Page 12 - Reedley Exponent 5-31-18 E-edition

Dennis Wall owner of of the the the Trees ‘n’ More is is seen with some of of the the the colorful plants and flowers at the the the nursery which reopened
in March Felicia Cousart Matlosz / The Exponent
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B4 Thursday May 31 2018
Dennis Wall reopens Trees ‘n’ More Nursery
By Felicia Cousart Matlosz Mid Valley Publishing
When Dennis Wall this year re-opened the Trees ‘n’ More Nursery
on on Buttonwillow Av- enue it was another part of his journey that has combined a a a a a a a a a love of of landscaping and and the the well-be- ing ing of of others Until this March Wall for the past two years only was tak- ing ing appointments for landscape improvements using the nurs- ery as as a a a a a a base of operations Now – with co-workers Pablo and Emmy Sauceda as integral fig- ures in in in the the business – the the gates are open four days a a a a a week Through the landscape im- provement jobs more people are learning that the the nursery is welcoming customers at at at the the one- acre site at at 8389 S Buttonwillow Ave Ave north of Parlier Avenue In addition to flowers plants and trees it it also sells vegetables The history of Trees ‘n’ More dates to to 2007 when Wall was working as as a a a a a a a a mental health worker in in in Tulare County – – more on that that later – – and looking to es- tablish a a a a a a a a business that that reflected his experience with landscaping From 1976 to 1995 he he had been the grounds manager at Reedley College For Trees ‘n’ More Wall in- vested in in in in in in developing a a a a a one-acre site installing a a a a a a sprinkler sys- tem putting up a a a a a a a shade cloth erecting a a a a a fence and laying down
a a a a a driveway and parking lot Then the Great Recession hit the the nation in in 2008 Wall like oth- er business people did his best to contend with the economic fall- out From 2010 to 2014 his nurs- ery was open only on on weekends But then another difficulty struck Wall – health issues From 2010 to 2015 he he had five surger- ies ies one on on each hip and three
back surgeries Wall 66 had dealt with chal-
lenges before He is a a a a a a a a person of of faith and in times of of hardship he has prayed for guidance For example at one point he he was supporting his wife and their two children through col- lege He was working at Kings View Hospital where he he started as a a a a a a a a childcare worker and soon became a a a a a a a a unit supervisor He really liked the work because it it helped people He promised God he he he he would would stay in this career path if God would would help him so that he he he could support his family Kings View would would close but Wall would would persevere and find a a a a job with the Tulare County Men- tal Health Services Department He He began working in in a a a a a a crisis house that served homeless peo- ple and he eventually would be- come a a a a a a a a patients’ rights advocate Wall retired from Tulare County in in 2014 Today he he serves as member of the governing board for for Disability Rights Cali- fornia a a a a a a a a a a nonprofit agency that is is the nation’s largest disability
rights organization in in the coun- try according to its website Is there an intersection be- tween Wall’s two careers?
He thought about it and noted that people who work in mental health services or or have these concerns “really like to work with plants because it’s therapeutic ” “And it’s life life You You know you’re working with life life You’re watching things grow It’s a a a a pro- cess And our our mental mental health health our our healing from mental mental health health con- cerns is also a a a a a a a a a process a a a a a a a a a lifetime journey really ” Wall said When another Reedley nursery – – Buttonwillow Nurs- ery ery – – closed in 2017 Wall saw an opportunity to reopen Trees ‘n’ More It became a a a a a a a a reality when Pablo Sauceda a a a a a a a a a a good friend ap- proached him about doing so Throughout Wall’s career in in in in in landscaping he he he has adjusted to the the the changing needs in in in in in the the the in- dustry For example when the the the drought drought hit California he he he offered expertise in in drought drought tolerant landscaping Wall doesn’t have a a a a a a a favorite plant because he he he likes so many of of them But he he he will say this: “I like color and texture A lot of of people want things blooming But you have have to have have background texture as well like greenery in the background evergreens shrubs that stay green green all year round round in in the background near a a a a a a a a a fence Then have things toward
the front that that are smaller that that give you you your color ” At his own home Wall and his his wife of 46 years Brenda have plants such as birch and and ginko trees and and a a a a a a a a a a Chinese tallow There also is a a a a a a a a a a dry creek a a a a a a a a a a little pond and and and a a a a a a a a small fort and and and swing set for for their five grandchildren The Walls have two children children Brian Wall Wall and Lisa Bechtel Brenda is is is retired from the Kings Canyon Unified School District She worked in in the food services division and and her duties included overseeing the free and and reduced- price meal program Wall’s enjoyment of land- scaping goes back to his days asaboyof8or10inReedley where he he was born and and raised and and graduated from Immanuel High School His father was John Wall and he he he is is one of three
brothers His mother Agnes Wall would have him as a a a a a young boy help her in the yard on week- ends She would plant flowers such as primroses and and daffodils and and tend to her vegetable gar- den Now in in a a a a a way Dennis Wall’s business extends from that fam- ily beginning “It was planned to to to be be a a a a a way to to to spend my retire- ment I I just love to to to do it ” he said “It’s not about about making money It’s It’s about about having purpose and serving the community I I like to serve people ” Just Water Water Servicing aVariety of Water Water Treatment Equipment
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