“We see a lot of exciting growth in the gardening industry,” said Anne Roberts, CEO of Meadow View. “It’s healthy, it’s green, and people are interested in growing their own vegetables.”
Statewide, nurseries and landscaping businesses are gaining strength after a downturn during the recession. According to the Ohio Nursery and Landscaping Association, Ohio is the fifth largest nursery production state and it remains a strong industry here.
“Most everyone I’ve talked to this year is having a much better season than they have in the last three to four years,” said Kevin Thompson, executive director of ONLA. “There are less nurseries in Ohio than there were five years ago, from consolidation or they go into other crops. But its still a very vibrant industry.”
The local Meadow View has not only grown in sales but expanded physically twice in the past four years. The business employs up to 50 people in peak spring season.
New Carlisle not only is home to Meadow View, but to more wholesale plant growers such as Studebaker Nurseries and Scarffs Nursery and Landscape.
“We’re kind of known for our landscaping and beautiful gardens in our area,” said Kimberly Jones, New Carlisle city manager. “It’s very important, especially in the south entrance of the city. We’re surrounded by nurseries and Meadow View. (Nurseries) are a major employer for our citizens.”
While businesses such as Meadow View cater to the individual gardener, Scarffs and Studebaker are in wholesale products and landscaping.
ONLA executive director Thompson said nursery growers and landscaping were hurt in particular by the recession because sales are driven by commercial and residential construction.
“Our material is very abundant and the demand has gone down because building has gone down,” said Dan Studebaker, owner of Studebaker Nurseries. “So yeah, the recession hit the industry hard.”
In the city of Springfield alone, residential building permits dropped from 628 permits in 2007 to 421 in 2011, according to city records.
But local nurseries and landscapers have seen an improvement in business, especially this past spring, which started early.
“There has been an uptick and it’s been vastly improving from the decline of the last few years,” said Peter Scarff, owner of Scarffs Nursery and Landscape. “I don’t think its an improvement of the economy, it’s an acceptance of the economy.”
The improvement has yet to reflect in unemployment numbers.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the greenhouse and nursery industry hit an all time low in 2011 in Clark County. The number dropped from 499 people employed in that industry in 2008 to 274 employed in 2011.
“It’s not over yet,” said Studebaker. “It’s just a question of where’s the new demand going to be? We know it won’t be back to the levels it used to be. We’re trying to figure where the new normal is.”
Meadow View has had some success not only in personal vegetable growing but also in succulent — or water retaining — plants and container gardens.
Roberts said the increase in interest in container gardens has grown so much the business didn’t have room for all the orders. The greenhouse expansion, which will be complete by spring, will allow the business to expand its product offerings.
“People in general are probably staying home more than usual and want their surroundings to be more beautiful,” he said. “It increases property values and sets you apart from others. And people enjoy the sense of accomplishment (from gardening).”
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