Wharfedale Gardeners' Group visit Cliff Bank Nursery, North Rigton

ON a cool spring evening we were sipping wine and crunching on nibbles in what used to be a derelict garden, with its new owners Ben Preston and Laura Kennedy.

Our group filled the garden centre, eager to browse new plants and learn all about how Ben and Laura were ‘living their dream’ in rebuilding this five-acre plot on the edge of Huby, near Harrogate.

It was previously owned by Joe Maiden, a veteran gardener, teacher and writer, famous for his long running radio show “Grow with Joe”. After his illness, the overgrown and sadly neglected 7.5-acre piece of land was bought by Ben and Laura to resurrect as a nursery. There was a lot of clearance of crumbling outbuildings and a large field, a mud patch, was ‘refreshed’ by half a dozen pigs. They admit they are being deliberately ambitious “we’ve got so many plans for the future here at Cliff Bank.”

“We shall specialise in rare woodland plants, unusual perennials and ornamental grasses as well as offering a yearly selection of hardy annuals.”

Their big idea is to grow from seed and create new plants from propagation in a local climate, nothing bought in. ‘British Grown’ in a pot from a garden centre doesn’t necessarily means it started its life in Britain. Many are from the cosy atmosphere of sheltered greenhouses and poly-tunnels in Europe which is why they struggle to survive, especially in Yorkshire!

They want to share their knowledge of horticulture with everyone who visits, to inspire and to teach, and to learn together Everything is being done on a shoestring. Favours are called in from friends, family and ex-colleagues at Yorkgate where Ben was Head Gardener. The large cold frame is already filling up with cuttings and new plants and the sheds from an online marketplace provide workshop and teaching spaces. A lot of things found on the old site have been reclaimed or swapped with other gardens. Harlow Carr had a lot of the stones and boulders, dug up from the field, swapping them for a poly-tunnel.

They admit this will be a labour of love and see it as a long, long-term project to develop site, a learning centre, and to develop the four-acre, as yet untouched, woodland, with a coppice of chestnut and hazel.

Ben Preston has visited Wharfedale Gardeners’ Group in the past, giving us a fascinating talk about his work as Head Gardener at Yorkgate. This new venture will give him more scope to develop some of the ideas he had while was working there and to literally ‘grow’ his knowledge in these new surroundings.

Over 40 of our group’s members came on the trip and we shall all be excited to see what developments take place, willing Ben and Laura on to make a great success of their ambitious venture. It is always a delight to find another reason to go plant shopping and get some good advice and ideas too.