The Story
A Young Man With A Potty Passion
Welcome! My name is Thomas, though many call me Tom Pots.
Tom's Yard exists to bring you premium quality terracotta pots, backed up by the most passionate service one can deliver. I'm a big believer in doing business the proper way; So if you ever need me, you can contact me directly on 07557 902675.
I started Tom's Yard at 23, totally new to Horticulture, and in that time quite a lot has changed. I never thought I'd see my pots on television, nor in some of the gardens I've gone on to visit... and if you said I'd one day be in the Young Horticulturalist of the Year Awards, I'd probably laugh!
In the time I've been going I've been very fortunate to supply pots to outdoor spaces of all shapes & sizes. From city balconies & sprawling private estates to major hotels & boutique showrooms, my pots have wound up all over > with some even heading abroad.
Tom's Yard first started importing terracotta pots from Crete in an overgrown compound in semi-rural Herefordshire. The early days, I must admit, were very hard. But looking back I like to think that if I managed to get this off the ground then, now it's possible to achieve anything. If I could give anyone looking to start a business some advice, it would be don't do it during a Pandemic!
Fast forward and in 2023 the business took a large leap forwards. Firstly, I expanded my range by importing a new collection of premium terracotta pots from Italy.
Then I made the jump and moved into Tom's Yard 2.0. This brand-new compound on a local farm was larger, easier to access and ultimately proved far more suitable to meet the needs of the growing business.
Now, writing this at the end of 2024, I look back and I'm amazed at how far the business has come... and I'm very excited for the future. I won't always get it right - but, by gum, I'll try my best!
Outside Work
I'm happy to say that I'm an Industry Coordinator for the YPHA - Young People in Horticulture Association. The body now holds over 700 members across Britain and is a fantastic group for bringing together and celebrating young people working in Horticulture. If you know of anyone, do get them to sign up - it's great and 2024 is looking to be an exciting year.
Through the business and my close proximity to a local garden, The Laskett Gardens, I'm a Perennial Partner. Perennial is the UK’s only charity dedicated to those who work in horticulture, and their families, when times get tough. The Gardeners’ Benevolent Institution (now Perennial) was founded in 1839 and still exists today in the aim to carry out it's mission to support all of those who work in Horticulture.
A Bit About Me
From a young age I've been raised in Herefordshire and it's a county I passionately love. The landscape and the people make it such a marvellous place to be. I'm certainly an outdoorsy person, enjoying walks with our dogs, picking wild berries and making all sorts of concoctions in glass jars stored around our cottage.
After finishing my studies at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, the 'RAU' (or even the RAC to some!), I headed back home to join the family home interiors business. Selling furniture, paints and flooring (as I had done for the past 10+ years), I've always enjoyed helping people. In fact, when I was younger I dreamed of becoming a butler.
After returning home I eventually spread my wings and went off to work with Europe's largest retailer of Decorative Antiques and Garden Ornaments. Running their main Tetbury showroom, I was immersed into the world of period and decorative antique furniture. It was here that I developed my knowledge as I assisted Private Clients, Interior Designers and Dealers from around the globe in their hunt for beautiful and authentic pieces.
Outside Work
Outside work I'm a keen reader, regularly going through books on gardening (specifically garden history). History has always been a topic that intrigues me and I'm slowly getting round to writing my first book. Watch this space!
Gardens aside, I'm an active member of Hereford Round Table. A local charity fundraising money with the aim to distribute funds around local causes. Here's the gang at our 2023 Rock The Barn fundraiser. That year we raised tens of thousands of pounds for local causes around Herefordshire. Something I'm very proud and passionate about.
Many people say that I never stop... I probably agree!
