March 2021 - 8

HEADLINES/CALENDAR
City Farmers Nursery Mourns Loss
of Founder
support and operations team all have deep industry knowledge
that makes us more efficient, " said Amy Edmeier, director
of operations for the plant divisions of both McHutchison
and Vaughan's Horticulture. " Combined, our two companies
employ 106 people and this recent consolidation added five
management positions to our Naperville office which makes us
even more helpful to our customers. "
McHutchison and Vaughan's Horticulture are still looking
to expand in the Chicagoland area. Both companies are
hiring for internal staff positions such as customer service
representatives.
With direct competitors also operating in the Chicago
After a six-year battle against cancer and liver failure, City
Farmers Nursery founder Bill Tall ( " Farmer Bill " ) passed away at
home on Jan. 26.
In 1972, at the age of 16, Bill came down to an undeveloped
bit of land at the corner of Home and Euclid Avenues in San
Diego, putting in long days for nearly 50 years he built a place
unlike any other.
The youngest son of Nathan and Bertha Tall, Bill had from an
early age been a tireless advocate for school and community
gardens, children's access to nature, farm animals, and handson
learning.
Bill was a multi-year president of the California of
Nurserymen (CAN). He was a community business advocate, a
small business proponent, and the founder of Nate's Deli (now
Nate's Garden Grill). He did all this, and so much more, from
his little bit of the country in the heart of the city.
To read more about Bill's journey and the folks who made it
possible, visit www.cityfarmersnursery.com/farmerbill.
McHutchison, Vaughan's Consolidate
in Chicagoland
Vaughan's Horticulture and McHutchison have made a longterm
commitment to the Chicago region by consolidating each
company's young plant division into one Chicagoland office in
the western suburb of Naperville.
" This is an exciting market for us, " said Nathan Lamkey,
president of McHutchison and Vaughan's Horticulture. " From
a business and growth perspective, Chicago is an excellent
area for our industry and the perfect location for a hub. This
decision will help us better support our customers as we
move forward. "
Horticulturally, Chicago is the center of where things
are happening, so having a strong presence there for both
companies makes perfect sense. Some well-known universities
in the region have a strong legacy in horticulture programs and
there is an experienced talent base that comes with being in
the Midwest's largest city.
Highly skilled staff are connected to each company's
customer base in the horticulture industry and it makes for
a competitive marketplace. The Midwest is an important
growing region for numerous brands that McHutchison and
Vaughan's Horticulture represent as full-service brokers.
" Our solid, well-trained team of sales reps, customer
8 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | MARCH 2021
The landscape service of Ball Seed has announced the
2021 edition of its THRIVE Landscape Solutions brochures.
These annual resources continue to put expert, regional plant
advice in the hands of greenhouse growers to help their
landscape customers build top-performing designs.
Five regions were selected by Jeff Gibson, Ball Seed's landscape
business manager, and dozens of new and tried-and-true
varieties are showcased in this year's assortment offering the
best recommendations for planting success in North America.
Also included in each regional document are " Top Tips for
Landscape Planting Success, " as well as a " What to Order
When " calendar to help landscapers work effectively with
their growers.
" They key to quality landscape design is putting the
right plant in the right place, " said Gibson. " I'm thrilled to
collaborate with our regional sales teams and experts at Ball
Seed to give greenhouse growers a customized tool to share
with their clients for landscape installation success. "
Contact your Ball Seed sales representative or Ball ColorLink
associate at 800.879.BALL to request your regional copies of
" 2021 Thrive Landscape Solutions " or browse them all online
and download digital copies at www.balllandscape.com/
thrive2021.
Monrovia Distinctive Selections
Guide Available
The 2021 Monrovia Distinctive Selections Media
Guide is now available. The digital guide is filled with
region, McHutchison and Vaughan's Horticulture remain
confident that they are the growing broker to be with and
are squarely focused on providing value to their internal and
external customers as the new year ramps up.
For more information about McHutchison, visit www.
mchutchison.com or Vaughan's Horticulture at
www.vaughans.com
Ball Seed Releases Landscape
Brochures
http://www.mchutchison.com http://www.vaughans.com http://www.cityfarmersnursery.com/farmerbill http://www.balllandscape.com/
March 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2021
