Shropshire garden centre goes on the market
In 1979 Tim and Helen Noble bought a smallholding, converted its dairy into a potting shed and started selling bedding plants and vegetables.
Now, 35 years later, they have seen their turnover grow from £100 to £276,000.
But they have decided that the time is right to put Holly Farm Nurseries & Garden Centre in Prees, near Whitchurch, on the market.
"We are both 66 and we think now is the right time to retire," said Mr Noble.
"We have had a great time and we will miss our customers, many of whom have become friends.
I think we will stay in the area."
The site, which includes a five-bedroomed house, outbuildings and nine acres of agricultural land, is now on sale for £770,000.
The couple, whose grown-up children are a physiotherapist and a teacher, met while students at Aston University in Birmingham before moving to Ethiopia to work on a sugar refinery, where Mr Noble was an engineer and Mrs Noble taught English.
While in Ethiopia the couple became interested in plants and took a horticulture course. When they moved back to England they decided to make their roots in Prees and start up a nursery.
Mrs Noble said: "I remember when we started up it was very simple. We were young and started by just selling seeds.
"I remember our first day when we had a turnover of £100 which we thought was amazing.
"I also remember getting up at 5am day in and day out to take the vegetables we had grown to Birmingham market. It was long hours and hard work that's for sure."
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