Plants are Graded
WaiNot Natives
Nursery
Quality NZ Native Plants for every project
Locally grown, NZ Native plants in degradable Ellebags
WaiNot Native Nursery does more than grow native plants. Our growing and supply system reduces plastic waste, manages water responsibly, strengthens plant health and biosecurity, and supports efficient, successful environmental restoration.
OUR SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH
REDUCING OUR FOOTPRINT. GROWING ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT.
Sustainability at WaiNot Native Nursery works in two directions. We continually work to reduce the environmental impact of producing and supplying our plants, while the native plants we grow go on to support restoration, healthier waterways, biodiversity, habitat and revegetation projects across our landscapes and communities.
OUR IMPACT SO FAR
250,000+ native plants supplied out into the landscape
REDUCE & REUSE MATERIALS
Reducing single-use plastics through degradable Ellebags, reusable trays for growing and returnable corflute packaging.
MEASURE & MANAGE WATER
Using roof-water capture, zoned irrigation and monitoring to target water to plant needs and minimise waste.
MEASURE OUR CARBON & IMPROVE EFFICIENCY
Measuring our carbon footprint and looking for practical ways to reduce emissions, including transport and delivery efficiency.
PROTECT PLANT HEALTH & BIOSECURITY
Plant Pass systems, monitoring and measured plant-health information help us grow healthy plants and protect the environments they enter.
SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION
Our native plants go on to support riparian and wetland restoration, healthier waterways, erosion control, biodiversity and revegetation projects across landscapes and communities.
Explore our Native Plant range
Behind the Nursery
From Seed to Site - built for project success
Trays of seedlingsOur NZ native seedlings are raised in reusable trays before being transferred into Ellebags. We grow approximately 35 different species
Potting upSeedlings are transferred into degradable Ellebags in our purpose-built potting shed, allowing production to continue in all weather.
Plant Pass Certified Nursery
Plant Pass certification demonstrates that our nursery meets recognised standards for plant health, biosecurity practices and traceability.
Meets council, contractor, and environmental project requirements.
Supports safe, sustainable planting outcomes across New Zealand.
Testimonials
Working with WaiNot Native Nursery has been a game-changer for contractors like us, great communication, easy and super helpful to deal with.
We have been consistently impressed by the quality of their plants, which are always healthy and well-suited to our local environment. Their innovative use of the Ellebags promotes healthy root growth, ensuring transplant success and ultimately leading to thriving plants.
The ease of use when working with the Ellebag has meant we save time in our planting process and never need to worry anymore about disposing of plastic trays/pots/bags anymore.
We highly recommend contacting WaiNot Native Nursery for any large or small native planting projects you may have.
Alistair Hardy, Director
Over the past three years, I've planted 40,000 native trees and shrubs using plastic pots and bags, which were heavy, fragile, and produced waste. These methods also added 25% to plant costs due to high transport expenses, and removing the plants took time. Plastic disposal was another issue. In the last 15 months, the ELLEPOT system has improved our process. Used by WaiNot Native Nursery in Rotorua, it reduces freight costs by allowing more plants in a degradable box, ready for planting without handling. Its eco-friendly pots lower labour and environmental impact. We plant with a spade or a battery drill and auger, speeding up the process and cutting costs. Plants grow better and need less maintenance; some shrubs don't need care later. Fertiliser tablets boost growth without extra work. This system allows efficient planting, better plant survival, and cost savings.
Yellowview Trust
Partnering with WaiNot Native Nursery has transformed our planting operations.
The Ellebag system makes planting faster and easier, with minimal root disturbance and no soil loss — resulting in healthier, more resilient plants.
We’ve cut labour time, reduced plastic waste, and improved overall efficiency, all while meeting our sustainability goals.
WaiNot’s Ellebag-grown natives deliver real results for restoration projects across Aotearoa.
Aotearoa Restoration
WaiNot Native Nursery have supplied more than 3000 plants for two planting projects we have undertaken over the past three years on our lifestyle block. The first was to revegetate a stream bank, and in Autumn 2025 we planted two steep areas unsuitable for grazing. Another key consideration was the environmental sustainability of the WaiNot Native Nursery Ellebag planting method. The plants supplied were of the best quality and so very easy to plant in their degradable sleeves. No pots to contend with being a huge factor in reducing the planting time by at least half.
It has been a pleasure to do business with Steve and Steph who have shared their knowledge freely.
We highly recommend WaiNot Native Nursery for any native planting project.
Dave and Nicola
Opening - WaiNot Natives
We're open by appointment.
Please phone.
Get in touch - WaiNot Natives
Phone: 0272916064 (Steph)
Phone: 0274751612 (Steve)
Email: info@wainotnativenursery.co.nz
Address - WaiNot Natives
715 Waikite Valley Road, RD1, Rotorua
