Our Story
Harold Baker began growing roses in the 1950s in Payneham, Adelaide. His youngest daughter, Barbara, and her husband, Earl Wagner, took over the business a few years later. They grew roses in several locations before establishing the nursery in Port Noarlunga South, where it became a well-known name in South Australia.
After spending his younger years surfing and skiing in New Zealand, Barbara’s son, Brian Wagner, took over the family business in the early 1980s. He moved the nursery to McLaren Vale, where he developed a successful wholesale and retail business over the next 15 years. Brian’s connection to rose growing began long before that; as a child, he spent much of his time with his parents at the nursery, earning his first money at just seven years old by picking blooms at sunrise for local florist’s.
When water restrictions were introduced in McLaren Vale, Brian was forced to look elsewhere to secure the nursery’s future. After four years searching for the right property, he found a new home in Kalangadoo, in South Australia’s Southeast. With more water and richer soil, it offered the conditions he needed to continue growing the business.
In 2003, while on holiday in Ireland, Brian met Benedetta Rusconi, an Italian photojournalist who brought her photography and communication skills to the nursery. Ten years later, they began selling roses online. Since then, online retail has become an important and growing part of the business.
Brian and Benedetta now live near Kalangadoo with their children, Luca and Chiara. Together, they have built one of Australia’s largest rose-growing businesses. Their son Luca represents the fourth generation involved in the nursery, bringing new ideas and modern skills to the family business.
Today, the nursery supplies roses to nurseries, councils and garden centres across the country. Its online store continues to grow each year, delivering premium rose plants to customers throughout Australia.
Our Region
On South Australia’s Limestone Coast, rich farming country stretches between small country towns, with old red gums standing across open paddocks. Beneath the surface, groundwater and fertile soils sustain a region that has long rewarded those who work the land. This is where we grow our roses.
Our nursery is in Kalangadoo, around 40 kilometres north of Mount Gambier. Its name is commonly translated from the local Aboriginal language as “big trees in water”, a fitting reflection of the surrounding landscape. This country supports dairy farms, grazing livestock and crops. For more than 30 years, it has also been home to our rose farm.
The region’s volcanic past has enriched its soils with minerals, creating fertile ground for growing roses. At our nursery, the soil is a rich, easy-working loam, high in organic matter, with a pH of 6.5—ideal conditions for growing strong, healthy plants.
Water is a major reason we chose this area. Groundwater lies approximately six metres beneath our property, providing a reliable source for irrigation through the summer months. When the heat settles in and rain becomes scarce, that supply helps keep our roses growing steadily.
Brian understood the value of these conditions when he moved the nursery from McLaren Vale. After water restrictions prompted the search for a new home, he spent four years looking for the right property. Kalangadoo brought together what mattered most: fertile soil, dependable water and room to grow.
Today, those same qualities underpin every season at the nursery. After more than three decades growing here, we believe this corner of the Limestone Coast is among Australia’s finest places to grow roses. We chose it carefully, and our fields remind us why, season after season.