Moss Vale local Jenny Wilson starts Planting by Design at 66

While most of her friends are easing into retirement, a Southern Highlands great-grandmother has seized the opportunity to start her own business - showing it’s never too late to learn something new.

While most of her friends are easing into retirement, a Southern Highlands great-grandmother has seized the opportunity to start her own business.

Moss Vale local Jenny Wilson, 66, launched her own horticulture business Planting by Design this year in January, after deciding she needed to adapt in order to continue pursuing her passion.

“I’ve been in gardening for 30 years but after waiting for knee surgery, which meant I couldn’t do the physical side of gardening any longer, I had an idea of starting a garden design business,” Mrs Wilson said.

Moss Vale local Jenny Wilson, 66, launched her own horticulture business, Planting by Design, this year.

“I wanted to gain the computer literacy skills to design the gardens on a computer for the client.

“Today, you really have to be online to manage a business but I didn’t grow up online like today’s generation.”

The grandmother-of-12 and great-grandmother-of-two said business had been growing steadily since she launched Planting by Design, and encouraged other older Highlanders to consider how TAFE NSW Moss Vale could help them undergo a professional reinvention.

“Don’t be afraid to try something new and different, you might surprise yourself,” Mrs Wilson said.

A ‘before’ shot of a garden Ms Wilson was to commence work on as part of Planting by Design.

The ‘after’ shot, when the work was completed.

TAFE NSW Moss Vale Business Services Teacher Nola Peters said enrolments were now open for the Certificate III in Business (Administration) for semester two, commencing in July.

“It’s so wonderful to see Jenny reach her goal of opening her own business and you could really see her confidence and enthusiasm grow as the course progressed,” Ms Peter said.

“A business qualification from TAFE NSW gives you the foundational administration skills that are transferable to every single business out there.

“And the employment outcomes for our graduates are strong.”