From Nursery to
Greenbox Storage
A family-run site with deep roots in horticulture, enterprise, and the local community.
Before 1964
Rosedale Nursery
The site began as a working nursery, growing ferns, stocks, and chrysanthemums, followed by fruit, lettuce, and tomatoes. The East family's horticultural roots stretch back even further, with Richard East's great-grandfather owning a nursery in Springvale Close, Hextable.
Post-war Britain rebuilds; food rationing finally ends in 1954.
1954
D. K. East Begins Trading
D. K. East started a horticultural sundries business from two garages in Rollo Road and a shed at his sister's farm, Thomas's Nursery, in Lower Road, Hextable.
Roger Bannister breaks the four-minute mile; Elvis records his first single.
1964
A New Home at College Road
David East purchased the former Rosedale Nursery site on College Road when his son Richard was 10 years old. It became the new home of D. K. East and allowed the business to grow significantly.
The Beatles take America; BBC Two launches on a new UHF signal.
1964
The First Shed
The first building on the site was a reclaimed tin shed previously used by Vickers on Crayford Marshes, where machine guns had been manufactured during the First World War. David was helped with its construction by the Lyons brothers, two local butchers from Hextable village. The shed stood where Greenbox Storage's reception is located today.
Cassius Clay becomes heavyweight champion; the Mini is Britain's best-selling car.
1964–1996
D. K. East Expands
D. K. East grew to employ 50 local people, manufacturing compost and supplying horticultural products to nurseries, hardware shops and garden centres throughout the South East. The rear yard was used to store compost and peat, while part of the site was dedicated to compost production.
Moon landings, the personal computer, and the end of the Cold War.
1973
Richard Joins the Site's Story
At the age of 19, Richard East built the offices on the site. Since then, he has been involved in building or dismantling every shed on the property.
Britain joins the European Economic Community; the oil crisis reshapes the world.
1995
The Warehouse Is Built
Richard built the main warehouse for his father's growing horticultural business. This building would later become the home of Greenbox Storage.
The internet goes mainstream; Amazon and eBay are founded.
1996–2005
A Period of Change
When David retired at the age of 80, the business was sold to Decco. Decco continued to rent and operate from the site until 2005.
The Millennium, 9/11, and the dawn of the smartphone era.
2003
The Horticultural Tradition Continues
Provender Nurseries was established on an adjacent site, continuing the East family's long connection with horticulture. Today, some Provender customers even store their business equipment at Greenbox Storage.
The Human Genome Project is completed; Facebook is founded at Harvard.
2005–2008
A New Vision
After Decco left, the property stood empty for three years. During this time, Richard and Lynn East refurbished the site and developed plans to transform the warehouse into a modern self-storage facility with offices.
The iPhone launches in 2007; the world tips into financial crisis.
2009
Greenbox Storage Opens
Richard and Lynn opened Greenbox Storage, giving the former horticultural warehouse a new purpose while continuing the East family's long association with the site.
Barack Obama is inaugurated; the world works to recover from recession.
Today
Still Growing
The former compost and peat yard is now a secure, gated container-storage area. Greenbox continues to expand, including the redevelopment of the old compost-manufacturing shed to create further storage opportunities. Richard and Lynn remain actively involved in Greenbox and continue to play an important role in its day-to-day running, working alongside their dedicated team of friendly staff. More than 60 years after the East family first arrived at Rosedale Nursery, Greenbox remains proud to support local businesses and the wider community, providing excellent service with the personal touch of a trusted independent business.
AI reshapes work; a post-pandemic world rethinks how we use space.
Come and see the difference
The best way to find the right space is to pop in and have a look for yourself.