Poplars is an independent family run business with strong, local knowledge. Situated just off the M1 at Junction 12, we are ideally located for all your home & gardening needs. Our motto of quality, value, choice & service begins the very moment you drive into our car park and our aim is that you will leave having received the best of each! With a vibrant and enthusiastic Management team striving to bring you, our valued customer, the best products available and the knowledge to go with it. We are constantly sourcing new and exciting lines to keep up to date with the latest trends. Belonging to both the HTA and the GCA, we undergo regular audits to meet the highest standards, which means you can enjoy having one of Britain’s best Garden Centres right on your doorstep.

Over 120 years ago Jesse Little left his job as foreman in charge of growing grapes at Thomas Rochfords nursery near Cheshunt and bought a piece of land at Leagrave, which was then a village several miles from Luton. He built a new glasshouse nursery on land where Nappsbury Road now stands and grew tomatoes, cucumbers and chrysanthemums. He prospered becoming chairman of Biscot Parish Council and then an alderman of the Borough of Luton. As his sons came of age he built a new nursery for each of them, one of them here at Toddington on 13 acres of land he bought for £650 in 1924.

Sidney Little, his eldest son, was put in charge of the new nursery and grew the first crops in 1926 making a profit of  £343-5s-9d. The nursery employed four men each earning a little over £2 per week. By the Second World War the nursery had expanded to one and a half acres of glasshouses, heated by seven boilers. The labour force had grown to seven but wages were still below £3 a week. In 1965 Jesse’s grandson John joined the business, fresh from obtaining a degree in Horticultural Science from the University of Reading. The nursery was looking tired and after the disastrous failure of a new heating system the decision was taken in 1968 to change the focus of the business and open a Garden Centre. The first shop was a converted glasshouse of just 550 sq ft, then three of the old cucumber houses were roofed over to give 2000 sq ft of shop. With the building of Milton Keynes a second hand wide span glasshouse became available and this was used to create a 6000 sq ft shop and part of that building remains in use today. By 1988 further building had increased the shop to 8000 sq ft when on the Saturday before Easter a terrible fire destroyed half of the shop and all the offices. Amazingly the business survived and turnover in fact equalled the previous year. In 1989 building began on new premises to replace and extend what had been burnt and to make room for Poplars Pantry – our first restaurant. Those buildings of about 22,000 sq ft remain in use today but with continued growth in customer numbers and ever more space required for product in 2003 it was decided to extend even further.

In March 2006 we therefore opened a spectacular new shopping area, which has been received with equal acclaim by customers and the rest of the Garden Centre industry. In March 2010 our latest development opened where we can showcase an even greater range of garden furniture, BBQs, hot tubs & leisure accessories (From October to January this whole area is transformed into a Winter Wonderland. In March 2016 the Restaurant at Poplars was opened. With seating for over 350 diners the new restaurant features a fantastic hot counter, lite bites counter & Little Beans coffee shop. Scones are baked in store daily along with breakfast, lunch and afternoon teas.

Since 2009 Poplars are consistently ranked in the top ten of best UK Garden Centres, which has spurred the current management team (led by Jesse Little’s great-grandson David and great-grand daughter Zoe) to strive for even higher standards.

Behind every great business are the people who help make it great!  Here are our team of Directors, Managers and Supervisors to tell you what working here means to them! Don’t forget to say hello when you see them in store!

John Little
Chairman

“I delight in the smiles of our staff and the positive attitude they bring to their work. Many of our customers have become friends and we love to see different generations of the same family visiting. I really believe Poplars fills an important need in the local community”.

Bridget Little
Director

“I am still involved in the business and spend my time shuffling paper! We have such lovely staff. They all give me such a warm welcome and I hope that they feel part of our family, which they certainly are”.

David Little
Managing Director

“The two things I like the most are the people and the coffee. I have a great team of people who work with me and lovely customers too! Gardeners really are among the happiest people on this earth”

Zoe Goodhand
Director & Gift Buyer

“I am really proud of how our family business has grown. Our many loyal staff & customers have all helped to make Poplars the success it is today. Long may it continue!”.

Colin Goodhand
Director & Shop Manager

“I am responsible for the purchasing of all horticultural products and I also assist with Christmas buying. No two days are ever the same at the garden centre and every day brings a new surprise or challenge!”

Jack Goodhand
Business Development Manager

“I get involved in all sorts of projects around the business and enjoy seeing the positive effects that my work has on the team and on the experience that customers have with us. I’m proud to work alongside my family in the business that I have been surrounded by my whole life and hope to continue improving the business during my time here.”

Zoe Allen
Garden Sundries Supervisor

“I worked on the Information Desk when I first joined Poplars. It was here I gained the knowledge and experience to be able to progress to Garden Sundries Supervisor”

David Young
Plant Area Manager

“A passion for plants makes leading the plant team at Poplars a great job. Sourcing the best quality plants and the knowledge to back it up has helped us become an award winning Plant Area along the way”.

Aaron Piper
Plant Area Supervisor

“The best part of my job is working outdoors throughout the different seasons, amongst the many varieties of plants & helping our customers with their purchases so they can enjoy their gardens”.

Laura Dring 
Gift & Leisure Supervisor

“I enjoy bringing the different seasons to life within the gift and leisure departments through our eye-catching displays and merchandising. I work with a great team of people who make coming to work all the more enjoyable.”

Mikala Jackson 
Epos Manager

“I first joined Poplars in November 2007 as a weekend till operator. After a year, I worked in both the gift and leisure departments before happily taking on the role of Epos Administrator in May 2014 and then became Epos Manager in 2021. Poplars really is a wonderful place to work and I am very lucky that I get to work with some of the best people around.”

Gareth Mackey
Catering Services Manager

“Working in a garden centre gives such a wonderful variety to my working day. I believe that the restaurant is the beating heart of our business. I love hearing the buzz and laughter of our guests enjoying their time with us but nothing gives me greater pleasure than the satisfied look that comes with a full tummy!…. PS never trust a thin Restaurant Manager!”

Alison Hill
Restaurant Front of House Manager

“I warmly welcome all our customers into our friendly restaurant.  I have witnessed many changes but one thing that remains the same is the loyalty of our customers who come through our doors”.

Alison Andrews
Restaurant Front of House Supervisor

“I like to keep busy and love a challenge! When the restaurant opened in March 2016, I really did appreciate the loyalty and patience of our customers during some turbulent times!”.

Harry Goodhand
Head Chef