'Down-sizing” his products was key to the growth and success of Kings Seeds, the business Ross King founded in 1978.

'I was importing seeds and growing herb plants from Methuen in Auckland but it was costly to ship the plants to customers, so I decided to sell the seeds instead,” says Ross, who attended the 40^th anniversary of Kings Seeds in Katikati last weekend.

Today the thriving mail order company is owned by Barbara and Gerard Martin who bought the business in 1999, relocating it to Katikati.

However, during the previous 21-years Ross and his wife Glenys built the business from its small beginnings to supplying customers throughout the country and operating a shop in Great North Road which eventually included a display garden and a café.

Gerard and Barbara, who were growing flowers in Levin, were long-time customers of Kings Seeds and when they bought the business, decided to concentrate on mail orders, giving them the freedom to operate from wherever they wished in New Zealand.

After extensive research, they eventually decided on Katikati, influenced largely by its central location, the quality of education at its primary school and college, its climate and environment.

'We have never regretted coming to Katikati, it's a wonderful community and has been a great place to bring up our children,” says Gerard.

In 1999 the couple operated the business from small premises in Wharawhara Road, then from their home property in Hot Springs Road until in 2010 they built today's warehouse and offices in Wharawhara Road employing 10 staff.

Every day parcels containing hundreds of Kings Seeds distinctive green and white seed packets are dispatched to home gardeners along with bulk orders for commercial growers, including those producing speciality herbs, vegetables and flowers, or smaller market gardeners, selling through farmer's markets.

Ross and Glenys stayed in close contact with Barbara, Gerard and family and were delighted at how the business had grown, staying true to their original philosophy of offering a weird and wonderful range of seeds, while also introducing the Martin's own flavour with the introduction of organically certified seed, seeds for sprouting, green manure crops and wildflower blends.

Sadly, Glenys died in July and Gerard and Barbara paid special tribute to her at the 40^th celebrations of the business she helped found. Ross and family attended the day-long 40^th birthday celebrations at the Wharawhara site on Saturday which included a morning mini market drawing a crowd of around 300, with proceeds going to the Katikati College horticultural department.

As the company has grown, so too has its catalogue, which was just 24 pages in 1978, listing 65 herbs and flowers, eight gourmet vegetables and 170 herb plants, to the 128 page 40^th anniversary edition with hundreds of seeds for flowers, vegetables, for spouting, for microgreens, to culinary and medicinal herbs to field selections.

As well as sales from its website and catalogue – Kings Seeds is open to the public on Fridays from 9am to noon.

Gerard and Barbara Martin of Kings Seeds with company founder Ross King cut the company's 40^th anniversary cake.