Seasons Garden Center

Nurturing Life’s Garden
By Dava Guerin

Like the sea, gardens have been the subject of countless rumination—inspiring painters, poets and everyone in between for thousands of years. Henry David Thoreau said that “there is a subtle magnetism in nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright.” And, William Shakespeare observed, “One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”

The special and undeniable connection between human beings and nature is what drew Dan Piestor, the owner of Seasons Garden Center in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, to turn his avocation into his life’s calling. “I began my career in retail, after being accepted to the prestigious Strawbridge and Clothier executive development program,” Piestor said. “To make some extra money, I did some landscaping projects on the side, and really enjoyed the experience. Since the economy at the time was experiencing a slowdown, especially in the retail clothing business, I decided to put my energy into landscaping design.”

Luckily for Piestor, his talent caught the eye of businessman, Harry Rose, who hired him to landscape and maintain all of his commercial properties. By chance, he stopped by McGarry’s Plant Haven, where he frequently purchased wholesale plants and supplies. The owner, who wanted to retire, asked Piestor if he ever thought about buying a garden center to complement his landscaping business. After meeting with his father, a successful businessman in his own right, as well as other friends and family, he decided he wanted to buy the business. “The only catch was that Mr. McGarry wanted to sell the business in a week, and that meant that I had to come up all the money to purchase the business right away. It must have been fate, because I couldn’t raise the money in that short of a time because many of my clients were late on their own payments, and I realized I would have to decline the offer. The next day I was planning to tell him I couldn’t do it, and then in that day’s mail were literally all of those late payments.”

Piestor was thrilled, and the deal was signed that Friday. Quickly they renamed the business, “Seasons Garden Center,” and in November, 1996, life as he knew it, would never be the same.

Nature Plus Nurture

For Piestor, his love of nature is as equally embedded in his psyche as his concern for people. “When we first opened the business, I enlisted my family to help get things organized,” he said. “Our first day was right before the Christmas season, and there we all were, stringing pine cones, and hand making wreaths. We wanted everything to be perfect for our customers,” he added. That customer connection has grown over the years, and Piestor credits his professional customer service training, and innate appreciation for people and their needs. “There are people who come in here literally every Sunday to say ‘hello’ and spend some time strolling among the flowers and plants. Their lives and ours are very much intermingled, and that’s how we like it.”

Piestor recalls a story about a customer whose mother had recently passed away, and who called when the store had already closed for its winter break. She needed flowers for the ceremony and did not trust anyone but Seasons. “I knew she needed them ASAP, but we are not florists. I called one of my suppliers who walked me through how to make the arrangements she needed. Our staff came in, and we were able to make them just in time. When she picked up the flowers, she asked how much the total price was, and I said that it was our honor to make the arrangements for her. That’s how deep our relationships are with the people who have supported us since the beginning,” said Piestor.

Being surrounded by beauty also extends to the employees, especially Kelly Thompson, a former beauty queen, and Seasons Garden Center’s master gardener. Thompson, who has been with Piestor for the past six years, wouldn’t consider working anywhere else. Once she graduated college with a degree in journalism, she became editor of an industrial trade magazine, and also served a stint in insurance. After being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, her doctor recommended she switch careers and do something less stressful. Since she always loved gardening, Thompson enrolled in the Rutgers University master gardener class, where she eventually graduated with a degree, and now teaches courses.

Summer Garden to-do’s

Both Piestor and Thompson have a few “must-do” steps that people must adhere to if they want to get their gardens ready for the summer and beyond. First, and most important, is watering regularly. “The biggest problem is that people don’t water their gardens enough,” Piestor said. “There are also many ways to keep the area irrigated such as drip irrigation, soaker hoses and of course a professionally-installed irrigation system. But, good old-fashioned hand watering every couple of days will keep the garden looking healthy and vibrant all summer.”

Next, he recommends that people fertilize their plants and flowers on a weekly basis, if possible. “You need to replenish the nutrients in plants, just like restocking your refrigerator when it’s empty. Weekly fertilization is best, and there are many types available including granular time release, water soluble products and of course organic fertilizers,” said Piestor. Seasons Garden Center also recently introduced its own “Eco-Friendly Choice” label, which will help customers identify those products which are “green”. In addition, dead heading—the removal of brown, dead flowers—will help keep them looking bright and vibrant all season. Finally, Piestor suggests creating outdoor rooms with a focal point, such as a fountain or statuary, and then coordinating colors and textures to give the outdoor space the feeling of a well designed interior room.

Seasons Garden Center is located on 1069 River Road in Washington Crossing, PA. For more information or to attend the Seasons Seminar Series, visit www.seasonsgardencenter.com.