Much-loved nursery closes

Three decades of cultivating vibrant foliage and perfumes came to an end when the Denmark Nursery and Florist closed its doors for the last time on Thursday last week.

Original owner Rob Horler opened the nursery on September 1, 1987, and it forged a name for itself as a community hub, offering expert horticultural advice as well as a place to briefly unwind.

Owner Peter Dean said the nursery prided itself on customer service and a unique business character.

“It brought a meeting place,” Mr Dean said.

“It was convenient, it was right in town.

“It was the punctuation mark to Strickland Street.

“People would go to the bakery and buy a pie or sandwich and ask to walk around the nursery.

“It was a lovely place to be.”

Mr Dean, who bought the business from Christine Randall in 2007, said he would have liked the nursery to continue, but the landowners had plans to redevelop.

“I am very sad, not so much for me because I wanted to sell, but the fact the nursery has been there for so long,” he said.

“A lot of people have got upset about it.

“We have been very lucky.

“A lot of people have stuck with us through thick and thin and without them, we wouldn’t be here, and we do appreciate people shopping locally.”