 | Bonsai weekendSaturday 4th & Sunday 5th SeptemberVisitors who ventured in to the bedding-plant area this weekend have been enjoying an exquisite display of Bonsai some of which are valued over £10,000. Returning to judge this year’s show was Peter Warren – student of Japanese Bonsai master Kunio Kobayashi and John Armitage, chairman of the British Shohin Society and student of Japanese Bonsai master Nubuichi Urushibalz.
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 | August Children’s ActivitiesThis August Gordale was host to 100’s of children of varying ages who very much enjoyed a range of sellout activities. These included learning: handling birds of pray, snakes, reptiles, learning circus skills and a teddy bears picnic. Gordale will be running the events again next year so mark it in your calendar to book early and avoid disappointment.
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 | Fuchsia weekend
Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th AugustThe show included some exquisite examples of fuchsias. The fuchsia society members were on hand answering questions and providing tips all day. In addition there were formal demonstrations on how to take and cultivate cuttings. Awards included: Colin Dorrington for best standard fuchsia, Julie Williams for best basket, Merle Clare received the Joan Byott memorial trophy as winner of the multiplant class, Les Smith for best in show and most points. |
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Friday 30th March 2010
Spring Open Evening Competition WinnerSandra Salisbury from Upton, Chester was the lucky winner of a solar Bird Bath at Gordale’s Spring Open Evening last week. She can be seen here receiving her prize from staff member Tony Swinhoe. |
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January 30th and 31st 2010
Gordale Potato Weekend
Medwyn Williams, 10 times Chelsea gold medal winner, returned to the Gordale Potato Weekend to give talks accross the weekend and answer the many questions that were thrown at him! The weekend was a complete success and we have a few of Medwyn's special potato grow bags still in stock. |
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January 23rd and 24th 2010
Gordale Wedding Fayre
The Gordale Wedding Fayre was a resounding success with brides and grooms from all over the region coming to pay a visit to the exhibitors.
Gordale staff members Gaynor Laithwaite and Paula Winn can be seen in the photograph modelling wedding dresses. |
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January 16th and 17th 2010
Gordale Orchid Weekend
The Gordale Orchid Weekend returned for another year and was as popular as ever. Talks went on throughout the weekend and there were wonderful displays by Chester Zoo and Liverpool Gardens. |
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Monday 7th December 2009
Tree O'Clock
Saturday 5th December at 11am saw the country take part in Tree O'Clock... a record attempt at planting the most trees in a single hour.
Gordale was proud to participate by distributing free trees to customers for them to plant at home and join in the record attempt. |
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Friday 27th November 2009
Youngest person to fill out our comment form
Leah Thomas, age 7, became the youngest person to fill out our customer comments form winning herself a Gordale Gift Voucher.
Leah can be seen in the photograph enjoying an ice cream from the coffee shop. |
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Monday 23rd November 2009
Santa arrives at Gordale
Santa arrived at Gordale with his Reindeer on Saturday 21st November and was greeted by hundreds of people.
He came to the official opening of Gordale's Charity Christmas Grotto and will be here up until Tuesday 22nd December although is Reindeer went back to the North Pole on Saturday! They need to get their rest before the big day!
You can visit Santa in his Grotto between 2pm and 5pm during the week and 11am and 5pm at the weekend. |
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Tuesday 3rd November 2009
Gordale Scoops Award
Gordale was shortlisted as a finalist in five categories for last night’s prestigious Garden Retail Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Gordale was a finalist in the Retail Outlet of the Year: Over £3m Turnover, Best Business Development: New build, refit or launch for our coffee shop and Best Themed Promotion for our Halloween Grotto.
Karen Jones, Gordale's Retail Manager, was runner-up in the category Employee of the Year and Gordale won the category Community Involvement Award. Gordale was handed the accolade in part to our fundraising for local charities and also for our involvement with Local Schools.
The photo shows Gordale's owners, Peter & Jill Nicholson collecting the award. |
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Monday 5th October 2009
Pumpkin Growing Competition
The judging of the Gordale Pumpkin Growing Competition was held on Sunday 4th October with a good turnout.
The photograph shows an award winning pumpkin leaving the allotment. |
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Monday 28th September 2009
Sunflower Competition
Gordale recently held our grow your own sunflower competition with the judging held on Sunday 13th September.
