AROUND TOWN

A LOCAL BUSINESS PROVIDES

A MULTI-GENERATION PASSION FOR PLANTS

WRITTEN BY SOPHIE OSWALD / PHOTOS BY JAMI BOWMAN

When people think about buying flowers, they don’t always picture heading to a local business. They often think of large department stores. But what if we told you there is an excellent one-stop shop near you that can fulfill all of your plant buying needs? Family Tree Nursery started over 50 years ago. Today they happily serve the community from three locations. They can be found in Overland Park and Shawnee, Kansas; and Liberty, Missouri.

The commitment they have to bringing the community a fabulous selection of great plants is something they practice at each location. The knowledge and passion found at Family Tree Nursery is hard to find in other stores. On top of that, they have many decades of experience under their belts.

Overland Park was the first location created by Family Tree Nursery and is a favorite of many people in the community. This is the largest of their locations and covers five acres. It is filled with trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, houseplants, and more. The passion behind this business has carried over through multiple generations. “I was born and raised into this and my grandfather started it in the ‘60s,” explains Jonah Nelson, store manager. “I’m the third generation in my family who is a part of it. My dad owns it now and I am helping him run the business.”

“I am passionate about it because I love plants and I love people and helping people and I love that it is our family business,” Nelson continues. “I am happy to be a part of something that has been around for that long and I feel blessed that I have the opportunity to be able to impact it in the way I do right now.” The passion this family has for plants and assisting those in the community doesn’t stop with them. The staff at Family Tree Nursery is kind and full of knowledge too. They can guide even the most unsure customers and help match them with the perfect plant (or plants) for their needs.

In addition to the great staff, they also have an inhouse design team. They are here to assist with container design and installation. Inside the Overland Park and Shawnee locations, you will find Café Equinox, a botanically-inspired cafe. Here they sell Thou Mayest coffee beverages, local pastries, and more. You can enjoy them in the indoor seating area surrounded by calming plants, or take them with you as you walk around and shop. There are hopes of expanding beyond three Family Tree Nursery locations down the line. Nelson explains there is always a plan for the future, but it is all about being patient with the right timing. “We are planning to open up another store in the future, but we are just not quite there yet,” says Nelson. “We have a little bit of work to do, but we have property and everything else ready to go—we are just waiting on the full plan to develop.” Another unique thing about Family Tree Nursery is each year the Overland Park store hosts events. No events are coming up soon as they prepare for their busiest time of the year, but keep this business in mind when you are looking for events to attend in the future. Sometimes they offer live music, tasty food, and gorgeous garden displays. For now, you can look forward to great in-store specials and sales. This time of year they are all stocked up with gorgeous plants, and they have great prices to match. “We have some big sales coming up; our annual geranium sale and an annual Mother’s Day sale,” says Nelson. Instead of buying your mom flowers from a department store, consider checking out Family Tree Nursery. They have a vast selection of plants, so their customers are far from limited. They offer succulents, dahlias, geraniums, and so much more. You will feel good knowing you supported a local business, and you will put a smile on your mom’s face.

Family Tree Nursury Locations Overland Park:

8424 Farley St., Overland Park, KS, 913.642.6503 Shawnee:

7036 Nieman Rd., Shawnee, KS, 913.631.6121 Liberty:

830 W. Liberty Dr., Liberty, MO, 816.781.0001