Australians and their backyards – it’s one of those enduring, everlasting love affairs.
Close to 90% of Australians have a private garden! We turn many of our lawns into seasonal cricket pitches, and patios become scenes of get-togethers spilling out into a warm summer evening. We’ve also claimed rooftops and balconies to extend our living spaces to the outdoors, to create a place to unwind and recharge, and to catch up around the barbie.
Even our indoor spaces have become just that little bit greener. Sometimes, a row of small succulents or an elegant orchid is all you need to add that extra happy vibe to an interior.
Especially the last few years saw Australians really flexing their green thumbs and creating some fantastic indoor and outdoor oases. So it comes as no surprise that garden centers and nurseries have been flourishing, offering everything from potted flowering plants to fruit trees and from hedging to garden ornaments, water features, and garden furniture.
In this article, we’d like to take you on a journey of our favourite, must-visit nurseries around Melbourne and its suburbs and invite you to stay a while and take a walk through a plant-filled wonderland with us.
Diggers Club – Heronswood and the Garden of St Erth
Website: Diggers
What is it?
If you are looking for inspiration, the Diggers Club’s Heronswoood and the Garden of St Erth are it! Founded in Melbourne in 1978, the Club’s core idea has always been to grow your own food to feed a family and “ with as little impact on the environment as possible.” The Diggers Foundation champions sustainable gardening and showcases plants suitable for Australian conditions. You can find all this and more in its demonstration gardens, which are absolutely stunning and ever-changing with the seasons.
What you will find
You can stock up on heirloom seeds and rare plants for one. But you’ll also find an abundance of gardening tips, tricks, and tools in the shop and the gardens themselves. Learn what plants will work best in your climate zone or how to get the most out of your veggie patch through companion planting. Why not join a workshop or a masterclass?
And after your wander through these beautiful settings, enjoy a delicious lunch or afternoon tea at the gardens’ onsite cafes.
Why we love it
If you’re not a garden enthusiast yet, Diggers Club may just change that! Either garden makes for a wonderful day trip for the whole family, an inspirational afternoon, or even a romantic date.
Of note is also that Heronswood and the Garden of St Erth were the first officially certified organic gardens in Australia – we take our hats off!
Glasshaus
Website: Glasshaus
What is it?
Are you looking for inspo to create a stylish urban jungle that needs to fit into a tight space? Then a trip to Glasshouse should be on your bucket list. Specialising in planting and designing indoor and outdoor spaces, you will find a treasure trove of interesting and stunning greenery, edibles, and solid advice to transform your space.
What you will find
Everything Glasshaus has to offer can be ordered online. But where’s the fun in that? Head over to Glasshaus Outside, their nursery in Richmond, for all your outdoor plants, and Glasshouse Inside if you want to green up your indoors with fab potplants of all sizes. Both locations are stunning to walk through and should get your green thumb twitching. Not quite sure where to start? Glasshaus offers a green styling and plant hire service. In addition, you can enlist the help of garden designers and florists.
Why we love it
The team at Glasshaus clearly has an eye for style and design. That’s evident in how all plants are displayed, putting their best leaf forward. You can even hire all of their venues for special occasions! So you will celebrate in a stunning natural setting without worrying about the weather.
The Garden of Eden Nursery
Website: Garden of Eden Nursery
What is it?
What an apt name – who wouldn’t want to visit the Garden of Eden?
This family business in Albert Park is all about making spaces more beautiful and creating joyful and peaceful environments.
Their nursery and shop are jam-packed with everything you need to achieve just that – you’ll have a lot to choose from to create your own garden of Eden.
What you will find
You’ll find veggie and fruit seedlings, an excellent selection of cacti and succulents, native Australian plants, a carefully selected range of exquisite homewares, and more. Even plants for your terrarium! You’ll also find years of experience in landscaping and maintenance, and garden design services.
Garden of Eden also has an extensive range of miniature and dwarf varieties – so you can green up an inner city space without compromising style.
Why we love it
This nursery focuses on organic produce and growing green spaces in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. They have been trained through Sustainable Gardening Australia and accredited water-saving programs. That means you get professional advice on the right plants for your location and tips on how to keep them looking their best without being unkind to the environment.
Coolart Nursery, Mornington Peninsula
Website: Coolart Nursery
What is it?
