Profile

To find out about some of the services that Neville offers, visit the Media, Writing, Talks, Tour Guide and Consultation pages.

Neville Passmore was born into a gardening family, the fourth generation West Australian living and producing plants and produce in Gosnells, WA. The son of Albert and Tess he grew up through the gardening industries renaissance as it evolved into one of the powerhouse retail sectors of the 1970’s. Neville’s work in plant production, gardening retailing, the garden media, with the public and contributing to student education is extensive and covers significant scope during 47 years of working in the gardening industry.

Having extensive working knowledge of garden retailing in WA Neville has managed several Waldeck stores, acted as general manager in his family’s nursery, garden centre and florist business. In addition he has worked as a training and marketing consultant to Waldeck’s Garden Centres, Bunnings Warehouse and Eden Gardens.

He works extensively in the media these days but is still actively involved in the development of horticulture through his work with The Water Corporation, The Swan River Trust and numerous corporate educational projects such as Woodside’s staff health development and education program. He delivers keynote talks on topical issues such as water efficient gardening practises, environmentally gardening techniques sustainable housing and gardening for better health to name just a few.

Neville’s contribution to gardening in WA extends a lot further than just actively working in the industry.  He is a past president of the Nursery and Garden Association of WA and has been a long-term committee member at state and national levels in horticultural advisory roles.  In 2015 he was honoured by being made a Life Member. During this time he has sat on and worked with the boards of leading environmental and gardening organisations such as Greening Australia and the national body of the gardening industry. As an active committee participant in the Green Space Alliance he is advocating to bring living greenery back into suburbs and cities in WA.

His contributions to industry training have been recognised locally and nationally. An assessment tool for garden retailing was developed and implemented for Bunnings and subsequently rewritten for international markets.  The tool was taken up as the standard for the North America Garden Centres Association. 

He is a national councillor of the Australian Institute of Horticulture and was honoured in 2015 with the Silver Gum award for contributions to horticultural learning, support of professional development and promotion of the Australian flora.

His great love for the garden extends to his suburban home where he grows a wide range of fruit, herbs, edible fish and vegetables. He’s passionate about cooking and food and enjoys presenting the most exotic dishes to family and friends. In 2015 he even made his first wine.