Tuesday 1 May 2012

"Meet the Grower: Schram Plants" from "The Irish Garden Magazine"

 Meet the grower: Schram Plants Ltd

Background

Flip and Marian Schram emigrated from Holland to Ireland in 1980. Since 1987, they have developed their wholesale nursery, 'Schram Plants', producing high quality Irish grown perennials for the garden centre and landscape market. They also supply local authorities and export a small amount to Northern Ireland.
Perennials are flowering plants that bloom each year and generally need little maintenance. They are typically the plants associated with the traditional cottage garden. Many die down over the winter and reappear in spring, and there are also evergreen kinds, such as grasses, ferns, bamboos, phormiums and bergenia. In addition to perennials, Schram Plants grow a wide range of alpines and herbs. All the plants are grown in Ireland with the majority labelled under the Nice & Easy or Schram brand, and carry the Bord Bia Origin Ireland logo. On numerous occasions, Schram Plants have been recognised bu Bord bia and honoured with various awards including: Best Irish Plant Supplier of the Year for 2007/2008, 2008/2009, 2009/2010; Customer Service & marketing Award in 2010/2011; Best Facilities Management Award in 2010/2011 & Best Production Processes Award in 2009/2010.

Staff and business development

Schram Plants has always concentrated on supplying a wide range of the most popular plants, while also carrying a selection of the more unusual. The business employs an average of twenty staff and produces approximately 1.2 million plants per year, in a range of over 1,500 varieties. Both Flip and Marian Schram are very appreciative of the efforts of all staff which have contributed to the company's success. They are proud to produce Irish Grown Plants that are competitively ppriced in retail Garden Centres, providing much-needed Irish jobs in a labour-intensive industry.
In recent years it has become apparent that the public appreciate guidance as to what to plant and where to plant it. Gardening has become a leisure activity and time in normally in short supply, so low-maintenance gardening is key. This inspired Schram Plants to develop the Nice & Easy range. These plants are all proven winners in the Irish climate, being easy to grow and requiring minimal maintenance, yet rewarding year after year in the garden. This range has recently been extended to include the Schram Nice & Easy brand. With labels for this range also carrying a 2D barcode, the customer is provided with instant information on the plant from the Schram website, all from the simple scan of their Smartphone.

New product development

This year Schram Plants is introducing a new product category concept called Complete Gardening Solutions. This is a range aimed at those customers who have a specific space in the garden which they want to fill. Plants will be attractively presented with a colourful pot wrap, colour label, planting diagram, and planting instructions and guidelines. There will be seven concepts in total launching in 2012, covering the following areas:
  • Cottage Garden - Spring Collection
  • Sunny Garden Collection
  • Shaded Garden Collection
  • Cottage Garden - Summer Collection
  • Cut Flower Collection
  • Wet Garden - Water Edge Collection
  • Butterfly Plants Collection
The first concept was launched in mid-April and the rest will follow in the sequence shown above, at 2 to 3 week intervals. The concepts will be available in most large garden centres across the country.
Further information on the complete range of products from Schram Plants can be found on its extensive plant catalogue online at www.schram.ie. People can browse at leisure through all of the varieties, which are catagorised extensively by colour, height and size, to help find a suitable plant for your garden. Follow Schram Plants on Facebook or Twitter for up to date seasonal gardening information, advice and tips.

Thursday 3 November 2011

Introduction

Welcome to Schram Plants blog.
We are an Irish, wholesale nursery, supplying plants to Irish Garden Centres. We specialise in Herbaceous Perennials, Herbs, Alpines, Grasses, Ferns and Bamboos.
With this blog we wish to teach some basic gardening tips, tricks and when to carry these out so you too can have a fantastic looking garden. Gardening doesn't need to be difficult or take up a lot of your time. Check out the blog from time to time to keep in touch with our gardening tips.
We will also suggest many plants that we feel no garden should be without, and how to care for these.
Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to get our regular updates.
Also check out the website to see a complete range of plants we supply and check here to find local garden centres in your area. So keep in touch as we will let you know of regular new plants to the market.