Becoming Fruity
When I was 18 I discovered growing plants. Immediately I was captivated by the beauty and power plants can bring to our lives. I got interested in Permaculture and the grand idea that growing plants can solve all the worlds issues.
My first big garden was my dads 1 acre property on Plymouth Rd in rural Taranaki which we created together. We were new to it all and I had heard in gardening you just have to try things, so we tried everything.
First went in the fruit trees. Apples and plums, apricots and pears ect… Then we dug the veggie garden. Long rows of beautiful weed-free soil… Just kidding it was a total mess. We had heard whispers that subtropicals can grow in Taranaki and so after a few internet rabbit holes I had sourced some plants and put them in.
Some grew, others died. Some tasted great and others tasted like moss. We found we needed much more shelter from the wind and so we planted tagasastes and many different natives to protect out trees.
The next move was to build a greenhouse and start collecting and propagating plants. My dream was to travel the country collecting and propagating rare edible plants. At some point I became The Fruity Gardener and the name stuck.
I was surprised to find that propagating was so easy! And before I knew I had far too many figs, currants, tamarillos, and pineapples that I didn’t know what to do with.
I gave many away and also started a stall at the Farmers Market in New Plymouth. At the Farmers Market I met a lot of interesting people and learned so much.
I moved the nursery to Tataraimaka in Spring 2017. A previous nursery was closing down and it was the perfect opportunity for me to grow the business.
In 2023 the nursery moved to a new location in Omata, just on the outskirts of New Plymouth. This is an exciting new challenge, more space and closer to town. I hope to see you there!
Aden – The Fruity Gardener