Stella and Malcolm Exley are Directors of Hare Spring Cottage Plants, a hardy perennial nursery in Ford near Kingsbridge and live on site in a three hundred year old property with their working Cocker Spaniels Martha and Mary.

They have had a highly succesful May having been selected to be RHS Master Growers at Malvern Spring and then exhibited in the pavilion of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and won a gold medal there.

Stella told us more: "My husband Malcolm and I are both born and bred in Barnsley in South Yorkshire and then latterly lived in North Yorkshire.

"I was in local government for many years.

"I had always loved growing and Malcolm really encouraged me to do something seriously about it so I've got him to thank and I gave up the job and studied horticulture part-time at Askham Bryan College in York while setting up the nursery from scratch around ten years ago in Yorkshire.

"We had the opportunity to move to the South Hams had been coming down for many years on holiday with the children and it always was a dream to be here.

We relocated home and the nursery two and a half years ago.

Malcolm told us a bit about his background:

"I was a co-owner director of an accounting software business, selling, going back years.

"We were an IBM dealer before that, so I'd been heavily involved in IT all my life.

Relocating here we were approached by somebody to take over our business so I thought I'd retired but it appears not.

I joined Stella full-time, helping with the nursery when we relocated which gave Stella more time to be creative, more time for growing.

I did all the dull jobs, she did all the nice jobs, that's how it works but it suits me.

"We got quite a few gold medals and it's really taken off.

"We've also now got contracts to supply both Sidalcea and Camassia to all the RHS shops across the UK, including RHS Rosemoor

We also supply the National Collection.

Last year Stella was selected by the RHS to meet Queen Camilla at Chelsea and Her Majesty told her it was a pleasure to meet her and how the deep indigo blue Camassia had caught her eye and how much she and the King loved Camassia.

Malcolm met Martin Clunes who described their display as 'Beautiful and uplifting.'

Stella then told us more about the nursery:

"We've reclaimed the part wall garden and are planting herbaceous borders which are becoming a living library for the nursery.

"I'm a grower and breeder of plants and exhibit at all the major shows so at open weekends we love to welcome people in and we're also open by appointment and have more plans for different garden areas.

"We grow three National Plant Collections: Camassia, Sidalcea and Uvularia,

"This weekend on Friday Saturday 6, Sunday 7 and Monday 8 June we have one of our three open weekends this year with gorgeous home-baked cakes that we raise money for charity, Chivelstone Church and the Autistic Society.

"It's a lovely friendly weekend and people are very welcome to bring their dogs on a lead, there are plants for sale, lots of advice from the specialist grower.

Visit: harespringcottageplants.co.uk