Tenderden-based Hopes Grove Nurseries celebrates its 30th anniversary as the company sets its sights on further expansion. 

Established in 1992, the hedging plants specialists, situated in Small Hythe Road, initially started out as a small quarter-acre nursery on an edge of land at Hopes Grove Farm by Managing Director Morris Hankinson. 

It's now grown into one of the country's leading hedge plant specialists with plants produced across a total of 137 acres at three sites in Tenterden, Sandhurst and most recently Benenden.

Plans are now being developed to move the whole of the main nursery in Tenterden to a new 168-acre home at Cranbrook, close to the Benenden nursery. When complete, the business will be based across three convenient sites totalling 275 acres of land with over a million plants in production and 26 members of staff.

Earlier this month a party was held at the nurseries in Tenterden to mark the birthday with a hog roast, two live bands, a BBQ and drinks for 100 guests including staff past and present, contractors and suppliers. 

Morris Hankinson, Managing Director of Hopes Grove Nurseries, said: “When I first started the company, I initially sold garden plants like perennials and bedding plants at the local market every Friday, at weekend flower shows and sometimes even at boot fairs – initially from the boot of a 1983 Vauxhall Cavalier.

“Like many industries, there has been considerable amalgamation and very many small nurseries have been lost. 

“For much of the 30 years, horticulture has been somewhat in the doldrums you could say – with a weak pound/cheap imports/overproduction being key reasons.

“But the added hassles of importing plants due to Brexit, exceptional demand from home gardeners during the pandemic and the rush to plant trees to mitigate climate change have transformed the fortunes of UK horticulture. 

“Quite honestly the outlook has never looked quite so sunny in my time!

“In 2020, due to the Covid pandemic and Brexit regulations, we had an offer accepted on a large 84-acre plot of farmland at Benenden, enabling us to expand and grow every species possible so that we could be largely self-sufficient in many products.

“This year a six million litre reservoir has been constructed at that site to collect surface water in the winter, recycling it to irrigate the crops efficiently and sparingly with drip irrigation during the summer. 

“This year plans are now being developed to move the whole of our main nursery in Tenterden to a new larger site in Cranbrook, close to the Benenden nursery.

“When complete this will leave the business based across three convenient sites that are close to each other.”

“Looking ahead, one of our bigger individual projects will be to produce a range of eco-friendly instant hedging plants, not just for our own customers but also for the wider landscaping market which is potentially a significant market. And to bring all our propagation 'in-house' when we have space to do so.”

Speaking about the landmark anniversary, Morris adds: “I'm mostly proud in a quiet and modest kind of way coupled with an unyielding feeling (as a first-generation nurseryman) that I am only about halfway on my part of the Hopes Grove journey, there is so much still to do!

“I think the thing that strikes me the most after 30 years is that the staff are what make Hopes Grove the business that it is.

“We truly have a wonderful team of permanent, full-time people who are an inspiration.

“Through their enthusiasm and camaraderie, the nursery runs very well, and in all kinds of weather.

“We had a great afternoon celebrating our milestone anniversary and catching up with so many of the people who have been involved with the nursery's success over the years.”

- ENDS-

Notes to Editor:

About Hopes Grove Nurseries

Established in 1992, Hopes Grove Nurseries are hedging plants specialists with a 137-acre nursery and over one million homegrown plants situated in the Weald of Kent. All the plants are given the best possible care by staff who have 200 years of growing experience between them. Hopes Grove Nurseries only sell hedging plants to the end-user (not to Garden Centres or other nurseries) so customers can be assured of direct from nursery pricing. The plants are delivered nationwide, coming directly from their growing beds to guarantee they are top quality.

For further information, please contact: 

Joanna Earle - PR and Media Manager at Reflect Digital

Email: joanna@reflectdigital.co.uk Office: 01622 728 800 Mobile: 07765 406 413