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- A Potted History of Ashwood Nurseries: 1970-1975
A Potted History of Ashwood Nurseries: 1970-1975
In 1970, Ashwood Nurseries was undergoing some big changes which were to transform it from the run down and dilapidated nursery that had been acquired by Joseph and Hilda Massey in 1967.
Their son John, 21, was running of the nursery with the help of a very young staff of three: Tony Cartwright, Stella Gilson and Barbara Pomeroy (all still working at Ashwood with 146 years of service between them).
In 1970 the business was re-named Ashwood Nurseries and Aquatics. Joseph Massey designed the Ashwood Logo, two ash leaves enclosing the gentian (reflecting John’s passion for alpines) and the fish representing our aquatics business.
The plant sales area was completed along with a big new aquatics area. Heathers, alpines and conifers were our best sellers, as well as fibre-glass ponds and cold-water fish. Landscape gardener Richard Amphlett continued his work, begun in 1969, creating new rock gardens (using 30 tons of Westmorland stone) and a traditional Japanese garden.
1970 Open Weekend
The main focus in early 1970 was preparation for the Open Weekend on May 2nd and 3rd. The event was an overwhelming success with good publicity (including a pull out supplement in the Express and Star) and fine weather ensuring an amazing turnout.
Many of our suppliers were represented including Fisons, PBI, Guys Tools, Grey Rose Products (wrought iron) and Bedford Stone Ornaments (all no longer in existence). A marquee was home to flower arranging demonstrations and competitions.
Family members and friends were recruited to help and the cash registers didn’t stop ringing (pounds, shillings and pence then, electronic tills and credit cards were unheard of).
Our car park was tiny at this time so our neighbours Alf and Barbara Shakespeare allowed us to use their field for the event. Even this extra car-parking was inadequate and, as a result, cars parked all along the lane, stretching as far as the Navigation Pub and along the Mile Flat in one direction and all the way back to the A449 Kidderminster Road.
A welcome addition to the Ashwood family
In 1970 we welcomed Fang the macaw to the Ashwood family, a 21st Birthday gift to John from his sister Susan. At first, Fang had freedom to fly around the nursery but, as he started to wreak havoc in the shop and on the nursery we had to confine him to a large cage. He was a great character with a colourful vocabulary, and many customers remember him with much fondness.
New developments 1971-1975
The period 1971-1975 saw many new developments including (in 1971) the acquisition of land opposite The Garden Shop (£150) from farmer Edward Marsh for a new car park to accommodate 100 cars. The sunken greenhouse was replaced with a new wooden greenhouse for house plants, a twin-span aluminium greenhouse was built for the production of tender plants and a mist propagation unit for the production of conifers, Japanese Azaleas and small shrubs. Automatic watering was installed and the plunge beds for alpines were replaced with raised sales beds.
Our aquatics business continued to thrive as most keen gardeners aspired to own a fibre-glass pond stocked with a collection of cold-water fish and aquatic plants of every kind.
During this time, we also doubled our staff: these included the late and much loved Mary and Frank Chambers (often helped by their young daughter Jayne, now Ashwood’s florist), Philip Johnson (still with us!) and Fred Jennings (remembered with much affection). In 1973, we gained a full time secretary Ruth Burrows to bring order to the office (at 89 this year, she is still our Company Secretary).
More milestones
During this time there were various milestones that impacted on the business. Decimal Day on February 15th 1971 saw the decimalisation of the currency; on October 28th UK joined the Common Market and in 1973 VAT was introduced.
Another chapter begins…
In 1975, experienced grower Philip Baulk joined Ashwood and another chapter in Ashwood’s history began. The Ashwood speciality crops of lewisias, hellebores, hepaticas, Primula auricula and hardy cyclamen were only a twinkle in John’s eye but, under Philip’s expert guidance, their future development was to result in the Ashwood name becoming well known and respected in the UK and in other countries around the world.
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