Rosie’s Gardens and Hughes Landscaping is open during construction and will be ready to unveil a new store in 2025. The family-owned garden center, founded in 1983 by Kevin and Mary Beth Hughes, has a history of growth.
When construction started this year along College Avenue, the Hughes family took it as an opportunity to enhance their 15-acre garden and landscape facilities at 10402 N. College Ave. The first phase allowed for a new entrance to accommodate semis, two new barns and new office space. Next spring they will unveil a new store building.
Rose Hughes-Kelly, the namesake of the business, said her dad was running a small mowing and landscaping company when she was born. Her parents lived across College Avenue in a rental house and jumped at the chance to buy the original plot of land that would become Rosie’s Gardens. She now works at the garden center, along with her sister, Emma Hughes.
“The first year they just sold Christmas trees,” Hughes-Kelly said. “It wasn’t like this plan to always sell Christmas trees or have a garden center. But it just kind of unfolded that way. And I was a baby, and they called it Rosie’s Christmas tree stand.”
Her dad would often use the property to store supplies for his landscaping business. She said interest arose and people would ask to purchase items.
Her parents built the first store building in 1985. It is set for demolition.
“It started out really small. And luckily for them, adjacent pieces of property became for sale over time where they got to grow slower and could add on as it fit them. So, it wasn’t one big purchase of property,” Hughes-Kelly said.
“We’ve been emptying (the store) and uncovered in the concrete floor is writing of our names and the date,” Hughes-Kelly said.
Hughes-Kelly said her parents have no plans to retire, and she is poised to assume operations with her sister when the time comes. They want to continue “providing the independent family-based experience everyone is used to.”
Hughes-Kelly says she has an eye for quality and is particularly proud of the pottery and fountains the store sells.
“Our nursery manager, Ryan, who’s been with us for over 25 years, he really tries to find very unique evergreens from the West Coast, and just the amount of inventory that we have all the time is also pretty unique,” Hughes-Kelly said. “We never get to a point where we’re done for the year and sell out.”
Rosie’s Gardens and Hughes Landscaping employs 15 full-time workers and up to 25 additional seasonal workers. They are open year-round and sell landscape and gardening supplies, trees, shrubs and flowers. Landscaping services and local delivery are available. Hours vary by season.
They source products locally from other family-owned businesses and have longstanding relationships with most of their suppliers. Their Christmas trees come from Wisconsin and Michigan.
For more visit, rosiesgardens.com