What started in a coolstore and orchard packing shed some 20 years ago has developed into a sprawling 2-hectare nursery. Owner Peter Kyriazis brings over 20 years of experience and an absolute passion for gardening to his business. At the heart of it has always been his desire to make people’s gardening experience a joy and a success.
What you will find
Coolart specialises in ornamental and fruit trees, roses, and hedging/screening plants. Most of these are grown and potted onsite. Other stock is sourced from all over Australia. Offering a fantastic range of plants, from seed potatoes to Proteas, is one thing. Still, equally important to the team here at Coolart is the good advice that comes with every greenery you buy to ensure your gardening is successful from the get-go.
Before you head out there for a visit, we recommend checking out the Coolart Blog. It’ll give you a good idea of what’s in season right now, alongside excellent growing and maintenance tips.
Why we love it
Because they grow many of the plants themselves on site, they are effectively cutting out the middle man. And that means you can get healthy, established plants at wholesale prices!
Karwarra Australian Native Botanical Garden
Website: Karwarra Botanical Garden
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What is it?
You will find this total gem on the Mt Dandenong Tourist Road, East of the Melbourne CBD.
Kawarra is devoted to displaying the diversity of Australian plants. So make a day of it any time of the year and wander through the gardens! Called “The Place of Many Wildflowers,” they offer a colourful display of blooms year-round. You will find a diverse range of plants and flowers at Karwarra, some of them are rare and threatened plants that have been lost from our backyards and flower plots over time.
What you will find
Enjoy an idyllic oasis featuring exclusively native Australian plants! In fact, over 1,400 different species. This botanical garden also has a well-stocked nursery full of stunning Australian native plants available for sale. Staff are knowledgeable and will be able to advise you which plants will work best in your space and climate conditions.
Why we love it
Karwarra is part of a massive conservation effort. And that includes helping visitors understand how to create beautiful, low-maintenance gardens with native plants that are heat tolerant and drought resistant.
Entry is free! Bring a picnic basket or use the barbeque facilities at the nearby Kalorama Memorial Recreation Reserve!
Fitzroy Nursery
Website: Fitzroy Nursery
What is it?
Fitzroy is also known for its vibrancy, a bit unconventional and eccentric, but with a lot of heart. Fitzroy Nursery has been right in the thick of it all and part of the fabric for almost 40 years – a trusted source of mostly indoor plants, green talk, and professional advice.
What you will find
Directly from the greenhouse to your house – Fitzroy Nursery’s focus is currently on indoor plants and adding greenery to your life, regardless of available space or time. Need a plant for a terrarium? Do you generally forget about watering, and are cacti your safest bet? In this case, Fitzroy Nursery will be well worth a stop by. That said, they also offer landscaping services, beautifully handcrafted pots, vases, and even outdoor balcony furniture!
Why we love it
For a bit of backyard envy and a whole lot of tips, check out This month’s Feature Garden. And if you’re looking for something extra special, get to know the amazing artists and potters that create pots, vases, and vessels for sale at Fitzroy Nursery under ‘Meet the Makers.’
Melton Botanic Garden
Website: Melton Botanic Gardens
What is it?
Head out west for a visit to the multi-award-winning Melton Botanic Gardens. This is a beautiful park to linger for a while, have a BBQ picnic, ride a bike around the Botanic Trail, or find a shady spot to read a book, relax, and enjoy the view. This is an educational garden with regular events. It features plants from around the world that grow in a similar climate.
What you will find
Melton Botanic Gardens boasts a lake, sheltered BBQs, and even an amphitheatre you can rent. The garden is divided into sections such as the Australian drylands, a Eucalyptus Arboretum, bushfood gardens, indigenous grasslands, a Central and Southern American Garden, and much more. Because of this, it also provides a habitat for a diverse range of wildlife, particularly birds, reptiles, and insects.
At the end of your visit, head over to the Melton Garden’s Nursery. It has a range of plants for sale and is usually open on Tuesdays and Thursdays and every 2nd and 4th Sunday.
Why we love it
This is a volunteer-run botanical garden. And there is a lot you can do! If you are from the area and are passionate about flora and fauna, consider becoming a volunteer at Melton Botanic Garden. They’ve got groups such as the Creekers (Ryans Creek rehabilitation), the Gumnuts (Eucalyptus Arboretum), the Sun-Seekers (Mediterranean Garden), or the Tweeters (bird watching and bird surveys).
