Fwd: Burpee Acquisition of Heronswood (fwd)

From the horses mouth

Hostally,

Rich

  • To: "Maritime Pacific Northwest Gardeners"
  • Subject: Burpee Acquisition of Heronswood (fwd)
  • From: K* M*
  • Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2000 09:53:03 -0700 (PDT)
  • List-Owner: <p*@u.washington.edu> (Human contact for the list)
Subject: Burpee Acquisition of Heronswood

To All:

Here is an important development in the nursery trade:

http://www.heronswood.com/news/burpee.html

Details of Burpee Acquisition of Heronswood
Dear Friends,
In 1987, Robert and I purchased five acres. That September evening when we
took possession, a Great Blue heron flew off the pond and provided the name
of the garden and the nursery that were yet to be.
During the past 13 years, we and our beloved staff of Heronistas have been
continually astounded, not only by the growth and popularity of our
business, but by the increasing sophistication and intensity of the
horticultural community of this continent. This growing excitement for a
subject that we love has certainly been one of the most rewarding
experiences we have garnered as Heronswood has evolved and flourished.
The burgeoning growth of our nursery during the past decade has been only
one of the events that has shaped our lives. Endeavors in public speaking
and writing have become part and parcel of our increasingly hectic schedule.
Certainly, the growing number of expeditions for gathering plants and seeds
worldwide has become a defining theme, and evaluating these plants for
potential garden use in our garden has also continued to fill our days (and
nights). It has been a marvelous, eclectic and, at times, unbelievable ride.
Yet it has not come without a price.
I will not belabor you with the frustrations that have also continued to
grow. One tends to ignore these things if one is doing what he loves. The
bottom line is that we are out of room. Room for expansion in the nursery
and space for getting back to the basics of living; enjoying the process
rather than being a slave to it. We have finally come to the realization
that we can no longer do it all while maintaining the level of perfection we
have striven for.
We are, thusly, extremely excited to tell you that Heronswood has been
acquired by W. Atlee Burpee, one of the oldest and most respected
horticultural institutions in this country, and oddly enough, integral to
our childhood gardening memories. Now owned by George Ball Jr., this company
represents the integrity and vision that we hold as paramount in our
approach to the business of providing exciting plants to American gardeners.
Mr. Ball has made it clear to us that he is both cognizant of and committed
to the new American garden and the responsibilities of the horticultural
industry in regard to our environment. We believe that the synergy of
Heronswood and Burpee will further raise the bar and will make our gardens a
better and more exciting place to be.
In this strategic alliance, we will be afforded the opportunity to take
Heronswood to a new level of excellence, while maintaining the excitement of
introducing new plants seldom if ever encountered in the trade. Evaluation
of and breeding with these introductions will become increasingly important
and supported by a superb foundation of existing Burpee staff and
facilities. Yet one of the most exciting aspects of this merger is that, on
many fronts, Heronswood will simply continue to be the same; same name,
leaders, exceptional staff and degree of commitment to our horticultural
community. We both will continue to direct the operations in the nursery and
garden, while an exciting roster of upcoming collection trips have been
planned to Turkey, Tibet, S.
Africa, Tasmania, New Zealand, Japan and Bhutan.
Your support of our endeavors over the past decade has been and will always
be greatly appreciated. We hope you will be as pleased with this development
as we are and that our friendship and association will continue to grow.
Respectfully yours,
Dan Hinkley & Robert Jones

Rose Marie Nichols McGee

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