70% of Flower Power plants have been lovingly grown less than an hour’s drive from the heart of Sydney, at Arborglen. Discover the dedication that’s poured into each and every Homegrown plant – all four and a half million of them.

 

From little things, big things grow

To discover the story of Arborglen, you have to go back to the start of Flower Power's story. Before Flower Power, nurseries in Australia were unrecognisable - paths were muddy tracks, seedlings were wrapped in newspaper and plants were simply dug out of the ground. Less than 20 years after buying a humble nursery in 1968 (which was earning just 100 pounds a day at most), Nick Sammut had turned the nursery world on its head.

Flower Power thrived and grew so big that by the 1980s, the growing nursery at Milperra had become too small. With four flourishing stores (and more in the pipeline), Flower Power wanted to take the concept of Homegrown plants to the next level. It needed to put down roots at a growing nursery that could literally grow with the business.


Arborglen Growing Nursery

 

Arborglen Growing NurseryFour and a half million plants... and counting

The solution was Arborglen, in the beautiful, sleepy suburb of Glenorie, in Sydney's northwest. When it was sold to Flower Power in 1988, the property covered 35 acres. Having grown to 55 acres, today Arborglen is one of the Southern Hemisphere's biggest growing nurseries.

At any one time there are four and a half million plants growing at Arborglen and about 5,000 plant varieties. There are plants as far as the eye can see, and many more you can’t. There are favourites like basil and gardenia, endless rows of azaleas and pansies and rare succulents and cacti beneath countless greenhouses. Each day a dedicated team of five ladies prepare up to 20,000 cuttings for propagation, up to 30,000 bloomers are potted up and up to 120,000 plants are distributed to Flower Power’s ten stores across Sydney.

 

 

People power

Rain, hail or shine, at any one time you’ll find up to 120 people tending to the plants, many of whom are locals. There are even a few four-legged helpers, like Jimmy, the resident border collie.

As the sun is rising and while most of us are still in the land of nod, these hard-working, dedicated individuals have begun their day at Arborglen. Many have been with Flower Power for decades and bring a wealth of passion and experience to their craft. Learn more about our Homegrown heroes here.

 

From our garden to yours

Next time you’re caring for your Homegrown Flower Power plant, rest assured it’s been lovingly cared for by dedicated individuals, and grown in the very same Sydney conditions you’re planting it in. That's the secret to Arborglen's success - our people, and the love they put in to every single plant they raise.