Garden nostalgia evokes fond memories: favorite flowers and produce, working alongside family to produce fresh food or colorful beauty; and the familiar names of legacy gardening businesses that have supported small gardens for decades. John Levan looks at five of these memorable businesses.
For many seniors, a walk in the garden is a walk down memory lane. The odor of freshly tilled earth, rows of flowering plants, and baskets of homegrown vegetables can evoke memories of parents, grandparents, and family traditions that have lasted decades. Gardeners tend to remember the plants they grew, but fewer people think of the businesses that made those gardens possible.
The National Garden Bureau (NGB) has highlighted an often-overlooked part of American horticultural history: the breeders, seed companies, growers, and nursery families whose devotion helped shape home gardens and public landscapes for generations. The seeds, bulbs, shrubs, and know-how from these companies motivated countless families to grow splendor and abundance in their own backyards.
Five distinctive businesses for your garden nostalgia
Many of these businesses have been entwined with the fabric of gardening history, helping generations find the joy of growing plants. In fact, some of these names may invoke garden nostalgia, too.
Breck’s: Bringing Dutch bulbs to American gardens
For many gardening fans, few names inspire the excitement of spring like Breck’s. Founded in the early 1800s, the company became famous for supplying American gardeners with high-quality Dutch flower bulbs.
For decades, families have waited for the arrival of Breck’s catalogs to choose tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and other spring-blooming favorites. Some seniors may recall helping their parents plant colorful garden beds during the fall, anticipating the rich colors that would appear once the snow melted.
The company’s high standards for quality bulbs have helped create many spring traditions that still light up landscapes today.
Ernst Benary Seed Co.: A pioneer in flower breeding
The story of Ernst Benary Seed Co. begins in Germany in the 1840s. Eventually, the company gained a reputation as one of the world’s most respected flower breeders and seed producers.
Although many gardeners may not be familiar with the Benary name, they have probably enjoyed flowers developed through the company’s breeding programs. Benary has been responsible for introducing improved varieties of begonias, zinnias, marigolds, and many other ornamental flowers.
The company’s devotion to innovation meant that gardeners got more dependable blooms, tougher plants, and a wider range of colors. The company’s contributions have upgraded public gardens, municipal plantings, and home landscapes around the world.
Related: Gardening with Grandkids
Burpee: A household name for generations
Few seed companies have become as synonymous with American gardening as Burpee. The company was founded in 1876 and became a trusted source for vegetables, flowers, and herbs.
Year after year, Burpee catalogs would arrive in mailboxes, inspiring gardeners to dream of the coming growing season. Many seniors recall sitting at the kitchen table with family members, circling their favorite vegetables and arguing over which ones to plant.
Burpee pioneered improved varieties and helped bring vegetable gardening to the average family. The company’s seeds produced backyard harvests of tomatoes, beans, lettuce, and sweet corn that often found a place on family dinner tables.
Today, Burpee is synonymous with home gardening and self-sufficiency.
Monrovia Nursery: Transforming landscapes across America
Seed companies supplied annual flowers and vegetables, but it was Monrovia Nursery that helped shape the permanent landscapes around homes.
Founded in 1926 in California, Monrovia has become one of the nation’s most respected growers of trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants. It earned a reputation for producing healthy, high-quality plants capable of growing in a variety of climates.
Many suburbs have Monrovia-grown plants that have grown up over decades. Seniors may remember shrubs, flowering trees, and foundation plantings purchased when their homes were first built.
The nursery’s devotion to quality and innovation helped shape landscaping trends, enabling homeowners to create attractive outdoor spaces for future generations to enjoy.
Gurney’s Seed and Nursery: An established partner for home gardeners
Gurney’s Seed and Nursery began in 1866. Today, it is a household name among vegetable gardeners and fruit growers. It’s known for introducing productive varieties and dispensing practical gardening advice, while being a trusted source for families hoping for successful harvests. Its catalogs were as much educational guides as shopping aids.
Many people remember planting Gurney’s seeds with their parents or grandparents, learning the significance of patience and responsibility as well as the rewards of caring for living things. Gurney’s products helped fill gardens and kitchens equally, from sweet corn and tomatoes to berry plants and fruit trees.
The company’s long history is evidence of a long-standing American tradition: growing food at home.
Related: Benefits of Gardening for Seniors
Preserving a living legacy, planting future garden nostalgia
The history of gardening is often told through the plants themselves, but behind successful gardens are the businesses that developed, grew, and supplied those plants. Companies like Breck’s, Ernst Benary Seed Co., Burpee, Monrovia Nursery, and Gurney’s Seed and Nursery have played important parts in shaping the landscapes that families have enjoyed for decades.
As the National Garden Bureau highlights these horticultural pioneers, it reminds us that gardening is more than a hobby. It is a shared cultural tradition passes from one generation to the next. The flowers blooming in a front yard, the vegetables growing in a backyard plot, and the trees offering shade in a neighborhood park all tell a story, one that includes the dedicated companies whose work helped generations of gardeners build lasting memories through garden nostalgia.
