The story behind Plantastic Nursery
Where Horticultural Heritage Meets New Growth
Built on Proper Horticultural Practice
Jason Reddel started working in plant nurseries at fourteen. By nineteen, he'd completed his TAFE horticultural qualifications and moved from Sydney to Taree to work at Hickmans Nursery. That was 1990. The years since have taken him through large retail nurseries in Sydney, back to the Manning Valley, and eventually into demolition work - which turned out to be considerably harder on the body than propagating plants.
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In 2024, at the same Wingham Road location where he learned the trade, Jason opened Plantastic Nursery. It was, as he put it, 'now or never.'
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Thirty years in the nursery industry teaches you the difference between a plant that's been pushed too hard with fertiliser and one that's been grown at a sustainable rate. It teaches you which species establish reliably in the Manning Valley's conditions and which ones struggle despite looking perfect in the pot. It teaches you that customer service means loading heavy bags of soil into cars and giving honest answers about whether that Frangipani will actually flower in a south-facing position.
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Jason's TAFE qualifications provided the technical foundation: plant pathology, soil science, propagation methods, pest and disease management. Three decades of industry experience added what formal training can't fully teach - the practiced eye that spots nutrient deficiencies before they become visible to customers, the understanding of seasonal growing cycles, and the professional relationships that source unusual cultivars when clients need them.
Growing Together
Plantastic Nursery is genuinely family-run. Jason's adult daughter Alicia works here full-time, managing customer service and plant care with the attention to detail that comes from genuine investment in the business. Jason's teenage sons also help out on weekends, learning the trade the same way Jason did - by getting their hands dirty and understanding plants from the roots up.
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This isn't a corporate structure with seasonal staff and distant management. When you ask a question here, you're talking to family members who've staked their livelihood on providing quality plants and honest advice. When something goes wrong with a plant, we're the ones who'll make it right because our reputation is directly tied to every interaction.
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The family structure also means flexibility that larger operations can't match. Need a Sunday delivery for a Monday project start? We'll work it out. Specific cultivar requirements for a landscape specification? We'll track it down. The kind of personalised service that comes from family ownership simply operates differently than corporate protocols.
Honouring History While Moving Forward
Operating from the historic Hickmans Nursery site carries responsibility. Generations of Manning Valley gardeners remember this location, remember the quality stock, the knowledgeable advice. Maintaining those standards while implementing modern horticultural practices has been central to establishing Plantastic Nursery.
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The infrastructure has been updated, the growing areas reconfigured, the stock selection expanded to include current landscape trends and popular indoor species. But the fundamental approach remains: grow healthy plants properly, price them fairly, and provide customers with the information they need to succeed.
From Single Plants to Bulk Orders
Plantastic Nursery serves everyone from home gardeners choosing a single feature plant to landscapers ordering bulk stock for commercial projects. This isn't a compromise - it's recognition that horticultural quality matters regardless of order size.
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Landscapers and commercial buyers need reliable supply, consistent specifications, volume pricing, and someone who understands project timelines and installation requirements. Jason's decades in the industry mean he speaks that language fluently, whether you're ordering three plants or three hundred.
Home gardeners need thoughtful plant selection, advice that matches plants to their specific site conditions, and someone who'll explain care requirements clearly. The same horticultural knowledge applies whether you're buying for your balcony or renovating your entire property.
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And it doesn't just apply to those two types of buyers - if you're a farmer, micro-farmer, retail outlet or whatever - everyone gets the same Plantastic value.
All get the same quality stock. All get loading assistance. All get honest answers about plant performance and realistic care expectations. The scale of purchase changes; the standard of service doesn't. Bulk pricing applies to anyone undertaking larger projects, no credentials required.
What You Can Expect
Honest Communication
If a plant won't thrive in your conditions, we'll tell you before you buy it. If we don't know something, we'll say so rather than guessing. If we've made a mistake, we'll own it and fix it.
Fair Pricing
Grower-direct purchasing and family operation means competitive pricing without sacrificing quality. Volume pricing reflects actual cost savings, available to anyone undertaking larger projects without arbitrary tier structures.
Quality Stock
Plants are properly acclimatised, pest-free, and grown at sustainable rates. We won't push fertiliser to force quick growth that compromises root development. Stock is selected for vigour and appropriate maturity.
Practical Knowledge
Advice comes from three decades of working with plants in commercial and retail settings. We know what works in the Manning Valley's climate, soil types, and microclimates because we've been testing it for thirty years.
Meet Us at the Nursery
The best way to understand Plantastic Nursery is to visit. Walk the growing areas, assess the stock quality for yourself, ask difficult questions about plant performance and care requirements. You'll get straight answers from people who've committed their professional lives to horticulture.
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We're at 522 Wingham Road, Taree, in the historic Hickmans Nursery location. Jason or family members are here working alongside staff, available to discuss your project requirements or help you choose the right plant for that tricky shaded corner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who owns Plantastic Nursery? Plantastic is owned and operated by Jason Reddel, a TAFE-qualified horticulturalist who has worked in the nursery and landscape industry since he was fourteen. With three decades of hands-on experience spanning production nurseries, retail, and commercial supply, Jason brings a level of practical plant knowledge that's genuinely rare in the region.
Q: What is the history of the Plantastic Nursery site? Plantastic operates from the historic Hickmans Nursery site on Wingham Road — a location with deep roots in the Taree horticultural community. The site's landmark windmill has been a familiar sight for generations of local gardeners. Continuing that legacy as a family-owned business, Plantastic has maintained the site as a working nursery serving landscapers and home gardeners.
Q: Is Plantastic Nursery a family business? Yes. Plantastic is genuinely family-owned and operated — not a franchise or corporate chain. That means you're dealing directly with the people who know the stock, have grown the plants, and can give you advice grounded in real experience rather than a product label.