Bowden Hostas is granted a Royal Warrant from HRH Prince of Wales to supply Hostas to the Royal household.

Timothy Penrose is honoured that Bowden Hostas has recently been granted a Royal Warrant from HRH The Prince of Wales, for Hosta Cultivation, the only Hosta company in the worldThe Royal Warrant to Bowden Hostas from HRH Prince Charles that has been granted this prestigious honour.

Timothy acquired Bowden Hostas in 2004 from his father-in-law, but is delighted that he and his team are continuing the family tradition of gaining RHS Gold Medals and have just been awarded their eleventh gold medal since acquiring the business. Bowden’s continued with their veritable ‘gold run’ at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show with (they think) the help of ‘Bishop George Bell', their new hosta.

TIMOTHY PENROSE – A ‘POTTED’ HISTORY

We are used to the term of entrepreneur especially with the many business programmes which currently grace our screens, ranging from Dragons Den to The Apprentice. But Tim Penrose, of Bowden Hostas, is one of the rare breeds of entrepreneurs. He is passionate about his projects he undertakes and this is reflected by the fact that he succeeds in developing and improving companies along the way.

Tim as a funeral director in his younger days.
Let us start with Timothy at the tender age of nineteen – he was managing a funeral home and by the age of twenty one he was running three funeral homes in the Home Counties. After spending seven years in the funeral directing world he looked for another challenge to literally whet his appetite.

His next challenge was in 1990. He was aware that there were culinary needs that were just not catered for in Birmingham where he was living, so he started "Hudson's", a small sandwich shop. Over the first two years, he worked in every area and built the turnover up to over one third of a million, winning in 1993 the "Egon Ronay Tea House Of The Year in the United Kingdom".

Awards followed awards - including being on the front cover of a book detailing the world's best Coffee Houses (Hudson’s was the only British entry) and in 2002, small expansion by the opening of a satellite cafe nearby Hudson's - an exclusive Coffee House premises. By this time, the Coffee House income was being supplemented by the addition of a Gourmet Food Shop, Outside Catering, Cheese Talks, Business Presentations, Restaurant Consultancy, Mail Order Food and a full on line internet food shop. He also appeared in his first television appearance with BBC’s Claire Balding on “House Call In The Country”.

In 2003, Tim Penrose, his wife Ruth, a fellow director of the company, and his two daughters, Anna and Ellen moved to Exbourne, a small village in South West Devon. A further child, Felicity, arrived in May 2003.

THE NEXT CHALLENGE!

Timothy eventually decided that commuting from Birmingham, running his food emporium, to Devon running the Hosta company, on his trusted BMW motorbike was becoming too much. So he decided to sellBowden Hostas having an airing on the BBC courtesy of Carol Klein at the 2007 Chelsea Flower Show Hudson’s to dedicate his time to running the family business and has injected his enthusiasm and passion into Bowden Hostas and has subsequently made the business a thriving concern.

THE FINAL FRONTIER? TIMOTHY PENROSE IN THE MEDIA

The memorable publicity stunt to advertise the launch of Tim's book 'Slugbusters'
Timothy has written three books two from his gourmet foodie days and one horticultural one entitled ‘Slugbusters’ which he memorably launched at the 2005 Chelsea Flower Show chasing a slug around the Flower Show encountering Christopher Biggins and Ringo Starr on the way!

Tim is a popular speaker who will is appearing at the NEC Gardener’s World question and answer forum and will be giving lectures at RHS shows in the near future. He will also continue the Bowden’s legacy of growing and supplying the finest hostas and will continue to write about his passion in gardening magazines.

This year 2008 at the RHS Malvern Spring Flower Show and Chelsea Flower Show, Tim received a Gold medal for the Bowden Hostas display stand in the Floral Marquees.

INTRODUCING ‘BISHOP GEORGE BELL’

For Chelsea, Bowden Hostas is
launched a new hosta ‘Bishop George Bell’, in conjunction with
Chichester Flower Festival, in aid of its Restoration Fund, and was
delighted that Patricia Routledge attended onPatricia Routledge with the newly launched Hosta 'Bishop George Bell' from Bowden Hostas.: This was at this year's Chelsea Flower Show (2008) preview day.
For more information about Chichester Cathedral log on to
www.chichestercathedral.co.uk.

‘Bishop George Bell’ will grow
eventually to three feet in height and has a spread of 4 feet. The
leaves are lime green with a rippled edge and ribbed backs. The
hosta featured on the Bowden Hostas stand in the Grand Floral
Marquee with traditional hand made willow hurdles and gate divided by a sea of hostas.

A book with a memorable name needs a memorable logo.