The original 11 acres had been cropped continuously with nursery stock for 150 years. RCN recognised the urgency for fresh land. In 1899, he rented Martlesham Field, buying it in 1931, (this land was only sold at the start of the Centenary year). Creek Farm was rented in 1907, and bought in 1925, with the adjacent Sluice Farm being purchased the following year.

All this land was of sandy soil, but not so that of the bankrupt Rose Nursery of Morse Brothers at Gazebo, purchased in 1934. This was sticky heavy clay so staff received an extra 2d an hour for working there. Special handles were essential on spades as ordinary ones broke.

The horse was the nurseryman's "best friend". Suffolk Punches were used for putting out manure, ploughing and cultivating, and then, in the summer, for hoeing between the rows of plants. In the autumn, they carted plants from the outlying fields to the packing shed on the home nursery .

RCN bred Suffolk Punches on the marshes at Creek and Sluice Farms. All foals born on the Nursery were registered with the Suffolk Horse Society, and given the prefix "Kyson" after the name of the point where Martlesham Creek joins the River Deben. Once twin foals were born, most unusual for Suffolk Punches.

Other than the work of horses, everything was done by hand, machinery not appearing until after the Second World War. Planting was by spade and fork, and when finished it was said, "the land was as level and even as a billiard table". The skills of knife work on budding, grafting and pruning continued unchanged, as they had been for centuries.

Hours were long, with only two days holiday per year. In wet weather staff either worked or lost the time. Staff had to provide their own tools; the wooden handles were worn to the shape of the hand and it was a heinous nursery crime to use another man's spade.

Much secrecy existed between departments of the nursery. Greenhouses were locked to prevent access by unauthorised staff, and fruit trees were labelled by numbers, not names; this however had the advantage of making things easier for those with limited reading ability.

Apprenticeship was, and remains, the recognised way of acquiring skills. Apprentices have always filled both junior and senior positions on the nursery. RCN indentured his first apprentice in 1898 and by 1915 a total of 13 apprentices had been engaged. One was Johnny Crane, funded by a Seckford grant, who received £2, £3, £5 and £7 during the 4 years of his apprenticeship. Johnny became an expert plantsman in charge of the propagation department. When RCN obtained a cutting or two of a new plant, he said to Johnny "I will give you a shilling if you can root these." It was said that Johnny could root "a 10 year old walking stick." Johnny later became Nursery Manager and then Director. He was a member of the RHS Floral Committee B, and an RHS Associate of Honour, finally retiring after 52 years' service.

Prior to the purchase of Woods Nursery, a young boy aged 14 started work - affectionately known as "Dummy" Berry, as he was deaf and dumb from birth. Staff developed their own sign language to explain how to use a knife, and he became as skilled a craftsman as any, finally retiring after 67 years service.

During the gruelling nursery year there was one special highlight - the 'annual outing'. This took place on the Saturday between the Woodbridge and Ipswich Flower Shows. Throughout the year each member of staff paid a shilling a week into a fund, and drew the money out the night before the outing - 52 shillings in the pocket made everyone feel wealthy! Usually a charabanc was hired and Yarmouth was the most popular venue. Lunch was provided by RCN and there were as many as three speeches. Serious drinking, however, seems to have been the main objective and this would begin upon leaving Woodbridge. On one occasion Charlie Catchpole (nursery staff, 1918 1969) was drunk by lunch time, and slept all afternoon on the beach. The following morning RCN reprimanded him with "Don't get drunk before lunch again Catchpole". On the next occasion he went even further, becoming so inebriated he kissed RCN! Unfortunately there is no record of the reaction.