![]() |
Home>About Us
Advise - Inspire - Nurture
We are a small family run business located in the beautiful township of Berry in southern New South Wales. We specialise in two of our passions; perennials and roses, though provide a wide range of plants for the home garden.
We are a traditional nursery offering quality plants and friendly professional service in a relaxed setting. The nursery has been in its current position for over 16 years. Formerly called the Lazy Gardener, it was purchased by Grant Gemmell, Janice Gemmell and Stephen Gilks in Dec 2001 and was renamed to the Berry Country Gardener.
We have been described by many as a 'boutique nursery', and differentiate ourselves from other nurseries and garden centres from the plants we grow and sell and the love of gardening that we hope to nurture in others.
Our team makes all the difference and we feel this stands us apart in todays retail nursery world, where the focus has become one of selling cheap mass produced plants rather than inspiring and nurturing gardeners today for tomorrow.
Top
Our Team:
Grant Gemmell (B.App Sci Horticulture), Owner
Grant has been gardening since he was 6, where seconding a part of his mums garden (Jan) developed a love for growing plants. Trained at the University of Western Sydney (Hawkesbury) he has over 15 years experience in the industry and worked in Australia and Overseas. Grants passions are evident in the style of the nursery and the plants we grow. Perennials, perennials and more perennials, with a healthy splash of roses for good measure. Constantly looking for something new to inspire gardeners and non gardeners alike, he has introduced many new varieties of plants to the nursery and is concentrating on building a sustainable, community focused business. A confessed plant-a-holic.
Janice Gemmell, Owner
A life long love affair with gardening, Jan has partenered her son Grant in running the business and fuelled his love of gardening. Jan has a fantastic wealth of gardening know-how and brings her maturity and knowledge to the business.
Penny Craig (Cert. Horticulture)
Penny joined the nursery while studying Horticulture, she is now more than ever a valued member of our team. Responsible for our production area and mailorder catalogue stock she has a fantastic knowledge on growing & using perennials and sustainable pest & disease management. An avid gardener and artisan, Penny has an evident flare and passion for her work.
Shirley St Clair (Propagation)
Responsible for all the propagation in the nursery, Shirley has a green thumb to die for. An avid gardener and collector Shirley has been growing the diversity of our perennial & rose range. Often found with Grant looking through plant books and catalogues for the next addition to our range, or attending the local plant-a-holics anonymous, her knowledge of perennials and roses is astounding. Shirley is integral to the production of our Mailorder and Rose catalogues.
Toni Walwork
Toni has begun working with us over the last few months, opening her garden in the local garden festival and creating a lot of interest in her easy style. We are slowly addicting Toni to perennials!
You will find a qualified staff member on everyday of the week to help with your gardening questions.
Top
Location & Opening Hours:
We are located at 100 Queen Street Berry and have parking at the back of the nursery off Princess Street. We are situated behind the National Australia Bank and next to the infamous Fairy Shop. An alley way leads from the main street to the nursery.
Parking:
Coming from Sydney (Heading south): take your 1st left as you come into Berry proper (Prince Alfred Street), then take your 1st right (Princess Street at the Sour Dough bakery - Great Coffee and Food!), the car park entrance is approximately 150 metres up on the right.
Coming from Nowra (Heading north): turn right at the Berry Service Station onto Alexandra Street, take your 1st left (opposite Berry School of Arts), then approximately 50metres along the street turn left into the carpark.
Opening Hours: We are open 6 days a week, during winter and 7 days a week during Spring to Autumn(excluding Christmas & New Years Day).
Spring & Summer hours: Monday & Wednesday to Saturday 8.30am to 5.00pm, Tuesday 9.30am to 5.00PM, Sunday 9.00am to 4.30pm
Autumn & Winter hours: Monday & Wednesday to Saturday 9.00am to 4.30pm, Tuesday Main nursery closed - Mail-order open, Sunday 9.00am to 4.00pm
Top
Our Mission & Values:
Our mission is:
"To actively participate in our community and environment through providing quality plants, sustainable gardening products and professional horticultural advice in a tranquil, inspired setting."
To help us achieve our mission we base our business on a strong set of values:
- Provide a work environment that is;
- safe & free from harassment,
- encourages a respect for individual dignity,
- stimulates initiative, and a commitment to excellence,
- enables a propensity for action and recognition of merit in order to promote a sense of mutual trust and shared responsibility.
- Where possible to sustainably manage our business through the promotion & use of environmentally manageable products & practices.
- Foster an active concern for the well-being of the community and the environment.
- Our actions should be based on recognition of the essential dignity of each and every person we deal with. That we will be fair, honest, and act with integrity in every aspect of our business with others.
- That the business is run ethically and competently in order to employ, and contribute to our community.
- When acting on behalf of the business, owners and employees shall not take unfair advantage through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, use of customer information or other unfair-dealing practices.
Top |
![]() |
