Forest Lake Greenhouses, named after the nearby lake, is a full-service retail/wholesale garden center and greenhouse specializing in blooming plant sales and production.
Shrubs, trees, herbs, perennials, plant supplies (fertilizers, potting soil), clay pots, unique plant containers and statuary are also items available for sale. They enable the store to be a one-stop shop for all gardening needs. We re-pot plants for customers, design container gardens and provide carry-out service. Wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs, the clean cement walkways of the retail greenhouse provide the customer with the best selection of colorful blooming plants year around.
Tim & Lisa's Story
Tim & Lisa met when they worked for a large wholesale grower in Charleston, SC in 1987. Tim, who grew up in Florence, learned the trade on the job. Lisa, originally from Pittsburgh, PA, earned a B.S. in Horticulture from Pennsylvania State University. Together, they wanted to start a business.
In 1989, the now husband and wife team did just that, opening Forest Lake Greenhouses in Florence, SC. Today, there is 45,000 square feet of poly houses, 2 acres of outdoor production, and 7,000 square feet of covered retail space. Nearly 70% of business is retail and 30% is wholesale to regional garden centers and florists. They grow mostly 4- and 6-inch potted blooming plants, Proven Winners, unusual container gardens, and colorful hanging baskets.
"We're growing some different crops," Lisa says, "We grew marigolds in the fall along with our mums and pansies. We'll take an annual and bump it up to a larger size." Tim says the business is increasingly shifting its focus to retail. When we started Forest Lake Greenhouses, I knew we could grow," he says. "But retail was totally new. I would say in the next 5 years, we will become 95% retail." Both Lisa and TIm say they want to give customers a reason to enjoy their garden center. The pair invests heavily in cosmetics, including brick walkways and colorful, year-round displays that show customers how they can combine plant material." We want to give our customers a nice place to shop with a relaxing atmosphere." Tim says.
Forest Lake Greenhouses supplies plants for local theatre and symphony performances, as well as mailing information-packed newsletters and postcard coupons to people signed up on their mailing list. Tim and Lisa plan seminars and workshops for children and their parents.
While children gaze into the fish pond or participate in events like "Fire Safety Saturday" or "Pet Day," their parents can attend gardening seminars. One recent program brought a chef into the greenhouse to show gardeners how they can cook with fresh herbs. "We want to keep making the garden center a fun and educational place to be," Lisa says.
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