Growth in Demand 1994 – 2004
With the students skills, interests and abilities progressing the site was gradually developing to meet their growing abilities with half of the 4-acre site now being in active use. Horticap now has two vehicles which were used to carry out gardening jobs around the town and delivering goods.
Unfortunately, we also saw a number of outlets for produce closing and the interest in dried flowers rapidly declining.
Starting with friends, family and word of mouth an area of the nursery was opened where the public could purchase products such as bedding plants, perennial plants, timber planters and a small range of freshly picked vegetables.
Throughout the decade the nursery sales gradually developed as the students reputation for producing quality plants grew.
A shop/sales space was required along with some car parking, as well as the development of an instructional garden area.
By this time we now had three modest glasshouses on site and 7 polythene tunnels [having extended our range of plants], along with a new workshop where construction of timber products provided an excellent activity for winter or wet days.
This decade of growth saw our student numbers once again expand with support now being provided for up to 30 students each week.
Some spells of extreme weather also saw two polythene tunnels destroyed by high winds and a further two others partially collapsed by heavy snowfalls.
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