Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc., introducers of Proven Winners ColorChoice flowering shrubs, will celebrate its 25th Anniversary in 2006. Spring Meadow, a wholesale operation, is located in Grand Haven, Mich.
“It all began with an idea of selling flowering shrubs in a potted cell like annuals were sold," says Owner Dale Deppe, who has traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia in search of new varieties of evergreens and flowering shrubs. "I reviewed this method and there was only one other grower in North America was using this approach. Other growers were selling shrub liners bareroot. So that was the first quality that set us apart from our competition.”
Through the past 25 years many ideas have set Spring Meadow Nursery apart from the competition. In the beginning, selling traditional varieties as potted liners was unusual. After reexamining, the next advance came in 1997 with the introduction of Wine & Roses Weigela. This breakthough variety created a new interest in flowering shrubs and inspired a novel new approach to plant patenting. Spring Meadow Nursery created a patented plant program that dedicated a part of the royalty for marketing and promoting the plant on all levels. Colorful, exciting plants sold under this line were called ColorChoice.
From 1997 to 2002, plants such as ‘Limelight’ Hydrangea, Midnight Wine Weigela and Little Henry Itea were promoted to end consumers and the trade by a wholesale propagation nursery. In 2003, Spring Meadow formed a partnership with Proven Winners to sell ColorChoice under the Proven Winners name brand. This created instant recognition to gardeners through out North America.
Twenty five years of success has not changed the core values of Spring Meadow Nursery and its founder. Deppe still is genuinely excited to find new plants and see them thrive in homeowners’ gardens.