WHISPERING SPRING GREENHOUSE Rochester Business Flourishes as Plant Purveyor Although it was challenging to start a business, the venture has been successful.
Writer / Angela Cornell Photography Provided
In many ways, the world has changed this year. Through all the turmoil, it sometimes feels like few things have remained the same. However, some have - for instance, nature. The world outside has remained virtually the same. The grass is green, trees are growing and flowers are still blooming. According to Suetta Shirk, owner of Whispering Spring Greenhouse in Rochester, bright and beautiful flowers have been a source of inspiration to many people this year. Whispering Spring Greenhouse has provided Shirk with an opportunity to teach her seven daughters about strong work ethic with a hobby-based business.
“Then it was COVID-19 - we didn’t know if it would affect our business or not,” Shirk says. “It did, but in a positive way. People were out and found us.” As Shirk looks to the future, she has every intention of opening for a third season. Shirk sells annual plants that are suitable both for flower beds and as decorations inside homes. “We do a few perennials now and then, but not a lot,” she says.
Shirk also sells fall flowers including colorful mums, as well as the “There’s always something to do, like fill pots before they go to school,” Shirk says. “It’s something new, it’s real fun, and gives them an tri-colored relatives of the mum known as mumbos, and cut flower arrangements. energy boost to get out there. We’re always learning, so that makes a difference too.” Every summer, the whole family participates in deciding which plants will be part of the next year’s greenhouse inventory. Since starting the greenhouse in the spring of 2019, Shirk says it has been a wonderful family activity. “It starts again with the catalogs, and everyone is so enthused about what they want to buy,” Shirk says. “It’s sort of a game. We always find “We just made a leap of faith, made some orders, and had some fun,” something new that we’d like to try. If a lot of customers ask about a Shirk says. “The first year was a little bit of a shot in the dark because it was new.” 54 / THE LAKES MAGAZINE / SEPTEMBER 2020 / thelakesmagazine.com
