We are delighted to share with you the exciting news that this autumn The Garden Gate Flower Company will have a new home. We will be lifting our plants, packing up our workshop and heading to Duchy of Cornwall Nursery in Lostwithiel.
Image by D'Arcy Benincosa
Having worked with the nursery since the early days, we were delighted to have the opportunity to develop the redundant terraces that sit above the plant nursery. We will also be expanding our indoor growing, as we will now have the use of a commercial sized tunnel! Our new site faces west and is surrounded by tall pine trees creating a sheltered position for our plants.
Image by John Hersey Holes in the World Studio
The nursery sits in the Restormel valley, just outside of the beautiful town of Lostwithiel and our growing patch looks out to a medieval Castle.
This move brings many new opportunities for both businesses; customers to the Duchy will be able to keep a close eye on what it's like to grow a cutting garden and our clients will now have the opportunity to collect flowers from our garden; bring a jar and we will fill it!
If you are a potential wedding couple, we will hold our consultations in the cafe or the glasshouse, followed by a tour of our growing space.
Image by John Hersey Holes in the World Studio
What about your beautiful farm we hear you all say! Well, with a huge lump in my throat, I share with you the news that after 50 years of farming Trezare, my Mum and Step-dad, Penny and Chris, will be retiring and as they were tenant farmers, they will move on to pastures new for the next adventure in their lives. Maz and I are hugely grateful to them both and the opportunity they gave us to grow our flowers on their land. Whilst we will all miss the farm greatly, we are excited that in leaving, the pressure of farming in today's challenging economic climate will be lifted. We wish them both a happy retirement x
Looking back over years of photos, it has been amazing to see how our little paddock grew....
Having started with just handfuls of seed packets, the growing patch now, eight years on, has a protective native hedge, mature shrubs and is packed with the heady scent of roses. This garden has hosted many photo shoots, been featured in Country Living and more recently been on TV! So many happy memories will come with us, but saying good bye will certainly be hard.
So what's next? Well, we have a great deal of digging and moving to do! The land at the Duchy will need to be prepared and new beds created.....well we always like a challenge! With our new home and facilities at the Duchy, we will be able to host more floral and garden courses, we will be running volunteer and apprentice programmes and we will have the options of purchasing bouquets onsite.
Finally, thank you to everyone that has supported us locally, in and around Fowey, nationally and internationally. The farm has been a wonderful place to work....mainly down to Mum's amazing baking (Duchy - watch out our cake standard is very high!!!).
We hope you will enjoy following the next chapter of The Garden Gate Flower Company.
With best wishes.
Becca & Maz
xx
