by Jo Barnes | photos by Amanda Cribdon Photography –
Laurel remembers her parents tending the garden each day.
Now she helps others tend and make their own garden memories.
Laurel Rassenti (above right), of Russell Nursery in North Saanich, has enjoyed a lifelong passion for plants and now enjoys the opportunity to grow plants and share her gardening knowledge with others.
“I have memories of my family garden, the smells, the sights, and the textures,” shares Laurel. “I can still visualize most of them. I like nurturing and watching plants thrive”.
Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, Russell Nursery, on Wain Road, sits on a beautiful 10-acre property skirted by towering old firs and cedars. 3.5 acres are dedicated to the thriving nursery operation.
“It’s a rural setting with ravens and eagles in the midst,” says Laurel. “It is a beautiful property.”
The Russell family started the business here. After 25 years, Brian and Michele Russell decided the time was right to retire and transition the business to others. Laurel and fellow worker Susan Tice (above left) were senior employees at the time, having over 30 years of experience between them. After running her own landscaping business, Laurel was hired at the nursery in 2006.
“In 2017, Brian approached Sue Tice and myself and offered to sell the business to us. We accepted,” states Laurel, adding: “We were very lucky. It was a great opportunity.”
Whether a gardening greenhorn or a planting pro, you’ll enjoy the full range of gardening supplies and the diversity of plants from which to choose. While the nursery specializes in trees, shrubs, and perennials, there are also annuals, herbs, bulbs, grasses, small fruits and vines. Many are grown onsite in containers. The emphasis is to offer the best possible selection sourced from the island and lower mainland with some product from locations farther away.
“We grow high quality plants,” comments Laurel. “We get larger specimens, and we get more variety.”
The staff is well versed in plants; many of them graduates of the Pacific Horticulture College (PHC) located at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific. Laurel is one of them, having completed the certification program there in 2002. Her education at PHC impacted her life in many ways.
“I made a lot of good friends there,” she shares, adding with a smile: “I met my husband there!”
The team at Russell Nursery work hard to also provide quality consultation in gardening and landscaping.
“We offer planning ideas and consultation in two ways. We do home visits and in-store consultations,” says Laurel. “We can come to customer’s homes and help with plant selection, pruning and other issues. Or, customers can come to the nursery with their photos, measurements and other vital information such as the sun and shade areas on their property.”
Any gardening business can face challenges at times including weather conditions and supply shortages. The arrival of a pandemic meant a whole new level of stress and problems to address. However, it also prompted an increased community interest in gardening and this translated into a wave of new business.
“It was terrifying at the beginning. We had to rethink the plan weekly,” shares Laurel. “But the silver lining of Covid was new customers. People were really interested in gardening, so we became really busy!”
Items like berry canes, vegetable starters and seeds became more popular. In addition, art suitable for the garden was also added including birdhouses, metal art, pottery, and glass sculpture. This not only enhanced the product lineup but also supported local artists struggling with reduced market opportunities.
“We ramped up the artist program when Covid started,” says Laurel. “It was a big motivator for us to support these artists.”
Helping others and creating the beauty inherent in a garden; both of these factors go to the heart of this vibrant local nursery. Laurel recalls a new customer who arrived one day and shared her plight. She was saddened at the recent loss of a special shrub and needed both support and direction. Laurel’s recommendation of a particular tree served as the beginning of a positive turnaround for this client.
“She sent us a photo of the tree. It’s growing well and is really lovely,” shares Laurel. “It’s very satisfying.”
After a winter break, Russell Nursery is brimming with plants ready for the kiss of the spring sun.
“We have a close-knit team and we’re passionate about what we do,” says Laurel. “We’ll help clients create that outdoor sanctuary.”
Plants and knowledgeable people; Russell Nursery offers plenty of both. When you begin to plant a garden, you not only create your own peaceful garden oasis, but a place to build memories with family and friends. Laurel would know.
