BUSINESS MONDAY: Spotlight on Ward's Nursery and Garden Center—celebrating 66 years of growth

The third generation is picking up the trowel and rake at this revered family-owned and -operated business in Great Barrington

"If a retail business could be my hero, it would be Ward's Nursery and Garden Center. Ward's is my hero in the way they conduct business with integrity, kindness, beauty, generosity, and consideration for the natural environment. They enrich our community and set an example for doing business, which improves the lives of the community as well as their employees." — Deborah Salem, five-star review

Eva and Sam Ward got "the call" at the beginning of 2019, announcing that their respective parents, Greg and Mike Ward (brothers), were looking to retire and that if they were interested in joining the business, now would be the time. After some thought, they both decided yes, they were. They did so in 2021 and have been growing in their roles ever since. "Everyone else had their passions and career paths chosen by that time, but the timing and opportunity felt right to Sam and me," Eva notes. "We both knew what a big commitment it would be, and everyone in the family was very supportive."

Sam chimes in: "We’re both grateful we had the opportunity to try other things and live in other places in the world before coming into the business, unlike our fathers. The skills and insights we’ve gained through working for other companies are things we can now bring to the table."

An especially valuable learning experience for Eva was watching the chocolate truffle business she worked for transition to the younger generation, offering foresight into the process she and Sam were about to begin. "Experiencing different workplaces, cultures, and staff helped us learn a lot," she explains—"most of all, the importance of cross-training staff and treating them well." While each member of the Ward's team has a different responsibility, "we all work together constantly and wherever we’re needed," she adds.

As they speak, it's obvious these representatives of the younger [third] generation have great admiration for their grandfather, Donald J. Ward, Jr., founder of Ward's Nursery and Garden Center. "After going to SUNY to study horticulture, which was always an interest, he went to Korea with the army and experienced gardening there, too," Eva states.

His first shovel-and-soil adventure was starting Tomich Landscaping with his friend Matt Tomich at age 25. "The spot where Ward's now stands was owned by Dolby's, and Don lived just around the corner on Manville Street," Sam explains. In 1957, the two launched Ward's with two small greenhouses and a potting shed, cultivating a family business known for having employees who spent their careers with the company.

During the late sixties, Ward's added a retail sales building and nursery sales yard, expanding its inventory of trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and houseplants, as well as tools, soil, amendments, and accessories. The extra room allowed them to stock a seasonal Christmas shop filled with ornaments, holiday decor, trees, wreaths, and roping. (If you have kids and live near Great Barrington, chances are good you’ve been to Ward's in December. Your kids likely also know where to find the live animals—a relatively new addition—without any directions.)

Supported by the steady growth in population and new homes throughout the region in the 80s and 90s, Ward's continued to grow. Three of Don Jr.'s seven children (Mike, Greg, and Don III) joined the business in the mid-80s, bringing new ideas while upholding the relaxed atmosphere and excellent customer service Ward's is known for. In 1999-2000, they added a 10,000-square-foot retail greenhouse and reorganized the sales yard for greater ease and efficiency. Greg and Mike expanded the greenhouses and opened a new garden center in May 2010 with added room to meet the growing demand for accessories and gifts.

"Don Jr. was always an entrepreneur at heart," Eva smiles. "An idea man," Sam adds, "even in his last days." In addition to starting Ward's Nursery, their grandfather started Wildflowers Florist (located nearby) and worked as a sales rep at Ward's, selling garden soil and tools. Although he slowed down by age 89, he never retired. "You’d still find him walking around pretty regularly even in his later years," Sam says, "asking questions and sharing tips and advice. He was always here helping out on busy weekends, and he knew everyone due to his decades of community involvement."

"My grandfather would always say ‘Everyone's a Ward’ when referring to our employees," Sam recalls—and to this day, the business is still cultivating many lifelong relationships. "We’re very team-oriented," he acknowledges. "Unlike at most corporations, there are very few titles here." Instead, they manage the business by section. Sam, who had worked at Wayfair, was amazed at the simplicity of Ward's when he started. "We basically keep our spacing and communicate clearly, like a strong basketball team," he says.

Sam was a psychology major at Plymouth State—an educational background he acknowledges he uses daily with co-workers and customers. "A little piece of me always thought I’d do this," he says, "but I also thought I wanted to be a school guidance counselor. Our dads have taken the business to the next level, completing their dad's vision." By the time Sam's dad (Mike) officially retired, Ward's footprint had expanded significantly. Sam saw an opportunity too good to pass up. He also saw the circular nature of the nursery business and the way the pandemic had inspired a growth spurt in people prioritizing houseplants, gardening, and learning new skills—both because they spent more time in their homes and yards and because they felt a more profound need to connect with nature and create beauty.

