Toobees Exotics

About Toobees Exotics

 

Toobees Exotics is run by Bob and Beryl Potter and started life 24 years ago as an extension to a hobby which started for Bob in 1957 at a very tender age!

Initially a collection of  cacti and common succulents was started and as time progressed more interest began to develop in some of the rarer succulents that were becoming available.

In 1973 a three year stay in Yemen allowed both of us to travel extensively in that country and to discover many of the interesting and unusual succulents in their natural habitat.

Many plants were bought back when we returned to U.K. and some of the rarer species were distributed after propagation to members of the Cactus and Succulent Society.

Notable among the plants found in Yemen were Dorstenia foetida, Adenium obesum, Ceropegia rupicola and the then extremely rare species Rhytidocaulon macrolobum.

     

                                                                        Ceropegia rupicola                 Dorstenia foetida                   Rhytidocaulon macrolobum.

It was eventually decided to start a small nursery centered on the greenhouses in our back garden, the project got under way in 1981 and in the following years we had the pleasure of receiving many visitors to our small operation.

 

In 1989 we made a visit to Madagascar and explored much of this fascinating island and again brought back many new and exiting plants some of which still form the basis of our propagating stock. A few examples of Madagascan plants can be seen in the pictures below.

 

 

            

Aloe descoingsii v.augustina      Euphorbia capsaintmariensis            Euphorbia alfredii

 

                       

            Euphorbia                      Euphorbia                      Xerosycios                     Zygosycios

            croizatii                          primulifolia                     pubescens                       tripartitus

 

 

 

We entered into the ‘ Show World’ with the first ever Hampton Court Flower Show in 1991 and have continued from there, showing our unusual succulents at the large R.H.S shows which includes Chelsea, Hampton Court, Tatton Park and the B.B.C Gardeners World Show in Birmingham. 

We won a GOLD MEDAL at Chelsea on our first attempt in 1996 and have won numerous GOLD MEDALS at the other major horticultural shows, we also  won another GOLD MEDAL for our last Chelsea Exhibit in 2004.

We also attend small and medium events during  the year both locally and further a field.

 

We eventually moved to larger premises and  formed a Nursery that was open to the public, where we stocked a wider range of plants than was taken to the shows such as palms, carnivorous plants, bromeliads, tillandsias and any rarities that we obtained or grew.

With the wider range of plants that we stocked we  attended various Homes and Garden Shows such as the Ideal Home Show at Earls Court and The Daily Telegraph Show at Olympia and The Alexander Palace Homes and Garden Show where we were able to take some specimen plants for sale.

Due to the site where the Nursery was situated being sold, we needed to vacate the premises, and had to go through the process of trying to find another suitable location. We eventually found a new location at the end of 2005.

We are now up and running and will be operating a mail order business from our new premises and will welcome visitors by appointment only.