Native plant nursery opens to help KI grow local
Kangaroo Island landholders, gardeners, schools and community groups are encouraged to visit the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board’s Native Plant Nursery when it opens to the public for the 2026 season on Tuesday 5 May.
The nursery, located at 22b Telegraph Road, Kingscote, grows more than 100 species of Kangaroo Island native plants suitable for revegetation, windbreaks, shelterbelts, coastal plantings, biodiversity projects and home gardens.
With around 10,000 plants available for public sales for the 2026 planting season, Nursery Manager Jo McPhee said now was the right time to come in and purchase suitable stock we have available as well as plan for next winter.
“Winter is generally the main planting time on Kangaroo Island, but successful revegetation starts well before plants go in the ground,” Ms McPhee said.
“Spring is the best time to place orders for the following year, and focus on weed control, and autumn is when people should be finalising weed control, site preparation and starting to plant when seasonal conditions are right.”
Ms McPhee said the planting cycle was always influenced by rainfall and soil moisture.
“For larger scale revegetation projects Planting is best started when the season breaks and we have had at least 50ml of rain,” she said.
“Good rainfall and moisture in the soil gives plants the best chance to establish, so it is important to plan ahead and be ready when the conditions are right.”
The nursery supplies island-provenance plants, meaning seed and cutting material is sourced from plants indigenous to Kangaroo Island. All nursery plants are water-wise and suited to Kangaroo Island conditions.
Ms McPhee said local native plants provide practical benefits for farms, gardens and the wider environment.
“Local native plants can help create shelterbelts, reduce wind exposure, support biodiversity, improve habitat and provide food and shelter for wildlife,” she said.
“They can also attract pollinators and birds, which is one of the simplest ways people can support a healthier local environment on their own property.”
Nursery staff can also help match plants to local soil types, rainfall zones and site conditions.
Ms McPhee said one of the most valuable parts of the nursery’s work was helping people choose the right plants for the right place.
“Every property is different,” she said.
“We can help landholders think through what they want to achieve, whether that is a windbreak, shelterbelt, erosion control, coastal planting, wildlife habitat, pollinator-friendly planting, bird habitat or a home garden using local native species.
“Site visits and revegetation planning are a really important part of that support. The earlier people get in touch, the better we can help them prepare.”
The Kangaroo Island Landscape Board is encouraging people to visit the nursery, speak with Jo about their planting goals and place orders early for future planting seasons.
Good preparation can improve plant survival, including weed control, site planning, guarding where needed and timing planting around rainfall and soil moisture.
The nursery is open to the public from Tuesday 5 May 2026.
Opening hours:
Tuesdays: 9 am to 1 pm
Thursdays: 9 am to 4.30 pm
Location: 22b Telegraph Road, Kingscote
Contact: 0437 322 692 or kinativeplantnursery@sa.gov.au
Native planting calendar
🌧️ Winter: Main planting season, depending on rainfall and soil moisture.
🌼 Spring: Place orders for the following year’s planting season and preliminary weed control
☀️ Summer: Some weed control depending on season
🍂 Autumn: Final site preparation, weed control and planting when seasonal conditions are suitable.
