Thank you for your interest in this story
To continue reading this article, subscribe to the Stray Ferret for as little as £1 a week
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
12
May 2023
Garden centre near Harrogate to reopen after eight years
A horticultural nursery near Harrogate is to reopen after almost eight years.
Cliff Bank Nursery at North Rigton was run for years by Joe Maiden, who appeared on radio gardening shows for 40 years until his death in 2015.
Ben Preston, who was previously head gardener at York Gate Garden, and NHS worker Laura Kennedy have spent a year restoring the Harrogate Road site, which will re-open on Saturday, May 27.
The nursery will specialise in rare woodland plants, unusual perennials and ornamental grasses as well as offering a yearly selection of hardy annuals.
Mr Preston and Ms Kennedy, both 35, took on the challenge to bring the derelict nursery back to life in March last year.
They have cleared the overgrown site, installed new polytunnels and created selling space. A derelict glasshouse has also been refurbished.
The couple plan to grow everything at Cliff Bank by propagating from seed, cuttings and divisions.
Mr Preston, who is originally from Boston Spa, worked at gardens across the UK, including Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough, before overseeing the expansion of York Gate Garden as head gardener fro 2017 to 2022. He is also a lecturer at Yorkshire School of Garden Design.
Ms Kennedy has worked in the NHS for nine years.
Mr Preston said:
The greenhouse pre-renovation
The renovated greenhouse
Ms Kennedy added:
Cliff Bank will open Wednesday to Saturday from 9am to 4:30pm until October.
Read more:
- Chainsaw sculpture completed at Ripon's Himalayan Garden
- Man jailed for 140mph Harrogate police pursuit after being banned from driving
0