Market pressures are forcing Constantine Garden Nursery to close after two decades of trade.

The weight of large garden centres means the small nursery at Fir Tree Farm, Tresahor – on the back road between Constantine and Falmouth – can no longer compete with pricing.

Owner Sorcha Hitchcox, who took over the business ten years ago, said: “It’s got to the point where we have got to close down.

“It’s the same as what’s happening on the high street really. Our prices are raising all the time, in terms of pots and compost etc, and people won’t pay anymore. They’ll pay twice as much at the garden centre for a large pot but they won’t come to small nurseries; it’s put the kybosh on us.”

A closing down sale will begin on Saturday, July 12 and continue until Sunday, July 27, between 10am and 5pm Monday to Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sundays.

All plants will cost £1.50 or less, with clematis, roses and climbers available for £3.50 and a few rarities priced separately.

Sorcha said she had “tried everything”, launching a website and mail order service, but to no avail.

The situation has not been helped by a run of bad luck that included a huge tree crushing the sales area last year, followed by a lighting strike that took out all the electrics for three weeks and then the website being wiped by the host company, meaning she had to start from scratch.

“It’s been a real battle,” she said, adding that she had reach the point where she could barely pay her one member of staff and no longer paid herself. Although the retail shop is closing the nursery will continue to send out mail order via cornwallgardens.com, and plants can be ordered for collection from the nursery.