June 18, 2017
Issue No. 25
www.westsidenewsny.com
West Edition
Distributed to Bergen, Clarendon, Holley-Murray and Brockport-Sweden
Sara’s is Fabulous at Forty Advances in technology and personal electronic devices have impacted home Sara’s Garden & Nursery at 389 East gardeners, Kepler says. “With everyone Avenue in Brockport is celebrating a re- having a smart phone, they can Google a markable milestone this year - 40 years plant name and get tons of info. We love that. We have a small staff and it is great in business. What began as a small farm wagon of- when it’s a crazy weekend and we don’t fering homegrown veggies and fruits in have enough hours in the day to help people 1977, has become a destination for area on a one-to-one basis. Plus, it really helps gardeners - a family-run nursery with an people ask some pretty thoughtful quesabundance of thriving plants, garden ne- tions ... we love seeing phones come out at cessities, ornaments, and perhaps one of the nursery.” Stone wall follies have prominent spots the most personable, gracious and knowledgeable business owners and gardening in the display gardens, and Sara’s has worked in recent years to provide educaexperts around - Kathy Kepler. tional weekends on the folly-making process, so anyone can learn about how to create the hardscape “ruins” which add so much Sara’s grows its own annuals, vegetables and hanging baskets in their 20,000 square feet of greencharacter and “age” to the house space. K. Gabalski photo. garden. “Our Stone Wall Follies weekends are one of the A special volunteer - William Schmitt of Sara’s annually helps Orleans County things we are most proud Clarkson - helps Kepler with maintaining Cornell Cooperative Extension Master of,” Kepler notes. “There the garden at Sara’s every year. He, “has Gardener volunteers promote their are some pretty special lo- been a good customer of Sara’s for years “Garden Makeover” contest and provides cal supporters of that event and it was always a pleasure to help him $1,000 in plant material to the lucky wineach season and were it not with his garden each season. Now that he ner. Kepler is always happy to let the for Scott George of Clark- has retired, he has devoted many hours to winning family come to Sara’s to select son, all of the great student keeping the garden in great shape.” the flowers and shrubs for their project. A display of flowering dahlias creates an impressive rainbow of stone work would not be on Additionally, Sara’s Garden Center gen“Kathy is our ‘Rock Star’ supporting color at Sara’s. K. Gabalski photo. display.” erously shares its bounty of beauty with the the Master Gardeners of Orleans County She credits great employ- greater westside community. Cornell Cooperative Extension,” Master Clarkson Supervisor Paul Kimball says Gardener Don O’Keefe says. “From our “It’s hard to imagine Sara’s as a small ees as another main factor in Sara’s success wagon selling fruits and vegetables on over multiple decades. “The young people Sara’s donated plants for the traffic circle Education Days to our Master Gardener East Avenue,” Kepler muses. “Over the in our region are a wealth of talent and to keep it in bloom during the growing sea- Makeover, she is truly a great asset and course of 40 years, we have fallen into commitment. Our long-term members are son. “Their efforts are greatly appreciated,” resource to the community.” what really is our passion - working devoted with the same passion for plants Kimball says, “and may have been underKepler says community outreach is with ornamental plants and sharing that that we have,” Kepler says. “As a team, we appreciated in the past. We are fortunate important for Sara’s. “If it promotes a love to have them in the town and are grateful and appreciation for plants, we are in,” love and passion with our customers. It accomplish a lot each year.” for all they do for the community.” is the force that drives us each day: we she says. “It really is a common denomilove flowers.” nator among all people ... everyone should Keeping the business going over four have the opportunity to grow and nurdecades has meant many changes as ture something as rewarding as a plant. home gardening has evolved. There is an emotional connection with Twenty years ago, Sara’s became the other living, growing things. Plants give source for water gardens, including both back so much on a myriad of levels and fish and plants. Extensive and welleveryone should have that opportunity to manicured display gardens on site offer experience and discover that connection refuge, inspiration and a bucolic spot one way or another. There should be no for tours, weddings and a community barrier that prevents that from happenvegetable garden. ing on some level: knowledge, experience, Kepler says Sara’s works to stay on top financial. We want to make sure we can of trends in gardening - things like color help that happen.” preferences, the “do it for me” trend, the Sara’s is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday “teach me everything” trend - but right through Friday; Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 now she observes, “all the cards are p.m.; and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the table ... there is a niche for all things gardening. The vegetable trend Inside... does seem high right now and it’s great that folks are devoting time, energy and garden space to vegetables, and this year they are mixing them with their flowers, too. If there is no space, the container of One of the stone wall follies can be seen in the distance in the beautiful display gardens at Sara’s tomatoes can give folks that fresh tomato See story on page 11 Garden & Nursery in Brockport. K. Gabalski photo. fix, and they are doing that.” by Kristina Gabalski
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