The small Dorset village of Stapehill, near Wimborne, is home to a large horticultural gem – with an unusual story.

Barthelemy & Co is a traditional working nursery that specialises in the growing of Japanese Maples (Acers).

Founded in 1920, the nursery was initially the dream of one man, an aspiring French gardener named Jean-Pierre Barthelemy, inset.

In the early 20th century, Bart (as he was affectionately known), left his home in the city of Orleans, and crossed the Channel to Dorset.

While residing in the south of England, he lodged with Florence and Henry Skinner in West Moors, where he nurtured his love and study of horticulture.

However, his time in England was cut short due to the First World War, at which point Bart returned to France to serve and fight for his country.

In 1917, he was medically discharged from the French military after being exposed to poisonous gases and struck by shrapnel, which left him with lifelong debilitating injuries.
At the end of his military service, he returned to England and to his lodgings with the Skinner family.

A few years later, along with Florence and Henry, he moved from West Moors to Stapehill, where he lived with and rented a 10-acre site from the family – enough land to put down roots for his nursery.

In 1920, Barthelemy & Co was born and now, a century later, it is still based at the same site.

From the outset, the nursery grew a diverse range of flora including roses, azaleas, heathers, fruit trees and a multitude of other stock.

As time passed, Bart received invaluable support from Kenneth, the son of Florence and Henry who himself – having been raised under Bart’s green-fingered influence – developed a strong interest in horticulture.

Together they ran the nursery, expanding and diversifying its offerings.
Following Bart’s death in 1964, the nursery continued to flourish under the ongoing efforts of Kenneth and his son, John.

The nursery still carried a vast array of plants during that period and it was only in the years after Kenneth’s passing in 1977, that John made the decision to shift the nursery’s focus entirely towards the cultivation of Japanese Maples.

He was able to appreciate their delicate beauty.

With their intricately branched structures and vibrant foliage in a range of stunning colors that change with the seasons, they offer a captivating and ever-changing landscape to any garden.

For more than 40 years, John managed Barthelemy & Co with the help of his family until his untimely passing in 2018, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and hard work.

Today, four generations on from Bart, Barthelemy & Co is run by John’s widow Wendy and his eldest son, Matthew.

Along with two of John’s daughters, Laura and Sophie, the four Skinners meticulously uphold the legacy of their family’s nursery, ensuring it prospers and blooms.

Barthelemy & Co is unique in the way it operates; a traditional nursery where each stage of the growing process is done on site and in house – a far cry from the modern garden centre, where plants are drafted in seasonally, only to be thrown away if unsold.

The mature trees for sale at Barthelemy & Co all began their journey as a seed, hand-picked by one of the Skinner family.

From sourcing and picking the seeds themselves, germinating, sowing (in seed beds prepared with the same rake used by Kenneth in the 40s), potting and growing them on, more than 100,000 Japanese Maples are produced and grown each year.

Around 15,000 of these seedlings go on to be grafted, by Wendy and Laura, with named varieties using techniques passed down from generation to generation.

Barthelemy & Co is not just a nursery, but a testament to the enduring legacy of a family’s love for horticulture and dedication to their craft.

With four generations of the Skinner family, to date, having been involved in the nursery’s operation, the legacy of Monsieur Jean Barthelemy continues to thrive.

Their focus on Japanese Maples has allowed them to perfect their growing and grafting techniques, producing some of the finest specimens in the UK.

Barthelemy & Co is not just a place to buy plants, but a living museum of horticultural history, where every aspect of the growing process is done with care and attention to detail.

Visitors to the nursery can see the passion and dedication of the Skinner family on display, and leave with a new appreciation for the beauty and complexity of these unique and captivating trees.