From humble beginnings to national recognition

Amy Burke’s journey is a celebration of rural life, a love for nature, and the lessons passed down through generations.

Growing up on a sheep and beef farm in the Moutere, with her grandmother Sue Smart’s sprawling four-acre botanical garden as her playground next door, is where Amy’s passion for plants and their properties began.

“My grandmother had a beautiful English cottage-style garden, full of roses, chamomile, lavender, and a meadow garden. Plants, flowers, and everything botanical are in my DNA,” Amy says with a smile.

After years of working in the hospitality industry, Amy made a life-changing decision to follow her love of nature and creativity, and drawing on inspiration from her childhood experiences and her grandmother’s teachings, she began to share with her local community handmade soaps she had been dabbling in.

“It was all trial and error in the beginning, but around 2012 I decided to get serious and see if I could sell my handmade soaps at markets.”

The creative spark she inherited from her grandmother grew into a full-fledged passion for botanicals, gardening, and sustainability, and quickly things evolved into a thriving business as Amy began selling a variety of products at markets, stockists, and online.

“Everything happened quite organically, and making use of what we had in our garden. The things we make are authentic to me and what I believe in.”

‘Botanical’ now boasts over 200 stockists across New Zealand, and even internationally in places like Hong Kong, America, and Australia.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, though. Amy says there have been challenges such as the seasonal nature of sourcing ingredients, balancing work with family life, and long hours.

However, her dedication has paid off, and at the end of last year she won the ‘Creative at Heart’ category at the prestigious New Zealand Rural Women’s Business Awards.

“Being nominated to enter the NZ Rural Women’s Biz Awards is one thing, but coming away as a category winner is another. When I started this journey, I never imagined this,” she reflects.

The awards require dedication, starting with lots of paperwork and planning.
“Round two is a 45-minute interview with a panel of seven judges and over 40 questions,” Amy explains.

“Some might think it’s just about entering and showing up, but it’s much more—there’s detailed information to submit, including financials, business history, and background. If you make it through, you head to Wellington for the winner’s’ dinner.”

Amy says her success has been a team effort.

“I have a very supportive husband and children, awesome staff, and wonderful stockists.”

And, if you think that’s the end, you’re mistaken. Amy’s next ambitious steps include launching a skincare range while still embracing the ‘garden to bottle’ concept. She also plans to open the doors of her garden and factory, offering people the chance to experience it firsthand.