Gardener says goodbye to nursery

THE owners of the world-renowned Lambley Gardens and Nursery are moving on from the business after more than thirty years in operation.

Following recent health issues and with his 80th birthday looming, co-owner David Glenn said it’s time to take it easy.

“I’ve had health issues and last year I had a heart attack so it was sort of saying it’s time,” he said.

“I didn’t think I’d ever have to retire. The garden’s still looking beautiful and maintained so we’ll move while that’s still the case rather than letting it go.

“I’ve been deeply moved by the customers who’ve responded all over the country, even overseas. We met one of them in a cafe in Creswick and she was in tears about it.”

Mr Glenn and his partner, artist Criss Canning, moved the Dandenong Ranges-established nursery to Ascot when they bought the 30-acre property in 1991.

Between the 1860s bluestone building and haybarn, he said it’s been a labour of love to make the place a home.

“It had been a potato farm for a while when we bought it and pretty run down,” Mr Glen said. “Every weed known to agriculture was there.

“The house was more a fauna park. We had to get a new roof put in to keep possums out because there were still shingles there from the 19th century.

“To start a nursery of that size, if it hadn’t been that run down, we wouldn’t have been able to afford it. In a way, it was a blessing.”

The business has since grown to include 10 staff along with potting, propagation and shade houses and four hundred-litre storage tanks helping to grow the majority of plants featured on the property.

Thousands of flowers feature each year at Lambley including seasonal tulips, dry-climate-sourced plants.

“The most beautiful part of the garden is just about to come into flower,” Mr Glenn said.

“It’s an avenue of ornamental pears which flower in late winter, on either side is one variety of Japanese windflower called Honorine Jobert.”

Ms Canning and Mr Glenn are set to move full-time to a Central Ballarat property once the nursery sells, with the latter saying he hopes the legacy of Lambley lives on.

“I desperately hope it keeps going,” Mr Glenn said “Most of our staff have been with me several years so I hope it keeps going for them too.”