For those of us whose parents are no longer with us, Fathers and Mothers Days can be tough. 

This pic of my dad Barry, the founder of The Greenery, on his first day in the Victorian Police Force in 1962 makes me feel nostalgic. 

The man on the left was his dad Eric, my pa, and he too was a police officer so I can only imagine that this was a very proud day for them both. 

Both men went on to have second careers after their police careers - my pa retired as a senior policeman and became an insurance investigator and Dad left the police after 14 years and became a nurseryman. His first nursery was a wholesale one where he grew mostly Australian natives. It was called Coburg Wholesale Nursery. He then opened a retail nursery, Green's Corner, in Tullamarine and later The Greenery, first in Heidelberg and then a second location in Templestowe. 

Wishing all the fathers the very best this Fathers' Day.