Warran Glen Nursery and Gift Shop
Website: https://warranglen.com.au/
What is it?
It’s called a perfect destination every day for a reason. Nestled at the entry into the Yarra Valley, Warran Glen has got it all. Greenery on acres of land, a garden centre, a stunning atrium cafe overlooking the creek
What you will find
You’ll find a whopping 5 acres to discover plants, stock up on mulch, find that perfect garden tool, and collect your summer essentials – we’re talking about cozy hammocks and stylish umbrellas, of course! Once you’ve got your green treats, head to the Warran Glen gift shop and pick up a little something.
Have all the blooms and greenery made you hungry? Then, treat yourself to the Warran Glen Cafe menu. Situated in the old gold mining town of Warrandyte, it’s open seven days a week, and the breakfast and lunch menu looks delectable! We recommend booking a table, though, to avoid disappointment.
Why we love it
A visit to Warrandyte and the Warran Glen Nursery makes for a great family trip or the start of a weekend getaway. It’s set up for kids with space to play, feed the resident ducks and water hens, or hop on the train. Even pooches are welcome!
Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery Inc
Website: SDCN
What is it?
Founded in 1995, SDCN is a not-for-profit community plant nursery aiming to increase community awareness of indigenous plants through its nursery and workshops.
What you will find
While the nursery is perhaps not as exciting and certainly not as commercial as some other places mentioned in this article, we can wholeheartedly recommend it for its dedication to the environment and unwavering effort to help protect it. For example, the community nursery is progressively developing a seed bank. All the plants in the community nursery are indigenous and grown from plant material collected within the SE Australian Gippsland Plans and Southern Highland Fall bioregions.
Why we love it
This community nursery is involved in some fabulous, long-term projects, the Southern Dandenongs Flora Trail. It is located above the community nursery and offers views of the Lysterfield Vally and across the Dandenong Ranges National Park. The trail now boasts a wonderful variety of indigenous flora and serves as a seed orchard. So well worth a visit!
The Briars, Mornington Peninsula
Website: The Briars
What is it?
Well, this one is more than just a plant place. This is a whole adventure, really. It’s 230 hectares of flora, fauna, history, and activities! Located in Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula, it offers a wildlife sanctuary, picnic areas, educational programs, and activities and houses the heritage gardens and farm, a visitor and eco-living display centre, and the Shire Nursery.
What you will find
Where do we even start? There are always a lot of activities and events happening at the Briars year-round. Grab a scavenger hunt map from the Visitor Centre, or explore the heritage gardens. Wander through the Wildlife park, and you may spot kangaroos, koalas, emus, echidnas, and many other animals calling this place their home.
And, of course, we hope you’ll make time for the Shire Nursery. Its range includes grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and trees that are indigenous to the peninsula. Many are grown from collected seeds and are ready for wholesale or retail.
Why we love it
In line with their focus on plants indigenous to the Mornington Peninsula, the Shire team has developed regional revegetation guides to help landowners grow indigenous plants suitable for landscaping in their area.
Lygon Street Nursery
Website: Lygon St Nursery
What is it?
This little green oasis right in the heart of Brunswick has a few surprises in store for its visitors. If you are looking for gorgeous indoor foliage, luscious hanging plants, seedlings, and an extensive range of edible plants, Lygon Street Nursery delivers.
What you will find
A comprehensive range of high-quality indoor and outdoor greenery, gardening tools, books and products, and solid professional advice. In short, everything you need to create your own lush green haven. Lygon Street Nursery also offers plant hire and landscaping services – check out some of their remarkable projects here.
Why we love it
Lygon Street Nursery lives and breathes greenery and is a great promoter of the benefits of plants and nature to our overall happiness and well-being.
Sugoi Bonsai
Website: Sugoi Bonsai
What is it?
While many of us will look for plants that grow well with minimum effort, the art of Bonsai pretty much heads in the opposite direction. Bonsai is the art of growing ornamental, artificially dwarfed varieties of trees and shrubs in pots. And Sugoi Bonsai on the Mornington Peninsula has specialised in sharing the love for this craft with a wider public for the past 20 years.
What you will find
Everything you need to grow your bonsai collection, from the right tools, soil, and accessories to pots and starter trees to more mature feature trees. Best of all, you will have access to lessons, advice, guidance, and a shared interest in the art of Bonsai. Sugoi Bonsai is open by appointment only.
