Greenhouse & Garden Center

NCNLA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Five Minutes with

Fairview Greenhouses and Garden Center, Inc.

Fairview Greenhouses and Garden Center, Inc.

Raleigh, NC

Marketing Director

Heather Rollins

In business

1974

NCNLA member

Since 1989

Number of employees

15 full time, 35-45 seasonally

Favorite NCNLA benefits

Educational classes and the Green & Growin’ Marketplace

How did you get into the business?

I graduated from North Carolina State University in 2005 with a bachelor of science degree in horticultural science. I applied to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences with only the thought of wanting a career in which I could be outside and work with my hands. I fell in love with the Horticulture Department at NC State — not just the plants, but the amazing people in the industry, too! Out of college, I worked at Smith’s Nursery as a nursery sales manager for seven years, before joining my husband at his family’s business, Fairview Garden Center.

What’s a typical day like for you and your staff?

Well, it’s currently spring. So, a typical day looks like me not having time to sit down to complete this interview. ;)

Our garden center is broken down into five main departments: store (cash team), greenhouse, perennials, nursery and production. Each week we meet to go over our weekly and monthly sales goals and discuss our planned marketing schedule, as well as go over sales or features of the week. My main job is to ensure that our marketing plan stays on track and that our products are efficiently and regularly promoted to our customers. I update our website to reflect our sales and featured plants each week, send weekly e-newsletters, create new blog posts, and schedule social

Heather Rollins and youngest daughter, Jo Jo

media engagements. In addition to marketing, I serve as the buyer for our interior gift section, which involves regular ordering, merchandising and inventory management. I am also in charge of our installation team (Fairview Planted), which entails weekly scheduling of jobs and labor for tree and shrub installation.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career?

The most rewarding part of my career is working with the amazing people in the horticulture industry. This industry works so well together across multiple disciplines. Everyone learns from each other, and people are happy to share ideas or strategies for the benefit of the industry as a whole.

What is your company best known for?

We are best known for growing more than 95% of our annual flowers. Jo Ann Dewar, my husband’s grandmother and the company’s founder, is still in the greenhouse planting and propagating every day at age 90. Her loving care and expertise really help make a Fairview-grown plant stand out.

What issues are you concerned about as a company in the green industry?

The horticulture industry saw a huge boost from COVID, which continued into 2021 and seems to be carrying momentum into 2022. However, this continuing increase can’t be sustainable forever, and I am worried we will soon begin to see sales flatten and possibly drop in the coming years. We also have a large customer base of new and first-time gardeners. It will be essential to educate these customers and capture that market, so we can keep them digging in the dirt (and buying plants) for years to come.

What have you gained from your involvement in NCNLA?

I have made wonderful personal and professional connections with people I have met through involvement with NCNLA. I also enjoy attending educational classes that allow me to return to work inspired and full of new ideas.

What advice do you have for someone interested in or just starting out in the industry?

Have a passion, be willing to work and always be willing to learn. A career in the horticulture industry can be incredibly rewarding, but you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. You also must be willing to ask questions, meet people and learn new things. I have worked in the industry for more than 17 years, and I still learn something new every day.