Cheshire's 'I Want Plants' might be renowned for creating showstopping horticultural displays from its amazing collection of plants, but the independent plant design and display specialist has been using its stock for an all-together different purpose...to help animals at a local zoo.

I Want Plants donated a van-load of live plants from office displays around Manchester to Chester Zoo, the country’s most-visited wildlife attraction, where they will be used in the zoo’s tropical houses.

Among the plants donated include Kentia Palms, Dracaenas, Ficus, Palms, Aglaonemas, Guzmania and Anthuriums.

I Want Plants’ Sales Manager, Jessica Rowlands, said: “Part of our business is ensuring our clients have the most stunning, up-to-date horticultural displays, which means we are constantly renewing designs and replacing plants.

“We can’t use the plants again, but we were keen to find a second use for them so they don’t go to waste.

 “Chester Zoo is a fantastic zoo, and they are passionate about protecting the wildlife in the UK and are real pioneers in conservation.

“They rely on donations to help with their work, so we thought we would see if they could make use of all our old stock. And the rest is history.”

Chester Zoo’s Gardens Team Manager, Christopher Ryan, added: “The plants donated by I Want Plants are used in the interior displays of the tropical realm, which house our free flight birds.

“The type of plant donated provide the same tropical feel we are trying to maintain in our habitats – to make them as similar as possible to these birds’ natural environments.”

Pictured (from left to right): I Want Plants' Managing Director Richard Rowlands, Steve McCusker from Chester Zoo and I Want Plants' Sales Manager Jessica Rowlands.