Page 28 - Free State Winter 2022 - Website Version

GROWING FORWARD (Continued) carefully timed pickup appointments to allow for social

allows for the online sales platform to be open only distancing. Sales have been greater than years prior to
when the nursery is not open for in-person shopping and the pandemic, likely due to the corresponding surge in
vice-versa, to maintain an accurate inventory. Benefits gardening interest seen throughout the industry. Adkins
to including the online ordering system were initially fills a niche for gardeners by providing an extensive
that it allowed plant sales to continue during a time of selection of native plant material that typically could not
uncertainty and presently that many customers appreciate be found in one location. Sales of plant material support
the option to have their order reserved for them. One the Arboretum in its mission to “provide exceptional
drawback to the system at this location is that plant orders experiences in nature to promote environmental
must be transported about 0.25 miles to a curbside pickup stewardship.” Now nearing the end of the third full season,
area, which can result in extra work if customers are late or the online sales have continued as the primary method
do not arrive for their pickup time. Although much work up of plant sales. It became clear that plant health could
front, this has proven to be a good system to have in place best be ensured by keeping the plants protected under
and is one that Herring Run Nursery will continue to use. shade and watered via irrigation at the nursery, rather
than using the open-air area near the visitor center and
Adkins Arboretum, located on the Eastern Shore of parking lot that was dedicated to in-person shopping
Maryland in rural Caroline County, is a 400-acre native in the past. Customers are pleased with the quality of
garden and preserve with a long history of native plant the plants, and although their in-person experience is
sales for its members and the general public. A large limited to pick up, they also can attend programs or visit
selection of woody and herbaceous plant species that are the Arboretum’s gardens and natural areas for planting
native to the coastal plain and piedmont regions of the inspiration. Staff answer questions about plant selection
Chesapeake Bay watershed, including both straight species via e-mail and online educational materials about the
and cultivars, is curated for the Arboretum’s yearly Spring plants have been and will continue to be expanded.
and Fall Plant Sales. The organization’s Executive Director, Adkins understands the value of building a system that
Ginna Tiernan, provided the vision for adapting to online fits best with the nursery operation, in order to support
plant sales in order to continue serving the organization’s staff and meet customers’ needs.
gardener constituents during the pandemic. Previously,
plants could be pre-ordered prior to each sales event, Each of the nursery operations offered as examples have
with additional opportunity to browse in person. In spring shown that the concept of offering their plant material
of 2020, the sales model shifted to online sales only, with for sale online has merit. In some cases, online sales were

An overview of Direct Native Plants' nursery in Middle River, MD.

28 WINTER 2022 • Free State News