1992
2011
Johnsons purchased an additional 7.2 hectares
at Cattal Station to expand its container
production economically.
1972
Johnsons crashed through the first
£1million sales month and with a sales
increase of 40% on the previous year
went through the £6m barrier.
Purchased the 50 acre
Newlands Nursery.
◙ Redundant Endfield site sold
◙ Ellie Richardson Joins company
1964
1999
Horticultural Advisor John Richardson and wife Dorothy Richardson took
over the company
( 71⁄2 acres, £33,000 turnover, 10 staff)
2012
2003
Turnover 9.8m
2009
total annual sales passed £8m
turnover in the south
2017
1994
CLICK &
DRAG DOWN
◙ 8.8m turnover
◙ Achieved silver Health & Safety
ward from ROSPA at first attempt Include
rospa logo
◙ Rob Richardson joins the company
9500 sq.m of additional tunnels
built on Cattal nursery Photo
of Cattal tunnels.
2013
1921
‘E.R Johnson (Nurseries Ltd)’
was founded by WW1 veteran Eric Johnson.
total annual sales passed £9m.
1978
1971
Purchased 18 acres at Farnham
to increase field rose production.
the business dropped
retail sales and became
totally wholesale.
John Richardson honoured with an Individual
Excellence Award and Lifetime Achievement
Award by the HTA and Horticulture Week.
1989
Our business is steeped in history.
1981
2007
Luke Richardson joins the company
Survived the hard frosts earlier in the year and invested in the first fork lift truck, the first of nine!
1985
2006
1983
Purchased new high volume potting machine
at Newlands Photo of potting machine
Achieved registration to ISO 14001
Originally founded in 1921, Johnsons has been run by
three generations of the Richardson family since 1964
Purchased 21 acres at Dunsforth.
2008
Click and Hold Left Mouse
button and Drag Down
Johnsons became the first European
horticultural business of any kind to achieve
BS 5750 (ISO 9000), in 1992, which lead to
relationships with organisations such as
Sainsbury’s and many senior architectural
practices throughout the country.
£10m annual sales total achieved.
◙ Luke Richardson makes pro
landscapers 30 under 30
◙ Best family-run business of the Year at Harrogate
Advertiser Business awards 2016.
Sales hit £1m for the first time.
2016
◙ 2 new low emission trucks
purchased, plus 1 high volume artic.
◙ Shaun Richardson joins the company
◙ 12 million + turnover for second year
◙ John is presented with Lifesize ‘spirit of the
nurseryman’ by Harry Gration to celebrate his 80th◙ Johnsons make own corporate company ‘quixley gin’
◙ 400,000 bees on our onsite apiary
◙ Crowned as one of the region’s best businesses for
second year running
2005
2014
1993
1990
2018
Purchased 29 hectares at Ryther near
Cawood, adjacent to the airfield.
The company became known as
Johnsons of Whixley Ltd.
◙ 12 million + turnover
◙ John receives lifetime achievement
award from the Yorkshire post◙ Johnsons first apiary producing first
batch of Honey
◙ Johns 80th Birthday – celebrated by
staff, family and friends.
◙ Crowned as one of the region’s
best businesses
Johnsons acquired Endfield Nursery
at Wilberfoss providing the business
with a substantial source of transplants
and a new market selling forest trees to
estates and forestry planting contractors.
2019
1996
Andrew Richardson elected as President of the
Horticultural Trades Association and awarded
the prestigious Pearson Memorial Medal by the
HTA an honour he shares with his father John.
sales reached the £2m mark.
Paul Richardson joins the company
total annual sales passed £4m.
The new container area was fully
cropped, bringing the area of containers
to 17 hectares.
2015
2002
Purchased Triangle Nurseries
providing an additional 2.5 acres
and an area of glass.
1997
Established the cash and carry unit at
Chobham in Surrey to take advantage of the
higher prices achievable in the south.
