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A Yorkshire Jewel - the delights of finding a lovely nursery .

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On Friday a relative needed a lengthy hospital procedure at a site over 40 miles from us . This meant arriving in the morning and not being able to collect her until 7 hours later.

As it was a result of a cancellation it meant being able to transport her wait and return so what to with the time in between ? We searched for garden centres and nurseries printed out a map and headed off to visit as many as possible .

The appointment was at a hospital near Beverley , East Yorkshire and although known to me had never really stopped to have a good look around.

Its not real close to the motorway or major A road network so little to connect it to major cities of Hull , York and Leeds. Bit like us near Scarborough .

The sun was shining traffic light as we passed Beverley racecourse a fine bank of Georgian houses over looking the river as we twisted through narrow streets to view Beverley Minster.

This is a stunning building and the whole town reminded me of a mini version of York.


The first garden centre we found was nicely presented some interesting plants and the usual garden ornaments as we were walking around a list of Goy members sprang to mind as we saw things …


For Eileen , Dawn ,Jacque ,Deida ,Clarice and all who have regular robin visitors.


For Amy , Ams ,Sid , Treesandthings , Wagger …


This as close as we likely to get to a Ptarmigan … thought of Lynwoodview and those stunning wildlife pics up in the Scottish Highlands .This dwarf rhododendron only £4.99


This Loropetalum is called Fire Dance and thought of all the times I ve tried to have a bonfire but couldnt due to activities in the chuch next door ..its evergreen well ever purple of course and produces little panticles of pink flowers late spring have planted it in front of Nandina – Heavenly bamboo .


This Skimmia reminded me of Spritz and Hywel and dicussions about them – no label think this variety may be Kew any help to ID appreciated.


One for – Viburnum bodnantense – Dawn .. although small and only one flower spur the fragrance is wonderful and has gone next to pond seat for those long balmy summer evenings …dream on !


We then found this jewel of a nursery anyone who loves shrubs and trees especially would be in heaven here.Run by two ladies their office is a shed and it only sells plants nothing else..the varieties were amazing .All those trees you ve heard of but rarely see..Tulip trees , Liquidamber , Robinia pseudoacacia
-remember Wagger ? that tree with lethal thorns out of the trunk amazing quite why anyone would want this health and safety risk in their garden …I was desperate to take some photos but something caught Janes eye…


Bet these make you feel right at home Margeurite , Jeremy and Bernieh…


For Donnah and Norfolk and other chicken fanciers – some fancy chickens .

Eventually managed to prise the camera off Jane when saw this ..what do you think David ?


With your chocolate themed garden surely these are a must ? Also saw a cherry called chocolate and ice.

Most of the plants were bought for £5 then our one extravagance ..


How much says I ? This Camellia Margaret Davis picote was £20 but a lovely size and a mass of buds to come ..this a record for me doesnt pay to be the only fella in the nursery surrounded by persuasive ladies ..must be flowercrazy !


Time to go I havent included the Aquilegia Clementine the scented narcissus etc I was busy drooling over the range of Magnolias – never seen so many different ones in one place.One in particular was stunning called heaven scent obviously not in flower but if the fragrance and picture anything to go by its on the wish list and set to break all cost records !

On the way out of town a small shop selling bird food 1 kg bags of nyger seed £1.80 big bags of peanuts and wild bird seed £2 .. so having spent yesterday planting up the birds obviously felt a need to stock up…


Well if you re going to spoil us no point taking just the one is there ?

Just as we d finished this fella paid a visit such a pity the Pheasant berry not in flower behind him ! A Totophoto or a phototo ? not sure if he a young bird or wether hes lost tail feathers .They are designed to come out easily as predators try and catch them from behind.Being slow the loss of their feathers often allows them to escape – so perhaps this fella had a close shave ?

So dont worry about cutting off tail feathers in your pics – they are well used to it !


Of course all this activity in the garden can stress out timid wild life …


Never mind love ….. whats up duck ?

