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Johnsons Nurseries Supplies Plants For Rockliffe‘s Multimillion-Pound Transformation



One of the UK’s largest plant nurseries, Johnsons Nurseries Ltd, has continued its long-standing relationship with the five-star luxury resort, Rockliffe, supplying more than 17,000 plants and trees for its newly landscaped grounds as part of its multimillion-pound transformation.


Set within 375 acres of historic parkland near Darlington, Rockliffe has undergone an extensive transformation, including the restoration of its Grade II-listed Old Hall, enhanced accommodation, new dining experiences, and the creation of a standalone restaurant pavilion named Atlas.


The ambitious project has seen the resort's gardens and outdoor spaces transformed to complement the renovated and new buildings, creating an attractive and welcoming environment for guests.


The landscape and planting scheme was designed by Colour Landscape Architects, while Johnsons Nurseries supplied an extensive selection of shrubs, trees, instant hedging, ornamental grasses, flowering perennials and topiary, creating year-round interest throughout the newly landscaped grounds.


Among the varieties supplied were mature Scots pines, multi-stem Amelanchier lamarckii and Magnolia trees, alongside instant Carpinus betulus hedging and ornamental Taxus baccata topiary. The planting scheme also features an extensive mix of flowering perennials and ornamental grasses, including Anemone 'Honorine Jobert', Geranium 'Rozanne', Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm', Calamagrostis and Deschampsia, providing seasonal colour, texture and movement throughout the gardens.


The landscaping was carried out in-house by Rockliffe’s Estates team, led by Head of Engineering & Estates Phil Mennell.


Despite one of the hottest and driest summers, the team worked tirelessly to establish thousands of plants and trees, extensive hedging and new lawn areas, overcoming challenging conditions and tight deadlines to complete the grounds ahead of the resort's reopening.


Group Managing Director at Johnsons Nurseries, Graham Richardson, said:

"We're incredibly proud to have supplied the plants for Rockliffe’s newly transformed gardens as part of this prestigious development."

"From the restoration of the historic walled garden to this latest transformation, it's rewarding to see how the grounds have evolved. The finished gardens look fantastic, and we're delighted to have played a part in creating outdoor spaces that guests can enjoy for years to come."


Phil Mennell, Head of Engineering & Estates at Rockliffe, added:

"This has been one of the most ambitious landscaping projects we've undertaken at Rockliffe, and I'm incredibly proud of what our Estates team has achieved. Working closely with Johnsons Nurseries has been invaluable, ensuring we had the quality and variety of plants needed to bring the designs to life."

"It's been fantastic to see the gardens transform, and I'm looking forward to watching them establish and mature for our guests to enjoy for many years to come."


Emma Fletcher, Director at Colour Landscape Architects, said:

 “Johnsons have been a great support on the delivery of the new gardens at Rockliffe, assisting us on species choices and availability from early design stages and providing flexibility in deliveries to align with the challenging project programme."

"We are delighted that the completed gardens have been so well received, and a large part of that is the impact that the planting beds and stock have had.”


The completed gardens complement the resort's historic parkland setting, enhancing the guest experience and marking another chapter in Johnsons' long-standing relationship with Rockliffe, which reopened at the beginning of September.


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Aug 29, 2024
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Children that have been out of routine sleep for six weeks may find it difficult to get back into routine after the summer holidays.


While the adjustment might not work on night one, doing the right things will ensure that your child adapts as quick as possible.


So, here are five tips shared by a sleep expert, Dr Deborah Lee, working alongside Get Laid Beds for making a smooth return to earlier bedtimes:


1. Create a gradual transition


  • A sudden shift in bedtime can be stressful for children and might result in resistance.


  • Begin the process gradually by setting both an earlier bedtime and wake-up time every few nights before the summer break ends.


  • It's a good idea to start this process about two weeks before school starts as it requires practice and consistency to get it right.


2. Create a sleepy environment


  • Ensure that your child’s bedroom is comfortable and distraction-free so that sleep is the main focus.


  • Hot baths before bed are proven to help children fall asleep, and a previous Get Laid Beds study has also shown that half-an-hour of reading before bed is the best thing someone can do for a better quality sleep.


3. Limit screen time before bedtime


  • Ensure that your children are avoiding screen time at least an hour before bedtime because they emit blue light and make it harder for both children and adults fall asleep.


  • Instead, stick to books, podcasts, and audiobooks so that they’re not emitting blue light before bedtime.


4. Set a good example


  • It’s not just the kids who need to discipline themselves after the holidays, parents also should be role models for kids at home by embracing good sleep habits as part of their post-holiday resolutions.


  • Ensure that you’re not spending time on your phone or watching too much TV close to your own bedtime. Children will only question why you get to do that, after specifically telling them that they can’t.


  • Perhaps suggest the idea of a family board game before bed, or even a walk around the block so that the whole family is embracing good bedtime habits.


5. Spend quality time with your kids


  • Spending quality time with your kids makes it easier for them to fall asleep. Children can be unsettled at bedtime as they are often longing for attention.


  • Asking them about their day or reading a book to them as they’re laying in bed are great options for you to all have some final quality time together before the next day begins.



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