With Mother’s Day approaching, one Metro Detroit institution is ready for its busiest time of year.
English Gardens, the family-owned garden center with six locations across the region, is fully stocked for spring - and owner Rick Vespa says the secret to seven decades in business is no secret at all.
“In 1954, my dad and two uncles started the business English Gardens in Dearborn Heights,” Vespa said. They bought a small existing store and expanded it into a full garden center, eventually growing into a full-service destination offering annuals, perennials, patio furniture, a florist department, and landscaping design.
Vespa credits the store’s staying power to its people. “We hear about our people and how great the service is and our knowledge and experience,” he said. “Those things are the biggest things.”
That expertise extends to the store’s “Garden Pharmacy” - a walk-in diagnostic service that sets English Gardens apart from big-box competitors. “If you have a plant problem, you can bring the plant, a sample of the plant or a picture,” Vespa said. “We can diagnose it, tell you what to use, when to use it, how much to use.”
For staff, spring’s arrival is cause for celebration. Olivia Zarndt, who works at the Royal Oak location, says the energy on the floor reflects months of anticipation.
“All the staff is so excited,” Zarndt said. “This is what we’ve been waiting for. We’ve been working so hard and now the fruits of our labor are here.”
For Mother’s Day, the store is stocked with hanging baskets, porch pots, ready-made floral arrangements, candles, and garden décor. Florists are on-site at four of the six locations, offering both walk-in bouquets and custom arrangements. “We have something for every mom, or even if you want to treat yourself,” Zarndt said.
English Gardens also offers gift cards and free gardening seminars year-round. For locations and a full seminar schedule, visit EnglishGardens.com.