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Comments

 

Hi Beverley is beautiful isn't it. Visited it a few times. I have seen the Garden Centre you mention. I have a radar for Garden Centres, I know where they all are, the trick is getting the husband to stop off to visit them.

Loved your photos. Hope your friend goes on o.k. with her appointments. Love marge.

8 Mar, 2009

 

Great Blog BB - I felt like I was on the day out with you! Thanks for thinking of us all :-) on your travels. Wonderful shots too.

8 Mar, 2009

amy
Amy
 

What a lovely way to spend 7hours BB even if it was forced on you by circumstances out of your control , I loved the boot with the frogs and the Frosted Chocolate sounds good enough to eat ,looked it to ...

I thought you had my Charlie Pheasant for a min. you could be right about him having lost his feathers somehow because they have normally grown their new ones sometime ago just before xmas , he looks like an older one to me !
I don,t know the difference between Kangaroos and Wallabys we do come across some strange animals on our travels don,t we !

I suspect you will be going back that way for another visit to the new found garden centres , you had better save up ready for the next time ... LOL ...

8 Mar, 2009

 

Lovely blog BB. Loved your photos and descriptions. My favourite is the little black chicken wearing the turban.!! Hee hee hee.
You seem to have bought a lovely lot of plants. I hope they all do well.
I liked the boot and frogs ornament....bit pricey at 10 pound but had I been there I probably couldnt have stopped myself....good job I wasn't there eh?
I hope your relative came through her procedures well.

8 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks for kind comments Dawn if you dont have this plant you really must seek it out with a name and fragrance like that .

Thanks Marge the directions sent us the main road way when actually easier to find direct from town centre.

You are so right Amy wish I had a bigger garden for some of these trees but that magnolia is a must they are mature plants much bigger than you would normally find at a garden centre. There was a huge shade house with ferns to die for ..

Hard to see where the feathers end and the head starts in this chicken Gilli - for ornaments £10 not bad here convert to your dollars and it does seem pricey.

Procedure went well but waiting for results think something would be said after such a stressful day for her other than we ll be in touch.

8 Mar, 2009

 

yes and lucky to hear in 10 days BB~still you had a good day out and hopefully all will have gone well when she does hear~best thing not to think about it!

8 Mar, 2009

 

BB - that is a brilliant blog - made me want to go and hunt out garden centres! Lovely photos too. I could do with a kangaroo in my garden, to stamp down all the mole hills! I liked the sound of that little Fire Dance too. Given me lots of ideas (some not very sensible!) so thank you.

8 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks Arlene.Yes the hospitals are not what they used to be anymore : (

Thankyou Gee.Would love to hear your ideas...sensible or not !Lol

8 Mar, 2009

 

What a great day, finding all those plants.
Just to let you know, that lovely loropetalum is not very hardy. I've had two in the past two years and neither has come throught the winter :-( But I give everything three chances - another one is on order and I have a cunning plan....

8 Mar, 2009

 

You had a great day in those garden centres. Some nice purchaces aswell. I know someone living in Beverly who comes from the same village as me. The minster looks a fantastic building. I'd love to visit it.
I hope your relation's treatment was successful.

8 Mar, 2009

 

Thank you Andrew.....What,may I ask,is your cunning plan? ! Do share............

Thanks Hywel,the architecture is stunning,and we were fortunate to view with the sun shining on it.Think the treatment went ok,just awaiting results

8 Mar, 2009

Ams
Ams
 

I love the mop top hen.

8 Mar, 2009

 

Looks Like The Day Turned out better with the muddle up Jane?So much seen wish id been there 2 the GC & sites look Fab ,Im Glad u got to the Hospital appt in The End :)xxx

8 Mar, 2009

 

Ams...looked so comical running about !

Thanks Jacque....you would have loved the animals and all the varieties of wonderful trees Saving up for another visit !

8 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks Bonkers. It is a great blog and and I really enjoyed it, lovely pics. Hope all is well with your friend.

