Connon Nurseries
Connon Nurseries is a fourth-generation Canadian horticultural grower and retailer in Waterdown, Ontario, producing 2,500+ plant varieties across 400+ acres and serving Ontario's landscape trade professionals, municipalities, garden centres, and home gardeners through sales yards, The Branch retail locations, and the Connon App.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1906
- HeadquartersWaterdown, Canada
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Connon Nurseries does
Connon Nurseries is a family-owned Canadian horticultural supplier headquartered in Waterdown, Ontario, producing and distributing ornamental plants to both trade professionals and consumers across Ontario. Founded in 1906 by Scottish immigrant John Connon and now in its fourth generation under the Vanderkruk family (Rob Vanderkruk, President), the company operates 400+ acres of container-production farmland in Waterdown plus a 20+ acre Newmarket site, growing over 2,500 varieties of trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, ornamental grasses, water plants, and complementary annuals, tropicals, and houseplants. Vertical integration covers propagation, processing, potting, and shipping with in-house farm managers across multiple production blocks.
The company's go-to-market is bifurcated: an enterprise field-sales motion to landscape contractors, cities/municipalities, and garden centres through approved Trade Professional accounts (special wholesale pricing, plant list quoting, on-site selection with clients, and dedicated delivery fleet), and a direct-to-consumer motion through three trade sales yards (Waterdown, Newmarket/King, Trenton) and The Branch, a small-format mall-based retail concept launched in 2025 across roughly 7-8 locations in Ancaster, Belleville, Burlington, Caledonia, Hamilton, Oakville, Richmond Hill, and Vaughan. Pricing is segmented: trade-only wholesale and retail List pricing via the Connon App (products.connon.ca), with clearance pricing at The Branch outlets. The catalog and ordering interface sit on the Connon App web platform, supported by content marketing, a Saturday indoor market at Waterdown, and Walk + Talk educational events.
The revenue model is straightforward transactional plant and garden-product sales (one-time purchase, no disclosed subscription, licensing, or recurring revenue streams). The company employs 200+ full-time and seasonal staff, holds a CNLA Garden Centre of Distinction 2026 Award, operates no disclosed API or integration platform, and reports no funding rounds, acquisitions, or institutional ownership — Connon Nurseries Inc. remains a privately held Canadian corporation serving Ontario's GTA and Eastern Ontario.
Connon Nurseries firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Connon Nurseries
- Legal name
- Connon Nurseries Inc.
- Website
- https://connon.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1906
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Connon Nurseries is a fourth-generation Canadian horticultural grower and retailer in Waterdown, Ontario, producing 2,500+ plant varieties across 400+ acres and serving Ontario's landscape trade professionals, municipalities, garden centres, and home gardeners through sales yards, The Branch retail locations, and the Connon App.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Connon Nurseries industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wholesale & Retail Nursery Plants
- NAICS
- Nursery and Tree Production (111421), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424)
- SIC
- Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Landscape Plant & Nursery Stock Wholesalers (Grower-Wholesalers) (AFAGAHAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nursery Production (Woody Ornamentals: Trees, Shrubs, Roses) (AFAGAHAF), Irrigation, Hoses & Watering Systems Retail (CRAIAIAD)
Keywords
Where Connon Nurseries is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Waterdown
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
Connon Nurseries business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Wholesale Plant Sales: Supplying trees, shrubs, perennials, and other nursery stock to landscape contractors, cities, municipalities, and garden centres at wholesale/trade pricing through approved trade accounts.
- Retail Plant Sales: Direct sales to home gardeners through sales yards, The Branch retail locations, and the Connon App at retail pricing.
- Garden Products: Sales of hard goods, garden products, annuals, tropicals, houseplants, and seasonal plants to complement plant offerings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Trade Professional Pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Connon Nurseries product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Connon Nurseries grows, produces, and sells over 2,500 varieties of nursery plants including container-grown flowering shrubs, trees, evergreens, perennials, ornamental grasses, and water plants on more than 400 acres in Waterdown, Ontario. The company serves landscape contractors, cities, municipalities, and garden centres through a wholesale Trade Professional Program with approved accounts and competitive pricing, and serves home gardeners through retail sales yards and The Branch plant centres across Ontario.
Product overview
Connon Nurseries operates the Connon App (products.connon.ca), a web-based plant catalog and sales platform, alongside three physical sales yards (Waterdown, Newmarket/King, and Trenton) and seven The Branch retail plant centres across Ontario. The company produces over 2,500 varieties of nursery plants across 400+ acres in Waterdown, Ontario, and sells both retail and wholesale through trade accounts. The Connon App enables customers to browse plants, check availability, create lists, and request quotes, with ordering fulfilled via direct sales team contact. The product portfolio spans nursery plants (trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, broadleafs, fruits, grasses, groundcovers, vines, roses), seasonal annuals and tropicals, houseplants, garden products, and digital gift cards, supported by planting services, weekend markets, and trade professional account programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Branch by Connon Nurseries: Smaller plant centre retail locations in mall settings offering plants and garden products at discounted clearance pricing, with seven locations across Ontario including Ancaster (Meadowlands Centre), Belleville (Quinte Mall), Burlington (Woodview Centre), Caledonia (Hwy 6), Hamilton (Lime Ridge Mall), Oakville (Trafalgar Ridge), and Richmond Hill (Hillcrest Mall).
