Orrington & Orono — Spring has arrived across the state, and local greenhouses are seeing a surge of customers ready to get their hands dirty after a long winter.
At Wooly Ridge Greenhouse, owner Cheryl Allen says even snowy conditions couldn’t keep people away on opening day. She says many locals are eager to refresh their yards and embrace gardening as both a hobby and a practical investment.
“Everyone’s just starving for color, and to get out and work in their yards. And with the price of gas, no one’s gonna be able to go very far for vacations this year, so they’re gonna make their yards beautiful,” says Allen.
At Evermay Nursery, new owner John Welton similarly reported a busy opening week and growing excitement among customers.
“Every April, people are anxious to get their hands dirty planting things up… It’s been kind of cold and rainy this month, so this past weekend with the sun really brought folks out,” says Welton.
Both Allen and Welton say they’ve seen a growing number of younger customers.
“Young people are really having so much fun. They come in here and they are dancing up and down the aisles going, oh can I do this, is this all right, like, yes, yes, do it all,” says Allen.
“I think its a bit of a timeless interest really, so it makes perfect sense that there’s people of all ages interested,” says Welton.
Both owners say rising costs have led to slight price increases, but demand remains strong.
“We’re hoping that the trend that we have seen from Covid continues, which is that there’s just a general increase in the number of people interested in growing plants and gardening,” says Welton.
Allen adds that supporting local businesses remains important despite rising costs.
“Your money stays in Maine… I think its just important to support your neighbors, support your businesses, even though it’s getting harder and harder every year,” says Allen.
Welton says Evermay Nursery will hold a weekend-long Spring celebration for the community on May 9th and 10th.
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