Crowders Nurseries was established in 1798
Robert started in 1977 when the business was expanding to fulfil demand from the New Town Development Corporations. He continued to grow the business, steering it through many changes in policy, governments and recessions, until it was acquired by RSK Group in June 2023. The business will continue under the leadership of Simon Hawtin and James Carter as joint managing directors.
Reflecting on the industry over the course of his career, Robert said: “Of course many things have changed over the last 48 years in the way we conduct business, manage our information systems and communicate with clients and suppliers. But fundamentally, the way we grow plants and trees has changed very little. Productivity has increased as mechanisation and technology have enabled efficiencies, but the growing skills needed to produce quality planting stock are still handed down through the generations and will continue for the foreseeable future.
“Artificial fertilisers and chemical pesticides have replaced their organic predecessors, but there is now a trend back to the old ways as we have become more environmentally conscious. The future is bright as trees and plants are increasingly being used for climate change mitigation. The UK has less tree cover than anywhere in Europe, and the government has recently launched a Tree Planting Taskforce to oversee the planting of millions of trees across the UK to meet our collective net zero targets.”
In addition to running the nursery business, Robert held many posts within the horticulture and landscape industries:
- Chairman, Joint Hardy Nursery Stock Committee (Horticultural Trades Association (HTA)/National Farmers’ Union (NFU))
- Treasurer/board member, British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI)
- Council member, HTA
- UK representative, European Nurserymen’s Association
- Committee member, NFU Horticultural Executive
- Chairman, British Hardiplants
- Chairman, Agricultural Training Board Management Training Centre
- UK member, European Commission simpler legislation in the internal market (SLIM) team
Here at Crowders, we wish Robert all the best for the future.