| 89 T T Sue Russell Building a landscaping legacy The company offers an array of hard and soft landscaping services, including developing streetscapes, undertaking ecological restorations and mitigation planting. CGC Landscape Company CONTRACTING Tauranga landscaping business, CGC Ltd marked a milestone in 2025 when it celebrated 30 years trading, something owners David Clayton-Greene and Robyn Matheson are very proud of. “When I think about how I was considered a low achiever at school, leaving without qualifications, and then took up work in a nursery, I’m proud of what I have achieved over the years,” says David. “We’ve been involved in some tremendous projects through the years and really contributed to the local and regional environments.” David acknowledges the incredible support he has received from so many people through the journey. He understands that business longevity and success comes down to the quality of relationships forged, and feels it is important to acknowledge this, particularly at this milestone time. CGC Ltd currently engages 12 staff and has a pool of casual contractors it can pull in when demand warrants. David says business very much tends to ebb and flow with the state of the economy. The company offers an array of hard and soft landscaping services, including developing streetscapes, undertaking ecological restorations and mitigation planting. David says taking up opportunities to develop skills and understandings, coupled with the support of wife Robyn, who taught herself how to draw plans, has very much been the hallmark of how the business has evolved into what it is today. “Nowadays, we primarily undertake commercial work, and we’re involved from the concept stage in the development of commercial plans, which by nature are very conceptual and designed for the purposes of consenting processes. The industry has changed immensely and split into a diverse array of disciplines.” It’s in the hard landscaping space that David says the industry has become very competitive. At times, as builders have struggled to find enough work, they have taken on landscaping structural projects. “Landscaping is quite complex to price,” he says. “You have to define the scope and understand in the broadest sense what you’re dealing with, before you can accurately value a project. This is where less experienced operators often struggle.” Having said this, David understands and values the creative nature of soft landscaping. “We’ve been involved in some tremendous projects through the years and really contributed to the local and regional environments.” “With changes to property development and sections getting smaller and smaller, I think it’s very important to acknowledge what an impact creative plantings achieve, and I feel this is going to become more and more important in the future.” While based in Tauranga, David says the company has taken on projects wider afield, basically south of the Bombays through to Coromandel and even as far away as Hawke’s Bay and Palmerston North. Explaining what mitigation planting is about, David says when a new development is in Call us on toll free on 0508 476 947 or visit growhq.co.nz to learn more. Grow HQ is a Pukekohe-based wholesale nursery specialising in contract growing and large-scale native plant supply. From small sites to major developments, we deliver high-quality, eco-sourced plants you can rely on. With a 15-acre facility and trusted partnerships across the industry, including CGC Landscapes, we grow high-quality, eco-sourced plants built for long-term success across the upper North Island. From 50 plants to 500,000+, no project is too small or too large. If you’re planning your next project, we’d love to grow with you. planning, part of that involves developing a plan to mitigate any adverse environmental impacts. “If a neighbouring property is going to be impacted negatively, then the planning documents require evidence of how the landscape will mitigate these. “This can be around noise protection, green plantings to visually mitigate the development. That’s the sort of thing we understand how to manage well.” Leaving their mark around major roading projects in the form of mass plantings is a lasting legacy of their work. “We planted most of Wairere Drive in Hamilton and most of the Cambridge by-pass. There’s been massive development of new roading infrastructure in the regions and all these have a component of soft landscaping to them.” David understands also how community living spaces have become far more important in today’s urban society. The biggest thing he has noticed is how environmental management, by councils and the like, has changed. “We can no longer ignore the impact of climate change, and I’m heartened to see sound environmental practices, that mitigate climate impact, being adopted as standard practice. We love working in the inner city as well, bringing character and value in built-up areas.” Looking back on 30 years and counting, David says not being afraid to back himself, having experienced mistakes he has made and learning from them, have all contributed to what this business has become. “It has been quite a journey going from practitioner hands-on only, to taking more of a governance/management role. It’s called on us to be brave and we are proud of what we have achieved and what the business is now.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=