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The Nursery is situated appropriately in the orchard at Corner Cottage, Southease and grew out of the practice of raising plants for sale at the village Open Garden Days and at a stall outside the church. The nurseryman, Adrian Orchard, a retired London Notary, is a largely self-taught plantsman and has learned the running of the nursery as he went along.
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Young Hellebore plants growing in the nursery
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Southease Plants was started in the Autumn of 1999 and soon became established. It was featured in an article in "Country Living" in June 2002. The nursery is listed in the NCCPG current list of specialist nurseries in Sussex. It became well known locally for nursery grown Hellebore hybrids, all raised from seed. The range of other plants offered in the nursery was reduced in the second half of 2004 as the Hellebores become more important. Adrian has recently been forced to reduce his stock of plants significantly, but still supplies one yellow book garden with plants in February and March. There are still Helleborus x hybridus cultivars in a wide range of colours and forms and he has introduced his own doubles and semi-doubles. The best plants are hand pollinated to produce seed while other seed is obtained from other growers. In the summer months Adrian’s polytunnel is filled with a wide range of chilli varieties grown principally to provide products for the Southease Chilli Day in September/October. The nursery combines with other specialist nurseries to stage the Southease Spring Plant Sale, which is now an established event. For this Adrian grows vegetable plants and hardy and half-hardy annuals.
The nursery is normally open throughout the year from Wednesdays to Saturdays 11am to 5pm and on Sundays 2pm to 5pm, but it is always best to check by phone.
For further information contact Adrian Orchard by Telephone or Fax on 01273 513681 or mobile phone on 07901 349112.
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