We
were fortunate to visit with a good – no, a great! – customer
yesterday who came to the nursery to place an order for this fall and
next spring. She has ordered from me for over 30 years and is always
happy and always pays on time. Her retail nursery is in the Seattle
area so it's an all day commitment to come here, but last year, for
the first time, she just couldn't get away from her business.
Consequently the order she placed (which we shipped this past April)
was smaller than usual. In other words she likes to see
the plants that she wants to buy rather than order off a list or our
website.
Before
we shipped I called and carefully
expressed my concern that she hadn't order the “normal” amount,
and was everything OK? She practically cried and explained how her
nursery crew was relatively new and she couldn't find competent help
and no one could do anything without her micro-management. Gee, I
feel the same way sometimes. Anyway, her relatively small order,
placed on our website, was due to her not being able to walk around
and see the plants. I said, “W., let me do it for
you. I'll make you a list of plants that I think you'll be very happy
to get, and if there's something you don't want just cross it off.”
I spent half of a Sunday and covered the entire nursery, and
submitted to her a super list of great plants at great prices.
She
took it all and when her payment check came I got five enthusiastic
thank you's. She reported yesterday that spring sales were strong and
that she's very grateful that we exist to supply her. A happy woman
with a great smile absolutely makes my day, makes for a wonderful
career. What is important for me is trust, that a customer trusts
that they'll get good plants at a fair price. Of course we make
mistakes and sometimes a plant should never have been shipped, but
overall I'm proud of what we grow and thankful that others agree.
Let's
take a look at some of the plants from my super list.


Picea pungens 'Gebelle's Golden Spring'
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Sciadopitys verticillata 'Fatso' |

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Sparkling Arrow'

Juniperus cedrus
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Punica granatum 'Sarasa shibori' |


Daphne burkwoodii 'Brigg's Moonlight'


Hamamelis intermedia 'Birgit'

Liquidambar styraciflua 'Slender Silhouette'
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Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Miss Grace' |

Pinus contorta 'Taylor's Sunburst'


Abies koreana 'Ice Breaker'
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Sempervivum 'Gold Nugget' |

Leptospermum scoparium 'Kiwi'
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Acer palmatum 'Fairy Hair' |

Fagus sylvatica 'Aurea Pendula'


Bletilla striata 'Alba'

Cornus florida 'Autumn Gold'

Acer palmatum 'Akane'
![]() |
Acer palmatum 'Marlo' |

Picea glauca 'Pixie Dust'
![]() |
Rhododendron macrosepalum 'Linearifolium' |

Acer palmatum 'Red Sentinel'
![]() |
Pinus parviflora 'Kinpo' |

Cornus kousa 'Akatsuki'

Pinus parviflora 'Bonny'

Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'North Light'
![]() |
Davidia involucrata 'Lady Sunshine' |
...and
much more.
I
won't tell you her name or her business name because she might not
want the attention, but it's sooo
tempting to shout it from the mountain top. This mystery woman, and
all the other men and women just as great, have given me your trust,
and I'll work hard to continue to earn it.
Plants
are fascinating. So too plant people. Thanks to all.
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