Peter’s family have been involved with farming for generation. His father was a farm manager and mother picked flowers.  Peter left school in 1973 and started working for a local tree nursery.
The nursery where Peter worked allowed him to grow flowers in the ‘glade ways ‘, and this he did in his spare time, sending the flowers to Covent Garden.
As time went on, and the flower trade became less reliable, Peter started growing a few trees and selling them locally on markets and to other local nurseries. Eventually production increased and he worked part time for his employers and part time for his own business. Sandra, meanwhile, continued to work full time and help with the business outside office hours.
 In 1987, Michael was born and the partnership was established. Peter left his former employers, then gradually took on more staff and began supplying other nurseries and Garden Centres with trees countrywide – doing the deliveries himself.
The retail centre started in a very small way on the back garden of Peter’s parents’ home in 1990.
Over the years it has expanded and there are now 20 full and part-time employees involved with tree and shrub production, and the retail side of the business.
An experienced and specialised tree gang continue to grow for Simpson’s Nursery and also supplies other retail and wholesale outlets countrywide. The majority of shrubs sold at Fordham are home produced.
A recent introduction to the nursery has been specimen Italian stock. Simpson’s is a favourite place for families to visit for their Christmas trees as they are personally selected by Peter and Michael on visits to Ireland.