|
The main portion of Wade and Gatton is placed on a 390
acre plantation of trees and shrubs. The market the nursery
sells to covers many states to the surrounding areas of
Ohio. They serve all types of people at the nursery. No job
is to big or to small for Wade and Gatton to handle. The
company has thirty full time employees and sixty to one
hundred part time workers in the busy season. Most of Wade
and Gatton employees are from the Bellville area. The
company is very big on giving back to the community. Jobs
that are done at the nursery are accounting, trucking,
landscaping, retail, and nursery stock. A flower shop with
seeds and bulbs is located on the farm. Propagation tents
are located on the premises.
The biggest part of Wade and Gatton is the growth of
trees and shrubs. Evergreens are another part that they are
involved in. Fruit, Oak, Maple, and a variety of other woody
plants are at the nursery. One of the neatest parts of the
nursery is the irrigation system that is installed. There
are a number of wells that have been drilled on the farm.
These supply water to the plants that are located on top of
the hills. A stream runs through the valley of the nursery.
This is the water supply for plants located in the lower
elevation of the farm.
Another area of the Wade and Gatton operation is the
massive hosta garden that has been developed. They have one
of the largest gardens in the world for hosta. The neat part
about the garden is that it is used to attract business for
the nursery. People will come to visit the garden and buy
plants from Wade and Gatton. Garden groups, school groups,
and professional organization all visit Wade and Gatton in a
year. They also have the idea that everyone should have a
plant from Wade and Gatton in their yard. To achieve this we
were given a free plant at our stop to the nursery. This is
a tradition that the nursery tries to uphold. I found this
to be a good sales stategy and one that I could possibly use
in the future.
Another aspect that I loved at the nursery was the
cookies that were given to us on break. They were delicious.
The peanut butter with chocolate chips was my favorite. I
think the group as a whole had the same feelings that I did
about the cookies that were eaten.
The reason that I liked this stop on the trip so well is
that it is what I want to do with my landscape horticulture
degree. I would like to start my own nursery and landscape
business. Wade and Gatton is what I want. I can see myself
developing into what they have done. The things that I
learned at Wade and Gatton will stick with me for the rest
of my life. I am sure that I will be back to visit this
nursery in the future. I would encourage any student who has
the same ambitions that I have to visit Wade and Gatton
nursery. I think it would be just as fulfilling as it was
for me.
|
