Toowoomba gardener using stall to raise thousands for local charities

What started as a pruning job on a hedge has turned into a thriving backyard garden business which has raised thousands for Toowoomba charities.

When Sandra Norris first moved to Toowoomba eight years ago, she took an instant dislike to the hedge around her Centenary Heights unit.

What started as some major pruning has turned into a thriving passion for gardening, which has also seen Ms Norris raise thousands of dollars for various charities.

In true entrepreneurial style, Ms Norris collects bottles and cans from her neighbours, which she returns to collect the 10c deposit.

Using the money raised, Ms Norris then buys plants which she grows before taking clippings from them to sell in her garden stall out the front of her home.

Sandra Norris raises money for charity through her plant sales from garden cuttings. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“I save the money up (from the garden stall) and buy sheets and towels, an iron or a toaster whatever I see that would be nice, and every year or two I do a cent sale and hopefully you get lots of people come and make lots of money,” she said.

“I’ve given a few thousand to Cancer Council and $500 to the fibromyalgia group at St Vincent’s Hospital recently.

“I like to have a little activity, it gets me out of bed.”

Sandra Norris raises money for charity through her plant sales from garden cuttings. Picture: Nev Madsen.

While Ms Norris has battled fibromyalgia for the past 20 years, and still struggles at times with asthma, she said she loved gardening.

“I can get out in the sun and meet people, it’s a good way to meet people,” she said.

“All the neighbours up and down the road keep the bottles and I go around and collect them all.

“I’ve won lots of prizes over the years in (The Chronicle) Gardening Competition, it’s only a small unit but I’ve been named happiest gardener among other things which I’m proud of.”

Sandra Norris raises money for charity through her plant sales from garden cuttings. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The latest product line Ms Norris has started to stock due to popular demand are geraniums.

“Everyone was asking me if I sold geraniums and I would say ‘no not really’, but one day I thought ‘well do it, everyone is asking’,” she said.

“Since I’ve started selling them they’ve been going like hot cakes.

“They’re just so pretty, I try and remember all the names as a brain activity.”

Ms Norris said her recycling efforts and garden stall were a way to give back to a community that had given so much to her.

“It means a lot, it means I can give back something and meet people too,” she said.

“People come along and stop and you get to ask them where they’re from, it could be Goondiwindi, Oakey, Crows Nest, (from) all over they come.”