Heronswood Nursery closes in NW
Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Heronswood Nursery, known to plant lovers worldwide for its quirky catalog and extensive botanical gardens in Kingston, closed abruptly Tuesday.
The company is moving its operations to Doylestown, Pa., according to a statement released by the nursery’s corporate owner, W. Atlee Burpee &Co.
The nursery ended all local operations at the North Kitsap County nursery this week. All scheduled tours and events are canceled. The move is expected to take three months.
A former horticulture instructor at Edmonds Community College, Daniel J. Hinkley, started the nursery 19 years ago with business partner Robert Jones. Hinkley and his staff members traveled all over the world collecting rare and unusual plants for the 7.5-acre nursery.
In a statement, company president George Ball cited the inefficiency of the nursery to fill orders nationally. The move will allow the company to expand its product line to include varieties better suited to other climates.
“The plants we’ve collected from around the world will be tested under conditions more similar to those of our customers,” Ball said.
Burpee operates a 50-acre nursery in Willow Hill, Pa., and a test and display garden complex at Fordhook Farm in Doylestown. The company plans to continue the Heronswood catalog and Web site.
