Tim and Stef: from the ground up

The council approval process was our biggest challenge. Getting everything in place and signed off was time- consuming, but it meant we had extra time and space to get the designs right. We built everything to feel and look rustic, no precise smooth lines.

We’ve had to work with nature – not only in trying to be as eco- friendly as possible but building through the seasons. We spent one memorable morning picking ice and snow out of concrete, and the reinforcing rods froze just before the concrete trucks were about to arrive. That was a cold winter’s work.

We’re lucky that our business needs time to grow – we can’t throw money at it to make the plants grow quicker – which has slowed us down and kept us on track.

Working with family has highs and lows – there are days when they drive you mad, but you know everything will be okay in the morning. There are always tough times; everyone’s opinionated and wants to be heard or share their idea, but we’ve grown up together, we know each other’s weaknesses and strengths and we combine our skills to balance the business well.