A Cumbrian plant nursery has been put up for sale with a guide price of £200,000.
After more than a decade of transforming a neglected horticultural nursery into one of Cumbria’s best-known specialist nurseries, Lynne and Duncan Wilson are preparing to hand over Pine Tree Nurseries, at Gamblesby near Penrith, as they look forward to the next chapter of their lives.
It is on the market with H&H Land & Estates.
Lynne and Duncan bought the derelict site in 2012 with a vision of creating a specialist nursery dedicated to plants suited to the Cumbrian climate.
Lynne said: “We always wanted to create somewhere that gardeners would enjoy visiting.
“When we bought the nursery, it needed a huge amount of work. We completely redesigned and modernised the site, developing the growing areas and infrastructure behind the scenes.
“We’ve absolutely loved every minute of it. It really has been our dream, and we’ve been incredibly fortunate to spend our days doing something we’re passionate about.”
The site was originally established as a market garden in the late 1930s eventually evolving as a horticultural nursery selling ornamental plants.
Over the decades, it passed through a number of owners before falling into disrepair.
Today, it has been transformed into a thriving specialist nursery.
Lynne said: ““We’ve always concentrated on stocking plants that we know will perform well in Cumbrian gardens. Trees, shrubs, alpines and perennials have become our speciality, and we grow the majority of our perennial plants ourselves.”
A qualified garden designer with more than 20 years’ experience and a degree in garden design, Duncan has developed a successful design consultancy alongside the nursery, creating gardens across the region.
The combination of retail, garden design and attendance at plant fairs and agricultural shows has enabled Pine Tree Nurseries to establish a loyal following.
Around half of the business is generated through customers visiting the nursery, with the remainder split between garden design projects and plant fairs throughout the region.
Lynne added: “Although we’re in quite a rural location, people travel from right across Cumbria and beyond to visit us because they know they’ll find plants suited to local growing conditions.
“Many of our customers first met us at plant fairs before coming to the nursery, and we’ve been delighted to see so many return year after year.”
While retiring was not an easy decision, Lynne said the time felt right.
She said: “We bought Pine Tree Nurseries as a semi-retirement project, but it quickly became so much more than that. We’ve worked incredibly hard to build the business and its reputation, and now we’d love to see someone else take it forward and write the next chapter.
“We’re genuinely sad to be stepping away because we’ve lived our dream here. Now it’s time for someone else to do the same.”
The nursery occupies around 1.97 acres together with a further 0.34 acres of woodland, which includes the property’s natural water supply.
The off-grid site has an integrated irrigation system, extensive growing areas, polytunnels, retail sales space, storage facilities and ample parking. All fixed equipment required to operate the nursery is included in the sale, allowing a smooth transition for a new owner.
Janet Flintoft, chartered surveyor and associate director at H&H Land & Estates, said, “Opportunities like Pine Tree Nurseries rarely come to the market. It is a well-established business with an excellent reputation, loyal customers and all the necessary infrastructure already in place.
“For anyone looking to realise a horticultural ambition or develop an established business with further potential, this represents an outstanding opportunity to build on everything Lynne and Duncan have created.”
