About Us

Our Story

Known for their plant savvy and architectural vignettes, Ross Johnson and Sylvia Matlock have created a bridge connecting their beautifully designed home and haut-chic nursery. Their extensive knowledge and unconventional design insight attracts visitors from across the USA and has been celebrated in numerous national magazines.

Sylvia is a graduate from the Art institute of Chicago, a background which exudes in everything she does, from building depth, texture and color, to seeking out the best plant for the right location.

Ross is the materials expert, blending together mastery and craftsmanship with a sense of whimsy and wonder. His elegant stonework is always finished to the highest level of professionalism, yet he can add an unusual twist with found and salvaged materials that he re-purposes for other roles in the landscape.

Call into the nursery and be inspired by the colors and textures on display. And say Hi to Sophie, who should be basking in her modern dog-house whatever the season. She’s adorably cute – with her own ideas and opinions on how pets see the world of gardening – and she has her own fan-page too!

The Team

Allison Irwin Nurseryman in training doer of all projects and Dig Nursery.

The Artists

Lisa has over 20 years diverse industry experience in graphic design, visual communication and print/digital media production. She is also a graduate of the LIOS masters program in Leadership and Organizational Development. MacLeod established Strata Associates in January 2013 to bring together ‘technical’ design skills with the ‘soft’ OD concepts, creating a unique approach to identity design and website development.

Claire Takacs was thrilled to win the inaugural International Garden Photographer of the Year competition in 2008, for Kenrokuen Gardens, Kanazawa, Japan. Each year since then, She received a first, second, third or finalist placement in the IGPOTY comp. After seven months on the road travelling through Europe and the US, she is now based back in Melbourne for the coming months.