What's new


New potting machine

A new automated potting machine has arrived at Yarralumla Nursery.

The machine has multiple speed settings and can pot anywhere between 1,000 and 6,000 plants per hour. The machine fills the pot with soil, drills a hole for the plant to be inserted by a team member and then waters the plant through an attached watering tunnel.

This is one of two potting machines at the nursery and will significantly increase efficiency as it allows for more plants to be potted by fewer people, which frees up the trained horticulturalists to grow and maintain the plants.

Person using potting machine

Previous stories

Yarralumla Nursery launches new plant

Yarralumla Nursery is proudly launching its own Hardenbergia violacea 'Out of The Dark'.

This Yarralumla Nursery selection originated from seed collected at the base of the Brindabellas near the Murrumbidgee River.

The outstanding burgundy foliage colour sets this variety apart from other Hardenbergia. The stunning bright purple pea flowers emerge from June to September out of the dark contrasting foliage.

Used as a groundcover or twining climber for a trellis, this plant loves dappled shade and is frost tolerant once established.

It’s adaptable to a wide range of soil types and grows to 1.5 metres in height and 1.5 metres in width.

Watch the video Introducing Hardenbergia 'Out of the Dark' to learn more.

3 nursey staff holding 'Out of The Dark' plants

Preserving Sofia, one of Canberra's most iconic trees

The ACT is known for its stunning tree canopy, but one tree in particular has stolen Canberra’s heart. A magnificent Hawthorn tree named ‘Sofia’ sits in the eastern courtyard of the Gorman House Community Arts Centre.

The heritage listed Gorman House was originally a hostel from 1924 until 1972. It then served as an office for various Commonwealth departments before opening as a popular arts hub in 1981. Since then, Canberrans have enjoyed theatre, dance and other creative arts activities at the centre.

Throughout the centre’s history, Sofia has grown alongside the artists and families who visit Gorman House.

Unfortunately on Valentine’s Day this year Sofia was damaged in a sudden storm. Gorman Arts Centre staff, tenants and the artsACT team who maintain the centre were broken hearted. Gorman House arborists have tended to the tree and have taken cuttings from Sofia to ensure her legacy lives on.

Sofia’s saplings need to become more established before they are planted at the centre. Yarralumla Nursery staff will cultivate and tend to the cuttings over the coming years until the trees are mature enough to be planted.

The matured Hawthorn trees will be planted in the next few years, joining the Gorman Arts Centre upgrades which are set to begin later this year. The performance space, new café, studios and Sofia’s saplings will be enjoyed by future generations for decades to come.

Visit the Gorman Arts Centre and chat to the wonderful team of local arborists who have saved her legacy. For more information on how trees are cared for and managed in the ACT, view the trees webpage.

Three people looking up at large tree at Gorman House

Yarralumla Nursery celebrates National Wattle Day

National Wattle Day on 1 September 2023 will mark the 35th anniversary of the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) becoming Australia’s national floral emblem.

To celebrate the day, we have given away 600 mixed wattle plants grown by Yarralumla Nursery to Canberra schools.

Amaroo School was one of 38 schools that registered to receive up to 20 free wattles to help regenerate their native gardens and bushlands on school grounds.

This initiative, in partnership with the Urban Treescapes team, encouraged ACT schools to celebrate National Wattle Day and promote canopy cover across Canberra.

The Yarralumla Nursery has also grown Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) plants for National Wattle Day for wholesale sale to landscapers, ACT local garden centres and Bunnings Warehouse.

Yarralumla Nursery supporting Legacy's Centenary of Service commemorations

As part of this year's Anzac Day commemorations, Yarralumla Nursery is supporting Legacy Australia’s Centenary of Service by growing a new Grevillea 'LegacyFlame' plant.

Chosen for its abundance of long flowering red/orange flower spikes, this evergreen native signifies the undying flame of service for those who gave their lives for Australia.

The national release of the new Grevillea is one of the many significant projects underway to observe this important event in Legacy's history.

Yarralumla Nursery was proudly invited to be one of the first wholesale nurseries in the ACT appointed to grow the Grevillea for sale at retail outlets.

Keep an eye out for the Grevillea 'LegacyFlame' at your local nursery. A donation from the sale of each plant will go to Legacy Australia Clubs for the ongoing support of families of Defence Force personnel who died or have lost their health because of military service.

For more information on how the nursery grows and supplies these plants visit the Yarralumla Nursery page.

A Review of the Benefits of Biochar and Proposed Trials

Biochar is a type of charcoal produced by heating biomass under oxygen limited conditions (pyrolysis or gasification). In April 2019 the ACT Government engaged AECOM to undertake a literature review of the status of agronomic biochars. Further AECOM, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, was to develop proposals to evaluate the potential costs and benefits of a sewage solids and woody-biomass derived biochar in ACT conditions. You can read the full literature review and report.

Ozbreed

Yarralumla Nursery is now an official certified grower for all Ozbreed varieties please follow the link for more specified details and plant specification sheets. Licensors website: www.ozbreed.com.au

Yarralumla Nursery growing a supportive workplace

Yarralumla Nursery is known for growing high-quality cool climate plants for the Canberra region. Did you know it is also committed to growing a supportive workplace?

The Nursery proudly partners with Black Mountain School and LEAD to provide valuable opportunities for people with disabilities to gain firsthand training and practical experience in wholesale plant production.

The Black Mountain School’s Senior Learning Teams have participated in vocational training at Yarralumla Nursery for over five years, enabling over 40 Year 11 and 12 Horticultural students to undertake industry-standard work experience.

This training program allows students to experience some of the work involved in production nursery jobs, including hand potting, weeding, and plant maintenance, such as pruning and spacing plant stock.

The LEAD team based at Yarralumla Nursery have potted over 30,000 super tubes and contributed to the production of over 220,000. The Nursery provides paid employment opportunities five days a week for LEAD team members, providing training and practical experience to build their skills.

Planting opportunities like these at Yarralumla Nursery aims to make a positive difference in the lives of people with disability and their families.

Yarralumla Nursery's new truck wrap

Yarralumla Nursery is proud to show off our new delivery truck wrap, which showcases the nursery and the services we offer.

Did you know we offer a delivery service to the ACT and surrounding regions? We can have your order delivered directly to site. Bookings are essential.

Please contact the sales team on 02 6207 2447 or yarr.nursery@act.gov.au for a specialised delivery quote for your order.

frost on plants

Ozbreed Greenlife2019 Awards Finalist

Yarralumla Nursery is now an official certified grower for all Ozbreed varieties please follow the link for more specified details and plant specification sheets.
Licensors website: www.ozbreed.com.au

Contact details for Yarralumla Nursery

Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 7.30 am to 4.00 pm (closed Saturday, Sunday and public holidays)

Address: 9 Elm Avenue, Yarralumla ACT 2600.  Phone: 02 6207 2447.  Email: yarr.nursery@act.gov.au

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.

To see how we are building stronger relationships with the Traditional Custodians of the ACT view the Reconciliation Action Plan.