History – From 1911 until now…

1911
Baumschule Stahl is founded by Claus Stahl on approx. 4.5 hectares in Tornesch on Baumschulen Weg. The product range runs from roses to forest plants up to rootstocks of all kinds.

1939
Expansion and extension of the original building to have more room for sorting work and storage space for plants.

1930-1950
Enlargement of the acreage to 11.5 hectares by buying neighboring properties. This is done in several steps between 1930 and 1950.

1960
Construction of a new 200 sqm sorting hall. In the process, the yard area is also substantially enlarged.

1961
Takeover of the business by the second generation, Cecilie Thies (teacher) and Hans Wilhelm Thies (civil servant). It was planned to have Cecilie Thies’ younger brother take over the business, but he was reported missing in action in the war. He had already finished his apprenticeship as a gardener beforehand.

1963
Construction of a refrigerated warehouse to be able to better store the plants. Now the plants can be optimally stored on approx. 100 sqm of space.

1965
Hans Wilhelm and Claus Stahl both die within a short time of each other. Cecilie Thies continues to run the business on her own at first.

1966
Walter Thies, the third-born son, joins the nursery. He finished his apprenticeship at Baumschule Hübner in Elmshorn, taking his examination for the master craftsman’s certificate in Kiel.

1970
New construction of a container depot and adding groundcovers and ornamental shrubs in pots to the product range.

1975
Oil-heated annex to the sorting hall built to double its size. Now there are 400 sqm of working space available.

1982
Reconstruction of the machine hall, which burned down in 1980. For reasons of space, this hall is also used as a raw material stock warehouse in season.

1990
Cecilie Thies hands over the business to the third generation, Walter and Heimke Thies

1991
Construction of a new, separate 250sqm warehouse with sandwich insulation.

1995
A ceiling cold storage facility is installed in the new warehouse.

2000
The business exhibits for the first time at the international plant fair (IPM) in Essen. The specialization on rootstocks and berry fruit cultivation continues.

2009
Nursery moves within Tornesch from Baumschulen Weg to Prisdorfer Weg. Topping-out ceremony for the new building in December 2009.

2011
Brothers Claus Hinrich and Kai Wilhelm Thies, the fourth generation, take over the nursery 100 years after its founding.

2013
Addition of a 600sqm cold storage facility to the existing building complex.