Walters Gardens
Walters Gardens began as a small, family run 5-acre farm growing perennials for local suppliers. It has since grown to 1,500 acres and over 750,000 square feet of greenhouses. Still family owned, we haven’t lost sight of our (bare) roots or the values that made this company what it is. Our commitment to a high quality product and genetics have led to an expansive collection of plant introductions, lasting relationships with our customers, and a close relationship with Proven Winners® as the exclusive home of Proven Winners® Perennials.
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Description
The Walters Gardens, Inc. story began in 1946 when Dennis Walters and his new bride, Harriet, took over the family perennial business from Dena Knoll, Harriet's mother. With the help of his four brothers, Dennis expanded the company to include bare root, potted, and packaged perennials, and built one of the industry's first tissue culture labs at Walters Gardens, Inc. in the mid 1970s.
Today, the company is run by the second and third generations of Walters aided by numerous other family members and dedicated employees including plant health experts, skilled horticulturists, capable customer care and marketing staff, and a pool of sales representatives and brokers nationwide. Our company has grown from a small farm of less than five acres worked by just a few men to a multimillion dollar corporation with over 250 employees, 1,500 acres of land, and 500,000 square feet of greenhouse space. Over 19 million perennial liners are shipped annually to independent garden centers, wholesale growers, landscapers, and municipalities across the US and Canada. Each year, approximately 100 new items are added to our catalog of over 1,000 bare root and plug perennial liners.
To help our customers be successful, we have partnered with the nation's #1 plant brand, Proven Winners®, to bring you our top perennial genetics in the Proven Package. Using the best perennial genetics and the powerful consumer marketing machine that is Proven Winners, we're helping you to get top notch plants into the hands of today's consumers.
Walters Gardens, Inc. is making tremendous progress in modernizing growing technologies, testing for viruses to ensure clean product, hybridizing new varieties, and expanding our marketing program. We understand the tremendous importance of offering superior product value, reliable service, and marketing tools for our customers. In the past decade, Walters Gardens, Inc. has also made great strides towards sustainable perennial production. For example, energy saving curtains are used in our greenhouses, liners are grown in biodegradable Elle Plugs, and a quarter million pounds of paper, plastic, and metal are recycled annually.
Careers Information
We offer roles in Field , Greenhouse , and Tissue culture; not to mention rotational internships. Depending on the time of year, role opportunities can vary. Check out our Careers Page
Location Information
We would love to have you visit Walters Gardens, Inc. You are welcome any time of year, but there will be more to see if you come between April and September when our greenhouse and field plants are in bloom. We would appreciate a call ahead to let us know when you'll be coming, and don’t forget your comfortable walking shoes! We have miles of spectacular greenhouses and growing areas to show you. We are located at:
Walters Gardens, Inc.
1992 96th Avenue
Zeeland, Michigan 49464
Phone: 1-888-925-8377
Each year at the end of July and early August, we host a two week open house as part of the Michigan Garden Plant Tour. When you visit during this time, we'll have special events and displays you wouldn't see other times of year, which makes it a really great time to visit! If you want to catch up with us but can't find the time to make it to Michigan, you might want to check out what Trade Shows we will be at this year.