North Devon nursery heading to Chelsea to spread the ‘no prick’ revolution

A Barnstaple nursey has invested in specialist machinery to remove one of the banes of gardeners everywhere – ‘pricking out’.

The new-found efficiency means Hannah and Nick Wade of Gardeners Delight Nursery in Bickington have been able to free up enough time to head back to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this May.

‘Pricking out’ refers to the time-consuming process of transferring young seedlings from their germination container or seed tray into pots – a delicate and tedious job.

But by investing in specialist machinery that sows seeds directly into compost-filled cells, the Barnstaple couple has eliminated the traditional, labour-intensive pricking-out stage by radically streamlined their 100% peat-free growing process.

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With a failure rate of less than 5%, the new system allows the couple, alongside just one part-time employee working three mornings a week, to fill an entire 60-foot polytunnel in a single day.

Gardeners Delight Nursery is marking its 35th anniversary this year and the couple says the new technology has helped secure the future of their business.

Above and below: A range of plants grown by Gardeners Delight Nursery in Barnstaple. Credit: Vikki Rimmer

Hannah said: “We work to the light and do long hours on the nursery and Nick now does most of the seed sowing with a machine that shakes the seed and drops it directly into the cells.

“The reality is we are short on labour. It’s hard to find staff who want to do a highly physical job through all weathers. As we’ve gotten older, we are embracing technology to lighten the load and keep production high.

“I did a couple of talks to garden clubs last year and they couldn’t believe how mechanised we are. We’ve made our lives as efficient as possible to produce as much as possible, despite our small size.”

It also means the Wades have time to return to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year. Their 2026 Great Pavilion display Plants For Pollinators - running from May 19 to 23 - will showcase hundreds of plants grown entirely peat-free at their Barnstaple site.

Above: Hannah and Nick Wade photographed with their exhibit and medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025.

The 2026 stand will focus on container-grown perennials, tapping into the booming demand for eco-friendly gardening in small spaces.

The display aims to prove that high-impact pollinator planting is just as achievable for a renter with a doorstep pot in South London as it is for a large country estate in Devon.

Having luckily avoided the worst of the recent extreme rains in North Devon, the nursery is focusing on high-impact, shade-tolerant plants such as Thalictrum ‘Black Stockings’ and ‘Splendide’, alongside Dicentras, Iris, and Geums, with maples providing structure and canopy.

A major feature of this year's Chelsea display will be the extensive use of umbel-shaped flowers, all grown from seed.

Hannah added: “To complement the other perennials that tend to have bigger heads, we will be interspersing with umbels. With their open, round heads, they act as the perfect landing strips for bees, butterflies, and vital insects.

“We grow a massive amount of seed, see what’s looking good on the nursery and then work with our colour theme to create a complete ecosystem in a pot.”

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