There are few signs inside Warner’s Nursery Landscaping Co. that 15 inches of snow fell in Flagstaff last weekend.
The family-owned business along Butler Avenue has a natural warmth to it, and not just from the expansive greenhouses sheltering pansies, posies and petunias.
The business has a renewed energy as locals begin to think about the gardens, lawns and endless possibilities of putting in a new garden trellis, a bench or even a fountain.
Dan Andersen, one of the managers at Warner’s, says he is seeing more customers coming through the doors this year, a sign that locals are beginning to open their wallets again.
Locals are picking up supplies for their gardens but also considering more expensive investments in their backyards, adding hardscapes as well as rainwater harvesting systems.
“We are excited. We see a lot more people from the community interested in enhancing their property,” he said. “A lot more people are coming in and wanting to enhance their living area. They might want a fire pit rather than a fireplace.”
Rainwater harvesting systems, he says, are popular with his customers trying to save from a rainy day.
“We’ve (recently) been doing several of those projects, both in residential and commercial,” Andersen said.
From rain barrels to underground tanks with automatic systems, Andersen says the store offers something for every budget.
“It varies on the site and the amount of surface area you can capture the water on,” Andersen said.
COOL WEATHER VEGGIES
Misti Warner Andersen said many locals are beginning to plant “cool weather veggies,” including lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and peas.
But she says it isn’t too early to buy warmer weather plants and keeping them indoors for a few more weeks.
She said with careful planning, local residents can plant almost anything they eventually want on their dinner plate.
“I think you can grow anything if you know what you are doing,” Warner Andersen said. “Tomatoes have a short (outside) growing season. But we have season extenders.”
The business sells items like mini greenhouses/hot houses and grow racks to help locals cultivate their favorite fruits and vegetables.
She advises locals to focus on preparing the ground for a new growing season, noting organic compost is the first step in the right direction for many gardens.
“We always say start with the soil,” Warner Andersen said.
THREE DISTINCT BUSINESSES
Dugan Warner, whose parents started the business in Page in 1970, smiles as he listens to his daughter talk about vegetables.
The company closed the Page retail store in 2005, but it still has retail locations in Flagstaff and Cottonwood.
Verde Growers, also based in Cottonwood, has 10 greenhouses over 15 acres near the Verde River and supplies both Warner’s retail locations as well as other nurseries across the state with herbs, vegetables, trees, shrubs, native plants and even cacti.
In all, Warner’s has three distinct businesses — their retail-based nursery and garden centers, professional landscape and horticultural services.
“The three businesses work well together, each one on their own probably wouldn’t be successful but together we complement each other,” Warner said.
For example, locals strolling through the nursery might fall in love with the idea of a water feature but lack the experience or the time to do it.
“Retail is a great complement to our design-build business. They see the quality of our work and it works well,” he said.
The business also offers free workshops on most weekends, helping those with a green heart but black thumbs to get the most out of their gardens and lawns.
Joe Ferguson can be reached at 556-2253 or jferguson@azdailysun.com.
Warner’s Nursery Landscaping Co.
1101 E Butler Ave., Flagstaff
(928) 774-1983
Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you go…
Flagstaff Home Garden Show
March 22-24
Fri-Sat: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sun: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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