One of our newest corporate members, Angie represents Southern Plants Nursery. Her story traces a life immersed in many different facets of the hort world, always striving to learn more and to pass it on to others. (If your organisation is interested in taking out corporate membership in EWHA then do follow this link).
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I feel so very blessed to be working in the horticultural industry. I would describe myself as a horticulturalist, plant lover and a champion of the soil beneath our feet. My current role is Production Planner at Southern Plants, a large wholesale plant nursery on the Mornington Peninsula, with a mission of creating a greener future. Here I am surrounded by plants and pretty much think and talk plants all day. Our team at Southern is driven, dynamic and passionate, all having the same goal of growing stock with the best genetics and of the highest quality. I get to meet a diversity of people from the industry: breeders, propagators, growers, media specialists and landscapers – all speaking the language of plants. I also do content writing for the Diggers Club magazine and website plus a few other horticultural publications.
My mother was an amazing gardener. Our house was a little different from the others in our street: fruit trees grew amongst the exotic trees; herbs, vegetables, and flowers grew happily together, and if there was any spare gap a rhubarb crown was planted. From a very young age I was in the garden – exploring, planting, taking cuttings, sowing seed – my world was filled with fairies and flowers, slugs and snails, birds and bees.
After finishing school, I started studying Science at Melbourne University, but it quickly made sense to change to horticulture at VCAH Burnley. My primary interest was production and the science of propagating and growing plants. At this time, I also started work at a beautiful little nursery, Coora Cottage, which grew edible and medicinal herbs plus old fashioned roses and cottage plants.
Here my love for plants and their diversity grew. After 3 years I headed to Diggers where my passion for edible landscapes and perennials developed and I was quickly given the role as Nursery Manager. This gave me an insight into management, strategy and budgeting.
Years later I made my way to Merricks Nursery, a family-run nursery specialising in australian natives. This sparked an interest and love for australian plants and here we continually worked on developing better propagation and growing techniques.
When I had my two daughters, I needed to find something that would fit into my family’s schedule, so I worked as an educator in primary schools, coordinating garden and nature programs. Here I was able to share my love and knowledge of the outside world with the kids. They learnt to grow their own food, propagate indigenous plants, care and nurture soil, and we studied and grew mangroves for regeneration projects around Western Port Bay.
Between the official programs, children that needed time out of the classroom, whether it would be due to learning or behavioural difficulties, would come out into the garden with me. Their whole demeanour would change as they transitioned from the classroom to the garden and they loved this time. I once read that the children who struggle in the classroom not only excel in the garden but become leaders. I found this to be true as they seemed to have an ability to think differently with their innovative and creative minds. Working in education made me realise the importance of teamwork. Whatever our role, we worked as a team on the common goal of helping children learn and grow.
I continued my studies over the years with a Certificate in Garden Design, a Graduate Diploma in Urban Horticulture and have plans to finish my Master of Urban Horticulture when time allows. In 2025 I will be participating in a leadership program with Women in Leadership Australia and will begin a Mastery of Business and Empathy with Small Giants. I am constantly told (usually by my mother) that I take too much on, but I love to learn and expose myself to other ideologies.
I have dabbled in running my own garden design business, regenerative farming and garden maintenance but production is definitely my thing. I worked for a year at the Bush Nursery at Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association, where we grew a huge range of indigenous plants. This gave me not only an insight into a beautiful culture, but of the deep, intrinsic understanding Aboriginal people have of plants and their growth. This was a profound experience for me and although I will never have such an innate wisdom, I certainly look at the plants I grow in a new light.
I am often referred to as a plant nerd, a title I wear with pride. Not long ago I took part in a self-development course which required us to identify our purpose in life. It stumped me for a while until it became obvious. I’m here to help green the planet – whether that be growing plants, teaching others how to garden through my writing, or developing my own patch. Knowing this has given me clarity and purpose in all I do. I am so very content, with my life being wrapped in plants both at home and in my place of work.