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Peter Stott

Owner and Founder of Larch Cottage Nurseries

Raised in the beautiful Lowther valley, Peter Stott attended school in Penrith and gained A levels in Art, English and Geography.

After leaving school Peter studied at Carlisle College of Art and later, after a brief period working as a photographer in Ambleside and with the RSPB at Haweswater, went on to take a course in teacher training in Herefordshire.

As a subsidiary course he studied dance; was eventually accepted for a post at the London Contemporary Dance Company and at the same time started working in landscaping and garden design.

It was when Dutch Elm Disease arrived in Britain that Peter extended his horticultural services into tree surgery. In 1978 Peter moved back to Cumbria freelancing as a tree surgeon and garden designer.

It was the difficulties of sourcing the plants required for his landscaping designs that led Peter to set up Larch Cottage. Now recognised as one of the premier nurseries in the Country, Larch Cottage is host to over 15,000 varieties of plants specialising in Rare and Unusual Shrubs, Perennials and climbers. Japanese Acers, Old Fashioned Roses and slow growing and Dwarf Conifers. For many of these varieties they are the country’s only supplier as listed in the RHS Bible, The Plantfinder. In the last few years Larch Cottage has also become an RHS Event Partner, and holds a number of talks and demonstrations throughout the year for RHS Members.

Peter continues to operate a very successful landscaping and garden design business as well as Larch Cottage Nurseries, Red Barn Gallery and The Greenhouse Restaurant.