Budding for battle

By Tania Martin
TWOnurseries are set to battle each other for a prestigious industry award.
Proteaflora nursery in Monbulk will go head-to-head with Kuranga Native Nursery in Mt Evelyn to take out its third consecutive national award for a place in the Yates hall of fame.
For the last two years Proteaflora has been voted as the Best Large Production Nursery in Australia.
The Yates 2007 Nursery and Garden Industry Awards will announce the national winner on Thursday.
All the winners of the state awards will go head to head for the battle of the best national nursery or garden centre.
Proteaflora director David Mathews said it is a great honour for the nursery to be recognised with the national awards and is hoping for a place in the hall of fame.
“We were very surprised with the first let alone the second and a third would be just wonderful,” he said.
“It’s not something we expected to win but it’s great to be recognised.”
If Proteaflora wins on Thursday it will be only the second nursery businesses to take a place in the Yates Nursery and Garden Industry Awards hall of fame.
Mr Mathews said winning this year’s award would place them side by side with Acorn Nursery in Surrey Hills, which currently holds the only hall of fame position for the Best Large Garden Centre.
Meanwhile, Kuranga Native Nursery is hoping to win its first national award.
The nursery is still riding high after winning the Victorian Large Garden Centre Award.
Owner Evan Clucas said he was extremely honoured to win the state award and is now hoping to take out the national award.
“It’s a tribute to our staff who are so dedicated and enthusiastic,” he said.
“It would be just wonderful to win the national award especially as we have only been open for two-and-a-half years.”