In Conversation with John Chambers’ Georgia Gilbert
Off the back of a new rebrand, John Chambers’ head of wildflower digs into how the refresh will accelerate the brand in the year ahead
Can you tell us about the John Chambers rebrand, and the inspiration behind that decision?
We were previously called John Chambers Wildflower Seeds, but we sell a wide range of wildflower products, so we made the strategic decision to rebrand as John Chambers Wildflowers to better reflect the brand.
The rebrand is much more than a name change – John Chambers has a strong heritage and credibility, but historically, the brand has been perceived as a traditional wildflower seed supplier.
Over the last decade, the market has changed significantly, and we are now seeing sustained demand for specification-led, compliant wildflower solutions linked to biodiversity net gain, SuDS, green roofs, and the wider blue-green infrastructure.
The rebrand reflects the reality of what we do today: advising on habitat creation, supporting decision-making at the design and pre-planning stages, and developing tailored solutions that perform in the long term.
What sets John Chambers apart in the current market?
We position ourselves as an ecology-led wildflower specialist built for specification and scale. The team is very experienced, and our role is to reduce risk for specifiers and delivery teams by providing the right seed, the right technical guidance and the confidence that schemes will establish successfully.
About a third of our work involves creating bespoke mixes. That reflects the reality of modern projects, where sites are complex and outcomes must be evidenced. We assess soil profiles, exposure, maintenance requirements, and ecological objectives, then develop appropriate wildflower mixes.
Fundamentally, we take an advisory approach rather than a product-driven one.
You have a Master’s degree in landscape architecture; do you find this helps you in your role?
It means I have a clearer understanding of how landscape architects approach projects and the complexity of balancing ecology, planning, design and delivery. That insight helps us provide more relevant technical support at the right stage of a scheme.
Understanding the full design process and the importance of site context enables me to translate our advice into specification focused language that aligns with performance, compliance and planning requirements.
It has also been valuable in bridging the gap between landscape architects and ecologists, particularly around biodiversity net gain, ensuring our wildflower solutions are both ecologically robust and deliverable on site.
As well as bespoke mixtures, what other services does John Chambers offer?
Technical support and knowledge sharing are central to the brand. We deliver CPDs aimed primarily at landscape architects and specifiers, covering preparation, specification, establishment and long-term management.
We are also expanding our written technical guidance, with a stronger focus on five and 10-year performance rather than short-term establishment alone.
We have also invested in our own half-acre trial area near our offices. It includes 10 plots of our wildflower mixtures across different growing media.
This allows clients to see different habitat mixes performing across varying substrates and conditions, which is invaluable when discussing specifications and expectations on live projects
Can you share some of what 2026 has in store for John Chambers?
We will be significantly more visible and engaged. That includes training days with contractors and delivery partners, a programme of webinars timed around key points in the sowing and maintenance calendar, and more direct engagement with clients working in land management and restoration.
Wildflowers play a critical role in delivering biodiversity and climate resilience. You can expect the team to hit the road, visiting existing customers and new contacts, and raising standards across the industry through better specifications and improved long-term outcomes
For more information, visit: johnchamberswildflowers.co.uk