Our Story
Paradisia Nurseries is a specialised plant nursery with three major production sites and a retail nursery located in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs.
The business began in 1980 when three brothers, Jeno, Attila and Tom Kapitany, turned their shared passion for plants, gemstones and collectable items into a small family venture. From an early age the brothers were enthusiastic collectors, and what started as a hobby quickly grew into a serious undertaking.
In the early years the business operated through market stalls and mail-order sales. Demand grew rapidly and in 1982 Paradisia acquired its first major property, a 14-acre site in Narre Warren North.
Three years later, in 1985, the retail nursery Collectors Corner opened at Gardenworld. The store quickly developed a reputation among plant collectors and hobbyists and remains one of the most distinctive specialist nurseries in Australia.
In 1988 Paradisia Pty Ltd was formally established and a second 10-acre production site was acquired near Pakenham. This expansion allowed the company to build laboratory facilities and begin plant breeding programs.
In 2006 Paradisia secured a 32-acre property which now houses a modern 14,000 square metre glasshouse complex, providing the space required for large-scale production and future expansion.
Today Jeno Kapitany owns and operates Paradisia Pty Ltd, overseeing the production nurseries and the retail nursery Collectors Corner at Gardenworld.
The Kapitany Brothers
While the three brothers originally built the business together, their careers later expanded into different fields.
Attila Kapitany left Paradisia in 1999 to pursue writing and lecturing. He has since published several books, including the well-known Australian Succulent Plants, and is widely recognised for his extensive succulent garden in Narre Warren North.
Tom Kapitany operates Crystal World & Prehistoric Journeys in Devon Meadows, a large retail and wholesale gemstone facility, along with Australian Mineral Mines which manages mining leases across Australia.
Tom and Jeno are also partners in The National Dinosaur Museum located in Nicholls in the Australian Capital Territory. Situated in Canberra’s Gold Creek tourist precinct, the museum has become a well-known destination for visitors and dinosaur enthusiasts.
Today
Over more than four decades Paradisia Nurseries has grown from a small hobby business into one of Australia’s largest specialised plant nurseries.
The company now produces over three million plants each year, supplying retail nurseries, garden centres and collectors across Australia.
Paradisia employs more than 130 full-time staff and operates extensive production infrastructure including:
- Over 40,000 square metres of covered glasshouses and greenhouses
- More than 10,000 square metres of covered outdoor growing areas
- Planned future expansion of 16,000 square metres
Research, Breeding and Plant Development
Paradisia Nurseries is recognised internationally for its work in plant development and breeding.
The nursery sources plant material from specialist growers and habitats around the world and uses a wide range of propagation techniques including seed production, cuttings and tissue culture.
The company operates a well-equipped tissue culture and seed laboratory, allowing new plants to be developed and produced at scale.
Paradisia also imports seed from specialist growers worldwide to expand the diversity of plants available in Australia.
Quarantine and Plant Introduction
Paradisia maintains one of the largest private plant quarantine facilities in Australia.
This enables the introduction of plant varieties that have not previously been available in the country, as well as species that are difficult or impractical to produce locally.
Through this work Paradisia has introduced numerous plants to Australian growers and collectors.