The business started in 2002, in a field in Norfolk, which was overrun with weeds and thistles, hence our name. Born out of a passion for plants, the nursery was established growing a range of plants, mainly perennials from the everyday varieties to the more unusual. Over time the Thistlefield brand has grown and diversified:
Later the same year, the design and landscaping side of the business was established, running along side the nursery. This soon became the largest part of the business, with many customers throughout East Anglia.
Thistlefield Soup (latterly Thistlefield Food) began trading in the Autumn of 2007, making fresh soup from our own and locally sourced produce. The product range expanded over time, to include jams, chutneys, Christmas puddings and savouries. Theses were supplied in catering sizes to many Restaurants and Café’s, as well as retail sizes for Farm shops and delicatessens throughout Norfolk, plus our own as mail order service with customers through out the UK.
In 2019 a new side of the company started. After several months of alterations and decoration, finally in the Spring, East View was completed and available to rent as a holiday cottage. We have welcomed many people to come and stay at East View, with a lot of those guests returning to stay with us year on year, some several times a year. So this side of the business is growing in popularity.
After 15 years, in November 2022, after a lot of deliberation, we decided to close the food side of the business down, and wish to thank all of our customers for their support over the years.
On the horticultural side of the business, things have changed as time has moved on. As we get older, and you discover you can’t do as much as you used to, year on year we are scaling back on this side too. Although the design and landscaping still the main stay of the business, what was the start of the business in 2002, the nursery, no longer exists, as we are scaling back we no longer have the demand for the plants. After 18 years of displaying at shows, 13 years of them building show gardens, in July 2023 completed our last Show garden.

So today two parts of the business remain:
The Landscaping, is mainly concentrated on servicing the need of existing clients by maintaining their gardens, rather than on large scale design projects. However from time to time a few interesting smaller design projects have lured Paul out of semi-retirement. Plus the Holiday Property which is seeing more and more guests new and existing stay with us year on year. They are both run, with the same principles in mind, excellent quality of service, providing a great product, yet still giving value for money, whichever part of the business you come in to contact with.