Our History
The site of Giants Seat Nursery goes back to the early 1900s when it was known as Margaret Barlow’s Tea Room. The house that stills stands was the original building used to welcome guests from canalboats for tea and sandwiches. In 1926, the property was bought by Levi Lansdale, of Prestolee, who turned the site into a nursery specialising in growing tomatoes and chrysanthemums to sell at Bolton market. He handed it down to his son, Arthur Lansdale, in 1946, who ran the business for another 18 years. One of Authur’s employees was none other than James Kidd, who worked here from the age of 14 up until he bought the business in 1964. From then on, it was known as Giants Seat Nursery & Garden Centre.
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James Kidd and his wife Ann had 4 children who they brought up whilst running the nursery. Steven, the eldest, began to work with his father when he was 16. Slowly the other siblings, Alan, John, and Diane joined the team, all contributing towards the growing and development of the nursery.
The business took many years to overcome challenges that come with any business. They made the decision to move into retail around 1981 and, from that point, they never looked back. The main plants grown and sold at the beginning were alpines. Receiving stock from a relative’s garden, they cut and propagated them in the newly built glasshouse. They were able to expand by growing and selling alpines in a shorter time than they ever did previously selling for the wholesale market. This shift was pivotal in the evolution that brought us to the Giants Seat Nursery of today.
Sadly, the passing of James Kidd in December of 2023 prompted the family to sell the business even though it was a very difficult decision to make, having grown up with the nursery their whole lives. They wanted to find a new owner who would share the same values, ethos and sense of community that they had created over many decades.
The business has always been about providing quality plants, excellent service with a warm welcome. They didn’t want to see it become like every other garden centre. It really is all about the love for the plants. They recognised that the nursery was ready for new ideas and enthusiasm, which would continue the Kidd family’s legacy. In their own words, “It’s the heart that makes it”.
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