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NURSERY TIMES


Brackendale Nurseries by Vivienne Lewis


One of the strengths of a smaller specialist nursery is that often it’s family-run. That’s certainly true of Brackendale Nurseries, where the different talents of two generations dovetail successfully.


The Stainer family, David and his wife Gillian, own and run the nursery, David managing the planting and garden maintenance side of the business, while Gillian oversees the nursery’s day-to-day operation. Brackendale Nurseries offer a wide range of shrubs, azaleas and rhododendrons, fruit and ornamental trees including conifers, herbaceous plants and climbers, heathers and alpines, bamboos, grasses and palms. A great number of their plants are grown on the four-acre site, and many cannot be found in larger garden centres.


Gillian and David Stainer’s Dorset nursery at Three Legged Cross, Wimborne specialises in plants you won’t normally find at garden centres


retirement - having said that he was well past normal retirement age - David’s wife Gillian joined the partnership in 1991; she had worked in the nursery for a number of years before that.


Nicola and sister Tracey left home for university, then pursued their careers in marketing and project management respectively.


“We now provide “back-office” support in both these areas when required! I have a young family and my sister is busy furthering her career. However, we may both get more involved in the future,” said Nicola.


A key member of the nursery team is Nursery Supervisor Daniel Le Cornu, and there is also a part-time nursery assistant and a full-time garden maintenance operative.


Gillian and David Stainer with Nursery Supervisor Daniel Le Cornu


For daughters Nicola and Tracey the nursery is where they have grown up, have helped out since they were children, and now although they have their own careers they provide ‘back-office’ support wherever needed.


“Typical of many family businesses, my sister and I have been involved in varying capacities at different times,” explained Nicola. “We both remember lots of weeding in school summer holidays and being ‘promoted’ to take heather cuttings and propagating was quite a step forward!”


Brackendale Nurseries was started in the late 1960s by William Downer – known to all as Bill – at a site in Bracken Road (hence the name of the nursery), Ferndown, on land owned by his family. David Stainer began working at the nursery after leaving school, and in 1974 the land in Ferndown was sold, with the nurseries moved to the present site at Three Legged Cross, Wimborne. David formally went into partnership with Bill in 1981 and following Bill’s


“Plants are what we are about and we’re keen for all our staff to have great all round plant knowledge supported by recognised (RHS) qualifications so that we can offer the best advice - which, together with personal service, we believe really helps to set us apart from some other centres,” Nicola explained.


While they grow much on site, the remainder comes from specialist growers, the majority of which are in Dorset and neighbouring Hampshire. They have dealt with them for many years and can rely on the constant supply of quality plants.


“In October we shall begin digging our field grown conifers and supplying bare-rooted native trees, ornamental trees and fruit trees. In addition, we shall be supplying bare-rooted native hedging whips. Although we don’t offer a specific mail-order service we do deliver plants ourselves and use a specialist freight company for addresses further afield with carriage charged at cost,” said Nicola.


Brackendale Nurseries, Horton Road, Three Legged Cross, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 6SD. Telephone: 01202 822349. Open: Monday – Friday, 9am – 5.15pm. Saturday 10am – 4.30pm, Sunday 10.30am – 3.30pm. www.brackendalenurseries.co.uk


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