Langlands currently raise over a third of the plants they sell in specialised covered areas at their Shiptonthorpe site. By moving their growing operations to the extensive glasshouses, which currently occupy 5 acres at HOSM, which are currently used exclusively for raising lettuce, it is hoped that this figure can be increased to around 90% of all the plants they sell. In addition, this will free up space at Shiptonthorpe to allow for further improvement and development of the garden centre and catering facilities. 

“This is a great opportunity for us to get back to our roots," says James Ducker, director at Langlands Nurseries. “With the glasshouses at HOSM, Langlands will be able to grow a much wider variety and volume of plants in-house. This is good news for our customers and for the environment, and a pretty exciting prospect for us as a company, as you can imagine.”

Ian Ducker, James’ cousin and also a director at Langlands, states: “We’ve recently hired a highly skilled nursery manager to help us to plan and implement our expansion at HOSM and over the next few months, as things get off the ground and we settle in to the site, we will be looking to employ a team of nursery staff to assist with the day-to-day duties and help us make this a success.

"The space we are freeing up at our Shiptonthorpe garden centre will make room for us to expand our current retail operations there, and allow us to hold more social functions and events for the community, like the upcoming Summer Ball in support of the Greenfingers children’s charity.”

The prospect of employment opportunities within the horticultural industry will come as welcome news to locals, to whom Langlands Nurseries is something of an institution, having been operating in the local area for over 50 years. Originally founded by Walter Ducker, the Langlands brand has since gone from strength to strength.

After the Second World War, Walter Ducker got a job with a Mill owner in Bingley. It was then that he gained a reputation for his Dahlias, which he grew in a small nursery at the Mill owner’s house, which just happened to be called “Langlands”. When the Mill owner retired, Walter took over the nursery business, and in 1964 he moved it to a quiet little road between Market Weighton and York. Langlands quickly built up its reputation throughout the North of England by participating in shows with their award winning Chrysanthemums, Fuchsias, and or course, Walter’s prize Dahlias, which were grown specially.



Above: James and Ian Ducker have been passionate about growing plants from a young age.

Walter’s sons, Robert and John Ducker, helped out constantly, driving around in their distinctive blue vans, delivering fresh cut flowers to markets and constructing show stands. That all changed, however, when in June 1990 a late frost killed a significant amount of Langlands’ stock. It was then that the Duckers decided to make a committed move into retail, and expanded their site at Shiptonthorpe. Robert and John are still directors of the business, along with their sons Ian and James.

Langlands currently has three garden centres across Yorkshire, including Leeds, Sheffield, and now the new plot in HOSM , employing nearly 200 people in various retail, catering and horticultural positions.