Early Days

With a passion for gardening and business, I studied horticulture at the University of Melbourne’s Burnley Campus and business at Swinburne University. This led to the founding of Gardenware in 2003—a mail-order business specialising in high-end, hard-to-find tools and garden products for home enthusiasts. Though niche, we secured exclusive rights to several brands and leveraged our nationwide reach as a mail-order service.

Seeking to expand, we transitioned into landscape products to cater to garden lovers who preferred professional solutions over DIY. In early 2008, I discovered IOTA planters from the UK and imported a container of their products. However, as we delved deeper, it became clear that Gardenware’s audience and IOTA’s luxury market were vastly different.

IOTA in the UK proposed a franchise agreement, allowing me to operate as IOTA Australia. This partnership granted access to their international brand assets—photography, case studies, catalogue templates, and more—enabling us to secure large commercial projects that benefited from their established reputation.

In 2012, we opened a Brisbane warehouse and showroom on the Redcliffe Peninsula. The location offered affordable rent while remaining within the Q1 freight zone (ensuring Brisbane-level shipping rates). With minimal competition for pots in the northern suburbs and proximity to Brisbane clients, the area proved ideal. Redcliffe’s charm, including its beachside boardwalk—my daily retreat—is one of Brisbane’s best-kept secrets.

Independence

As IOTA UK shifted focus to custom steel planters manufactured locally, we explored similar opportunities in Australia but chose to continue importing fibreglass and lightweight concrete planters. Over time, our operations diverged further; while occasional product overlaps and shared assets persisted, IOTA UK’s model centered on UK manufacturing.

Maintaining amicable ties, we decided to rebrand in Australia, registering Sigma Planters in 2020. However, the pandemic prompted the closure of our Redcliffe showroom and delayed the rebrand until recently.

Sigma Planters Today

Sigma Planters Pty Ltd has now secured significant private investment to expand across Australia. With new warehouses in Sydney and Melbourne complementing our Brisbane base, we are actively exploring acquisitions to strengthen market leadership. As of last week, we’ve officially rebranded as Sigma Planters, marking an exciting new chapter.