"We’ve always prioritized helping everyone here at Ward's. It's not just about selling plants; it's about answering questions and offering advice to help novice and more experienced gardeners feel confident enough to create and tend their gardens. We’re trying to continue our grandfather's legacy." To that end, they have put great effort into updating their website over the past year to make learning about the 14,000-plus plant varieties they sell even easier. All the general emails go to Jodi Cahillane, who works through customer questions by consulting with other staff members in their areas of expertise.

"The pandemic really increased our outside correspondence," Eva says. "Using our contact form is almost like having access to a university for the horticultural world now. You can upload photos, share links to other websites, and more." While Ward's still sells all the ‘tried and true’ plants, new varieties are also constantly being added—often due to a customer requesting or recommending them. "Our grandfather instilled in us the essential themes of helping gardeners grow and having as many things as possible in one place to make life easier for our customers," Sam shares.

During the pandemic, they made other changes, such as having an outdoor pick-up tent and completing orders over the phone. The most significant change was closing an hour earlier from April through June (at 5 pm). "It made a big difference for our staff in improving their quality of life, so we decided that once we trained the community to adjust to those hours, we wouldn't go back," Eva explains.

"We also focused on staff appreciation gestures and events," Sam adds. "Because so many other nurseries shut down the first year of the pandemic, a huge supply was available to us, which meant a lot more work for everyone involved. During the second year, we saw a ripple effect in the industry regarding supply, fuel, freight, and staff. For example, with so many people moving to the Berkshires and spending time with family inside, there wasn't an evergreen or hemlock tree in sight. Suppliers sold everything they had, which meant Christmas trees were scarce in the following years."

Sam says climate is another unpredictable factor that affects the business enormously. "Every year is different weatherwise, so planning is a challenge. But while we can't control the weather, we can react fairly quickly," he says. For example, when there's a drought, they order more hoses. "The whole store changes, which we appreciate as we move from one season to the next. We have outlets to reach out to suppliers. Being a year-round nursery helps us a lot," he adds, noting the cyclical nature of the business.

Universities, other nurseries, and organizations like the Massachusetts Horticultural Society all support each other through newsletters, conferences, and information networks. Customers and staff are also helpful in solving problems. "Everyone around here is very knowledgeable," Eva points out, "so we get a mind trust going to answer the questions." She echoes her grandfather in saying, "We’re happy to learn with you, hear about what's out there, carry a new plant or product—and we want to continue to be a staple for all things gardening. We all get excited about what we can offer."

According to Sam, one of the gratifying aspects of the business is seeing the results of their involvement around the region. "Trees we planted 20 years ago are all grown now. Customers love to give us tours of past plantings, tell us the history, and express how much it means to them. That makes it all the more meaningful for us to do our jobs."

The new generation also values their grandfather's and father's example of being an active part of the community. Whether it's a request for shrubs by an Eagle Scout to plant at a senior center or donating items for a silent auction, Ward's is there to help.

Sam and Eva recently sat down with Greg to create a list of the organizations they’ve supported—including food pantries and organizations involved in arts, conservation, and education. "It's important to support the community to maintain relationships and stay successful," Sam notes.

While the housing market has slowed since COVID, Eva and Sam confirm that plenty of homeowners and second homeowners still want to improve their properties, which is keeping the business thriving. "Our customers have stayed with us," both acknowledge.

They also feel connected to the many other garden centers in and around the Berkshires. "We appreciate all the other locations—we each have our niche," Eva affirms.

In honor of its 66th anniversary, Ward's will be running specials on May 20-21 (including a coupon for $5 off any rose bush, a 10-or-more geranium deal, tomato plants for $3.99 each, and a spinning wheel to win products). Join in the fun on May 20 (10 am to 1 pm), when they’ll have extra experts on hand to answer questions about organic gardens, vegetables, roses, fruits, lawns, and annuals.

Their special anniversary sale on pottery, bag goods, and garden gear (including pruners and the cult Japanese favorite hori hori!)—will continue through May 28. Check the Ward's Nursery website for more details.

It's obvious the family business is in good hands with Eva and Sam tending the gardens—and everything that goes along with that. The perennial values of their grandfather still live on, nurtured by the respect and admiration of the third generation.

As our interview draws to a close, I joke that I haven't gotten any "dirt" on either of them. Eva responds with a grin, "We call it soil."

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