A FAMILY-owned horticultural business will be coming to Wokingham, offering residents a new place to enjoy plants, flowers and gifts.

Squires Garden Centres has recently purchased Heathlands Garden Centre and employees are assured they will be keeping their jobs.

The garden centre will offer a wide selection of plants, garden products and gifts and families can enjoy an indoor play area with a cafe and free customer parking.

All 33 employees will continue to work for Squires, including the Manager Graham and Petunia the resident cat.

Sarah Squire, chairman of Squire's, said: "We are delighted to welcome Heathlands to Squire’s Garden Centres.

"As a family business, firmly rooted in south-west London and nearby home counties, Heathlands is an excellent addition to our group and will be known as Squire’s in Wokingham.

"We will be making improvements to the garden centre over time, but we like our garden centres to be different and have their own unique character.

"We look forward to working with the team at the centre and really getting to know and understand the local community.”

The family-owned business has 16 garden centres across Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex and North London and will be holding a clearance sale for all of its Heathlands products.

Anthony Jones, chief operating officer at Wyevale Garden Centre, said: "We are delighted to have sold Heathlands Centre to a highly respected operator, and that it will continue to be run as a garden centre.

"I would like to take the opportunity to thank our colleagues at Heathlands who have been so instrumental in making it the brilliant operation it is today and wish them all the best under new ownership.”