News
Sunday 9th MArch 2008 - Cheshire FM 9pm
Sue has a regular monthly spot on Diana Tapley's Sunday evening radio show on Cheshire FM, broadcast on 92.5FM. The main topic of conversation is usually gardening, with topical tips and suggestions for getting the most out of the garden. However Sue and Diana often end up chatting about the weather or canals! Diana's 8-10pm show is a mix of music and local information and events.
July 9th 2007 - See us at Tatton Show, 18th-22nd July 2007.
Sue and the team from Lodge Lane Nursery are creating 'The Whispering Garden' at Tatton Show. The garden is designed to provide shade and includes plants which 'whisper' gently in a breeze. Sue got the idea for the design while visiting Tatton Show in 2006 'It was the hottest day of the year, and everyone was desperate for shade. It brought home to me how important shade is to make a garden enjoyable in summer.
Work on site started on the 9th of July following several weeks of planning and tricky plant growing. 'With the drought in April and floods in June it has been difficult to manage the plant growth, but everyone has had the same experience this year. It's my first attempt at a show garden so I'm looking to enjoy it, learn a great deal and hopefully entice some new people to visit the nursery and gardens'.
Sue is keeping a blog diary of the creation of her show garden. Click Sue's Tatton Garden to read it.
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May 5th 2007 - Sue Beesley and Bluebell Cottage Gardens to feature on BBC Gardeners' World.
Sue Beesley is scheduled to appear on Gardener's World on BBC2 on 11th May to encourage applicants to come forward for the BBC's 2007 Gardener of the Year competition
A BBC crew visited Sue and filmed her in her new venture earlier in the month. 'Running a successful plant nursery has been a dream come true for me - and I don't think it would have happened without the competition. Not only did I discover that the nursery was for sale while searching for plants for GOTY, but winning it gave me that extra touch of confidence to do it.' said Sue.
It has been a frantic few weeks for Sue and the gardening team as they recovered the gardens from a winter of neglect to be ready for their NGS open day in April, as well as opening the nursery, but all is going well. 'We've had some wonderful feedback from visitors and some customers have even thanked us for keeping their favourite nursery open. There is still a great deal to do and we have some new projects in mind for later in the year, but it's great to have got off to such a good start.'
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Feb 2007 - BBC Gardener of the Year takes control.
In February 2007 Sue Beesley, BBC Gardener of the Year 2006, took over Lodge Lane Nursery and Bluebell Cottage.
Sue said, 'While purchasing plants for the competition I discovered completely by chance that the nursery was for sale. My husband Dave had come with me to visit the gardens earlier in the year and loved the quiet, rural location, right next to the canal.
When we worked out that we could raise the money to buy the cottage, gardens, nursery, woodland and meadow together, we simply had to do it. It meant we could achieve a long-held goal of turning my love of horticulture into a full time business and Dave's enjoyment of the Cheshire countryside into a new life for the whole family.
Sue recognises that it is a big step to move from being a good amateur gardener to being a professional horticulturalist. With tight deadlines for re-opening both the garden and nursery in March and April, Sue and the small team of staff will be working flat out to get the nursery and garden ready on time. 'I just hope I can deliver the standards our visitors have come to expect. It might take us a little while, but we will get there.'