Waitrose is launching a major new assault on the gardening market that will "significantly increase" its share of the category.
Just weeks after the retailer brought Alan Titchmarsh on board and confirmed plans to trial a small garden centre, it has announced that it is introducing 6,000 products in stores and via a new website, which will be devoted to helping customers grow their own flowers, fruit and vegetables.

The Waitrose Flower Garden range being sold in stores will comprise 850 different flowers, plants, bulbs and seeds over the coming year as well as 80 gardening tools and garden care products. Elements of the range will launch in all core shops by mid-April, and 41 branches will each also dedicate at least 120sq ft of outdoor space to the products. This will include an outdoor gardening 'shed' selling plants and gardening accessories. Customers will be able to pay for gardening purchases made outdoors using a cashless mobile till.

The range will include plants from topiary to herbs and fruit trees to herbaceous flowering plants, with prices ranging from £3 to £75.

Alongside this, Waitrosegarden.com, in association with online garden supplier Crocus, will launch with more than 5,000 products including pots, gardening tools, plants and seeds.

Staff, or Partners, at the John Lewis Partnership supermarket have already received extra training in the area.

Waitrose says it is aiming "to significantly increase its 6% share of the horticulture market" via the new initiatives, which are the latest in a recent spate of moves signalling the grocer's growing interest in the garden market. Gardening celebrity Alan Titchmarsh jumped ship from B&Q a few weeks ago to join Waitrose and raise its gardening profile. He will be offering gardening tips and advice to Waitrose shoppers on the new website.

And earlier this month it was also revealed that Waitrose is trialling a small garden centre next to its supermarket in Newbury, Berkshire.

Gardening is the second most popular pastime for Waitrose customers after cooking, and the latest moves build on the success of its fresh-cut flowers and bouquets range. Said marketing director Rupert Thomas: "This will make us a serious player in what is already a hugely successful category for us."