Blog tired of Tradition

Nicholsons "named" Christmas trees are fabulous but there are other alternatives if you are tired of tradition. We have topiary cones and spheres as well as topiary lollipops ready to decorate with the added bonus that they can be planted out in the garden after Christmas as a permanent feature. We also have lovely Hollies, evergreen oaks and birch which will all look great with decorations either inside or out. Species available include Bay, Box, and olives. Come and see us to choose the size and shape that fits your space.

The Nicholsons "Named" Christmas Trees are back!

Our Christmas trees are here and ready to be chosen. As always they have been individually "Named". Can you remember who you had last year...? Lots of lovely trees here and we also have Wreaths.

Open Weekdays 7.30-4.30pm
Saturdays 9.00-4.00pm

A new addition to the extended family

We are delighted to announe the recent arrival of Willow Steele to Matt and Julia Steele. Matt is our Arboricultural Manager and is taking paternity leave to have time with his first born. Mother and baby are well and we are all delighted for them. Wishing Willow a happy and healthy life ahead.

Blenheim Palace Flower Show

Nicholsons attended the brand new Blenheim Palace Flower Show at the weekend using the trade stand garden we had at Chelsea to showcase what we can offer in Garden Design. The weekend was a great success with thousands of visitors.

Nicholsons also had a "Tree and Hedging Advice Centre" where anyone could ask questions about planting trees and hedges from one of our experts.

Fenella was filmed by Witney TV and did a fantastic job as an ambassador for Nicholsons.

Wood Fuel

Niel Nicholson was filmed at the nursery discussing the topic of woodfuel. The BBC news clip is about promoting the use of wood in Oxfordshire as a cheaper and cleaner alternative fuel than oil. Using more wood would increase coppicing and wood harvesting which also encourages biodiversity to help the wildlife. The aim is that wood produced in Oxfordshire will be used in Oxfordshire.

The BBC came to Nicholsons to film the woodfuel boiler which heats five buildings from its renewable wood source. Nicholsons has also signed up to the OxLogs standard of firewood managed by toe² (Trust for Oxfordshire's Environment) where the customer will know where the wood stock is from and is guaranteed to be produced under ceratin standards.

Chelsea - it is all over for another year!

What do most people do on Bank Holiday Monday!
Laze around in the sunshine and enjoy a well earned day off - well in the aftermath of the Chelsea Flower Show life goes on and the show had to be taken down. 4 people set off at 5am and dismantled the show stand and were home by 2pm.

So plans for 2014.........watch this space

The stand after it had been cleared - recognise the shapes?

Day 2 of Chelsea, The Award

Our very own Certificate of Merit

The sun might not be shining this morning but there were sunny smiles all round when we were greeted with a Certificate of Merit for the outstanding presentation of our stand. This is a great achievement for all the hard work that has gone into our first Chelsea stand.

A few close up photos of the stand to show the detail in the design set off by Aquilega Kristall, Alchemilla Gold Strike, Paeonia Duchess de Nemours and the Buxus sempervirens (Box) hedge.

This picture shows the skilled craftsmanship of the ironwork by John Naysmith from The Oxford Iron Company. The peacock is exquisite and was chosen because of the 100 year old Rudyard Kipling poem "The Glory of the Garden" of which extracts were taken for the back drop of the stand.

Day 1 of Chelsea, Press Day

The completed stand

Finally complete and doesn't the stand look good. Well done to everyone! Remember to visit us on Pavilion Way at location PW33.

Monday is Press Day and the team had some very important visitors....

Chelsea Pensioners taking a rest on Nicholsons stand with Clara and Liz Nicholson

Music by Wendy

Clara and Liz were interviewed by BBC Radio Oxford and Clara was outstanding.

Also Roderick and Hanny Nicholson even got in on the act when they were spotted on the BBC News UK page admiring the vegetation. I shall ask Roderick what the plant was when I next see him...

Photo courtesy of BBC NEWS UK

The last Friday in the build up to Chelsea

Very nearly there........!

Chelsea - latest progress

Last plants loaded and on the way - Emily has spent many hours tending the plants to get them at their bast for the show - moving them from polytunnel to outside and back depending on the weather!

Chelsea Day 5 and on course

The stand is starting to take shape - all hard works done, water feature filling and excavations complete.

All the fluffy plants due later in the week - they are looking good at the nursery but they do need some sun! Maybe next week........

Do come and see us if you come to Chelsea and have a drink with us.

Chelsea Day 3 and 4

The shape of the stand is beginning to show with the ring in place

Roof now on, paths laid



Edges in and pebble mosaic in too

 Now we need some plants!

Day 2 of the Chelsea Build Up

Day 2 and things are starting to take shape.

Layout complete and some of the trees going in.

Watch this space for the next instalment....

Shelter base in and excavation done for the "ring"

 Day 1 of the build up for Chelsea and all systems are go.

Guys are on site and starting the excavations, last loading at the nursery.

The pleached Parrotia heading for the lorry

Loading the stand and Plants

Chelsea preparations forge ahead

Preparations are well under way for our stand at the RHS Chelsea Flower show this year.

Plants are growing, the metalwork for the shelter and arches has arrived in our yard from John Naysmith the blacksmith, and the hedges are being potted for maximum impact.

We hope to be joined on the stand by some of the Chelsea Pensioners for afternoon tea on press day to celebrate our first Chelsea exhibit as Nicholsons Garden Design.

Please come and say hello if you are at the show-we will be on Pavillion Way at location PW33, just outside the Great Pavillion.

We will be running a daily blog during the build up to the show - watch this space

Team Nicholsons

On Sunday 10th March, Team Nicholsons turned out to brave the arctic conditions and took part in the OX5RUN at Blenheim Palace. It was the first time Nicholsons had ever taken part in the 5 mile run but their fitness and hardiness to the freezing cold weather showed as they ran away with the Corporate Cup!!!! A fantastic effort to all those who took part which raised valuable funds for the Oxford Children's Hospital.

Congratulations to Team Nicholsons!!

"This is to congratulate your team on winning the Challenge Cup at yesterday’s OX5RUN – well done to Nic Yeoman, Mike Lee, Charlie Harper, Jack Shardlow and Chalie Nixon who are the five people whose time contributed to you winning the cup. Presentation of the Cup will take place on Monday April 15^th at 6pm on Level 2 of the Children’s Hospital.  I will be in touch with further details but do put the date in yours and the teams diaries.

Your other runners contributed to your team having 16^th place and 46^th place in the Challenge cup so very well done to all the team.

Thank you for all your support and entering so many runners, your support is very much appreciated." Penny Hambridge, Children's Development Officer
 

"The overall team cup was won once again by Siemens, with newcomers Nicholson Nursery taking the corporate cup and Oxford Vaccine Group retaining the Community Cup. But everyone who took part is a winner in our eyes, especially those who created large teams and all those running because a child close to them is treated at our hospital." The Fundraising Team