The Hampshire Farmers’ Club
(Founded 1891)
Secretary: Sarah Cowlrick
Agriculture Place, Drayton Farm, East Meon,
Petersfield, Hampshire GU32 1PN
Telephone: 01730 823332
Email: [email protected]
TECHNICAL FARM VISIT TO
GREENLINES NURSERY
BIRDHAM, CHICHESTER, WEST SUSSEX, PO20 7HS
SPONSORED BY
WEDNESDAY 27 MAY 2015 at 6.00 pm
This year our Chairman has very kindly invited us to his cut flower nursery just over the County border in
Birdham on the Chichester Plain where he and his manager, Gerry Strydom, will be talking to us about the
issues involved in growing Sweet Peas on a large scale. Greenlines Nursery is the largest cut flower Sweet
Pea nursery in the UK with nearly 30 years’ experience of growing this beautiful scented crop.
Although the nursery extends to only around 2 acres, there are 3 greenhouses on site which provide a total
area of just over 6,000m² of growing space for approximately 75,000 plants each year. These plants
themselves produce in the order of 1,000,000 stems of Sweet Peas for wholesalers and the nursery is also the
sole supplier of Sweet Peas to Waitrose. The business is LEAF accredited.
Sweet Peas are a very unusual and demanding crop to grow as the crop needs a lengthy growing season to
ensure a quality product and is very influenced by changes in the weather. A period of warm sunny weather
can result in an enormous number of flowers opening in just a few days; conversely a spell of cold weather can
cause the crop almost to stop flowering. Its requirement to be grown as a cordon crop (grown in rows like
tomatoes) means it is unlike any other glasshouse flower crop.
We will be able to view the highly technical hydroponics and trellising system used to produce the flowers and
discuss the whole production cycle from the harvesting and use of the nursery’s own seed through to cutting,
packaging, storing and transporting the beautiful flowers to markets and for sale by post direct to the customer.
Breeding and trial programmes are in place at the nursery in order to continually improve the shelf life and
desirability (quality, scent, colour and appearance) of the Sweet Peas for the end consumer. The flowers come
in a wonderful range of colours and, like the Mortons’ traditional roses from The Real Flower Co, have a superb
fragrance which is quite something to smell within the greenhouses. There are both spring and winter varieties
of the Sweet Peas which means that production is nearly all year round.
No tickets will be issued but a reply is required by 6 May as we need to confirm the visit and numbers
with our host and food reservations with the pub (please advise us in advance of any dietary
requirements). If you say that you are coming please consider it a commitment as we will be turning
away others. Please either e-mail or telephone the office to book a place. The cost will be £10/head (to
be collected on the evening).
The Technical Evening will once again be an informal “wellies and coats” visit and numbers will be strictly
limited with the aim of ensuring that plenty of discussion can take place. The Farm Visit will take place on foot
only so please ensure you bring sensible footwear. The evening will start at 6.00 pm prompt and finish with a
light meal at The Lamb Inn in the village of Birdham approximately 1½ miles away. Directions to the nursery
and the pub are given overleaf and the nursery will be signposted. Please note however that parking is very
limited on site so please use common sense on arrival when parking!
Directions to Greenlines Nursery, PO20 7HS
From the west, take the A27 to Chichester, stay on this road and at the second big roundabout in Chichester
turn right on the A286 signed to Bracklesham, Witterings & Selsey. Continue along this road and after about a
third of a mile go straight over the mini roundabout and then continue on this road for just over 3 miles. After
the Birdham village sign, go past Sidlesham Lane on your left and then past Church Lane on your right. Just
after this you will see a lamp post with a white globe bulb in an island in the centre of the road and the turning to
Greenlines Nursery will be found approximately 75m after this on the left hand side.
Directions to The Lamb Inn, Chichester Road, West Wittering, PO20 8QA
Turn left out of the Nursery onto the A286 and after about ½ mile at the roundabout turn right onto the B2179
signed Itchenor and West Wittering. Continue on this road for approximately 1 mile and The Lamb Inn will be
found on the right hand side just after the Harbour Way Country Club.