Nursery siblings nurture their nook

Well-known Thirroul gardening shop The Niche Nursery is being reimagined. Since taking over the outlet about six months ago, siblings Rebekah and Matt McLean have been working to turn the space into a hub for gardeners to unite among an ever-growing range of edibles and natives.

“We just want gardeners to unite,” Rebekah says. “We really, really, really want to showcase and celebrate whatever other people have got to offer, as far as selling plants on consignment, running workshops … every conversation, everyone that comes in here is just so relevant, so uplifting.”

The budding partnership blends Matt’s hands-on expertise and Rebekah’s passion for education and community as a teacher by trade. Matt, a long-time arborist and landscaper, provides the “dirt under the nails” grit, Rebekah says.

“We have a great working relationship, and it’s interesting… It can be testing; we have different approaches sometimes, but we’re both very flexible and accommodating,” says Rebekah. 

"It’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to do things differently a little bit as long as we agree on what’s really important. We’re both very celebratory about the fact that we’ve got this opportunity.”

Proud descendants of the Awabakal people of Newcastle, Rebekah and her brother approach the nursery with respect for native plants and a responsibility to look after the natural environment.

“We didn't really know about our background until I was in my early 20s. The Awabakal community actually approached mum and I and said ‘did you realise that your last name… your family is Aboriginal?’ We were just struck and like, ‘well, what are we going to do about this?,” Rebekah says.

“We take our responsibility in this area from an Indigenous background perspective really quite seriously in the sense of being custodians, looking after the place.”

“I think it’s just a good way of celebrating and learning and then sharing about a practical part of culture in the area.”

The nursery on Lawrence Hargrave Drive was looked after by Russell Dixon for over 10 years, and as it became difficult to upkeep, Russell respectfully passed the torch to the McLeans.

“I think he wants to get into a new chapter of his life, whereas this is our new chapter,” Rebekah says.

“So he offered the business to my brother, and as soon as Matt got home from work, he’s like 'let's do it'.”

Although the siblings aim to prioritise local flora, their vision for the nursery includes the diverse needs of modern gardeners. The pair value community feedback and keep a running log of every request, accepting plant swaps and keeping track of local trends.

“Obviously, if one person’s asking for it, there’s a potential that other people are. Like every conversation, someone says 'oh, have you got...' and we're like 'no, we don't, but we write it down,” Rebekah says.

“There’s no point saying, 'oh, I’m not going to do agaves' or 'I’m not going to do cactus' because there is still a market for it, and we actually welcome feedback and constructive criticisms.”

Rebekah is already reaching out to schools, hoping to establish work experience programs and gardening workshops on issues such as soil preparation and worm farming, native plant education, art workshops and showcases of locally sourced timber furniture.

As Rebekah and Matt continue to refine their collection, gardening residents are invited to come to the nursery, meet the new owners and share ideas.

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