This month we're reviewing the web design practices of Gleaves Garden Centre, a local business in Frodsham. Gleaves is well-known and respected in Frodsham and the wider community. We'll look at some of the web design trends they use and why these are good web design practices.
Business Name: Robert Gleave and Sons Ltd.
Location: Mill Lane, Frodsham, Cheshire WA6 7JA
Website Url: robertgleave.co.uk
A complementary colour scheme of greens, browns and reds echos the beautiful greenery that you can see when visiting Gleaves Garden Centre in the flesh. These colours also help to create striking contrast on the website allowing key areas of content to be highlighted. I particularly like the way the colour scheme starts with the logo and extends outwards through the website. Consistency is a great way to help your customers connect with your brand, a clear connection with your online and offline media will help to create trust and familiarity. Well done Gleaves!
Skeuomorphic design elements are a personal favourite and Gleaves website has these in abundance. Skeuomorphism is a design practice that mimics real-world elements in the way an element looks or functions (think of the recycle bin on your computer). Gleaves web design uses wooden panelling to distinguish the header from the rest of the website and also a grass texture background on some pages. All of these elements help to build a visual link between the real-world garden centre and the website.
Beyond the visual web design elements the gleaves site boasts a bouquet (excuse the pun) of useability elements that we like. Contact information, including a phone number and email address is easily found in the header and footer. The business opening hours are clearly visible on the home page along with a map to help potential customers find their way to the Gleaves Garden Centre.
Gleaves have a fantastic array of products to offer. We would love to see more photos of the garden centre itself not forgetting the Petals Vintage Tea Room and other businesses that are based on the Gleaves site. A blog would be a wonderful addition to the site allowing potential customers to keep up to date with the goings on at Gleaves.
All in all, we say well done Gleaves for a good solid web design reflecting a well-loved business in Frodsham.
