That’s when a gentleman sitting next to me, Don Ellison OAM, a veteran horticulturist, businessman and successful published author, introduced himself with a simple question:

|❝Are you a gardener?❞

At the time, I didn’t consider myself one, but Don’s story was captivating. He shared tales of his books, his travels, and his vast knowledge of the horticultural world. As he talked, a memory resurfaced for me. My husband, Brad, had heard about a fascinating horticulturist who had mentored a local landscaper he was talking to, on how to start a plant seed business months earlier and had mentioned this to me.

❛Could this be the same person?❜

∼ It was.

Synchronicity was at play, and a ripple effect had brought us together. We quickly formed a friendship with Don, and we spent many hours listening to him and learning from him. I worked on writing books with him, inspired by his enthusiasm for life. Don generously shared his entrepreneurial spirit and wealth of experience, guiding us through every step of starting a seed business.

Don became an incredible mentor to Brad, and they spent a lot of time together driving around the countryside, meeting people and searching for seeds, as Brad furiously took notes, learning botanical names and the optimal time to harvest. He was exhausted every time he came home, even though Don was twice his age; he rarely stopped talking.

For Brad, it was a welcome change.

For twenty years, he worked as a food delivery driver, managing thousands of products and providing excellent customer service. He was a people person who disliked being stuck in a warehouse when he became a manager, so he happily went back to driving to get out and see people. This passion for learning made him a fast learner, and he quickly picked up hundreds of different plant names, descriptions, and growing directions from Don.

Brad’s people skills came in handy when liaising with nurserymen and wholesale seed businesses to introduce himself and his services. With Don’s help, he knew who to contact, and Don introduced him to many people he knew, so he had a foot in the door, so to speak, from a reputable horticulturist. Brad, being a friendly and likeable character, was welcomed into local business properties and community members’ backyards, from which he had to obtain permission to pick seeds. Don later shared that he felt excited to get out of bed again when he had someone eager to learn from him.

I was an aspiring writer, raising a family and working as a self-employed cleaner. I had worked for many years as a secretary, so with a background in office work, I was able to adapt easily to designing the website, handling emails, writing letters, and creating seed lists, which were growing by the day with Don’s help. Our kids, Jennifer and Toby, helped to pick and clean seeds occasionally for some pocket money. It wasn’t until a few years later that Toby would join our small business full-time.

We were a great team.

Brad had worked for his father for years, mowing lawns and cleaning yards, while also learning many gardening tips from his father and grandfather during his childhood. We were just backyard gardeners, but we had always loved growing plants, designing gardens, and getting outside with the kids.

Starting a seed business was a total change in direction for us, a leap of faith into a world we were only beginning to explore.

~ Angela woolcott

Don’s generous guidance bridged that gap, and his wisdom helped turn a hobby into a flourishing business. Sadly, Don passed away in 2020. We wouldn’t be where we are today without his generosity and wisdom. Our business is a testament to his mentorship, and it’s why we take so much pride in what we do. Every seed packet we send out is a reflection of his legacy and the passion he shared with us.