8 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks to you Toto..........couldnt help but think of you when the young pheasant sauntered into the garden !

8 Mar, 2009

 

You obviously had a good day despite the reason for it and lets hope your relative gets a good result.passed through Beverly a lot in recent years and hope to actually stop and wander one day because it does look a grand place.Thanks Bb for sharing your day.........

8 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks Bonkers. At least you managed to get his tail feathers which is one up on my pic.

8 Mar, 2009

 

Yes Lincslass..yes it is a beautiful little town,and the minster is truly lovely.Hope you get to explore one day !
Toto..must be a young one I think..only a tiny tail !

8 Mar, 2009

 

I've even got a picture of one without a head, but didn't want to post it as Irish already posted her pidge without a head.

8 Mar, 2009

 

LOL...but at least she got knitting Toto..Play your cards right and she might knit you one too !LOL

8 Mar, 2009

 

Hope the hospital bit turns out ok. This is one of my local gc that is independently run. Next time head out towards Hornsea to a small village at Sigglesthorn. another 2 gems , one is an alpine specialist the other a more typical general gc. I feel really lucky as i know of 8 in a 10mile radius of where i live. Beverly is fantastic and on a saturday there is a market with 2 /3 plant stalls too. glad you enjoyed the day and all the sights and temptations. I love the camelia. Good buy there.

8 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks Seaburngirl..probably more visits in offing....so will definitely be heading out towards Hornsea. Thanks for all your tips..will update.!

8 Mar, 2009

 

if you want more info send me a pm and i will let you have a list of where others are. I'm only 3 miles from beverely.

8 Mar, 2009

 

Smashing blog BB...we were at Beverley a few weeks ago and thought just like you, a mini York..lovely place with old buildings and a good selection of shops...that garden nursery will be worth a visit next time!

8 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks Seaburngirl...will be in touch....................

Janey.........please do make a visit,,,wonderful place and grand selection of plants and trees............

8 Mar, 2009

 

Beautiful camellia...well worth the splurge! And the animals are just adorable!

9 Mar, 2009

 

Well done Bonkersbon this is a great blog - fantastic photos. And yes, when I got about half way down I thought for a moment I must have misunderstood where this was all happening - what are those wallabies doing there? Are they lost? It's always amazing when I see them in such faraway places.

9 Mar, 2009

 

What a treat this blog was, BB. Thanks for sharing your day out - and for thinking of us all! That Camellia is so pretty, I don't blame you for taking it home with you...

Andrew is right about that Loropetalum - I have two, as you probably remember, one being 'Fire Dance'. I had to wrap them both up with double fleece - in fact re-fleeced last week when we had frosts at night. They've both survived with minimal damage, though.

I think that Skimmia might be S. obtusa 'Kew Green'... only think, though!

9 Mar, 2009

 

Hi BB & Jane brill blog as always & photos, i to felt i had been round the garden centre with you, Beverly does look like York aswell, i love going to York, mind you every time i go i still get lost in the shambles, all those little narrow streets look the same.

9 Mar, 2009

 

Great Blog BB..... Love the boots with the Robin and Frogs....

9 Mar, 2009

 

Have also been to Beverly a few years ago there was a fantastic Army museum which we visited on a few occasions, took son and his cousins great day out, this was before the interest in the garden though so no garden centres, but its just over the bridge so i may have a look!!!
Great blog and some good bargains there. Better save up!!

9 Mar, 2009

 

Thank you Raquel Jane fell in love with it as not one we were familiar with - our garden surrounded by trees with acidic soil so should love it.

Thanks Bernieh the lady had rescued these and all animals had huge pens and ponds trees etc so the combination of plants and animals was heaven to Jane.

Thats great info Spritz thank you - only had the name Kew in my head so not sure if either of us right but your added input gives me hope ! As you know Coprosma survived all snow and ice and even lavatera retained all its leaf so heres hoping .