Products and services
- Nursery Plants Trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, ornamental grasses, and other nursery stock sold at retail and wholesale pricing, available for pickup or delivery from Connon Nurseries' three sales yards across Ontario. Includes over 2,500 varieties grown on 400+ acres.
- Trade Professional / Wholesale Program Approved in-house Trade Accounts providing landscape contractors, cities, municipalities, and garden centres with competitive wholesale pricing on all nursery stock and discounted pricing on annuals, tropicals, houseplants, and seasonal plants. Includes access to dedicated sales yards, expert sales team quoting, and delivery fleet.
- The Branch by Connon Nurseries Retail plant centres located in mall and shopping centre settings across Ontario (Ancaster, Belleville, Burlington, Caledonia, Hamilton, Oakville, Richmond Hill), offering plants and garden products at discounted clearance pricing. Trade Professional pricing is also valid at all Branch locations.
- Connon App (products.connon.ca)
Companies that use Connon Nurseries
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Connon Nurseries technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Connon Nurseries partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Connon Nurseries competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bylands Nurseries: Western Canadian wholesale nursery producing trees, shrubs, and perennials for landscape professionals and garden centres. Comparable grower-wholesaler model focused on B2B trade customers across a wide Canadian geography.
- Canadale Nurseries: Ontario-based wholesale and retail nursery producing landscape plants, perennials, and trees. Closely comparable grower-retailer model with trade and consumer customer bases in Southern Ontario.
- Sheridan Nurseries: Established Ontario nursery and garden centre chain serving both landscape trade professionals and home gardeners with multiple retail locations across the GTA. Directly comparable in customer segmentation, geography, and product mix (trees, shrubs, perennials).
- Jeffries Nurseries: Manitoba-based wholesale nursery producing container and field-grown trees, shrubs, and perennials for landscape professionals. Comparable grower-wholesaler serving Canadian trade customers.
- Mori Gardens: Ontario-based nursery offering trees, shrubs, perennials, and garden products to both trade professionals and consumers. Comparable diversified retail/wholesale model in Southern Ontario.
- TERRA Greenhouses: Ontario-based garden centre chain operating multiple retail locations across the GTA and surrounding regions. Comparable retail garden centre model serving home gardeners with plants and garden products.
- Hollandia Nurseries: Ontario-based wholesale nursery specializing in nursery stock for landscape professionals. Comparable trade-focused grower in the Ontario horticulture market.
- J.C. Bakker & Sons: Ontario-based wholesale nursery specializing in trees, shrubs, and perennials for landscape contractors and garden centres. Comparable wholesale grower serving the Canadian trade market.
- Vandermeer Nurseries: Ontario-based wholesale nursery supplying landscape contractors with perennials, shrubs, and trees. Comparable trade-focused wholesale grower model in the same regional market as Connon.
Emerging players
- Centre Garden: Canadian garden centre and nursery operator with retail locations in Western Canada. Comparable retail garden centre concept serving consumers with plants and garden products, though geographically distinct.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Connon Nurseries social profiles
Digital presenceConnon Nurseries financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Connon Nurseries leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Connon Nurseries funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Connon Nurseries M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Connon Nurseries
What does Connon Nurseries do?
Connon Nurseries grows, produces, and sells over 2,500 varieties of nursery plants including container-grown flowering shrubs, trees, evergreens, perennials, ornamental grasses, and water plants on more than 400 acres in Waterdown, Ontario. The company serves landscape contractors, cities, municipalities, and garden centres through a wholesale Trade Professional Program with approved accounts and competitive pricing, and serves home gardeners through retail sales yards and The Branch plant centres across Ontario.
Is Connon Nurseries a public or private company?
Connon Nurseries is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Connon Nurseries founded?
Connon Nurseries was founded in 1906. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Connon Nurseries based?
Connon Nurseries is headquartered in Waterdown, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Connon Nurseries make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Wholesale Plant Sales are the primary driver. The others are retail Plant Sales and garden Products.
Who are Connon Nurseries's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bylands Nurseries, Canadale Nurseries, Sheridan Nurseries, Jeffries Nurseries, Mori Gardens, TERRA Greenhouses, Hollandia Nurseries, J.C. Bakker & Sons and Vandermeer Nurseries. Centre Garden is listed as an emerging player.
Does Connon Nurseries have an API?
No public API is recorded for Connon Nurseries.
What industry is Connon Nurseries in?
Connon Nurseries's product category is Wholesale & Retail Nursery Plants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGAHAM, Landscape Plant & Nursery Stock Wholesalers (Grower-Wholesalers), with a secondary code of AFAGAHAF, Nursery Production (Woody Ornamentals: Trees, Shrubs, Roses). Its NAICS code is 111421 and its SIC code is 100.