The Avid Gardener’s blooming success

When Peta Swift and Henrietta Hood took the plunge and launched their own local gardening business they had no idea what was just around the corner. But three years and a global pandemic later and The Avid Gardener is thriving, with seven employees and more work than they can handle.

“Three years ago in 2020, right when the pandemic hit, like just that week!” recalls Henrietta of the inauspicious beginnings of their business venture.

“I’d resigned just before the pandemic was announced,” says Peta. “We’d gone into it and then the pandemic hit and we were very nervous!”

“I had just gone through a big life change and had sold my house and sold my guest house, and so I was fully committed to the gardening business, which was nervewracking,” continued Henrietta.

Longtime friends and former workmates, Peta and Henrietta decided to go into business together as a way they could better juggle work and have more time for their children.

“We’d both become single mums and we wanted to have a business that was conducive to being mums… being able to sort of juggle family life as well as bringing in an income,” says Henrietta who is a lifelong gardener and trained horticulturalist.

“Pete and I have known each other for a long time and I always knew that she absolutely loved gardening and Pete is very organised, which I love… I’m more creative and disorganised, so I really needed Pete.

“So I approached her and said, ‘Hey what do you think?’”

While naturally risk-averse, Peta agreed. And even with the unfortunate timing of launching a business as the world goes into lockdown, she hasn’t looked back.

“No, it was actually a perfect time to launch our business,” says Peta, who found that their services were quickly booked out months in advance.

“We didn’t think that people would have the money but actually they did and so work just came pouring in,” adds Henrietta, who was always confident the demand was there.

“And it still seems to be the case,” she continued. “We get 25 calls a week at times and people want to be on our waitlist, but now we’ve just had to say we can’t because we’ve got our families and just trying to juggle it all… we just have to put the brakes on for a little bit, but there’s just such a demand – It’s amazing!”

Peta and Henrietta have had to stop taking on new clients, even though they now employ seven sta .

“And we need more!” says Henrietta. The pair are now focusing on their existing clients, while also venturing out with an online store through The Avid Gardener website.

“It’s all really good quality gardening tools, seeds, and gardening advice… like fact sheets that are specific to our climate that we’ve created and then had a graphic designer make into a really nice poster… It’s things that we use, or would use, that we think people who love gardening would like,” explains Henrietta.

“We would definitely love to expand a bit more but we’ve both got children, so my eldest is in year 10 and so things are sort of ramping up, so being able to be there and support our children, that’s the biggest priority.

“But we will expand! My motto is dream big, because you just never know how far you can go… and it’s been unbelievably successful. Both of us absolutely love what we do. We’re surrounded by beautiful people and we work with nature all the time. It’s our passion and we get to do it every day.”

& Planetarium

√ 24 hour rescue helicopter service for Orange and region

√ $14 million for highway upgrades between Lithgow and Orange

√ Bat/hail netting funding for local orchardists

√ $1.2 million for CCTV in Orange, Bathurst and Wellington

√ 47 mobile phone towers and base stations across Calare

Onthe 14th of November 2022 almost every home in Eugowra was destroyed or damaged when a massive wall of water hit this close-knit community.

Eugowra’s War Memorial, dedicated in 1931, is usually a place of peace, tranquility and quiet reflection. Not that day.

Almost totally submerged in water, the gardens and pathways were washed away, fencing and gates were damaged, it had lost paint, but through it all, like the men and women in uniform it honours, the memorial had stood strong.

In the days that followed the tragedy, plans were made to restore the memorial. Eugowra Progress Association, and Orange RSL Sub Branch (Chris Colvin and Brad Bliss were in Eugowra as soon as they heard help was needed) and many organisations and community groups contributed to this vitally important project for Eugowra. Thank you to all of you.

Last Saturday the memorial was re-dedicated with Rev Gary Neville consecrating the memorial in a beautiful service that included Waltzing Matilda.

In the lead up to ANZAC Day 2023 this was the communities of our region coming together with Eugowra to fulfill our duty of remembrance to those who’ve served and sacrificed for our country.

For the heroic town of Eugowra that has been through so much, it was also another significant milestone in its story of rebuilding and reconstruction.

Eugowra will never forget those who have lost their lives in the service of Australia or those who were tragically lost on that devastating day in 2022. Lest We Forget.

It was great to welcome the Joint Select Committee on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum to our region this week. Many MPs and Senators from across the political divide gathered in Orange to hear from residents of the Central West about what the Voice means to them.

It was fantastic to have this opportunity in our area, and for our local leaders to share their stories and have their voices heard.

Last weekend, from Friday to Sunday, the 18th National Heritage Machinery Association Rally was held in Mudgee.

Hosted by Cudgegong Valley Antique Machinery Club and AREC (Australian Rural Education Centre) it drew exhibitors and machines from all over Australia.

From beautifully restored tractors, RFS vehicles, farm machinery and cars, to typewriters, cameras and phones of yesteryear, the rally was a sight to behold. These were the machines that built Australia.

The Grand Parade, which was held every day of the rally, was definitely one of the many highlights! There was even a Yowie sighting in a 1943 RFS truck - although as is often the case with Yowies, I wasn’t quick enough with the camera for a photo!

The team from Hargraves RFS, fresh from fighting fires for weeks out at Hill End, worked their magic on the barbie! It was great to see them and catch up with many other mates!

Hosting a national rally is a massive undertaking and Brian Jones and the Cudgegong Valley Antique Machinery Club and AREC did a simply outstanding job.

Thank you to everyone who supported the rally, including all who came along, the sponsors and of course the exhibitors (many of them from our region!).

It was terrific!

It’s fantastic that works are kicking off on Stage 4 of the Southern Feeder Road Project, from Anson Street to Shiralee Road!

As Orange continues to grow and thrive, it’s important that local infrastructure not only keeps pace, but is built to meet the needs our city will have in generations to come.

The Southern Feeder Road project will cut congestion along some of Orange’s busiest streets, make travelling through Orange safer, easier, and quicker, and improve the safety and efficiency of freight movement for our region’s agricultural businesses and mining operations.

The former Federal Government committed about $13 million to the entire Southern Feeder Road project, and it’s great that the current government are keen to continue supporting the project.

Glow This year’s

Canowindra

International Balloon Challenge and Glow was a huge hit!

After a very tough end to 2022 with the storms and floods, Canowindra showed just how resilient and vibrant our country communities are. The crowds in town were huge.

There was world class entertainment, including incredibly talented local country artist Clancy Pye and Darlinghurst, heaps of stalls and of course the balloons! Our sincere gratitude to Andrew Pull and the hardworking team of volunteers and sponsors who brought us this iconic event. And of course the balloon teams! It was a great triumph for Canowindra!

Fire-ravaged farmers in the Hill End region still need our help.

farmers, this is how you can do it through our local Lions Clubs:

Lions District 201N4 Fire & Flood support is still needed.

The generosity displayed so far has been greatly appreciated but with the cold weather now upon us more support is still needed.

Account National Australia Bank BSB 082 811

If you can spare any feed, please call

If you can spare any feed, please call Penny Hundy on 0417 629 708 who will co-ordinate with local farmers in need. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

If you don’t have feed but would like to donate to help buy some for

A/C 130 866 857

Mark it “Hill End Fire”

Once funds are received, Anne Jones from the Geurie Lions Club will organise the hay.