Old Court Nurseries and The Picton Garden

Welcome to Old Court nurseries the birthplace of the modern Asters hybridised by Ernest Ballard in the early years of the twentieth century. We have been specialist growers of these wonderful autumn flowers since 1906 and are continuing to expand the range available for purchase. We are a third generation family run business and offer a friendly personal service.

Plants are available by mail order each spring, please see the online catalogue for more details, or can be purchased from the nursery in Colwall. You can also request a printed copy of the brochure or a list of items via email by contacting us.

Opening Times

7th May - 3rd August Friday - Sunday 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm
4th August - 29th August Wednesday - Sunday 1.00 pm - 5.00 pm
30th August - 17th October DAILY 12.00 pm - 5.00 pm

Please see the Picton Garden page for garden opening times

Brief history

Old Court Nurseries were established by Ernest Ballard in 1906. Ballard was one of the first growers to specialise in breeding Asters and he devoted over 50 years to the development of his new race of garden flowers. The Herefordshire village of Colwall became the international home for the popular Michaelmas Daisy. Several fields glowed with colour each autumn when thousands of plants came into flower.

Such was the popularity of Asters during the first 60 years of the 20th century that many other English nurseries grew Michaelmas daisies and some raised new varieties, most of which were based on those raised by Ernest Ballard.

For decades Michaelmas Daisy borders were prominent features in large gardens and the plants were also popular as cut flowers. Autumn flower shows featured displays and those at London shows of the Royal Horticultural Society were always notable.

Percy Picton continued Ernest Ballard’s work after he came to manage Old Court Nurseries in 1947. Ernest Ballard died in 1952 and Percy bought the business from the Ballard family in 1956. His son, Paul, joined him in the 1960’s. Paul and his wife Meriel formed the NCCPG National Collection of Autumn Flowering Asters in the 1980’s. At the same time the Picton Garden was much expanded to display nearly 400 varieties of Asters. In 2009 a third generation of the Picton family joined the business. Having gained a first class degree in Botany at the University of Reading, Helen Picton, is looking forward to helping look after what is probably the largest selection of Michaelmas Daisies in the world.

What else is available?

Along side the autumn flowering asters there is a wide range of other autumn flowering perennials including Eupatorium atropurpreum, Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’, Rudbeckia subtomentosa, Polygonum scoparium and Sanguisorba canadense. Other specialities include Dactylorhiza foliosa and a range of the beautiful Japanese hybrids of the autumn flowering Saxifraga fortunei.

Dactylorhiza foliosa tubers which all flowered in spring 2009 are available for mail order in March and early April. They will also be available for collection from the nursery during opening hours.

Prices as follows

one tuber £15.00 including first class postage
Two tubers £25.00
Three tubers £35.00 including postage.

This Price only applies to plants despatched to addresses in the UK.

The tubers will be packed so as to avoid drying out.

For information about composts and cultivation see the excellent book called "Hardy Orchids" by Phillip Cribb and Christopher Bailes.

Dactylorhiza foliosa comes from Madeira. But, it has long been cultivated in the UK and is absolutely hardy. The tall, lush spikes appear reliably each spring.

Please order by email to paulpicton@btinternet.com.We will send you an account for payment by cheque before despatch.