Mary van der Velden
From little things, big things grow.
As the saying goes, from little things, big things grow. This phrase resounds with me as I find so much joy in being part of growing and nurturing plants.
Christmas has a special meaning to me as it represents the gathering of loved ones. Some of my fondest memories are of my children and grandchildren huddled around the Christmas tree, sharing love and laughs as we enjoy the festive rituals of Christmas.
After unearthing my passion for the nursery world in my early twenties, I have dedicated most of my life to growing plants. My four children grew up in our garden centre, Pukehou Nursery, and since then, I have had the absolute pleasure of keeping my green thumb happy through my work for Leafland and in my home nursery.
A pure plant lover at my core, I have often struggled with the concept of cut Christmas trees and felt there had to be a better and more sustainable solution for people to enjoy Christmas.
We had a handsome, proud Alberta Spruce as our family tree for many years and as my retirement neared, my idea for giving families the opportunity to have their very own ‘forever Christmas tree’ came to life. In 2015, I took the leap to turn my idea into a reality and filled my nursery with 13 different varieties of beautiful Christmas trees.
Now retired, I spend my days doting over Potted’s Christmas trees, collecting and growing seeds and find such pleasure in welcoming people to Potted in the lead up to the festive season.
In the fast-paced world that we live in, it fills me with great happiness to watch people slow down and take the time to select their own tree, which will become part of their family or household for many years to come. – Mary van der Velden.