A destination garden centre that attracts gardeners from across the Wairarapa and Wellington is up for sale with fertile prospects for fresh growth under new owners.

Nestled beside State Highway 2 between Carterton and Masterton, Clareville Nursery and Garden Centre has bloomed over decades into something of an institution with a strong community of loyal customers.

The business produces a wide variety of plants, which it sells alongside an extensive range of ceramic glazed pots and imported English stone garden ornaments.

As one of only two specialist garden centres in the Wairarapa, it enjoys a sweeping geographical catchment stretching from Masterton to the Hutt Valley.

Open 8.30am to 5pm daily except Good Friday and Christmas Day, the centre is particularly busy at weekends and holidays. Its destination pulling power is enhanced by the presence of the award-winning Clareville Bakery in a converted church across the carpark, with whom the owners have a good working relationship.

The freehold land, buildings and business sustaining Clareville Nursery and Garden Centre, located at 3348 State Highway 2, Clareville, are now being marketed for sale through Andrew Smith and Luke Kershaw of Bayleys.

The freehold going concern will be sold by way of a tender closing on Friday 8 November.

“Established in the 1990s, and run since 2007 by current owners Steven and Louisa Portman, this well-known business is the Wairarapa’s longest-serving specialist garden centre,” Smith said.

“Throughout this period, it has delivered near continuous growth and today it is a thriving retail destination with a reputation for producing a high-quality product.

“As a business that’s proven in all economic conditions, and with real upside potential to further boost profits, Clareville Nursery and Garden Centre should be incredibly desirable to anyone with a passion for gardening, people and profit,” he said.

Smith said the ability to propagate and grow plants onsite meant the business could sell them at higher margins. The high quality of the plants helped build a reputation that attracted customers from further afield.

“The potential is there for a new owner to grow this business further by intensifying online sales and digital marketing and continuing to evolve the sales offering to meet future demand,” said Smith.

The business operates on an approximately 6,874-square-metre freehold site with Rural Ward zoning under the Wairarapa Combined District Plan.

In the heart of several nursery and garden centre structures sits a tidy three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. This approximately 120-square-metre weatherboard building offers new owners the chance to live onsite, or can be used for offices and staff facilities.

Assets such as vehicles, machinery, irrigation gear, numerous wheelbarrows, display units, and security and office equipment are also included in the sale.

The sale also encompasses stock including some 17,000 trees and shrubs, along with pots, statues, ornaments and other goods such as garden tools and chemicals.

Kershaw said a particular strength of the business was its diverse product lines, which helped to attract a variety of customers and spread sales throughout the year.

“Since its establishment in the 1990s, the Clareville nursery has continued to strengthen existing product offerings as well as branching out with new, complementary products.

“Driven by both customer demand and foresight, the offering has expanded from a base of perennial plants grown in-house to flower and vegetable seedlings, shrubs, and fruiting and ornamental deciduous trees. The retail store now markets extensive ranges of ceramic glazed pots and popular imported English stone garden ornaments, and the nursery sells its own blend of potting mix,” Kershaw said.

Steven and Lou currently work full-time managing the Clareville operation, supported by two full-time nursery staff and two part-time workers in the garden centre.

“The established staff, and a handover supported by the current owners, will help ensure continuity of operations and cashflow for new operators, and the passing over of invaluable business knowledge and experience,” Kershaw said.

New owners will also benefit from a secure water supply from multiple sources. This ensures there is plenty of water for current production levels, with options to increase usage and storage capacity in future.

Financial information and details of business performance are available to potential buyers.

Click here for more information on the listing.