‘Otterly’ beautiful Wrendale design marks 60th anniversary

Otter Garden Centres has collaborated with a popular designer to produce an exclusive limited edition Royal Worcester mug as part of celebrations for its 60th anniversary.

The pretty design is the creation of Hannah Dale, the talented artist behind the well-known, award-winning Wrendale brand, which produces greeting cards, stationery and giftware.

Hannah said: “I was excited to be asked to conceive the artwork for Otter Garden Centres special mug. The brief was to try and paint something that spoke about family while taking inspiration from a Coleridge poem and of course, the otter. I loved working on this and am so pleased with how the finished mug has turned out.”

The main focus of her charming creation is a characterful otter with its family, framed by some delicate forget-me-nots. The flowers are a nod to the famous Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge who was born in Ottery St Mary where Otter Garden Centres also began. One of Coleridge’s best known poems The Keepsake features the tiny blue flowers, which symbolize true love.

There’s more too, as, in keeping with Hannah’s traditional style, the back of the mug has a smaller cameo illustration of a cheeky little otter popping its head out of the water, which the team like to think symbolizes the River Otter which runs alongside the garden centre.

Managing Director, Jacqui Taylor said: “We want to say a huge thank you to Hannah. We’ve been stocking her delightful designs at our garden centres for a long time, and they are always a big hit with customers.

“We feel this is a really special way to mark our anniversary, collaborating with a renowned British artist using prestigious Royal Worcester fine bone china to produce a truly homegrown product that celebrates our connection with wildlife, the environment, and, of course, the plants we grow.”

The business will be running a variety of events across the year to celebrate its milestone anniversary, including an ambitious commitment to carry out 60 good deeds across the year, which will include supporting local community and school gardens.

Otter Garden Centres began in 1964 when founders Malcolm and Marilyn White set up on a plot of land in Gosford Road, selling plants from their mobile home and supplying local markets. The Ottery St Mary Centre is now one of the largest garden centres in the UK. There are now six other garden centres, in Torbay, Plymouth, Bishopsteignton, Taunton, Wincanton and Lymington, as well as three nurseries where Otter grows around 80 percent of the plants it sells. The business has always been family-run, bringing a personal and familiar touch to its loyal customer base.

Jacqui added: “We’ve now reached a fourth generation of family members since Otter was founded – and although the latest members are too young to work here, we hope they’ll join us once they reach working age!

"Many customers have shared memories of our garden centres in the early years. Some of them first visited with their grandparents and they’re now bringing their own children when they come.”

600 of the limited edition mugs have already been distributed to team members at all seven of Otter’s branches. It is now also available to buy instore for just £12.99.