Taking RhodoDirect to the Next Level

If you’ve been following RhodoDirect for a while, you’ll know we’re always looking for ways to grow (pun fully intended). This year has brought one of our biggest turning points yet — the moment we stepped into the world of wholesale.

Earlier in the year, we had the chance to take on the wholesale side of Tawa Glen Nursery from the well-known and highly respected grower, Ian Swann. Ian has been a generous mentor to me over the past three years, sharing expert knowledge, practical tips, and plenty of encouragement. When he decided to retire — swapping nursery boots for fishing rods and hunting trips — we both saw an opportunity.

Taking on his wholesale business wasn’t just about expanding RhodoDirect. It was about carrying forward Ian’s legacy and making sure his customers could still count on the same quality and care they’d always received — while adding our own fresh energy and ideas. Wholesale is a whole new scale — more plants, more infrastructure, and a bigger team effort. It’s meant rethinking how we operate and making some serious upgrades to the nursery. And that’s where the fun really began… 

Landscaped garden with shrubs, trees, and mulch in the foreground; a large wooden pergola and gravel area are visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky—bringing your outdoor space to the next level with RhodoDirect.

The Build Phase – Fun Facts & Behind-the-Scenes Moments

  • 112 deer strainer posts rammed into the ground.
  • 10 km of slats on the new lathe house (not counting the off-cuts!).
  • 3 weeks to build the lathe house — in the middle of winter!
  • Weight was lost, muscles were gained, and our “amateur” status for irrigation installation is officially gone.
  • One extra glasshouse installed in just one day
  • Only two rainy days stopped play.
  • I have five nails left from the nail gun packet — not bad, right?
Two people take their greenhouse project to the next level, assembling a frame and laying out panels on grass near a large plastic tunnel and a green water tank, all in a rural outdoor setting with RhodoDirect supplies.
A wooden framework for a large structure under construction on muddy ground, with ladders and tools scattered around, shows how RhodoDirect brings next level organization to challenging outdoor builds amid trees in the background.
A man in a plaid shirt holds a shovel near a yellow cement mixer at an outdoor construction site, taking improvement to the next level with wooden frames and trees in the background.
A person stands among evenly spaced wooden posts on a grassy field bordered by trees, taking their outdoor experience to the next level with the serene setting reminiscent of RhodoDirect landscapes.
A man stands inside a greenhouse using a power drill to assemble a long wooden planting table supported by metal frames, taking his gardening setup to the next level with help from RhodoDirect.
A yellow grader from RhodoDirect levels a dirt area near trees, hay bales, and green fencing under a partly sunny sky, taking the job to the next level.
A fenced rural property with greenhouses, a shed, and garden beds takes gardening to the next level. Chickens roam on mulched ground as trees border the site under a cloudy sky—perfect for RhodoDirect enthusiasts.

Along the way, we had the dream team:

  • Al the post hole driver, who did a superb job.
  • Gavin, my old boss from the preschool days, who happily strapped on his tool belt.
  • Tony, whose mantra is “no job is a shitty job — it just has to be done.”
  • And of course, me, consistently hearing “yes, Lisa, we can do that” responses and a new “racing car track” to get from the build to the nursery in record time.

With plenty of laughs and a whole lot of hard work, we’ve created an amazing new growing area for our rhododendrons to thrive in.

A person stands on a ladder working on a wooden frame outdoors, tackling DIY projects beside a netted fence with a parked car in the background.

While wholesale is a brand-new branch for us, retail remains at the heart of RhodoDirect. Every upgrade we make benefits all our customers — whether you’re a landscaper ordering in bulk or a gardener picking just one perfect rhododendron for your backyard. Our goal is to offer a wide range of varieties, with good numbers available for any bulk planting you might have in mind.

Whilst this is all happening behind the scenes, I have had the opportunity to get out on the road, where i get to speak to garden groups and rhodo lovers about growing rhododendrons – and have just returned from Hamilton Trade Day where it was fantastic to talk rhododendrons with nurserymen and landscapers.

I’ll continue focusing on thrip-resilient and sun-tolerant varieties for the newly established  gardens. It’s been a whirlwind few months, but incredibly rewarding to see our vision come to life. Next time you visit, you’ll notice bigger spaces, more plants, and plenty of energy buzzing around. This is just the beginning of the RhodoDirect story — and we can’t wait to share the journey with you.

And remember — I’m always happy to help you choose the best plant for your location. Feel free to email or text me with any questions. That’s what I’m here for!

Two people use a power auger to drill a hole in dry grass on a sunny day, working on outdoor projects with trees in the background.