About Us

Garden Solutions is based at Ballencrieff Farm, Longniddry, where since 1971 the Playfair family have farmed. Initially growing wheat, barley, potatoes, turnips and, cabbages alongside rearing calves for a period. Contractors were used in the early years to help with the combining and with a shortage of contractors on the market in 1979 John Playfair decided to start his own contracting business – John Playfair Agricultural Contractor.

The contracting business took off and as well as conventional farm contracting, such as grain combining and potato planting and harvesting the opportunity came to work with an opencast coal mine, helping restore the land back to agricultural standards over a period of 15 years. The business was then then approached by a local processor to handle both liquid and solid waste (draff) from the malting process. Then becoming involved with a local mushroom producer to remove their spent compost which was used on the farm to condition the soil. The spent compost and draff provides a good source of humus as well as a source of fertiliser. Since usage of these products began on the farm, large areas of clay soil have been eliminated resulting in the soil being graded by the Scottish Agricultural College as “extraordinarily fertile”. For many years now no artificial fertilisers have been used at the farm during the growing of the cereal crops, yet first class yields are still produced.

Seeing the benefit of these products on our own land the business started supplying other farms and a local company who used it to create a small range of composts for sale to gardeners. In 2008 we were approached, with a view to buying over this company. This came to fruition and Garden Solutions was incorporated into John Playfair Agricultural Contractor and has been developed in its own right ever since.

Over time the contracting and farming side of the business has naturally scaled back and today we are mainly involved in wheat and barley growing and continuing to work with the malting and mushroom companies. At the same time Garden Solutions has become busier and busier; developing new products, increasing the size options of product available and the delivery areas that we cover.

The knowledge gained over the years on the farm and from other agricultural and horticultural backgrounds of the team, the business has been able to develop further the range of composts that came as part of the original business. We have also created a larger range of composts and mulches suitable to see your garden through the full growing cycle and beyond.

As our range of products increased as did our delivery area and the number of customers that use our products. We mainly deliver in Scotland but have covered the land from Orkney in the north down to Surry in the south of England.

Over the years we have built a large group of professionals who continue to return to use our products including National Trust for Scotland, Local Authority areas (including Edinburgh & Glasgow), Specialist Growers, Landscape Contractors, Local Independent Garden Centres, Allotment and Garden Club Societies.

Year by year the seasons change slightly alongside gardening trends and needs and with this in mind, here at Garden Solutions we will always look to provide the best type of product allowing you to get the best from your garden.

As we always say if you want a fabulous looking garden with full bloom flowers, succulent fruit and delicious vegetables you must work from the soil up!