Why we love it
It preserves a well-respected Japanese tradition and is gardening of a different kind.
Karunga Native Nursery
Website: Kuranga
What is it?
For over 40 years, the Kuranga Native Nursery has been home to a vast selection of native plants. Nestled in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, this award-winning nursery brings the wow factor with its well over 3,500 different species and cultivars in production,
What you will find
Did we mention the many species that grow in this well-established nursery? Not only that, but Kuranga also specialises in rare and unusual varieties of native flora. You will also find a team of absolutely passionate horticulturalists, happy to share their extensive knowledge.
While there, pop into the small gift shop. It offers a lovely selection of local ware – you’re bound to find a treat for yourself or a special gift. And if you need a break from your adventures, the nursery’s Paperbark Cafe will offer you a scrumptious bite to eat in a tranquil and peaceful setting.
Why we love it
The passion for native plants at Kuranga Native Nursery is also evident in the seasonal menu at the Paperbark Cafe. Fresh produce, local ingredients, and the flavours of Australian bush foods.
CERES Nursery and Bookstore
Website: Ceres
What is it?
The Ceres Nursery and Bookstore is part of the CERES community park in Brunswick East. This is a plant lovers paradise, specialises in permaculture and promotes backyard food production, but also offers a good range of indoor plants. So whether you are still wrangling with keeping your plant alive or you’ve been producing edible crops for years, this nursery will have something of value for everyone.
What you will find
Do you want to read up on fruit and vegetable gardening, native plants, or chicken care? Or do you simply want to learn all the different ways to use tomatoes in your cooking? The CERES bookstore offers a wealth of resources. All its plants and seedlings are organic, and it sells certified organic potting mix fertilizers and pesticides. You can also save your plastic pots from landfill and take them back to the nursery for recycling!
Why we love it
The fabulous Merri Cafe is just across from the community park and the nursery. We love that its fare is seasonal, organic, and sourced from local farmers and producers.
Bayroad Nursery, Sandringham
Website: Bayroad Nursery
What is it?
If you want to immerse yourself in a world of colours, Bayroad Nursery is your happy place. Welcome to this award-winning boutique plant nursery that specialises in blooms from Australia and overseas.
What you will find
Not surprisingly, Bayroad nursery started as a florist and plant shop. A love for vibrant flowers in all the colours of the rainbow has remained a constant to this day. From Azalea to Viola, you’ll find seasonal blooms, flowering climbers, and hedging plants and shrubs. Many of the nursery’s edibles are available as dwarf varieties, making them perfect for smaller patios and balconies.
The nursery’s shop carries a gorgeous selection of giftware. We especially love their colourful kids’ range – perfect for budding gardeners!
And last but by no means least, make time to take a break at the Bay Road Cafe. It’s nestled right amongst the nursery’s lush foliage and many petals. Have a glass of bubbles on the deck in the afternoon sun, or enjoy a coffee break and relax amongst the flowers’ colors and scents.
Why we love it
The vast range of flowers and colours can be overwhelming. The Bay Road Gardener is a relatively new service offered by the nursery to help you on your gardening adventure, be that with your plant selection, event plant styling, or the entire creation of a brand new garden. The nursery has teamed up with leading landscape designers in Australia to help you bring your green dream to life.
Have a blooming marvelous time
A little greenery goes a long way! It can soften a space, create a cozy reading nook, provide shade on a sunny day, fill the air with its scent, and brighten your day. Our Australian backyard is filled with strong and exquisite plants, and our climate allows us to successfully grow many beautiful species from overseas as well.
Gardening can be such a rewarding pastime. It’s a journey, really. And that in itself is quite the adventure.
Whether you are a budding gardener or an absolute garden wizard, our nurseries and garden centres in and around Melbourne and especially the eastern suburbs, are places of wonder well worth the trip. You will also find many passionate horticulturalists in these nurseries, happy to share their knowledge of plants and plant care so that your new roomies will enjoy a long and healthy life.
Weve tried to pick a selection of plant nurseries in Melbourne for you that make for a wonderful outing, have unusual species on offer, are the perfect background for a family picnic, or are just simply stunning. Is your favourite plant nursery not included in this list? Then please let us know and tell us why you think we’ve missed a hidden gem.
And just in case you’re short on time, you can always visit our online plant range to get your green oasis started.
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