Oh Clarice time was you could drive past York Minster like you can in Beverley I get lost and used to live there !

Didnt think the price too bad for a garden ornament Hollyeves - it would only get you a couple of gallons of fuel after all wouldnt it ?

Aye lovely spot Sewingkilla think I should add a correction spoke to two ladies and assumed both ran it apparently husband and wife do ... sorry hubby.If you type in Minsterplants in search engine you ll see them on top of main page ! Can a man be sexist to another man ? At least when saw two ladies together didnt ask wheres the boss then - must show I m either very liberated or scared of women I ll leave you to decide lol

9 Mar, 2009

 

Really enjoyed reading and looking at your blog. What a successful day out! Bit far for me to go for an old boot but suppliers of Aralia Spinosa are very thin on the ground, so you never know. If you saw it in full fruit you might see the appeal of it. Many thanks for the info and the laugh!
Most of the garden centres in this part of the country have been taken over by big chains - Notcutts, Wyvale etc - all the same plants, and the number of independant nurseries is shrinking rapidly. Use them, or lose them folks.

9 Mar, 2009

 

Sorry Wagger is that the same tree then ? Aralia Spinosa the same as Robinia no wonder I have trouble with trees - doesnt stop me loving them though !

If you in South Bucks can deliver as my father lives in South Oxfordshire lol Your advice re independents so true as these were large mature specimens and varieities you dont see in chain garden centres.

9 Mar, 2009

 

Careful, Bonkers, I might take you up on that! I love trees too (as you may have noticed from my photos)

9 Mar, 2009

 

Know the High Wycombe area well and not far from t 'old fella so if near you not as impractical as it sounds !

9 Mar, 2009

 

army museum is sadly no more:o(
skidby windmill is undergoing a face lift and still a working mill. dont forget beverely westwood the remains of medevial common pasture with climax oak woodland:o)

9 Mar, 2009

 

what a great blog BB, love the photos too xx

9 Mar, 2009

 

Looks like a return visit is essential with or without the hospital transport Seaburngirl .. saw signs to the windmill as travelling from Cottingham to Beverley and saw it on the hill ...

Thanks Eileen looks like the Guinness cake is on me ... courtesy Arlene xxx

9 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks BB, nice trip! What an enjoyable way to pass the time. Love the chickens!
Hope your relatives procedure went OK.

9 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks Pg......the time just flew by...........

9 Mar, 2009

 

Brill, Bb! Many, Many Thanks for thinking of, and letting us know about these wonderfully-named plants, which would fit in well in our garden. The Corokia looks and sounds delicious, we have seeds of viola "Frosted Chocolate", too. :-)

15 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks David..hope you can get one..if not will be going back at Easter,and will happily pick one up for you !

15 Mar, 2009

 

Oooooh, Many Thanks, Bb, will let you know progress at this end. Mind you, I'd drive there myself to get one, if practical, just to be able to visit ALL the lovely-sounding nurseries and plant centres in the area! :-)

15 Mar, 2009

 

: ) : ) xx

15 Mar, 2009

 

I have a confession to make - I'll do it in public... I got the name of that Skimmia wrong - sorry. It's Skimmia x confusa 'Kew Green'. Obviously another senior moment ... Sorry again. :-(

I agree about independent Nurseries. I have been ordering plants to fill the enormous space left by my Eleagnus, and using 'proper' Nurseries via mail order has been interesting! I have found an absolute gem in Penrith. I'm waiting for deliveries from the other three and I'll maybe tell you my experiences, good and bad, when the plants arrive.

David - I found your Corokia in another Nursery, so maybe it's not too difficult to find! Fun visiting new ones, though - I agree!

16 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks for the info Spritz.Agree it is fun and fulfilling to check out the lovely nurseries out there.Looking forward to hearing of all your experiences !

16 Mar, 2009

Sid
Sid
 

Now that's the kind of day out I like! That pheasant is very handsome....

22 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks Sid...it was a real treat!

22 Mar, 2009

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