The photo shows the entrants to the competition. |
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Monday 21st September 2009
Classic Car Rally
On Sunday, Gordale played host to a Classic Car Rally with cars as old as 105 years old!
The judging was held by Managing Director, Peter Nicholson, with winners from three categories having to be chosen. |
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Thursday 17th September 2009
International Day
Wednesday 16th September saw Gordale play host to it's International Day with over 200 delegates from 22 countries arriving from the International Garden Centre Association Congress.
The photograph shows Duty Manager, Ruth Spendlove greeting the Mayor of Ellesmere Port & Neston, Tony Sherlock. |
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Monday 31st August 2009
Children's August Activities
August saw the return of Gordale's August Activities for Children. Twenty dates in August saw record numbers turn up with the vast majority of the activities being completely sold out.
The activities included Hedgehog Rescue, Bats Protection League, Professor Paulos and Wirral Herpitological Society.
The photo shows a participant in the Wirral Herpitological Society activity getting up close and personal with one of the snakes!
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Thursday 27th August 2009
Bonsai Weekend
Wirral Bonsai Society recently held their 21st Anniversary Show at Gordale Garden Centre. Peter Nicholson, Managing Director of Gordale, is seen here with the Mayor and Mayoress of Wirral, Andrew & Kathy Hodson. |
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Wednesday 5th August 2009
Houses for Hedgehogs
Gordale Garden Centre recently held a Big Bug Hunt as part of The Green Balloon Club Week, a national event run by Breathing Places at the BBC. Children hunted for bugs and beasties, learnt about the environment, the wildlife that live in our gardens, and made a hedgehog house to take home.
The photograph shows some of the children with Gordale’s Retail Manager, Karen Jones |
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Monday 6th July 2009
Neston Nomads Charity Fundraiser
Neston Nomads Footbal Club held a charity car wash in May to raise funds to play a match in France. They raised over £200 at the car wash and carried on to raise enough money to play their match. |
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Thursday 2nd July 2009
Cheshire Woman of the Year
Jill Nicholson, owner of Gordale Garden Centre has been nominated for Cheshire Woman of the Year. Jill has worked at Gordale for 22 years after ‘retiring’ from her teaching post as Head of Geography at Chester Catholic High School, to become Company Secretary at Gordale.
Jill takes an active role in all aspects of the company but has particularly played a large role in administration, advertising and promotions and in working with the local community to foster relations with local schools, organisations and charities although her last major project was the redevelopment of the 180 seat coffee shop which opened last month. Jill is currently helping to organise the IGCA visit to the North West of England in September 2009 when over 200 international guests will visit the North West of England.
The event was held at Eaton Hall the Duke of Westminster’s home last month and was attended by the nominees and their guests. A champagne reception was followed by a meal and the after dinner speaker was Fenella Billington who spoke her experiences in taking a degree in the History of Art as a mature student. |
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Friday 19th June 2009
Wimbledon in Bloom
Gordale Garden Centre is celebrating Wimbledon with a floral display, created by Joanne Massam. Joanne, who previously ran her own shop in Bromborough, ‘Snowdrops Florists’, has recently joined the team at Gordale as Manager of the Floristry Department . |
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Thursday 14th May 2009
School Children Visit Gordale
Children from Christian Fellowship School, Liverpool, spent the morning at Gordale Garden Centre on Wednesday. During their visit they planted pumpkin seeds, talked about the importance of trees in the environment, tasted herbs, and looked at bird, bat and insect boxes. |
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Monday 11th May 2009
Fuchsia WorkshopGordale Garden Centre held a Fuchsia Workshop on Sunday last (10th May), when expert Alan McDaid advised customers on all aspects of Fuchsia care. Alan is seen here with a group of fuchsia enthusiasts demonstrating the correct way to take cuttings.
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Thursday 7th May 2009
Fundraising Boost
Gordale Garden Centre was delighted to host a fundraising event recently when over 150 ladies enjoyed a demonstration by Karen Jones, Gordale’s Retail Manager The evening raised over £1000 for Wirral Fund For Children With Special Needs. The photograph shows Gordale’s Retail Manager, Karen Jones with two of the organisers. |
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Thursday 30th April 2009
Easter Eggspedition
Finn Jenkins, aged 3, was the winner of the Easter Eggspedition, a competition for children that was held at Gordale Garden Centre over the Easter holidays. A very proud Finn is seen here with his prize. |