progressive biophilic design – our story
proudly planting since 1974
a family business
we’re the uk’s leading independent supplier and creators of green biophilic installations both live and artificial.
operating in a competitive environment, what sets us apart from similar businesses is our personal care and attention to the detail.
i want plants’ core objective has always been ‘placing plants closer to people’ and in the early days our founder keith rowlands, was one of the first to pioneer a ‘commercial’ plant-rental service.
back then we were known as ‘Interior Plantscapes’.
since then and over the last four decades we have installed biophilic planting schemes in communal workspaces, offices, hotels, restaurants, bars, airports, care homes and more.
and our business model has evolved to reflect planting design trends and our product services expanded too – including the proud invention of our unique (uk design registered and patent pending), living wall system, HYVERT.
i want plants couldn’t be more ‘biophilic’ and with every live project we complete, we’re helping to make the environment healthier and greener.
company founders, keith and vivienne rowlands
1974
originally known as interior plantscapes, our hq (then in chester), having a spot of new double-glazing
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keith and vivienne's son, richard (now our managing director) watching some vintage vehicle signage taking place
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first company vehicle, fully branded
'plant design, sales, rental and maintenance'
A core business service which continues to this day
'plant design, sales, rental and maintenance'
A core business service which continues to this day
1981
keith taking delivery of some freshly imported plants
the same fantastic working relationships with both dutch and italian suppliers are still going strong
the same fantastic working relationships with both dutch and italian suppliers are still going strong
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finding our next hq!
originally a derelict barn, complete with four-acre field, it was love at first sight
originally a derelict barn, complete with four-acre field, it was love at first sight
2006
barn conversion complete and our new (and current) hq was ready to move into
2009
our company name and brand evolves over the years along with our extensive horticultural expertise and understanding
expertise which passes from one generation to the next
expertise which passes from one generation to the next
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first company rebrand to i want plants and i want trees
2015
i want trees (IWT) was a specialist division of i want plants creating instant gardens for private clients using 8m tall trees and hedges
We owe a lot of our large-scale plant handling knowledge to IWT and we still implement IWT methodology within our major live projects today
We owe a lot of our large-scale plant handling knowledge to IWT and we still implement IWT methodology within our major live projects today
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the i want plants team continues to grow - we may not all be related but our love for all things green always connects us
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there's another bold pink company rebrand as we merge i want plants and i want trees together to form one simple and memorable company name and logo, i want plants
2020
our HYVERT Living Wall System is launched
Keith and son, Richard standing in the fore of our first major HYVERT project
Keith and son, Richard standing in the fore of our first major HYVERT project
2021
our knowledge transfer partnership (ktp) with manchester metropolitan university is formed
a truly monumental moment in the company's history which has enabled
us to forge ahead with our science led green infrastructure
image: our md richard and our scientific research & development lead, joseph
check out our youtube channel (foot of page) for the full story behind our HYVERT noise abatement experiment at the warehouse project manchester
a truly monumental moment in the company's history which has enabled
us to forge ahead with our science led green infrastructure
image: our md richard and our scientific research & development lead, joseph
check out our youtube channel (foot of page) for the full story behind our HYVERT noise abatement experiment at the warehouse project manchester
2021
a strong supplier partnership is formed when we teamed up with the worlds finest fixings company, hilti
using hilti 'fixings' and expertise for every HYVERT project ensures the highest levels of safety and reliability are adhered to
using hilti 'fixings' and expertise for every HYVERT project ensures the highest levels of safety and reliability are adhered to
2021
desire to constantly improve our esg performance means we continually upgrade our vehicle fleet at every available opportunity
we were delighted to take delivery of our first ev vehicle back in 2022
we were delighted to take delivery of our first ev vehicle back in 2022
2022
we now have a team of forty staff, ranging from plant-care technicians, living wall production specialists, bespoke projects and tree builders, nursery staff, visual merchandisers, florists, fifteen office staff and two office dogs
2023
based from our headquarters in south manchester, today our project work takes us across the uk and i want plants hq is complete with offices, showroom, custom fabrication for projects, HYVERT living wall production site and commercial nursery
2024
I Want Plants - the third generation. Richard's eldest son Max joins the family business, including a trip to one of our European suppliers in Holland.
2024
Constantly evolving, in the Spring of 2024, we installed our first ever living green roof, 'HYVERT Surface'.
And just like our original HYVERT product, HYVERT Surface sets itself apart from more usual sedum green roofs by including carefully selected wild flowers and shrubs too.
And just like our original HYVERT product, HYVERT Surface sets itself apart from more usual sedum green roofs by including carefully selected wild flowers and shrubs too.
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i want plants company directors, richard rowlands (managing director) and jessica rowlands (design director)
Richard, focussed on the positive environmental impact the company can make and leading with clarity
Jessica, creatively steering the company's continued growth and esteemed reputation
they are the driving force at the heart of I Want Plants instilling a company culture where every employee feels heard and valued and has the opportunity to professionally grow with the business
Richard, focussed on the positive environmental impact the company can make and leading with clarity
Jessica, creatively steering the company's continued growth and esteemed reputation
they are the driving force at the heart of I Want Plants instilling a company culture where every employee feels heard and valued and has the opportunity to professionally grow with the business
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placing plants closer to people since 1974 and driven in our belief that promoting and implementing sustainable biophilic design and green Infrastructure within the built environment will play a key role in reducing negative environmental impact and make cities and urban spaces healthier for all
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2025 and we reached a huge milestone; we're a 50 year old family business!
50 years of placing plants closer to people. 50 years of horticultural expertise. 50 years of progressive biophilic design. 50 years ahead!
50 years of placing plants closer to people. 50 years of horticultural expertise. 50 years of progressive biophilic design. 50 years ahead!
2025
A new addition to our fleet, our multitel 'elevated aftercare' vehicle, equipped to help our plant aftercare technicians inspect and care for our HYVERT living wall installations at height and up close.
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We expand our site presence beyond our nursery HQ and launch our Plant Service Hub in the centre of Manchester. Helping us to lower our carbon footprint within the city centre by providing a base for our plant aftercare team to work from. A pilot scheme which we plan to roll out to other major cities in which we operate.
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To reflect HYVERT’s continued evolution and it’s USP, ‘science based green infrastructure’, in July, we proudly unveiled a bold new name and logo which affirms HYVERT’s advanced technological direction - HYVERT.AI - AI powered vertical green walls.
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