When Geordie Taylor looks back on the path that led him to Riddells Creek Nursery, he traces it to where he began. “I grew up on a broad acre farm, and… spent a lot of time in a five-acre garden,” he says. “I always enjoyed being outside in the garden… that was part of life.”

As a young adult, creativity pulled him in another direction. “I kind of decided that I was a bit more creative… and really enjoyed performing arts,” he says. After graduating from acting school, he realised that steady acting work was elusive, so he broadened his skills. “I ended up doing events, and I made a film on the farm. And from that film we did a film festival.” The festival led to hospitality, then corporate events, and eventually to a leadership role. “Eight years later, I ended up running the franchise network for Hudson’s Coffee.”

He loved business, but the travel and pace eventually wore thin. “I was commuting a lot… going all around Australia, flying, and I just wanted a change.” So he wrote down the three things he wanted from his next chapter: “Being outside, being able to pick up my kids every day, and finding a business that could support the lifestyle we wanted.”

The nursery appeared almost serendipitously. “I had an alert on for commercial businesses in the Macedon Ranges, and it came up,” he recalls. “I just looked at it and went, ‘Oh, I could do that.’” With years of experience in retail, operations and business strategy, the fit felt right. “I kind of trained perfectly to buy a retail business. And this one just happened to be living things.”

He remembers telling his wife, designer Charlotte Coote. “I bounced it off my wife and she said, ‘Really? You really want to do that?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I think I really do.’”

Today, Riddells Creek Nursery is a beloved stop for gardeners. Geordie believes the appeal is simple. “You can’t really replicate the visceral experience of walking through the plants and the garden,” he says.

“People want to come and experience the nursery… it’s a beautiful environment.” His performing-arts instincts still play a role. “There is a huge element of theatre in retail,” he says. “I want that entrance to be something people are dying to see again… it’s always changing.” Living on Mount Macedon also shapes his eye. “I’m a tree addict because of where we live,” he laughs. “We just got in a whole lot of beautiful maple. I try and dress the space the way our garden looks at home.”

The nursery’s plant trends shift with the seasons, but some favourites stand out. “At the moment it’s hydrangea,” he says. “Hydrangea in flower is one of our key lines, and we have a huge and great selection. We’ve definitely become a bit of a hydrangea specialist.” Natives are also surging. “It’s over 20% of our plant sales… with the climate, everyone’s more focused on natives, and I think that’s really good.”

Horticulture continues to teach him new lessons especially about soil. “Soil health and nutrition is vastly under-understood,” he says. Seeing what could grow in nutrient-rich soil in Tasmania changed how he gardens. “If your soil is healthy, you can really grow a lot more than you think.”

Community, meanwhile, is second nature. “My grandmothers were very committed to community… my parents have always given back,” he says. “I think it’s important. I enjoy helping people.” And he encourages customers to visit and ask questions.

Looking ahead, the nursery’s future includes some logistical questions. “We are a tenant… at some point we may need to shift to a close-by site,” he says. “But I love the business, and I’ll continue running it.”

Before signing off, Geordie makes sure to emphasise one thing above all: “My team are amazing… without the team, I’d be nothing.”

Riddells Creek Nursery 675 Kilmore Rd, Riddells Creek riddellscreeknursery.com.au

RIDDELLS CREEK NURSERY

STORY BY MAHMOOD FAZAL
PHOTOS BY AMBER GARDENER