top of page

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.


Most Read

V12 Retail Finance Q3 Data Shows Home Improvement Finance More Than Doubling

V12 Retail Finance Q3 Data Shows Home Improvement Finance More Than Doubling

New quarterly data from V12 Retail Finance shows that UK consumers continued to turn to point-of-sale finance for high-value purchases in the third quarter of 2026.

High Street Gloom as Leicester City Centre Welcomes New Openings

High Street Gloom as Leicester City Centre Welcomes New Openings

Leicester continues to buck the national narrative of high street closures as a new wave of restaurants, cafés, fashion stores and independent businesses open their doors across the city centre.

Hill Cross Furniture Raises £1,500 For Overgate Hospice

Hill Cross Furniture Raises £1,500 For Overgate Hospice

North Yorkshire furniture specialist Hill Cross Furniture has presented £1,500 to Overgate Hospice after taking on a 1,042-mile cycling challenge inspired by the team’s work on the hospice’s new Inpatient Unit.

Categories

Feb 24, 2025
3 min read


His Majesty The King was given a glimpse into the future of JCB hydrogen power as he toured the company’s World Headquarters as part of its 80th birthday celebrations.


As JCB prepares to mark the historic milestone, the company is developing an internal combustion engine which is powered by hydrogen, a zero-carbon fuel of the future.


His Majesty was given an insight into JCB’s hydrogen technology by Chairman Anthony Bamford during a tour of the company’s Innovation Centre at Rocester, where he was shown one of the first JCB diggers to be powered by hydrogen – and how the machine can be refuelled simply and efficiently in a matter of minutes.


The visit also helped to mark another milestone for JCB – the production of the one millionth JCB backhoe loader digger, an invention which replaced men with shovels, pickaxes and hods and mechanised the labour-intensive process of digging holes and earthmoving around the world.


Lord Bamford said:

“It is a real honour for us all that that The King has visited JCB to help us celebrate 80 years in business. It was also a great pleasure to show The King the progress we are making with hydrogen powered machines. Today was an occasion that will live long in the memories of everyone who was present.”

The King was welcomed on arrival by Lord and Lady Bamford, George Bamford and JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald before going on a tour of the backhoe loader production line where he helped fit a wheel to a JCB digger.


On a tour of the production line, His Majesty met apprentices Matthew Walker-Stack, 19, of Rugeley, Freddie McCool, 19, of Lichfield, and Eleanor Pitt, of Derby, who is only the second ever female welding apprentice to join the company.


The King spoke to Richard Williams, of Stramshall, near Uttoxeter, General Manager of the Backhoe Loader Business Unit, who has worked at JCB for 38 years. He followed in his father Brian’s footsteps, who completed 33 years’ service as a JCB Production Foreman. Also introduced to The King were Richard’s wife Sarah, who has worked for JCB for almost 35 years and his son Josh, a paint plant operative and his daughter Kaitlan, who works in Production Support.


The visit concluded in the main reception of JCB’s World HQ where The King was shown the one millionth JCB backhoe loader digger which recently rolled off the company’s Rocester production line.


His Majesty was greeted by warm applause from more than 60 guests in the reception, who included members of two families who have a combined service to JCB approaching 1,000 years. Bill Boot first clocked on at JCB in 1949 and 27 members of his family have gone on to work at the company and nine current Boot family employees, including Bill’s great-grandson Leigh, were there to welcome The King. Ken Harrison, now aged 100, one of the last surviving members of the 1953 team which produced the first JCB backhoe loaders was also in attendance with family members. Ken and his relatives have amassed more than 350 years’ service to JCB.


Also among the guests in the main reception were long-serving and retired employees and former JCB Academy students, including Rhys Bradbury, 29, of Derby. As a 15-year-old student Rhys had reported on the official opening of the Academy by the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall for the school’s newsletter.


Rhys, who is now JCB’s Regional Sales Manager for Central Europe, Austria and Switzerland, said:

“It was fantastic to be involved in today’s visit and a great start to JCB’s 80th anniversary year.”

Also there was JCB-sponsored athlete Adam Burgess sporting his Olympic silver medal, which he secured in Paris last year in the slalom canoe event.


His Majesty unveiled a plaque to mark his visit and as he stepped outside to leave, he was met by the cheers of thousands of flag-waving World HQ JCB employees who lined the route of his departure.


Caption for attached photo: Lord Bamford explains to His Majesty The King the simple and quick process of refuelling a hydrogen backhoe loader.


Most Read

V12 Retail Finance Q3 Data Shows Home Improvement Finance More Than Doubling

V12 Retail Finance Q3 Data Shows Home Improvement Finance More Than Doubling

New quarterly data from V12 Retail Finance shows that UK consumers continued to turn to point-of-sale finance for high-value purchases in the third quarter of 2026.

High Street Gloom as Leicester City Centre Welcomes New Openings

High Street Gloom as Leicester City Centre Welcomes New Openings

Leicester continues to buck the national narrative of high street closures as a new wave of restaurants, cafés, fashion stores and independent businesses open their doors across the city centre.

Hill Cross Furniture Raises £1,500 For Overgate Hospice

Hill Cross Furniture Raises £1,500 For Overgate Hospice

North Yorkshire furniture specialist Hill Cross Furniture has presented £1,500 to Overgate Hospice after taking on a 1,042-mile cycling challenge inspired by the team’s work on the hospice’s new Inpatient Unit.

Categories

Shepherd Neame Scoops Multiple Awards For Beers, Pubs & People

Shepherd Neame Scoops Multiple Awards For Beers, Pubs & People

Britain’s oldest brewer, Shepherd Neame, is celebrating a number of accolades received throughout October, recognising the quality of its beers, the success of its pubs and the achievements of its team members.

Annexe Communities Secures Funding To Distribute Café Lunch Vouchers

Annexe Communities Secures Funding To Distribute Café Lunch Vouchers

The people of Partick will continue to enjoy affordable, healthy food and a welcoming place to socialise at Annexe Communities' community café, thanks to new funding that will help hundreds of people.

As UK Export Growth Slows, Expert Highlights the Evolving Role of Shipping Containers

As UK Export Growth Slows, Expert Highlights the Evolving Role of Shipping Containers

Seventy years after a converted oil tanker carried the first standardised steel boxes from New Jersey to Texas, the shipping container remains the basic unit that global trade is built on.

Recent Posts

bottom of page