Everything

Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.

- Thomas Huxley -

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A few weeks ago a friend of mine told me about a plant nursery she was sure I'd love and had to go to. I was intrigued.

I've been looking for some particular heirloom vegetable seeds and whilst it was probably unlikely I'd find them at Karkoo Nursery I decided it would be a nice Sunday drive and, based on my friends assessment of it, I figured it would be well worth the effort.

Karkoo Nursery

Karkoo Nursery is situated down a small lane in the tiny town of Oakbank, in the verdant Adelaide hills. It's not on the main thoroughfare so if one isn't going directly there it's unlikely one would ever find it. I knew where to go though and on the scenic drive there began to wonder what I would find - Everything wasn't want I expected.

On arrival the sign, overflow car park, and large arrow gave me a hint that this place gets busy. I was lucky to get a shaded park in the main area though and headed into the nursery. It soon became apparent I wasn't in an everyday, typical plant nursery because it seemed they had literally everything. Well, maybe not literally, but you know what I mean.

The nursery has occupied the buildings and grounds of the historical Johnston Brewery which was created by Scotsman William Johnston soon after he arrived in South Australia in 1839. There are several buildings full of pots, homewares, furniture, crafts, artwork, scents, candles, ornamental household items, women's clothing, home-made foods and well...everything.

Plants, tasty food and everything

I was blown away by the sheer scope of their range and what I really liked was that they focus on local makers, artisans and artists rather than importing factory-made rubbish from China. Everything had a feel of being made with love and care and it was all of rather good quality from what I could tell. I made my wat from building to building and room to room and marvelled at the range of stocked items.

Of course, it's a plant nursery also and there was no shortage of plants, pots, implements, garden art and just about everything one could want for the garden. The prices were not what I would call cheap, although the quality and range was good and that's what counts sometimes I guess.

Part of the brewery building has been turned into a café and kitchen. The tables are all outside and under cover which was perfect for the sort of weather-day it was when I visited. The food and drinks also stick closely to the local theme being sourced from local and South Australian producers primarily. They do light lunches and platters - the cheese platter looked amazing - and are licensed so can serve alcohol for those who desire it. Above you can see part of the seating area that spread into the greenery of the nursery itself and I'd say they can comfortably accommodate 100-110 people seated.

I had a very legit toasted sandwich of Barossa Valley free-range chicken, avocado, lettuce and Spanish onion served with a side of chilli jam and also managed to have a scone with jam and cream. I also had an iced chai latte which was totally scrumptious!

One of the really cool things is the historical display of items from the old Johnston brewery - you can see some of the original bottles above middle right. There, one can read the Johnston's story and take a look at some of the items that would have been in every day use. The excellent quality of the local water sourced for the beer made it a highly sought-after beverage back in the day and they also made a wide selections of cordials.

It's the almost endless array of stuff that wins the day though and one could wander for hours exploring what's on offer. If a person was setting up a house they'd not need to go anywhere else I'd say; they even had lounge suites and outdoor furniture.

There was a nice eclectic feel to the place, an inviting county-comfort feel I was left feeling like there was something around every corner just waiting to be discovered and, in truth, there really was.

In this post I've collaged a few of my photos to demonstrate the wide variety of items. My focus was on the plants though, those heirloom seeds I mentioned, although I walked away empty handed. They didn't have want I needed. I wasn't overly disappointed though. The weather was good, I had a nice drive through the Adelaide hills and Karkoo Nursery was a very interesting place to visit...plus I got to eat and drink some scrummy things.

Karkoo is more than a simple plant nursery as you can probably tell. There's something for everyone and it just felt comfortable and nice. Whether shopping for oneself, a gift of for the garden, or just looking for a welcoming place to enjoy a lunch and drink, Karkoo Nursery has you covered. If you're ever in my town you need to make sure you get to Karkoo Nursery; they have everything including me...Well, last Sunday anyway.