price excludes delivery from £23 at www.plants4presents.co.uk or call 0845 226 8026
Greener Gifts	May 2006, Organic Gardening Magazine
Plants4Presents have just launched a new selection of fruiting trees, including lemons, a dwarf orange, two calamondins, a pineapple plant, and bay and kaffir lime trees. The plants come in biodegradable packaging, using kraft and tissue paper for wrapping and natural raffia in place of plastic ribbons, and they come complete with a handwritten message and a pot holder or other container. There are also more traditional plant gifts such as rose bushes in flower, orchids and planted baskets, as well as a selection of herbs, foliage plants and indoor trees. Mizuna, garlic and lemon grass are being added to the ‘plants for flavour’ selection together with fruiting tomato and pepper plants suitable for growing on a kitchen window-sill. Says Plants4Presents owner Isobel Rae, “Although we are not certified organic we do take care to stick as close to green principles as possible. In our own nursery we use organic pesticides and fertilizers.” Prices start from £18 Go to www.plants4presents.co.uk or call 0845 226 8026.
Plants for Presents.....	April 2006, Surrey Business News
Mothers' Day proved a boost for… [local] business Plants4Presents which offered flora of all kinds and colours for mums across the county. Isobel Rae, who runs the business, picks all the plants for the website with her daughter Emily and sister-in-law Christine. They sell everything from orange and lemon trees to rosebushes and herbs. Plants4presents.co.uk isn’t just for Mother's Day, the business delivers for all occasions throughout the year. Gifts can be wrapped in biodegradable packaging with handwritten messages. This season's selection features pineapple plants, lemon trees and two sizes of calamondin (dwarf orange trees) as well as more traditional plant gifts such as rosebushes in flower, orchids and planted baskets. There's also a selection of herbs as well as foliage plants and ornamental trees. To order visit www.plants4presents.co.uk or call 0845 226 8026
3 of the best Mothers Day Plants - Orange Orders	March 19 2006, The Sunday Telegraph
Who wouldn't like a zesty orange tree, laden with fruit and fragrant white flowers? The exotic calamondin is a dwarf orange tree which is a hybrid of Citrus reticulate, originally form South-East Asia. The plants are long-lasting and easy to care for. Add the bitter-tasting fruit to drinks and cooking recipes. They come with a pot holder and are delivered with a handwritten Mother's Day message on a gift card of your choice. £29.50 (excluding delivery) from Plants4Presents (0845 226 8026 www.plants4presents.co.uk)
Zest for Life	March 2006, Kitchen Garden Magazine
Stuck for something different to give on Mother's Day (26 March), then worry no more. A fruiting citrus tree will still be there when the last chocolate has been eaten and the flowers have wilted. Choose from lemon ('Four Seasons' or 'Meyer') and calamondin (dwarf orange) bushes, both of which crop well indoors all year round, from Plants4Presents, a small but growing family business. All the plants are hand picked to ensure good-sized fruit on delivery and come with a handwritten greeting card and care instructions. You can even choose your own pot holder. Prices for the bushes start at £29 excluding Delivery Call 0845 226 8026 for more details or order online at www.plants4presents.co.uk

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