75. Patch

Founders: Freddie Blackett
Founded: December 2015
Website: www.patch.garden

It was whilst trying to turn the “bare, unloved balcony” in his new house into an urban garden he “could be proud of” that Freddie Blackett realised there was no online destination for aspiring but clueless horticulturalists.

So in December 2015 he founded Patch, an online garden centre that helps consumers discover the best plants for them and delivers to their door, catering to people who are relatively inexperienced when it comes to flora.

Since launch the company has worked with more than 2,000 customers across London; whether they’re looking to brighten up their balconies, terraces, window sills or indoor spaces. Users can search for plants by different types of room, as well as contemporary, classical, exotic and oriental plants for outdoor spaces and buy specialist pots to house them in.

Significantly, a number of major brands have also turned to Patch to help make their offices more “homely and pleasant” including Google, MADE.com, Jamie Oliver and Tilt. For Christmas 2016 the platform launched its first ever Christmas tree offering, which attracted a flood of orders and its biggest logistical challenge to date – the busiest day saw it deliver 430 trees across London!

The next year will see Patch continue to nurture its growth, by focusing on developing its specialist team and making sure it continues to align itself to customer needs, as well as sourcing a greater number of suppliers and ever more exciting indoor and outdoor plant species.

Blackett says his ultimate ambition is to “become the leading e-tailer in the online gardening world and to enable city dwellers everywhere to create incredible gardens and indoor spaces filled with foliage”.