Burnetts On Barney has been named Retail Nursery of the Year by the Nursery & Garden Industry of NSW and ACT.

“It is the biggest accolade our industry has and it was an extraordinary surprise to win ahead of beautiful Sydney and Canberra garden centres,” says owner Elizabeth Burnett.

Mystery shoppers were part of the judging process, which also included a four hour visit by an industry judge.

“It poured the whole time the judge was here, so we weren’t looking our best,” says Elizabeth.

Because of the visit they knew they were nominated, but had no idea they were one of the three finalists until the award presentation night in Sydney.

“We were thrilled enough with that, and then overwhelmed when we won,” says Elizabeth.

“They were particularly taken with the sustainability of our operations, particularly where it is showcased by our container gallery.

“They loved the concept – everything is repurposed and recycled and no new materials were brought in to make something special.

“They also liked the informality of the nursery and its unique style, which made it different to anywhere else they’d seen – the chickens, onsite compost piles and bees all got mentioned.

“It is wonderful to be recognized for our unique character, and being true to our values across the board.”

The nursery hopes to open its café soon, so you can linger even longer while planning the next addition to your garden.