In 1968 with her 4th child off to boarding school & only her youngest two sons at home Maryed Urquhart started "Maryed's Garden" in the back yard of the family farm in Lake Hawea. She was a keen gardener with a love of unusual plants & the ability to grow a variety of plants which had not been tried in the area before. The nursery became a destination for people living in Central Otago and visitors to the area, they would leave with little treasures.
Jamie (the 4th child & current owner of Nook Road Nursery) remembers coming home from boarding school for the Easter Holidays & being surprised to see signs for the nursery all over the back yard, he started out helping his mother with her plants learning as he went & in 1977 when he returned to the area with a young child started to work for her full time.

In 1981 Jamie and his wife Vicki bought The Nook which in a previous life had been a boarding house offering holidays as well as an orchard & garden. Some of the original fruit trees - apricots & plums survive & bear fruit today.

In 1982 Jamie & Vicki set up "The Garden Shed" in Wanaka a garden centre selling plants from Maryed's Garden as well as further afield, specalising in plants suited to the climate of Central Otago. 5 years on & finding juggling a business a large property & 4 children challenging they decide something had to change & sold "The Garden Shed" to concentrate on being at The Nook & raising a family. Jamie made the best bread in the district (still does in my opinion) Vicki created bags & quilts & even a Teepee once.

When Maryed decided she no longer wanted the nursery in the back yard Jamie decided to shift it up to The Nook & Nook Road Nursery was born. The nursery has grown & evolved over the intervening 20 or so years, with a lot of hard work & dedication from Jamie & Vicki.

Maryed now in her 80s continues to garden at her new house on the grounds of the nursery & still propagates little treasures.