Born in to a poor mining village in the 1930s, Peter Wells was keen to escape pit life. His Grandfather’s small holding provided an alternative, and early life skills, and Sheffield’s moorlands space to explore. An apprenticeship at Hillier’s Nurseries gave practical skills. He listened, observed and absorbed. Becoming a manager of a tree nursery, he was able to apply both production skills and management techniques to develop operations. His determination and pioneering drive were evident. A change in direction led him to launch his own nursery, in a borrowed field. It was a small-scale operation, and trading conditions were tough. The product was good, very good, but he needed something extra special to stand out. He was introduced to the White Containers, to grow trees in. A novel idea, he saw the potential. It transformed his business, and then UK tree production. One million trees later, he is still pursuing new ideas.