Flagship Jardinerie Garden Centre reports that consumer confidence is high in the Swindon area with bumper sales in November and December.

This is bucking the trend for such outlets and reflects the go-ahead approach of the centre's parent company, Blooms of Bressingham, which acquired six Jardin-erie stores earlier this year.

The Swindon outlet was very much the star performer when the company reported first half sales of £9.6 million, treble that of the period the previous year.

Part of Jardinerie's strategy for success is to be within 25 minutes drive of the majority of its customers. The proof this strategy was evident when in November Jardinerie held three open evenings each attended by 700 people.

Bob Sawyer, Jardinerie's manager at Wroughton, said: "Our success is based on the excellent reputation we have built up over the past seven years.

"Naturally we try to improve our standards and this year we have some really good displays and the Santa's grotto is proving to be a runaway hit with the youngsters.

"But with the attractive life style goods available here, Jardinerie is beginning to even out the seasonal variations in sales which is common to many garden centres."

There are six Jardinerie plant centres in the UK, all part of Blooms of Bressing-ham Holdings which specialises in plant retailing and plant development.

The company now has other sites across southern England and Wales at Bress-ingham, Bicester, Guildford, Windsor, Peterborough, Reigate Cheltenham, Soli-hull, Gloucester, Stoken-church, Swindon and Cardiff in South Wales.