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From RuralNorthwest.com Wandering™
The landscape at Roger’s is more like a botanical garden than a retail nursery. As a tourist destination, people come from all over the world to see this unique nursery and the locals come to buy Roger's plants. The nursery is designed to provide homeowners with unique and creative landscaping ideas.
Roger’s is also very community minded with continuous participation in garden shows, sponsoring charitable events, free seminars on gardening and home decorating by variety of professionals such as Martha Stewart (who conducted a presentation about 15-years-ago). “We have the original Mickey Mouse Bandstand from Disneyland,” said Jensen. “The gazebo is a fun landmark for visitors to find." Beauty is as beauty does, and the Roger’s staff makes this world famous nursery more than a pretty face.
Roger's appears to be a down to earth (no pun intended) place to work. “California casual, which includes an appreciation for the finest and most refined accomplishments,” she explained. “The emphasis is on creativity at Roger’s, which then becomes the basis for success.
She added that being creative is what keeps Rogers different from the competition. A creative director is responsible for the look of the entire store and for developing the theme for the Christmas display. At Roger's the entire team, from the person who waters the plants to the president of the company, are asked for their input and ideas, which according to Jensen, is the reason Roger’s is the place to shop for nursery and home decor products. In addition, “We are well-respected by our growers,” Jensen said. “That affords us opportunities like exclusives on certain plants. When growers come out with a new plant, they contact us and we then have these new plants exclusively. Our homebuyers travel the world searching for new and unique products to purchase, which is why people shop with us." As a retail store, Roger’s sells a variety of products including indoor and outdoor plants, patio furniture, collectibles, outdoor glass, Christopher Radko collectible Christmas ornaments, home decor items, candles, vases, antiques, crystal, gift items, and custom English basket gardens, which include several types of living plants in decorative containers as an alternative to cut flowers because Roger's does not sell cut flowers. The Christmas display at Roger’s is also well known because everything is removed from the 8,000 sq. ft. indoor gallery, and about 25 artificial Christmas trees are decorated and displayed in a variety of themes. Then, in mid-October, the store opens the gallery for public viewing. In the past, Roger's has held big Christmas opening events, by invitation only, to those on the store’s mailing lists. During these events, there are skits in the amphitheatre, live music and an ice skating rink for the children.
According to Jensen, students come out on field trips and groups of Cub Scouts or Girl Scouts come to learn gardening skills and local horticulture.
Jensen said Roger’s has participated in The Southern California Garden Show at South Coast Plaza, and provides professional quality seminars and events every weekend of the year to customers and the public at no cost. Most of the seminar topics relate to gardening with the Roger’s staff teaching everything from the basics, like preparing the soil and how to plant a plant, to specific things like growing roses in southern California, or designing small spaces and small gardens. In addition, the retail nursery hosts guest presenters, such as a chef speaking on how to use garden grown herbs in the kitchen, authors doing book signings and even Martha Stewart presented on how to decorate your home for the holidays and entertain. Everyone from staff to local gardening experts and growers teach classes at Roger’s said Jensen. Although many of the gardeners who visit Roger’s are as knowledgeable as the staff, the main question asked by customers is “What plants work well together for my garden.” People also ask many questions about basic gardening needs, such as how to get soil ready for planting, and “How do I prune my roses?”
“You think dirt is dirt. However, that is not so,” Jensen said. “You have to have a good soil. In the southern California region, the soil is acidic, while in other areas, it may be too sandy or clay form. A good soil amendment with different fertilizers for your area and garden is something you get at a local nursery."
She said she is “unfortunately, not a very good gardener, though my husband really has a green thumb, probably because he is more patient than I am.” She has been at Roger’s Gardens since July of 1998. “Roger’s is a place full of people who are passionate about whatever they do,” she said. “People enjoy being here, which makes it easy to come to work everyday.” Roger’s has received multiple awards and been featured in countless publications nationwide including, Romantic Homes, Garden Design Magazine, industry publications like Casual Living, Home Accents Today, Coast Magazine, Orange Coast Magazine, LA Times, Orange County Register, and Sunset Magazine. For more information, refer to Roger’s Gardens web site at Roger's Gardens. © Copyright 2007 by RuralNorthwest.com |
