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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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Scotland international Chloe Rollie returns to the Loughborough Lightning starting line-up for this weekend’s Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby trip to face Harlequins.


The 28-year-old missed out on the trip to Gloucester-Hartpury due to injury but will feature at fullback in Saturday’s encounter at Twickenham Stoop (kick-off: 2pm).


Rollie takes the place of fellow Scot Helen Nelson in the squad as the fly-half misses out due to injury. A reshuffle in the backs division sees Red Roses ace Helena Rowland switch from outside centre to wear the number ten shirt for the second time this season.


Rowland’s place in the midfield is filled by Bulou Mataitoga, who carried for the second-most metres gained (174) in the league last weekend from fullback.


She is joined in the centres by Carmela Morrall. The 19-year-old is one of six Lightning players to have started every league game this season and will extend that record at the Stoop on Saturday along with Christine Belisle, Emma Wassell, Megan Davey, Georgina Tasker, and Rachel Malcolm.


Left winger and vice-captain Tasker stretches her record as being the only Lightning player to start every Allianz Cup and PWR match this season as she makes the XV for an eleventh time. Bo Westcombe-Evans, fresh from registering her sixth try in nine games this term at Gloucester-Hartpury, wears the number 14 shirt.


The forwards remain unchanged with Catherine Wells, who made her Lightening debut in Round 7, going from the start at loosehead prop. Hooker Kathryn Treder starts for a fourth successive game hoping to add the three tries scored across that period. Tighthead prop Belisle completes the front row.


Wassell packs down in the second row alongside last weekend’s two-try star, Catherine O’Donnell.

Sadia Kabeya, whose 17 tackles at the Hartpury University Stadium moved her clear at the top of the league’s average tackles made per match (20.7), features at openside flanker in the back row with captain Malcolm and Daisy Hibbert-Jones at number eight.


Among the replacements there is one change as fly-half Lia Green features for the first time since Round 1, as head coach Nathan Smith opts for a split of five forwards and three backs to face Harlequins.


“This is a big block of fixtures for us where we will be looking to continue with the progress we have made in recent weeks and build on that momentum,” Smith said.


“The energy in the camp remains positive and competition for places is fierce. Everyone is looking forward to the challenge ahead this weekend.”


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