Gardening company, Dig, has secured a £75,000 investment from Dragons’ Den’s Sara Davies to take its clever gardening concept to the next level.
Co-founders Henry Bartlam and award-winning garden designer, Alex Hollingsworth, appeared on the hit BBC show Dragons’ Den to pitch their vision for Dig – a gardening lifestyle brand aimed at beginner and budding gardeners.
Dig was conceived by Henry during the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020, when he noticed the dramatic rise in popularity for gardening and food-growing at home. He quickly teamed up with garden designer Alex, whose accolades include winning RTE Super Garden and a silver medal at Bloom, to turn his idea into reality.
Their flagship product, ‘Instant Beds’ – customisable, ready-to-plant garden packs tailored to different garden styles and perfect for beginners – was an immediate hit with Sara, founder of crafting empire Crafter’s Companion. Sara loved their idea and mission to inspire a new generation of gardeners, combining convenience with creativity to make gardening accessible and rewarding.
Sara comments: “When Alex and Henry began their pitch, I immediately saw how Dig’s offering would resonate with a lifestyle and DIY-focused consumer base who love the idea of gardening but don’t know where to start. They are passionate about sharing their joy and knowledge for gardening, and I believe there’s a whole generation of consumers out there eager to enjoy the benefits of Dig’s Instant Beds and other products. I’m excited to roll up my sleeves and dig in with the team to make gardening easy and accessible for everyone!”
Henry and Alexandra are thrilled with their Dragons’ Den outcome. Henry says: “We couldn’t have asked for a better partner. Sara’s retail expertise and passion for our business are exactly what we need to take Dig to the next level.”
Sara has taken a 15% stake in the company in exchange for her £75,000 investment, which the team plans to use to scale operations and logistics and evolve their product and services portfolio.
Alex adds: “We’re still very much a kitchen table business, but with Sara’s investment, we’re ready to expand our product range, partner with other brands, and bring the joy of gardening to a wider audience.”
Dig is also co-founded by Ben Davies, a Bristol-based website and digital marketing expert, and London-based communications specialist, Ed Maitland Smith.
