It was while working at Mamhead that he founded his nursery, the first commercial plant nursery in South West England, marketing many of the plants collected by Ball during the latter's commercial travels abroad, most famously the Holm Oak.
It was while working at Mamhead that he founded his nursery, a venture that would become the first commercial plant nursery in South West England. Many of the plants gathered by Ball on his travels abroad were marketed through this establishment, with the Holm Oak being one of its most famous offerings.