Give Your Garden The Stripes It Deserves
With more of us discovering the benefits of glorious green spaces, gardeners big and small are reaping the benefits of a family company renowned for its equipment, expertise, and exceptional customer service, writes Kate Bowyer. Photography: Kirsten Platt
With spring sprung and summer just around the corner, it’s definitely ‘step into the garden’ time. We all want to spend more time enjoying al fresco dining, sitting and socialising than slogging behind a mower, which is exactly where lawn experts Mowerpower come in.
Based in Claughton-on-Brock, just outside Garstang, the garden equipment specialists have over 70 years’ expertise sourcing, supplying and servicing every clever gadget to keep your Eden idyllic.
“People simply fell in love with their gardens during lockdowns,” says Mowerpower owner and green-stripe supremo David Webster, whose great-grandfather founded the family business in 1948. “They’ve become important places to meet with friends, relax and recharge in nature and fresh air.”
Mowerpower’s substantial showroom bursts with every kind of quality garden machine imaginable, from Countax ride-on mowers to Stihl hedge trimmers. Having approved retailer status with all the top manufacturers of garden equipment, including Hayter, Mountfield, ATCO, Stiga, Echo and Masport means customers can be assured of the best range, choice, expertise, and aftercare service.
“Some customers mention cheaper mowers they’ve seen elsewhere, but, quite rightly, they’re concerned about parts,” advises David. “With a lack of spare parts available for these machines, if they go wrong, they are literally beyond repair. If you have to buy another two years later, that’s false economy. We only sell machines that we can easily source spare parts and service ourselves, keeping them match-fit to cope with decades of hard labour!”
David used lockdown to expand and relaunch the company’s website. An inviting, ‘power-toy’-packed resource, it’s become a valuable tool for customers and staff alike: “People love browsing from the comfort of their own sofa. Some like the ease of being able to click to buy online, others ring for a more detailed chat, or come in, especially with large machinery or specific needs, there’s nothing like getting a bit hands-on. And with thousands of products in stock and available to order, the website means I don’t have to rely on memory for the finer details!”
There’s also nothing like Mowerpower’s 70 years of accumulated expertise. Whether you want knife-sharp stripes, to wrestle an unruly overgrown jungle under control, or have acres of lawn stretching off to the horizon, David’s friendly team know exactly the questions to ask to get the right match between customers and machine.
Using state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, Websters’ busy team of full-time mechanics can service and repair most machines within days, part of their famously comprehensive aftercare service.
They also keep up to speed with the latest technology and customer trends. “People are discovering the professionals’ secret for maintaining beautiful, low-maintenance lawns: Scarifying,” observes David. “This means removing debris like grass cuttings and moss, which can choke the grass and leave it dry, patchy, and even dead.”
“The new generation of scarifiers from manufacturers like ALKO, Stihl, Stiga and Eliet easily and effectively remove this waste, encouraging new growth and resulting in a greener, denser, healthier lawn, virtually overnight. They’re real gamechangers.”
From hand-tools of a few pounds and easily manoeuvrable lawnmowers for small plots, right up to £10,000 ride-ons, David and the team have something for everyone. Their customers range from weekend trimmers to professional gardeners and landscapers, and commercial and council contractors to the specialist needs of schools, sport clubs, churches, care homes and caravan parks.
“Some need hardworking equipment that needs to be as unobtrusive to their customers or tenants as possible,” says David. “So we’ve supplied robotic, programmable and self-guided equipment which is virtually silent, and will happily work throughout the night – residents say it’s like magic when they look out in the morning!”
It’s not just commercial outfits seeking the latest technology. “Spending more time at home instead of jetting off on holiday means many of us have the desire and cash to invest in making our garden a real ‘extra room’,” observes David. “Cordless machinery is definitely the hot ticket: It’s safer, lighter, and more versatile.” Not just hedge trimmers: literally cutting-edge cordless electric mowers like the Hayter Hawk, available to suit all size plots, give up to an hour of perfect stripes on a single charge.
Moving to their Brock showroom in 2016 allowed Mowerpower to expand their ranges, workshops for speedy aftercare, and offer easy access to customers from across the North West. However, it remains very much a family affair, with David hands on from website to workshop, and his mother and father Richard and Lynn still very much involved.
And how about David’s home turf? “All I’ll say is that my wife has got used to my excuses: that when the grass needs cutting at home, everyone else’s does too, and as it’s our busiest time of year, work comes first!”
Keeping busy is something David clearly relishes, but it’s all about working smart, as he leaves me with a last top tip: “With a little organisation and the right tools, your garden can be a vital, beautiful part of your living space. Don’t leave it to the last minute: get started now and you’ll find it much easier to keep on top of it all with less effort. Then during the summer months, sit back, relax, and enjoy.”
Mowerpower Ltd.
Garstang Road, Claughton-on-Brock
Preston PR3 0RB
01995 643999
mowerpower.co.uk
