Perennial Gardens Nursery and Greenhouse
Owner: Michelle Koski
Location: Siloam Springs, Ark.
History: “I was working in Minnesota, was 9 months pregnant and got laid off so they paid for my schooling. I wanted to go for horticulture but, in Minnesota that was a seasonal job and they wouldn’t pay for school. So, I decided to go into accounting because I wanted to start my own business and I wanted to stay at home with my son. We moved here from Minnesota in 2009. Our business is at the old Lake Francis Resort. We are located just out of town about four miles south of Siloam Springs, Ark. Now there are very few cabins left because they had a big fire so most of that is gone. We live in one of the cabins. We have a greenhouse and plants outside.”
Products and Services: “I grow potted plants from seed or root cuttings. We have perennials, annuals, hanging baskets and just about anything I can get my hands on. Sometimes, my son, Matthew, helps. I market at the farmers market and sometimes through ads in the paper. I do a few flowering shrubs but no trees. I sell good-quality plants that look good and grow well. I fertilize them with slow release fertilizer so they will last a long time.”
Philosophy: “Plants look good when they first arrive. Sometimes plants just don’t get the care they need. People often do not have the knowledge to take proper care of their plants. I make sure my plants get the care they need. They are watered when they need to be. They get shade when they need shade. They are hardier, healthier plants.”
