Tates of Sussex is proud to grow a large proportion of the plants we sell, and we do this at two dedicated nursery sites – one at Old Barn Nurseries in Dial Post, and the other tucked away behind South Downs Nurseries in Hassocks. Together, these nurseries play a vital role in bringing top-quality, homegrown plants to all four of our garden centres.
Old Barn Nurseries at Dial Post
Set across 4 acres of Sussex countryside, Old Barn’s commercial nursery was established in 2004 and became part of Tates of Sussex in 2018. The site includes open-air growing beds, glasshouses and polytunnels, all expertly overseen by Michael Esposito and his dedicated team.
Each year, the nursery produces around 250,000 plants across 400 different varieties, with around 40% going to Tates garden centres and the remainder supplied to other garden retailers around the UK.
Among the top favourites are
Phormiums, Lavender, Trachelospermum jasminoides, and Salvias.
Summer sees the nursery buzzing with colour and pollinators, while autumn brings a glorious blaze of reds, oranges and golds as deciduous shrubs put on their seasonal show.
Recent new highlights include some striking new introductions:
- Hydrangea arborescens ‘Candybelle ® Sorbet’, a sturdy compact hydrangea with dark pink flowers from July to September.
- Lavandula × intermedia ‘Exceptional’, a tall white hardy variety shortlisted for RHS Plant of the Year in 2023.
- Olearia phlogopappa ‘Spring Bling’, a low-maintenance evergreen shrub, smothered in white daisy-like flowers in late spring and early summer, will be in stores from August.
- Cornus alba ‘Miracle’, a standout all year with colour-changing leaves and vivid winter stems
- Albizia ‘Summer Chocolate’, with rich foliage and tactile beauty
Sustainability is also at the heart of operations. Both sites uses irrigated capillary matting and sand beds to conserve water, all plastic pots are fully recyclable, and the compost is 100% peat-free – well ahead of government targets. Both nurseries also collect rainwater in massive tanks for irrigating plants.
South Downs Nurseries in Hassocks
Step behind the scenes at South Downs Nurseries and you’ll find a hidden hub of horticultural activity. In a series of polytunnels just beyond the main garden centre, the in-house team cultivates thousands of bedding plants, spring bulbs, cyclamen, herbs, ferns, strawberries, and summer perennials.
This year, they’ve even added some vegetables – including homegrown tomatoes – to their growing list.
The heart of the nursery is the potting bench, where the team designs and plants up stunning hanging baskets, window boxes and patio pots to bring colour and joy through all four seasons.
Plants grown at Hassocks are distributed across all our garden centres, ensuring that no matter which Tates you visit, you’re not only getting high-quality plants – you’re supporting sustainable, local horticulture.
By our resident horticultural expert
