Thank you for a Great Year
As every December, I find myself taking a moment to reflect on the year behind us. Each season on the farm brings its own set of challenges and lessons, and each year our Team shows up ready to work hard, press on, and grow through it all. What a gift it is to pause and celebrate both the quiet moments and the big wins of 2025.
Here are a few of my personal highlights:
- Winter seed sowing and planting in the greenhouses
- Connecting with colleagues and finding fresh inspiration at horticulture conferences
- Staff gatherings and celebrations—from our spring kickoff (to get energized for the rush ahead) to our summer party (celebrating surviving the rush!). Plus, any excuse to order an oversized Bethel Bakery cake topped with icing succulents is a win!
- Planting over 1,000 annuals in our newly redesigned storefront beds
- The incredible abundance of monarch butterflies this year
- Our landscape team’s beautiful patio and wall build in the new wine garden space
- Live music and special events in the wine garden
- Watching guests create stunning bouquets in our u-pick flower field
- Hearing laughter as kids explored nature during our summer Junior Green Thumbs program
- Bachelorette parties, birthdays, and garden club celebrations shared in our u-pick fields and wine garden
- Visiting landscape clients’ homes and seeing their spaces come to life
I know our Team would each have their own list of favorite moments, too. See below just a few things we accomplished together this year.
If you’re reading this, you are one of our greatest supporters—and we are truly grateful. Building meaningful relationships with you, helping you create beautiful spaces, and watching traditions take root here on the farm is our greatest reward.
Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a blessed 2026.
With Gratitude,
Melanie has been with the family garden center business since 1999, gaining hands-on experience in nearly every aspect–from cashiering and greenhouse production to bookkeeping, perennial buying, marketing, and store management. Now serving as Finance and Marketing Director, she combines her expertise with a passion for growing the business. She and her husband, Russ, have loved seeing how plants, gardening, and beautiful landscapes bring joy to our community.
