who are we?

BONFIRE® begonia. Growing like an orange fireball.

Anthony Tesselaar Plants Pty. Ltd is an International Project Management Company working in over 15 different countries around the world.

The creation of marketing strategies and the implementation of them is our business.

We have a heavy emphasis on the environment including:

PLANTS - Searching the world for colourful easy-care plants for the garden and landscape that are also environmental friendly (disease tolerant)
R & D - Research and Development on drought and stress tolerance of plants - to ensure that they can handle a wide variety of conditions
WATER - Water efficiency in the environment through the use low water use plants and the latest innovative water saving systems and products

Our head office is situated on 20 acres of beautiful gardens in Silvan, 75 minutes drive east of Melbourne, Australia. We operate within a lateral management structure, our highly skilled core team of people are supported by an International Group of highly focused outsourced firms and individuals; strategically positioned on four continents around the globe.

What does 'Anthony Tesselaar PLANTS' do?

“We continually search the world looking for plants that are brilliant and colourful, environmental friendly and are easy to grow with a minimum of fuss, and then make them readily available for everyone to enjoy- home gardeners, landscapers and horticulturists everywhere."

Making this possible means dealing with only the best plant breeders worldwide. (Interestingly, over the years we have found that the 'average' time it has taken these breeders to create something special is between 17-25 years!)

Once we have selected a plant that shows these extraordinary traits, they are then extensively tested. We have trial sites in Australia, USA, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and New Zealand and only after they have been through these various trials, are they entrusted to our grower network. This network of growers - people who share our values of professionalism and quality - then grow-on the plant ready to be delivered to their local garden centre /landscape outlets.

Innovative promotion and market support plays a fundamental role in bringing these new and distinctively different plants onto the market; while underpinning all this is a personal philosophy, based on strong ethical practices and friendships.

It’s a straightforward approach driven by a simple aim – finding exceptional plants that are 'Brilliant by Nature' and Easy to Grow ...for everyone.

– Anthony Tesselaar

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Management Board

Anthony I. Tesselaar

President & Co-Founder

Anthony has the benefit of three generations of family immersed in horticulture. Beginning his career with the family business in 1965 - Tesselaar's Bulbs & Flowers, which became one of Australia's largest family based floricultural organisations.As Joint Owner and Director, his focus was non the marketing, promotion and mail-order operations.

Having developed an innovative model for the sourcing and marketing of truly wonderful plants, Anthony put it to the test with the release of Flower Carpet® roses in 1992.

Based on the outstanding success which followed in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Europe and North America, he and his wife Sheryl went out on their own and Anthony Tesselaar International Pty Ltd was established in 1994. Since then, other plants and products have been added to the group.

Anthony continues to provide vision and impetus for the business, overseeing all aspects of his company’s growth, to help bring colorful, easy-care environmental friendly plants and water saving products to the world.

Sheryl D. Tesselaar

Co-Founder

Sheryl has worked closely with Anthony in realising their dream of making Anthony Tesselaar International a world leader in introducing brilliant new plants into the market.

Sheryl has over thirty years experience in horticultural and retail sales, providing an independent overview to ensure the company remains focused on its long-term goals and objectives.

Phillip Townshend

Global Operations Director

Phillip has responsibility for the development of the business on four different continents. Developing a global business requires excellent project management skills, from managerial, communication, follow through and the ability to handle a multitude issues all at the one time.

Coming from a family that has been involved in flower wholesaling gave him a good grounding in the plant world. More recently, his 20 years in the Navy helped develop outstanding communication skills on ensuring "delivering what you promise".