Our History

Whitegates was established back in 1966, we are an independent garden centre which grew from humble beginnings. Four generations of our family run business have seen continued improvement and growth to establish Whitegates Nursery as we see today.

In the beginning

Whitegates Nursery was built in West Rounton in 1966. The nursery site with two acres of newly built greenhouses was setup and run by Albert Grainge, son Bryan and brother-in-law Colin Chapman. During its early days the nursery was a market garden, primarily growing soft fruits, salads and plants.

Flower Power

Throughout the 70s the Nursery focused on large scale tomato and lettuce cultivation. Supplying markets across Yorkshire and the North East, however, with diminishing returns the nursery transitioned into cut flower production. These flowers were also presented at local shows. To the right you will see our director Jon Grainge in his early years surrounded by chrysanthemums!

Next Generation

The business underwent a significant transformation when the 3rd Generation of Grainges – Jonathan, entered after university shifting the primary focus from flower cultivation into plants. Modern polytunnels gradually replaced traditional greenhouses enhancing plant production through increased automation and efficiency.

Wholesale & Retail

The Nursery operated mainly as a wholesaler supplying garden centres, shops and market traders throughout the North East. Over time an increasing number of customers were visiting the Nursery to buy their plants.

With this in mind: In 2005 a new shop was constructed, offering a wider variety of products to increase the number of customers.

Shop Extension

In 2018 the Nursery undertook major expansion, extending the shop.

With growing plants at its foundation, Whitegates retained its independence as a family business, expanding its offerings to accommodate the evolving needs of its customers.

The Café @ Whitegates Nursery

April 2018 saw the opening The Café @Whitegates – a huge step forward for the business!

A complete overhaul of the existing "Tearoom" was undertaken building 2 professional kitchens, a stylish dining area and adding a new team of chefs and front of house staff - enabling Whitegates to expand its menu for customers.
The Cafe became very popular from day one and continues to go from strength to strength thanks to Claire and her team.

Gardeners' World

In October 2018 BBC's Gardeners’ World came to Whitegates! Presenter Adam Frost helped a young customer Arthur to choose some plants to be used in a sensory garden for his sister Charlotte.

New Entrance!

In July 2022 Whitegates opened a brand new entrance for all traffic entering the site.This new drive way improved visibility for patrons and allowed delivery vehicles to be directed away from the general public streamlining processes and improving safety.

Prime Minister's Christmas Visit

In December 2022 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Whitegates! The Prime Minister sampled coffee & cake in our busy cafe and then went on to the nursery to choose his Christmas tree!

Cafe Extension - The Orangery

2023 saw continued improvements to the Nursery. Extension of the Café opening the “Orangery”, new staff facilities for the hardworking team, and the installation of solar panels providing a source of sustainable energy to the Nursery.

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