York garden centre donates plants to new Montessori nursery

A York garden centre has donated plants to a nursery in York to help children learn about living things.

Neil Collins, manager of Osbaldwick Montessori, contacted Dean's Garden Centre in Stockton on the Forest when the nursery opened recently. He said: "One of the core principles of a Montessori nursery is to build better communities through having strong links with surrounding businesses and people. The nursery itself received a lot of generous support, resources and time from many local tradesmen to make it happen, and we're delighted with the generous donation of plants from the team at Dean's Garden Centre.

"We encourage the children from a very early age to show love, care and respect for all living things so to have plants in the nursery that the children can look after, water and see grow will be of huge benefit to them. It also teaches them important life skills and brings them closer to nature."

Malcolm Storey, outdoor manager at Dean's York, was happy to donate a selection of plants to the Montessori nursery: "We are a family-friendly, community-focussed garden centre, and we're delighted to support children's learning and to help foster a love of gardening at an early age. We look forward to receiving Neil's photos of how the plants are thriving."

The garden centre's donation is the latest in a series of community-minded gestures that has included donating a Christmas tree to a Haxby Care Home, supporting the Yorkshire Children's Charity and donating coats to children in need.

Dean's York Garden Centre is part of the Yorkshire Garden Centres (YGC) family of destination garden centres that includes Tong, Tingley, Otley, Bingley and Pennine Garden Centres plus Dean's in Scarborough.