This month, we had a chance to sit down with longtime nursery employee Terri A. (pictured on the right, above, with fellow nurserywoman Dana) to talk about the nursery’s history, riding Harleys, and the best way to shop our nursery.
So when did you start working for the nursery, Terri?
Eight years – December will be eight years. I came in, I didn’t know anything about plants – I could tell you what a palm tree was, but I had no clue. I was going to only be here for a few months, get out of the house until I found another job. But one foot in front of another – in the very beginning, it’s really hard – I never make the new people answer the phone. If you don’t have a clue what a loropetalum is, it’s like a foreign language. But once you get some of the names, you start really learning – I never in a million years thought I would be able to learn – at my age – then I thought, no way I’ll be able to identify the plants!
When I started, the plants weren’t even labeled – the labeling was something we always wanted to do, but it was one of the trade shows – we brought stuff back to show [nursery owner] Robert, and he was like yeah this is cool! [Fellow nursery employee] John has really nice penmanship, so that was his job back in the day – handwriting the labels.
How has the nursery changed?
There’s so many people! Back in the old days, Saturdays were task days, stocking, we’d get it all done on Saturday. It was a tough adjustment having the customers all the time – it started before COVID, but with COVID it exploded. You get in the wholesale zone with the contractors; when you start getting 35, 50, 80 customers a day coming in – it’s an adjustment.
Are you adjusted now?
Yes, of course! When I first started, for the quotes, Robert would make notes on an email, or we would just type them in as they came, then print out a quote, then put it in a box, then he and Gayle would pick it up, bring it over here, make notes if we could get the plants, and then bring it back to us to see if we could adjust it – back then nobody did sourcing, just Robert and Gayle. Now everyone does it.
The biggest blessing – the most awesome thing – is the online pricing. We used to spend 30, 45 minutes standing at the counter – there used to be just 2 doors where the counter sits, and we had an island in the middle, and we would stand up against the wall and type on our computers against the wall, and customers would look over our shoulders – so we made the office bigger. We used to spend forever giving people prices. That’s how we always did it. There is no way we could do that now – we are so much busier. It’s been a tremendous tool.
What’s your favorite thing about working here?
There’s many things. I really enjoy when we get new employees, watching them get all excited and learn – Dana really gets a kick out of learning new things – there’s always something to learn! The hours are nice. And the people in general! After 23 years in a grocery store [where I worked before this], a can of green beans is a can of green beans - you’re there because you have to be there, you need your groceries. But people come to the nursery because they want to! They’re trying to make their yard pretty, they’re looking for something special, and it’s still super nice – guy called me for an Irish yew, in a 36 inch box – then I remembered – I have one across the street! It’s planted up, ready to go! Finding that one plant that people have looked all over the place for – that’s the best – when we find it they get so excited!
This was never a passion for me, necessarily, but I’ve learned respect for the plants. And I do actually miss going out and working directly with the plants. But I get the time sometimes.
It’s fun! For the most part, except when it’s 110 degrees and I wimp out!
What do you do when you’re not here?
I watch tv! (laughs) I listen to very loud music and clean my house – my poor neighbors, but my stove is sparkling clean! (laughs) Ride Harleys—love my Sunday rides with my son!
Not everybody appreciates when you’re taking a walk and pointing out all the plants by name – not everybody else gets excited about that. I’ve kept what I do to myself mostly – but my next door neighbors, they know. Everyone else? Zip it! You learn to kind of keep quiet about what you do – otherwise everybody’s got a question. But it’s cool though.
What would you tell customers?
Get the information before you start your search. When you shop here, you have to do it yourself. Let us know when you want the plants.
I wish customers would do more research on their own before they come to the nursery – or have some idea – I tell them, just go take a look around – you are in the beginning phase. You’ll get overwhelmed. Walk the nursery, take notes, take pictures, then go home and do your research, because these plants are babies. You may not want to pay for the 5 or 15 gallon, but go look at the full size first to see what it’s going to do. Then you can buy the one gallon. What you see out here – it’s a baby. Do some research. Google is your best friend.
Thank you so much, Terri, for taking the time to share your insights and memories with us! We love working with you.