For the last seven years, Debbie Barber has been living her life long dream. She has always had a passion for the outdoors, and has always piddled in lawn and garden work. She grew up knowing that she wanted to have a nice yard with gardens, and a small personal greenhouse.
As many of us have happen, life dreams and career reality don’t always go hand in hand for many years, and Debbie spent many years in a “job”. She was burned out in the job, and her son-in-law, who worked at Johnson Nursery suggested that a three acre plot would make a nice garden nursery. Debbie loved the idea, and she and her husband Nick prayed about it.
Six weeks later, Debbie was going to leave her job early to take her Dad to the doctor, but he was running late. “Miss Kit” Fiedler came into her office to see about being put on the substitute Teacher list. “Miss Kit” owned a lawn and garden business in Chinquapin, but she was selling it. After more prayer, Debbie bought the business. For the first year, “Miss Kit” trained Debbie in running the business side of things, and the art of preparing and timing plantings. Creekside Lawn and Garden now has six part time employees, and Debbie now has three greenhouses. She grows all her own bedding plants, hanging baskets, mixed containers and poinsettias. Growing her own plants allows her to keep her prices low to save
her customers money on quality plants, and allows her to be competitive in the marketplace.
In addition to seasonal annuals and perennials, Jackson & Perkins roses, shrubs, trees and ferns, Creekside Lawn & Garden also does memorial gardens and dish gardens for gifting. They have an assortment of garden décor, and gardening supplies. One their most popular plants, and a local favorite, is the “Macho Fern”, a hardier and larger fern than the traditional Boston Fern.
Debbie loves the early morning peace that tending her plants gives her, and enjoys the blessing of being able to be working at what she loves. The best part of her work now is the people that she gets to meet, the ones that encourage her, and those she is able to encourage.
Stop by Creekside Lawn & Garden and become inspired to grow something beautiful. You’ll find a friendly, knowledgeable staff, and some great plants to make your own!